Rolling In The Deep

[Existentially Odd]

"Ahh," Kerr responded when Jake told him he was single. So he and Murphy had broken up. No wonder Jake didn't seem his normal self.

He snorted at the question of Kerr knowing people who wanted to be embraced; needy mortals were around all the time but a random siring would not make Jake feel any better. Rash choices in that department had changed the course of Kerr's life. At this very moment, suffering as he was, he didn't recommend it and would do his best to talk his friend out of it, if he could.

"Trust me, it's not worth the hassle. Right now, I envy you. Stay single. A fledgeling would just be something else to drain your energy and demand focus. You have a district to run. You can't afford the time investment a newling would need. It's so much easier when it's just you. Someone like you'll easily find company so you don't feel lonely," he winked.

Kerr knew it was his anger talking, that once he calmed down, he'd miss Ben and want to be with him again but that sentiment was not in his forseeable future. There'd have to be a lot of talking and compromising and conceding before he got there and they were both still deep in the part where hurt was winning. He was pretty sure that if he was here with Jake, Ben was making decisions that were even worse. He'd bet money on it.

His first bet was that Ben had spun around and gone straight back to Win. That would fuck everyone up the most and prove what a heartless person Ben was. And how much he hated Kerr. Win would cut him deeply. His next bets were Saraekiel or Charon; climbing into their beds would be the next greatest hurt he could inflict upon Kerr. There was a distant fourth choice but Kerr hoped like fuck he hadn't gone there.

Kerr gritted his teeth, shoving those searing, despairing thoughts into the molten fury he was nurturing and letting it burn bright enough to consume him. He stayed close to Jake as instructed, his hands balled into fists.

[Black Philip]

They walked through a long series of tunnels, the actual level of distance proving Jake's subterranean base extended well past the defined borders of the White Rabbit. Jake had bought the abandoned spaces from the former mayor, who was convinced to privatize out these areas of the city's sewers, electrical and transportation repairs. As they moved through one hallway, a train from the city's subway could be heard, pulling along parallel to them. Jake didn't flinch a bit. He'd gotten used to living underground.

After walking for about ten minutes they came to a room near one of major sewer pipes still in operation. It connected much of the metropolis to the city's waste management plants, and couldn't be moved during the Rabbit Warren's construction. Mortals were spared any odors, the pipe's design to minimize smell. However, vampires were not so lucky, and Kerr would detect a faint odor of shit. Jake unlocked a metal door and led Kerr into a room with hardwood floors, mirrors, and side rooms that held equipment.

"My security teams train in here," he explained, pointing out a punching bag, dummies, and a rack of batons. He didn't enjoy Kerr's cynicism regarding his wish to sire, although appreciated his calls for cautiousness. Still, there was a self defeated narrative in what Kerr was saying that was unlike the man Jake knew. It made him want to help, and because he already hated Ben, it was easy to summon some of those feelings as well. What had the little cretin done to hurt the best thing he had in his life? Jake decided he would be less careless with such a treasure than Ben.

Jake was still a little nervous about Kerr's request, and so he set some conditions he thought would be helpful. "No shirt, no shoes, no weapons, including improvised ones. No mental powers. First one to tap the floor three times is saying they want no more and we both stop. Deal?"

Most of these terms weren't negotiable. This was already as strange request, and while Jake was excited at the prospect of blowing off a little steam, he knew how tempers could get, especially vampire tempers. Jake removed his shirt as he spoke, and then started in on his shoes. He only wore his jeans now.   

[Existentially Odd]

Kerr had just been imagining that they would simply take turns punching each other, so the thought of including a rule about tapping out hadn’t occurred to him. It implied that there’d be wrestling as well, rather than just hitting. He could roll with that, even though he had very minimal experience with any physical fighting.

“Deal,” he grinned and followed Jake’s lead, stripping off his t-shirt while he toed his shoes off. His socks and jeans went next, leaving him in a pair of black boxer briefs. Wrestling meant Greco-Roman in his head and they always did that naked. “I don’t want to be restricted by jeans,” he explained with a shrug. “Plus, the pockets and zip and stuff could catch.”

Sure, the denim might help him resist some blows to his groin but pain was pain. He didn’t care where it came from. Leaving his clothes in a pile, he walked out to where there was some open space, rubbing his hands together eagerly. The rancid odour permeating the air only added to his sourness, matching the feelings he was holding in. The stench seemed apropos. “How do we start?” he asked, turning back to face Jake.

[Black Philip]

Jake watched as Kerr undressed, feeling like his opponent was taking his pants off for no other reason other than to distract him. That was fine. Were they really about to do this? Were these two grown men going to beat the feelings out of another instead of just having a hot mug and a cry? Yes. That's exactly what was about to happen. Jake followed Kerr a few steps behind, and set himself up as the other rubbed his hands together.

How do we st-

That's as far as Kerr got, for a fist decked him in the cheek, a mean left hook from Jake. He followed it up while Kerr was distracted with a knee to his gut, and then a jab in the nose.

"Is that the kind of thing you wanted," Jake said cautiously, taking a break to check on Kerr before continuing his assault. 

[Existentially Odd]

Kerr was surprised by the left hook; his mouth was slack so Jake punched him hard enough that he sliced his inner cheek open on his fangs. He tasted blood immediately, his head rocking to the side with the power of the blow. The knee to his gut was a solid thud but it didn’t hurt anywhere near as much as the jab to his nose. His eyes watered as his nose crunched, sending waves of pain out across his face at a piercing amplitude. His head snapped backwards and he had to blink rapidly to bring Jake into focus through the tears and pain as he straightened up.

“Yeah,” he grinned, showing blood-smeared teeth, “but you should hit me harder.” He stepped forward suddenly, before Jake could get out of his reach, clenching his fists and aiming to deliver a right-handed upper cut to Jake’s abdomen. Such a strike would smash ribs on a mortal, cracking them and spearing lungs, if it connected. Kerr swung his left fist in a wayward roundhouse just afterward, aiming for Jake’s jaw but telegraphing the move quite obviously because he had to shift his weight to gain momentum.

[Black Philip]

The first hit connected, and Jake's natural Fortitude took over, softening the blow from the stronger vampire. Ribs were not broken, but a few were bruised. The young vampire's face contorted in pain, before he saw Kerr's next attack coming. Kerr was stronger and faster. There was no question about that. However, it was clear he didn't really know how to fight very well, as Jake did. The left fist was caught in Jake's, before his right leg shot up into a high kick, connecting with Kerr's chin, and likely fracturing his jaw if he were human. The older vampire stumbled back, freeing up Jake's hand. The younger vampire whipped around into a roundhouse kick and his target was Kerr's left kidney. He wanted to be hit harder, and since Jake knew his physical strength was unlikely to be strong enough for Kerr, he would make his moves debilitating. It was strangely arousing to be hit by Kerr, and to hit him back. As he kicked, he spoke, unsure if his second move would be deflected or connect.

"That all you got," he challenged. "Aren't you going to go for my pretty face?"

He batted his eyes, and resumed a defensive position. He wore the condescending smirk of the Black Prince, and never before had there been a more perfect face to be hit. It practically begged for it.

[Existentially Odd]

Kerr was genuinely surprised when his fist was caught and he was looking at that instead of Jake's feet when the kick reared up in his peripheral vision and connected with his chin. It was a good thing he'd decided to hold his teeth together after the first hit to his face, otherwise he might've bitten his tongue off. As it was, they clicked together audibly and he felt his jaw skew sideways with the impact.

Not broken but it fucking hurt. His whole face exploded with pain that he couldn't blink away in time to see the roundhouse coming. He buckled to the left as his lower back flared with a sharp, throbbing ache. He realised his body was better at diffusing the blows it received than his head but Jake knew exactly where to strike to make it count.

He'd definitely come to the right person.

Tentative stretches of his jaw caused more flares of stinging pain so he stopped that quickly and did his best to straighten up. He couldn't grin at Jake anymore because whatever he'd done with that kick left Kerr only able to hold his teeth together. It was awful and lovely at the same time, limiting his abilities and backing him into a figurative corner. The taunting words made him want to smile but he only reacted instead, using celerity to speed into Jake's personal bubble and punch him squarely in the nose with a powerful right jab. He wasn't skilled enough to use his feet or legs so he followed the jab with a left uppercut, hoping to do the same damage to Jake's jaw as he'd done to him.

[Black Philip]

Jake had been busy gloating, and so the blur of speed caught him off guard. His nose shattered and moved squarely to the left and he bit his tongue as Kerr assaulted his jaw. He could still speak, and make expressions, but his eyes cried red blood, as the pain from his nose took over his whole head. He jumped out of Kerr's range, preforming a back hand spring and kicking up in case Kerr was foolish enough to pursue. Once he landed, he planned his next assault.

"You hit like a girl's blouse," he insulted, spitting blood out of his mouth and telling Kerr to attack once more. Jake had a nasty surprise ready this time.

[Existentially Odd]

Kerr was impressed by Jake's athleticism as he sprang away and Kerr could only watch in awe until the lithe vampire landed. When he spat blood, Kerr's gaze was drawn to the splatter on the polished floorboards, the thought of licking it up - or pressing Jake's face into it to make him lick it up - strangely alluring. He laughed deep in his throat when called a girl's blouse and advanced, ready to deliver another punch to Jake's face.

[Black Philip]

Jake let Kerr get close, but as he swung, Jake ducked, and then used Kerr's momentum to trip the older vampire onto the floor, by sticking out his leg. Once Kerr landed, Jake stepped on the back of Kerr's neck. It would hold him down while Jake delivered a series of painful strikes. Some were in the back of his head. Others were in his kidneys, his spleen, and his spine.  It was to cathartic to let out his rage, and he saw the following faces and had a punch for each.

A punch for Zoheret, for that stupid basket.

A punch for Zeus, for returning from his absence.

A punch for Murphy, for not being what his vision promised.

A punch for Ben, for this stupid election, and other crimes.

Lastly, a punch for Lazarus, for wrecking him.

With all of these done, he felt a great deal calmer, but Kerr looked rough. Jake hoped he hadn't gone overboard. He'd really unleashed, and felt remarkably more calm. He wondered if Kerr felt that.

[Existentially Odd]

Kerr didn't see the manoeuvre unfold and he landed hard. It felt like most of his joints contacted the unforgiving wooden floor at once, pinging a network of pain to life at separate points all over his body. He shuddered to a stop and then his face was pressed agonisingly downward, the flare in his jaw spearing into his brain and holding him hostage. When the barrage of blows began, he was still held in the thrall of pain from his neck and jaw so the most he could do was flinch with every strike.

The pain rose around him, enveloping him, stinging across his skin and strobing where Jake struck. It fed the hunger raging inside him, punishing him for walking away from Ben, for being weak to Ben, for making Ben in the first place. The power Jake expended into him was delicious and awful, it hurt everywhere at once, creating a symphony of agony that seeped into his bones and every muscle, twanged every ligament and tugged every tendon. Kerr writhed in it, allowing it to build until it was unbearable and then he had to make it stop, to fight back.

His arm swept blindly, anticipating where Jake's other foot was based on the pressure on his neck and the younger vampire's pummelling position. He corrected his trajectory when he caught nothing, finally snagging it on the third swipe. He grabbed Jake's ankle and yanked with all his might, easily upending his opponent, moving the second he pulled and slithering on top of him.

Jake wasn't one to go down willingly and they tussled, Kerr using his knees to dig into Jake's thighs and sides in his attempt to gain dominance, their hands slapping, grabbing and sliding away and together. Kerr held his head back, anticipating close-quarter punches or slaps, wincing as he was blindsides by rib jabs. It distracted him enough for Jake to slide his leg out from underneath Kerr's knee and deliver a blow to his testicles that swamped him with overwhelming pain but he dropped down hard on his other knee in order to give himself a moment to recover. He was stronger than Jake, so even though he gained a lot more bruises in the process, he eventually had Jake pinned beneath him, their lower halves entertained and Kerr's hands holding Jake's wrists.

Looking down at Jake's smashed nose, Kerr felt regret and frowned in consternation. Jake wasn't so pretty now. Was he mad at him? Kerr was a bubble of pain throbbing everywhere but it felt right, somehow. He'd reached a place of emotional satisfaction, in that pain and he was also grateful.

I think... I'm done. You? he asked

[Black Philip]

Jake had lost his rage with his last blow to Kerr's side, and so when the next attack came he was spaced out and unaware. He fell with a thud and before he knew it Kerr was on him, their body's rubbing, searching and testing one another. Jake wouldn't be pinned like some weakling, and so he struggled, and fought dirty. The ball kick was a last resort to buy time, but soon Kerr was on him. Jake decided he liked being pinned to the ground, under Kerr's weight. He wondered what other positions he could be under Kerr, and the friction had caused his pants to stir. He was thinking for sure this was heading towards something hot and bloody, but then Kerr asked to be done. Jake slapped the floor three times with his freest limb.

You okay, Jake asked, smiling with a great degree of pain. His mouth was swelling open and it was clear his tongue was engorged with blood. Drink?

[Existentially Odd]

Kerr chuckled into Jake's mind as he stuck to the laws of their contest and tapped out. He was no good at this fighting stuff, it seemed, assuming they could just call a gentleman's agreement to halt proceedings, rather than strictly adhering to the rules. He collapsed atop Jake with a groan. It put pressure in some very tender places so he concentrated on carefully rolling off Jake and spreading out on his back on the floor beside him instead. That hurt, too, causing him to laugh for real - though it ended up being more of a whine of pain than of amusement.

I'm good. Very sore. Thank you. A drink... will probably mean I can get up off this floor sometime within the next hour - or speak to you with my mouth, at the very least, Kerr responded cheerfully, his hand scrabbling around until it found Jake's and holding it, his fingers brushing Jake's skin. He closed his eyes, taking a poll of everywhere he hurt and how much, gratitude flowing off him towards Jake. Fuck you're good at making me hurt. I mean that as a sincere compliment.

[Black Philip]

Jake was happy to hear the chuckle, noting that Kerr seemed to gain what he wanted from the experience. Jake had too, feeling much calmer then when he'd left the lake. His other problems seemed less frustrating, and he was much more relaxed then when he entered the White Rabbit. Kerr had both taken what pain Jake had to give, but had also served up powerful and motivating pain. He thought of someone from his past, and the pain that had been caused. Sometimes that pain was therapeutic now. It had been back then as well. It was the ability to take what others mean as your suffering and make it your strength in dealing with them.

He heard Kerr's mental reply to his drink question, and went to his jacket to pull out his smart phone.

You want to feed live, or just a bag, he asked, before fully hearing Kerr's last comment. He smiled with a mischievous smirk, rubbing Kerr's hand with his own. It felt nice to hold his hand. The compliment was stimulating, and the kind of praise Jake responded to so predictably. He looked rather proud, and even with his nose he managed to look more like his old self.

Well, then you'll br pleased to know I love hurting you, he teased, moving himself slowly on top of Kerr. His hips framed the vampire's body and his bum was now firmly on Kerr's crotch. He made no further move, other than to smile, and of course, he needed to adjust a bit to get comfortable, his hips moving in a hypnotic pattern. He stopped suddenly and looked at Kerr, waiting for a reply to his earlier question.

[Existentially Odd]

Kerr missed Jake's presence when he moved away to get his phone, wallowing in his pain until Jake returned to him. His lips twitched, wanting to smile when Jake's hand was back in his and he was asked whether he wanted to feed live or from a bag. Kerr's usual response would be a bag but he'd had a rough night. He'd been this close to a threesome with Win and Ben when he'd pulled the plug, having enjoyed an extremely arousing kiss with the city newcomer before that. He was in the mood for more than just a warm bag... but should he? The waters were already muddy and-

His thoughts cut off instantly as Jake crawled sinuously atop him. Kerr opened his eyes and looked up at the younger vampire straddling him. The blow to his stones hadn't had any lasting impact, which became abundantly clear as Jake's cute little swirling hips did. He was only wearing thin underwear, laying there thinking about almost fucking someone when Jake ground on him - to his credit, he wasn't being overt about it but that didn't stop Kerr getting hard beneath him. His gaze showed that his thoughts matched what his body was doing as it swept Jake's bloodied face and bruised torso. His hands fell to Jake's hips and held him in place, wanting to press him down but resisting the urge, knowing he shouldn't. He looked back up into Jake's eyes.

Live - and willing - would stop me doing the things to you that I really shouldn't be thinking about, he answered finally, hoping Jake would help him take the high road. He was in a far weaker state than he'd realised, the pain throbbing through him only feeding the desire seeping through his veins. Bags would mean there's just you... and me. He lifted his hips a little, bucking minutely under Jake and pressing him down onto the stiff rod nestled beneath his ass, even though he'd been trying not to. There was something about the utter destruction of their bodies and the stench of blood and filth surrounding them that was making everything wrong feel right, though.