Odds and Fate

Azorat had to be one of the very few places that Julian actually felt reasonably safe. Sure, the Ravens could show up and beat him to pulp, but that'd be nothing compared to whatever his father could do.

Sighing, Julian paused, coming to a fork in the maze. Peering down both sides, he tilted his head before deciding to head down the left path. Shoving his hands into his pockets, he glanced around the maze alertly. The one really got thing about mazes was that no one could look for him and find him very easily.

Outfit.

Karma was lying on the edge of a ordinate fountain in the center of the maze, her fingers occupied with the newest toy she'd discovered. Tyty had found it quite hilarious that she hadn't had a cellphone, and she was now completely entranced by the simple game going on on the small screen. Her fingers moved instinctively as she moved the phone this way and that, dodging obstacles and such.

She cursed as the small on screen man tripped slightly on a tree branch, causing large pterodactyl looking things to appear behind him, making monkeyish sounds. "Run faster! What are you-?!" Karma tilted the phone this way and that, willing the man to move faster. She turned a corner, and moved her hand to jump, only for the man to fall off the cliff instead.

"YOU STUPID FUCKING-" Karma shook the phone a few times and glared at the screen for a few brooding moments before pressing "Play Again".

Pattering through the maze for a few more long minutes, he soon found himself no longer alone. Leaning against the shrubby wall of the maze, Julian shook his head amusedly at Karma, watching her.

Laughing softly as she played with the cell phone in her hands, he stepped closer to her, assuming that she already knew he was here. After all, she was a vampire - or at least, half of one - she could probably smell him.

"Having fun?"

Karma's nose had picked up the scent of ownership and informed her brain of Julian's arrival, even as she focused on the game. "Buckets of fun, right here, getting attacked by- FUCKING MONKEYS!" She narrowed her eyes dangerously at the game as the monkey's caught her, a light growl rumbling up from her chest before she looked up at the boy in front of her. "Hey there, Juli. Haven't seen you since you ran away from home."

She eyed the maze around them, sure for once that no one was around. Sitting up, she patted the place on the fountain beside her, her eyes going back to the game before she clicked the button that put the phone in sleep mode. She reached into her knapsack, which was leaning against the fountain base, and pulled out a cell phone box, holding it out to the boy. "Here. For emergencies and blah blah blah, you can use it at school I know I'm awesome." She handed the box to the boy and clicked on her screen again, debating the play again button. "My number's already in there, by the way."

Continuing to shake his head amusedly at her, Julian hummed softly to himself, automatically pausing at the half-vampire's next words, "Well, I've been busy," he said with a shrug, "Oh, I wanted to thank you for keeping an eye on Dilly." Glancing at her for a moment, he glanced back at the maze. If Karma knew what went on in that house - well, he was scared to know what she'd do.

Sitting down, he watched the girl curiously. Blinking surprisedly at the offered cell phone box, he took it gingerly, pulling open, "Thank you," he said softly, flicking his gaze up at her, smiling softly.

Karma grinned, looking away from her screen again to meet his eye. "I've got your back." She said. "It goes with that... thing... on the back of your neck." She rubbed the back of her own neck awkwardly, a slight frown marring her face. "Sorry about that, by the way. I didn't mean to-" She cut herself off and shook her head. "Well? Open it! You should play me in Draw Something!"

She slid the side of the screen upward, revealing a QWERTY keyboard, and started typing away, sending the boy next to her a text that rattled the cellphone box.

Do you like it? the text said simply.

Shrugging, he fiddled with the cell phone between his fingers, "It's not that bad," he admitted, letting out a little laugh as he shook his head, "I thought it was actually going to be a lot worse, being Marked." A frown spreading across his face, he added, "Though there are moments - but I have no idea if this has anything to do with being Marked or if I'm just going crazy - where I just feel happy or - or really angry for no reason."

Swinging his legs, Julian glanced over at the fountain, "It's weird," he muttered. Glancing back at her, his expression shifted into a smirk as he snorted, "I wouldn't be playing you. I'd be destroying you."

Shaking his head softly as she texted him even though they were sitting right beside each other, Julian flipped the phone over, pressing a few buttons until he reached the screen to read her text. Quickly typing away, he hummed softly.

No, I hate it. Of course I do! Who doesn't like free stuff?

"Oh. That's me." Karma smirked. "You can feel my emotions when they're strong enough. And I can feel yours. Which is why if you ever get a cold again, I'm going to force feed you Vitamin C."

"Oh please... hey wait... let me just make sure..." She took the phone from his hand and eyed it suspiciously, before sighing. "Just as I thought. The owner of this phone has water damage."

Then, without warning, she nudged him with her shoulder, right into the fountain.

"Pleasant," Julian pulled a face, bringing a hand up to gently rub against his throat. Then wouldn't she - you know, know? Sneaking her a little glance, he frowned down at his lap. He wasn't going to bring it up, not if she wasn't. "I'll just put myself in a little bubble so I'll never get sick again. All for you."

Frowning at her as she plucked the phone from his grasp, his expression clouded over. Water damage? What was she - and then he found himself submerged in water.

Inhaling a mouthful of fountain water, he choked, seconds away from a panic attack before he remembered that he was in a fountain and not in the middle of the ocean. Planting his feet on the fountain floor, he shivered, soaking wet. "How sweet of you." He glared, teeth chattering.

"Exccedingly." Karma's eyes caught on his throat as his fingers rubbed against the skin, the scent of Claimed Blood nearly blindsiding her. She looked away just as quickly, quite pleased that the boy was now drenched in water.

"Do you have any idea how annoying it is to feel hungry, then nausious, then hungry again, and not be able to eaet human food?" She demanded. "Really Lian? really?" She swung around, setting the technology on the edge of the fountain before standing in the water wand stalking toward the boy. "I swear to god I'll force feed you if I have to." She paused, eyeing him. "You're hungry right now." She observed. "It's making me hungry." she took an even step forward, heedless of the way the water was slushing around her knees as she walked.

She came to a stop directly in front of him, looking him squarely in the eyes. "And grow a few feet would you? You're a midgit."

Well, he didn't have to worry about whether she knew or not. It was pretty obvious that she did. Wincing, he shrugged, looking everywhere but at her, "I can honestly tell you that I have no idea what that's like." Squaring his jaw, he met her gaze, frowning, "Don't call me Lian," he snapped.

Not doubting the seriousness of her claim, Julian swallowed hard, "....That's.....great." Faking a smile, he muttered something about the chances of actually being able to keep it down. Frowning, he poked his stomach, glancing up at Karma, "But I'm not hungry."

Crossing his arms, he scowled, "Yes, I'll just wish myself taller. That's totally how it works."

Karma cocked her head to the side, eyeing his stance. "Aw, don't be like that." She gently touched his folded arms, sliding closer. "But, see, I'm hungry." She glanced up at him through her eyelashes before sighing. "You're absolutely soaked. Probably freezing." She tugged his arms out of their folded position and slipped the boy out of his sweatshirt after unzipping the thing. She wrung out the thing and tossed it to the edge of the fountain. She eyed his shirt. "Well? Take it off, then."

Frowning at her touch, Julian stepped backwards. His expression blanking, he searched her eyes. Wait - if she was hungry, and - and - well, there didn't seem to a million other people around - he'd rather not get bitten again, "That's nice," he said conversationally, "but you see," he shrugged, "I'm not your bloodbag."

His frown deepening, he shook his head, water droplets from his hair splattering down on her, "Actually, it's really not that -" Cut off as she pulled his sweatshirt off, he crossed his arms again, rolling his eyes, "I might actually get warmer if I got out of the water."

Shaking his head at Karma's foolishness, he pulled himself out of the fountain, jumping up and down in an effort to keep warm.