Realistic or Modern DotC High

[McMajestic]

Sage nodded at her words, staying in the kitchen a bit longer as he let the high take him over, thinking about everything that was swirling around in his mind before finally deciding to head back to the living room. He felt a slight unease when he noticed Lift and Korren getting along well but ignored the thought all the same. They were all friends. It wasn't as if Sage was the only one who could talk to her. He walked over to the couch, sitting in between them and letting his arm rest around Korren once more. He still had a slight hint of white powder around his nostrils so if Korren noticed it she'd probably know exactly what he had been doing in that kitchen, but that was perfectly fine with him. She should know he had a slight addiction to cocaine. He tried to control it but every now and then he couldn't help himself.


It was as he was sitting there that he felt the high splash down upon him and he chuckled, turning to Korren. "Harvard you're so pretty," he cooed, unable to control his laughter. "Lottie get a game started. Let's show Harvard how to have a really good fucking time," he laughed, moving to lay his head in Korren's lap and his feet in Lift's as he waited. "Beer! Kilo, get us some beer. I wanna get waassssssssssted," Sage hissed playfully, looking up at Korren with his dark eyes and resting his hand on her cheek. "Say, Harvard, what's all that red stuff- oh... it's your hair." He snickered, taking a strand and twirling it on his fingers. "Look at that, pretty blood red hair. Girl, you could get away with murder." He laughed, wondered if he'd ever stop laughing, and let go of her hair, letting his arms fall back to his sides. He began to hum, closing his eyes and chuckling every so often. "Guys, guys.... let's take Harvard to karaoke." Sage opened his eyes suddenly. "We can do it next week. Harvard liiiiiiiiiiiiikes me so we can all go out again next Saturday- a DATE! Yeah, a cute little date and and Sour Patch and Lift, you guys can be a date too and I'll find Winsley someone and Kilo has a six pack which means he's probably got girls lined up." Sage took a breath. "Look Harvard, I don't have a six pack but I fucking fit. When you're in a gang you gotta be fit, you know?" He giggled. Actually giggled. Of course, he was too high to care about what he just revealed about himself, and went back to playing with Korren's hair, though even in his high state he never pulled too hard. He'd never hurt Korren. "Wanna know a secret? You can't tell Korren though," he whispered extremely loudly at Korren and hiccuped. "I wanna date Korren. She's a good girl. Good girls are so interesting." His eyes closed once more and he began to sing gibberish in his beautiful voice, still twirling her hair around his finger. @FlameintheRoses

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Lift looked up when Sage entered the room, clearly high as a kite. Soon it was displayed as he began to unwind. He turned his head to see Winsley pushing Kilo off of her, chanting some strange insult towards herself while he recorded it in order to get him to leave her alone. He chuckled, resting his arm over Sage's legs as his feet rested in Lift's lap.


She stood at the mention of her name and rushed over to the kitchen with a slight giggle, knowing that it was time to have a little more fun. Winsley went to the kitchen and pulled out a couple bottles of beer, saving the job from Kilo since she was already up and around. There was a specific bottle she kept in her cabinet for this game, one that narrowed so that it could directly point to whomever was chosen for spin the bottle. She came out with at least six bottles in her arms and an empty one in her hand. Once she was back out she placed them on the floor in a line, and set the empty one down on its side in the middle of the floor. Winsley couldn't help but laugh out loud at what he was saying, which ended up in a chorus of laughter from all of them, including Korren. Yup, he was definitely high out of his mind right now, but she would let it slide. He needed the time to let loose and not have to think about anything, and since she knew him well she would stop him if he started really doing something he would regret. "Alright, alright, Sleeze. I'll find my own date, mum." The rest of the lot laughed. "Everyone, siddown, spin the bottle's first up. First to spin gets the first kiss." She sat down and blew a kiss towards Patch, who chuckled and returned the favor, blowing out smoking in rings in Winsley's direction. Patch, Lift, and Kilo all sat in a circle, leaning back and chatting among themselves. Winsley sat in between Lift and Patch, wrapping her arms around both their necks and holding them close to her. They reacted by glancing at each other and nodding before pulling Winsley off and yanking her down to lay in both their laps. Patch held her down by hugging Winsley close to her like a child, while Lift held her legs down so she wouldn't struggle. It was all in good fun, and they all laughed together. 


As soon as Sage returned, she turned her attention to him, smiling all the while. It was when he sat down and started messing with her that she went red in the face, unable to get rid of the darkened pigment from now on. He was clearly high from how he was acting, but she didn't mind it, because she's been around worse. Automatically she placed her hand on the side of his head when he laid it in her lap, smiling down at him as he acted so giddy and free. She let him play with her hair, chuckling helplessly as he so strangely complimented her and hummed to himself. It was true, he had a wonderful voice, though it was chopped up with a sweet chuckle every now and then. At the mention of karaoke her face slightly lit up, thought she still chuckled at the thought. He admitted out to his friends that she liked him after, which caused her face to be kept as the darkest shade of red imaginable. Korren didn't think much of what he said though, about being in a gang. Instead of assuming, she thought maybe that he meant just a gang of friends, but she still had the thought of him being in a real gang in the back of her mind."Hm?" A smile spread across her cheeks as he acted so silly, and she played along, speaking in a whisper. "My lips are sealed." He admitted he wanted to date her. Did she think much of this? No... at least not until it hit her in the face. For a moment she was stunned to silence, but she still held a smile. She would be okay with dating him, right? Maybe... she wasn't really sure. After all, she did recently break up with Bucky so she wasn't sure still if she wanted to date again. This thought, of course, was pushed back in to her mind. Now wasn't the time to over think things. She would think about it later, and instead she would just have some fun. 


When Winsley called them all to the floor, she carefully lifted Sage's head off her lap and joined the group, smiling back at him while patting the spot next to her. There she would sit between Sage and Kilo, watching as the other two were pulled into mini-headlocks by Winsley before they pulled her down into their laps. Before long they let go, though Winsley still sat in Patch's lap.


"Alright, I wanna go first." Winsley blurted out, crawling over to the bottle and preparing to spin it, but before she did that, she decided to lay out ground rules. "Before we start, no gay shit for the newcomer and Kilo." She chuckled, but she was serious. Then, she proceeded to spin the bottle. It ended up landing on Patch. Winsley crawled over to her and sat in her lap again, chuckling all the while. "Give ya' good ol' Brit a smooch." Sour shrugged and pulled Winsley in for a rough kiss. Just by this action, Lift was whipping out his phone and trying to get a video of it, but before he could they let go, laughing all the while.


@McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

Sage rolled off the couch as they set up for spin the bottle, and sat next to Korren, wrapping his arm around her and leaning his head on her shoulder. He watched as Winsley spun the bottle, and wolf-whistled at the kiss. "Damn, cam-girls, give yourselves some breathing room, eh?" He snickered, watching as Lift tried and failed to catch some video. "Lift, speed it up, man. You need to have catlike reflexes if you want to catch my sister wives making out on video." He turned to Winsley as she stopped, smiling in a hazy kind of fashion. "Lottie, maybe I should set you up with Patch instead," he joked, before closing his eyes to breathe. He breathed in and out deeply, before opening his eyes again and turning to Korren. "You know, Lift doesn't brush his teeth and Kilo is already engaged to a treadmill so really you can't kiss those boys," he whispered in her ear- or though he was whispering anyways. In reality he was being quite loud, though he wasn't yelling so he shouldn't have hurt her eardrums too bad. He then turned back to game, looking at the bottle for a long time before taking it in his hand and moving it back and forth a bit. "Winnnnnnie, is it my turn?" he asked, chuckling weakly as he turned the bottle, and stopped it so it was pointing towards Korren. During the turn, he never actually took his hand off the bottle, which gave him away. "Oh look, Harvard, we have to kiss," Sage laughed but didn't actually lean in for a kiss yet. Part of him felt like he was cheating and making his crush horribly obvious, but that part was much too small for him to care.


After his slight hesitation, Sage cupped Korren's chin in his hand, gently turning her head to face him. "You wanna kiss me right, Harvard? I'm a very good kisser." He snickered, nuzzling his nose against Korren's before moving back. "Eskimo kisses are my favorite." He laughed, too high to care, too high to remember that no, eskimo kisses didn't count in this game. "I bet I got you, huh, Harvard? You thought I was actually going to kiss you?" He chuckled and ruffled up her hair. "Nah, you're so cute, you little Duck. Kisses don't happen unless the bottle actually lands on you." Sage thought he was being so funny, although now he only smiled, swaying slightly as he went back to humming, before singing quietly. @FlameintheRoses

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Korren chuckled awkwardly when the girls kissed, averting her eyes until they were done. It was funny, but she had not been use to that in any sense. Her attention was turned to Sage when he spoke, and she chuckled when he spoke of the other boys. Of course the others heard this, but they only rose their brows at Sage. He was having his little moment, so they decided to leave it be rather than interrupt them. Korren looked down to see him "spin" the bottle, automatically pointing it at Korren. At this point it was beyond clear that he liked her. Her cheeks were completely hot, feeling as if they would erupt into flames if she couldn't calm down, but she couldn't help it. He started to lean in, and she didn't know how to react. She scrunched up her nose when she closed her eyes, feeling him nuzzle his nose against hers. When her eyes opened, she couldn't help but slightly chuckle as he laughed. Laughter was contagious for her, and she couldn't help it. Again, when he ruffled her hair she scrunched her face up, opening her big blue eyes with a smile. If she were to blush again, she'd overheat herself, but there was nothing that would stop it. He went back to singing, and she listened intently. Truly his voice was something to revel over, and she thought maybe that karaoke night idea was actually a good idea. Granted, she didn't know if she would ever go up to sing, but she did want to hear his voice more. 


The rest of the group went slightly quiet, and Winsley finally piped up when Sage spoke of kissing when the bottle landed on someone. She smirked and spoke. "Hey Sage, it's your turn. I wanna spin it though." With a wink to her friends, they started talking to each other, and Kilo would be the one to distract Sage. He sat on the other side of Sage and bumped his shoulder to get his attention. "Yo, get me a beer." Kilo pointed over to the bottles behind Winsley, lined up in a neat row. 


Winsley spun the bottle as soon as Sage was turned away, and since Korren was still in a haze and paying attention to Sage, she made sure that after the bottle settled, it settled in the general direction of Korren. "Well would you look at that, Sleeze." She pointed at the bottle with a smile. Korren looked over to see the bottle, a look of surprise displaying on her face. Everyone was looking at her with a smile or smirk. Winsley pat the ground with her hand, beginning to chant to a rhythm. After a moment the rest joined in, smiles settling on their face. Now it was a dare to Korren, since they knew that Sage never had a problem with kissing people, especially pretty girls. "Kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss!"


@McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

As Kilo asked Sage for a bottle he got up to get it, grabbing one and popping it open, taking a swig before handing it over to Kilo as he sat down just in time to notice the bottle pointed at Korren. He stared at it for a long time, before looking up at Winsley. "Legit?" he asked, though he already knew the answer. A sobering look fell over him as he glanced at Korren, then back at the bottle. he had joked about it, of course, but he didn't want to actually do it, not if Korren wasn't up for it. He looked at her, letting out a heavy breath. "It's just a game," he said simply, licking his lips, tasting the beer on them. He wondered if Korren would mind the alcohol.


He turned so entire body faced her, resting both hands on her cheeks. This was going to be their first kiss together, so game or not he wanted it to count. He leaned forward, resting his forehead against hers, smiling gently. "You know Harvard, I got an idea, just tap me if I get too intense alright? I'm not gonna be like bitchy, I'm gonna make sure you feel okay, about this, alright?" He forgot about everyone in the room, deciding they wouldn't matter anymore, and let his thumbs brush over her cheek bones before leaning a bit closer and brushing his lips against hers gently. He Kept the kiss short and sweet, not wanting to overwhelm Korren, but at the same time wanted her to feel his care for her in. He brought her a bit closer as he kissed her. Their audience would obviously be able to see this wasn't a game kiss for Sage, this was him really kissing her, really trying to get his point across, that he liked her and that he wanted her to like him too. He pulled away, though he didn't move much, just stayed in place, smiling at her. "I'm glad you decided to skip today, Korren," he whispered, and again it was just for her to hear, because in that moment she was all that mattered. @FlameintheRoses

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Korren looked over to him, nodding as he said it was a game. It was not reassuring, but she didn't mind it. It was better to kiss him than the others, mostly because she didn't know them at all, but partially because in the back of her mind... she sorta wanted it to happen. As much as she tried to deny it, she couldn't. When he turned to her, she nodded, understanding what he was about to do was really real. She looked in his eyes as he held her cheeks, slowly closing them when he leaned in. What he did wasn't forceful in any manner, and she had the option to move away with no consequence. It was good, he was good. She scooted closer before he pulled away, and was nose to nose. Korren smiled, her heart beating rather fast afterwards. Her eyes softened when he spoke, truly appreciating meeting this guy. This person that cared about her, and brought her to those that cared not for who you were or how much money you had, and instead cared for how you felt and lived your life. "Me too." She whispered back, doing something she wanted to do for a while now with someone, anyone who truly cared about her. Korren leaned in and placed her head on his shoulder, hugging him tightly. It may not have seemed important to anyone else, but this was a big moment in her life. Rarely did she ever hug anyone, because she knew that no one cared, but now that had changed, and for once in her life she was happy again.


The others watched, silencing themselves as he began to make his move. When it was over, they clapped and cheered, though went quiet when Korren hugged him. That was strange. It was just a game, right? Then again, Winsley remembered exactly who this girl was, what she had been through. People pushed past her in the hallways, ignored her when she spoke, and never let her truly have a say in things. She pushed the group into the kitchen, deciding to stop the game for now. Before she ran off into the kitchen, she grabbed a couple bottles of beer for the others before walking around the corner of the wall. A bright smile clothed her pierced lips as she carried the bottles in, handing them out to her friends. They stood there in a sort of silence, drinking and smiling at each other. Silence was okay, and they needed it for once. Patch leaned against Winsley, poking at her side. In return she poked at her friend's side, causing her to jolt and wrap her arm around her side while poking back at her. They giggled at each other, while the boys stood back drinking beer and chuckling to themselves.


@McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

Sage had to admit he was a bit shocked when Korren hugged him. Hugs were more intimate in his opinion, because they weren't fueled with lust like a kiss could be and still they weren't as casual as holding hands. He hugged his family and Winsley quite a bit, but not many others. It was nice though, to feel the weight of someone against him, to feel like a protector, like he could actually help. Slowly, Sage wrapped his arms around Korren, hugging her close and pulling her into his lap. "You know, Korren, I want you to know I'm always gonna be here for you. You're one of the rats now, and I will never let anyone hurt you again, okay?" he promised, rubbing her back gently. He was glad the others had left, because he wanted this moment with Korren. He closed his eyes, relaxing against her, shifting a bit so he could lean back against the couch. Although the moment had sobered him up, and the most intense part of the high had wavered, he still felt a bit of it, enough to feel confident in front of her. "There's this really corny song I know, and I like it and I feel like it applies," he muttered, his fingers moving up to stroke her hair. "I won't let you fall, I won't let you go. No matter where you are, no matter where you are, I'll be there," he sang quietly. 


Sage looked down at her. Maybe he was being too real with her, moving too fast, but regrets were too far away for him to care about anymore. He didn't want to hide his feelings from Korren. She was something he could control, not in a possessive sense, but rather in a protective one. He could take care of her and keep her safe, which is a reality he'd been struggling with ever since Rose got cancer. @FlameintheRoses


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ANOIcYyGFQ (The part he sings starts at :35)

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Korren shifted as he pulled her into his lap, staying in his arms for as long as she could. It felt safe and stable to be there, and her protective walls over her emotions began to shatter. For a long time she made herself keep her head held up, keep herself seem put together for the public and act a certain way for others. Now that she was here, she didn't have to do that. His words sank in, and she held him tighter. "Okay." She mumbled in a broken voice, automatically trying to hold herself together and keep up that happy facade, but it didn't feel right. I will never let anyone hurt you again. The words sank deeper and deeper into her, the kind of words she's been needing to hear for over a year. She shakily chuckled when he mentioned he would sing a corny song, though as she began to sing, her walls were falling. Tears began to brim in her eyes and fall amidst her hitched breathing. She dug her head into his shoulder, holding on to him as tight as she could, since he was stable and she was not. "Thank you." She let it out in a breath, sobbing quietly and letting out the emotions she never shared with anyone. No one would have ever guessed by how well she made herself seem that she was truly broken and in need of someone to hug or talk to, someone to cherish and have them cherish her.


In the kitchen, the crew went dead silent at the quiet sound of sobbing. Winsley's face went white, and she looked around at her friends. She didn't want to interrupt them, but she wanted to know what was going on. When someone cried, it always made Winsley feel on edge, and she would try her best to help them, but this time it was Sage's turn. She clutched on to Patch, who held on to her tightly. The boys put down there drinks and walked over, huddling together around Winsley to help her cope. Kilo spoke up, whispering to the crew and especially to Winsley. "Shh, it's okay. He's got this. She'll be alright. Shh." One of them handed Winsley their phone, digging out earbuds from their pocket and handing them to her so she can drown out the noise and keep her sanity.


@McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

Sage was a bit startled by her tears, but he didn't allow it to throw him off. Instead he began to rock her gently. "It's okay, Korren, you can cry. Just let it out love, cause I got you now," he whispered, allowing a few moments of silence between them. He only held her, knowing she needed his comfort and strength. He may not have been some rich guy with a stack in his pocket but he genuinely cared for Korren. he had always liked her in the shiest ways and now he was here to show her how much he cared for her, so she knew she had someone.


I will stand by you


Even when we fall 


I will be the rock that holds you up


And lifts you high so you stand tall


I won't let you go


No one can take your place
a couple fights & lonely nights
Don't make it right to let it go to waste


I won't let you fall
I won't let you go
No matter where you are
No matter where you are, I'll be there


I will hold on to
Everything we've got
A quitter, a regretter, and forgetter is
Everything I'm not


I'll take care of you
and love you just because
You and I are better than forever
Nothing can stop us


I won't let you fall
I won't let you go
No matter where you are
No matter where you are, I'll be there


As he finished the song he kissed the top of her head, continuing to rock her. He thought of Winsley, who hated the sound of tears, and hoped she was okay. But then of course she was. Even if they were rats, they were a whole family of them, so they always had someone to hold onto. Who did Korren have? It was clear the answer was nobody- until now. Sage would be her somebody. He would be the one who showed her everything she'd been missing in life. He would be her rock. @FlameintheRoses

 

[FlameintheRoses]

She let it all out, crumbling in his arms as he comforted her. Here she was, falling apart with someone she met that day, yet felt like she's known him longer. Korren listened to his voice, and over time the tears slowed to a stop. She sat there in his arms, her breathing shaky as she tried to compose herself. Finally her head lifted and was placed on his shoulder again, her chin resting over it as she closed her eyes. The rocking motion helped calm her, made her feel cared for. There was no pressure on her to do anything, and she was glad of it. Her grip on him loosened, but she didn't move away just yet. She let out a sigh, opening her eyes half way. Eventually she would have to let go, and she knew this, but didn't like the thought. After a few minutes, Korren let go of him and wiped away the tears, glancing over at him with a weakened smile. She wasn't able to say anything for now, and instead just sat in silence for a moment, taking deep breaths. The silence was peaceful, something she was getting use to, though it was broken after there was a creak in the floor. 


After a while the crying had stopped, but Winsley still couldn't help but be filled with curiosity. Was she okay? She looked to her friends, holding them close before moving past them, motioning for them to stay there, so they did. They leaned against the counter drinking their beers while Winsley crept into the living room. She peaked around the corner, looking over them to see Korren calming down, though there was a deadly silence. The earbuds she had hung around her neck, and instead of speaking she looked at Sage with a questioning expression. Is she okay? This was what she meant by her expression, and mouthed the words to him with concern in her eye. Even if she didn't personally know this girl, she didn't want her to be hurting so badly.


@McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

Even after she let go, Sage kept an arm around her, leaving her open to completely pull away or dive back in. "You know, Korren, if you ever need to cry again, I'll be here to hold you," he told her, kissing her temple before beginning to relax. "You don't have to pretend to be happy around me. Pretending sucks." His thumb brushed over her shoulder, and he rested his head against hers, looking down at the bottle. "I'm addicted to coke." It was such a strange thing to admit and at such a strange time, but he couldn't help it. "I want to date you, I want to hold your hand when we walk down the hallway at school, I want us to really be together. I've made that decision." He took a deep breath. "But I have issues- baggage. And if it's too heavy I won't make you carry it," he  explained, moving his arm away from her shoulders and taking her hand in his. "I'm addicted to coke. I get drunk all the time. I smoke joints whenever I can. My sister will probably die in the next few years and I won't be able to handle it. I go through periods of depression where I just want to hurt myself but I don't because that'd be dumb. I skip school and I'll never make it to college because I'm failing all the classes that matter. I'll always be poor, I'll never be able to give you fancy, expensive things. That's my baggage. You can think about it as long as you like. No decisions need to be made anytime soon or anything, I just want you to know, so maybe if you do like me you can be sure of what you're liking." Sage closed his eyes for a moment, before opening them again and noticing Winsley.


He nodded once. I'll explain later, he mouthed, before looking back at Korren. He moved her hand up to his lips, kissing her knuckles gently. "But I can promise you one thing. I may have a lot of shit wrong with me, but I'm no Bucky and I'll always put you first." Sage stood up then, but didn't let go of her hand just yet. "Do you want something to drink, love? We have all kinds of stuff in the fridge/ A snack, maybe? You just give me your order and I'll get it on it, mon cher," he spoke, bowing low for her with a smile. @FlameintheRoses

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Korren nodded, listening and absorbing every word, including his confession. She looked into his eyes when he spoke to make sure he understood she was listening. It was a lot to process for her, so she indeed would have to think it over. He was being too kind to her, and it was good to hear the truth. Truth wasn't something she heard on a daily basis. It was either bias or conjured lies believed by the public, with said public being her peers. To the mention of Bucky her full attention was kept, and she held a small smile. "No, but thank you, really." She stood with him, looking down at their hands. Her finger brushed over his knuckles gently as conformation to herself that this was real, that he was real. For a moment she turned her head, and saw Winsley standing there. She seemed to be worried, what with the concern and softness to her eyes. 


Winsley nodded, though couldn't help but stand there and watch them, leaning against the wall with her back and foot. She lent a gentle smile to Korren, just trying to be reassuring to her, before heading back in to the kitchen with her friends. They seemed on edge of what Winsley thought, though she individually pat their arms to confirm she was okay. A collection of relief settled over them, and they began acting like themselves again. Kilo picked Winsley up in his arms and held her there, smiling at his friends. They began to chat and drink again, as if nothing had happened, picking up where they had left off. Of course they knew something did happen, but didn't want to linger on the thought for Winsley's sake.

@McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

Sage nodded once. "Alright, Harvard, if you say so." Sage let go of her hand and frowned slightly, instantly missing her warmth. It was so strange to feel as if Korren was something he needed, like some strange addiction. Not quite as intense as cocaine, but maybe with the long lasting side effects. He pulled his phone out of his pocket, checking the time. It was about six-thirty, and he bit his lip, sighing to himself. "Come on, love, we better get you home. You gotta have enough time to do your homework and get some sleep." He took her hand again, and smiled at her. "Lottie! I'm taking Harvard home! I'll be back later!" he yelled obnoxiously, before leading Korren out of the house. Once the door was closed he looked Korren over, as if to make sure there was no scars or bruises from the night, before walking over to his car and opening the passenger door for her.


The drive back to the rich side of life was interesting, to say the least. Sage could physically see the transformation. Overgrown hedges faded into nicely trimmed bushes. Houses with fallen shingles and cracked paint became clean and precise. Barbed wire fence evaporated and was replaced by thick wood of all different colors. It was like going from Kansas to Oz. He parked in Korren's driveway, and looked over his large house, deciding he would walk her to the door at that moment although not before he could get a comment in. "Big house. Small family. Can't imagine you guys see a lot of each other in there," he muttered, making the connection he was sure Korren already had. @FlameintheRoses

 

[FlameintheRoses]

It was strange, she didn't want to let go of his hand, and yet she watched their hands untangle, while hers held there for a moment before dropping to her side. "Oh, okay." She smiled at him, though she didn't want to leave, yet she had to. Before they left, she heard Winsley call out in an intentionally obnoxious voice back, "Alright! See ya', Boytoy!"" Soon enough she was in the car, and on her way back to a posh looking life that made her rather unhappy. The drive back was filled with a certain silence as there was a change of scenery, from overgrown and run down to posh and clean down to the speck. While they were still driving though she did manage to scrawl her number on a piece of paper, and held it tightly in her hand. 949-655-6273 


She finally looked over at him when they were parked and as he spoke up."Yea... They're usually at work or out for dinner these days, too." It was a true statement, though it was a little sad. A girl like her comes home to parents running off to do something with their lives or are already gone until she goes to sleep, so she practically doesn't see them half the time. They are loving when they are at the house, but that is on rare occasion. Usually they trusted "friends" or Bucky to watch over her, which was ironic in itself, but they were manipulated into believing he was good, so they would think nothing of her complaints if she ever made complaints about him, signing them off as just her being moody and impatient with such a "sweet and caring young man". "I'm not ungrateful for what we have... but having material objects doesn't make you happy." There was a small pause, and she shrugged. "I'd trade all the money in the world for people to love and care for." She smiled at him, the note in her hand feeling like it were weighing her down, and if she didn't pass it on she would have it completely weigh her down. She decided she would wait until they were at the door step, then she would give it to him. 


@McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

Sage nodded once, letting her words sink in. "You know, I don't live in some trash excuse for a house. We were doing really good before Rose's diagnosis. Now we struggle paycheck to paycheck. But I don't care. Right now, everyone in my family is living everyday to its fullest because we don't know how long we'll be a family, and I think that's important. At the end of the day, we all die. And you can either be remembered for being rich, or be remembered for being loved. I'd prefer the second and I'm sure you would too." Sage got out of the car and walked over to Korren's side, taking her hand and leading her out. He strolled up to her porch, peeking through the windows into a dark yet posh home. He would never want to sleep alone in a house like that. These were the neighborhoods robbers looked out for. It made him think twice about leaving Korren alone here.


Yet as they got to her porch, he couldn't bring himself to ask to stay. It sounded desperate. He noticed the little paper in Korren's hand had an area code on it. A number. Her number. She was going to give him her number. Sage bit his lip, looking down at her. They were going to part ways after this. He would go back to being poor, to being high, to being angry at the world and bitter about everything it had to offer for everyone except him. "Korren, no matter what you decide, I mean it. I'm not going to let that prick hurt you. You could realize you hate me and get a restraining order and I still won't let him do anything, okay? Because nobody deserves that kind of bullshit in their lives." Sage rested his hand on her cheek, taking a deep breath before leaning down to kiss her one last time for the day, maybe for his life. He made it count. He wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her against him, tilting his head slightly to deepen the kiss, letting it last a bit, before finally pulling back and smiling at her. "I had to do that. It might be the last time I get to." @FlameintheRoses

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Korren kept his eyes on him, nodding to his words with a smile. She took his hand and followed him to the porch, looking up at him as they stood there. "Okay." She looked into his eyes, though closed them when he leaned in for a kiss. Her arms wrapped around his waist until he had pulled back. The thought of never being able to kiss him again upset her, though she understood. "Maybe not." She smiled at him, placing the number in his hand, holding on for a bit. It took all of her will power to move away, since she didn't want to leave. Before she turned to go, she gave him a hug. There was an idea that popped in her mind, one that might enable her to see him again, so she shared it. "If you ever need help with school, I'm here." She let go finally and turned to the door, clicking in the code to open it. For one last time she turned back, smiling at him, seeing him one last time. "Goodnight, Greaser." She joked, and with that she entered her home and flicked on a light, slowly closing the door with a smile on her face. Leaving was the hardest thing to do in her life, and once it was done she couldn't turn back. Immediately she opened her phone up, turning on notifications and walking to her room on the second floor. A permanent smile set on her face as she flicked on the light in her room and walked over to the window, watching out for his car. She waved down to it, whether he could see her or not she didn't know, but she still waved anyway. 


At least 10 minutes later she had jumped in the shower, cleaning herself of the smell of smoke the best she could. Once that was done she carried her clothes down to the washer and threw them in, wanting to be rid of the smell as quickly as she could so no one would know of what she had done today. Her parents would have never approved of her hanging out with smokers, yet that didn't matter since they weren't ever there for her anyway. She dressed in to her pajamas and was preparing to do her homework when suddenly she remembered, she left her bag in his car. A wave of panic fell over her and she paced the room, though she paused and took a deep breath. Maybe she could get it back in the morning if she could find him again and do the homework before her classes started. For now, though, she opened her laptop and worked on an essay due in a week, since she could relax when it was done. It was an 8 page essay, though that was not too hard. She worked on that for at least an hour, called up the attendance office to excuse her own absence with a tangible lie, something that was admittedly scripted and practiced before it was told, and studied through online text books for any tests in the week. Soft piano music played in the background for her to focus on the task at hand.


@McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

Sage smiled as she said goodbye, waiting till the door was shut before walking over to his car. He immediately entered the number in his phone, putting her contact name as Harvard and grinning like an idiot as he thought of what to text her. After much debate with himself, he finally decided to wait a bit so that he didn't seem too desperate, and set his phone down before driving off, noticing her wave from her window. He honked twice so she knew he'd seen her before heading back over to Winsley's listening to the same station Korren had changed it to, humming along to some of the music. He had an idea then, that if she said yes to him and to all his baggage, he'd make her a playlist, something she could listen to that would remind her of him and of both of them together.


He pulled into Winsley's driveway a bit later, parking and shutting the car off before grabbing for his phone and opening Korren's contact, clicking to send her a text. She needed to have his number too so he might as well get at least one message out to her for that night. Hey Harvard it's the cute and sexy as fuck man you met tonight  Hope you're not studying too hard. Get some rest, Beautiful. He began to sweat as he finished the message, and after much deliberation, muttered a 'fuck it' and clicked send. The moment the message went through he let out a little shriek of embarrassment and fear. What if she responded? What if she didn't? What her parents chipped her phone? What if she hated him and he had only just creeped her out? He let out a heavy breath, shaking the thoughts off for a moment before they all began to drown him again. He needed a joint.


As Sage got out of the car, he popped the trunk to grab Korren's backpack since he hadn't given it to her on purpose. He wanted to do something nice for her, and since he had made her skip school, he thought it was only fair he got her caught up on her homework too. He slung the bag over his shoulder and walked into Winsley's house, stretching out on her couch and taking some stuff out of Korren's neatly organized bag. She, thankfully, had a planner that told Sage all the homework she had tonight, and he diligently went down the list, starting on it without a second thought, being sure to keep his phone at high volume next to him in case she texted him back. @FlameintheRoses

 

[FlameintheRoses]

In the middle of her study session she noticed a notification on her phone, seeing it was from an unknown contact. She picked it up and read it, smiling at the words. Immediately she saved his contact, nicknaming him to Greaser with a small chuckle, before responding without hesitation. Almost done, have a big test tomorrow! I'll try to sleep. Sent, though for a moment she hesitated, wanting to send something else. Before she could even think about it, she had sent off something quite embarrassing and was internally screaming at herself. Hard to do so when thinking of you, though. As soon as her finger pressed the send button, she retracted and stared at her phone for the longest time. Why did she say that? It was true, sure, but why in the world did she just do that? She placed her phone down and laid her head on the desk, sighing to herself. It was too late to take it back now.


The crew had calmed down after Sage had left, sitting down on pillows on the floor while watching a movie. Winsley made fun of each scene, while the rest were intently watching it. At one point, Kilo went in to the kitchen and grabbed some duck tape. The others paused the movie and held Winsley down, taping her mouth shut so they could watch it in peace. This wasn't the first time they've ever done this, so she was use to it by now, and found it rather funny. Instead of watching the movie though, she grew tired and fell asleep in the middle of the movie. Lift carried her to her room, which was in a cramped hallway near to the front door, tucked her in so she would be warm, and put on some soft acoustic music so she could stay asleep, or wake up to noise.


When Sage came back, they all waved to him, though didn't say anything. They were all too focused on the movie to speak. At one point Patch glanced over and arched her brow in confusion. He had someone else's stuff, most likely Korren's, and was... doing her homework? She supposed that it was just him trying to woe the girl or just help in general, so she shrugged it off. It always seemed that he had a weakness for girls and felt the need to woe them if he even needed to try at all. This fact wasn't something that would change, so she left it be and kept her focus on the plotline of the film.


@McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

Sage easily tuned out the movie as he became submerged in the AP homework life. He did more learning that night than his entire high school experience combined. He ended up having to google how to do quite a few things, and certain theories and whatnot, but all the same managed to get it done. He was a fast learner after all so it didn't take him long to get a concept, and since this was Korren's work he was actually trying. He wanted her to get good grades, after all. She most definitely deserved them. His phone dinged loudly in the middle of math homework, and he picked it up, smiling the moment he saw her name, even before he read the text. He skimmed over the message and started to type something back, when his phone buzzed again. His grin widened at her second text and for some reason he even felt those silly butterflies in his stomach. I know what you mean. I can't get you off my mind, Harvard. He typed the message out, thought about it for a moment, and then decided to send it. He remembered how freaked out he had been after sending his first message and knowing Korren, she was probably having a panic attack after that so he wanted to reassure her in his own little way.


He turned back to homework, continuing to work on it and finishing it up in a couple hours. It wasn't too hard once he had everything figured out, and he pulled up answer keys on google to make sure he had everything right. Once he was sure he did he neatly organized it all back in place and swung her backpack over his shoulder, putting it back out in his car so he wouldn't forget it. After a moment's hesitation he got his own backpack out. He wanted to impress Korren, to be good enough for her, so maybe he should start working on his own grades. Maybe if he was smart, like her, that would get her to like him more..


Bucky had been tracking Korren all night. he was confused by her pattern, to say the least, but he'd find out sooner or later in person what the hell she was doing down in Weedville anyways, so he tried not to get too angry about it. He parked in her driveway, looking up towards her window and smirking. The light was still on. The silly little girl was up past her bed time. Bucky got out of his car, heading up the porch and trying to open the door. Locked. He huffed and knocked instead, deciding as soon as the door was open he would fly in and get the answers he wanted before taking her out as his plus one. She may have said they were over, but that just wasn't true. Bucky would decide when they would break up- and it wasn't going to be any time soon. @FlameintheRoses

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Korren smiled when her phone quietly hummed against the desk as it buzzed. She immediately opened the message up, reading through it three times over. What had overcome her? She sighed in content, such a school girl thing to do. She was blushing again, and couldn't focus on studying anymore. Without hesitation she replied back. But you know what? That's alright.  :smile9:


A slight chuckle escaped her, and she looked back at her online textbook, at this point skimming through the words. The test wasn't going to be that hard for her, though she wanted no less than a 95% on it, otherwise she would come back studying much harder for the next text, or try to do anything to convince her teacher to change it with extra credit.


 In the middle of her study session she heard a knock at the door and froze. Her parents weren't suppose to be home for another few hours, and Sage went home, but she didn't want to believe who it might have been. Korren crept up to her window, peaking through it to see... Oh no... Panic flashed through her mind. She sank back down at her desk, unsure of what to do. The first thing that came to her mind was Sage, and what he told her. She picked up her phone and rushed to text him, her words lacking order as they usually did, and this time she wouldn't be calling him Greaser. Sage he's at my door i dunno wat to do. Without thought she sent it, only hoping and praying that he would see it in time. She went over to her door, locked it, and turned off the light. For extra measure she walked into the bathroom and turned off the light, hiding in the closet. She held her phone close to her heart, turning the brightness way down and the notifications off. Her heart was pounding, and she was scared out of her mind, though she was trying her best to calm herself and stop her shaky breathing or a least quiet it down. Even if she hid, though, the thought of him knowing where she was scared her the most. Help was on its way though, wasn't it? She only hoped that this was true, or else she was done for.


@McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

Bucky knocked again, a bit louder, yet still there was no answer. He huffed, glancing around the quaint neighborhood, darkened with the promise of sleep all around, before keying in the number code to the door and walking in. "Korren!" he called out in a sing-song voice, knowing the vast house would leave an echo of his voice that would reach every corner of every room. "I tried to play nice, I really did!" he strolled up the stairs, humming a wicked song to himself as he got to her door, reaching for the knob to turn it. It was locked. He tsked and shook his head, as if scolding a child. "Oh Little Kori, I see you've been a very bad girl," he cooed mockingly. "Locking out your dearest boyfriend? All I've ever done is love you." Bucky reached up to the trim of the door, where the cold metal of a key pressed against his warm fingers, and he plucked it off, inserting it into the doorknob and unlocking it before opening the door, placing the key in his pocket. "Kori, my love, where are you?" he asked, his voice rising into a song as he dropped down and checked under the bed, before pushing himself to his feet and going for the bathroom. He pulled the door open, whistling a happy tune. He was extremely happy. After all, he was about to show Korren his favorite type of love- the rough kind.


She still wasn't in sight though, which made him frown. He walked over to the closet, glancing once behind him before opening it up. "Ah! There you are, Kori!" he cried out in mock-joy, casually grabbing her by her hair and starting to drag her out into her bedroom. "I want you to wear something slutty- easy to get off." He chuckled, yanking on her a bit hard. "And give me your phone, Sweetie. Couples don't have any secrets after all," he growled, snatching the phone from her hand before flinging her towards the ground. "Oh, who's Greaser? My competition?" he asked brightly. "Well I'll just figure out- oh Sage. What a fucking joy he is." Bucky snickered as a text came through and a silent buzz rang through the phone. I'm on my way. Lock everything and hide.  Bucky shook his head, snickering to himself before looking down at Korren with a smirk. "Are you cheating on me with a street rat? Well, what a shame. I'll have to set some traps then, huh? If we don't kill the disgusting creatures they'll multiply." He laughed out loud, deleting Sage's contact and the messages between them so she couldn't contact him anymore, and tossed the phone down on the ground. "You get dressed, love, and I'll get the traps ready." Bucky called two of his friends in a group call as he sat on her bed, fully expecting her to change in front of him. "You have ten minutes."


Sage had been half asleep when his phone buzzed, so he hadn't checked it immediately. English had quite literally bored him to exhaustion. He was halfway through Of Mice and Men. The book was supposed to be finished last week but the test was tomorrow. Maybe he could do good on it if he could just finish the book. His phone went off a second time and he finally decided to check it, before his eyes widened and he jumped to his feet. "Holy fuck, I gotta go!" he yelled, loud enough that the whole house would hear, before rushing out and leaving all his stuff behind. He quickly sent Korren a text instructing her on what to do in a wild situation like that before diving into his Mustang and flooring it, hoping he could get to her on time. @FlameintheRoses

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Korren went quiet when he entered the room, holding her breath for the longest time. When he stood in the bathroom, she was panicking. Her face went white when he yanked open the door, and she tried to scramble away, but was caught by the hair. She screamed as she was dragged out, being yanked by her hair out of the bathroom. Tears fell down her face as he yanked at her hair and pulled her phone away from her. Her side smacked against the ground and she cried out. She slowly pushed herself up from the ground, shaking from head to toe. When he tossed the phone to the ground she scrambled for it, figuring out that he deleted Sage's contact. A knot caught in her throat, and she looked over at him as he so casually was calling his friends during the abuse. He gave her a time limit, which made her scramble to her feet. All she could do was just do as he said or he'd hurt her more than she already did. She stumbled over to her closet, opening it to look through and find a rather short, skin-tight red dress, one with a lacy backing and made sure to reveal cleavage, while the bottom of the dress just barely reached her upper thigh. Bucky bought this for her to wear to parties, and had not ever allowed her to get rid of it, or else he would harm her worse than before. Korren pulled it out of the closet and began changing with her back facing him, careful not to rip the fabric. Ten minutes were almost up before she finally had the dress fully on, fit with matching red high heels. They were always too clunky and hurt her feet, but that didn't matter to him. 


She spoke up after a moment in a whisper, shaken and terrified of Bucky more than ever by how far he would go in order to have her. "Please don't do this, not to him. I'll go with you to the party, but please just leave him out of this." Her eyes met his, and there was a sorrowful expression to her. Every now and then she would tug on the edge of her dress to try and keep it over her bum, though there was a price to pay for it. Each time it was tugged down, that's exactly what it would do to the chest, so she had to keep it one way or the other. She tried her best to keep any decency she had left, though at this point there was none. Shame overcame her when it came to her body. It was always flaunted and she was sure that at least most of the rich boys had practically seen her in her undergarments by now. All she was to anyone was a play thing, a dress up doll, or just some token girl, and that's all she would ever be.


@McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

Bucky twitched slightly as she pleaded for Sage to be saved in this situation. He told the guys to head to Korren's house before hanging up and getting to his feet. He stepped close to Korren, until they were inches apart, and shrugged his jacket off, draping it over her shoulders and holding her close to him. "Why do you care for a street rat more than me?" he asked, his voice sounding genuinely hurt. "I take care of you, Kori. I bought you expensive things, I gave you love, I took you wherever you wanted to go. I suffered through that stupid fucking museum. I've given up precious hours of my life for you, and you don't give a damn." His voice was quiet, calm, serene, yet his words did not match the tone. He gently brushed her hair behind her ear. "You're the only thing I want but for some reason I can't have you." He sighed, turning away from her and thinking for a moment. "How odd, to think a fucking rat corrupted you in less than a day," he hissed, spinning suddenly and smacking the back of his hand against her cheek, hard enough to send her to the ground. He let out a breath and ran his fingers through his hair, calming down before smiling once more. "No matter. You just need a little perspective, I'm sure. Did you know Sage is in a gang? I invited some of his friends to the party. Their past times include robberies, murder, and raping innocent little girls like yourself. Maybe a little taste of what his kind is really like will make you realize who you're supposed to be with, yeah?" He grabbed her arm, yanking her forward and dragging her with him. "Of course, you've done this to yourself, you know," he added, as if to cement the idea. He took her to his car and shoved her in the passenger seat, buckling her up and locking the doors just as his friends arrived. he had quite the plan for Sage's arrival, and he was sure they'd see the rat trap take effect from the house party three streets over. He smirked, knowing this would certainly be a night to remember.


Sage was speeding for Korren's life. He drifted into turns and made the tires squeal in absolutely agony. Every movement of his precious car was a calculated drive that would hopefully get to Korren's house in enough time. Sage slammed onto the breaks as he turned into the driveway, sending sparks flying as he went from sixty to zero in one short driveway. he threw the car in park and launched himself out of it. "Korren!" he cried out. The front door was wide open. "Korren!" Sage sprinted into the house, screaming her name, looking through every room desperately, struggling to find her. The party. Bucky must have taken her there. Sage rushed out of the house and started for his car. Just as he reached for the door handle though, the rat trap detonated.


An explosion as loud as a sonic boom thundered throughout the neighborhood, and Sage was knocked back a handful of feet. His body flew up and slammed back down on the ground meters away from his car. His side and arm skidded against concrete. Skin tore away, his hit knocked against the concrete, his clothes were tattered. He fell unconscious for a few seconds before  squinting his eyes back open, watching in awe as his car- the only stable thing in his life- burned brighter than the stars. The flames licked hungrily towards the sky and smoke began to hide the stars. Korren's backpack. Sage scrambled to his feet, his entire left arm in searing pain as he ran over to the car, popping the trunk open. Flames erupted out of the trunk and Sage went into a panic. He had to get her backpack. Without much thought he quickly reached in with his injured arm, yanking the backpack out and tossing it on the ground. A flame was beginning to eat at it but he quickly stomped it out before opening it to make sure everything was in tack. The outside was charred but the inside was okay. He moved the backpack just inside the door of her house and closed it, before calling Winsley. He knew her phone would go to voicemail, but he also knew somebody would hear it and probably know it was him, which was fine. he couldn't talk right now. "Guys, I need you to take a fire extinguisher to Korren's house." He gave the address, offered no explanation, and hung up before running across the street. He was a bit dazed but he still knew how to hotwire a car.


From the house party the sound of the explosion shook the walls, and the sight of flames roared up before dying down into smoke. Everyone had seen what had just happened, but only Bucky would understand. He chuckled as he urged Korren out of the car, pointing to the flames that reached the sky and the smoke that threw a haze over everything. "I don't think you're little rat is going to bother you anymore," he said brightly, thinking Sage was dead. @FlameintheRoses

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Korren looked at him with a painful expression, feeling horrible yet terrified all in one. When he turned away, she almost felt bad. For once maybe, she thought, just maybe he was reverting to who he was before he had become consumed with partying and drinking. "Bucky, I-" Alas, as soon as he hissed out those dreadful words, her stomach dropped, and she felt a harsh smack against her cheek, causing her to yelp. She doubled over on to the ground, tears springing from her eyes. A harsh red mark stung on her cheek, forcing her to press her hand over it as she cried. What he was saying was a lie, wasn't it? It had to be. Yet if it wasn't, she had more of a reason to be scared now. Before she knew it she was yanked out of her room and down the stairs, stumbling to regain her barrings before being shoved into his car. You've done this to yourself. Those were the only words she could think of as she sat there, stunned to silence by the realization that he had won, and she had lost completely. Sage wouldn't be able to help her this time, she was sure of it. When they arrived at the party, she was pulled out of the car, and her attention was directed to a large explosion with flames roaring up in the night. Her eyes widened, and she covered her mouth. A whimper, then a cry poured out from her. She was sobbing, tears streaming down her face as she watched the smoke fill the sky. Sage was dead now, all because of her. If he hadn't met her or if she didn't accept his help, than maybe he would have still been alive. She brought this upon him, and upon herself. Her knees barely functioned, and she was loosing her footing. 


During their movie, there was a buzz from Winsley's phone, which was left on the floor. Without thinking much of it they left it until it went to voicemail, but when he spoke about a fire extinguisher, they jumped into action. Lift scrambled to get the extinguisher from the kitchen, Kilo ran off to go start the car, and Patch shook Winsley awake. "Sleeze needs help, c'mon Brit get up!" She was shouting at her friend, yanking her out of bed. Winsley was at full attention and quickly scrambled up and out the door, picking up a switch blade and a baseball bat for Patch on her way out. It was one of her father's knives, so she was rather proud of it. It cleanly cut through skin, and was useful in combat situation, plus it was threatening above all. Rarely did she use it, but when she did it was for a good cause. They all ran out to the car and drove off, taking the fastest route they knew to the richer neighborhoods.


Once they were there, they spotted smoke in the sky and immediately went to that. Kilo sloppily parked the car and allowed Lift to hop out, rushing over to assist Sage. Lift started extinguishing whatever flames he could find. The sight of Sage's beautiful car was astonishing, and horrifying to see. His most treasured item was blown to pieces. 


Winsley yelled out the car, noticing him trying to hot wire his car, though it was strange. He had dropped off Korren at her house, so why wasn't she there. "Where the fuck is Korren?" She demanded, though before long she caught what was up. Korren was in major trouble. "Hop in the damn car, Sleeze. Let's move!" She was leaning out the window, smacking her hand against the car door. Lift had finished extinguishing the rest of the flames, grabbing Sage by the arm and running back to the car with him. He hopped in before Sage, and once Sage was in the car they would go wherever the problem was.


@McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

Sage gave up on hotwiring the car as Kilo pulled him away and dived into the driver's seat of Kilo's car, claiming the drive for himself. He knew where to go. Sage had been to Chloe's house before, even if he was ashamed to admit it, and so he knew the fastest route. "I'm going to fuck Bucky up," he snarled, starting the car and flooring it. "And if any of you try to stop me you'll probably get hit." He drifted into a turn, and was thankful for the fact they hadn't taken Winsley's piece of shit car. If they had it'd already be broken down in a million pieces.


Sage slammed on the brakes at the front of Chloe's house, not bothering to park as he rushed out of the car. "Somebody get the car ready for a fast escape!" he yelled, before sprinting into the mansion Chloe owned. People grinded against each other in the living room which had been converted to a dance floor. Upstairs, people were yelling and moaning for all kinds of reasons. Alcohol was sloshed around, needles were left haphazardly on the floor, and a thin layer of smoke from the high quality weed the rich kids tended to buy hung around. Sage pushed and shoved through the crowd in the living room. They groaned and snapped at him, but he didn't care. He burst through the crowd into the kitchen, Where Bucky sat casually in a kitchen chair with Chloe on his laugh. Both of them were snickering as three large men pulled at Korren's clothes. Sage felt fury rupture his reasoning and he grabbed a kitchen knife out of its holder just as Bucky and Chloe turned to see him. "How the fuck are you alive?" Bucky snarled. "You tried to kill Sage?" Chloe shrieked, getting to her feet. "And he failed, I might add." Sage growled, before stabbing one of the guys circling Korren in the arm. The man yelled and swung. Sage ducked before coming up and slamming his fist to the guy's temple. He fell down hard, and Sage took his opening for all it was worth, grabbing Korren's wrist and pulling her over to him before picking her up and sprinting out of that kitchen. He knew Bucky would follow, but he didn't care about that prick. He wanted Bucky to follow so Sage could beat the hell out of him. He just wanted to get Korren away from those guys.


He set her down near the getaway car, but didn't bother to look her over. Instead he turned to watch Bucky chasing after them. "You fucking rat!" he snarled, coming in too fast for Sage to notice. All at once a fist connected to his face, and Sage was down on the ground. He yelped, turning just in time to watch as Bucky went in for another punch. Sage had just enough sense to dodge, before swinging his fist against Bucky's jaw. "Get her in the car!" Sage yelled, hoping someone was around to listen. He slammed his left fist into Bucky and then cried out in pain as they both started to roll on the ground. Sage's entire left arm had multiple layers of skin burnt off and he'd have horrible scars over it for life because of what Bucky had done. Sage finally got a good hit in as they rolled around on the grass, and once he had it he just kept going, over and over and over, until Bucky was past out, and then he finally stopped, breathing heavily as he straddled the boy who had threatened Korren. Sage smacked Bucky's cheek a couple times to wake him up, and Bucky groaned, squinting up at Sage. "If you ever fuck with my girl again, I will rip your heart out and shove it down your throat. I've gotten away with murder before and I can do it again, Bitchy. Don't fuck with me," Sage snarled, before punching him one last time. He finally stood, though the moment he got up on two feet he stumbled and fell back to his knees, breathing heavily. He closed his eyes, trying to regain composure. "Is Korren okay?" he asked nobody in particular, too wobbly to look up or to even stand. @FlameintheRoses