Loki; Lips of an angel

[Blake O'Sullivan]

Silence. Alone. That was how she chose to spend her time. Her family asked her several times if she got lonely. Of course she did. But Guillotine couldn't just drop his life to keep her company. Raffe and herself - they were sorting things out. Maybe the way they felt for one another was no longer relevant anymore. Maybe they were permanently in the friend zone with one another? Any who, Blake had gotten used to the loneliness. That was probably for the best. Her cat generally provided good company. When she didn't want to explore.

It was not the alone time she wished for. But she would eventually get the chance to make some new friends. Then she wouldn't have to rely on the ones she had so much. Especially Guillotine and now Raffe. She had grown to feel strange about the friends she had as there was romance in the relationship, somewhere. Maybe she needed to keep herself away from them? Her mind was so cluttered! She had tried taking relaxing baths to speed dating and nothing seemed to completely help. Then she came to the conclusion, she needed to distance herself and just clear her head. Upon doing that, she discovered that she distanced herself an awful lot. She sure liked to run. Maybe she ran so much because she was so used to people doing the running out on her. So, she ran first to avoid getting so hurt. Her therapist suggested this. It made perfect sense.

Tonight, she sat at her piano. Her cat, jumped on top of it, watching her closely. She allowed a soft meow and gentlgently began to paw at the music sheet. Blake figured that tonight, she would get lost in the music and forget, even just for a moment. The moment Blake hit the keys to start the song, she parted her lips, "I know that we are upside down... So hold your tongue and hear me out... I know that we were made to break - so what? I don't mind..."

Her eyes remained closed as her fingers played across the keys, creating the soft melodies that accompanied the song. Becoming one with the song and the piano. Her black cat continued to rest on the top of the piano. Closing her soft amber eyes; relaxing in her own way.

[Loki]

A lone figure could be seen walking around the apartment buildings of New Orlands. If anyone else had been around to see him, they might find the boy suspicious. Who could blame them? Most young boys wandering around by themselves, eying the nearby resident buildings were usually up to no good. There was a time where that would have been true concerning him. This boy had once been a thief. He was more of the sneak his hands into your pockets and take your wallet kind of thief, but a good old fashion burglary was profitable as well. Those days were behind him though. Loki was no longer a thief. He had a place to call home, so he didn't need to do it anymore. This place happened to be nearby too. That was the reason why he was out here. Now that Loki had a place to stay, he wanted to get a good understanding of his surroundings. In the cat's eyes this was his territory, so he wanted to explore it.

For today his exploring wouldn't be much further than a few blocks away at best. He had his reasons. The main reason being just wanting to know the area. The shifter's new home happened to be in the part of the city that he had yet to explore when he first arrived. It made sense for him to learn the area closest to him first before he started venturing out further in the city again. Then there was the whole Guillotine problem. Loki would be a fool to not worry about the large dangerous hellhound he encountered almost a week ago. The demon was none too happy with him. While the shifter was sure that he could avoid the beast, or at least out maneuver him if they did come face to face, he still didn't feel comfortable enough to take any chances yet.

Loki continued to wander around the buildings, taking his time to look around the place and explore when he heard music. Music was not something uncommon to hear in such a populated area like this. There were plenty of humans that liked to blare music up loud for their own amusement. With Loki's sensitive hearing he could pick up on those sounds pretty easily. Most of the time he ignored it, but this music was hard to ignore. It wasn't the song itself that drew his attention to it, but the sound of the singer's voice. The shifter stopped for a moment to listen to the voice. He closed his eyes as he let the singer's voice echo through his ears, faint memories of a little cake shop and the faint smell of roses coming off of a sweet and friendly face.

“Blake?” the boy whispered the name. It had been awhile since he had last seen the human female. That had been his first and possibly final encounter with the girl. But even now he could still remember her. It had to be her. Did she live nearby? Loki slowly opened his eyes and looked off in the direction of the music. He was sure that it was Blake who was singing right now, but he didn't know what to think about it. Things between him and Blake weren't exactly clear cut. She was a sweet girl, but she was a human. Loki didn't have much interactions with humans, and the few that he did weren't the best. He could smile and charm his way around them, he could learn to co-exist in their world but he could never forget what they were capable of. Humans were dangerous, and as far as he could see Blake wouldn't be much different. Befriending humans had certain risks and because of that he put some distance between himself and human beings.

He knew that he had to do the same with Blake. But here he stood, unable to just turn away. He should have left then and there when he heard her. But he couldn't stop thinking about how they departed. It had bothered him how they had separated even well after she had left. Blake had seem so sad and he didn't understand why. She said that she was okay and that she just had to leave but Loki couldn't help but feel like he had done something wrong. But why should he care? Even if he did do something wrong he should have been relieved to see her go. He couldn't risk getting too close to her after all. Yes, it was better this way....right? Even as he thought it, he knew that he was only kidding himself. Blake might be a human but she was still a nice person, a nice person that seemed to be troubled. It was hard for him to just turn his back on someone who seemed to be in pain. He had to see her again, if only just to see that she was doing well.

Loki took a few steps towards the music only to stop once again. Should he really be doing this? Had what happened back then had been his fault would she really want to even see him? His presence might not be welcomed at all. If anything he might come off as creepy from what he was doing, sneaking up on some girl while she was singing. How was he going to explain this to Blake? Loki sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. Okay, so maybe just walking on by was not the best way to go about this. A new idea came to mind, making the boy chuckle. “Man, I must be crazy.” Loki muttered to himself. Blake might not accept his presence in his current state, but his feline form was a different matter. That was taking things too far. If he got to close to her, and she figured out what he was because of a stupid stunt like this Loki could lose his life. It was a possibility, but not a likely one. Unless she was a hunter, or had some knowledge of the supernatural the last things she would suspect would be that some random cat was anything more than that.

It was worth a shot, at least for a short while. He would just take a quick peek on her and slip away before she noticed. How much would a quick look hurt? With a sigh Loki shifted to his feline form and headed towards the sound of Blake's voice. It didn't take him long to find her place. Luckily for him her apartment was on the ground floor, and even luckier there was an open window. The feline jumped up with ease up on the window sill. There he sat and looked inside the room, feeling too cautious to risk actually going into the apartment uninvited. The position he was in gave him an excellent view of the human he was looking for. There she was, the human he had met a few weeks ago, singing as she played on the piano. Another cat, most likely her pet, sat on top of the piano, watching her play. The sight pleased the shifter. It wasn't much, but she at least looked better than she had when she had left him. Maybe he didn't have anything to worry about?

[Blake O'Sullivan]

Blake allowed her fingers to do the talking. Allowing the song to take her away. Little did she realize that she had company with her right outside her window. But she was too lost in the song to notice the feline in her window. Shadows, on the other hand, had noticed. Her pupils became large, nearly taking up the entirety of her eye color. She let out a soft meow before jumping off the piano to head towards the glass of which she could see the other cat. She bowed up, upon jumping into the inner window sill. She had never seen this other 'animal' before and was unsure of what to make of him. She mildly growled at him and would stop occasionally to sniff the window. If at any time, Loki moved, Shadows would simply hiss and let a low growl escape into her chest. Still unsure of this stranger just outside of her home.

But the sound of the piano drowned out her pets concerns. The witches fingers continued to gently touch the ivory keys. Eyes still closed as the piano and her had become one. Any worry she had was now lost, for the time being. Her voice carried into the apartment and into the open air of her window. Sharing the music with the outside world. Ambivalent to the world outside who might hear. Sometimes, music was a good outlet for her. She could lose herself in it. The same with her art. Should Loki take his eyes off the singing woman, he would see some framed pieces of art on the walls of her home including a few canvas paintings and charcoal sketches. Above the piano, rested a portrait of an angel. Her absent ex boyfriend, El. The piano was his thing. He did not possess her piece of art; she framed it and placed it above her piano to display that someone who was in her life at some point - this was his outlet. Since he left, she began to pick up the piano again and it seemed as though it was an art that was not hard to shake the cobwebs off of. She also loved to sing with the piano.

Why would she choose to do this tonight? She didn't know, herself. She only yearned to hear music and create it with her elegant fingers. Since Raffe returned, she wished only to hear the music, again. Lately, Blake had been very confused and conflicted. She still cared for her friend. As his return only rekindled feelings that she wished did not exist anymore. As they were causing problems. Or at least, she was allowing them to. If only she could allow all this to leave her heart and give her a moments rest from allowing her heart to take over with these heavy feelings of love and care for those she adored of the opposite sex. That was why she continued this pattern with her male friends. Because this was too much for her. Along with those feelings she possessed for Raffe, the same feelings lingered for Guillotine. However, she knew he was trying to make things right for his former mate, Akeelah. And so, she respected him and kept her feelings and romantic words and gestures to herself. It was still hard to deal with. Not being able to act as she wished with him. The same with Raffe. Maybe they weren't the ones for her, due to all this confusion. Same with El when she was with him. When she was with her former mate, Khaine, it was right. She knew he was what she wanted. She went for it, and fell in love with him. He gave her a baby, and left. The one time she was able to not be so confused, and he left her. Since then, and losing her daughter, she was so confused in the love department. Distance was best.

"I am a fire, you're gasoline... Come pour yourself all over me... We'll let this place go down in flames - only one more ti-i-ime..." Her emotion was beginning to come out. Maybe a little too much. One that might look as though she was sad, still. Or at least show signs of the old hurt of which she still faced. It didn't matter with who. There was a pain there. Maybe in her mind, she was just begging someone to come in, and save her? Her words were heavy, as if she was begging someone to.. stay... "You cue the lights, I'll draw the blinds.... Don't dull the sparkle in your eyes! I know that we were made to break - so what? I don't mind! Are you gonna stay the night? Are you gonna stay the night? Oh-oh! Oh-oh! Oh-oh! Oh-oh! Are you gonna stay the night?"

A tear or two slipped from her closed optics; making their way down her pale cheeks. Inhaling as the piano took over briefly. Forcing herself to really feel the words, "When we get burned! We never learn! Are you gonna stay the night?!" She belted out those words. Feeling them a little more than the rest of the song. But it was what was keeping her from going over the deep end - the piano's heavenly music. But soon, it would end, as the song had come to its inevitable end. And as it ended, her focus made to the direction of her feline friend. Eyeing her cat at the window, but caught the eyes of the cat outside.

Curious, she got up from the bench of her instrument. Allowing her legs to carry her towards the window. And there she found her cat pawing at the glass barrier. Trying to get at the cat outside. Blake chuckled and shook her head. Gently touching her pet, who jumped and frizzed her black fur out a little from being startled. Blake giggled a little more and shook her head at her companion. Picking her up and opening the window, "That wasn't very nice." Soon, she put her cat down and gently held her hand out to the cat outside her window. Gently calling him to her. If only she knew the truth of this particular cat, "Hi, kitty." she cooed. Wishing to pet him. He seemed friendly, unless he was just checking things out. But she simply waited and wished her new friend would come in. Maybe she could give him a treat?

[Loki]

It really was Blake. Though just hearing her voice Loki had guessed that the woman he was looking for would be the same one he had met in the past, just seeing her for himself still surprised him. The world must be a very small place for the shifter to run into her again. Of course he knew that there was a chance that he would find Blake again eventually. New Orlands was where she lived, and now that he was here to stay he would encounter acquaintances from time to time. Even knowing that, to think that she lived so close to him was just too much of a coincidence for the male to brush off. Perhaps this was some sort of twist of fate that he would find her here like this. Fate had always had an odd way of working with him, most of the time it only seemed to mess with him, but sometimes in its attempts to taunt the poor guy it ended up working in his favor. Maybe this encounter would be one of those moments. He could only hope so.

At the moment things weren't going so great. Loki had just planned to take a quick peek and sneak off quietly once he thought everything was okay, but his presence was quickly discovered. It wasn't Blake that spotted him but the other cat. The moment the house cat spotted him she immediately rushed over to investigate. Great, just what he needed. Loki hadn't taken into account any animals showing up to mess his plans up when he had rushed over here. He hadn't been around Blake long enough to know that she even had another feline companion. He wouldn't have minded dealing with another cat, but this one didn't seem too fond of him. Loki watched the other feline on the other side of the glass try to sniff at him. Not wanting to give the female the wrong impression he tried to to mimic her, only to get hissed at in return.

His fur bristled at the other cat's warning but for the moment he stayed where he was. For the moment he was grateful that they had the glass barrier separating them. There was no telling what the other cat might do to him if they didn't have that shield. Loki wasn't one to start fights, especially with those of the female persuasion. But he would have a hard time not fighting back if the other feline tried to attack him. The wild cat let out a soft, frustrated sigh and stood up, earning another growl from the female cat. It looked like no matter what form he was he wasn't wanted here. It was time that he left. He came to see Blake and he got what he came for. It might have been a brief moment but she looked just fine. There was nothing to worry about so it was best that he left before the other cat's hissing caught her owner's attention. The shifter was just about to jump down from the windowsill when he heard the cracking in Blake's voice. Loki turned his gaze back at the human. He knew better than to dismiss that for the human losing her voice. It sounded like she was in pain.

Worry began to fill his thoughts once more. There was something wrong with this human, he saw a flash of that the first time they met, and he could see it now. This girl was hurting, much like he did. Only she had a harder time trying to hide it. What could he do about that though? Loki didn't know much about Blake to know what was hidden just beneath the surface. All he really knew about her was her name and she seemed like a friendly person. There was little that he could do to help her without knowing the problem. She probably didn't even want his help anyway. She had been quick to run off from him before, he was too much of a stranger for her to trust. There was nothing he could do. So why was he still here?

Between his inner conflicts, and the overly territorial feline Loki was at a loss on what his next course of action should be. He wanted to help but he couldn't, he wanted to reach out to her but he was afraid to, he wanted to stay but he needed to leave. This was stupid, he was being stupid. He should just leave. Hesitantly Loki turned his back to the other feline and was about to leave when the window suddenly opened. The shifter jumped in surprise as he looked up into Blake's face. The wild cat's ears laid flat on his head as he looked at the girl, looking like he was guilty of something terrible. Crap, this plan of his was falling a part so fast he had to wonder if he was really stupid for ever thinking that this was a good idea in the first place. But Blake's soothing voice and clear invite didn't make him feel like he was a total screw up. At least someone seemed fine with his presence. Still feeling a little wary, Loki inched a little closer to the girl and gently sniffed her hand. Showing both the girl, and hopefully her other companion that he was friendly. His actions in turn would give the chance for the human to prove that she was fine with him. He wouldn't try to push himself on her if she really didn't want him.

[Blake O'Sullivan]

Blake smiled at the small creature. Watching him as he got a sense of who this woman may be, as far as a friend or a danger. The moment he started to sniff her hand, she managed to feel a little warmth in her heart. Her fingers gently extended; gently petting the top of his head. Showing him that she, herself, meant him no harm. He was so pretty and exotic looking. Surly he must have been someone's pet. It was hard to tell with the lack of the collar on the feline's neck. She looked around outside, wondering if maybe there was someone out and about. Searching for their lost family. Instinctively, she would report this. However, she decided that maybe she would befriend the kitty and maybe let him hang out until he was ready to leave. Pushing the rest of her torso through the rest of the outer window, she gently reached under his front arms and lifted him into hers. Pulling him inside.

Once she was back inside her apartment, she continued to pet and stroke his head. Insuring him that she would not hurt him and there was nothing to be terrified about, "I won't hurt you..." she cooed and gently set him on the ground. Shadows, on the other hand, had plans of her own. She approached the strange new cat and began to sniff him. Her right front paw raised slowly and she gently bopped at him. Her pupils grew large as she was stopped by Blake, "That's not very nice, Shadows!" She giggled. The small black cat gently meowed at her girl and flopped onto her side, rolling cutely on the ground. Obviously she was saying she was sorry and trying to take attention off of her being a 'naughty kitten'.

Blake turned from both kitties and headed into the kitchen, gently humming to herself before she found herself digging into the fridge with two small bowls. Gently putting whipped cream in both, not enough to make either of them sick. Just enough for a little treat. Once she was done, she set them on the ground and called for both cats. Shadows wasted no time in trotting into the kitchen and made a dash for her bowl. Licking up the treat happily. Purring as she did so. Once the other kitty made his way into the kitchen, Blake managed to catch his eyes. They almost looked familiar to her, though she could not quite put her finger on it. But she could swear she had seen those golden eyes somewhere before. She had seen many different eyes before. This was going to be difficult. Course, she may just be imagining things. Stranger things have happened. But, for now, she would enjoy the company of her new friend. Shadows, now seemed to not mind his presence. That was all she needed. And this lovely cat was quickly proving he would not harm her pet or her. She leaned against the counter and smiled before walking away to her room, "Be back soon. Time for me to get ready for bed."

Blake made her way down the hall to her room, where she began to change for bed. It wasn't as though she would wear anything revealing. She only really did that if she wouldn't be alone in her bed, and that person sharing her bed would be the only one who got to see it. Tonight, it was a loose tank top and a pair of black and gray checkered pajama pants. She tied her short hair into a messy bun before returning into the kitchen, yawning as she did so. Filling her tea kettle and setting it on the stove. She then turned and made her way to a cabinet; reaching for a tea bag. Suddenly, she waved her hand. The stove then shut itself on. A smile on her face as she waited on the water to boil, fixing herself some tea before bed.

[Loki]

The shapeshifter's plan was not turning out quite the way that he had hoped it would have. If you could call what Loki had thought out a plan at all. It had started out simple enough, all the feline wanted was to take a quick look at Blake, see if she was doing okay, and leave without being spotted. So far he was instantly spotted, had second doubts on the human female's well being, and now couldn't make a smooth exit with both the attention of the other cat and Blake herself. Luck really was a cruel mistress when it came to the likes of Loki. The boy couldn't catch much of a break when he really wanted it. Something always had to screw up. But maybe this wasn't all that bad? Sure Loki got spotted but it wasn't like Blake was upset. In fact she looked the total opposite of upset. It really helped that Loki was currently in his cat form. He was sure Blake wouldn't be too pleased to see him if he had tried to sneak over in his human form. This turn of events gave him a chance to get closer to her, and maybe in some small way help her out. He could hardly turn away now that Blake was trying to get his attention.

Still feeling a little cautious Loki walked up to Blake's out stretched hand and sniffed her. It was his way of showing he was at the very least curious about her, if not friendly. The action was enough to bring a smile on the lovely girl's face and earn him a nice petting. Loki hated to admit it but it felt nice to get pet. The wild cat didn't take too kindly to the thought of being petted in the past. He wasn't some cute and fluffy house pet that wanted to be held and snuggled. He had some pride. But as of late with Azazel patting him on the head whenever he least expected it he found that it was more pleasant than he thought. He even purred whenever someone touched him like that, much to his dismay. Tonight was no exception. Loki hadn't expected the touch, but once Blake began to stroke his head he purred louder than he would have liked. Damn it all, he needed to get better at hiding his pleasure.

While Loki was distracted by the petting Blake took this open opportunity to pick him up. The sudden action caused the shifter to mew in surprise and start wriggling a little in the woman's grasp. But once she held him against her and started stroking him again he calmed down and started purring again. A part of him even felt sad when she put him back down. At least he was back on his own paws, and still had his dignity intact. Now that he was inside the black cat took the opportunity to investigate. Loki stood still, allowing the other female to investigate him. He tried to do the same but got a paw to the face for doing so. He was quick to return the gesture, gently pawing at the other feline's nose, a playful glint in his eyes as he purred at the other cat. His purring grew older when he saw the cat named Shadows get put in her place by her owner. Both the human and cat made an interesting pair. He was glad he got to see the two like this. Maybe luck was actually on his side today?

“Do you still want to paw at me?” the shifter asked Shadows once Blake left the room. While Shadows was not a shapeshifter like him she wouldn't have a hard time understanding him in this form. “Don't worry about me. I am not here to take over your territory or anything like that. I just wanted to see your human. I met her a little while ago and she caught my interest.” he explained. Shadows seemed a bit protective so he wanted to clear things up with her. This was after all her place, she had the right to chase him off if she really wished and he would have to respect her if she did. For now things between them seemed fine so it didn't hurt to make friends. “My name is Loki. It's nice to meet you.” Loki laid down next to Shadows and waited for the other cat's response till Blake called for the two of them in the kitchen.

Loki watched the black cat get up and walk away before he got up to follow her. The shifter took a quick look around the room till his gaze fell on Blake. For a moment the two just looked at one another, there was something about the way that she was looking at him that made him worry. Was that a flash of recognition in her eyes? No, impossible. There was no way that Blake could know what he was right now. They hadn't been together long enough for her to recognize him in this form. He should be safe. Whatever might have been going through Blake's mind had gone just as soon as it came. Loki relaxed once again and turned his attention at the two dishes laid out before him. Shadows had already gone after the first dish, leaving the one next to her available. Loki walked over to the other bowl and sniffed curiously at the white liquid in it. He recognized the smell of it instantly. Whipped cream, he loved whipped cream. He eagerly lapped up the cream, purring contently till he finished it. When Blake returned the little shifter brushed up against her legs, purring loudly in thanks for the treat.

[Blake O'Sullivan]

Shadows nearly jumped when the male spoke. Her black tail began to swish about as her amber/yellow eyes beamed at the male. Pupils larger than normal. Her little head tipped to the side as she licked her lips and found herself responding back.

'You're not a regular feline, are you...?'

It was an immediate jump to conclusion for this familiar, however, she was enjoying the conversation. She had not spoken to anyone in a long time. The last time she spoke to someone, it was a rat her girl had. It had gotten loose and was also a shifter. However, she didn't know if Loki was a shifter or not. She was only aware that he was not a normal cat. The little cat stopped for a moment and heard the steps of Blake coming back into the kitchen. Her eyes following her as well as she watched her witch use her powers to prepare her tea.

'That's good to know you are not here for my territory. But why did you want to see her? What gave you the right to be around?'

Shadows was not meaning to be rude, however, she was extremely protective of her girl. Though, Blake is an adult, Shadows has seen too many people walk in and out of her life. She has seen many men walk in and out of her life. This stranger, wanted to see her. What will this stranger be to her dear witch? How will it end? as it always does? With her being heartbroken and nowhere to go? Or will she forsake her freedom as she had done twice? She stood on her feet and signaled Loki out of the kitchen.

'I am Shadows. I hope you will forgive me for being rude to you...'

She then sat beside the coffee table and licked her paw for a moment. Eyes gently closing before opening them and looking back at the male.

'Well, you don't seem interested in my witch,' she blurted, 'Or her power... That is good to know... But you should know... I have seen people walk in and out of her life since she had moved here... I see everything that happens to her and I know what will happen if you come around if she comes home from your next encounter in tears.'

Her small, furry body began to gently fluff up. Showing her discontent. Her ears flattening back against her head. A stern look across her once sweet little kitty face. It was clear that this little girl before him meant business when it came to her girl. Though, Loki seemed nice enough, she was not about to allow him to eventually come in and have the potential to be another Raffe, or maybe another Guillotine. Even to her, El was bad enough. While he was kind and she loved when he would pet her, Shadows remembered the nights when Blake would be awake, crying over any of these men. Now, here is another potential friend who is obviously men. However, after pushing her aggression against him, Shadows began to rethink her words and brought her ears back up. Her body posture began to relax and she seemed more at ease.

'I am sorry for being cruel... She means the world to me, and it seems she gets more hurt from friends and pleasant feelings... I only do not wish for her to get hurt... and I jumped to conclusions before finding out what you were like... What your back story may be...'

A sign that she felt bad was the her gently licking his ear a couple times before pulling away. She licked her lips then began to lick her paw and gently brush it against the dark fur that rested over her head. The little black cat did this for a few minutes, finally looking back at the male. Waiting on his response.

[Loki]

Loki chuckled at the other feline's reaction when he spoke to her. Loki was no stranger when it came to dealing with the average cat. The little shifter had grown up dealing with normal cats back in his own world, and even grew accustom to house cats during his time in this world. Most cats regarded him with curiosity, few were cautious, and even less openly hostile to his presence. He had never seen one jump when he talked though. Did it really surprise this feline that much to hear another cat speak to her? She's probably never had the chance to talk to her own kind the boy thought sadly. That was a problem with most house cats. Unlike his wild counterparts house cats were taking away from their own kind at an early age and spent most of their existence in the company of humans with little interaction with their own kind. Sometimes that led to social awkwardness when dealing with another cat. It was a sad sight to see, and one that made Loki feel a little angry at humans for causing. He was sure that this was the case here, that was until she spoke.

Ah so that was what made her jump. The male purred at the other feline. “You caught me, I am not your everyday cat.” the boy replied. The boy didn't seem the least bit surprised by Shadow's words. That was because he wasn't. Shadow's was not the first cat he had met that could tell that he wasn't quite one of them. Most animals in general were quick to pick up on shifters. That was mostly due to their scent. While most shifters did have their own unique animal scent there was always the hint of human mixed into it as well. These two unique smells made any shapeshifter easy enough to identify to any creature. It didn't help humans pick them apart, and for that Loki was grateful for. It would take a lot more than that to clue Blake in on what he was. Shadows on the other hand would not be so easily fooled, and Loki didn't intend to fool her. What was the point? It wasn't like Shadows could tell her master what he really was. Humans didn't speak cat, so he had nothing to worry about here. Besides, with the way Shadows was being dishonest here was bound to give him problems in the future.

“I am what you would call a shapeshifter. I am a cat with the special power to take a human's form at will.” Loki explained. He wasn't sure if Shadows had ever met a creature like him before, so he took the time to explain it. “Don't worry, I might have a human form but I am more feline than I am human. To be honest I like the current form I am in better.” He especially liked it now. This confrontation would have been a great deal more awkward had he shown up in his human form. He had no intentions of showing his human form to Blake again any time soon. His current form was helping him get close to not just Blake but Shadows as well. Shadows seemed to have calmed down some after he briefly explained what he was here for. Shadows seemed relieved to hear that Loki wasn't here to take over her territory, but she did question why he came to see Blake.

Well, he saw that one coming. Thankfully since he already explained what he was he didn't have to put any effort in trying to make up some kind of story to explain his presence. “Nothing gave me any rights to come here. To be honest I still don't know what possessed me to come by in the first place.” he replied. “I guess the best answer I can give you is curiosity. I had met your human before, though at the time I had been human. She seemed kind of nice, but she left suddenly and that worried me. At first I thought I had said something that offended her but the more I thought about it the more I started wondering if there was something deeper going on. I was just wandering around the neighbourhood when I suddenly heard her voice. Thinking back at that day I couldn't help but be a little curious about how she was holding up, so I came to take a quick look. It was only suppose to be a quick look. I would have left before she could see me...but someone else noticed me before I could make my getaway.” the shifter teased the dark feline.

“It's nice to meet you Shadows. There is no need to apologize. I understand completely.” Had he been in her paws he would have been a little cautious too. Loki didn't quite have any territory that he had to protect. Even now that he had a place to call home he couldn't really call the place his territory. The apartment belonged to Azazel, so it was technically still his. Loki was only sharing the space, he could hardly claim it as his own. That wouldn't stop him from checking out any other felines that might nose into his place. Loki wasn't overly territorial, he was fine letting other cats share his space if they seemed trustworthy enough, but he could still understand the feelings more protective cats held. He didn't hold any grudge against Shadows for being defensive and he let her know that.

Shadows seemed grateful for that. The feline also seemed satisfied with what he said about her human. When Shadows mentioned Blake though she said something that made him curious. “Witch?....Your human is a witch?” That was news to him. When Loki had met Blake he had thought she was just an ordinary human. She had smelled like it for the most part. There was that peculiar scent of flowers that seemed to cling to her skin, but he had thought it was probably some kind of perfume. There wasn't anything that gave her away as anything other than that. That was why he had been so cautious about getting the girl's attention. Little did he know that he was dealing with a someone that was a little more than just a human. Loki turned his gaze back to Blake for a moment as he thought this news over. Would that change things? Witches were still humans but they were a special breed that sometimes were picked on by humans as well. There was a chance that if Blake found out what he was that she wouldn't turn on him.

Don't be an idiot, she may be a witch but she is still a human. That means she's still dangerous. Loki shook his head. Blake being a witch did not change things. He couldn't allow himself to slip up and reveal herself in her presence, especially now. What Shadows said next pulled his attention back to her. The other feline's words helped shed light on Blake's situation. So Blake had some issues with people in her life. That might explain her peculiar actions that day. It was possible that the woman had trust issues, and his nice guy act had triggered unpleasant memories. It was only an assumption given what little information he had to go on, but it was better than what he had known a few minutes ago. Loki chuckled when Shadows warned him about making Blake cry. “Oh you don't have to worry about that my dear Shadow. I hate seeing women cry.” Loki stretched a bit before speaking again. “You won't have to worry about me doing anything bad. For now Blake doesn't know who I am and I intend to keep it that way. She won't be seeing me in my human form any time soon. Who knows, I might not show up at your window again after this. She seems to trust me more in this form. While that is better it might not be wise to take advantage of what with someone so vulnerable.”

Blake wasn't the only vulnerable party here. If Blake were to find out what Loki really was he in a world of hurt. He had already faced the wrath of humans before when he had been discovered before. He couldn't stand to go through that same pain again. Especially with a human he might grow attached to. Distancing himself from the situation was not just in her best interest but it was in his interest as well. That was something he couldn't tell Shadows. He could tell that she wanted to know more about him but that was a request that he could not fufill, even if that meant he would get chased out.

[Blake O'Sullivan]

The small feline merely gave a small nod, blinking for several moments before she crawled away. Only to stop and look back at the male, "I hope so... I do not know how much more heartache she can physically take anymore..." On that note, the small cat trotted back into the kitchen only to meow up at her owner. Blake was leaning against the counter, sipping her tea with a smile on her face as she caught the small feline enter the room. Before she could answer, Shadows was already at her ankles, rubbing the side of her body against Blake's legs, purring deeply. The small girl shook her head and gently began to pet the small animal, after having bent over to pet her companion.

"Where did you go?"

Shadows, of course, did not answer. How could she? She was only a cat. A familiar of this divine girl. But Blake didn't need her to talk. She didn't need to say anything, actually. Shadows had her own way to respond to the woman as if they were actually talking. Little cues that only Blake could pick up on as her cat was truly her best friend. After she had finished her night beverage, she picked up her feline friend and walked into the living room, smiling down at the other feline. She thought a moment before she actually spoke, "I do not expect you to stay... But I left the window open, in case you would like to go back home..." She grinned and bent to pet his head. Saying her good nights and it was nice to have his company. But, unfortunately it was time for this fun to end. Shadows kept her eyes on the male. The moment her girl stood with the small black cat in her arms, Shadows spoke again.

"Should you choose to see her again, outside of your feline form... She likes roses. There are some red ones growing on the south side of the building that she likes. I am sure she would like to see you again, Loki!"

Soon after, the girl and her cat were gone, in the girl's room. The house was quiet. Shadows was now curled up on the foot of Blake's bed and waiting for the girl to settle, that way she could make her way to the blankets and get under them. Snuggled against Blake's form. Soon, bot the cat and her girl were asleep beside one another. Blake slept silently, not a sound. Not a word. Shadows was just as silent. Staying as close to Blake as she possibly could; purring and showing her content.

[Loki]

This conversation with Shadows had turned out to be more interesting than he thought. The smaller feline at first had treated the young male with a bit of hostility, but after a brief chat she was quickly starting to warm up to him. What he told her made her feel more comfortable letting her guard around him. That was good, since that was what he wanted. Loki didn't want to start anything with the female, he hated having to get into pointless fights, especially with females. His fondness of the opposite sex made him extra cautious in making them mad. He was being honest, he hated making females suffer. Blake was no different. He wouldn't be here now if he didn't think that he had somehow upset her during their last encounter. Now thanks to Shadows he had a better understanding of what was really troubling her.

Blake had people issues. More specifically man issues. The way Shadows talked about it wasn't too subtle that those issues were revolved around her love life. That had to be tough. Romantic relationships could be a real mess. Loki didn't have enough personal experience to fully understand Blake's situation, especially with so little information on the matter, but that didn't mean he couldn't sympathize. Shadows was just worried about her, he couldn't blame her for that. But she didn't need to worry about him. If there was one male in Blake's life that wouldn't toy with her heart it would be him. Blake had caught his attention but he didn't feel for her in the way that Shadows was assuming. She never would. It wasn't like he didn't like her, she was nice, pretty, and had a gentle touch. The problem lied solely with him.

Loki could not love anyone in that way anymore. After all that had happened to him he couldn't bear to go through it again. What would happen to the next woman he got close to? That thought always entered his mind whenever he so much thought about romance. The last woman that he was close to died because of him. What was to stop the next woman from dying too? It wasn't like Loki lived a quiet and peaceful life. He might not be a thief anymore but he still worked with jobs that were a little shady. There was also the issue with that hellhound to consider. He hadn't run into Guillotine since he saved the hellhound's life, but he couldn't be certain that they would never cross paths again. There was a good chance that they would, and he would still want to kill him. There was no doubt in his mind that if Gil found out that he associated with anyone besides Azazel he'd use them to get to him. Just having friends was dangerous for a guy like him. He couldn't imagine what it would be like to have a mate.

Besides, wouldn't that also betray Amalia? He couldn't move on. Shadows didn't know this of course, and he didn't plan to tell her. Still, he had to make that much clear to the female. “You can't break the heart of someone that doesn't love you.” the boy said. “I don't think your human will be falling in love with a cat. Even one as cute and fluffy as I am.” he joked, rolling playful at the other feline before she wandered off back to her master. Once the other feline was gone Loki sat up again and glanced at the clock. It was starting to get late now. It was about time that he headed back. The question was what was he going to do about Blake after he left. Should he visit her again? He at least had Shadows consent in doing so, Blake didn't seem to mind either. There was still risks in him getting too close, but for the time being they weren't too big of a problem. There was no harm in visiting every once in awhile as a cat. He could at least come by from time to time until he felt it no longer necessary. That and after he figured things out with Gil. The last thing he wanted to do was somehow drag Blake into that mess.

Blake and her pet re-entered the room while Loki was wrapped up in his thoughts. “Welcome back.” the cat mewed in greeting to the two lovely females. He listened intently to Blake's words. How kind of the woman to leave the window open for him so he could slip out when he pleased, and even nicer of her to tell him even when she did think he was just a cat. The boy purred when Blake petted him, he would mew a thank you at the human girl before she headed off to bed. Loki turned away to head out towards the window when he heard Shadows call back out to him. The feline's words made him chuckle. “If I didn't know any better I'd think you want your human to suffer again.” the shifter called out before finally making his exit.