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A [@Sailorsadie] & [@Soufflegirl123] collab 
Starring: [color=Teal]Delaney Barlowe[/color] & [color=DC143C]Miles Price[/color]
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As the wolves lunged forward Miles coolly walked- well half-walked, half stumbled- over to Delaney, a smile widening on his face. [color=DC143C]"Delaney!”[/color] he greets her cheerfully as if they very much weren’t being attacked. [color=DC143C]"What’s new?”[/color] he asks, his eyes floating to a werewolf creeping around the side. As oblivious to the whole situation he looked, Miles knew [i]exactly[/i] what he was doing. Between growing up training together and the many drunken bar brawls their benders had landed them, Delaney and Miles had a synergy about them when it came to fights, and playing wingman for one another but that seemed unneeded for either of the friends tonight.

Looking away from Lilith and Rowan, she groaned at the sight of the werewolves. She just couldn’t catch a break tonight. Delaney immediately perked up at seeing Miles and a smirk spread across her face. [color=teal]”Typhoon!”[/color] Stumbling a bit as the rum still had full reign over her body, she nodded her head over to Rowan and wriggled her brows. [color=teal]”You’ll never guess what happened.”[/color] For the moment she acted as if she were ignoring the wolves, but her body was vibrating with her energy, ready to aide Miles. 

Miles follows the woman’s gaze to where Rowan was standing. Miles couldn’t help but make an impressed whistle, raising his eyebrows. [color=DC143C]"Well done. Not to brag but-”[/color] he nods toward Lilith while taking a step closer to his friend. [color=DC143C]"We still got it,”[/color] as he says those words he puts his hand out to high-five Delaney, only hoping she knew what he was asking.  

Her eyes followed his look to Lilith and she raised a brow. Were they seriously on again? She was happy for her friend, but worried that this would end in total catastrophe. Again. Looking up at his hand, Delaney’s smirk widened. She was more than ready to kick some ass, though it was probably an incredibly terrible idea. [color=teal]”Hell yeah we do.”[/color] She raised a hand and high-fived his own before wrapping her fingers around his hand to hold it. Her body hummed as her energy shifted to Miles. 

A matching smirk spread across Miles’ face as Delaney grabbed his hand. [color=DC143C]"Oh, won’t our night’s lovers be pleased,”[/color] he jokes, gripping onto her hand in return as he feels the power running through him. Miles closes his eyes for a moment, honing into the wolf behind him, probing deep into its mind, its thoughts. With Delaney’s siphoned power he managed to push through walls usually near impossible for him to break into the mind. Soon he was in, staying connected was a struggle, he knew they could keep this up for too long but definitely long enough to cause some havoc. [color=DC143C]"So, where to first?”[/color] he asks Delaney.

Breathing in through her nose, out through her mouth, she blinked to wipe away the alcohol haze that was clouding her senses. Delaney’s entire body hummed as she looked around at the crowd forming. She smirked and glanced over at Miles, her hand squeezing his. [color=teal]”You know me best, Miles. Let’s party.”[/color] She gave him a wink.

[color=DC143C]"Let’s go, disco inferno,”[/color] Miles replies, closing his eyes and calling for the wolf to bounce into his comrades. Claws flying, it was sent around the room hitting its friends that were at an advantage at inopportune moments and to take a couple of hits all the same. But with every hit Miles became more weary, control magic was a battle of the mind and attacking someone your loyalties lie with always brings its challenges. For a while it wasn’t too hard to hide, Delaney’s power definitely gave Miles the boost to stay in control for longer than he could dream alone. For a moment more he stayed silent, beckoning the wolf to pounce on another and deliver a bite to his friend’s bottom.

As Miles continued to siphon her energy, Delaney wobbled more on her feet. She felt like she was going to vomit everywhere. But, she sucked it down and kept her attention fully on the task at hand. Gripping Miles’ hand, she took a shaky breath and glanced over at him. Her eyes were shining bright with her energy, but were getting dimmer as time went by. [color=teal]”Miles…We need to wrap this up and go to the after party.”[/color]

Looking over at his friend Miles could see she was just as worn as him. Sweat formed on his forehead resting dewey drops on his hair and brow. It didn't help that they were both incredibly drunk and Delaney somewhat fresh out of a fight but it was also pretty on brand for the pair.  [color=DC143C]"You reckon you got the energy for a good ole bar brawl first? It's been a while."[/color] Miles suggests, beckoning the wolf toward them. With a final flash of power he subdues it before them. The wolf still stumbled and moved but seemed utterly dumbfounded in it's place. Miles drops Delaney's hand, hopefully they had the energy to fight.

As his hand dropped, the connection cut out. Delaney sucked in a quick breath at the loss. She studied the wolves in front of her, the realization suddenly hitting her that they could be in way over their heads. Still, she trusted her friend to have her back. Glancing over at Miles, she gave him a lopsided smirk as she brought her fists up in front of her face. [color=teal]”Typhoon my love, I thought you’d never ask.”[/color]

Miles' eyes seemed to glisten at the thought of the oncoming fight. He knew they had maybe a couple of minutes before the wolf shook off its stunned state, hopefully that was enough. With that thought in the back of his mind he lunged at the beast, throwing a fist at it. [color=DC143C]"I suppose we'll need another drinking day soon, I think we'll both have news after tonight,"[/color] Miles says nonchalantly over his attacks.

She waited until Miles threw the first hit before coming in for her own, not letting the beast have a second to respond as her fist slammed into it’s jaw. The two worked in perfect tandem, almost as if they had done this plenty of times. Which, indeed they had. As Delaney’s chest heaved with heavy breathing, she laughed a bit at his comment. [color=teal]”Soon? More like directly after this. I don’t know about you, but I’d like to stay drunk as long as possible from this damn night.”[/color]

With every hit from Delaney, Miles seemed to have the perfect response and as did she for his attacks. The stunned wolf being a perfectly barely responsive victim helped too. Miles chuckled at Delaney. [color=DC143C]"Don't you have a… uh what's the name you use for him,"[/color] Miles takes his strike to wrack his brain, Delaney had some great nicknames but they were hard to remember sometimes, [color=DC143C]"Hunky dunk! Don't you have a hunky dunk to get to after this?"[/color]

Her fists were starting to hurt each time they impacted the wolf. Damn thing had a hard ass head. At Miles’ question, she perked up and beamed as she remembered what she was doing just moments before. She did in fact have herself quite the date at the end of this night. [color=teal]”Why, yes I do. And it seems as if you have a Twinkie of your own to party with.”[/color] With another hit to the wolf’s face, she huffed out a breath. [color=teal]”Look at us. We’re finally getting what we want.”[/color]

Miles quickly inspected his knuckles, they had gone bright pink from all the punches, turns out wolves weren't as soft as he imagined. [color=DC143C]"I guess we're gonna have to postpone until later in the week,"[/color] With his next punch he swore he saw the wolf flinch but Delaney's last line distracted him from bracing themself. [color=DC143C]"How'd ya know she was [i]what I wanted[/i],"[/color] Miles replies with an eyeroll, a lame attempt to come off unconcerned by her having that conclusion. 

Pausing at his comment, she glanced over at him and returned the eye roll. [color=teal]”Oh, please.”[/color] Delaney shook her head and kicked her leg up, connecting her heel with the wolf’s stomach. She stumbled back and groaned. Maybe she shouldn’t do any kicks while drunk as all hell. [color=teal]”You can pull that crap with other people, but not with me. You’ve been jonesing after her the whole time I’ve known you.”[/color]

Miles huffed as he felt his face grow hot. He hoped the pink in his face from the alcohol covered the colour change the blood rush supplied. [color=DC143C]"Oh shut it,"[/color] he replies in jest. [color=DC143C]"I wasn't jonesing,"[/color] In response to Delaney’s kick he elbows their adversary to get greeted by his 2 beady eyes aiming themselves at him. The spell was starting to wear if it seemed. [color=DC143C]"We might need something stronger soon,"[/color]

Delaney couldn’t help another eye roll. Of course the man was jonesing for Lilith. It was something he couldn’t really hide all that well. From her, at least. As the wolf finally centered itself on them, she let out a breath and held out her hand to Miles. [color=teal]”All we need is one final blow. I can handle it. Can you?”[/color]

Miles nodded, grabbed her hand with a tight squeeze. Once again he could feel the power run through him, somehow he felt more sober and more intoxicated all at once. [color=DC143C]"Airhorns?"[/color] he offers, being his favourite sound to blast into the heads of his victims.

As she squeezed his hand, she gave a slight nod of her head before looking once more at the wolf. Her eyes narrowed as they glowed from her power. Delaney let out a slow calming breath, focusing everything on the power she was giving to Miles. [color=teal]”Whatever you do, just make it count.”[/color]

At his friend’s command Miles gave a nod of his head. His grip on her hand tightened a little more as he pushed his magic back into the wolf’s head accompanied by the trumpeting sound of airhorns. Usually they were better for disarming or causing a headache at best but between the wolf already barely standing and Delaney pumping her magical energy into him Miles was able to make the sound ricochet, seemingly penetrating the brain itself. Harsher and harsher he beckoned the horns until, suddenly, the wolf fell to the ground. It was hard to tell if it was dead or just knocked out but with the threat gone for now Miles didn’t bother to check. With the adrenaline releasing him Miles could recognise the gifts of the fight. The achy hands and joints and a sleepiness that came from using most of your power. He hadn’t even noticed he was panting. Miles turned to Delaney and gave her a weary thumbs up, trying to gauge her condition.

As the power continued to be siphoned out, Delaney watched as the wolf finally fell. Her chest heaved with exhaustion. With the alcohol already overpowering her system, she wobbled on her feet. She looked over at Miles and returned his thumbs up before falling back onto the ground, her behind hitting the ground hard. Groaning, she ran her free hand over her face, cringing as her fingers brushed over her still broken nose. Her eyes drooped. [color=teal]”Good, I’m good. How many more?”[/color]

As Delaney starts to stumble Miles makes an attempt to grab her arm but with the effects of his drinking also returning all he achieved was stumbling forward a couple of steps and laughing at his friend. At her question Miles looks around the room, despite the frenzy around them the werewolves did seem outnumbered. [color=DC143C]"I think they’re all in good hands,”[/color] he reports. [color=DC143C]"Should we get that nose of yours fixed? I would hate for you to leave a bad impression on your new beau,”[/color] Miles offers, holding out his arms to help pull Delaney up if she accepts.

She scrunched her nose up at Miles, immediately regretting the action. Delaney cringed before reaching up, wrapping her arms around his arms. She looked around, trying to spot Rowan. She groaned when she couldn’t see him. Maybe he didn’t see her fall. That would definitely work out in her favor. With a shake of her head, she looked up at Miles and her brows furrowed. [color=teal]”For your information, he has seen me like this, and he thinks I could still be a model. So. Screw you.”[/color]

As Delaney wraps her arms around his, Miles pulls her up, unable to stop himself from stumbling back a couple of steps in the process. [color=DC143C]"Hey now,”[/color] he muses in mock hurt. [color=DC143C]"I’m just looking out for your wellbeing, if you wanna suck face with your nose all jacked up like that, be my guest,”[/color]

Stumbling a bit forward as she was pulled up, she grumbled and eyed the man. [color=teal]”You can be an ass sometimes.”[/color] She let go of his arms and huffed out a breath. Looking around, she nodded a bit before looking back at him. [color=teal]”Fine. Fine. Let’s go fix me up then see if anyone else needs help. But this conversation isn’t over. I want to know how you wrangled Twinkie back into your good graces.”[/color]

[color=DC143C]"That’s why you love me,”[/color] Miles replies to Delaney’s first comment, a cheeky smile spreading on his face. At her agreement to get fixed up, Miles starts wandering toward the alchemy lab, dropping a stray siren into another werewolf’s head in the meantime. Delaney probing brought Miles to stop and turn to her, his face once again twisting in a look of mock hurt. [color=DC143C]"I don’t know what you’re talking about. With my irresistible charm, of course. You don’t see me questioning how you got Mr Hunky Dunk so fast,”[/color]

Delaney was walking along with him to the lab before he turned to face her. She stopped in her tracks, wobbling a bit. Rolling her eyes at his comment, she brought her hands up, then moved her arms down. [color=teal]”Pfft. With all this, of course. How could anyone resist?”[/color] She knew she looked like absolute crap at the moment, adding to the humor of her statement. Truth was, she didn’t know how she landed someone like Rowan either. [color=teal]”You almost had this at one point yourself. But [i]nope[/i]. Off limits to you, good sir. I am an almost taken woman.”[/color]

Miles stifled a laugh. [color=DC143C]"If I remember correctly, I [i]did[/i] have all that at one point. We would have been far too powerful together anyway. Besides, looks like I’m essentially a taken man now anyway,”[/color] he slurs before spinning on his heel to continue the march to the alchemy lab. 

She scrunched her nose then berated herself for the motion. She definitely needed to get her nose fixed. Delaney continued to follow after him as she huffed out a breath. She had forgotten that she slept with him at one point. [color=teal]”Damn. Who in this place [i]haven’t[/i] I slept with?”[/color] The thought sickened her and tears immediately misted over her eyes. Damn, was she drunker than all hell. [color=teal]”Why would Rowan want someone like me then? I’m damaged goods.”[/color]

At Delaney’s first question Miles gave a chuckle replying with [color=DC143C]"You and me both,”[/color] but that was when she started tearing up. Miles turns his neck to look back at her. This was not the catch up he expected. He purses his lips, trying to figure out how to respond. [color=DC143C]"We call it experience. I don’t think Rowan’s gonna care how many people you’ve slept with, why should he? I got Li back- maybe- I think that means there’s hope for people like us yet,”[/color] As he talks he leads her to the alchemy lab, opening the door and ushering her in. The last thing they needed right now was either of them having a breakdown in the middle of the temporary battlefield. 

As Miles spoke, she sniffled and nodded along to his statement. He was right. Of course he was right. [color=teal]”Of course there’s hope for us. Look at us, we’re hot shit.”[/color] She moved past him and entered the lab, looking around. Delaney sighed and looked around. [color=teal]”Is there any rum in this place? I need some rum, some potion for this nose, and then I’ll be all set to kick some more ass.”[/color] She moved over to the shelves and ran her fingertips over everything. She hadn’t been in this room in ages. [color=teal]”Hope you know what you’re doing in here. I don’t need to down anything that’d give me two heads or some shit.”[/color]

[color=DC143C]"A second head coming right up,”[/color] Miles jokes, pushing past the female to get to the potions cabinet. Lucky for him, Carlisle had taken a couple earlier so Miles was pretty sure he was correct in his selection. He pulls a pink vial out of the cabinet, a word scrawled on the bottle that probably said healing but the handwriting wasn’t very legible. [color=DC143C]"For you, m’lady,”[/color] he says, resting the bottle on both his hands and holding it up to her.

Eyeing the bottle, she reached over and took it out of his hands. She looked it over and couldn’t make out the writing. Huffing out a breath, she shrugged her shoulders. [color=teal]”Well. Guess I don’t have much to lose. Bottoms up.”[/color] Delaney took another breath before taking off the cap and slamming the contents of the bottle back. Squeezing her eyes at the flavor, she set the bottle down and stuck her tongue out. [color=teal]”Ugh. You’d think they’d make these things at least taste adequate. Pretty sure I just tasted feet.”[/color]

[color=DC143C]"Maybe you can be the next potion master, make that your life’s work, good tasting healing potions,”[/color] Miles muses, sliding onto one of the benches. [color=DC143C]"So, Rowan, hey? What’d he do to win your heart?”[/color]

She considered the notion and tilted her head. It didn’t sound too bad. She shrugged her shoulders and sat down on the spot next to him. [color=teal]”Maybe I could. Couldn’t be that far away from bartending, you know? I’m always making new drinks at work.”[/color] At his question, she couldn’t help the slight blush creeping up her neck. Delaney raised a brow and looked at him. [color=teal]”Uh, [i]hello[/i]. Have you not seen the guy?”[/color]

[color=DC143C]"It’s the hair, isn’t it?”[/color] Miles teases, laying himself on the bench. His eyes were drawn to the ceiling. He didn’t know if it was the alcohol or the fighting but, man, was he [i]tired[/i]. [color=DC143C]"Made you blush,”[/color] he tacks on before even looking at Delaney to confirm, he didn’t need to, he knew he was right.

Delaney rolled her eyes at him as she leaned back. She looked around the room as she let in a slow breath. She’d never really been in love before and didn’t know what the hell she was doing. Thankfully, she had her good buddy to get information from. She worried her bottom lip with her teeth before speaking. [color=teal]”How’d you know you were in love with her?”[/color]

[color=DC143C]"Hm?”[/color] Miles initially replies as he tries to process his friend’s question. He remained in silence for a moment, mulling it over. Part of him wanted to claim he hadn’t thought about it but that was a lie, there were many evenings he lay in his dorm or little apartment in Olympia trying to figure out how he couldn’t fall for anyone else the way he had Lilith. Maybe not the same question but both came to similar conclusions at some point. [color=DC143C]"The first or second time? For when we started dating in high school? I dunno, I guess I kinda just did. We were just on the same wavelength about a lot of things I guess. But after that? Everything just kinda came back to her. Didn’t matter how far I moved or who I dated or slept with or whatever, it just didn’t feel right like they way being with her did. I dunno if that helps you at all,”[/color]

As she listened to his story, she continued to nod along. She felt the potion slowly repairing her face and she finally was able to breathe out of her nose. Delaney closed her eyes briefly in relief before opening them again. Glancing over at Miles, she watched his face as he spoke. She cleared her throat before looking down at her own hands, placed in her lap. [color=teal]”Do you think you could love somebody without really having done anything with them?”[/color]

[color=DC143C]"Anything in what way?”[/color] Miles asks, sitting himself up to get a better view of his friend fidgeting with her hands. 

Letting out a slow breath, she gave a slight shrug of her shoulders as she continued staring at her hands. She hated being vulnerable, hated showing anyone the soft side of her. But Miles was different. He had seen every side of her and never judged her. He was basically her second best friend. Delaney cleared her throat. [color=teal]”Like, anything. No kissing, no intimacy…Just, them being them. Me being me.”[/color]

Miles shrugged. [color=DC143C]"That’s how Lil and I started, I would say ‘and now it’s going pretty good’ but we both know that until tonight that’s a big fat lie.”[/color] Miles thinks for a moment longer. He hated this introspection stuff but there was a comfort with Delaney that made it easier. Figures that the mind isn’t going to think someone who’s seen you at your messiest and drunkest state will think ill of you for much else. it seemed that introspection was all people wanted to do tonight [color=DC143C]"I guess for people like us that’s a breath of fresh air. We can’t rely on intimacy, you and I,”[/color] 

Miles takes another sharp breath, he [i]really[/i] hated this introspective admission of guilt thing. So, so much. With his mother already somewhat opening the discussion earlier, something was fresh on his mind. [color=DC143C]"You and I both know intimacy wasn’t really the building blocks of Lil’s and my relationship, not a stable one at least… not with me… finding my fill in other places,”[/color] as those last words came out, Miles’ voice became shaky. Sure, he used to hide behind claims of being in a casual relationship to sleep around but he’d never openly admitted the weight of his actions, never openly thought about it. He clears his throat, trying to hold himself back from also becoming misty-eyed himself. [color=DC143C]"It was kinda everything else that kept pulling me back to her,”[/color] 

Delaney nodded along in understanding. She herself used to hide her relationship issues in the arms of several other people, never fully being open to show her true colors to one single person. Hell, she’d even used Miles at one point. She knew she couldn’t look at him as she heard the emotion in his voice. He wouldn’t want her to look at him, to see him miserable. The two knew each other well enough. In reality, her and Miles were very much the same person. It was true they couldn’t rely on the intimacy of another person. There was no vulnerability there. Their true intimacy relied on what happened when they were fully clothed. And it was scary as hell.

She gave a small laugh to break up the heaviness of the room. Delaney was about to admit something out loud that she hadn’t even admitted to herself. [color=teal]”Well. Maybe it’ll be different for you and Twinkie this time around. You deserve to be happy.”[/color] With a forced breath out, she shrugged. [color=teal]”And I’ve been realizing that I do too. And-”[/color] she paused for a moment before her confession. [color=teal]”I think I may be in love with Rowan.”[/color] She quickly shook her head before continuing. [color=teal]”Which is crazy, right? We haven’t really spoken about any kind of feelings to each other. Never really hung out except for at the bar. But there’s just- there’s something about him, you know?”[/color]

Delaney’s chest felt heavy. She needed another drink. With a shake of her head, she looked around and groaned when she didn’t find any alcohol. She definitely didn’t want to go back out there, either. Which brought her attention back to what was actually happening all around them. She straightened her back against the bench. [color=teal]”So. Werewolves. What in the actual fuck, right?”[/color]

At Delaney’s confession Miles gives her a smile. [color=DC143C]"Then, good on ya, you deserve to be happy too. I say go for it, you’ll never know if it’s right if you don’t try. I guess we’re both starting to get a bit old to be sleeping around so much anyway.”[/color] Miles then swings his legs back around to lay back on the benches as Delaney reminds him of the battle raging outside. Right now it wasn’t really where Miles wanted to be, he was content here, even if his chest was tight from the deep conversation. [color=DC143C]"It’s a weird world. How’d you think they got in?”[/color]

She snorted at the ‘too old’ bit. Shaking her head, she ran a hand through her hair and winced when she caught the edges of some glass. Damn, she was a mess. Delaney sucked in her bottom lip with her teeth as she thought. The last thing she remembered before the party crashers was the barrier. Her eyes widened a bit. [color=teal]”The barrier. It’s broken. I felt it.”[/color] She shrugged. [color=teal]”I’ve always been able to feel it as this like, gentle humming thing, right? And now I don’t. It’s gone.”[/color]

[color=DC143C]"Oh, yeah, that happened,”[/color] Miles responds dryly as he’s reminded of the things that had pulled Lil away from him. [color=DC143C]"We… we should head back out, shouldn’t we? Don’t want to keep our lovers waiting too long, do we? We don’t really want people getting the wrong idea about us either- who the hell have I become talking like this?”[/color] Miles cuts himself off laughing. Only months ago he couldn’t care less about what people would think of anything he did. He suppose Lil added a level of concern for these things now. He wondered if it would last.

Delaney smirked at his laughing and nudged him with her shoulder. [color=teal]”It’s us getting too old, remember? Starting to have responsibilities now. Sucks, doesn’t it?”[/color] She shook her head and stood before holding out a hand to help him up. [color=teal]”Come on, my nose is all healed up and some of my energy is back. We need to go help the people we love.”[/color]

Miles smirked, clasping Delaney’s hand to pull himself up. [color=DC143C]"Let’s go be knights in shining armour or whatever,”[/color] he jokes. [color=DC143C]"And we’re due for another drinking night, I feel like we’ll have a lot to catch up on after tonight,”[/color] Miles walks to the door, pulling it open to the battle that raged outside.