Kohl X Maggie AU

[liveforthemoment]

Maggie should have expected that not only was it going to rain, but the rain would come down in sheets. It was spring time, close to summer but not quite there yet. She had been caught on foot and her black shirt and jeans were soaked. She looked like a drowned rat skittering from one form of cover to another before just giving up and just walking in the rain. Another day another dollar.

Sure she had a castle that was hers near by, that was hers outright, but she chose to live like a starving artist in a quarter house apartment and pay rent each month. She walked the two flights of wooden steps to the apartment with the red door that had worn black hardware and chipping paint. She paused when she found her door had been jimmied open it was open just a crack. She gave a glance around then slowly pulled her gun from the holster at her ribs and pushed the door open slowly.

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[wing_leader]

It was not his usual habit to just barge in somewhere. But when one was injured and fleeing from their attackers, and the hole was a safe harbor. He just happened to pick this hole in the wall, where he was currently in the bathroom, taking a moment to catch his breath as he tried to figure out where exactly he was bleeding from. Three in the side, two by his shoulder. He didn't know if it was better that they were stab wounds and not bullet holes right now as he was having one hell of a time trying to staunch the flow of blood. Bright red was nothing but dull maroon in his leather jacket and wool clothes.

Hearing the door creak open, he froze, sinking further into the bath tub as he tried to plug the worst wound in his side with a finger. The pain and lightheadeness was having him go back to more instinctual behavior and he carefully slid the shower curtain closer to him to provide cover, his eyes almost blazing an electric blue as he tried to staunch the heavy panting.

[liveforthemoment]

Listening to sounds around her, going on in her apartment. She could hear the sounds of heavy breathing, the smell of spilled blood hanging thick in the air. Her eyes went down to the wood floor which was dotted with globs of blood. Someone was hurt?

Her gun was drawn and she had her back against the wall of the hallway as she carefully followed the drops of blood and the sounds of heavy breathing. The bathroom door was open blood smeared across the door. Her back against the corner as she peeked around the corner into the bathroom. Whomever it was, was in there.

" Alright, buddy I am going to need you to come on out, hands up. I know you're in me loo, I can hear you breathing. From the sounds of it aint going to be much longer that you are breathing if you keep playing around." the accent was heavy Gaelic. " I won't do ya any more harm unless you make me have to."

[wing_leader]

He didn't have many options in this situation. Okay, he had none. Sit here in a stalemate and die or move from where he was and die. He wasn't going to die curled up in a tub like some pathetic animal, that was for sure. It was just that moving was hell.

He stumbled over the lip of the tub, falling face first and whimpering as every stab wound reminded him that they still existed. The couple that had slowed their bleeding broke their clots and gushed again. The only one that didn't was the one Kohl had plugged up with a finger. Pushing himself to his feet, he started to move to the door in laborous, dragging steps. Blood was left on every surface he leaned against. He held up one hand through the door, unable to comply further than that, and fell into the doorway of the bathroom, head down, breathing shallow panting.

Sharp blue eyes filled with pain slowly looked up at her as he rasped, "Can't...move my hand from this." He didn't sound Gaelic, or any of the local accents. And the only thing holding him up was the doorframe.

[liveforthemoment]

Shit, he was in bad shape. " Alright, Alright. You need to sit down." she looked up to him for a second searching those eyes. Okay, she was going to take a risk here. What was life if not a gamble anyway.

She took a breath in through her nose gold speckles starting to gather in her hazel eyes. She brought her hand up, the warm, comforting feeling spreading across his body. It seemed to ease aches and take stress out of muscles. It spread and she rested her hand on his chest. That finger plugging up a stab wound would feel skin knitting and eventually it would feel it being pushed out of the wound.

[wing_leader]

He had been sitting! Perfectly fine bleeding out in your bathtub, lady! There wasn't much sitting this time; it was more like sliding down to the floor. His eyes were locked on hers, wary and pain-filled. When her eyes glittered, he sneered but didn't move. He knew the touch of magic and remained still, letting it do the needed work, eventually releasing his hand in the process. Once it was done, he took in a slow breath. Fixed his punctured lung, too. Great.

He still didn't move. He really wasn't certain what to make of all this as he sat there, clothes uncomfortably wet and clingy, her hands still on his chest. She had a gun pointed at him a few minutes ago and the last thing he wanted to do was ruin this current good fortune.

"...Thank you."

[liveforthemoment]

When the magic was finished her hand rested a few more moments on his chest. Familiar some how, but.. it was probably just empathy for his situation. She let her hand fall away from his chest.

" No thanks needed," she said standing up and offering a hand to help him up off the floor. " You can't go round town like that. It will make a whole lot of trouble for you." She looked at him eyeballing his size. " Might have some clothes that may fit. but a tight tee shirt is better than this." she took a deep breath, " You should shower." she nodded her head towards the shower. " Towels are in the shelf over the toilet." she said turning and clicking the safety back on the gun and tucking it back in her pants.

[wing_leader]

He didn't move right away, trying to get a read on this woman. She was a stranger with a gun and had been ready to shoot, but now she was willing to let him use her shower? His eyes tracked everything she did, prepared for a 'gotcha!' moment. It didn't come.

He was fine, letting her do the talking, and eventually, he did start to move, giving her plenty of time to react as he rose to his feet, watching her. He stepped back into the bathroom and closed the door most of the way. Kohl needed to keep an ear out for her though he found it highly unlikely she was going to shoot him after healing him.

Water on, he peeled his clothes away, looking at all of the blood and the holes that had been there. Fuck. He would have been a goner that time, wouldn't he? As he stripped out of his clothes, the full dragon tattoo that spread across his back and wrapped around his one thigh like a lover was on full display before he stepped carefully into the basin, watching his blood wash down the drain. He had a lot to clean up around here before he left. The blood he left in this place was more dna than he cared to leave anywhere.

But the water was kind of warm and the soap cleaned. He would be happy with this for now.

[liveforthemoment]

Though it was tempting to take a peek in the bathroom to see, Maggie remained respectful and didn't look. She took a look around and sighed going to the kitchen pantry to get her kit for cleaning such messes. She removed the plastic bag from the trash can replacing it with a paper bag doubled over. She used rubber gloves and a high grade professional cleaner that would remove even the proteins left behind on blood. If bro was in trouble and people came looking last thing she wanted was bits of him all over the damned place.

Why was she letting him do this? Well, because if he didn't act right she was well capable of making him have a really fucking bad day. There was something about him that told her it was fine too.

By the time he was finished the place was spotless except the bathroom and in the living room at the end of the hall she was standing at the fire place feeding bits of bloody paper towels to the fire. " Leave your old clothes in the bathroom. I will have to run the hair dryer over them before putting them in here." she said with out looking up.

[wing_leader]

Kohl was still in a towel, eying her. He knew from experience not to automatically put all of his trust in a situation, even if this did feel...different.

"Keeping the pants," he said, still not quite knowing how to deal with all this. After being chased, attacked, found that he hadnt taken an abandoned apartment, Kohl was having a time processing everything. He was keeping his coat, too. At least outwardly, it didn't look too bad off. He went back into the bathroom to change, needing to rip the short sleeves off for it to fit around his biceps.

Looked at himself in the mirror, he sighed. It could be worse, he supposed, and then walked out again, feeling a bit awkward that she was cleaning up his mess. "I can repay you for the supplies," he started lamely.

[liveforthemoment]

Well, to be fair Maggie did keep this place pretty bare. There wasn't even a TV in the place. Just a futon in the bedroom, a small dresser and the closet. The living room was also pretty bare. A couch that was well worn, a wicker rocking chair and that was it. No pictures or decorations, the double windows on the wall behind the couch that over looked part of the neighborhood and a line of train tracks, it had blinds but no curtains.

She looked to him in the door way of the living room. " Ya don't have to stand in the door way like a lurker. I don't bite unless you ask real nicely." she said tossing the last bits of paper towel and the paper bag into the fire place. She picked up the fire poker giving the fire a poke.

"I have no real need for money.." she said setting the poker down and stood. She was still wet from the rain her clothing hanging on to every curve of her body. " If you're wanting to do me something, you could forget what you seen me do." she said looking to him. " that'd be thanks enough." What the hell was it about this guy? She stayed to herself, didn't want to be bothered with personal relationships at all. So, why was she so curious about this man?

" You can stay for dinner if ya like, home made beef stew and rolls." she said thinking it best to stop starring at the man and imagining what those muscled might have looked like with the water in the shower rolling down them. She cleared her throat and headed down the hallway to the kitchen.

[wing_leader]

"You're soaked through," he stated as if that wasn't obvious. "I should go so you can dry off and stuff."

She didn't need money? Both of his brows had lifted up at that statement, and Kohl pointedly looked around the apartment. The place looked like it didn't need money, but it certainly needed a demo.

And yet, he didn't move to leave. Food wasn't a bad thing and after getting healed up, he was hungry. But he had already imposed so much of himself already. Sharing a meal would be too much, wouldn't it?

[liveforthemoment]

Maggie chuckled lightly, " Gettin a wee bit wet happens when you live in Ireland. Besides I was breakin for supper then I have to finish unrepainting the side hallway and the bathroom. No sense in cleaning up til I've that done. and If I wanted to dry off you being here wouldn't make any never mind to me. What are ya to steal? The couch with a loose spring in the side?"She squeezed by him in the doorway.

" I aint the kind to make offers of food or other things just for courtesy's sake. If I offer it's because I mean it." Just off the kitchen was a door that had a bedroom inside of it and a larger 'American' sized fridge behind the door. She brought the large stock pot from the fridge into the kitchen and looked him over. " Hmm you look to be a good eater, half this should do he trick." she said kneeling down to pluck a large boiling pot, filling it up with the stew which even cold smelled of fresh beef, spices, and veg. She wiped the lip of the stock pot to keep it from dripping every where and placed the lid back on it. She turned the knob to turn on the stove getting that tell a tale clicking of a gas range but no flame. After a few tries she cursed and kicked the front of the stove before the clicking sound and using a finger to produce a small flame and boom burner lit. She slid the pot to the burner. " It'll be about 10 or 15 minutes." she said pausing at a small closet plucking out paper towels and some old sponges, taking them into the bathroom.

[wing_leader]

He let her move around him, watching her with that wary gaze. Why the fuck was he still hanging around here? He should have gone by now before anyone thought he was anywhere near town. Yet here he was, tempting the Fates.

Nosy bitches.

And then she just poofed fire under the burner. Casual as can be, no worries or anything. How the fuck was he supposed to handle this? How does one start?

"I call myself Kohl." Yes, he was that awkward and lame. And he started to sit in the kitchen chair, trying to figure out why the hell he was still here and not gone already.

[liveforthemoment]

Maggie gave him a little smile, poor guy. " Hey there Kohl, I am Maggie." she said setting everything into the bathroom. Then bringing her hands up out of habit her hands pressing against his chest as she slid by to get back in the kitchen. That was when something inside her chest sparked. She got flashes of memories that were not hers, just blips. As if she was there but couldn't move.

It only lasted a minute but she jerked her hands away and stumbled back. " Apologies" she said dipping her head. " Seems I got a bit of clumsy feet." she got herself straightened out " For drinks I have water, orange juice fresh squeezed this morning, and butter milk. What['ll it be?"

[wing_leader]

The touch was like fire. Sure, he was warm himself but this was fire. Like a familiar, old friend. Kohl almost leaned into it and then stopped himself when she pulled away.

"Water's fine," he rumbled quietly, turning his gaze away. It was probably just the magic, he told himself. There weren't many magic users running around here. One would think that 75% of the place had witches, but they weren't true ones. And not every magic user was a witch, anyway.

"Did you just move here, Maggie?" It may have been an intrusive question but he was trying out 'casual conversation.'

[liveforthemoment]

Maggie nodded and went to set the small table with two bowls, soup spoons, napkins ect. from the kitchen fridge she pulled out a quart of water and set it on the table.

She walked over giving the soup a stir. " Depends on how you define that. I was born round these parts, left when I was a young girl. Been back here going on...six months now." yet this place still looked as naked as someone who just rolled into town.

[wing_leader]

"Minimalist?" It made sense. She had her gun ready for him. Who knew what she did for a living, but he knew that others generally didn't shoot first, ask later unless they were in some sort of shady business. Knowing his luck, she could be a hunter and he was suddenly in the fire after leaping out of the frying pan. "Doesn't seem like you're planning to stick around long term." Not that it was any of his business. But for now, the aimless chatter seemed better than the quiet. He was still trying to analyse her type of magic and felt itchy that it seemed so familiar to him.

[liveforthemoment]

" Something like that." she said giving a look around the place, it was easier for her to just step out of a place with out a trace. No strings hanging loose no one who could tell anyone anything about her other than there had been someone there.

" Job doesn't really allow for it." she said stirring the pot again. She tapped the spoon on the edge of the pot before setting it to the edge of the sink and pulling out a ladle. " There we go, hot an ready." she opened up a drawer to pull out the rolls. " Feel free to help your self." she said moving over to pick up her bowl.

[wing_leader]

Kohl stood and headed over to the bread, taking two rolls, setting one on her side and the other on his before standing behind her with his bowl. It was then he realized he was too close-he could smell her perfume or whatever she used in the shower. He took a step back to avoid looking like a creeper and loom over her.

He portioned out stew for himself, filling the bowl. "Smells excellent," he complimented before turning back to the table. "Is that... caraway in here, too?"

[liveforthemoment]

Maggie could smell him too, the scent that was all him and not the soap from the shower, or the shampoo. He was one hundred percent in her personal space. She didn't spin around to ask him what the hell he was doing, nor did she shimmy to either side to get away from that range. Instead, she carried on with what she was doing, it was a warm sort of comfortableness having him that close. Part of her just wanted to gravitate into it. Find out if he was a hugger or more a lean into the person he was with. If he kissed sweetly, or if he nipped at bottom lips. Woah. What the hell was that? She looked over her shoulder to him as he stepped away. Oh, shit did he hear those thoughts? He must think she is a weirdo or something.

" Thank you." she said her voice squeaking the words out. She cleared her throat and went on as if she hadn't just sounded like a teenage boy hitting puberty there. " Yup. One clove of star anise, started as an accident a time I made it and I guess I just kept it. I also added a bit of barely as well it mixes pretty good with the soup base."

[wing_leader]

The squeak had him perking up at attention. What the hell was that? Probably unsettled because he loomed over her as if he had any right or claim to. That had to be it.

"Sometimes the best things come from accidents," he murmured, blowing on his spoonful for a moment before tasting. Oh, this was good food. He closed his eyes in pleasure, pointing at the bowl with his spoon as he chewed on a piece of tender beef. For a minute, he couldn't speak, but he hummed low in his chest in approval of the meal.

"This is the best thing I've tasted in weeks," he stated, voice dropping lower as he did.

[liveforthemoment]

Maggie smiled warmly, " Thank you. I am glad that you enjoy it, please eat as much as you would like." Maggie kind of ate like one would expect to see a guy who was at the pub a bit too long. Ripping off part of the roll and dipping it into the stew and taking a rather savage bite.

Once she finished the bit of bread she picked up her spoon and went at shoveling the stew into her mouth as if she'd not eaten before. She made very short work of it and used the other bit of bread to get every bit of stew out of the bowl. She poured his glass of water then herself and drank it down. A little side effect of using her magic was eating like that.

[wing_leader]

He didn't blink twice about her eating habits. He knew all too well how that was with magic usage. It brought a little smirk out of the side of his face as he thought that was cute.

Kohl did enjoy the food and he dug into it as well, though perhaps with slightly less voracity than Maggie. He did go in for seconds but filled his bowl only halfway the second time and looked at her in question of if she wanted more as well.

[liveforthemoment]

Maggie won't tell him that she once told one of per partners on a job to get his fork off the slab of meat or she was going to knock him out.

" I'll be getting more bread but if I don't stop here I will eat the whole thing."

Sitting at the table while he moved to the stove was actually the first time she looked at him, like really looked at him. He was really good looking. " Kohl. You can tell me to shut up or that it's none of my business but..how did you come to be in the state I found you in?"

[wing_leader]

Two more rolls, then, one for each. He sat back down, offering the roll to her and then made an amused grunt at her question. Here we go. "Someone stabbed me." It was delivered in even amusement. He didn't say how he had been ambushed, people held him down while the fourth started poking holes like he was digging for treasure in a pinata. How Kohl ripped one of their throats out with his teeth to try and escape and had happenstance found her apartment. And once he had gotten here, was relieved that it was unoccupied so he could die in peace and the renter wouldn't be charged with his death.

Funny how things changed.

If she pressed, he'd probably tell that part too, just not why they were trying to kill him.