Wicked Ones {bxb}

{Chapter 27 : Head Games}

"Vincent. Kailan," he called over his shoulder as he walked off into that little dark abyss. "Work on your distress. We will begin using our abilities soon enough."

Almost like he had never existed at all, he disappeared behind a curtain of black.

"Sounds fun," Kailan grumbled sarcastically. He wasn't intentionally trying to sound annoyed or bitter, but he was restless sitting on his hands. He was restricted from all the things he enjoyed, and it sucked.

"Don't worry, you'll be able to practice soon enough. I know you feel better, but you almost had your lung punctured when this happened, so chill out for a bit, okay?" April bit her cheek. "It's only for a little while."

"Yeah, I know. I've just never been good at sitting still."

"I'm pretty fuckin' great at it," Vinny said, dragging himself to the staircase. They had been training for a few hours now, granted most of it was just weight-lifting and physical discipline. He was still exhausted, and it felt like every spark of energy had been drained from his bones.

The others watched as he climbed the railing to the top floor, falling back into the arms of a mangled old sofa.

"Is he really going to sleep right now?" Gigi droned as she loomed closer. "And I wanted a nice chat with him. How rude."

"He's seemed pretty fucking restless recently, so I don't really blame him," Kailan said.

Gigi seemed to take a sudden interest in him, a smile ghosting her lips.

"Oh, you have any idea why?" she asked, a flash of excitement in her slender eyes.

"Not a clue."

With his words in mind, Gigi's smile grew. It was subtle, most wouldn't have noticed it, but Kailan narrowed his eyes at her. She shrugged with the innocent cock of her head and passed him by, brushing shoulders with him in the most passive aggressive of manners.

"That was weird," April pointed out as she'd passed.

Kailan only smiled, searching for a change in subject. Gigi was the last thing he wanted to talk about. "Finished those ice cream cartons yet?" he asked, and her grin grew wide.

"Oh god no, I have like four left."

Kailan made a face, having actually gotten sick of the dessert that Vinny had thought was so important to buy a dozen different flavors of.

"It's good," she assured him. "My roommate and I both love ice cream, or it'd take forever to get rid of all that. Oh—hey I forgot to show you!" she added with a gasp and pulled up the sleeve of her shirt, a tattoo of the art piece Kailan sketched for her now in full color on her arm.

He couldn't help the grin that cracked across his face.

Gigi rolled her eyes at the exchange, slowly making her way up the rusty old stair case. She stopped just short of the couch where Vinny laid, taking a seat on a wooden stool beside it.

"You look exhausted, Vinny." Her words spilled out clean and articulate as she crossed one long leg over the other. "Rough night?"

"Go away," he ordered, his arm draped over his eyes to shroud her from his sights.

"Oh? Are you not feeling well? Should I go fetch Kailan?"

"Don't!" He sat up, staring her down with a bitter petulance.

"Alright, you win." Her smile shown in the tone of her voice, as she reached for a neighboring blanket and tossed it atop him. "Sleep, then. You seem cranky."