This Mask is Not Me

Roxa just shook her head and bit her bottom lip, she stared at Shaye with a hurt look of her own then sighed. "Fine," she muttered. "I can't stop you, be gone as long as you want, all we can do is hope to see you again...like before." She stared at the floor, then frowned and lay her head limply on Keith's shoulders again. She glanced up at Shaye once, but that was about it, for once in her life, she had nothing more to say to her.

Shaye bit her own lip. She was so conflicted now she didn't even know what to do. She turned, and disappeared down the hall, trying to keep the tears that were threatening to spill onto her cheeks at bay. She opened the door to her and Vaix's room, and closed her eyes, leaning against the now-closed door. Her mind was in complete turmoil. No matter what she did, someone got hurt. She opened her eyes tentitively, wondering what Vaix would say, how he would react.

Roxa watched Shaye go, then sighed softly and lay her head in Keith's lap, looking up at Keith with a look of concern. She was more afraid for his feelings than anything, if Keith ever lost himself, and died in response to it, there was a guarantee Iggy would follow him, and if Shaye and Vaix were gone, and she was all alone, she was sure she'd eventually go too. She sighed softly, "I'm sorry." she muttered to him.

Vaix looked up at Shaye came back in, then winced almost instantly as she leaned against the door in obvious heart ache. He stood slowly, cautiously making his way to her. He'd heard his name in their conversation far more than once, and it worried him. He placed a gentle hand to her shoulder, frowning in concern. "Shaye?" he asked softly.

"Why are you apologizing?" Keith said, glancing down at Roxa. It hurt, yes a lot, but he didn't let it show. He was going to be strong, he had to be. He took a deep, rattling sigh and tried to keep himself from busting out of the room, grabbing Shaye and shaking her. He sighed again, forcing himself to relaxe again.

"Yea?" Shaye asked, her voice hoarse as tears spilled over her cheeks. She sighed and leaned forward, resting her head on his shoulder.
"What should we do?" She asked him, almost desperately. She couldn't make this decision alone, it was tearing her apart already.

Roxa just watched him sadly, she knew he was hurt. Even if he tried to hide it, it seemed to seep through him anyways. She sighed and just shook her head sadly, "I don't want you to be sad is all..." She glanced at the door quietly, then swallowed. "You think Vaix will come back in here to attack us again? I think I hurt Shaye..." She winced at admitting it, but she really was having an issue with being gentle to Shaye's feelings.

Vaix's eyes bulged slightly as she leaned against him to cry. His hands wrapped around her tightly, and his eyes closed out of pain. "Don't cry," he begged softly, whimpering softly. He shouldn't have let her go over there alone, Roxa and Kith and Iggy were all cruel. It was only common sense at this point that they'd hurt her again. "Let's just leave. No sad goodbyes, no more pain. Let's just leave, and not come back..." He held her tighter than before, string at the wall in front of him as if he thought it were burning.

Keith shrugged. "I don't think so, listen you can hear them talk. He's more worried about her right now, he probably doesn't even care about us, what we think" Keit said, his voice harsher the he intended it t be. He sighed and looked at Roxa, "I wouldn't worry about it"

Shaye winced and forced her tears to stop.
"We can leave, but we have to come back. One day" She said, looking up at him with burning, painfilled eyes. She couldn't leave forever, she loved her family, Keith too much to even contemplate leaving them forever.

Roxa gave a soft nod, then sighed. "You think Shaye will leave us?" She glanced out the window, smiling weakly as she saw Iggy bouncing around the house, playing in the snow. Even if they were all miserable, the fact Shaye and Vaix were leaving would spook him out of his mood. She sighed, wanting to call him in, but knowing it would do no good.

Vaix just nodded, he didn't agree, but he could tell Shaye needed to have the option of returning back in order to feel okay about it. He shook his head, then glanced at Shaye, puling away slightly to look at her. "Want to go now? We can, if you're ready to."

Keith sighed, "Yes" He murmured softly. "They'll come back though, even if Vaix's doesn't want to. Shaye will make him" He said, wincing a bit. He couldn't handle this, he couldn't. He took a huge breath, his eyes not focusing, at all.

Shaye sighed, "Promise me we'll come back, and then we can leave" She said softly, reaching up and touching his cheek lightly. She had to know she was coming back to her family, once she was better.
"Vaix, I know you hate them, but I will always love them, no matter what" She murmured softly.

Roxa sighed and gave a nod and agreement. "Yeah, I suppose you're right." She winced at his expression, wanting to slap Shaye for what she was doing to Keith. It was painful to look at, and she could only imagine the pain he felt.

Vaix closed his eyes as she touched him, then shook his head. "I know," he breathed sadly. "Fine," he didn't say much more, maybe she'd change her mind later. He could only hope for that.

Keith sighed "Don't be mad at her Roxa. Please, she's only doing what she thinks best. She'll come back" He said softly. He was worried sick about her, he cared a lot about her, but this was her life.
"It's her life Roxa, she'll do what she want's" He said softly.

Shaye sighed. "Vaix, I have to come back, one day" She murmured. She loved her family, she cared about them, a lot.
"Please Vaix?" She said, her voice nearly breaking again.

Roxa staired at Keith, then nodded slightly. "Fine.. I just wish she'd consider others..." She rolled her eyes and stared at the door, then shook her head and sighed again. Laying down on the bed, without remembering the last time she'd even slept. Her eyes closed slightly.

"Alright, alright!" Vaix cried out, "just smile. Be happy for me, please. I can't take it anymore. You're so sad all the time..." He closed his eyes an whimpered loudly, hiding against her. "We can come back again, or never leave and stay here forever. Whatever makes you smile..."

Keith winced as he heard Vaix begin to shout at Shaye. It took all his self control to not run in there and start yelling at the both of them.
"She thinks she is" he snapped at Roxa, standing up and disappearing out the door. He needed to talk to Shaye and Vaix, regardless of the concequences.

Shaye winced, everyone was mad at her, angry. She pulled away from Vaix, eyes wide with hurt.
"I'm sorry" She cried, wincing again. "It's all my fault" She moaned, and turned, running away. She went out the window, away from everything, from the pain.

Roxa winced as Keith snapped at her, and as she heard Vaix yell at Shaye. She didn't dare to follow Keith as the vampire left, she sighed and shook her head, sitting quietly on the bed and saying nothing and doing nothing more.

Vaix stared wide eyed as Shaye as she began to cry, then took off out the window. "Oh," he gasped. Standing frozen, unsure what to do as he remained caught up in shock. He took and unsure step forward, then stayed still. Swallowing nervously, then making his way to the window and laying his head on the side of it, watching Shaye's figure disappear. He could scent Keith coming, and sighed. He really wasn't in the mood to deal with him right now. He glanced over anyways, waiting patiently.

Keith knocked on Vaix's door, once, before throwing it open.
"He-" He froze, Shaye was gone. He turned, in tme to see a fleeing figure disappearing ove the white snow, in the hill.
"Why is Shaye leaving?" He growled, turning, his eyes flashing.

Shaye found a small, closed cave in the mountain. Crawling in, she curled into a small ball, sobbing. She was hurting everyone, everyone she cared about. She just wanted it all to go away. Tears leaked down her cheeks and she buried her face in her arm. She sighed, she needed Vaix right now, but he was back at the house. She sighed and sat up, pulling out her cell phone and dialing his number.

Vaix glared back at Keith at the vampire's demand. Growling instinctively, "stress got to her." He muttered, "she just snapped, jumped out the window and left." He glanced at the floor, abandonment clawing at his heart. He closed his eyes and let himself slump to the floor. The sickly look on him almost seemed to have become more so. He stopped or more like jumped and froze as his phone went off, he glanced at the number, then gasped and answered it immediately.
"Shaye?" he asked, his voice pleading to be granted her's in return.

Keith clamped his mouth shut and turned, stalking irritated out of the room. He was going to snap soon, if he already hadn't. His sister was gone, Vaix looked like walking death. He walked past the room he had been hiding in with Roxa and Iggy and downstairs, growling in irritation as he went.

"Hey" Shaye said, her voice creaking. "I'm so, so, so sorry. I just couldn't take it anymore" She said, her heart nearly shattering.
"I didn't mean to hurt you, or anyone. And I still want to be with you, no matter what" She said, hoping he hadn't thought she was leaving him, she would never do that. She ran her fingers through her hair, her arm was soaked, but she just didn't care anymore.

Vaix smiled softly when she replied, another hidden smile at the corner of his mouth that you'd miss completely unless you knew what to look for. He shook his head slowly, then gave a soft almost tired sounding sigh. "I know Shaye. Where are you?" his voice was incredibly soft, almost a whisper. He glanced at the supplies for Shaye's arm, worry prickling at him almost instantly as he stood, grabbed the bag Sven had left, as well as a towel, and started to pack up everything expecting she'd need it if he were to come after her.
Iggy heard Keith come downstairs and smiled happily at the frustration that seeped from behind the front door. At this point Iggy was coated in snow, though he barely noticed due to being colder than it. He stood and walked inside, spotting Keith and purring loudly, "Keith. How are you?" He tilted his head innocently, walking over to Keith and sitting on Keith feet, his arms wrapped tightly, yet affectionately around Keith's long legs.

"Cave, in the mountains. You can probably just follow my scent" She responded, clicking the phone shut and running her fingers through her wet and matted hair. She pulled her knees to her chest, one hand clenching her cellphone as she leaned against her knees, eyes closed. She shuddered softly, beyond irritated and exahusted.

Keith looked down at Iggy, eyes burning.
"Ig, seriously, not right now" The tall vampire growled, hands shaking with irritation. He had no patience for this right now, "Iggy" He growled, snapping in annoyance.

Vaix gave a nod, then heard her hang up and did so in response, putting his phone in his pocket, then walking downstairs, ignoring Keith and Iggy completely as he slipped on hi jacket, and scooped up Shayes. Then headed out the door and around to the window she'd jumped from, catching her scent as well as seeing her footprints, and following after them. His pace an even trot.

Iggy frowned at Keith's reply, then paused in an almost frozen way as he watched Vaix come by, almost blinded by the wave of negative emotions that seeped from the vampire. A parade of paranoia, fear, anger, frustration, worry, exhaustion and concern. He smiled and gave a loud laugh, clinging tight to Keith after being pumped full of fresh confidence. He purred lovingly, just clinging to Keith and doing nothing more. "Did Vaix upset you?" he asked curiously.

Keith growned warningly.
"Seriously Iggy, if you want to keep your arms, you'll let go" The vampire was shaking in anger and frusturation. He needed to run, to think, and he couldn't do that with Iggy clinging to him like a life preserver. He growled again, watching Vaix, his eyes narrowing. He was going to Shaye, that much was odvious, if they came back remained to be seen. He winced at the thought, and growled again, turning the burning eye on Iggy.
"Let go" He said, voice short, hard. He snarled, long fangs slipping from their hiding places, warning Iggy that he wasn't in the mood for this.

Iggy's eyes glistened with the same spark of fear they got when Vaix bared his fangs at him. He glanced at the floor unsuringly, as if he still didn't understand, then let go and sat on the floor, staring up at Keith with a frown dispite his mood, "are you mad with me?" he asked innocently.

Vaix made his way through the snow, heading for the mountains as he followed Shaye's tracks and her scent. Then after a while, spotted the cave he guessed she'd taken too, then leaped up the mountain, then pocked his head in the cave. "Shaye?"

"No Iggy, just mad and frusturated in general, and I sort of need my space right now" Keith said, turning and disappearing down the mountain, hunting or running, just something to clear his frazzled mind and sooth his nerves. He ran fast, not caring about the cold, it didn't bother him in the least.

Shaye heard Vaix's voice.
"Yea?" She called, feeling a sort of warmth growing in her heart at the sound of his voice. It had been maybe an hour, but she had missed him, a lot. She sighed, she couldn't live without him, that much was for certain.

Iggy watched Keith take off frowning, and pondering whether to follow after him despite his voiceing about space. Iggy smiled, then stood, then turned and headed upstairs to Roxa whom looked up sadly upon his entry.
"Is Keith okay?" she asked softly.
Iggy shrugged, "fine. Very grumpy, hurt that Shaye and Vaix are gone, but he'll get over it..."
Roxa's eyes widdened, "they left?"
"Vaix did," Iggy replied, "and I saw Shaye bolt out before him. But yeah, they left."
Roxa winced, "I wish I could have said goodbye..."
Iggy shrugged, "they'll come back. Shaye loves Vaix, but she needs more than just one guy to sustaine her social outputs."
Roxa just sighed, "can't you say things in a way that makes you sound equal Ig? You sound like you're talking about an animal, not your family." She streached out her arms to suggest to him to come to her, and he did. Iggy smiled and curled up in her lap, soaking in her emotional status like a dry sponge in water.

Vaix sighed in relief at hearing her reply, then made his way inside to her, setting his things down, expect for her coat, which he wrapped around her shoulders as he sat down beside her. "Hey," he whispered gently, laying his head tiredly on her shoulder. He didn't want to admit it, but the run over here had worn him down, and quiet honestly, he was far more than exausted. His eyes closed as his body curled in at her side. "Are you okay," he asked softly to her ear.

"Yea fine. Just sort of snapped I guess. Sorry" She said, curling against him. He looked beat, and she knew she was more then responsible for it.
"I'm sorry" She said, turning to face him, burying her face in his chest. She sighed, so relieved to have him with her right now. She let out a small, forlorn breath.
"Are you okay? You look sort of tired" She said, her voice barely more then a whisper. He hadn't seen her arm yet, which was good. She was taking care to hide it.

Vax gave a soft smile when she leaned against him, then sighed at her question and shook his head. "I guess." He muttered, "the run over here tired me out. But I'll be okay, It's you I'm worried over." He scooped up her head lovingly and stared into her eyes for a bit eyeing her for any serious signs of distress or worry, then pulling her into his lap gently and wrapping his arms tightly around her. "Please don't ever leave me like that again..." he begged softly.