Demon Dix

[petty_dabbler]

There'd been a break in their search and John had loaded Dinah into the atrocity of metal he called a car. Down to the docks, he found the boat in the berth at the marina. Why anyone would want to be anywhere near the water in Gotham was beyond him...but maybe the natives were immune.

They found a way onto the ship and crept across the bow. Down below decks, John was surprised at how few guards there were. Actually...he hadn't seen any. Come to think of it, he hadn't heard any, either.

John flicked open his zippo and took a look around. He was fine until he looked up.

"Oh, bugger my fucking arse," he swore.

Above them, scratched into the metal, were runes. And judging by John's reaction, not good ones.

Comments

[myprettybird]

"No," she says in the most deadpan voice she can muster. "Whatever this is...just no."

She's had enough magic bullshit already and if even John sounds worried, she knows whatever the fuck is written on the ceiling is gonna mean more magic bullshit of the worst possible kind. It's not that she objects to magic in an of itself -- she's seen the kind of cool shit John can do and some of it is really fucking cool. But the bad stuff? It's so unbelievably bad and it makes her feel useless. She can beat the shit out of magic. She can't punch it into submission. Hence, she doesn't like fucking with it.

"Do we run or what, John? I need some parameters here."

[petty_dabbler]

His tongue sucks his teeth and he breathes in deep.

"We should probably run," he nodded and moved to drag her back to the top. But at the top of the stair the heavy door slammed shut and the wheel spun.

"Or, alternate idea, we try not to die. These runes, this is the home of a demon. And actual, in-this-world demon named Dix. Dinah...we're going to have to work together on this. The best I can do is bind him."

[myprettybird]

Her whole body sags as she shakes her head. "Oh, come on."

She didn't sign up for actual demons. Although she didn't not sign up for it, and she did kinda, sorta figure something like this could be a possibility. Eventually. There's not point crying about it right at this moment, if they survive she'll have plenty of time to cry about it later. So she takes a deep breath and stretches her neck, her arms, tries to get her head back in the game.

"Yeah, ok. What do you need me to do?"

[petty_dabbler]

"If I can catch him, you need to kill him. I can't exorcise him since he isn't technically possessing anyone," he explains. Then he smiles. "Sing him a song. You've got a killer voice."

Maybe not the best time for jokes, John, he thinks.

[myprettybird]

She can't help smiling back, even though she hates him so much right now. She's such a sucker for his particular brand of bullshit, and she's not even gonna try and lie to herself about it.

"Yeah, ok," she says, trying to lose the smile. It's not easy when he's looking at her like that. "But don't forget, it takes a lot out of me. I'll go at him with everything I've got because I doubt we'll have a second try, but that means I'm gonna be out of the fight afterward. Will you be able to get me out of here?"

[petty_dabbler]

He doesn't think it's the time to tell her he'll be laid low, too. He's not looking forward to the force he's going to have to channel. And that's if they're lucky and he doesn't just disembowel them on sight.

He doesn't think it's time to tell her that, either.

"Alright. Let me get my bearings. Just keep an eye out," he says as he pushes up his sleeves. One thickly lined tattoo on the back of his wrist is the one he covers, closes his eyes, then begins to mumble. It looks ridiculous, he knows it, just watching a bloke hold his arm and mutter- wonder he wasn't in the nut house. Again.

But then he opens his eyes and they are solid, inky black. Much like a shark. His hair stands up a bit with the power coursing through him.

"No time like the present, love," he says and reaches to take her hand.

[myprettybird]

She's not sure she'll ever get used to his eyes doing that. It makes her jump, even though she tries to hide it, and the hairs on the back of her neck prickle. It's just so otherworldly. Not in a bad way, necessarily, but it's such a visceral reminder of the kind of powers he's wielding.

The eyes don't change how she feels, though. She takes the offered hand without hesitation and waits to see what's going to happen next. The adrenaline is pumping like it always does in times like these, and it makes her feel so incredibly alive. Sure, they are about to face down a real live actually demon, and she could possibly die a very horrible death. But she really does live for the fight. No matter how much she's tried to deny it to herself in the past. This is what she's meant for.

[petty_dabbler]

He leads her down the corridor to the only door there. John touches the wheel and it glows briefly, then turns with ease.

"Constantine," a gravelly voice hisses.

"Dix," John greets, tight but polite. "Came to check your passport's in order."

"Fuck off, Hellblazer," the demon says from across the hold.

John looks at Dinah, tilts his head, and says, "Show time."

Both arms outstretched, John channels the most powerful magics. He can feel it burn through him, lighting his skin up, making his heart race. He holds it, though. He holds it and the purplish gray demon, little more than a ball of muscle with long arms and short legs and teeth... Oh, dear God, the teeth... is held in the air, flailing and cursing. John only holds him a second before the demon breaks free. It falls to the ground, shakes it off, and charges. John summons enough power to stop it so it can't advance, but it's taking all he has to do it.

"Now, now," he urges her.

[myprettybird]

There's no time for her to freak out at the sight of the weird sort of frog thing, no matter how much she might want to. She barely has time to take in the full magnitude of what's she's looking at. If they survive this, she can freak out about it later. So she steps forward to face it and is about to let loose when the thing breaks free from John's magic and she gasps, falling back a step, looking over to see if John is getting ready to run or what.

But then he's got it pinned again and there's only one thing to do. She wishes like hell he could cover his ears, but she's just going to have to hope having him behind her will lessen the impact and that he can sort himself out afterward.

Taking two steps toward the demon, but making sure not to block John's view of it, Dinah plants her feet, opens her mouth, and screams.

[petty_dabbler]

He knows she can, he's heard the stories, but knowing and hearing are two different things. Or, in his case, not hearing. Oh he heard her fine, but about the time Dix exploded into chunks of cinder and so many sparks, John could only hear a ringing.

He lets the spell go and falls back on the floor, sitting hard on his ass. He reaches into his pocket and grabs a bent pack of Silk Cuts to light one up. He slips it between his lips, chinks the zippo, and looks directly at the flame as he lights up.

He closes it and looks at it, wondering if he'll ever hear that delightful little noise again.

"Just need a minute, love," he says and lays back on the floor with the fag upright in his mouth.

[myprettybird]

It doesn't take long, but fuck does it take effort. The physical strain of it. She can feel her vision starting to go grey around the edges almost as soon as she starts to scream.

There's so much about her power she doesn't understand, and for so long she tried to ignore it. Hide from it. Her mother's power. The power that let her mother help people, save people, and then left her dead in the street. It's taken her years to stop hating this thing she and her mother shared, to stop hiding it or wishing it away. But all those years of hiding are years she could have used to harness it, or hone it, or at least figure out some way to keep it from leaving her so incredibly vulnerable afterward.

But what is, is what is, and as the demon explodes, Dinah's vision finally goes black and she lands in a crumpled heap on the floor.

[petty_dabbler]

The burning chunks of Dix lie scattered around the floor, wisps of smoke rising as they burn out. That was a hell of a lot faster than any of the spells he could have managed.

John takes the time to put a finger on her throat to check for a pulse. Alive. For now. That was always nice. He smokes in silence, utter, unbelievably crushing silence.

When he finally finishes, he tosses the butt at the largest pile of chunks. He's worn out, but she's clearly down for the count. He isn't the brawniest lad, but he manages to hoist her in a fireman's carry and makes his way out onto the dock. And that's as far as he gets before he loses his knees and has to put her down.

You can't hear, John. In a long list of stupid things you've done, this is awfully high.

"Jesus Christ, Chaz, shut it," he says aloud and is glad to find that the words rumble around in his skull. He's just too tired to think about it now. What's done is done.

[myprettybird]

She can hear seagulls. Odd. The oddness of it makes her try and open her eyes to get a look at where the hell she is. It takes a couple of tries, but eventually she manages, and sees nothing but sky. Which is a very good thing because it means that not only did they survive, but John managed to somehow get her out. That's one hell of a huge win, even if she feels like she needs to sleep for about 96 straight hours. Blinking the world into clearer focus she turns her head and sees him sitting next to her, looking about as exhausted as she feels.

"I can't believe that worked," she says in a raspy voice, expecting to hear one of his patented responses. When he doesn't say anything her heart starts beating triple time. Shit, shit, shit. She reaches over and touches his hand, waiting for him to meet her eyes. "Can you hear me?"

[petty_dabbler]

She's been out so long he only has two cigarettes left. He has sat there watching the water, watching the birds, watching the fresh born sun claw it's way out of Poseidon's cunt and rise above the water. For a long while there had been nothing, barely the sound of his own heart. And then came the ringing. He's glad she wasn't awake to see him flopping on the dock and holding his head in both hands.

But now he can hear, in a way. It's as if his ears are stuffed with cotton on the bottom of a pool...but he can make out what she's asking when he sees her.

"S'ALRIGHT, LOVE. IT'S COMING ROUND," he says at top volume.

[myprettybird]

She doesn't mean to, but she just can't help herself. Maybe it's the relief, maybe it's the exhaustion, maybe it's the shock, who knows. But whatever it is, she really can't help herself.

She starts laughing.

And once she starts, she can't seem to stop. She laughs until there are tears in her eyes and she's struggling to catch her breath. Holding onto his hand the whole time until she manages to pull herself together enough to speak again. "Good," she says finally, though she doesn't bother yelling. Hoping he can read her lips. "But from now on? You're gonna carry ear plugs."

[petty_dabbler]

Her laughter is contagious and John can't help but chuckle along with her. This is mad. Absolutely ridiculous. And yet.

"FANCY A BITE?" he shouts. "I'D MURDER A SAUSAGE."

[myprettybird]

He's fucking adorable and she hates him. Or more accurately, she hates that she finds him so fucking adorable. But there he is, being him, and she's a sucker for it. Every time.

Wiping the tears from her eyes, she gives him two thumbs up. "I'm starving."

She's also dead serious about the ear plugs.

[petty_dabbler]

"I KNOW A SPOT," he says. He stands and brushes off his ass, not that one more smudge of filth is even noticeable. "IT'S DOWN BY--AM I REALLY LOUD?"

Just stop it, John. You're going to get some kinds of feelings for this girl. You know you will, and you know what happens. John, does she look like she's ready t die? Look at her smile. Look at her eyes. What are you doing?

One of these days he was going to find some way to get Chaz out of his head. One day. He doesn't need this kind of shit running riot in his brain when he's just trying to get some breakfast.

And definitely not get her killed in the process.

[myprettybird]

"YES!" She yells back at him, still smiling. "DO THEY DO TAKE OUT?"

She holds out a hand for him to help her up, and once she's on her feet she immediately pulls him into a tight hug. Hand on the back of his head. She hadn't planned to do it, but it feels right. She's so relieved the plan worked, she's so relieved his hearing is coming back, she's so fucking relieved just to be standing there with him, that she can't help herself. She just needs to feel him whole and warm and his heart beating. Doesn't hurt that she's a pretty tactile person by nature anyway.

"You're such an asshole," she says fondly against his ear. Assuming he won't be able to hear her.

[petty_dabbler]

John hugs her back, a strong and yet gentle embrace. He tucks in his face against her neck. Everything smells like ash, except he can catch the hint of her shampoo and lotion and whatever other kind of female witchcraft she got going on. He can feel the vibrations of her saying something, but he's damned to understand it.

He holds her until she lets go first, then gives her a sweet kind of a hang-dog smile. The one that usually charms people. Well, people that don't know him.

"S'alright, love," he whispers, not even sure if he's made any actual sound..

[myprettybird]

She puts a hand on his cheek and returns the smile, feeling...she's not sure exactly what she's feeling. Fondness, maybe? She hasn't felt a lot of this particular emotion in her life so it's hard to be sure. She's cares about people -- cares too much about people -- and although it's caused her endless amounts of trouble, she wouldn't have it any other way. There are too many people out there who need help, and if she's in a position to give that help she's gonna do it. But she doesn't have that many close friends and she's kept it that way for a reason. If you don't let people in, then it doesn't hurt to lose them.

Damn if she hasn't let this stupid bastard in.

"I'M SERIOUS, JOHN." She's still shouting, only not quite as loudly. It feels ridiculous, but in a good way. "WE ARE NOT SITTING IN A RESTAURANT IF YOU CAN'T HEAR ANYTHING. WE NEED A PLACE THAT DOES TAKE OUT."

[petty_dabbler]

"TAKE OUT? YEAH? YEAH," he agrees. On the saunter to the car he lights up the second to last in the pack. It's woefully bend and crumpled, but he'll make do.

There's no real point to trying to talk, so he gives her a little squeeze and then opens the door for her. He can be a fuckin' gentleman sometimes.

John does indeed 'know a place'. It's just a little diner on the corner of where the fuck street and are we avenue. It looked pleasant and inviting- and most importantly, warm. But the neighborhood? John was certain he had his affairs in order and was topped up on his stabbing insurance policy.

He gave her a nod. "COFFEE AND A CLUB SANDWICH," he tells her, mostly so she can speak like a normal person to the waitress to place their order to go.