11858/Cops and Vampires.

Cops and Vampires.
Date of Scene:	28 July 2020
Location:	The Magic Box, Sunnydale
Synopsis:	Thomas And Karrin have a deep heart to heart, and a little fist to jaw.
Cast of Characters:	Karrin Murphy, Thomas Raith

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Karrin Murphy has posed:
While Karrin often works out at the local gym with most of the other PD, she didn't really care for anyone at work to see just how bruised up she still is and the fact her ribs are still taped. So, she's gone the slightly longer drive to Buffy's place, the gym there perfectly serviceable, and she's less likely to get questions about her injuries. She's been here a good bit now, already through her warm up and working into a deep sweat as she alternates through punch and kicks combos on a bag that looks like it possibly weighs more than she does.

She's in nothing but a sports bra, black shorts, and running shoes tonight. Her ribs are still tension wrapped and ugly purple bruising peeks out of under it as well as across her left shoulder where it's not gauze bandaged. Whatever injuries she has, she seems determined to work through them as she's barely pulling her punches and is moving fast enough to get her heart rate up into a cardio activity level. She'll just pay for it tomorrow. Her short hair sticks to her forehead in a few errant waves of sweat strewn locks.

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith comes into the hidden gym wearing a pair of karate pants and a sleaveless shirt. a Pink sleaveless shirt. A bright pink sleaveless shirt that reads "Don't laugh, it's your girlfriend's shirt." When he sees the gym is in use he pauses for just a moment but then heads down in, diliberately making enough noise to announce his presence without startling the woman. "Hate to see the other guy." He says amused as he heads over to the bench press.

Karrin Murphy has posed:
"The other guys... almost killed... Your brother." Karrin noticed him pretty much the moment he came in. It might be her years of highly honed cop instincts or her striking amount of paranoia. Or maybe it was the EYE SEARING SHIRT he's wearing. She tosses a momentarily look over her shoulder, staring at the outfit with a smirk before giving a husky, low chuckle and turning back towards the bag so she can continue through her combination. She's barely missed a beat even in talking to him, though she's a little out of breath from the pain. Her regular routine is just muscle memory by now.

Thomas Raith has posed:
"Oh? Did you leave enough to bury?" he asks casually, checking the weight (Which is an almost unholy amount) and then slipping beneath the bar. "I take it he told you that I told him what Buffy told you I told her?" He asks in a mildly amused tone. Poor Harry is always the last to know important things.

Karrin Murphy has posed:
"No, my magic cop powers just deduced it by the way you smelled walking in the room." Karrin states flatly, just a hint of teasing in her voice, though she does pause a moment as she catches sight of just how much weight he's putting on that thing. "Uh...do you want a... spot, over there?" She knew vampires were strong. She wasn't quite sure how strong. The first question draws a slightly longer look to her features, not thrilled with the answer, which is probably why it takes so long. "...and not..exactly. They got away but we all survived too and got the objective out of their hands to the people who'd protect it, so...I'll consider that a win."

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith eyes her playfully and says in a dry voice, "No thanks, I'm just doing low weight high reps. Don't wanna bulk up too much." Of course if the small woman tried to spot him it's likely that it'd be no good. The bar likely weighs more then she does. He lays down and effortlessly begins working the weight. His long lean muscles rippling slightly with the seemingly minimal effort. Even when he /isn't/ applying his Come hither, which he isn't, the man still looks like Bowfelx's gift to women. "They got away, you got away sounds more like a draw in my book.."

Karrin Murphy has posed:
The coins were NOT something Karrin wanted to tempt another possible monster with. So, she's silent a few moments, considering how to explain this that her ego doesn't hurt too much but she doesn't give away valuable information. "We had an artifact the church needed recovered. We got it to the church safely. The things attacking us couldn't enter holy ground. We achieved our mission objective and no one died. I'll consider that a win." Karrin states flatly, trying not to sound completely defensive but there is an edge of defensiveness in her breathless voice. She's also hitting the bag a bit harder than she was.

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith ahhs slightly, moving the bar with diliberate slowness, working the little muscles required not to just hold but stabilize the weight. Still it doesn't seem to be effecting his breatheing yet. "I see, so you achieved your heist as well as got away. I can see how that would be counted as a win." he says with a smile. He preforms perhaps twenty reps and then places the bar back. "Did Harry say anything...about...you know..."

Karrin Murphy has posed:
Honestly, she's probably pushed ribs too much tonight already. Having this conversation into a punching bag is difficult and, depending on how it goes, she'd probably rather have it while sparring him. So she stops in her my rote combination, carefully beginning to unwrap her right hand, but it's really only to adjust the wrap to being tighter again, as it loosened since she started. It also gives her something to do with her hands and eyes other than stare at her lover's brother's body which was... incredibly... Stare-worthy. She walks to his side, but she doesn't look. Too much. "Yeah. He... was in quite the state after you told him. Looks like he went easy enough on you, though..."

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith rolls his eyes slightly and touches his perfectly straight nose. "He mushed my nose. Buffy set it for me then...well she helped me recover the energy I needed to heal it. Otherwise it might still be in a splint and that would be just awful for business." He says mildly amused. He's used to being stared at by beautiful women, and certainly doesn't mind. He gets himself a water and tosses one to Karrin. "And what about now? Is he still...in a state?"

Karrin Murphy has posed:
The toss of the water is a bit quick, but Karrin catches it smoothly even if she's doing her best not to stare at him. Eventually, she just looks. She takes a breath and drinks all of him in, noting the raw sex appeal, yes, but she otherwise seems mostly unaffected. She has her mind on other people. Probably the one she's talking about. Her own skin glistens with sweat from the fact she was pushing herself and, other than the bruises, she's a pretty lovely sight herself if you like tiny, toned to hell women. Her entire body has been trained to make every inch a weapon. "He's.... well, hurt, for one. We're all still recovering from the fight. And still hurting that you hid it from him. That... we all did. Not that it was Buffy or my's place to tell him first, but... the fact we all knew and you didn't tell him until NOW? He...he feels betrayed. He doesn't know how to trust it and, hell, Harry has trust issues to BEGIN with."

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith snorts slightly, just a touch of bitterness in his tone. "You should try it from my perspective. Sure I got to know mom for a few years. Long enough to remember a birthday or two. The smell of her Shampoo. Then she /abandoned/ me. Left me to be raised by /literal/ sexual preditors. I almosted hated her for that. When I found out about Harry? I /wanted/ to hate him for it. Wanted to hate him almost as much as I wanted to love him. Can you imagine what that was like?"

Karrin Murphy has posed:
There's a long moment of silence from Karrin as she listens to that and weighs it all. Her clear blue eyes soften, just a few levels. She finally sighs and sinks down onto the weight bench closest to his so they can actually *talk* without having some strange work out distraction between them. The expression on her face, or perhaps it's just the emotions he's tasting from her, are a mix of wariness but protectiveness. And that protectiveness has now been turned on *him*. "...I can't say I can imagine. I...had my family mostly in tact growing up until..." She doesn't finish that statement, she just takes a good pull of her water. "...I was lucky. Mostly. But that's shitty and what your mother did to you was *shit*. What your family did to you was worse. But Harry isn't...He's not either of those people. He didn't choose this either."

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith nods slightly and tilts his head back a bit. "I know that." he says softly. He isn't crying but his eyes glisten. "But at the same token, it was... hard. I'm a monster KArrin. A very pretty Monster but a monster none the less. I've killed in the past. The first time I was only 17. Likely I'll have to kill again in the future. How do I just say "Oh, by the way, this woman you've practically deified growing up? She used to run around with a man that..." He closes his eyes and shakes his head unable to continue with that train of thought. "And what if he rejects me? What if I tell him and his reaction is to punch me in the face?"

Karrin Murphy has posed:
That gets a slightly deeper smirk from her, and a levelling of those blue eyes. While she knows looking a monster in the eyes isn't always the smartest idea, it's a show of trust on her part that she's trying to seek out Thomas'. To get him to meet her gaze. "Thomas. You did it. You said exactly that... and he did that. And then some, if he was honest about using the rings. But he didn't kill you and... he's..." She sighs, "He's not going to reject you. Buffy sees something damn worth it in you and Harry will too. Harry *wants* family. He wants it so bad it's killing him. I see it in his eyes every mor... time I visit." Not morning. They don't tell people about the mornings. She's not living with him, nope, of course not. "He's terrified because you... you have done awful things. You might again. But he'll want to help you too... To be a better person. And if anyone knows ANYTHING about forgiveness, about being better... It's Harry Dresden."

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith says, "His rings?" Thomas asks in a mildly baffled tone... then his eyes look, well not angry but super freaking annoyed. "I knew there was no way he could have hit me that hard! It was like getting punched by a Buick!" he says touching his nose again as if the memory pained him. "I just wish..." He sighs, "I wish people understood that there is someething /real/ with me and Buffy. YEs I feed on her, but that is part of the package. I never thought there would be someone I could be with. Not long term. Because eventually I would drain them dry. Is that part of Buffy's apeal? Empty Night, of course it is. But she's also smart. Funny. She engages me on levels I can't begin to explain. She's sexy as hell. Why do people keep telling us we are no good for each other?""

Karrin Murphy has posed:
Silence lingers for a handful of heartbeats and she's studying him. Studying him deeper than she has any right to, perhaps, with the sort of look that is meant to pierce through to someone's soul. No, she doesn't have a soul gaze, she just has that of a woman who has seen a lot, knows when she's being bullshitted, and is weighting his life on the edge of the hair that are these words. Finally, she lets go of a breath she didn't even realize she was holding. "Look... Buffy cares about you. A hell of a lot. And she's smart. She's smart, tough, and a fully grown woman. I know I'd be pissed as hell of people tried to tell me who I could and couldn't see. If you two are happy? I'm...happy for you. Honestly. Between Buff and Harry? ...You're part of the family, Thomas. I'm not used to having... not... humans, in the family. But you are. I will move mountains to keep you safe, if needed, because you are part of this. But if you dare... DARE... hurt them. If you break her or get him hurt or killed...? I will hunt you down. And I won't stop. Every mountain I moved to protect you I will pile ontop of your grave until you are so far in earth the world forgets you ever breathed air."

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith chuckles slightly and sighs a bit, "Consider it likewise." He says amused, "You break my little brother's heart Ms. Murphy, regardless of how he feels about me, you and I will have to have words. Big ones. Like Hippopotumus." He takes a deep brath and lets it out shakily. "Now if I could only save my little /sister/ then everything would be perfect."

Karrin Murphy has posed:
Now her eyes abruptly drop away, looking back to the water bottle in her hands for no where better to go. "Uh...Harry and I aren't...exactly... like *that*, Thomas. I mean... we're close. He's my best friend. I'm not going to hurt him, I swear. But...Understood." Then Karrin's eyes narrow, head tilting just a bit at the comment of his little sister. The look on her face is torn, tempted to help but also knowing it's a bad idea, "What happened to your sister? SHe's not...Harry's, right?"

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith raises an eyebrow and says simply, "Uh huh. And I can get you a great deal on the Golden Gate Bridge." the corner of his lip turning up in a slight smirk. "Look Murphy, I don't care what you wanna call it. Dating, friends with benifits, cultists who summon the beast with two backs..." he shrugs. "All I know is that, even if Buffy were not in the picture, and even if Harry were not my brother... I would be very leary trying to feed on you."

Karrin Murphy has posed:
"Well, of course you would, because the moment I realized what you were doing I would kick your f*cking ass, Thomas. I know I'm just mortal, but I've learned more than a few tricks in my day and I'm no one's barbeque." Karrin sits up straighter, actually a little offended he's even considered feeding on her. She clearly has no clue why he'd be wary about it other than the fact that she's tougher than she looks. "And if you taking what you need from Buffy works, and she agrees... or even enjoys it, and she's not sick off of it and you don't have to hurt anyone else, well... I think that's just a possibility we don't even have to examine. You're not hurting Buffy and it's working. So, that's that."

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith raises his hands in defence and tries very hard not to laugh at Karrin's reaction, mostly because he doesn't want a broken nose."Empty Night, that's not what I meant at all." He says with a chuckle, though his own pride forces him to add, "Though if i truely did try to feed on you, you'd never know it and would see yourself as a willing participant." He shakes his head. "Look, Black court has Garlic and Holy Symbols, right? The Red Court has their bellies. Do you think the White Court don't have their own weaknesses?"

Karrin Murphy has posed:
Ice blue eyes give him a skeptical look as he mentions the fact she'd never know, but she doesn't push back quite yet. It's looking like she might be getting some valuable information on how to hurt White Court vampires and while she has no plans on using it against him, not now at least, it'll be helpful for the future. "...Yes, I've got some notes about the things... the vampires.. that Harry's fought before. I can't say I've gone up against one of your type. Yet. But I still don't see...where this is going?" She's forgotten her water, staring at him in simple confusion now, "And what that has to do with Harry..."

Thomas Raith has posed:
"Love." He says simply. "True Love. If the last person who you...to put it delicately, had carnal knowledge of loved you and you love them in return... it puts an aura of protection around you. An Aura of sactification you might say. And it's got to be Real, pure, true love. Like Westley and Buttercup, none of that Romeo and julliet bullshit.

Karrin Murphy has posed:
That makes her go deadly still for a moment, like a deer just catching a car's headlights. Love. He thought she and Harry...? Karrin stares at him, not immediately denying it but there's a bit more blood drained from her face than anything else this conversation. Finally, she gives a little, rough laugh and stands up to move back towards a punching bag. THat's a good place for distraction. "I... well... That's a little hard to set up when doing a sting... But I think you're.. probably... We're not really like... *That*."

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith snorts slightly at that. "Feel free to dilude yourself Ms. Murphy, if you must. But people with that level of True love? They give off a..sense. An Aura. A warning to my kind that says 'This one is off limits, feed at your own peril.' And if you were to walk into my Club, wearing dental floss and a smile and putting off the aura you are putting off right now?" He shakes his head "I wouldn't even buy you a drink."

Karrin Murphy has posed:
The response is silence. Silence and then heavy, trained fists shoving themselves into the punching bag instead of having to form words in response to that. It was easier than really thinking about the fact that a predator trained in sensing these things called her on the carpet about it. Finally, between punches, she grunts out quietly. "I care for your brother very much, Thomas, and I'd change the world for him if I could. But that doesn't mean we're... in that amount of emotion for each other. And even if we were, our lives are too dangerous to bother with such things. We watch each other's backs. That's all."

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith raises an eyebrow and walks to the other side of the bag, gripping it firmly. Steadying it for her and letting her hit it a few times. and then asks, in a soft, almost soothing voice "Would you trust me to do something, with the understanding that if I were to betray that trust first you, then Buffy would likely kick my ass so far up between my shoulderblades I'd have to wear pigtails to use the bathroom?"

Karrin Murphy has posed:
Her jaw grits even tighter as she stares up at him, blue eyes slightly too wide with the adrenaline that's kicked into full gear running through her system now. She can face the worst of monsters, but talking about her feelings? That's a real terror situation. Karrin glares at him suspiciously, "You're not...wrong about that. Not to mention doing something to hurt his best friend would really mess up your chances of actually earning Harry's trust, so... what do you have mind?"

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith doesn't answer directlly. Instead he holds up one solitary finger and, almost playfully taps her on the nose with it. The feeling in that instant is...intense. Hot, and wicked. Like making out with a stranger wicked. Like 'not being so drunk that you don't know you are going to regret hooking up with your ex, but being drunk enough not to care right now' wicked. The thought that, "if the Incubus could make you feel that with just a touch, less then a second, what could he do with a kiss? Or more?' is impossible to /not/ have. But then it is over in the blink of an eye. Thomas meanwhile, obviously did not enjoy the experiance as much. Letting out a hissing "Empty Night," and shaking his hand furiously. Then carefully he holds his finger up and shows her the large developing blister. Like he brushed his finger agienst a red hot stove coil. He looks her dead in the eye and says in a calm, cool voice. "You /love/ my brother. My Brother /loves/ you. Whatever hangups you two think you have. Get over them. Take it from someone who knows how rare and precious that is. You can't afford to waste a second of it pussyfooting around. "

Karrin Murphy has posed:
Well, that touch isn't exactly what she expected. A shiver of pure pleasure and a bit of thrill goes through her and while she breathes through it, Karrin can suddenly see why this is so damn tempting. "...You and Buffy do... that... all the time?" She breathes out raggedly, suddenly needing a girls' night with Buffy very much with some questions on her mind. But the rest of the statement, and that clear blister on his finger, is enough to send the world spinning. It's easy to deny when there's no proof. When life is far too distracting to ever get into that conversation. But that being right in front of her, that made it nearly impossible. Then, suddenly, there's a rather violent right cross coming his direction. And then an upper cut, and her arm hovers just close to his throat without actually making skin contact. It's a hold by threat alone, but her expression is ice cold. "...Don't you... Dare... Tell him that, or what you saw. Just because I might feel something doesn't mean he does, and if you ruin my relationship with my *best friend* I will bring every inch of this anger down on you and finish this job. Just...forget it. Thomas. Forget we ever had this talk. Forget anything about Harry and I. Your his brother. That's all that matters."

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith gets hit. Again. Sheesh this is getting to be a habit. Still it should be pointed out that he not only maintains his feet but only takes a small step back from the blows. He spits out a globule of pink bloody saliva and looks her hard in the eyes. "That's where you are wrong." He says with a calm that conveys "No matter how many times you hit me, I'm going to get this out.' He wipes the blood from his lip and looks her in the eye, "It's got to be a two way street. True love does not exist in a vacuum. For you to do this?" he holds his hand up so that she can see the still growing blister, "It /has/ to go both ways. That is the way it works. So listen very carefully. Get. Over. Yourselves. Make it work." He jerks away, fast enough to be almost a blurr and strong enough to either break any grip or drag her ten feet with him. "I've got to get back to the Club. Drop by some time. Drinks are on the house."

Karrin Murphy has posed:
"...Oh." That's the best response Karrin has to Thomas' insistance that it has to be both ways. There goes a thousand excuses she's told herself a hundred nights over, up in smoke with a single white court vampire's love test. Maybe it was a trick, but her blue eyes searching his mostly unphased eyes, it certainly doesn't seem so. "...Sorry." She mutters, finally, the biggest apology he was going to get for the punch, but at least it was something. "I'll... think it over. But... don't bother Harry wth this. He's going through.. a lot. You work on your relationships, and I'll work on mine, and... let's just...leave it there." She begins to move on the bag again, needing to get out a lot more emotions in a way she knows how. "...I'll come by with Buffy, sometime. It...was good seeing you, Thomas." But she's not looking at him now, just the bag. She'll be there half the night at this rate.

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith hesitates just a second and then nods slightly in her direction, acknowleging the appology and his own stance softening just a little bit. "I'll leave it alone, for now. But try to work it out, for both your sakes." he heads for the steps and pauses to add, "Oh? And that was /nothing compared to what me and Buffy do...all the time." He says giving her a positively wicked grin and taking the stairs three at a time.

Karrin Murphy has posed:
"Oh god, Thomas, I did NOT need to know that much about my best friend's sex life!" Karrin calls out the door after him, a few more punches echoing into the bag, but they aren't quite as violent as before.