*So, I'm back to uploading this. Sorry about the delay, just wasn't as concerned about this.. Sorry!

Any who, since I'm back let's kick it off with Echo x Lalnable, shall we?

TW: Blood

Title: ~Call Me Crazy~

"Echo."

She looked up from her book at the harsh sound of her name, noting the presence of her creator in the doorway to her room. He stood regarding her with careful disinterest painted across his features, dark green eyes nearly unreadable, as they always were. To Echo, however, the distinct spark of predatory hunger was as clear as ever.

"Hector," she replied, tone bordering on flippant as she lifted her chin to meet his gaze, lips curling into a smirk as his eyes narrowed slightly. There was something inherently thrilling about playing with fire, even if it carried the chance of being burned with it; Echo found that it was no different toying with Lalnable on a bad day, and by far more dangerous.

"Your work is getting sloppy." The scientist's tone was curt now, though not yet honed enough to cut. "You should know better than this." He held a stack of papers in his hand, ones that she vaguely recognized from some time ago, when it was her turn to observe the subjects.

"You told me not to get caught, and to take notes. I did as you asked." Lalnable's heavy exhale was halfway to a sigh as he shoved the papers onto her desk, stepping completely over the threshold and into her territory.

"That's no excuse for shoddy notes. We can't do anything without proper data. Maybe I should let you be caught, teach you a lesson." It was Echo's turn to narrow her eyes, book snapping shut in her hand before she all but slammed it down on a nearby table. She got to her feet, stalking across the room, eyes flashing dangerously and she pushed her way into Lalnable's personal space.

"Unfortunately for you, that won't happen. I won't be making the same mistake that you did," she sneered up at him, relishing the growl that started deep in his chest at her remark.

"Watch your step, Echo. Or I'll make you." There was a sharp edge to his words now, the steel-cut tone sending a shiver down her spine even as she gave a loose grin. Now that's more like it.

"I'd like to see you try." Her gaze held his, russet brown challenging darker green as the predatory hunger slipped back into place in his eyes.

"Don't tempt me." His voice had dropped it's cutting edge, dipping instead into a lower range as he stepped in slightly, invading her space in retaliation for her earlier transgression.

"As if you'd do anything." Echo gave a short, barking laugh, the sound discordant as it rang in her ears. "Bite me, Hector."

"Oh, with pleasure."

Echo's sharp intake of breath was cut short by Lalnable's mouth pressing down against hers, hard and unforgiving as he closed what was left of the space between them. He made good on his remark, teeth sharp enough against her lips that she could taste blood before long. Without warning he turned them both, backing her against a wall before she could even hope to react and put up a fight.

With a defiant noise she pushed back against him, determined to taste more than just her own blood as she nipped with acute precision. Her lungs were howling for air by the time Lalnable pulled away, eyes focusing on the thin line of red along her lower lip as blood welled to the surface. He could still feel the sting where Echo's teeth had found a way to catch hold of his skin, tearing into it with no hesitation or remorse.

The ravenous look in his eyes was reflected in his slow grin, teeth stained with already-drying crimson even as he leaned in to collect a new drop with his tongue, smearing the blood along Echo's skin. She dug her nails into his exposed forearm as he moved down to bite at her neck, the growl it dragged out of him reverberating against her skin as she fought back a low groan. Lalnable paused for a moment, lips barely brushing the bruising skin of her neck as he spoke, sending shivers down her spine that she couldn't even hope to suppress.

"Keep that up and I'll have to muzzle you." Echo gave a growl of her own at the only partially-empty threat, taking his face by the chin none too kindly in her hand to drag his attention away from her neck.

"In your dreams, Hector," she retorted in a low tone, her laughter twisted in meaning by her bared teeth as she directed his mouth back to hers. "Try that and you'll end up the one muzzled."

He gave a caustic laugh of his own as they collided once more in a whirl of sharp teeth and bright red, neither willing to back down and give the other any room for respite. They were both breathing heavily when they parted again, blood trailing from Lalnable's mouth as Echo grinned loosely up at him; she could only assume that the same was true for her, if the all too familiar warm metallic taste in her mouth was any indication.

She could feel the haze that had settled in her mind, the strange pleasure she'd gotten from their slightly precarious situation. There was no denying the danger that Lalnable posed, his eyes perpetually dark with the secrets of his unstable mind. And yet she could never find it in herself to fight the temptation to flirt with such a destructive force.

After all, there's no fun in playing with fire if you're afraid of being burned.