"He never did a damn thing to me," Randy VIII explained quietly. "I started it all. The first time I heard about him, I wanted him. Then I found him... I started getting to know him. It felt so weird, but it was like I could smell it on him. How he was like me... I could practically taste it in the air around him." He pulled Seven's hand down his face absently as he spoke, trailing the fingers over his lips. "I knew what he could do, I knew he'd be the best challenge I ever got. Maybe even the last one. But I was already starting to like him even then. I convinced myself that what I felt... when I almost felt like I wanted to eat him... was just the same kind of urge I feel when I meet any good challenge. It was just a little stronger because he was better than the rest and I could sense it. So I decided to take it before I changed my mind. But even when it happened, it just didn't feel the same. It was good..." He licked Seven's fingers. "It was so good... but it also made me feel bad in a way I never really felt before."

"Bad huh...." Seven whispered tracing Eight's lips with the pads of his fingers, "You never feel bad..."

"I know," said Randy VIII. "Sometimes I wonder... if that's not all that feeling really was. But what else is there? He never liked me. That was all we really had in common."

"Maybe he would have liked you given the chance, you never know," said Seven.

Randy VIII frowned again. "Doubt I'm his type... but either way, it's too late for that," he said quietly.

"Yeah, kinda to late for much of anything now...." said Seven, "I'll talk to our brothers, but I can't promise all of them will keep away from Kurt."

Eight sighed, knowing it was the best response he could have expected. "I really hope they do." Still holding Seven's hand, he pushed it back into his hair and gave it a nuzzle. "Mighta blown any chance we had of bein' friends... but I gotta wonder if that would have been anywhere near as exciting. Friends don't try to kill you."

"But is all this worth Kurt's life? I mean, even if he doesn't end up dead, his life doesn't belong to him anymore, he's trapped in this with you..." said Seven.

"I don't know," Randy VIII responded truthfully. "If I had known I'd feel this way about it, things might have been different. But that's not how it happened and now all I can do is try to make the best of it. Part of me wants it to be that way. I do want him to be stuck with me. But then I feel... wrong. 'Cause I know he can't enjoy bein' trapped. I guess I have the option to just leave, hope we never cross paths again, but... that don't feel right, either."

"You'll have to work it out....but I could tell just from the look of him. He's a man that won't stand for being caged up, he will hate you and fight you until you let him go or he dies,"

"Of course... That would have to be what I love about 'im," sighed Randy VIII with a roll of his eyes.

"I hate to tell you this Baby Boy, but your kinda love'll get a person killed," said Seven.

"I know." Eight gave his hand a squeeze. "But what would you do if you was me?"

"Well I'd let him go, keep him chained up and his destruction is inevitable, but I think it's to late for that....I don't know, if you could just be friends it would fix everything...but it's to late for that too," said Seven with a sigh.

"I'll just hafta... try to keep an eye on things without gettin' in the way too much, if I can," muttered Randy VIII. "It's the best I got."

Seven wrapped his arm around him and held him, "We can always hope things might change..."

"Wouldn't hold my breath... but if there's anywhere in the world where miracles can happen, it's here," said Eight as he leaned into Seven.

"Just remember, even if you have to give up Kurt, I still love you," said Seven.

Randy VIII nuzzled his arm and bit it lightly, this time in a gesture of fondness and appreciation. I love you, too.

Seven leaned over and kissed his head, "I think I'm gonna sleep now, my painkillers are wearing off....my poor arm turned all black and it burns somethin' fierce and is full of puss, don't wanna be awake when the doctors peel the bandage off and clean it." said Seven.

Randy VIII smiled a bit. "Yeah, it'll do that," he said almost affectionately.

"It's terrible, never felt anything so awful in my life!" said Seven.

"I know," Randy VIII purred. "It's great!"

"Baby Boy, you are weird," said Seven.

This time, Eight laughed aloud. "Maybe." He gave Seven a kiss. "Sleep well," he cooed.

Seven grinned and closed his eyes, "Night Baby Boy,"

As planned, Randy VIII kept an even closer watch on Kurt than he had been, though he remained as much at a distance as possible. His intention was not to smother Kurt with his presence, but to ensure that the incident with Seven was not repeated in any fashion--which included the possibility of Kurt catching Randy VIII by surprise. And of course, he still desired to be a part of Kurt's life, and thus even with all his spying he could not resist the occasional visit. He knew better than to let himself be caught and he was confident that he could withstand brief confrontations with little to no real damage--as could Kurt. Though Randy VIII wasn't actually hunting for fights, they were never really unwelcome and, given the situation, somewhat difficult to avoid so long as he remained close by.

Kurt did his best to live his life normally, trying not to think of Randy VIII but it seemed that encounters were inevitable and when Randy VIII did come near him Kurt did his best to chase him away. He spent a lot of time looking over his shoulder, it wasn't a good feeling, but it was an all to familiar one. He felt hunted again but this time he was determined not to run, he had a real life and a home now, he wasn't going to leave it just to get away from Randy VIII, so he did his best to keep his enemy at bay, as he had done countless times in the past....

Unfortunately for him, even Randy VIII's usual day-to-day activities sometimes brought them together. Being an exterminator and arguably the best in Kenny for that matter, Randy VIII had jobs to do all over town at various times of day.

It so happened that one of those jobs was at the police station right when Kurt was on his office shift....

Randy entered the building in his jumpsuit with his case of kill-a-ma-jigs and his poison as usual. He knew Kurt would be there, but a job was a job.

Kurt did his best to ignore Randy, but station policy dictated that civilians were not permitted to wander the station without escort and Kurt was given the task of leading Randy around the building....

"What areas got the most pest activity?" Randy VIII questioned, keeping the conversation as businesslike as possible.

"The basement, at the moment the stairs are undergoing renovations, we'll have to take the elevator, please follow me and for security reasons I must request that you do not leave the hallway until we reach the elevator," said Kurt flatly.

Randy VIII nodded and followed along, making no move to speak to Kurt about anything other than pest control.

Kurt opened the elevator and gestured for Randy to step inside, "The basement is two floors down, this elevator is slow so it will take several minutes,"

Randy stood in one corner of the elevator as it began to make its descent. "You ever consider getting the elevator upgraded?"

"We do not have the budget for it, the stairs are already under renovation," said Kurt as the elevator creaked and shook on its way down. Kurt shifted nervously, he did not like being in such a small space....

Sensing his unease, Randy VIII took a step farther back into his corner of the elevator. "Don't go spreadin' it around... but I could get somebody to look into it for free if you wanted."

"That might be helpful," said Kurt tightly, his hands clenched at his sides, the elevator suddenly came to a jarring halt and Kurt let out a little cry, "Dammit! We're trapped!" he hissed darting around the elevator and pushing buttons, trying to get it moving again.