milliways_bar | (no subject)

Simon holds up a hand, chuckling slightly.

"Easy, boy, I can fight my own battles."

His eyes turn to Nick.

"I don't intend hurting your friend, if that's what you're worried about. Never did, really."

True enough. Simon doesn't bother hurting people who are useful.

"But sure, I'll keep away."

For now.

"I don't believe you."

And he lets go, pulling the thumb to his lips a moment later, licking it clean with a satisfied, half-lidded smile.

"But I won't hurt you if Alex doesn't want me to. But, perhaps you should go ask the bar over there for a room key and be, how should I put it, 'strangely absent' for a while? I think I'd like that."

He stands up, tugging his jacket into place.

"Real nice to meet you two."

And he's gone. Not without a muttered, "fucking psychopath."

He smiles...and the red eyes change to blue. A too-bright blue, a glowing blue...but it's blue.

Then he turns to Alex.

"Are you all right, Alex? I'm sorry about that, I just . . . I thought he might hurt you if I didn't make it clear."

"I'm okay. Just... freaked me out, a little. I think he thought I was someone else."

He nods.

"Probably. Are you all right, Alex? I didn't mean to . . . scare you."

"Yeah. I'm okay. I just... can we go upstairs, Nick? Please?"

*Thom, having just come down the stairs, sees nothing about barging in on this conversation.* Hello, Alex.

Alex looks up, startled.

"Thom. Hey."

He smiles.

"Hello, Thom."

A flash of red eyes.

"How are you doing today?"

Mmm . . .

*He stretches, a hint of catlike expression picked up from, well, Alex.* I'm doing well.

You?

He grins.

"I'm well enough. My sister came here. I haven't seen her for nearly 800 years."

He sighs.

"Then someone came here and threatened Alex and he looked like me and I didn't like him much and I told him to leave and nearly tore his head off."

He looks a little sheepish, as if he hadn't meant to say all that.

*Thom looks at Alex critically, brushing a stray lock of hair into place.* At least Alex here has his head on straight.

A soft laugh.

"Two days out of five, maybe..."

Nick looks to Alex, eyes flashing red again.

"You're doing better than that, surely. I've seen you."

"Lately, yeah... sorry. I'm just a bit... shaken, is all. I'll be okay."

*arches an eyebrow, quizzical* Shaken?

"People who look like Nick threatening me with a knife tend to do that."

I suppose I can see that . . .

*He shrugs.*

He turns to Thom, eyes fully red, expression the same.

"I didn't like it much. He seemed to think that he could hurt Alex. No one threatens Alex."

*raises his eyebrows* Really.

That's news to me. Alex can't take care of himself anymore, huh?

"He can, but I'd much rather step in when he is unarmed, the man threatening him is not, and the other man has almost fifty pounds on him. Besides..."

He smiles sunnily.

"I wanted to hurt him. He threatened Alex with my face. I didn't like that."

"I'm fine, Nick. I overreacted. It's... not been the best day. I was already on edge because of the nightmare."

*glances sharply at Alex* Nightmare?

He shrugs, drawing one knee up and wrapping his arms around it.

"Bad dream. It's not important."