milliways_bar | (no subject)

He sighs.

"I was stabbed because he's upset I bested him with the sword...or he's just an asshole, either way." A wry grin. "His name is Kronos, and we were dueling anyway, so it's not really here or there."

He throws his head back, leaning that way as well.

"I don't think anyone can help Alex very much right now...and the only thing that might help is what you're already doing...and perhaps telling me I'm not an utter bastard for...biting one of my best friends in a frenzy."

He shakes his head, people here have such stupid lack of honor.

"I don't think its that much, biting. But then, I am only a man. I can't say that I've ever bit someone, but I might. I don't blame you, I simply want you to explain exactly what happened."

Because Arithon is confused, and likes knowing what is going on.

He sighs.

"I was upset. I...needed to blow off a little steam, so Connor offered to fight me a bit. Harmless. He's immortal...I'm a vampire. As long as neither of us were stupid, no one would really get hurt. So we go out...and we start...and his friend comes by...and I use that title loosely..but yes, his friend...Kronos...decides to join the game. Kronos...well, instead of dodging out of the way of one of my lunges, let himself take a hit. The blood..."

Here's the shame. The guilt. The disgust.

"I got...overly excited. It doesn't happen often, but...in that state, angry and hurt and confused and with my blood pumping from fighting...it was enough to tip me over. I took them both on, hurt Connor, knocked Kronos aside...and bit Connor while he was down. He yelled, which...woke me up, and...Kronos stabbed me a second later while I was busy being upset."

"So this...Kronos...decided to wave food in front of a wild beast,"

He's not apologetic. From what he's heard, Vampires get like that when they're hungry.

"And then could not deal with the consequences, and decided to make you pay for them? Which, of course, leads to you feeling terrible and brooding at me. Yes?"

He shakes his head.

"That's...that's too easy. That's just too easy. I'm not a wild beast...I should have controlled myself. I should have..."

His head is in his hands, elbows perched on his knees.

"And I'm not brooding, I'm just..."

"Shit."

And it says something that he cursed because he almots never does.

"I guess I am. God..."

"All men are beasts, should the impetus be right. Or wrong."

Arithon thrusts his arms out in front of Nick, pulling the sleeves back from the marks of heavy manacles,

"Do you know the marks that accompany these? From men no better than animals. Food is your weakness. It is stupid to say that it is not, all that is for it is that you be certain to eat enough. To do otherwise is foolish, and dangerous. Had you been at fullest fed, I dare to say you would not have so easily been over come by desire."

And then he pulls his arms back, to once again hide the scars.

"Brooding, too, is not a wrong thing. I do it very often. Again, it is something to be noted and accepted. Brood away, roth theire."

Now he sounds amused.

He sighs.

"I had eaten. I...have to keep myself well fed to even consider being around Alex, with him. It'd be dangerous if I wasn't. It was just...too much. My nose told me I was swimming in it. And...worried as I was."

He grumbles.

"Then, when worried, to spar with weapons is not an ease you should take. Now you know."

He shrugs, and raises a brow at Nick,

"Why is Alex hurt? We shall, instead, seek ways to make things better."

"He looked into the afterlife..."

He glances at Arithon.

"He's dead. One of the dead from his world and when he opens the front door...it shows him...the Black God's realm, where he was tortured for months. He opened it today...and looked. And...it hurt him."

He can't look at Arithon right now.

"But...the way his mind works, it just...pushed the problem away. But the pain is still there. It's as if...he's locked it away, but it's as hurtful as before...only, I can't reach it to deal with it. And neither can he."

"I see."

He's quiet for a moment, thinking, and then looks up at Nick. There is something of a smile on his face, but it has nothing of humor in it. Some choices aren't choices. They're just facts that haven't become present in this time yet;

"I will listen, if he will speak."

"I brought him back to my apartment, away from...everything. It's locked so...there shouldn't be anyone visiting. He's asleep."

He pauses, closing his eyes to run consciously along the link they share, one strained by their difference in locations, but still present.

"But he's at least sleeping fine."

"There are many days, my lord. Pains hidden rarely heal, I shall listen. Tell him this. Tell him kiel'ien i'on al's'Ffalenn. Compassion is the fate of the s'Ffalenn, Lord De Brabant. I may be able to help."

He might not, as well. But, can anyone with Arithon's curses not try?

Nick actually smiles.

"I will at that. He needs a good ear, one that won't...perhaps...immediately jump to one thing or another. And who...doesn't have such strong feelings about parts of his past."

Like Roger...

"I am blank to his story."

He flips his hands over, showing the palms. One smooth and unmarked, the other shiny with scars.

"I know perhaps too much...and from an odd source."

He assumes a position of polite intrest,

"Speak, I listen."

"You listen a great deal. One day I will use that line on you and you'll stare at me and blink a bit."

But it's said with a wide smile and deep appreciation in his eyes.

"The blood...you have to understand that every drop of blood has your whole life in it. It's not just our food. It's the way we feel life. Imagine if you could know someone's soul just by sharing their blood. Everything you know, everything you are transformed into touch and taste. Imagine the tempation to take just one sip, one sip and then another, then another. To take them inside you and know every secret. To let them know yours. To be them. It's...a very deep sharing. And I drink Alex's blood regularly."

"And so he becomes as much a part of you as...you."

He nods, leaning back in his chair and crossing his legs at the ankles. Arithon knows, all sorcerers from his worlds do, how things connect with themselves.

"It can not be easy, I think."

Then a flash of whimsy;

"Should you have questions, I may answer. Or I may not. I am a twisty bastard."

"It is wonderful at times...but it has it's problems, as I've said. My knowledge of his past is colored by being exceedingly personal. I've seen it through his eyes, but with my own judgement and detachment."

He smirks at Arithon.

"I've dealt with worse than twisty...and considering my father, either of them, I'd rather be a bastard."

"I rather liked my father."

Very mildly. Its the only way he can possibly control the grief that causes his green, green eyes to go dull.

"I can see how that would make it harder to judge that which happened."

He nods abruptly, with a slight smile. Arithon is very good at hiding his pains, the smile seems normal;

"I will always be available to speak with him."

He notices the pain.

"I'm sorry. That was...callous of me. Just because I've had bad experiences, I shouldn't have said such."

Another flip of his hands, and a more common shrug;

"You did not know."

"That doesn't wipe the pain from your eyes. There's more than enough there, often enough not even your own. I don't need to add to it."

"Kiel s'kyr'i'on s'Ffalenn, my friend. Apologize only when you hurt me a'purpose, for otherwise your life and mine will be nothing but an un-ending string of them."

That is probably not terribly helpful. Its all that the little sorcerer can offer.

He grins.

"Or I should work at doing things to make you smile."

"But then people might achieve the wholly ridiculous notion that I was interested in socialization. Which, may I remind you, I am not. For reasons of personal sanity."

He's mild about the whole thing, but somewhat worried as well. Arithon can't afford to be a hero.

"Understandable. Though you must understand that I'm well aware that what makes you smile and what makes other smile can often be entirely different."

He grins.

"For instance, you seem to find most of the ways my mind works...amusing."

His brows rise in mock shock,

"Should I not?"

He smiles.

"Be my guest. It doesn't always seem to work for me so at least let it be good for a smile or two."

He laughs a little, softly, then returns to an earlier statement;

"Is there anything that you would know about me? I do ask many questions, and would not like you to feel that I am unwilling to return the speech."

He shrugs.

"How long till your birthday?"

Another shrug.

"I'm not one for...point blank questioning unless I'm on the job. Such things will come and when they do...we'll talk of them."

"I don't know. Sometime in the spring, I think."

It wasn't something he ever had much use for, birthdays. They'd have a nice dinner, and that was about it.

"As you wish. When questions arise, I shall answer them."

He blinks then, feeling a slight stirring along his link with Alex and nods to Arithon.

"And they won't arise tonight, if you'll...excuse me. He's waking up and...I really should be there for him."

He gives the smallest of smiles Arithon.

"Though I wish you the best of the night."

"Good night,"

He rises, bows, and settles back down,

"Nick."

Another grin, a respectful nod, and then he's out the door.