Danielle passed through the door and outside once more, wondering just what she would say to Thaddeus now that she had him alone. The Anantya, however, didn't appear to have taken the admittedly subtle hint that she wished to speak; he instead silently picked up the first trash bag and began to walk away. Shrugging, she moved for the second one, but Thaddeus's quiet voice stilled her movements.
It didn't really surprise her that Arin would want to keep the wolf; after all, something needed to be done with him and what else would they do? It struck her that Thaddeus did not appear to care about the matter one way or another, and she resolved to think no more of it as she tried to find a good grip on the bag. The plastic shifted a little, and Dani pulled away, alarmed.
She had always had a strong stomach, but a dead wolf would rattle anyone's cage, she reckoned. Well, anyone's save Thaddeus. His voice, further away now, registered, and she looked up, expecting to see him looking back at her. He wasn't.
Deciding to let him deal with the second bag, as he clearly didn't take any issue with it, she walked along the side of the house until she spotted what she was looking for. Frowning, she cast about for a hose to attach to the water spicket; it seemed that The Wolf was not a fan of either gardening or washing his car, but one of his neighbors was. She delivered a silent apology and crossed the short distance to the neighboring brownstone, unscrewing the hose and dragging it back with her. Once arranged, she set the nozzle to the hardest blast and began washing along the walkway.
Hunting the Hounds (invitation only)
The Wolf stroked his pet's ears, muttering little nothings to the animal before rising to his full height and regarding the wolves in front of him. He was not as close to the other two as he was to the one he had petted, The Alpha, but The Alpha listened to him, and the others listened to the Alpha, and that was good enough for The Wolf's purposes.
He considered for a moment what he should do now, knowing that the Heir and his companion were following him. Lay a trap in the sewers? That would likely be effective, but he would have to make quick work of it lest he be walked in on, and The Wolf was not interesting in being quick. No, he thought; he would lead them to a place where he could take his time.
They should be honored, really; few were lucky enough to see The Wolf's lair.
Of course, they wouldn't live to tell about it.
With a single gesture, he began making his way through the tunnels of the sewer, heading homeward.
Danielle
19 years ago
Alfarinn
19 years ago
Alfarinn watched Claire pull on the duct tape with growing alarm. Surely she wasn't planning on taping up the bird! They weren't trussing her up for dinner or a ransome reward; they were going to need to be able to get the tape off again and he didn't think pulling it off with half of the poor crow's feathers would make her feel any better, healed wing or not.
He smiled faintly back at her but still eyed her warily until she folded over the tape upon itself making it no longer adhesive. Ah, now it was something with a bit of stiffness to it to keep the wing in place.
Alfarinn spoke to the bird, whose was a female that he had named Svarta. She was somewhat new to the family group and a question to Natt confirmed that this was his mate. He could almost see Natt puff up with pride as the crow gave him a sense of the spectacular lengths he went to in order to win her attention. Natt was convinced that she was the prize of all the females there and seemed rather pleased at having been chosen despite heavy competition.
Amused, Alfarinn sent to his friend.
[Well, you are king among crows, Natt. Of course, she would choose you.]
Looking down at Svarta, he assured both Natt, who despite his proud retelling of their nuptials, was sitting on the roof quite worried about his mate, and Svarta that everything would be alright.
[There will be some pain but it will get better. I promise and you'll be able to fly again soon. Until then, you and Natt can stay with me and I'll make certain you are both fed.]
Svarta cawed once at him in understanding and he was touched by her level of trust in him despite being a recent addition to their family but it seemed Natt and the others had impressed upon her his status as one of their own, despite his odd looks.
He reached down and gently took hold of her again and folded the wing carefully up against her body in order for Claire to wrap the make shift bandage around it.
"Ready"
It was all he spared for conversation while he continued to focus on Svarta and Natt.
He smiled faintly back at her but still eyed her warily until she folded over the tape upon itself making it no longer adhesive. Ah, now it was something with a bit of stiffness to it to keep the wing in place.
Alfarinn spoke to the bird, whose was a female that he had named Svarta. She was somewhat new to the family group and a question to Natt confirmed that this was his mate. He could almost see Natt puff up with pride as the crow gave him a sense of the spectacular lengths he went to in order to win her attention. Natt was convinced that she was the prize of all the females there and seemed rather pleased at having been chosen despite heavy competition.
Amused, Alfarinn sent to his friend.
[Well, you are king among crows, Natt. Of course, she would choose you.]
Looking down at Svarta, he assured both Natt, who despite his proud retelling of their nuptials, was sitting on the roof quite worried about his mate, and Svarta that everything would be alright.
[There will be some pain but it will get better. I promise and you'll be able to fly again soon. Until then, you and Natt can stay with me and I'll make certain you are both fed.]
Svarta cawed once at him in understanding and he was touched by her level of trust in him despite being a recent addition to their family but it seemed Natt and the others had impressed upon her his status as one of their own, despite his odd looks.
He reached down and gently took hold of her again and folded the wing carefully up against her body in order for Claire to wrap the make shift bandage around it.
"Ready"
It was all he spared for conversation while he continued to focus on Svarta and Natt.
Thaddeus Grey
19 years ago
Thaddeus hefted the bag into the dumpster, doing his best to avoid thinking about what was inside, and returned for the second bag in time to see Danielle hosing down the walkway, making a river of blood and feathers and fur down the pavement. He watched in silence for a moment before shaking the image from his mind and moving on, though he paused again before he made his way to the second bag.
On the grass in front of him two feathers rested side by side; one white and one black. Crouching down, he thought to pick them up, but hesitated when he noticed one of the crows up on the roof. It was too great a distance to tell for certain if the crow was watching him, but Thaddeus tilted his head, his hand outstretched for the feather as though asking permission.
Deciding that the continued use of his eyes and being free of a sudden rain of bird droppings was likely consent enough, he picked up the two feathers and put them in one of his cargo pockets. The black crow's feather peeked out of the top.
That done, though if asked he didn't think he could say what possessed him, he went back to the second bag and lifted that one as well, being careful to avoid Dani's stream of water from the hose. When he returned from disposing of the dead animal it seemed Dani had progressed to the street, though she was stretching the hose to its limits.
He frowned at the sidewalk; it appeared they had left the blood a bit too long, as rusty stains now marred the grayish white surface. Bleach might take care of that; in all honesty Thaddeus was not certain. His work in the aftermath of such events usually involved carefully preserving evidence to examine, not removing it altogether. With a mental shrug, he decided to give Dani a hand and then look around for cleaning supplies of some sort.
Moving to the hose, he untangled it a bit to give Dani a little more slack before picking up a broom leaning against the side of the house. He walked over to where Dani was standing and busied himself with pushing the bits of fur and feathers and other things he chose not to identify into the storm drain.
On the grass in front of him two feathers rested side by side; one white and one black. Crouching down, he thought to pick them up, but hesitated when he noticed one of the crows up on the roof. It was too great a distance to tell for certain if the crow was watching him, but Thaddeus tilted his head, his hand outstretched for the feather as though asking permission.
Deciding that the continued use of his eyes and being free of a sudden rain of bird droppings was likely consent enough, he picked up the two feathers and put them in one of his cargo pockets. The black crow's feather peeked out of the top.
That done, though if asked he didn't think he could say what possessed him, he went back to the second bag and lifted that one as well, being careful to avoid Dani's stream of water from the hose. When he returned from disposing of the dead animal it seemed Dani had progressed to the street, though she was stretching the hose to its limits.
He frowned at the sidewalk; it appeared they had left the blood a bit too long, as rusty stains now marred the grayish white surface. Bleach might take care of that; in all honesty Thaddeus was not certain. His work in the aftermath of such events usually involved carefully preserving evidence to examine, not removing it altogether. With a mental shrug, he decided to give Dani a hand and then look around for cleaning supplies of some sort.
Moving to the hose, he untangled it a bit to give Dani a little more slack before picking up a broom leaning against the side of the house. He walked over to where Dani was standing and busied himself with pushing the bits of fur and feathers and other things he chose not to identify into the storm drain.
Danielle
19 years ago
Dani let the water run down the sidewalk, frowning when even the hardest blast did not get rid of the stains, and tried to watch Thaddeus discreetly as he walked toward the dumpster. The way he dropped the bag...no, the -dead wolf- into the dumpster like it was nothing made her wonder, but she came to no conclusions.
It was clear, however, that he didn't seem to have much attention to spare for her; when she looked up from her task again he was rather absently picking up two feathers and never looked her way, even after he moved the second wolf and made to untangle the hose. Even when he stood right next to her she couldn't seem to catch his gaze.
She fell into the natural and wordless rhythm of the task in front of her, gathering the mess with streams of water and letting Thaddeus push the evidence down the drain. Deciding she had learned all she could from the Anantya by way of silent observation, she spoke, reasoning that she wouldn't get answers to questions she didn't have the nerve to ask.
"How did you and Arin get together?"Â?
An open ended question and pretty damn nosy, but it was slightly less pointed than 'what are your intentions toward my boss' and he could take it as he would.
It was clear, however, that he didn't seem to have much attention to spare for her; when she looked up from her task again he was rather absently picking up two feathers and never looked her way, even after he moved the second wolf and made to untangle the hose. Even when he stood right next to her she couldn't seem to catch his gaze.
She fell into the natural and wordless rhythm of the task in front of her, gathering the mess with streams of water and letting Thaddeus push the evidence down the drain. Deciding she had learned all she could from the Anantya by way of silent observation, she spoke, reasoning that she wouldn't get answers to questions she didn't have the nerve to ask.
"How did you and Arin get together?"Â?
An open ended question and pretty damn nosy, but it was slightly less pointed than 'what are your intentions toward my boss' and he could take it as he would.
Claire
19 years ago
Claire watched as Alfarinn spoke to the bird which seemed to be a mental process, a thing for which she was glad; seeing a grown man cawing at a bird and having it respond would either be disturbing or silly though she'd have to admit that in her lifetime as an Anantya and even to some extent as a human, she had learned to take such odd behavior with a certain amount of grace or at least without a total break down of manners.
The blond eventually reached out for the crow and she was surprised at how calm the bird was despite being handled with an injury. Moving closer, Claire carefully wrapped the bandage in a figure 8 pattern to secure the wing next to the body, closing it with the short amount of sticky portion left on the end.
"There I think we are done. Your friend was a better patient than quite a few that I've treated. It would be nice if they were all so quiet and compliant."
She eyed Alfarinn now that she was closer and able to see his injuries but there was not really much to do for either of the vampires. Blood was their healer and time, their nurse. Their kind had little need of medical attention.
"What did you plan to do with him?"
Claire turned indicating the wolf still laying down nearby.
/ooc Alfarinn's communication habits taken from examples in the past, correct me if I'm wrong.
The blond eventually reached out for the crow and she was surprised at how calm the bird was despite being handled with an injury. Moving closer, Claire carefully wrapped the bandage in a figure 8 pattern to secure the wing next to the body, closing it with the short amount of sticky portion left on the end.
"There I think we are done. Your friend was a better patient than quite a few that I've treated. It would be nice if they were all so quiet and compliant."
She eyed Alfarinn now that she was closer and able to see his injuries but there was not really much to do for either of the vampires. Blood was their healer and time, their nurse. Their kind had little need of medical attention.
"What did you plan to do with him?"
Claire turned indicating the wolf still laying down nearby.
/ooc Alfarinn's communication habits taken from examples in the past, correct me if I'm wrong.
Alfarinn
19 years ago
Alfarinn held Svarta close to his chest and made soothing noises to her as he waited for her heart rate to calm back down. Finally the crow rested rather tiredly against him calm once more and assured that she was secure for the moment and would be taken care of.
Looking over at the wolf, Alfarinn smiled in sympathy for the poor canine, who still looked like a dejected mess.
"I had thought to take him with us. I hope he won't be too much trouble to get home. I'm sure trust will come in time but the first little while might be difficult. I do think he'll have a healthy respect for crows after tonight though. I just hope it does not cause later problems."
Alfarinn looked up at Natt's cawing and mental image. He assured the crow that Svarta was just fine but his friend also had more news for him. It would seem that he had witnessed a momentous occasion and wanted to offer his congratulations.
Biting his lip to keep his amusement in check, Alfarinn sent to Thaddeus.
[Beloved? What are you doing exactly? Natt wanted to congratulate me on the future little ones and the nest that you are building. So...are you building a nest out there?]
Of course, Natt had sent him the image of Thaddeus picking up the two feathers and Alfarinn found that very charming of his companion. It was, to him, and it would seem to Thaddeus, if he were guessing correctly, that it was a token of what triumphed here tonight, love, friendship, trust and cooperation. However, the news that he was going to be a father in the near future was a bit of shock and he felt it necessary to share such a thing with his companion.
No doubt Claire thought he had lost his mind, nearly chuckling to himself at nothing in particular.
"Natt, Svarta's mate, is a most interesting bird."
Looking over at the wolf, Alfarinn smiled in sympathy for the poor canine, who still looked like a dejected mess.
"I had thought to take him with us. I hope he won't be too much trouble to get home. I'm sure trust will come in time but the first little while might be difficult. I do think he'll have a healthy respect for crows after tonight though. I just hope it does not cause later problems."
Alfarinn looked up at Natt's cawing and mental image. He assured the crow that Svarta was just fine but his friend also had more news for him. It would seem that he had witnessed a momentous occasion and wanted to offer his congratulations.
Biting his lip to keep his amusement in check, Alfarinn sent to Thaddeus.
[Beloved? What are you doing exactly? Natt wanted to congratulate me on the future little ones and the nest that you are building. So...are you building a nest out there?]
Of course, Natt had sent him the image of Thaddeus picking up the two feathers and Alfarinn found that very charming of his companion. It was, to him, and it would seem to Thaddeus, if he were guessing correctly, that it was a token of what triumphed here tonight, love, friendship, trust and cooperation. However, the news that he was going to be a father in the near future was a bit of shock and he felt it necessary to share such a thing with his companion.
No doubt Claire thought he had lost his mind, nearly chuckling to himself at nothing in particular.
"Natt, Svarta's mate, is a most interesting bird."
Thaddeus Grey
19 years ago
Thaddeus worked absently and let his mind wander, not paying as close of attention as he probably should have to his surroundings. He was, at the moment, too caught up in other thoughts to chide himself for that.
He had heard tell that revenge was not often as rewarding as one would hope, but he hadn't really gone into this expecting any life altering satisfaction. He had done what he must. In all honestly, he wasn't certain of what he had expected, and so he took the feeling of dull shock not with surprise but resignation.
The events of the evening played over in his mind of their own accord; not like snapshots at all, the memories were still to new, too visceral, to experience with that distance. This did not seem strange to him at all; he didn't like the idea of remembering as though someone else were acting instead of him. It felt like cheating, or lying to himself, and he had little patience for denial. This was, perhaps, the reason for his current introspection, as though he were attempting to bait himself into a reaction of some kind, only he didn't have one.
He could, however, answer Danielle's question, which had seemingly intruded from nowhere into his thoughts, easily enough. He filtered through any number of replies, ranging from "well I was accusing him of being involved in my creator's death and..."Â? to "I brought him to my hole in the wall apartment and seduced him..."Â? and somewhere along the way managed a reply.
"We were working together, and in the course of that getting to know each other and..."Â? A smile ghosted his features "...every day we grew closer. I'm sure there are any number of defining moments to explain, but I suppose what it comes down to is that we said yes. Every time."Â?
Thaddeus fell quiet then, remembering those first questions. Asking Alfarinn if he would stay. Alfarinn asking him not to let go. Recalling such an intimate moment, though, made him suddenly aware of what he had just said out loud, and he looked down at the ground, blushing.
His blush only deepened into what he was sure was a quite brilliant shade of red when Alfarinn sent his query, and, thoroughly flustered, he headed back toward the house, carefully not looking Dani's way. The area was as clean as it was going to get with a hose and a broom in any case, and they had more to be done.
[We were just finishing up...I'll show you when I get inside.]
He reasoned that he should probably explain himself, but was just slightly unnerved at the moment and wanting to at least let the blush die down before he elaborated.
The color drained from his face easily enough when he bent down to pick up the cloak off the ground, only to see a small backpack underneath it. It was partly unzipped, and sticking out a little from one corner was a black leather glove.
He told himself it was a coincidence as he opened the bag a bit more and pulled out the glove, but once he had it in hand there was no mistaking it.
Very calmly, or at least outwardly calmly, he put the glove back inside the bag and zipped it closed.
[He had my gloves. I suppose that's another piece of the puzzle.]
With that, he walked back inside, speaking in what he hoped was an even tone over his shoulder.
"I'm going to see about some bleach for the walkway."Â?
He had heard tell that revenge was not often as rewarding as one would hope, but he hadn't really gone into this expecting any life altering satisfaction. He had done what he must. In all honestly, he wasn't certain of what he had expected, and so he took the feeling of dull shock not with surprise but resignation.
The events of the evening played over in his mind of their own accord; not like snapshots at all, the memories were still to new, too visceral, to experience with that distance. This did not seem strange to him at all; he didn't like the idea of remembering as though someone else were acting instead of him. It felt like cheating, or lying to himself, and he had little patience for denial. This was, perhaps, the reason for his current introspection, as though he were attempting to bait himself into a reaction of some kind, only he didn't have one.
He could, however, answer Danielle's question, which had seemingly intruded from nowhere into his thoughts, easily enough. He filtered through any number of replies, ranging from "well I was accusing him of being involved in my creator's death and..."Â? to "I brought him to my hole in the wall apartment and seduced him..."Â? and somewhere along the way managed a reply.
"We were working together, and in the course of that getting to know each other and..."Â? A smile ghosted his features "...every day we grew closer. I'm sure there are any number of defining moments to explain, but I suppose what it comes down to is that we said yes. Every time."Â?
Thaddeus fell quiet then, remembering those first questions. Asking Alfarinn if he would stay. Alfarinn asking him not to let go. Recalling such an intimate moment, though, made him suddenly aware of what he had just said out loud, and he looked down at the ground, blushing.
His blush only deepened into what he was sure was a quite brilliant shade of red when Alfarinn sent his query, and, thoroughly flustered, he headed back toward the house, carefully not looking Dani's way. The area was as clean as it was going to get with a hose and a broom in any case, and they had more to be done.
[We were just finishing up...I'll show you when I get inside.]
He reasoned that he should probably explain himself, but was just slightly unnerved at the moment and wanting to at least let the blush die down before he elaborated.
The color drained from his face easily enough when he bent down to pick up the cloak off the ground, only to see a small backpack underneath it. It was partly unzipped, and sticking out a little from one corner was a black leather glove.
He told himself it was a coincidence as he opened the bag a bit more and pulled out the glove, but once he had it in hand there was no mistaking it.
Very calmly, or at least outwardly calmly, he put the glove back inside the bag and zipped it closed.
[He had my gloves. I suppose that's another piece of the puzzle.]
With that, he walked back inside, speaking in what he hoped was an even tone over his shoulder.
"I'm going to see about some bleach for the walkway."Â?
Danielle
19 years ago
Danielle had been expecting something more along the lines of how they met, and found Thaddeus's answer both more and less revealing. She wouldn't have traded that answer for anything, however; while she still wondered with dutiful concern how long they had been together, his feelings, at least, seemed fairly clear.
He seemed to realize just how far away he had been when he answered, and Dani had to remember not to drop the hose and giggle when he started blushing and wouldn't meet her eyes. Deciding to give him a break, she turned off the hose and coiled it up while Thaddeus headed toward the house. She noticed that he paused at the front door for a long moment, presumably to pick up the abandoned cloak, and was about to ask if something was wrong when he stood. Again, he didn't quite look her way, but his statements made it clear that he was, once again, all business.
Deciding that she might have gotten even luckier than she suspected with his answer and that maybe Thaddeus was just a gruff sort, she dropped the hose off in the neighbor's yard and headed inside the house to help hunt down supplies.
He seemed to realize just how far away he had been when he answered, and Dani had to remember not to drop the hose and giggle when he started blushing and wouldn't meet her eyes. Deciding to give him a break, she turned off the hose and coiled it up while Thaddeus headed toward the house. She noticed that he paused at the front door for a long moment, presumably to pick up the abandoned cloak, and was about to ask if something was wrong when he stood. Again, he didn't quite look her way, but his statements made it clear that he was, once again, all business.
Deciding that she might have gotten even luckier than she suspected with his answer and that maybe Thaddeus was just a gruff sort, she dropped the hose off in the neighbor's yard and headed inside the house to help hunt down supplies.
Claire
19 years ago
Claire watched Alfarinn pull the bird to his chest and smiled at the adorable image of this tall, inhumanly strong creature cradling the delicate animal. Turning away lest he think she was mocking him, Claire looked at the wolf. She was surprised but pleased that Alfarinn seemed intent on taking care of him.
She stood and headed to the kitchen. A rummage through the cabinets eventually found a bowl though the sparseness of the utensils testified to a vampire living here. Filling it with water, Claire set that on the table and then searched the refrigerator, yes, definitely the home of a vampire. The freezer did have bags of frozen meat and from the wolf's sudden interest in what she was doing, Claire could tell that these were normally fed to him.
"Perhaps you would like to give your new animal companion one of these and this bowl of water and see if you two couldn't come to a mutual agreement on not harming each other?"
/ooc the contents of the freezer with permission.
She stood and headed to the kitchen. A rummage through the cabinets eventually found a bowl though the sparseness of the utensils testified to a vampire living here. Filling it with water, Claire set that on the table and then searched the refrigerator, yes, definitely the home of a vampire. The freezer did have bags of frozen meat and from the wolf's sudden interest in what she was doing, Claire could tell that these were normally fed to him.
"Perhaps you would like to give your new animal companion one of these and this bowl of water and see if you two couldn't come to a mutual agreement on not harming each other?"
/ooc the contents of the freezer with permission.
Alfarinn
19 years ago
Alfarinn wondered what Thaddeus and Dani were doing out there when his companion seemed nostalgic and embarrassed at the same time. More interestingly what did his cunning assistant con out of his taciturn partner?
He smiled at Thaddeus coming in to show him what he had been up to instead of explaining. Turning to watch as Claire moved to the kitchen, he was about to comment on her not finding much to eat in a bachelor's pad, much less a vampire bachelor.
Then he felt his companion's shock and it was like chill ice water down his spine and his companion's statement only made it worse.
[Thaddeus, are you alright?]
Perhaps it was silly to ask that question with all that they have been through tonight but sometimes it just took that extra little thing. It reminded Alfarinn that this was not over and firmly reinforced the idea of an Anantya behind trying to have his lover killed. He had hoped for no futher reminders tonight, as naive as it sounded but he had hoped the could at least put aside this accomplice for the rest of the evening. They had what he felt was a momentary reprieve from bad surprises now that Lykaios was no more. It would appear that he was wrong.
Alfarinn felt terribly worn and wondered just how much more they both could take. He really wanted nothing more at this moment than to take Thaddeus back to the apartment, a place familiar and comforting to them both, and curl up around his companion and sleep for several days. Thaddeus willing, he resolved to do that as soon as possible.
Alfarinn nodded absently to Claire and looked down at Svarta.
"Let me go set her outside so that Natt can take care of her for a little bit while we finish up here."
He headed quietly towards the door and Thaddeus.
((OOC: Sensing Thaddeus with permission))
He smiled at Thaddeus coming in to show him what he had been up to instead of explaining. Turning to watch as Claire moved to the kitchen, he was about to comment on her not finding much to eat in a bachelor's pad, much less a vampire bachelor.
Then he felt his companion's shock and it was like chill ice water down his spine and his companion's statement only made it worse.
[Thaddeus, are you alright?]
Perhaps it was silly to ask that question with all that they have been through tonight but sometimes it just took that extra little thing. It reminded Alfarinn that this was not over and firmly reinforced the idea of an Anantya behind trying to have his lover killed. He had hoped for no futher reminders tonight, as naive as it sounded but he had hoped the could at least put aside this accomplice for the rest of the evening. They had what he felt was a momentary reprieve from bad surprises now that Lykaios was no more. It would appear that he was wrong.
Alfarinn felt terribly worn and wondered just how much more they both could take. He really wanted nothing more at this moment than to take Thaddeus back to the apartment, a place familiar and comforting to them both, and curl up around his companion and sleep for several days. Thaddeus willing, he resolved to do that as soon as possible.
Alfarinn nodded absently to Claire and looked down at Svarta.
"Let me go set her outside so that Natt can take care of her for a little bit while we finish up here."
He headed quietly towards the door and Thaddeus.
((OOC: Sensing Thaddeus with permission))
Thaddeus Grey
19 years ago
Thaddeus walked into the house in something of a daze and put the cloak and backpack on the nearby chair, frowning at both as though a scowl would force the inanimate objects to give up their secrets. He resisted the temptation to rake his fingers through his hair, well aware that he would only make himself more of a mess by indulging in nervous habits, and instead turned to Alfarinn, looking down at the bird in his hands.
[I'm not usually so careless...]
He reached out one hand, but thought better of running his fingers over the feathers and let it fall again.
"You two did well."Â?
[Someone just walked by, picked up a pair of mislaid gloves, and decided this would be a good day for me to die. Someone in my home.]
The concept was having some difficulty sinking in. It seemed so casual and off hand and callous, the way his life had been thrown away as easily as one misplaces a pair of gloves. He wondered what had gone through this person's mind when the gloves were discovered, bitterly thinking that perhaps that had been a stroke of good luck for someone. Or perhaps whoever betrayed him to The Wolf had been more indifferent than that; Thaddeus couldn't be sure.
Realizing he had not answered Alfarinn's question, and in fact had yet to meet his lover's eyes, he looked up, his head tilted to one side.
[I'm a little shaken. But I'm fine.]
It wasn't an easy admission but saying anything else would just be ridiculous at this point.
"There are blood stains on the sidewalk. I'm going to find something to take care of them."Â?
Giving the bird another look over, he met Alfarinn's eyes once more.
"I'm glad she'll be alright."Â?
That said, he walked into the kitchen, where Claire appeared to be fixing the wolf a meal of some kind. He nodded in her direction before heading for the cabinet under the sink and began rummaging around.
"Thank you for doing that...and for helping the crow as well. I know it means a lot to Alfarinn."Â?
Finding a large bottle of bleach in the back of the cabinet, he stood with the container in hand and regarded the wolf for a moment before speaking again.
"It means a lot to me as well. To have some family here, I mean."Â?
Thaddeus was never one to take family for granted, it being central to his life, but now in particular it was nice to have people who wanted him alive around.
He nodded once, softly, and headed for the door.
[I'm not usually so careless...]
He reached out one hand, but thought better of running his fingers over the feathers and let it fall again.
"You two did well."Â?
[Someone just walked by, picked up a pair of mislaid gloves, and decided this would be a good day for me to die. Someone in my home.]
The concept was having some difficulty sinking in. It seemed so casual and off hand and callous, the way his life had been thrown away as easily as one misplaces a pair of gloves. He wondered what had gone through this person's mind when the gloves were discovered, bitterly thinking that perhaps that had been a stroke of good luck for someone. Or perhaps whoever betrayed him to The Wolf had been more indifferent than that; Thaddeus couldn't be sure.
Realizing he had not answered Alfarinn's question, and in fact had yet to meet his lover's eyes, he looked up, his head tilted to one side.
[I'm a little shaken. But I'm fine.]
It wasn't an easy admission but saying anything else would just be ridiculous at this point.
"There are blood stains on the sidewalk. I'm going to find something to take care of them."Â?
Giving the bird another look over, he met Alfarinn's eyes once more.
"I'm glad she'll be alright."Â?
That said, he walked into the kitchen, where Claire appeared to be fixing the wolf a meal of some kind. He nodded in her direction before heading for the cabinet under the sink and began rummaging around.
"Thank you for doing that...and for helping the crow as well. I know it means a lot to Alfarinn."Â?
Finding a large bottle of bleach in the back of the cabinet, he stood with the container in hand and regarded the wolf for a moment before speaking again.
"It means a lot to me as well. To have some family here, I mean."Â?
Thaddeus was never one to take family for granted, it being central to his life, but now in particular it was nice to have people who wanted him alive around.
He nodded once, softly, and headed for the door.
Danielle
19 years ago
Danielle could see, upon walking into the house, that Arin and Thaddeus needed a moment alone. She wasn't sure if the silence they were currently sharing was of an intimate nature or an awkward one, but she decided she wouldn't be the one to interrupt it. This left her with few options, as walking passed them would likely disrupt things, so she headed up the stairs instead in search of something to clean up with.
The first door led to a bathroom, but a quick check under the sink yielded nothing save some ant traps. Standing up, though, she found herself looking down into the porcelain sink for a long moment before leaving the room. There was a can of shaving cream and a straight razor, a toothbrush and toothpaste. A comb. Little hairs, likely remnants from shaving, speckled the sink itself.
It was strange to think of the vampire who did this to Arin and Thaddeus shopping for such things in the grocery store. Gillette, the shaving cream of killers everywhere.
'Depressing thought, that. We're all just people but some of us go so wrong.'
She turned on the tap and rinsed the sink clean, then headed back into the hallway. A linen closet revealed nothing of use, but she could hear movement downstairs and figured she might as well go back down.
Seeing Thaddeus at the door with a bottle of bleach, she impulsively reached out and took it from his hand.
"I'll get that. "
Her tone did not leave room for argument, but she stepped outside quickly enough just in case.
The first door led to a bathroom, but a quick check under the sink yielded nothing save some ant traps. Standing up, though, she found herself looking down into the porcelain sink for a long moment before leaving the room. There was a can of shaving cream and a straight razor, a toothbrush and toothpaste. A comb. Little hairs, likely remnants from shaving, speckled the sink itself.
It was strange to think of the vampire who did this to Arin and Thaddeus shopping for such things in the grocery store. Gillette, the shaving cream of killers everywhere.
'Depressing thought, that. We're all just people but some of us go so wrong.'
She turned on the tap and rinsed the sink clean, then headed back into the hallway. A linen closet revealed nothing of use, but she could hear movement downstairs and figured she might as well go back down.
Seeing Thaddeus at the door with a bottle of bleach, she impulsively reached out and took it from his hand.
"I'll get that. "
Her tone did not leave room for argument, but she stepped outside quickly enough just in case.
Alfarinn
19 years ago
Alfarinn looked at Thaddeus sadly, aching to reach out and hold him and console him in some way. He took one hand away from Svarta and gripped Thaddeus's arm in some attempt at comforting contact and in hopes that his companion would stop long enough to listen to him.
[It was a long night, Thaddeus, if all you did in that night was lose your gloves then I'd say you managed to keep it together quite well. I was then and am now proud of you. This is hardly your fault. It would not be difficult for someone who has had quite possibly many years in your presence to collect something of yours. Perhaps even it was Lykaios who found them, though the thought of him on Anantya property is disturbing, this whole thing is disturbing but I do know that you've handled the situation better than most anyone, better than I would have, were it me, so please, for my sake at least, don't be so hard on yourself.]
He watched his companion a moment, knowing that the fact that the traitor was of his clan was the part that hurt the most for Thaddeus.
[Beloved, whoever this person is, he isn't Anantya. The day he turned on a clan mate was the day he stopped living up to the ideals of the clan and gave up all right to be called Anantya. He'll be found and he'll be brought to justice. In the mean time there are those, like you and Mai and it would seem Claire.] Alfarinn smiled in the direction of the woman though she was busy elsewhere. [ who uphold those ideals very well and that is the clan, not those who betray it and not those of us who've left for one reason or another. Its not perfect but its strong enough, like you, to withstand this betrayal.]
Alfarinn took Svarta outside and set her down beside the house, watching as Natt came down to nestle beside her.
[A little more to do here and we'll be done.]
Hands free for the moment, he came back inside in search of Thaddeus again before his companion had a chance to busy himself with another task. He came back inside to see Thaddeus walking out with the container of bleach and was about to stop him for a minute when Dani came up and took it from him. Smiling as he watched her walk out the door with it, Alfarinn turned back and pulled Thaddeus into his arms. He sent.
[And besides that, you'll always be a part of my family, as strange as it is.]
He knew they couldn't stand here like this long and the sooner things were done the more quickly they could leave this place for home but Alfarinn felt a moment of time taken out of this situation to reassure each other was not asking too much, all things considered.
[It was a long night, Thaddeus, if all you did in that night was lose your gloves then I'd say you managed to keep it together quite well. I was then and am now proud of you. This is hardly your fault. It would not be difficult for someone who has had quite possibly many years in your presence to collect something of yours. Perhaps even it was Lykaios who found them, though the thought of him on Anantya property is disturbing, this whole thing is disturbing but I do know that you've handled the situation better than most anyone, better than I would have, were it me, so please, for my sake at least, don't be so hard on yourself.]
He watched his companion a moment, knowing that the fact that the traitor was of his clan was the part that hurt the most for Thaddeus.
[Beloved, whoever this person is, he isn't Anantya. The day he turned on a clan mate was the day he stopped living up to the ideals of the clan and gave up all right to be called Anantya. He'll be found and he'll be brought to justice. In the mean time there are those, like you and Mai and it would seem Claire.] Alfarinn smiled in the direction of the woman though she was busy elsewhere. [ who uphold those ideals very well and that is the clan, not those who betray it and not those of us who've left for one reason or another. Its not perfect but its strong enough, like you, to withstand this betrayal.]
Alfarinn took Svarta outside and set her down beside the house, watching as Natt came down to nestle beside her.
[A little more to do here and we'll be done.]
Hands free for the moment, he came back inside in search of Thaddeus again before his companion had a chance to busy himself with another task. He came back inside to see Thaddeus walking out with the container of bleach and was about to stop him for a minute when Dani came up and took it from him. Smiling as he watched her walk out the door with it, Alfarinn turned back and pulled Thaddeus into his arms. He sent.
[And besides that, you'll always be a part of my family, as strange as it is.]
He knew they couldn't stand here like this long and the sooner things were done the more quickly they could leave this place for home but Alfarinn felt a moment of time taken out of this situation to reassure each other was not asking too much, all things considered.
Thaddeus Grey
19 years ago
Thaddeus had wanted nothing more than to step into Alfarinn's arms, to place his hands on his lover's back and his head on his shoulder, and had only stopped himself from doing that very thing moments ago because he was somewhat concerned that he would completely fall apart if he stopped moving forward. It came, therefore, as something of a relief when he discovered that at least one of them had some sense left.
[I'm glad of that Alfarinn.] He thought of the crows, and now the wolf, and of the two feathers in his pocket, and managed a smile against Alfarinn's shoulder. [We do make an interesting family, don't we? I think that's something to be proud of.]
He tightened his grip around his companion for a moment before raising his head to look up at Alfarinn.
[As are you. Do you know what a good man you are?]
It couldn't have been easy, Thaddeus reflected, to defend what was good in Anantya while admitting its faults honestly. That they were from different clans was at times inconvenient, a potential hurdle in their relationship, and perhaps a lesser man might have taken this vulnerable moment to persuade him to Evenhet, but instead Alfarinn had seen the good in reminding him of his own strength and that of his own clan. Realizing when to defend, to protect, and when to lend one's love and support made for striking a difficult balance, and Thaddeus was once again amazed at how well Alfarinn understood him. Not just understood but respected; Thaddeus was honored by that.
[Thank you.]
[I'm glad of that Alfarinn.] He thought of the crows, and now the wolf, and of the two feathers in his pocket, and managed a smile against Alfarinn's shoulder. [We do make an interesting family, don't we? I think that's something to be proud of.]
He tightened his grip around his companion for a moment before raising his head to look up at Alfarinn.
[As are you. Do you know what a good man you are?]
It couldn't have been easy, Thaddeus reflected, to defend what was good in Anantya while admitting its faults honestly. That they were from different clans was at times inconvenient, a potential hurdle in their relationship, and perhaps a lesser man might have taken this vulnerable moment to persuade him to Evenhet, but instead Alfarinn had seen the good in reminding him of his own strength and that of his own clan. Realizing when to defend, to protect, and when to lend one's love and support made for striking a difficult balance, and Thaddeus was once again amazed at how well Alfarinn understood him. Not just understood but respected; Thaddeus was honored by that.
[Thank you.]
Alfarinn
19 years ago
Alfarinn held Thaddeus close feeling the comforting warm weight against his chest, which felt good enough to stand like this for hours, though it did remind him that he was shirtless and a mess. A long shower was added to the list of thing to do when he finally got his companion home.
Laying his cheek against his Thaddeus's head, he sent.
[Yes, we are but I rather like it. I'm glad you do also though I do rather feel the odd person out but I suppose I can be an honorary dove like I've been adopted as a crow. ]
He smiled at Thaddeus's affirmation that he was a good man. If his companion thought so then there must be something redeeming about him and it made him happy that Thaddeus found something to love and be proud of in him.
[Mmm, I don't think I do but we are our own worst critics, I suppose. I'll do my best to not eat myself up with things that could have been done better on my part of you will try to do the same.]
Kissing Thaddeus gently on the forehead, he replied
[Thank you as well. I believe I needed this as much as you did.]
Alfarinn stood still a moment more feeling the tired careworn feeling drain from him the longer he had his arms around Thaddeus, but they needed to do things in order to be able to leave. He certainly didn't want to spend the day here.
[I best go feed the wolf. I will need to name him I suppose. Are you sure he doesn't make you uncomfortable?]
Laying his cheek against his Thaddeus's head, he sent.
[Yes, we are but I rather like it. I'm glad you do also though I do rather feel the odd person out but I suppose I can be an honorary dove like I've been adopted as a crow. ]
He smiled at Thaddeus's affirmation that he was a good man. If his companion thought so then there must be something redeeming about him and it made him happy that Thaddeus found something to love and be proud of in him.
[Mmm, I don't think I do but we are our own worst critics, I suppose. I'll do my best to not eat myself up with things that could have been done better on my part of you will try to do the same.]
Kissing Thaddeus gently on the forehead, he replied
[Thank you as well. I believe I needed this as much as you did.]
Alfarinn stood still a moment more feeling the tired careworn feeling drain from him the longer he had his arms around Thaddeus, but they needed to do things in order to be able to leave. He certainly didn't want to spend the day here.
[I best go feed the wolf. I will need to name him I suppose. Are you sure he doesn't make you uncomfortable?]
Danielle
19 years ago
Danielle experimentally poured a little bleach on the pavement, unsure of just how much to use. She didn't want to completely kill off the grass but understood the need for making the house appear as normal as possible. Shrugging a little, she poured a bit more before moving to the next spot, ignoring the splatter that would put pale spots on her black knee socks in minutes.
The whole time she kept her eyes open, pausing in her movements when a car drove down the street, considering she probably looked pretty strange bleaching the sidewalk in the wee hours of the morning and that might draw suspicion just as much as the rusty stains she was trying to remove.
Deciding they weren't going to do much better than that and hoping the bleach would make a difference when it had some time to soak in, she walked back to the house with the empty bottle in hand. She would have sighed in exasperation at the sight of her Thaddeus and Arin taking a moment together -again-, but it was rather touching and she found it hard to resist smiling, happy for them both.
She wasn't going to get things done any faster if she kept running upstairs to give them their privacy, however, so this time she walked passed them and into the kitchen to dispose of the bleach bottle. Seeing that Claire had the presence of mind to find something for the wolf to eat, she nodded her head in approval and then looked down at the animal in question.
"Poor guy. I'm glad he's being taken care of."Â? She turned her gaze to the living room, realizing the same could be said of the two men still wrapped up in each other.
She walked in as discreetly as she could and approached the couch; it would probably need to be disposed of, though perhaps there was a temporary fix. She lifted one of the cushions, intent on turning it over, when she realized the blood had soaked straight through to the other side. Making a little hmmph noise while she considered what to do, she finally elected to get rid of the cushions all together.
Taking two in hand, she exited the house once more, headed to the dumpster.
The whole time she kept her eyes open, pausing in her movements when a car drove down the street, considering she probably looked pretty strange bleaching the sidewalk in the wee hours of the morning and that might draw suspicion just as much as the rusty stains she was trying to remove.
Deciding they weren't going to do much better than that and hoping the bleach would make a difference when it had some time to soak in, she walked back to the house with the empty bottle in hand. She would have sighed in exasperation at the sight of her Thaddeus and Arin taking a moment together -again-, but it was rather touching and she found it hard to resist smiling, happy for them both.
She wasn't going to get things done any faster if she kept running upstairs to give them their privacy, however, so this time she walked passed them and into the kitchen to dispose of the bleach bottle. Seeing that Claire had the presence of mind to find something for the wolf to eat, she nodded her head in approval and then looked down at the animal in question.
"Poor guy. I'm glad he's being taken care of."Â? She turned her gaze to the living room, realizing the same could be said of the two men still wrapped up in each other.
She walked in as discreetly as she could and approached the couch; it would probably need to be disposed of, though perhaps there was a temporary fix. She lifted one of the cushions, intent on turning it over, when she realized the blood had soaked straight through to the other side. Making a little hmmph noise while she considered what to do, she finally elected to get rid of the cushions all together.
Taking two in hand, she exited the house once more, headed to the dumpster.
Thaddeus Grey
19 years ago
Thaddeus closed his eyes at the soft kiss to his forehead, touched by the affection, then returned the kiss neatly on Alfarinn's chin.
[I will try to do the same, then, my honorary dove.]
He found he was uncertain of how to answer Alfarinn's question truthfully; while the idea of keeping the wolf -did- make him uncomfortable, he didn't want that to stop his companion from doing what he felt was right. In fact, he would admit that a part of him believed Alfarinn was making the right choice. Still, he was more concerned with Alfarinn's safety than that of the wolf's and could hardly help but be wary.
[I hope for the chance to overcome small discomforts. I suspect that this is for the best, though I am not sure the reasons are rational.]
Reluctantly pulling away from Alfarinn to let him go about his business, he turned in time to see Dani headed out the door with two couch cushions. He wondered just how much of their exchange she had seen, but as he couldn't imagine having done anything else at that moment, he let it go and grabbed the last cushion, leaving the couch looking somewhat stark, and followed her out the door.
[I will try to do the same, then, my honorary dove.]
He found he was uncertain of how to answer Alfarinn's question truthfully; while the idea of keeping the wolf -did- make him uncomfortable, he didn't want that to stop his companion from doing what he felt was right. In fact, he would admit that a part of him believed Alfarinn was making the right choice. Still, he was more concerned with Alfarinn's safety than that of the wolf's and could hardly help but be wary.
[I hope for the chance to overcome small discomforts. I suspect that this is for the best, though I am not sure the reasons are rational.]
Reluctantly pulling away from Alfarinn to let him go about his business, he turned in time to see Dani headed out the door with two couch cushions. He wondered just how much of their exchange she had seen, but as he couldn't imagine having done anything else at that moment, he let it go and grabbed the last cushion, leaving the couch looking somewhat stark, and followed her out the door.
Claire
19 years ago
Claire ran a large steak under warm water in the sink, looking around to see the others had momentarily left the area, she used her telekinesis to pull off most of the chunks of ice leaving just the meat itself needing to be thawed out.
Picking it up and putting it on a plate, she set the microwave to defrost and started the device, absently cleaning the kitchen while she waited.
"I suppose you'll need to be cleaned up.. I don't suppose there is any chance that is going to happen easily. I'm not a dog person..or pardon me, a wolf person so I have a feeling you wouldn't let me get anywhere close to you."
She pondered taking a rag and using her telekinesis to clean the droppings from a safe distance but she didn't want to have to chase the wolf down around the place with a floating washcloth. Claire thought she might be able to douse it in water but that wasn't going to make it very happy either. Finally she gave up the thoughts as something someone else might be better able to handle and waited for the others to come back in.
Picking it up and putting it on a plate, she set the microwave to defrost and started the device, absently cleaning the kitchen while she waited.
"I suppose you'll need to be cleaned up.. I don't suppose there is any chance that is going to happen easily. I'm not a dog person..or pardon me, a wolf person so I have a feeling you wouldn't let me get anywhere close to you."
She pondered taking a rag and using her telekinesis to clean the droppings from a safe distance but she didn't want to have to chase the wolf down around the place with a floating washcloth. Claire thought she might be able to douse it in water but that wasn't going to make it very happy either. Finally she gave up the thoughts as something someone else might be better able to handle and waited for the others to come back in.
Alfarinn
19 years ago
Alfarinn smiled at Thaddeus for both the statement and the kiss.
[I could look good in white feathers. What do you think, nothing but a white feather boa? Too over the top? I'd settle for just nothing and clean though. ]
He listened to the explanation about the wolf and thought that Thaddeus was being very understanding to put up with his crazy whim here. In the reverse situation he might not have been so kind.
[Well, I'm not sure than I can claim to have been rational about the whole thing but I do believe its the right thing to do.]
Giving Thaddeus another hug, Alfarinn finally let go and headed back into the kitchen. Claire seemed to have been cleaning up the place and he stopped to grin at the image of the proper Anantya in club clothes wiping off counters.
'Thank you for helping, Claire."
The microwave dinged and he moved to open the door and check the meat. It seemed thawed enough for the wolf to eat so he pulled the plate out. Picking up the bowl of water that Claire had set on the table earlier, Alfarinn came to crouch in front of the wolf. He set both things in front of him and watched the wolf. The canine looked at him and then looked at the food; it was not difficult to tell he was hungry. Alfarinn stood up and took a step back.
"Go ahead. Its yours."
That seemed to be all the wolf needed; he took one last look at Alfarinn as if to make sure there would be no contest for the meal and then focused on making it disappear before anyone changed their mind.
[I could look good in white feathers. What do you think, nothing but a white feather boa? Too over the top? I'd settle for just nothing and clean though. ]
He listened to the explanation about the wolf and thought that Thaddeus was being very understanding to put up with his crazy whim here. In the reverse situation he might not have been so kind.
[Well, I'm not sure than I can claim to have been rational about the whole thing but I do believe its the right thing to do.]
Giving Thaddeus another hug, Alfarinn finally let go and headed back into the kitchen. Claire seemed to have been cleaning up the place and he stopped to grin at the image of the proper Anantya in club clothes wiping off counters.
'Thank you for helping, Claire."
The microwave dinged and he moved to open the door and check the meat. It seemed thawed enough for the wolf to eat so he pulled the plate out. Picking up the bowl of water that Claire had set on the table earlier, Alfarinn came to crouch in front of the wolf. He set both things in front of him and watched the wolf. The canine looked at him and then looked at the food; it was not difficult to tell he was hungry. Alfarinn stood up and took a step back.
"Go ahead. Its yours."
That seemed to be all the wolf needed; he took one last look at Alfarinn as if to make sure there would be no contest for the meal and then focused on making it disappear before anyone changed their mind.
Danielle
19 years ago
Thaddeus caught up to Dani as they made their way to the dumpster, moving a bit ahead of her to lift the heavy lid and throw his cushion inside. Always the gentleman, it seemed, though she found she was more grateful than amused at this point. She threw her own cushions to his outstretched hands, and watched him sling them up into the dumpster and closing the lid once more.
"I think that's the worst of it. I can call in some of our guys to really strip things out tomorrow if that's what you guys need."Â?
With that, she turned and began walking toward the house again, going through what needed to be done before they could all go home. She imagined that the wolf would prove to be a problem; while some dogs were known for enjoying a ride in the car, she didn't think this guy would appreciate a limo ride very much. They were far enough away from the towers that walking him home would prove inconvenient at best and blister inducing at worst, though if Arin needed her to get the wolf home she was willing to do it. Considering their options, she stepped into the house in time to see Arin crouching down next to the still filthy wolf.
"I think that's the worst of it. I can call in some of our guys to really strip things out tomorrow if that's what you guys need."Â?
With that, she turned and began walking toward the house again, going through what needed to be done before they could all go home. She imagined that the wolf would prove to be a problem; while some dogs were known for enjoying a ride in the car, she didn't think this guy would appreciate a limo ride very much. They were far enough away from the towers that walking him home would prove inconvenient at best and blister inducing at worst, though if Arin needed her to get the wolf home she was willing to do it. Considering their options, she stepped into the house in time to see Arin crouching down next to the still filthy wolf.