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 Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 2:41 pm
Roleplay between ;; Red & Never. ( Crux&Trystan and Rhian&Elle )
Location: Farstep Carnival.
Time: Early Evening.
Weather: Cloudy, with hints of rain.
It had months. It felt like years.
The demons inverted eyes gazed around. They'd bled to black weeks prior, and had stayed that way. Ever since returning from the manor, he'd been in a mood that almost screamed stay away. The old Trystan was surely buried down deep somewhere, but to the world it seemed like he was as shut away as he had been when he was a child. He'd left almost immediately after visiting Faolan one last time, after seeing just how much damage was making him act emotional. The sadistic part of him squirmed and told him he was disgusting, while his human heart angrily berated him for trying to get rid of the sensations. It hadn't stopped him from doing it though - or trying to at least - but his mundane side had forced him into something as equally trying.
Stepping foot again into Farstep.
Compelled by a white hot flash of painful emotions, he had driven up in the sleek new car he'd bought himself. Vida, the one he'd crashed, had been left behind. As much as he loved the thing, he couldn't bring himself to be in it when there were so many memories in the leather. It was a stupid thing, seeing memories every time he was in a familiar place. He'd left his condo temporarily as well, much to Crux's distaste. Speaking of which, the alter was padding behind him, nose lifted to the air in a canine display. The wolf was dressed in "sheeps" clothing. A bandanna hid his ears, and his tail was hidden under a long coat that fit to his lanky body. He was dressed in a suit close to an informal mafia person, hiding all of his scarier aspects. Only the black, void eyes gave him away.
The carnival had changed, there was no doubt. Trystan had briefly asked about it from a worker, but the man had run off all too quickly. The demonic side of Trystan hissed. He knew where Faolan was. But as soon as he got within view of the house, he strayed. It was if a barrier had been pitted between them. Veering off, the demon paced restlessly around, Crux trailing after him with faint worry. His nose picked up the keen scent of incense and alters.
"You're not going to visit." He wasn't asking a question, he was stating a fact.
The black haired man kept his mouth shut with a closed look. Crux didn't say anything more. Neither of them realized that they were still within plain view of the house. The wolf trailed a longing gaze towards the structure.
He knew Trystan felt a barrier between himself and all he'd come to love. That was what prevented him from going. Crux knew that Trystan didn't take notice of it. But he himself wished more then anything that something would come along and break the barrier that was only in Trystans mind. Crux dropped his eyes to the ground.
It had been long, far too long since the man had been in the company of peace.
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Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 3:25 pm
Rhian was in the living room, sewing a little dollie for Bel to have when she got older, when she felt the familiar-but-strange presence of Crux outside. And Crux meant. . . . Trystan! Or at least it should have, right? Looking over to Ellandra, who was sitting on the couch, quietly reading, the Essentic chirped an, "I'll be right back, Mama, I think I left something outside," and headed off without waiting for an answer. Once she stepped outside, she looked around until she spotted the familiar figures and made a beeline for them.
She moved more slowly than she might have in the past, however -- the conflicted, confusing emotions rolling off of Trystan were enough to hold her to caution. She stopped close enough to be seen, but far enough away that neither were in touching-reach, and tilted her head. "Uncle Trystan? Crux?"
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Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 3:42 pm
Crux lifted his nose even before the alter was out of the house. Incense was an easy smell on his senses. It blocked out a lot of other things, but he got the scent of warmth and comfort, and something sweet as well. It reminded him of candy. He let a low growl out of the back of his throat - a way of Trystan knowing someone was coming. The wolf wagged its tail. It was Rhian. The more primal part of his mind, influenced by the canine growled. Pack. It told him smugly.
Trystans entire body froze behind him at the girls voice, and Crux didn't try to relax him. Nothing could relax Trystan nowadays unless he... Crux didn't finish the thought and wavered a bit. And then he stepped forward, bowing his head to look down at Rhian. The bandanna slid in the slightest, tufts of his furry ears poking out underneath. A thin smile flexed onto his lips. "Rhian. You grew up." He said in a low rumbled. Trystan didn't budge from his spot. His eyes were anywhere but the girl. Turning back to the man, the wolf whimpered a bit. "I'm sorry for his behavior..." He told her softly. "I've tried everything. He wont... He hasn't.... Ever since Kaosu." The alter trailed off with no good explanation. He sighed and looked at Rhian as if it would convey everything. A sliver of hope passed through his eyes. Pack sister, his canine mind told him, perhaps she can help. But he didn't know how. He didn't even realize Trystan fidget. He'd heard everything.
Damn it, Crux swore in the back of his mind awkwardly, unaccustomed to the choice of words. He prayed that Rhian could help the man, not even knowing he was putting a lot of wolf-like trust in her already. That could have been either extremely bad, or extremely good. Crux wasn't so sure of anything yet.
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Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 4:02 pm
Rhian nodded softly. "Hello, Crux," she greeted her brother, stepping closer, and reaching out, touching his arm briefly. She looked at Trystan a bit and sighed softly. "I understand. It's like how Mama and Papa were when they were apart," she said quietly, and though she didn't speak in words, her eyes clearly told that she would do absolutely everything she could to help heal Trystan. "And you've been there. Sometimes, that's all you can do," she added, before moving until she was in Trystan's gaze, fully prepared to keep moving around as needed.
"I know you don't want to hear me, Uncle Trystan. . . but I hope you do," she said softly, looking up at his eerie eyes without the slightest hint of fear. "What you're doing isn't good, Uncle Trystan. What happened was a bad thing, and there's a gap in your soul, I know it - I felt it before, and I feel it now. It's hard to keep together, I know, even with the best of help. But you have to try. . . I promised to help you, you see, and I'm going to do what all I can. . . but not just cause of the promise," she added, stepping a bit closer to Trystan and reaching out her hand, slowly, cautiously.
"I love you, Uncle Trystan, and Crux loves you, and so many others love you. . . don't leave, please? I know you're there, just hurting, hurting so badly. . . . ." The smell of the calming incense grew stronger, and Rhian considered reaching for her windup key to up her powers. . . but she'd wait for a moment, wait and see if it was needed.
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Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 4:50 pm
Crux's ears flexed forward with a slight smile. Rhian was gentle, and kind. Where another male, a male alter at that, could not tread, perhaps she could. "We really do have a lot to catch up on." He said softly, before straightening to his full height, tail swishing elegantly from side to side. His wary eyes eyed what his painted wolf's mind considered an alpha male. Though right now he was acting more like the outcast. "Be careful." He commented without taking his eyes away. "He's still... not himself." His ears twitched and disappeared under the bandanna again. Words left him. All he could do was try not to pace restlessly and stepped back, not feeling the need nor want to interfere.
Trystan took a step back for every step Rhian took foward once he saw her. He stopped when he realized drifting backwards wouldn't help unless he was running. He stared down at the girl, his eyes a solidified ice blue. The black around them was dark and dangerous. The humanity however, stayed locked in those blue irises. Inside them, something screamed Save Me. "You dont have a right to tell me what isn't good for me." He said in a low, cold tone. "Theres no gap, theres nothing. Dont lecture me about things I dont believe in." His mind whispered lies, and the demon told it to shut up.
At the mention of love, something cracked within him. He flinched visibly, as if the words were punches. He heard Crux growl angrily. The wolf wasn't happy. "No, you dont." He hissed out, as if the words were poison. "You dont know me, you cant love me. Crux is tied to me through a contract, but if he wasn't, do you think this thing called love would stop him from leaving?" Trystan glared at her. "It didnt stop him." He told the girl bitterly. Crux bit back a whimper. The cracks were visible now. The humanity was showing. "You dont know anything about hurt, Rhian." He said, snapping. His pain overflowed the barriers he'd put up, and his vision blurred.
"I was convinced for years that there was nothing that could do this to me except a bullet. And then he came along and I trusted him because even though it was never spoken, there was the lie of that there." He didn't know why he was talking so much. His mind told him to shut up. "And I believed it. For one second I believed it and I thought it was enough. And he left. Even though he knew. He knew everything." Trystan didn't know why he was telling Rhian this. It burned his throat like acid. "So dont come here, and lie to me about loving me when you dont know anything. And dont expect me to suddenly turn around and say I believe you. I believed him, and look where it got me." Bitter resentment bubbled in his throat. Not at anyone but himself, a part of his mind said. "Theres no point in telling me something I already know. Its my body, I know I'm hurting. But what are you going to do about it?" He took a step for her, his demonic side hovering on the edge of his conscious. His voice was a low whisper of hurt and agony. He wanted to whisper as desperately as he could, save me. But he couldn't. Rhian knew though. She had to. His eyes told her everything.
"What the hell are you going to do about it, Rhian?"
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Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 5:14 pm
Rhian was silent throughout Trystan's tirade, able to pierce through his harsh statements and recognize the real meaning, the real feelings behind them. As she listened, she watched his eyes, sensed the unspoken message, and grabbed for her key. She wound it slowly the entire time Trystan spoke, until the key snapped behind her, her eyes and antennae both glowing intensely as the little key started spinning slowly.
"I can't fix you fully, no. . . but I can start it," Rhian said softly, and then she was inside, sensing the knotted and tangled and damaged emotions that Trystan gelt constantly, like black sores oozing pain and brokenness, and she went to work, patching here, soothing there, straightening out osme of those poor tortured emotions, dimming them as she could.
She couldn't take away the older pains, or the deepest ones - she could only do a very little about the pain Kaosu had caused, that horrifying split in the soul she'd only seen once before in her life, so she simply focused on the other emotions, the other hurts, dimming their pain and seeping the love and acceptance of herself and Crux and Faolan and everyone she knew, sinking that as deep as she could just to try and ward off that all-consuming hurt and pain, to keep him from falling off the edge of no return. She couldn't fix him entirely, but she could keep him from leaving the world, at least long enough for him to really start healing.
She had no idea how long she spent, suspended in this strange, empathic state of working purely emotion-to-emotion, but all too soon she could feel herself falling out, and away, and just before she lost the connection and the key wound to a halt, she all-but-flung the loyalty, the caring, the sheer bond that Crux had for his owner towards Trystan, burying it as deeply as possible so that it would be more easily accepted, too deep to deny (easily anyway), and then she was back in the normal world, feeling her legs fall out from under her and her eyes falling shut as she fell forward into unconsciousness.
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Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 5:41 pm
Trystan felt it before he knew what was happening.
He felt the soft touch of soothing relaxation like an uncanny force. It knocked into him, tidal wave after tidal wave. He was rooted to the spot, like a deer caught in headlights. His human mind sighed happily, almost purring at the feel. But his demon side hissed and resisted, angrily resenting the fact that something was meddling with the half bloods body. he felt like he was trapped in some sort of surreality. The world spun around him, but he was rooted, emotions drawing out deep, complicated feelings that spun into numbness. Rhian was working at the knot that had become his emotions, and even though it was worse then she probably could have ever dreamed of fixing, the feel of the slightest pain ebbing was enough to make Trystans mind slip back into a content state for a moment.
It was over though, in a flash. He felt like he'd let go of a dream. His eyes half lidded, the demon felt his shoulders sag. Relief was an unworldly beast prowling his mind, dropping in and out between the countless pains and hurts and scars. It made him feel a fraction of an inch better, like he had when he'd been at the manor, and the pain had finally ebbed away and his mind had left him to rest. But now there was no blood, no scars, no demons. It was just Rhian. Was this what kinship felt like? Proper kinship? Helping even though he wasn't someone that should have been saved? His eyes fluttered down to his scarred wrists and arms. Proper kinship... Crux's eyes flashed in his mind. Loyalty. It surged through him like wildfire. All of his doubts had been crushed. He knew it had been the act of Rhian, but still... it felt good. He looked up in time to see Rhian begin falling.
Crux was quick enough though. Where Trystan was sluggish as though he were still waking, the wolf prowled the corners like a restless beast. He caught Rhian easily, and propped her up with gentle hands. His eyes flickered to Trystan, tail wagging. His jacket had been slipped off sometime ago. "Are you hurting?" He asked tentatively. He didn't know what Rhian had done, only that it had affected Trystan. The man couldn't bring himself to smile like he used to, even with the soft feelings flooding his system. His eyes gleamed a bit however.
"No..." He murmured. Crux didnt need Trystan to tell him what he felt. Instead, he cradled Rhian in his arms.
"We should get her somewhere safe." He murmured, gesturing towards the house. Trystan hesitated, taking a step back. Crux growled. "Dont." He told the other with sudden authoritative. "You've come this far." His tone softened. "Dont back out, not now." Trystan fidgeted. The wolf turned on his heel and padded for the house. He knocked on the door and waited, holding Rhian bridle style. His nose twitched at the smell of incense at such a close range. He waited for the door to open, feeling Trystan hovering near the edge. Well, it wasn't much....
But it was a start.
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Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 5:59 pm
Ellandra heard the knocking at the door and opened it hurriedly, her heart dropping to her stomach as she saw Rhian unconscious - but was that Crux? And Trystan? "Come in, come in, everyone," she said, swallowing her fears for Rhian. "Is Rhian all right? What happened? Oh, do come inside before it starts to rain, I was going to make some hot chocolate here in a few minutes - oh, Crux, is that safe for you to drink with that influence? I wouldn't want to give you something dangerous..." Yes, she was babbling a bit, but the brunette was scared for her daughter, and indeed also for Trystan, worried for the man she hadn't seen in so very long.
Meanwhile, a certain cocker spaniel puppy made her way into the living room and sniffed curiously at the newcomers, tilting her head and wondering what was going on. This one was dog, but not dog. . . what was this?
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Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 7:13 pm
As Ellandra opened the door, Crux could literally feel Trystan shrinking behind him. Crux growled. The man shot people for a living and he couldn't even stand up to a girl. Looking down at the petite woman, the wolf smiled softly and stepped in when ushered. "I think she's fine... She just exerted her powers too much, it seems." He murmured. He was another essentic, and knew that they had limits to what they could do. "She needs rest, I think." He glanced over and laid her down carefully so Ellandra could take care of her how she wanted. Sliding off the bandanna, Crux's large ears twitched at the mention of hot chocolate. Nose twitching, he wondered if it would be a bad idea or not. "I dont think it really upsets me in small quantities." He commented. "I wouldn't mind trying it though, it was cold out and being warmed sounds like a nice idea." He smiled once again at Ellandra, before stepping out of the way so she was faced with Trystan instead.
The taller man averted his eyes in discomfort. "Good evening." he said, but it was only a fraction of an inch above a whisper. His t-shirt illuminated the criss crossed silver scars. "Its been awhile." He said as though trying to make up for being the cause of Rhian's fainting, and Ellandra's worry. The essentics words still ran through his mind. He didn't want to be here. He wanted to run until his lungs burned and his feet gave out. But something rooted him to the spot, made him try to be friendly. "How are - " He was cut off by the cocker spaniel and Crux.
The canine essentic had watched the puppy with a wary interest when it first arrived down the stairs, a threatening growl sounding in his throat. He caught the scent in the air and placed it to the dog before eyeing it. The puppy didn't look threatening but... Crux's tail swished from side to side. He didn't want to be the one to approach. His position and rigid tail would have sent waves of messages to the puppy. A dogs vocabulary was limited though. And if there was any mention of a message in Crux's subtle actions, they settled into, Stranger. Runt. Alpha, me. The wolf inside of him wanted to make sure the puppy knew he was the dominant one. Crux's body portrayed that vividly enough.
Trystan watched with Ellandra, before turning to her and feeling like sprinting out of the house again. "So, hot chocolate?" He forced out, wanting to intentionally snare himself so running wasn't an option. He couldn't hide forever. He couldn't snap again like he had at Rhian. This was a start. But there was no end in sight.
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Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 7:22 pm
Ellandra nodded at Crux's explanation, and took a blanket she had been snuggled in and draped it over Rhian, bending down and kissing her forehead. "Rest well, little one," she said softly. "Rhian's done this before, I'm afraid. It's something of a side effect of using her abilities to their fullest, I think," she added, before taking Trystan gently by the elbow. "Here, Trystan, why don't you come help me to make the hot chocolate? I could use someone in there in case the baby makes me dizzy, and I think Crux will be busy for a little while." Her voice was gentle, coaxing. She didn't want Trystan to leave, not yet. It didn't look like he'd be very well off if he did.
Meanwhile, Contessa tilted her head at Crux and wagged her stubby tail, an odd whimper-bark escaping her mouth. Play with me? She recognized the older, authoraty nature of the strange-looking dog, sure, but she was a puppy and was much more interested in playing. Besides, Bert was boring and snoozy, and she could make him do what she wanted, eventually she would be able to take this strange one on!
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Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 7:31 pm
Trystan flinched heavily at the contact, making to pull away before realizing Ellandra meant no harm. Memories mocked his mind for a moment before he shoved them back. "The baby?" He repeated distantly, letting himself be pulled along. Exhaustion had finally settled into his shoulders from exerting emotion so much, and the long tiring hours of tossing and turning. "You're knocked up again?" He asked without censoring himself and let his arm be held gently. He knew he should be saying something close to "I'm happy for you" or "Thats awesome", but it would have just come out as a strangled mix of words and absent nothings. "Lead the way?" he suggested, forcing eye contact. He then glanced away, clearly not used to the company of friends anymore. "Sorry." He said under his breath, but he doubted even he knew what for. The list went on and on, without any sort of end. On and on, like a broken record.
Meanwhile, Crux watched Rhians sleeping form before turning to the puppy. He crouched low, letting his wolf instincts bring down. Play. Yes. Pack play. The wolf said it through him, in soft tail wags and ear flicks. He also hummed a growl in the back of his throat. He was as much animal as the dog was. He was only dressed in sheeps clothing. Starting forward with impressive speed, he swatted at the puppies side, and pushed her down gently as if he were a wolf playing some sort of game of tag. The canine inside of him growled again as he backed away, waiting expectantly for the puppy to run after him now and show her strength.
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Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 7:48 pm
Ellandra nodded, being all gentle and careful with Trystan, she could tell that the man had been through something as terrible as her own split with Faolan (however temporary it was) had been, and had somewhat of an idea of what to do. "Yes, I'm pregnant again. The twins are still only a few months old, too," she said quietly, gently patting the half-demon's arm. "Why don't you rest here for tonight?" she asked quietly. "There's a spare bedroom tht you and Crux could share, and you could use a good dinner." Her bright grey eyes were filled with worry as she offered up her most gentle and fragile of voices for this invitation.
Contessa yelped as she was smacked down, and immediately leaped up to give chase. She would show the big dog! Gonna get you! She pounced at him slamming at the big strange dog with all the force in her two little front paws - not a lot, really, in comparison to him, but a good showing for a puppy. Quickly, she also danced away, raising her rear in the air and staring at the big dog Come get me!
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Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 8:22 pm
Trystan shuddered, refusing to acknowledge the hateful demons words inside his mind. I dont need pity, One part of him spat to the human-dominated side of his brain. I dont need anything from you. But he didn't say that out loud, because it was a lie and he was too tired and exhausted to try and force himself to agree with it. Rhian had defeated him for the night, and grudgingly, he owed her one. "Pray its not triplets this time." He said in as much of a joking tone he could get. It fell short though, and Trystan gave it up. He was still tense to the touch, his mind reacting and telling him that any minute, the woman was going to dig her nails into him and turn into some sort of vicious creature. But with Ellandra, he couldn't really see any similarity. His conscious laughed it off, but his mind kept it stored. "That'd be..." He wanted to let her down. He couldn't though. His mind told him not to. "Sure, one night." He forced himself to look over at Ellandra, head hung a bit low as he tried not to get whiplash from the constant emotions. It felt good, but at the same time taxing. He wanted sleep. "Crux will like it." He said, imagining the essentics tail wagging already.
Crux huffed out in a rather canine display and let his shoulders tense as though he were an actual wolf. When the puppy slammed into him, Crux fell back with a mix between a human and a dogs yelp. Scrambling, he ran after the other, swooping and knocking her flat on her back, placing a hand on her furry chest with a huff. Better then that. His actions said and he jumped away, daring the dog to come after him. His tail swished from side to side. The game would continue, of dodging and rolling, bumping and playful teeth. It was a dogs game, but it was enjoyable nonetheless. The wolf whined in happiness. Finally a release.
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Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 8:36 pm
"Thank you, Trystan," Ellandra said, smiling up at the much-taller-than-her-man. "I'm very glad of your company." Searching his face for a moment, she smiled a bit again, though a bit more sadly this time. "Perhaps. . . . would you want to head to the guest room and go on to sleep after dinner? No need to stay up late when you're tired, hm?"
Contessa yelped as she was pinned, and struggled and kicked before launching herself more fully into the game. I'll getcha! This was so much fun! Much more fun than sleepy Bert or crazy floppy-things girl! Finally, a real friend to play with, who knew how to play and could teach her! Or, well, she didn't think this in as many words, but she was certainly happy to have someone who spoke her language to play with (and someone who didn't sleep and eat all day at that.)
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Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 9:42 pm
Faolan came downstairs, Kelly and Zia in tow, having gotten the twins laid down for a nap. He'd heard some commotion and thought maybe the puppies were giving each other a hard time. A quick glance told him that Bert was still asleep on his doggy bed and Contessa was rolling about with a strange boy. "Um, hello?" He looked around. "Elle? There be a weird kid in th' house."
"That's not a weird kid. That's Crux!" Zia shouted, pushing past Faolan to run over to Crux. It tackled the other Essentic, hugging him tight.
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