Welcome to Gaia! ::

A feeling crept up into Sang's front as he held himself against the boy he had begun palaver with. Unable to understand it at first, his mind reeled with possibilities. Maybe the child was killing him, pumping him full of light so subtly his body would have no time to register it, or maybe he was beginning to teleport again, to evaporate again in a whiff of smoke, with who knows how many repercussions for anyone touching him. It was only after a moment of deliberation and authentic enjoyment that he realized that it was actual warmth. It had been ages, who knows how long, since he had been caressed by such a feeling. After another moment of ecstasy, he began to construct a response.

Moving the index finger of his hand in wide circular motions on Icarus' shoulder, Sang responded, "Surely you understand, my friend, that there can be no light without dark. You will never be able to hide from it, nor will it be capable of keeping itself away from you." Sang smiled and licked his lips, lightly tapping the tip of each fang, which Icarus had doubtless noticed by now. "Likewise, though, I believe that the darkness understands this conundrum, and it will be incapable of smothering you. Without any light, the dark would cover all, and then it wouldn't be darkness anymore, now would it."

Sang coughed a little, and chuckled. He was not used to talking so much in such a short time. It felt almost... rusty. But there was momentum in all things tangible and intangible, and if he got going, there would doubtless be nothing to stop him from pontificating until the bark peeled the trees around them with age.

Sang gave a slight sigh, his smile starting to feel real again. How much of what he said was fabricated, simple bait, and how much of it was actually exploring his mind?

"I'm sorry to say that I don't know if there's much light left in me, Icarus. The shadow takes me, from time to time, but it is never harmful. It is never frightening. Only the weakest lose themselves in the night, and the torrents that take them can only bring them so far before depositing them for the day." Those who trifled with the night without the inner strength to attend to themselves deserved to be lost, to be thrown to the far corners of the world until they learned to have the good sense to sleep at night and wander during the day. "Worry not, though, my friend. I can see that within you lies the strength to find your way, should the dark ever take you, and no amount of shadow will ever put out your light."

There he went, with the monologues again. For a while, he shut his mouth, enjoying the warmth that was seeping into him from Icarus' own back and shoulders, keeping that same circular motion with his finger perpetuating, and hiding his fangs for a time.

Sang, taken aback for a moment, considered what the child said. Had he just been... thanked? Icarus had most certainly just thanked Sang for reassuring him... for assuaging his fears. Now that was funny, nay, a downright comedy. This boy was toying with an entity he probably was incapable as of yet of comprehending and he was freely admitting his fear of the dark to nothing less than one of its masters. The sweet naivete of youth in the boy brought up a fresh pang of primal hunger deep inside him, not just in his belly but in his heart and in his mind. It bordered on lust, if Sang had been capable of love or anything close to romantics. Almost ironic that one so dark in his needs was beyond the most basic of urges and wants.

Sang allowed the other to think a bit longer and, though it pained him, allowed him to finish speaking. He enjoyed the hollow pangs that were his hunger, and not long after Icarus had lapsed into silence, looking at him with a smile plastered on his face, Sang slipped his arm all the way around his counterpart's waist, pulling him in closer and ending the circular motions that his index finger had been making on his shoulder, instead gripping it with his entire hand. Leaning in, he dropped his voice and began to speak.

"You may not know me as well as you think, Icarus. But I know you. At least, I know enough of you to suffice. I can smell the fear on you, though you try to hide it, and maybe some of it has dissipated, but it's still there. It's absolutely delicious." At this, his fangs gleaned out from his mouth, catching what little light there was. "Let's not play games, here, good Icarus. I require something of you. I wonder if you would let me have it...?" At this, he lowered his mouth to the neck of the boy, placing the tip of one of his sharpened canine onto his neck, taking care to be gentle, to not break the skin. If he was going to do this, he wanted it to be pleasant for the boy. He had held interesting palaver.

Oh, it was good. It was delectable. The strained push against his arm as the boy tried not to impale his neck. The fear rolling off of him like waves off a stormy sea, the tiny heartbeat from his chest hammering fiercely. His magic apparently not functioning, as he lay wreathed in undeath's embrace like a tiny animal in a trap. This was the moment he had been waiting for, the thrill of the hunt, the prophecy of every night come true. Yet it only took Icarus a moment to ruin it. Sang almost felt like spiting the boy, drinking deep and being done. But humanity seemd to be the trend tonight, and the razored canines found themselves sheathed as he pulled his head back, his lips brushing up against Icarus' ear again.

Dropping the condescension and sugarcoating, Sang's husky voice was frank. "Relax, child. Those of my kind have special measures to prevent discomfort in our generous donors. You won't feel a thing. Won't remember a thing. This entire night? Gone. You'll think you've been asleep, or you've been watching the moon, hell, you might even think you've spent it with a girl, whatever will make your mind most satisfied. If you deny me this, though, I will take my leave. Just remember one thing. This encounter will stay with you forever, and you will know that I am out there, and you will know that I may be watching you. It's your choice, boy... Be happy, you have earned a reward for holding my interest." With this, he dropped his arms, letting them fall to his side. He made no motion to move away, but the boy was free to move.

Again, the space beneath his fingers was cold. He had let the boy out of his grasp, time and time again, given him opportunities to run. Yet he remained. This was what perplexed the rational mind of Sang the most, the fact that the boy understood exactly what he was but made no move to beg or plead, to run when he had every right to be afraid, if not terrified. And now he had brought a gift, of all things.

Throwing back his head, he emitted a laugh that was both inhuman and utterly devoid of good humor. "I can't decide if you're ignorant, childish, or the single most ridiculously audacious person, child or otherwise, that I've ever met." He reached forward and gently plucked the vial the boy offered, holding it up to examine it against the night sky. The weight of it was there, but he was beyond being struck by profound thoughts or feelings. A being like himself could know no daylight, and the only illumination he could know was the dull glow of the moon and the faint pinpricks of stars. This was a light for Sang, who knew only the nearly-black.

"I cannot say that I will cherish it, Icarus, but I can most certainly say that I will keep it. As a... reminder." The closest thing to an authentically human smile touched his lips. "A reminder that things are not always as they seem, and there is a chance to learn more in every chance encounter. He fixed his eyes on the boy and the smile dropped away, as quick as it had come. If you have another of those vials and would let me have it, I may have a gift to give you in return.

((right, i feel like it's about time we wrapped this up. Either you can do the last post after this, or i can do it after you respond, the choice is yours. <3))

Sang eyed the obedience of the child with mild amusement, and could only wish the boy had acted with such quick compliance to all the other requests he had made throughout their little conversation. If only he had been so fortunate, if only he had had the drive to just force the boy into accepting him. If only he could get things that he wanted and hungered for. "Yes, another one, child. Humor me, as I attempt to give you something profound and meaningful."

With that, he took the vial and examined it, holding it up to the light for a moment. An empty vessel, not yet given a purpose. A beautiful thing, to live in utter bliss, to just be and not worry about where one came from and where one was going. A feeling Sang only wish he had. He had no idea as to his origin, or his destination, but he knew that he most certainly had a purpose. Unfortunately, that too was hidden from him. Maybe it was time to change that, though. Maybe this was a crossroads, and the path to his own past rolled out in front of him. All because of this one encounter with one person. Yes, there was most certainly a gift in order.

With a distant look on his face, he ripped himself from his musings and exposed his vicious canine, razor sharp and utterly wicked-looking, and with that same distracted expression, brought his index finger to it and pressed. His heart no longer beat in his chest, but there was most certainly blood the pulsed in place, stationary but very much alive. Taking the vial, he used several more fingers to draw out several drops of the brightest crimson, drops that pulsated with an otherworldly glow the second they came to lap up the air. When it had been filled halfway, he pulled the vial away and dropped his hand to his side, where the wound sealed in a moment.

His sick grin returning, he held out the vial to the boy. "Here, Icarus. Take this and remember me, and be reminded that others like me exist, and they most certainly will not be so polite. Take it and have more care with yourself, hmmm? Would be a shame if you got snatched up by someone who isn't me, after I let you go." With that, he stepped back, and the edges of his figure began to blend into the night again, tendrils pulling off and reforming around him, the dark lapping up his pale skin. "Any last words for me before I go, child?"