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 Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2023 9:04 pm
Things had for a while gone silent with his half siblings, he’d thought they’d taken the hint and decided to leave him alone. It seemed he was wrong because his half sister had cornered him on his way home, he’d started taking classes at destiny city university this winter, and she’d cornered him while he’d been walking outside after his evening history class.
She’d tore into him, stomping a foot, and shouting at him while jabbing her finger in his face and making it clear she thought he was committing murder by not helping her mother. Liam had not been happy with the scene she was causing, he wasn’t one for such attention being drawn to him, and he’d decided it was a good idea to get away from her as quickly as possible.
He didn’t run, he was not about to look like a fool running from her, but he did walk right past her and made for the bus stop on campus so he could get closer to his home. He would have to do some walking, much as he didn’t like the idea right now, but she couldn’t get him while he was on the bus and if he needed to he’d power up once off the bus and away from prying eyes. That meant walking into the city park as soon as he was off the bus and keeping to the shadows as best he could.
He was not expecting to find someone unconscious on a park bench….passed out maybe? As he got closer and could smell something off them…something he didn’t like, but he knew what it was. Lovely…some well dressed drunk. But they also seemed familiar in some way.
Deciding to wake the person, so they could get home, he pushed and nudged at them.
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Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2023 9:06 pm
It had been another long night of drinking for Aloysius, this time it had gone much farther than before. The bench was cold and wet beneath his aching form. An unknown motion stirred him and he groaned slightly. Pushing his long hair out of his face, he looked up at the figure who tried to wake him. Everything was still fuzzy and blurry as he had left his glasses somewhere, hopefully in one of his pockets or at least back at the bar. He half wondered if it was law enforcement there to usher him home or bring him in to sober up.
It had been one of his less-than-great nights, trying to drink away the thoughts and images that haunted his mind as he floated through life one day at a time. In truth, he couldn’t even remember how long he had been laying out here. It wasn’t raining when he left the bar, or at least he thought. With more groaning he shuffled himself up to a half-sitting position, eyes still not able to focus on the person who had woken him from his stupor.
“Sorry, I’ll be making my way home. I am not a homeless individual.” Part of him tried thinking about how he was going to get home, and the other part thought of how worried his cat must be in his absence. Standing was something that was just out of his current reach, wobbling as he tried to get up from the bench.
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Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2023 9:11 pm
“That’s a good idea, the city isn’t exactly safe.” And a park bench he figured was even less safe, Liam knew that personally. He went and gathered energy often enough and someone sleeping, like this, would normally be an easy target. Tonight though he wasn’t out for energy, or even powered up, so the other was lucky to not be a victim of a mirror wraith. At least not tonight, if this person made a habit of sleeping like this.
“Want help?” Reaching out to steady the other figure as he held onto them. They really did look familiar, though right now Liam was more concerned with just how drunk they were. “You’re going to need the help.” He knew there was no way they were getting anywhere on their own two feet. “Come on, we need to go.” And he really hoped they knew.
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Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2023 9:16 pm
With a nod, he pointed further down the nearby street towards a residential area. With much difficulty, he pulled out one of his business cards, crumpled and smelling slightly of booze. At least it had his address on it since he did home tutoring from time to time. The voice definitely sounded familiar but without his glasses on it would be impossible to figure out.
The shambling steps he took just added to the dizziness building up in his head. This was the drunkest he had been in years, part of him wondered if any of this was real or if he was just still drunk passed out on the bench. He was so glad his sister had not yet moved back into town since she had just finished up her college courses. She would surely scold him even though she was 7 years younger.
At that thought, he shuddered and pulled away from the man to heave his guts into the bushes, trying his best to keep his hair out of the mess as he groaned.
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Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2023 9:19 pm
Watching as the figure seemed to start moving, pointing, and giving him a slip of paper, Liam took a moment to look it over. The name on it was familiar, and it was while reading the address that it clicked for him. This had been the music teacher for one of the girls at the orphanage that he’d helped, often taking her to lessons, she had recently gotten adopted by a lovely couple who would keep her enrolled in music programs and encourage her love for music. He’d seen her off that day, hugging her and waving as she’d left in their car, he was happy to see her get a family.
“I do hope you don’t teach while drunk or hungover.” Liam spoke up as the other was in the bushes puking; gross.
“Let’s get you home before something bad happens to you, this city isn’t safe.”
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Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2023 9:21 pm
Aloysius shook his head as they walked towards his home, leaning against the other as they went to avoid falling. His drinking was getting worse, it hurt more now, like he was rotting from the inside with grief and guilt. But it was the truth though, he had never taught while drunk or hungover. Music was his life’s work whether civilian or Negaverse.
It didn’t take long for them to make it the rest of the way to his home, the longest part was him fumbling with the keys as they looked doubled in his glasses less vision. “I may need assistance without my glasses, drunk or not, I have less than good vision. It’s the one with an S on it.” He lazily held the ring up to the man who aided him on the way home.
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Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2023 9:34 pm
The help he’d offered was likely the only reason the male made it to his home upright, rather than perhaps falling on the ground and crawling his way home? Liam had never seen someone so drunk, it just hadn’t been something he’d ever been exposed to. To see someone this drunk was a rather interesting thing though it worried him also, to see someone get to this point. He had to wonder why.
When he was asked to help find the keys, and open the door, he did so with some jingling of the keys as he fumbled a moment, or two, for the right one. Once he’d opened the door he slipped inside with the other.
“Why would you be out in the park drunk? It’s unsafe and you have a home.” It was safe here, or at least safer than the park. Toeing off his shoes as he looked around, wanting to know where he’d be dumping the other.
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Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2023 9:44 pm
“To be truthful, I have not been that drunk outside my own place in about 6 years. Ah, I am Aloysius, I did not catch your name.” He slowly and carefully made his way through the shelves of music books and sheet music, past the piano and viola that had been passed through his family, and towards his bathroom. The whole house was rather large and filled to the brim with musical items and memorabilia. There were photos of all the times he had played 1st chair in the orchestra throughout school and various pictures of the classes he taught when they would graduate.
Looking at himself in the mirror, he slapped his face before dosing it in cold water. It helped clear his head a little white he grabbed his glasses from the medicine cabinet. Returning to the main room, he was a little less wobbly, being in a place he was familiar with.
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Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2023 9:49 pm
“Liam, and you might want to be careful where you are when you're so drunk.” He wouldn’t be able to defend himself if someone came after him, not like he likely could against the Negaverse or a mirror wraith. He might drain people of their energy, it was needed, but he wouldn’t personally go for someone who was pass out drunk even if it was easy pickings. He also knew some people would most certainly go for someone who was so vulnerable.
He’d followed the other, keeping close in case he needed it, but it seemed the other was getting his bearings about himself which was good. At least the other didn’t clunk his head on the sink, or the counter top, and was even making his way back towards the living room.
“You good if I leave you or are you going to pass out or puke again?”
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Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2023 9:51 pm
“Truth be told, I would not be opposed to your company, now that I recognize you. I am very sorry you are seeing me like this Liam.” He looked more worn out than he had felt in a while, his facade had fallen not in front of a stranger but in front of someone who knew him at least in some sense. Combing his fingers through his bangs, he slid onto one of the plush couches that made their home in the common room of his house. He was still very drunk and even with his glasses and the slaps, he was going to pass out soon. Being alone had been so tiring, he didn’t want to wallow anymore in his guilt even if it felt like he had to atone.
“I have many places to rest here, there are two rooms and four couches. The one down here is mine though so please refrain from entering it. I think this is where I am going to rest though, things are spinning again.” With that he slid to a lying position on his side, watching the trash can next to the coffee table with disdain as he hoped it wouldn’t be needed for vomiting purposes. His eyes started to flutter closed shortly after, returning to much the same position Liam had found him in.
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Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2023 9:52 pm
“I’m surprised you remember me, it was one run in.” And it had been a short one at that. He was very much surprised, he didn’t think himself that memorable really. He was an average person, nothing stood out about himself, as far as he was concerned.
Sitting himself on the floor he stared up at the drunken man. “So, why did you decide to get so drunk and pass out in a park? Any homeless person, or anyone else, could have killed you.” Or worse; there was always worse than death.
Shaking his head at the other he went to move the trash can closer, just in case, as he spotted the other watching the can. Situating himself back on the floor by the other, side pressed to the couch, he kept his blue eyes on the other. “I think, for now, I’ll stay here.” Though he wasn’t sure what he’d do for bed clothing if he did stay the night. He also didn’t know what he’d do for clothing in the morning. He wasn't about to ask to borrow clothing or assume he could do so.
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Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2023 9:53 pm
He vaguely heard the other as he slipped beneath the waves of his nightmares, drowning in the black tar that pulled him further down into his dream. Feathers, tar, and a smell of hellfire and brimstone as he saw the same horror that greeted him when he slept. No amount of drinking would drown out the warped and monstrous face of his only "partner". Even if to them he was one of many, the fact Aloysius left them to die was no proper fate. He groaned softly in his sleep, mumbling the name of that monster forgotten by time. The other half of him he so cruelly left behind, the one who shared a name even if from another land. The other night hear the quiet mumbling of Bischofite or Alois as Aloysius slept fitfully on the couch, knocking his glasses from his face and onto the floor in the process.
The broken man who slept with tears running down his face was a sharp contrast to who he was to everyone around him. But he was so tired…. So very tired of keeping up the facade and walls. Maybe someone else in dire straights could understand him or anyone could offer a hand to pull him from the tar and feathered past that hand a crow’s beak dug deep into his own heart and starseed.
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Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2023 10:01 pm
Picking the glasses up from the floor Liam went to set them on the coffee table, folding them gently as he did so, and leaned in close to the other. That name, or names, it was certainly interesting. The other clearly was having a bad dream about someone, though who Liam certainly didn’t know, but whatever it was the impact was clear. He was, of course, assuming that whoever this person, or persons, was what was the cause for the others drinking. He could be wrong, he knew he could be, but he didn’t think he was.
One of those names sounded familiar…but not familiar. He was familiar with names which sounded similar and that in mind, and having some sort of a hunch, he reached for his phone and did a google search…bischofite. A mineral…it was a mineral. Senshi had star names, and other space bodies, while knights had ancient places. Negaverse however had minerals. Did the music teacher, who was sleeping and drunk, know a Negaverse officer? But how and why….why did they play a part in his nightmares?
Phone in hand he turned towards the man and shook him, slowly at first, as he watched the other crying in his sleep. “Aloysius, wake up.” He spoke, waiting for the other to rouse. “We need to talk.” Because he had a hunch and it was becoming stronger and stronger and he needed an answer and he wanted it now.
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Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2023 10:02 pm
The angry jaws snapped shut on him as he woke up with a start sitting straight up clutching at his chest, at his star seed. Feeling the phantom fingers of Alois in his chest even after all these years. “I’m sorry Bischofite I didn’t mean to leave you to die.” He was sobbing with his head in his hands as he sat hunching over himself on the couch. It took him a few moments to realize that in fact, Liam was there. His face fell and then he felt his heart pounding. Oh no, his cover which was kept so carefully to allow his double life was most certainly blown. “I….I… can explain.” He most certainly could not explain it to a civilian. At this point the pieces fell further and faster away from his facade, not even from being drunk because the nightmares that haunted him left him stone-cold sober when waking every time, but because if his life was now to be torn asunder there would be nothing left of the few things he still had to cling to.
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Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2023 10:03 pm
“I know you can, but I don’t think I need it.” He held out his phone showing the results of his google search. “I can only think of one reason to be crying someones name…and a mineral name.” At least he could, but he had a reason for that. “And to be apologizing for letting a mineral die.” Which he knew the other hadn’t done, you couldn’t kill a mineral or let one die. There was a reason for it and he’d had it more or less confirmed with the apology just now. It wouldn’t make sense in any other context, at least none which he could think of.
Going out on a limb, and figuring this might make things a bit better, he reached for his pocket and pulled something out. Something red, black and gold in color and offered it to the other. It wasn’t a sign of order…not the same brand of chaos as the other though. It did speak of corruption though…of chaos. He’d pulled out his own henshin pen and was holding it in front of the others face.
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