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Remiyah
Crew

PostPosted: Sun Jul 30, 2006 2:36 pm


((Another fabulous YIM RP that shall be posted here))

Nae
Haki had first been delighted when they had moved back to the smaller apartment. It was home, in it’s own way, and she preferred it to the large, awning mansion where everyone worked for her father. That had grown stale after the first few days, and this, in all it’s familiarity was much more excited.

Note, that the important word is ‘had first been’. For Haki was angry now, sulking, because the man she called her father refused to bring himself out of the slump. That it involved Hadrian was obvious. But what had happened, and why it had happened, Haki wasn’t sure.

And as she always did whenever she was tired of Marc, she went over to Remi’s house and sat on the stairs, willing the door to open with her eyes. She had never been to anyone else’s place, and so this seemed to be the most logical conclusion. Remi.


Remiyah
As if Haki really did have psychic powers, the door did open, except not for the intention she was thinking of. Remi lumbered outside carrying a very large trashbag. Trash day. The bane of her existence. Dragging a load of trash down four flights of stairs once a week. Horrible, horrible day. Except this time an unexpected person blocked her way to the stairwell.

"Haki?" Remi blinked. "What are you doing here?"

Gavin was napping, for once, and Remi wasn't about to wake him up. The peace and quiet was a wonderful thing that she wasn't going to give up lightly. However, judging by the look on Haki's face, something was wrong.

"Is everything alright?" she asked with concern. Haki was almost like a daughter to her, save the for the fact where she was actually Marc's daughter.


Nae
Haki looked up, relieved to see that Remi was indeed home. "Marc." she said, and while there was a note of distress in her voice, it wasn’t too real. She had learnt that adults seemed to react better to melodrama that fact, and so she applied this, knowing that if she could get one big person to help her... maybe it would all work out.

"He angry."

Sad, too. Worried, maybe. But angry was a good, strong word. And she would have used something stronger if she could. (Damn her vocabulary for letting her down) Instead she looked up.

And began to cry.


Remiyah
Remi dropped the bag immediately to rush to the crying girl. Embracing her in a hug, she started rock her back and forth like she did to Gavin when he was upset. Motherly instinct was key in times like these.

"Shhhh," she said gently. "It's alright."

Though, once the motherly part of her had passed, anger started to replace it. What the hell had Marc done to make Haki so upset? Just because he's angry at something didn't mean he could take it out on a little girl. His daughter, nonetheless! Of course, she didn't know all the details, but it wasn't as if Haki could explain it to her. She was only a toddler. Might as well go get the information from the actual source.

"I think it's time I've had a talk with your father," Remi said strongly, picking Haki up in her arms and headed down the stairs.


Nae
Haki relaxed, sighing happily as she melted into the embrace. And when the woman picked her up, she paused, slightly alarmed. Wait- she was going to have to go and _watch_ the confrontation? She didn't want to! So she fretted. "Haki stay here?" she asked, turning large, water ridden eyes in Remi's direction, her lower lip trembling. She didn't want to go...

Besides, she knew sometimes her father couldn't say things because she was under the same roof. She had seen a lot of moments like that whenever he was with Hadrian.

"Haki stay?" she repeated.


Remiyah
Remi blinked at the request. Of course, what was she thinking. The last thing Haki needed to see was her tearing Marc apart over this. She softened her gaze.

"Sorry Haki, I should think before I do this stuff. Of course you can stay. Gavin's taking a nap, so I'll let you slip in right next to him."

She carefully carried the girl to the sleeping boy's room and laid her on his bed, tucking her in next to him. Before she left, she gave Haki a motherly kiss on the forehead.

"You can stay here," she smiled, before leaving and getting back into the former angry mindset. Almost stomping her way down the stairs and toward the other building, she started to think of a few choice words to say to Marc. The next thing she knew, she was up the stairs and at his doorstep again. This time,
relmiyah: she wasn't worried about him answering the door. She knocked rather hardly.


Nae
"And I’m telling you it isn’t good enough!" he opened the door while he was still on the phone with a business associate, and his face registered mild surprise as he noticed who it was. Raising a hand to halt her, he growled into the speaker set. "I’ll call you back when you develope some brains, a*****e."

And he hung up, a click of the phone which was as angry as his gesture could yet. "Is Haki with you again?"

It wasn’t a question, not this time. He moved over and placed the phone on the island, staring at the work in front of him. He was wearing an expensive suit, the jacket discarded on the table, and yet there was something worn about it, as if he hadn’t changed in the past two and a half days, or something just as long. He was tense too, like a man with too much coffee and there
vellacrean: was a bright, feverish glint to his eyes as he watched her.

"What do you want?"


Remiyah
Taken aback by his tone and his dress, Remi blinked for a moment before regaining her composure. He looked horrible. No wonder Haki ran to her doorstep. She folded her arms angrily.

"Care to explain why Haki was crying on my doorstep because of you?" she arched a brow. She didn't like that glint in his eye. Something was wrong. Very, very wrong. But whatever it was, Marc would need to fix it. Haki couldn't keep coming over like that. Not that Remi didn't enjoy having the girl over, but she needed to be with her own father provided that he could actually take care of her.


Nae
"Crying?" he sounded surprised. "Why would she be crying?" he asked her the same question, and there was a look of confusion on his face as he tried to think back. He hadn’t taken her to the shopping center yesterday, had forgotten to tell her that her dress would take longer... but that wasn’t enough to make a girl cry, was it?

"What was Haki doing crying at your doorstep?"

Marc shook his head. It was just another problem, wasn't it? He had thought moving back in here would make everything better, but it hadn't. It had made things worse. The tension, the possibilities of running into each other... walking over to the sink, he pulled out a bottle of fine scotch from the cookie jar.

"Something to drink, Remi?" he asked.


Remiyah
"I don't drink," she gave a slightly disgusted look at the bottle of scotch he was pouring. It bothered her that this was all he had as a reaction. If it had been her, she'd be acting slightly more concerned. Then again, she was an overprotective mother, so maybe that was just her. Nevertheless, she thought she should come to Haki's defense.

"She said you were angry," she followed him into his kitchen. "She was too scared to come back here. Doesn't that bother you at all?"

Her voice was steadily getting louder and louder, though she didn't realize it. She wasn't looking for a fight, just feeling a little bit too much like the savior figure here.


Nae
"She's not scared, woman." he snapped out, his voice rising too at the sound of hers. "She just doesn't like being here. I would never, ever hurt her." the bottle landed on the counter with more of a snap then he had expected, and for a moment he stilled, trying to regain some composure. "And I'm not. Angry."

The last word was bitten off as he drank from the glass, no ice to temper the flow of the alcohol that had stopped burning his throat since last morning. It was simple now, pouring down like water and giving him some illusion of control.

"Is that why you came here, then?" he asked, turning. "Because I'm busy."

Quiet. He needed his work, to be busy. Not this woman.


Remiyah
Marc was starting to scare Remi too. If she hadn't been here on the behalf of Haki, she'd probably start running too. The man was drunk and obviously angry. Still, it was just this kind of attitude that pissed her off completely. When pissed, Remi never really thought about her actions before she did them. This was one of those times.

As he turned, she walked up to him, and raised her arm to slap him hard on the face. Maybe that would sober him up some.

"This is your /daughter/ we're talking about," she said with a snarl. "If you're too busy for her, then you've already hurt her. And bullshit about you not being angry."

Of course, the little sanity she had left was telling her to run away right about now, but she couldn't back down just yet.


Nae
Marc stared at her. Some dim part of him was outraged that she had slapped him. Disgusted that he had let her do such a thing- she was a woman! Surely there was some way he could have stopped her. And another... well, it didn't care. And it was the last that disturbed him enough to rouse from the pleasant numb safety net he had created for himself.

"I'm not angry." he said again, his voice devoid of emotion as he stared at her with glittering eyes. He didn't move, not then. He wondered how it would feel to hit her back- but that part of him disgusted him. Hit, a woman? No. He wasn't that bad. Not like the...

Immediatly, images of Hadrian and his bruises came up, and his eyes darkened with complete fury. Enough so that he turned away, stalking over to the makeshift counter desk.

"Haki understands." he said quietly.


Remiyah
Remi gave a mental sigh of relief. She'd half expected him to hit her back, which would have proved to be extremely painful considering the size difference there. Though she could tell he wanted to, somewhere down deep in his mind. That part still scared her a bit.

"Haki understands what?" she asked, breathing hard at the delayed realization that she'd in fact just slapped someone. Her hand was hurting. "Something's going on, and it's caused a toddler to cry herself to sleep in my apartment."

She needed to find out what was happening before she did something stupid like hit him again. He just needed to not say things that pissed her off.

"What's going on, Marc?"


Nae
Marc sat down, staring at the glass he had left on the other counter the way a man might look at a woman. He reached out for it, staring at Remi in plea. Give him his drink. Give him whatever it was inside that bottle that made him feel more human. Because otherwise he didn't like the paths his mind took.

"Nothing is going on." and that wasn't a lie.

It was over, now. That was what bothered him so much.

"Remi, please."

And there was a note of desperation in his voice that horrified him.


Remiyah
Staring at the glass, she arched a brow and snatched it from his grasp. Half of her wanted to throw it for dramatic effect, but that would probably just make him angry again. Angry, drunk people were not pleasant to deal with. So, she just held onto it where he couldn't get it unless he tackled her.

"Something's definitely going on, or else Haki wouldn't be so upset," she countered. She could sense in his voice that something was hurting him. It was then that she realized someone was missing from the apartment.

"Where's Hadrian? He's always been here when I've come," she blinked, looking around as if he were hiding behind the couch or something. She'd just assumed they lived together considering how much time they seemed to spend with each other. Then again, she hadn't seen
relmiyah: either of them in a while, and didn't have a clue what was going on.


Nae
Marc’s expression darkened as his eyes shot up to Remi’s. He didn’t have friends in this compound, which meant there was only one person he had to listen to who knew Hadrian’s name- Haki. And Haki knew better than to do that either. So to hear the words come so freely from another person when the name wouldn’t make it past his throat... well, it hurt him, bothered him at an instinctive level that hurt.

"He's not here." he snapped, getting up to pace. He couldn't sit down, and so he walked the stretch between kitchen to living room, pacing, as if somehow this outlet of energy would make everything better. All he needed to do was figure out how to stop his voice from breaking.

"I don’t know." a pathetic attempt of a sneer. "Where he is."

And he didn’t. He didn’t care. So what if he couldn’t sleep at night until he heard Hadrian get into his own apartment? What if the bed was too big for him, so he had taken to sleep in his chair? Remi didn’t know that.


Remiyah
Aha! So there was an underlying problem here. And it had to do with Hadrian. Remi vaguely rolled her eyes, wondering how so much drama could come from romance issues. She hoped she would never have to deal with this kind of pain. It looked horrible.

"Alright, what happened between you two?" she asked with a sigh. Obviously this had torn Marc up quite a bit. The general lack of Hadrian around the compound probably meant that whatever it was was hurting him too. And though Remi had no romantic expertise or wisdom to share, maybe if she could just get him to talk about it things might improve somewhat.


Nae
Marc stared at her insolently, and reached for his drink again. His meaning was clear. Give him his drink, and he’d tell her. Give him some sembelance of being in control of the situation, and he’d probably cry like a baby. An extremely good looking baby that encouraged ***** thoughts, but still a baby.

"There is no two of us, Remi." he said, watching her with angry, demanding eyes.

Not any more. And it hurt. Saying the words, it hurt.


Remiyah
Eyeing him suspiciously, she returned his glass with a look that said, 'I'm going to slap you again if you don't tell me what's going on.' Judging from his words, she could guess that they broke up. Not even her own girl friends from college were this messed up after a break-up. And that was saying something.

"Fine, but you're still going to tell me what happened," she made her way to a nearby chair, getting the feeling that this might take a while. She wasn't going to leave until she had the whole story. This was affecting Haki, which meant in Remi's mind she was allowed to get involved and try to make things better for the little girl's sake.


Nae
Sure. Blame the little girl. Marc took the glass and then with a nod, downed the glass. As if he needed the extra boost. Or maybe he was procrastinating. "He slept around."

He said the words quietly. Three little words that were easy enough to say, but seemed surreal after he had managed to get them out. "He was going to move in and then... he slept. With someone else. In the compound." he meant the last literally, and he shook his head. Making his way past Remi, he reached for the bottle again.

"And all he does he look at me. Gives me sorry eyes and... what? Does he think I can make it all better?"

Lots of words coming from the broken man. And he growled as he poured the last of the amber anesthesia into his glass.

"I'm not god."


Remiyah
Remi blinked.

"That doesn't sound like Hadrian at all," she stated, cocking her head to the side trying to imagine Hadrian 'sleeping around.' The image just didn't fit. In fact, it was hard for her to even imagine him sleeping with Marc. Hadrian just didn't seem to be that kind of a person.

"Is that all of what happened? He just up and had sex with someone else?" Another realization hit her that Marc had mentioned on the compound. "With who?! Another guardian?"

It didn't occur to her that she was probably prying into business that was definitely not hers to be snooping through, but she was still trying to grasp the fact that Hadrian was sleeping /anywhere./

"You know, you really should stop drinking that," she added as what she thought was a kind afterthought.


Nae
Marc gave the woman a sulky look. It was his drink. He could have much of it as he wanted to. "It is." he said darkly. "I caught him the first time making out, and we made up. And the second time?" he laughed. "We fought, and he kept it from me. And the last..." his eyes glittered as he stared into the emptying glass.

"He wouldn't come to talk to me about it. Hadrian was going to lie about it."

At the question though he shook his head. "Not a guardian. In the compound." he swallowed. "In the maze."

He was going to burn that monstrosity down.

Maybe that was what he should do.

Immediatly, he got up, looking into his bar for some cheap alcohol to burn the maze with.


Remiyah
Feeling that she needed to do something about keeping him from getting anymore drunk, she stood up and walked toward him and grabbed whatever he was taking out of his hands.

"Enough," she gave him a hard look, feeling like she was his mother now too. Something wasn’t right here. The Hadrian Marc was talking about didn’t fit her image of the Hadrian she knew. Racking her brain for any possible answer, her mind turned to memories of her own mother telling her about daterape drugs and the like. Might as well take a shot at it.

"Are you sure nothing else was invovled?" she asked. "Like was he drunk? Or something to that degree?"

Judging by the amount of alcohol Marc seemed to be drinking, that wouldn’t surprise her if Hadrian had picked up similar habits.


Nae
Marc snorted. "I'm not going to drink it, woman." he said, getting up as he reached for it again. "I'm going to burn that ******** maze down."

It made sense, in his mind. Wasn't alcohol supposed to help? And he didn't have anything else lying around to act as an accelorator. "Excuses." he stared. "You're making excuses, for him?"

It hurt, kind of. In the odd 'since I'm confessing she has to be on my side' logic, he didn't like the way her mind worked. "Maybe the second time." he admitted. "But the third? He was sober, free of drugs and..." he ********, another man. Thorn.

"Give it back."


Remiyah
"You’re not going to burn that maze down," Remi said blankly, slightly in shock that he was considering something like that. "Dacian would be pissed, and then you’d have an another angry mage on your hands."

She backed away from him, still holding the alcohol. Okay, so maybe she was making excuses, but maybe this was all just a misunderstanding. In her perfect world, all bad things ended up being misunderstandings.

"Has Hadrian even talked to you in length about this?" she asked him. "At all? Who told you he was sober if he wasn’t even going to talk you about it?"

Hadrian was probably feeling too ashamed to mention anything to Marc, so Remi wondered where his information was coming from.


Nae

"He came, later. That night." Marc said quietly. "He apologized. Said he was ******** sorry." his hand formed into a fist as he slammed it dnw on the bar. Looking away, he shook his head. "He apologized."

"Thorn." he blinked, surprised. Wait, hadn't he said it already? "Thorn."


Remiyah
"Yeah, because no one would be upset that you set part of the compound on fire," Remi said dryly. She was further confused as to why Marc was angry that Hadrian apologized. Wasn’t that a good thing?

Her eyes widened when he mentioned Thorn. That was that guy that was giving her bad vibes back at the school. Overly suave and an overbearing nature. That guy creeped her out since the moment she met him. She had to wonder though...

"And, um, /why/ did Thorn know all this?" she arched a brow. That part made absolutely no sense to her. Unless...

Oh god...


Nae
Marc watched her like she was a kid that couldn't do her addition. "Remi." he said. The talk had relaxed him, slightly. To vent this way was very good-- maybe he should have hired a therapist after all. "Remi." he said quietly, watching her with eyes that pleaded. Don't make him say the words, to state the obvious.

"Two times." he said quietly, and left it at that, getting up.

If she wasn’t going to let him burn the maze down, he had nothing to live for any more. Not right now. He he walked over to the sofa and sprawled, closing his eyes and raising on hand to temples that were slowly beginning to throb, like a hangover that had been hiding in the shadows of his mind. It hurt.


Remiyah
At the look in his eyes, Remi had to fight the urge to do what she did back with Haki on her doorstep. Marc was a grown man, not a toddler. Nevertheless she followed him to the sofa, and folded her arms to rest her chin on the back and peer down at him. She was trying to think of what to say, how she could make it better.

"Obviously you still care for him or else you wouldn’t be this broken up about it," she said softly. "Have you seen him at all since you two...well, you know?"

If Marc couldn’t say it, she didn’t want to hurt him more by saying the words outloud. The man was already upset enough, and he’d finally calmed down somewhat. No need to get him angry or drinking again.


Nae
Marc stared at her. "Don’t you have your own boy to think about?" he asked. "Like, how to dress up sexy and surprise Stephen in the middle of the night?" he was trying to distract her, trying not to talk to her because it felt... naked, letting another human being know so much about him. Letting someone in like this.

"Once. I couldn't sleep so I drove here, and then I saw he was up." he gritted his teeth. "Some son of a b***h hurt him, so I bought him over and treated his wounds." he decided not the mention the fact that they had fallen asleep in the same bed, or that he had been naked at the time. Nor the cold shower he had taken twice.

No. Some things, he didn't believe in sharing with women.

"I'm not broken up." he said, frowning.


Remiyah
Remi blinked again at Marc’s attempt at a distraction.

"Unlike some people, I don’t think about doing those types of things. And I’m trying to help you since you obviously aren’t helping yourself."

Her eyes widened somewhat when he mentioned that Hadrian had been hurt. At least Marc was kind enough to help him out. Still, ‘some son of a b***h’ didn’t really give her too much information in that regard.

"Any idea who it was?" she asked, trying to think of who could, or would, hurt Hadrian bad enough to warrant treating. "It wasn’t Thorn was it?"

"And you are broken up," she added. "You look like you haven’t changed clothes in days and you’re drinking. I’d call that broken up."


Nae
"Thorn?" he frowned. He had been hurt that day too, but Marc dismissed it. "Of course not." he said simply, a little bit too sharply, coming to the man’s defense as if this was expected. "Hadrian wouldn’t tell me... but he seemed to sleep well, here." he stopped, and while he didn’t blush, he avoided Remi’s gaze.

No need to let her know about THAT. Even if she liked hearing things like that. She must, surely.

"Maybe I was waiting for you to offer to take a shower with me?" he said, a lame attempt at humor that still had his eyes glint with amusement. Well, it was worth a shot, wasn’t it? "Or maybe I should ask Steph..."

Changing the subject, really.


Remiyah
That tone was a little too sharp for her. "Are you sure? Who else would want to hurt Hadrian, especially if Hadrian maybe wanted to stop cheating on you, hence all the apologizing that you seem to hate?"

Even considering the situation, his words could still make her blush. "Not a chance, plus I can tell it’s not me you want in the shower with you." With a weak laugh she added, "And stop trying to change the subject to my love life. We’re trying to fix yours remember?"


Nae
"I don’t need mine fixed." came a rather grumpy answer. And he frowned, sitting up sharply enough that he could bang heads with her. Thorn, hurt Hadrian? No, he wouldn’t. He felt completely sure of this, the way one could be sure their older brother would never try to kill their intended. Because... well, Thorn was Thorn. And Marc was Marc.

Thorn was evil, and Marc was stupid. But that wasn’t the point. Really, it wasn’t. And so he pushed all the doubts away.

"Don’t be stupid. If he..." he couldn’t say his name right now. "Wanted it so bad, why isn’t he here?" he demanded.


Remiyah
She jerked back when he sat up so that they didn’t bang heads. She didn’t need to be feeling his headache too. Stopping to consider his question, she tried to think of all possible reasons. When she’d first met Thorn, something about his sheer presence put her off. It was as if she could almost tell he was a dangerous man to deal with.

"Hmmm, well if I was going to get beaten to a pulp if I said anything I don’t think I’d be running up here either," she reasoned. "I’d probably be scared shitless. What if that wasn’t the first time Hadrian got hurt?"

She was throwing out any and all ‘what ifs’ that came to her mind. Hadrian and Thorn...something just didn’t compute in her head with that one.


Nae
Marc scowled. "Stop it, woman." he snapped.

Getting up, he moved into the bedroom. "You know, you don’t know the first thing about Thorn. He’s more than a brother to me. And he wouldn’t hurt Hadrian." he scowled just at the thought. "And what the hell would he do that it’d scare Hadrian enough? The stupid a*****e" this time referring to Hadrian. "Should know better than to cower. He can come to me." he muttered something that sounded like ‘I can be just as scary as that sunovabitch'.

"And I would have noticed." he said tightly. "If Hadrian had been hurt before. Why the hell." this was punctuated by the slamming of a drawer. "Do you think I moved back in HERE? Because I like being tormented?!"

Another slam of the drawer.


Remiyah
When he yelled at her she flinched back, falling from her position on the couch to the floor. She stared up at him with scared wide eyes as he stormed into his bedroom. She’d made him angry again, which wasn’t what she meant to do. The last thing she wanted to do was make the situation worse or Marc more upset. When he stopped yelling and slamming drawers she could only speak softly, close to tears herself.

"You’re right, I don’t know anything about Thorn. But if he’s like a brother to you, then why did he take Hadrian from you?"

Something she thought was a valid question. Not a ‘what if,’ finally just a question.


Nae
The drawer slamming stopped. And when Marc stepped out, he was shirtless- the pants he was wearing were new though, and the belt hadn't been fastened yet either, so they were very low on his hips.

"Don't you have that person, family, child, that you love so much you just want life to go perfectly for them?" he said quietly. His look was grave as he held on tightly to a dark green shirt. "If Gavin wanted something and you knew it would hurt you to give it to him, wouldn't you still give it up?" it wasn't rhetorical, not really. "He's not my child, it's worse."

Worse, as it harder, sticker, and it was with that Marc walked over for water. Something to clear his head.

"He didn’t take him." he said quietly. His hands tightened on the counter. "I gave him up."

And quietly, very, very quietly he whispered the words: "I never thought he’d actually go."


Remiyah
She blushed slightly again when he came back out half-dressed. Still, regaining her composure she pushed herself up from the ground, and absentmindedly brushed off her clothing while she tried to think of what to say. She would do anything for Gavin, even if it did hurt her. The situation was starting to make a little more sense now.

"Does Thorn love him as much as you do?" she asked, softly again. "Someone has to take into account what Hadrian needs too. He needs someone devoted to him the way you are. Can Thorn give him that?"

Something bugged her about the idea of Hadrian being passed around like some object here. She wondered how Hadrian was dealing with all of this. Maybe she’d go talk to him later too.


Nae
Marc went through the motions of getting himself water, barely paying attention to anything. "What Hadrian needs, Hadrian should know." he said the words quietly, a tremor behind the name, a hesitation because it was so hard to get it out. "He should say. I gave him plenty of opportunities, Remi." he paused, and managed to arch a brow.

"Like the opportunities I’ve giving you, with me." he said, smirking just slightly. Love?

He didn’t want to talk about that. He didn’t want to acknowledge that word.

"Thorn will give him what he gives best." he said, a little bit cryptically as he shook his head.

And Hadrian... well.

Some part of Marc didn’t want to know.


Remiyah
"What do you mean opportunities you’re giving me," she blurted out, quite baffled. This was one of those times that she wished she could understand everything that came out of people’s mouths. Too many times she’d misinterpretted stuff, which put her in awkward situations. At least he was drinking water instead of alcohol.

She arched a brow. "And what, exactly, does Thorn give best?"

She thought she had a vague idea, and something told her it wasn’t all that Hadrian needed.


Nae
Marc grinned, relaxing. "You can give up that little boy, Stephs. And live with a real man. Hadrian and I have enough ro--" the words were out of his mouth before he can stop himself, and instantly all threads of it being a good mood was lost as his expression shuttered closed. Drinking the water, he decided a hang over cure might be good too.

With that, he completely forgot to answer the second question. Part of him didn’t want to bother-- it was too complicated. And another part... he didn’t think Remi would understand.

She was a woman.

What did they know?


Remiyah
For a moment she thought to slap him again. He was drunk /and/ delusional now, if he thought she was going to do that with him. Figuring slappage just might make things worse, she resorted to words instead.

"Don’t even consider that thought," she said harshly, her eyes darkening as she backed away slightly. "You already have someone, and you need to go get him back."

Obviously she was talking about Hadrian again. If Marc had been reduced to this, something told her that he definitely needed the mage more than Thorn did. This place would definitely not be a good place for Haki until Marc sorted things out with himself.

"Would Thorn turn out like you have if Hadrian left him?" she reasoned. She needed to convince Marc that he and Hadrian needed each other.


Nae
"Thorn and I are similar the way a banana is from two bananas." he said, and paused. Wait. That didn’t make sense. "The way a cucumber is from a banana." he started again. "No, the way a carrot is from a bannana." he nodded. That was more like it. "I’m the banana, he’s the carrot." he said, as if he needed to.

Remi probably had no idea what he was talking about.

It was different, and he didn’t know how to explain it. "You go talk to him then." he said, motioning to the door with his head. "You talk to..." Hadrian. "And see what he says."

Trying vainly, to change the subject the last time, he nodded. "And what is this thing Haki is saying about women planning a party at the compound?"

Jesus. ANYTHING.


Remiyah
Remi gave him a very baffled expression. What was this about bananas, carrots, and cucumbers? He was right in thinking that she didn’t have a clue what he was talking about. She did like his idea of talking to Hadrian. Both sides of the story were definitely crucial at this point.

"I think I’ll do that," she said, wanting to get away before Marc tried anything else. "And Haki’ll be at my apartment until she feels ready to come back."

At his next comment, she blinked. Oh yeah, Natalie’s costume party. She didn’t really think this was the right time, but she didn’t know when she’d get another chance to speak to Marc. She sighed.

"Natalie’s holding a costume party and asked me to ask you to host it," she turned to him. "Only if you’re feeling up to it, of course."


Nae
Marc latched on to it. "It’s done." he said immediatly. "Tell her to let me know when it is, and it’s done."

This would give him something to be busy with.

And besides, it wasn’t as if he would need to attend. Or, if he did, he’d have to be with Hadrian. He was sure he could find a big, busty blonde woman with tits the size of his bath tub and the appetite of a ferret. That’ll show Hadrian!

Hmm. Maybe not.

But Marc would bring someone. And... he’d be spiteful. (He suits the spiteful role)

So he walked Remi to the door, and nodded. "Remi." he said. "Thank you." he smiled then, a sheepish one as he arched a brow. "But we keep it between us, okay?" he said, leaning out to kiss her on the cheek.

"I’ll pick Haki up tonight."


Remiyah
She blushed a bright red again when he kissed her on the cheek. Well /that/ was unexpected. It’d probably be better if Stephan didn’t know about that part.

"No problem," she said unsteadily. She blinked a few times to once again regain composure. "I’ll write you a note when I find out when Natalie plans on holding the party."

She nodded at him to acknowledge that she’d be waiting at night for him to pick up Haki. She wondered vaguely if they were even still asleep. But first, Hadrian needed to be talked to. When she headed for the door, she turned around one last time.

"You take care of yourself, Marc. Alright?"


Nae
Marc smirked. He shrugged, non commital and he closed the door.
PostPosted: Sun Jul 30, 2006 4:46 pm


Part One of Fixing Things with Hadrian

Aletea
Hadrian had been throwing himself into work, ever since he had last seen Thorn. The day before, actually. It was astonishing, how easily that one man could unnerve him, could frighten him...and those threats -

Well, considering Thorn's profession, he was inclined to take them seriously.

So he'd been avoiding contact even more then usual, hiding in his office, and had only been home once since then, to change and make something to eat. His bruises had become quite colorful, with the several days behind them; though the ones on his neck weren't visible at first sight, as he was wearing a high collared shirt.

Still, it was kind of hard to hide a split lip and a badly bruised cheekbone.


Remiyah
Remi approached Hadrian's office. After that talk with Marc, she had gone downstairs to see if Hadrian was in his apartment, only to find no one was home. She only knew of one other place to find him, the labs. She vaguely remembered him mentioning that he had an office in there, so she went to search him out.

Finally, after a bit of searching, she found the right door. First she took a deep breath, hoping that this wouldn't be as stressful as it had been with Marc. At least Hadrian wasn't the type to get drunk and yell at people. Or...at least she hoped not. Gently, she gave a quiet knock on the door and called softly through it.

"Hadrian? You in there?"


Aletea
Hadrian glanced up sharply at the door as he heard a knock, but quickly calmed down. Thorn didn't knock - he just entered. And the voice - a woman. It wasn't Natalie...she was the only one he'd really talked to about any of this, and even then, he hadn't seen her in a while.

"Yes, come in."

Remi? Ah, yes. It was Remi. But why was she here? She wouldn't be needing to view a Soul....maybe she had a question about Gavin?

As one could see, the mage was doing everything possible to focus only on his work. But in the back of his mind, he connected Remi to Marc through those costumes, and once more was thinking of Marc. Whom he had been trying to /avoid/ thinking of.


Remiyah
Slowly she walked to the desk, glad to see that she finally found him. She let the door close as she entered in further. Though she could tell he was trying to focus on his work, that couldn't hide the bruises. A gasp escaped her lips. Marc had said he'd gotten beaten up, but she didn't think that badly.

"Hadrian? What happened to you?" she asked, her voice full of concern as she approached the desk. She wouldn't mention she had just talked to Marc just yet. Maybe if she could find out who did this, then some more pieces would fall into place. Right now she just needed him to talk to her.


Aletea


"I-"

For a moment, Hadrian faltered. He hadn't really thought up an excuse yet, hadn't had a reason to. But nobody was about to buy that he'd gotten these injuries from anyone but another person.

"...I had a disagreement with someone."

Awkwardly, he found himself very glad that he was wearing a high-collared shirt. It would have been simpler to wear a turtle-neck, but he didn't actually own any - so if anyone should get close enough, or be lucky enough, they may catch a flash of the bruises on his neck. But he was just hoping that nobody would, or at least nobody would /ask/ about it. Because those...

Well, they obviously signified something a bit more serious.

"Did you need something?"

He looked bad, even underneath the bruises. Tired, as if he hadn't slept in a while.


Remiyah
Remi couldn't help but feel sorry for the man. Luckily she couldn't see the bruises on his neck or else she'd probably go ballistic again. The tired expression on his face told her that he was probably in the same situation as Marc was. Broken.

"Well," she took a deep breath. Seemed like she was going to have to mention the whole Marc thing earlier than she expected. "Long story short, Haki showed up at my door crying, so I went to Marc's only to find him basically trying to drown himself in alcohol. Now I have half a story that I want the remaining parts to."

For a moment, she wished she didn't always get herself invovled in stuff like this. When her friends back in college were burdened with drama issues, she was usually the one who had to fix things. Now she'd gotten herself tangled up in the same mess again. Somehow, she didn't really mind. Deep down she liked helping.

With a sigh, she added. "He told me what happened, Hadrian."


Aletea
Marc had told Remi what had happened? That...well, it surprised Hadrian. And it hurt, to hear what Marc was doing to himself. If it was bad enuogh that Haki went crying to Remi's...

He turned his gaze back to the papers on his desk. This was his fault - that Marc was drinking, that Haki technically ran away. It was his fault, and he couldn't seem to get out of the hole he'd dug - he just kept getting in deeper and deeper.

"...there really isn't much to add, from my side."

Not much that he could, /would/ add. How could he tell Remi how it had happened, in the maze? It had been painful enough just telling Natalie, and the only reason he'd told her was because he was too broken up then to avoid it. But now...well, what could he say?

Not to mention there were those little threats of Thorn's...


Remiyah
Remi was at a loss of what to do. Obviously she'd just made Hadrian upset now. Not an angry upset, like Marc's was, but an sad upset. The kind that if it went up to long she might find herself crying. Still, she needed to be strong. /Someone/ needed to be strong, not that she blamed Hadrian for feeling the way he did.

"That's where I'm inclined to believe you're wrong," she said softly. "Considering Marc's information seemed to come only from Thorn, I kept having this feeling like something wasn't right. That wasn't the Hadrian I know."

She tried to keep a reassuring tone to her voice, to let him know she wasn't attacking him or trying to make him feel more guilty.

"From what I could gather, Marc's still waiting for your side of the story," she said, worry apparent in her eyes.


Aletea


Kind of hard to give your side, when you were reeling from being called a whore by your lover.

But...that was needlessly cruel, and Hadrian shunted that thought into the back of his mind. Remi didn't need to hear that, and he wasn't ever going to let that bitterness show through. Not going to let those ugly words dart through - because it still hurt, just remembering Marc saying that.

"I don't think it would have changed anything," he spoke softly, staring almost absentmindedly at the paper, "I wouldn't have lied if he asked for my side of it. But...there are some things that are just - "

Just too shameful. He broke off for a moment, before picking it back up again.

"Do you ever get into a situation, where it feels like you can't get a single word out of your mouth? Everything just gets caught in your throat?"

That's what it had been like, then. And everything was too far gone to try and fix it now.


Remiyah
Very few times Remi had been in that kind of situation, but it wasn't during anything as serious as this. She could understand why he couldn't seem to talk to Marc. Hell, she could hardly talk to Marc. If it hadn't been for the adrenaline from being so angry at him at first, she probably would have sprinted from his apartment within five minutes. As much as she could empathize with him, she knew he that if he continued that way he'd lose everything.

"Be that as it may, you really should try," she told him. "He wants to hear from you. He doesn't think you care enough to talk to him. When he told me about you getting hurt, he wondered why you didn't go to him."

Okay, so maybe that wasn't the exact context of the conversation, but the information fit well enough. Still, Remi was determined to get those two to talk to each other again.


Aletea
At the mention of him getting hurt, Hadrian couldn't hold back the flinch. Because that made him think of Thorn, and what had happened. What Thorn had said yesterday...why he was avoiding Marc now.

Why did he let Thorn control him like that? He just couldn't seem to shake those threats off, couldn't seem to shake off his fear of the man.

"...I care," He was struggling just to get these words out, struggling to not just leave. But where would he go, really?

"..I just - I can't. I can't talk to him, Remi."

At first, it had just been emotional. But now...well, it was still emotional - just different sorts of emotions.


Remiyah
"You want help?" Remi arched a brow. "I'm more than willing to go with you, provided you do the talking."

Again, she mentally smacked herself for acting too much like a mother. What was she going to do, drag Hadrian to Marc's doorstep and force them to talk like they were little kids? Definitely a possibility, though maybe they should try more dignified means first.

"Scratch that idea actually," Remi shook her head with a weak laugh. "That would be awkward."

She sighed. "What is it that makes it so hard? If you want to go back to Marc you're going to have to overcome it. Do you want to be with Marc again?"

It would be very helpful if the answer to that question was 'yes.' If not, then Remi would feel like a complete idiot for even going to the trouble of all this.


Aletea
"Yes."

He wanted to be back with Marc so badly. To at least be able to have a conversation with him - if he could just have /that/, he could handle everything else. Even if he couldn't get what he wanted, well...he never expected that anymore.

"Remi, I...there's more then just me not being /able/ to speak with him. I just - I /can't/-"

He wanted to tell her. Hadrian felt like such a coward, hiding things, hiding this...being frightened enough of Thorn that he wouldn't even mention his name to Remi, unless it became neccessary. He /couldn't/ tell her that he had been threatened, that if he told anyone...or if he spoke with Marc, even. Thorn was just waiting for him to slip up, just waiting for a guardian to react badly around him.

And that was all it was going to take, he knew...all Thorn wanted was an excuse, and Hadrian would be the one in pain.


Remiyah
Something was scaring Hadrian, which meant there was probably more to those bruises then merely an arguement. Remi paused for a moment, trying to think of what she could say, or do. A name popped in her head, one that she wasn't sure if she should bring up with him, but maybe now would be a good idea.

"Is it Thorn?"

She needed to know if Marc was wrong. Was Thorn really the 'big brother' or was he something more sinister. Instinct told her the latter, but she needed to make sure.


Aletea
The way Hadrian flinched at that name was sign enough that Remi's guess was right. He didn't verbally confirm it, but all the visual signs were enough. His jaw clenching at the mention of that name, the flinch, the way he instantly just wouldn't look at her - well, it was pretty obvious, even if he couldn't bring himself to say it.

"I...Remi..."

He was faltering, he didn't know what to say. Because she was right, and she had guessed it without any help from him - he hadn't been expecting it. He hadn't even expected her to know that name.

Aletea
Vice Captain

Wheezing Elocutionist


Aletea
Vice Captain

Wheezing Elocutionist

PostPosted: Sun Jul 30, 2006 5:54 pm


Part Two of Fixing Things with Hadrian

Remiyah
Aha, so it /was/ Thorn. He didn't have to say it, she could tell from his body language. She sighed, knowing now that she was right in trusting her instincts about that man.

"Did he...do that to you?" she asked hesitantly, referring to the bruises. He must have beat Hadrian pretty badly. No wonder he couldn't even say Thorn's name. "Is that why you can't talk about it?"

She wondered what else Thorn did. Without Marc to turn to for help, Hadrian would need /someone/ to keep him from completely falling apart. Though she wasn't necessarily the optimal replacement, she could at least give it a shot.


Aletea
Hadrian lowered his head, hiding his face from Remi as he did so, because of hair falling across it. And he spoke next, his voice was low, soft. But at least he was speaking.

"When you have an taste of what could happen, and the threat of worse hanging over your head, it's pretty good incentive to not talk."

His hands were clenched, as he seemed to take a moment to regain his composure. He was - frightened, just speaking with her about this. Because even with all that false bravado of his the other day, it was just that: /false/. He /was/ scared, downright terrified, of Thorn.

Then he looked back up, his expression stony, a forced emotionless sort of look. But Remi could very easily have gotten a flash of those bruises on his neck as he lifted his head, if she'd been looking closely.


Remiyah
Threats. Thorn had threatened him. The guy was just pissing her off more and more. A pang of guilt struck her as she realized that she was probably putting him in more danger by talking to him about this. Still, she couldn't leave him all alone, not like this.

And then she saw his neck.

"Oh my god..." she breathed, her eyes widening when she realized what those dark spots were. "Hadrian...did he--oh god--did he choke you? You need..."

A restraining order. A bodyguard. A tazor. She could lend him the pepper spray in her pocket.

"...you need to tell Marc. You can't do this alone."


Aletea
"I know. I've been trying, but...well, it's been pretty futile so far."

Every time he fought, Thorn just dealt with it so easily. It was beginning to seem so useless, yet...it would shame him so much if he stopped. So he kept fighting, kept arguing. No matter how useless it was, at least he'd be able to say that he had fought, that he hadn't wanted it.

"Marc?" A somewhat incredulous look entered his gaze, and there was a short, bitter laugh after that expression, "You really think Marc would believe it? He trusts Thorn."

He'd had his own worries about whether or not Marc would believe, and Thorn's comment about Marc not believing had only cemented that.

"...And I've already ruined whatever trust he had in me."


Remiyah
Remi sighed. "He wouldn't believe me either when I suggested it. In fact, he yelled at me pretty loudly for even considering it."

She flinched, remembering the look in his eye when he'd told her she didn't know anything about Thorn. If only Marc wasn't so devoted to that man. She remained quiet for a moment, trying to think.

"Marc told me that he gave you away to Thorn," she said quietly, not having a clue if this was new information to him or not. "But that he didn't think you would actually go. He never mentioned anything about never expecting you to come back."

Ideas were brewing in her head, though she couldn't seem to bring any of them to fruition in her mind.

"Marc still trusts me, I think. Maybe I could talk to him again tonight when he picks up Haki. I can try to tell him what's going on."


Aletea
Marc 'gave him' to Thorn? The astonished look that Hadrian gave Remi showd his opinion on that, before it darkened into anger.

"/Gave/ me away? What does he think I am?"

His tone was angry, but a moment later it disappeared. Because he knew what Marc thought he was - he'd already shared his opinion on /that/. And if that was what Marc thought of him as now, well...it wasn't too strange to think that the man would want to 'give' him away. Though it was a damned depressing thought, really.

Wait - Remi would talk to him?

"...why would he believe you, merely based off of my word?" His shoulders were slumped, and his gaze had once more fallen to the desk. "Thank you, but...I don't know if that would work." At the same time, he still wanted her to try. Because at least then - at least the truth was out, even if Marc didn't believe it. But -

What if Marc didn't believe, and then told Thorn?


Remiyah
"My thoughts exactly," Remi nodded referring to the 'giving away' of Hadrian. "When I told him to consider your needs, he just yelled at me again and told me that you should have said what your needs were."

She gave him a rueful gaze. "I'm not blaming you, I just thought you should know. As for whether or not he'd actually believe me, it wouldn't hurt to try. Plus, since Haki'll probably be around he won't have a chance to yell at me again."

Her mind didn't wander to the consequences of what would happen if Marc told Thorn. She was focused solely on Marc and Hadrian, with Thorn just being the a*****e of the story. She didn't know these consequences could involve her either.


Aletea
No harm?

Hadrian...Hadrian was feeling willing to take the risk of telling Marc, on that slimmest hope that he would believe. But Remi - Remi didn't know what sort of things they were involved in, didn't know that /she/ could get hurt for trying to help.

"Remi...maybe even that shouldn't happen. If Marc doesn't believe you - well. Thorn's his boss as well as a friend, so you could guess what would happen there."

Marc would tell Thorn.

"I...I'm willing to risk that, almost. But - if he tells him that you were the one that told him...you could get hurt, Remi," his voice was tight, tense, "Thorn isn't above hurting other people, especially to set an example."

An example of what would happen to anyone else he tried to talk with. And that terrified him even more then the thought of Thorn hurting him, because Remi, right now, had nothing to do with it all.


Remiyah
Remi blinked. "Thorn doesn't even know me. I met him once for all of three minutes, and even then he was too busy talking to Ahneta."

Marc wouldn't tell Thorn where she lived or where she took walks, especially if Thorn's intentions were to hurt her. He wouldn't...would he? They were technically friends. His daughter was Gavin's best friend, he offered her free food, and talked lightly with her. He'd kissed her on the cheek and said 'thank you' after talking with her. Marc wouldn't turn on her just for Thorn's desire to 'set an example'...or so she thought.

"I'll tell you what," she started. "Either you tell Marc, or I will. If you decide to do it and feel that Thorn would hurt you again, feel free to bunk at my place. Thorn doesn't know where I live."


Aletea
Gods, what to do there?

Hadrian...he was just as frightened of facing Marc, of telling the truth to Marc, as he was of Thorn. Because he didn't think he could handle seeing that disbelief, didn't think he could handle seeing Marc try to defend Thorn.

"...tell him, then. Please. Just - just stop by my apartment afterwards, let me know how it went."

He raised his head then, landing pleading eyes on her. The mage felt like such a coward, having Remi put herself in danger just because he was too nervous to face Marc.

"And please. Be careful."


Remiyah
"Alright," she nodded, trying to get mentally prepared for what she would have to tell Marc. He wasn't going to like that she hadn't gotten Hadrian to say it to his face, but at least this was some form of progress. Hopefully Marc wouldn't mind a middleman too much.

"I'll be careful I promise," she smiled. For a moment she thought of Gavin. She would need to make sure that he stayed out of this at all costs. If Thorn somehow did find out where she was, she didn't need him using her son as leverage of any sort. "I'll wait until he comes to pick up Haki, so I'll try to come by sometime later tonight after he does that."

She turned to leave, but then decided to add one last thing.

"Thank you Hadrian. For telling me this stuff, I mean. I know it was hard for you. I only hope that I can help somewhat."


Aletea
Hadrian gave a quiet sigh, and managed a slight smile towards Remi. "...I hope you can, too. I just - I don't think I could handle Marc trying to defend Thorn, right now."

Because that was what he expected.

"Thank you."
PostPosted: Tue Aug 01, 2006 7:56 pm


Making up? Of a sorts.

naeodin
Marc had procrastinated the visit to Remi. Not because he preferred an empty house, but because it was so embarressing- how was he supposed to confront a woman who had seen him so weak? It disgusted him, this admission of false bravado. But nothing seemed to be going right these days, and so it was merely categorized as just ‘another one of fate (the b***h!)’s way of playing with him’.

Sure.

Dressed in a new pair of black trousers and a dark blue shirt with the cuff’s rolled up to his elbows, he had showered, shaved, brushed his teeth and had eaten something- anything, to look more normal. And so it was with a more confident air that simply tried to open the door to Remi’s apartment.

And if she was up to no good? Well. Even better.

“Haki.” he said. “Home now.”


Remiyah
When the door open, sounds of running water could be heard from the kitchen. The small table next to the living room was covered in tomato sauce and spare noodles. At the intrusion, a startled noise could be heard by the sink as a pot was dropped in the water with a splash.

"Marc?" Remi peered around the corner to see him in her doorway. She was wiping her hands with a dish towel, a slightly bewildered look on her face. "Don't you knock? They just finished eating my first attempt at spaghetti, and now I think Gavin's building a castle for Haki out of legos in his room."

She hoped that would explain the random mess. It occurred to her that this was the first time Marc had seen her apartment. Nothing nearly as glamorous as his, but it was still homey to a degree.


naeodin
Marc nodded. Then he wouldn’t have to worry about feeding her? Relaxing, he took his time looknig around the apartment. Maybe it was shabby chic. Well... anything compared to his home was usually categorized as shabby chic, and so it wasn’t so bad. “For Haki?” he said, noticing the choice of words. He smiled with amusement.

So this was why Haki preferred the compound to their other home. No wonder.

“I hope she hasn’t been too much trouble?” he picked up something random to look at, tilting his head as he stared at it. The man had no sense of privacy, really. “She usually isn’t.” he added with a slight frown. At least, he didn’t think so.

He was cool, polite. Not distant, but almost, and he nodded his head, deciding that maybe space was better.


Remiyah
"Not at all," she said. Usually it wasn't Haki causing the trouble, but Gavin when he's around Haki that causes complete and utter chaos. She scratched her arm nervously. Ever since she talked to Hadrian a few hours ago she'd been a bit skittish. Self-doubt had reared its ugly head when she thought of what she was going to tell him. Still, she'd promised Hadrian.

"I talked to Hadrian," she said blankly. Then she gulped. He was probably going to ask questions, which she didn't know how she was going to form the answers to. She tried to settle herself mentally. Just remember what Hadrian told you and tell Marc. It's not going to be that difficult.

Remi only hoped that Marc would believe her.


naeodin
Marc paused. “Have you?” he asked, his voice neutral. The time alone had given him the opportunity to regain control over himself, so his voice was pleasant, blank. And so was his face. He was still alive then? And surely if Remi was acting so casual about it, he wasn’t near death. Deciding that Haki could use the time to have another castle built for her, he moved to her living room, undoing one button on his shirt in a nervous gesture.

“Good for you.” came his neutral answer, and he sat that, kicking back, and looking as if he was completely relaxed.

Until you stared at the hands, the slight pressure of the fingers on the couch, or the way his eyes were resolutely staring at the wall in front of him.


Remiyah.
"I really wish I could have gotten him to come up here to talk to you himself," Remi sighed, following him and feeling as if she was the guest in her own apartment. Instead of the couch, she chose a ragged armchair to sit in, though she looked anything but relaxed. Her back was straight, and she was sitting on the edge with her hands on her knees.

"He's holed up in his office scared out of his mind," she said, trying to remain calm. The bruises still stuck out in her memory. "He almost didn't talk to me because he'd been threatened not to tell anyone. It wasn't until I guessed Thorn's name that he told me what happened."

She gave Marc a rueful gaze. Hadrian needed Marc to believe her. She needed Marc to believe her.


naeodin
Marc’s eyes cooled. It was hard to say how this happened, because surely eyes didn’t become specks of ice? But they cooled, dramatically and when they fastened on Remi’s face, they were frosty. Ice could burn too.

“Oh?”

One word, really. It wasn’t even a word. There was a sense of polite curiosity- but really, that was it. Polite. As if he didn’t want to know. As if he didn’t care, merely saying the words because it was expected.

"Threatened?" he asked, quietly. At first it might seem as if he was saying this on behalf of Hadrian. Someone had threatened his mage? But with the look, and with their previous conversation, it meant something entirely different. Thorn, threaten?

What was this woman on?


Remiyah
Remi winced when he gave her that look. Definitely not a good sign. Marc wasn't going to take to this too well, especially not after how he defended Thorn in their last conversation. If you could even call it a conversation. More like just a bunch of yelling.

Still, she tried to continue though her voice was starting to shake a bit. "H-he didn't want me to tell you, thinking if I got involved that I might get hurt too. Like he was."

This thought had crept up in her mind again as well. She trusted Marc, but the look in his eyes made her faith in him waver slightly. Would he tell Thorn? Should she be sleeping next to her doorway with a shotgun at night now? She gripped tightly on the edges of the knee-length skirt she was wearing. This was not going as well as she'd hoped.


naeodin
Marc tilted his head. Remi, get hurt? Hadrian, hurt? "Are you implying." his voice was quiet. Too quiet, because he remembered who was in the other room. He would not lose it in front of Haki. Never, in front of his daughter. "That Thorn caused the..." he couldn't say the words. The bruises? He had seen them, touched them. The way they had darkened flesh that was too pale, and the way his lip had been cut. He rememebered the curve, the way it had molded the edge of his lip... and his expression darkened.

Marc was, quiet. He was calm, but his expression was far from it as he watched the woman. He straightened, vaguely the way a predator might once sensing prey, and his eyes resembled flints. "Remi." he said, his voice low. A warning.

Take it back. Please, take it back.


Remiyah
Remi bit her lip. She didn't want to answer, but she had to. For Hadrian.

"That's what he told me," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. Marc was starting to scare her again. Fortunately Haki and Gavin were in the other room, so if anything happened here they would come running. Marc didn't seem like the type to make a scene in front of his own daughter. And Remi wasn't about to let her son witness an argument like the one she and Marc had earlier. That still didn't mean she wasn't scared for herself now, as much as she was for Hadrian.


naeodin
The last thing Marc was going to do was accuse Hadrian of lying. What would that accomplish? Nothing, probably. Or maybe everything. His expression was dark as he watched the other woman. Conflicted. Because Thorn would not hurt someone that way- at least, not anyone he loved. By he, Marc meant himself. He knew what the man was capable of, certainly. They worked together!

But this didn't make any sense. At all.

"Where is he?" he said, getting uo abruptly. The movement was too fast and he stumbled for just a second. "I want to talk to him myself. I have to know, from him." a note of slight frantic urgency entered his voice. "Remi. Where is Hadrian?"

He had to hear it himself. He had to see it himself.


Remiyah
Remi blinked. There was hope! Maybe if she could get Marc and Hadrian to talk to each other directly, they'd be able to settle this whole mess. She gave a sigh of relief.

"He's in his apartment right now," she stood up more slowly than he did, fighting the urge to smile. Hadrian was probably waiting for her to come by and tell him the verdict. This would definitely make for a pleasant surprise. Or, at least she hoped it would be pleasant. She looked toward the doorway.

"We could go see him now. Or, well...unless you want to see him by yourself."

Part of her wanted to give them privacy, and the other wanted to know what happened. She only hoped Hadrian would answer the door if Marc knocked.


naeodin
Marc's eyes flew to her. What? She expected him to confront the mage alone? Heck, he couldn't think two sane words around the man... and she expected him to carry on a serious conversation? "It won't do to leave the kids alone." he said outloud, and nodded. "Why don't we take them to my place? Gavin hasn't spent the night at Haki's properly. It might do him some good to sleep in a girl's bed." starting early.

Yes, pervy humor was something that seemed to occur whenever he didn't know how to handle the issue otherwise.

"HIs... apartment?" But that was where before...

He cursed.

“Alright.” and there was resignation in his voice as he nodded his head. He could do this. Right?


Remiyah
"Alright," she gestured toward the room nearest the front door. "They're in there."

She led the way to the little boy's room. Inside Gavin was sitting in front of a massive pile of legos that were positioned in a way that /could/ be considered a decent castle. Remi could only guess that Haki was in there somewhere. Nevertheless she scooped up Gavin into her arms.

"How would you like to sleep over at Haki's tonight?" she asked him playfully. Gavin threw his hands up in the air with a loud, "Yes!"

She looked back at the legos, and then at Marc. "If you can find your daughter somewhere in there, we can head over to your place."


naeodin
Marc looked down, relaxed and put off the usual pessimistic train of thought by what lay in front of him. “Haki?” he asked, amused and wry- and he saw two small hands shoot out from somewhere.

"Daddy!" she sounded gleeful. Gleeful, and with a note she wiggled out of her castle, looking at Gavin with a solemn air. "Thank you knight." she said, bobbing her head up and down as Marc swept her up into his arms.

It was so safe, with Haki. Maybe he should take her as his shield when he went to see Hadrian.

"We can go now." he said simply, nodding his head.

Well. Maybe... tomorrow? Or the next week.


Aletea
Hadrian was nervous. Very, very nervous.

So it was no surprise that he'd been pacing around his apartment for the past half hour; he hadn't been able to concentrate at work, after Remi had left. How could anyone expect him to concentrate with /that/ on his mind? He had too many things to worry about. How Marc would take it, whether he'd even believe it...if he'd tell Thorn...

And if he told Thorn - well, there was a whole different grouping of worries.

He just wanted Remi to show up. So at least then he'd know what to prepare for...


Remiyah
Remi, on the other hand, was not feeling nervous. Not anymore. Well, maybe slightly nervous wondering how the conversation between Marc and Hadrian was going to go. It still might turn out badly, but at least Hadrian could finally tell Marc what happened, rather than just letting him get his information from Thorn. That would be a world of improvement all on its own.

When they had reached Hadrian's door, she looked back at Marc with a reassuring smile. "I'll knock."

She could tell this must be hard for him, but they would need to do this eventually. Hadrian couldn't keep getting hurt, and Marc needed to stop tearing himself apart over this. So as not to scare Hadrian--since he'd seemed so skittish when she last talked to him--she quietly knocked on the door. "Hadrian, I have someone who wants to talk with you."


Aletea
Hadrian froze as he heard the knock, and then forced himself to relax as he heard Remi speak. Except...someone who wanted to talk to him?

Marc. It had to be Marc. So did this mean that it had gone alright? That Marc believed? Relief and hope spiraled up with this idea, even while he felt even more nervous at facing the other man. This relaxed some of his worries, but caused even more - because for all he knew, Marc just wanted to argue with /him/. But - Remi wouldn't have brought him here if that was the intent, right?

Taking a deep breath, he stepped over to the door and opened it. "...come in."


naeodin
Marc, at Remi's words shot her a startled looking. Well, yes. He did want to talk to Hadrian, but... did she have to say it that way? It made him feel like a child being forced to apologize by a parent. Except... well, he didn't think this had anything to do with apologies. No. Marc had come here with one reason, and while indeed he was finding it harder and harder to remember that reason, it didn't mean he had forgotten.

So at the quiet words, he slipped ahead of Remi, moving into the room, his eyes completely focused on Hadrian. His eyes roved over the form, possessive, searching. Did that look like a new bruise? Was Hadrian limping? Anything, and everything, to ensure he was fine.

But then, the action bought him up short. There was ... no. It wasn't Thorn. It couldn't be.


Remiyah
In a way, she did feel like the parent making two children apologize to each other. But then again, many times Marc did act childish, and /someone/ needed to prod these two until they spoke to each other again. She'd gotten used to seeing them together, so it was uncomfortable for her to see them like this with each other.

She followed in behind Marc, wondering why he hadn't spoken yet. This was supposed to be /their/ conversation; she wasn't supposed to do the talking for them. Still feeling like the instigator of all this, she felt she might as well at least get people talking.

"You alright?" she asked Hadrian, feeling that Marc should have asked that question already. Hopefully that would be the extent of what she would have to say during this. This was about Marc and Hadrian.


Aletea
"..yes, I'm alright."

Quietly spoken, but Hadrian wasn't looking at Remi as he said it. His eyes were glued to Marc, his mind working at a million miles as he fretted over what the other man was going to say. Why hadn't he said anything, was he angry?

His mind kept going over those questions, and new ones kept popping up. But he couldn't think of anything to say, not without knowing what track Marc's mind was going down. So he simply remained quiet, staring at Marc.


naeodin
Marc looked over. His eyes weren't cold. They couldn't manage that pretense when Hadrian was in the room. They were hot- not quite angry, but certainly troubled as he sighed. "That's good, then. The cream... it helps, then? It's not approved to be distributed domestically, but it has no side effects." he swallowed, then, and glared at Remi. Why was HE expected to make the first movie?

Hadrian had a mouth too.

... No. Don't think about that mouth.

"Remi..." the word left his mouth softly. "Said. That." the words were bitten off and he raked his fingers through his hair almost painfully. "Jesus, Hadrian." he managed. It was too difficult for him to repeat what Remi had told him.


Aletea
"I would have told you, but..."

Hadrian faltered there, before swallowing and completing that sentence, "...I didn't think you would believe me."

Those words were almost whispered out, but he still managed to make them loud enough to be heard. He didn't want to have to repeat himself, to have to say that again. But - it seemed like Marc believed him. He'd been wrong, and for once, that was something that made him feel so relieved.


naeodin
Marc stiffened. Did he believe Hadrian? He must, to feel so much outrage. But did he really belief him? And unable to help himself, he repeated. "I believe you?" the words held some of the irony, and they were quiet, louder than Hadrian's since he wanted them both to hear him- that was the purpose, wasn't it? "You make it sound like it's a done deal."

The words had some part of him cringe, but he couldn't help it. Didn't Hadrian understand what Thorn meant to him? That, that was the reason he had given Hadrian up? And did he think he had come all this way to tell the mage he believed him? If he had... and that was if! He would never have bought Remi along.

No. Remi was here because... because...

Marc wasn't sure how long he could hold it together.


Aletea
Marc /didn't/ believe him. Hadrian hadn't been wrong, and he wished he had been.

"Why would I lie, Marc?" He folded his arms across his chest, though it looks more like it was a form of defending himself them of defiance. /This/ was why he hadn't wanted to go tell him, because he had known it would be something like this - it was going to turn into an argument. Marc was going to defend Thorn, not believe him...

/Tell/ Thorn.

Why had he agreed to having Remi speak with him? He should have just - told her to not speak with him, say he would do it, and then just not. It would have been less painful.


naeodin
"I'm not saying you're lying." Well, he was. Kind of. And when he saw the movement he flinched. It was such a typical defensive gesture, that Marc felt as if it was he that was being shut out. And so he paced. He walked away from Hadrian, away from Remi and stalked the apartment instead. "I need to talk. To him. To you." The words were stilted, as if he wasn't sure which to keep, and which to discard.

"It's so hard." he managed through gritted teeth, and for a moment, completely forgot about Remi.

"What do you expect me to DO, Hadrian? If it's true?" the words burst out of his mouth and he stood there, his back to the mage. It was... safer. Maybe. This way.


Aletea
"I don't know."

Hadrian's words were bleak, because he didn't know. He didn't see how Marc knowing could change anything - not when Thorn was his boss, his /friend/. Hell, maybe he was just hoping that it would automatically fix things between them, that they'd get back together and he'd be safe. But that...well, it was laughable.

"You knowing - it's better that you do know, then just me avoiding your questions, or outright lieing to you."

His eyes were glued to Marc's back, as if he could somehow make everything happen alright just by looking at the man.


naeodin
Marc closed his eyes. He was so glad of the distance between them. That Hadrian couldn't see his face. "Is it?" he asked. Was it better? There had been pain before... but this? It was messier, darker, deeper. And Marc didn't want to start untangling the entire mess. "Never. Not once." he started, turning around and he managed to find enough anger to put into his eyes.

“I’m human, Hadrian.” he said, his voice scratchy. “I can’t fix anything alone. But this.” Us. It felt as if he had to. As if Hadrian needed him to- as if he wanted too. And his eyes were angry. Childish anger perhaps. “You make me feel like that what I’m trying to do.”

Harsh? Maybe. But Marc felt every inch of those words ad if it was the truth. And then his eyes fastened on Remi. Well. Wasn’t THIS woman going to try to fix it?


Remiyah
Remi had backed away and just watched the conversation carefully. Though she knew the overall idea of what had happened, she didn't know /all/ the hairy details. Obviously this was a lot deeper than she thought it was. Hopefully this talk didn't just make things worse. She was starting to get nervous again. At least they were talking.

When Marc turned his gaze on her, she blinked in surprise as if to say 'me?'. What else could /she/ do? She didn't know Thorn, or what Marc and Hadrian did in their daily lives. All she knew was that there was a serious problem going on that she hoped those two could work out.

"I-I'm not sure what I could do to fix it," she stammered, feeling silly again for not having any answers. "But I think the first step is keeping Hadrian safe..."


naeodin
“Keep him safe?” his voice rose slightly at the end of it. “So you think Thorn... Thorn...” he waved his had at Hadrian, seeing the bruises, the cuts and the way the skin had felt so fragile underneath his fingers.

“He’s a cruel man, but he’s never hurt me, or Haki.” and in his mind-- what would make Hadrian so damn special? He snarled, tearing around again to pace. He didn’t feel like causing destruction-- hurling cups, plates, tearing furniture. But there was an edge to him, as if he had too much energy then was healthy. Too much confined into the tiny space called his mind.

"Thorn." he began, and stopped.

How did you explain to a woman, and a mage?


Aletea
"Just because someone can be gentle with some, doesn't mean they aren't different with others."

Hadrian was beginning to grow tenser as the argument continued, as he watched Marc pace. Whatever the other man said, he already knew that Marc had decided that Thorn was innocent of this. Marc was never going to believe it was true. But at the same time...he had to try.

He had to try, because Marc was here. Marc was there, and he hadn't left yet - and this seemed like his one chance to talk to him, to get everything out - to try and convince him of the truth. It seemed like the only chance he was going to get, so even if he was afraid that things were going badly, well...

There's only so much you can ruin things. Their relationship couldn't get much worse, after all.

And he just wasn't going to think about Marc telling Thorn.


naeodin
"I can't fix this!"

The words left his mouth in a cold snarl as he stared just above Hadrian's head. "And Thorn..." he scowled. He'd speak to him. He'd find out what all this was about. A cruel, cruel joke. Really, it had to be. "I'll speak to him." he said, to himself, really. "Find out." The truth? That was laughable. He trusted Hadrian. Heck. He cared for him too much it hurt, but this...

No. It was unacceptable.

“I’ll talk to Thorn.” he said, his eyes dim. Numb. “I’ll find out---”


Aletea
Marc was going to talk to Thorn...

That terrified him, and not just because Thorn would likely be carrying out those threats of his. But it terrified him because Thorn was good at twisting words, at manipulating. And if Marc talked to him with this much doubt, this much refusal to believe...Thorn was going to convince him even more, that it wasn't true.

"Then talk to him. But remember one thing, Marc - do you really think he's going to tell you the truth?"

Hadrian walked over to the window, resting his arms on it and his forehead against the glass. He felt...chilled. Because he felt that this was going to change nothing, except that Thorn was going to know what he did, now. And Remi...he'd find out that Remi had helped.


naeodin
Marc cursed. He swore, swiftly, violently under his breath and before he could think, because he could judge his actions he moved over to where Hadrian was. He wrapped his hands around the man’s waist and leaned forewords until chest to thighs touched. His hands were cold- he couldn’t help it, and out of habit, he slipped cool fingers through the shirt to touch skin. As if somehow, that would ground him.

It was reflex to try to comfort someone, and right now Marc was also trying to comfort himself-- besides, Remi was here. And somehow, that made it all acceptable, justified as he leaned forewords, placing his lips at the side of Hadrian’s neck.

"I love him." he said simply. Not the kind he felt for Haki, or for another... but it was still love, wasn't it?

And the word was so foreign on his lips he wasn' sure if he had said the right ones.


Aletea
Marc loved Thorn.

"You love him?"

Even with Marc wrapped around him, his lips on his neck - he felt as if he had been punched in the gut, at hearing those words. Because there was something lost in the communication, from Marc's mind, to those words, to Hadrian's ears. He didn't hear it as the specific type of love Marc meant.

No, when he heard that - it was one thing he thought of.

It made him feel sick, feel even worse then before, because...why had he thought this would work? Marc was in love with Thorn. He couldn't seem to work past that, to get his mind functioning past that phrase. So while Marc was wrapped around him, he was stiff, frozen in place. And when he opened his mouth to speak - nothing came out.


naeodin
Marc nodded. He felt the tension, but really- he was tense himself. He stood there, trying to warm himself emotionally on the mage and finding it... lacking. He nodded, knowing the movement would transfer across because he brushed his china gaisnt the man's shoulder.

“Blood brothers.” he said quietly. He never, ever spoke of what ever it was that lay between he and Thorn- and really, his words were quiet. But there was only so much silence could do for him, and so it was loud enough for Remi to hear. “I love him, we’re blood brothers.”

What a quaint, optimistic term. But he didn’t know how else to say it. Deeper than friendship, but tangled than family. And it was so confusing that he stood there. Talk, to Thorn? To accuse him? No. He would never, ever do that. He couldn’t.

And even as he thought these words, he knew what he would be doing tomorrow.


Aletea
As Marc spoke again, Hadrian felt his mind start working, felt his heart start beating again. Brothers..not - not what the sort of love he thought it was. All that tension drained out of him with that, with the realization that it wasn't all completely ruined. Marc loved Thorn, but not like /that/.

Turning in the embrace, Hadrian rested his head on Marc's shoulder. Before, it had felt - hollow, having the other man's arms around him. But...with his horror at what he had thought the other man felt for Thorn gone, it felt so much more comforting, so much more familiar.

"I love you, Marc. Whatever happens with all of this - know that."

He didn't see how this could turn out well for them. They were both going to get hurt, with this...either he was going to get hurt for Marc not believing him, and Thorn making due on his threats - or Marc was going to get hurt /for/ believing him, for the realization that someone he loved as a brother would do that to someone else.

"I can't seem to see how this is going to turn out, can't see any way this can turn out /well/..but I wish that it does."


naeodin
Marc smirked. His words sounded as if Hadrian expected him to go die tomorrow. His lips brushed his forehead and his hands tightened, slipping until it was a more comfortable, intimate embrace. They fit so well that Marc didn’t even have to think twice about doing this.

“It’ll work out.” he said, serious. He trusted Thorn, not matter what Remi said, no matter what Hadrian wore as proof. He trusted the man, and believed in every way that he would make things work out. Thorn would listen. And Thorn would explain that this was one embaressing understanding.

But this was comfortable, it fit.

And he didn’t feel like moving... yet.


naeodin
“Thorn? Marc’s here to see you.” the soft, professional voice of his weekly secretary spoke lightly through the intercom, and his brow arched. Marc? “Have I forgotten something, Greta?” he asked.

“Then send him in.”

--

Marc was a professional, enigmatic sight in his suit. He appeared calmer, more well put together and Thorn was happy to see the man was coping so well with his breakup. But there was a glint in his eyes, something embarressed, something a bit too hurt for him to relax.

“Marc?” he asked, getting up. “What a surprise. A pleasant, one. I assure you. Is Haki okay?”

“She’s perfectly fine.” Marc responded, his eyes flitting over the room. “Thorn.” he began.

"A drink, for the both of us. Scotch, yes?" Thorn got up and moved smoothly to the bar. So what if it was still early afternoon? He had a feeling one of them would need it.

“Hadrian.” he said, one word.

Thorn paused. “Ah.” thoughtful, and he poured them both two full drinks.


naeodin
They sat together, Thorn on one seat and Marc on another, at angles so that it seemed as if they were right next to each other. And Marc’s gaze was on his boss, his friend, his brother. His eyes were intent, hurt, lost. Pained.

"He said all that, did he?" he said quietly, and Marc recognized the tone of voice.

Marc nodded. He sighed, raising the drink to his lips. He had gone alcohol free-- for a night. But somehow it felt as if it had been years instead. So he swallowed, working his throat while Thorn thought to himself.

"I did it." he said abruptly.

Marc choked on his drink.


naeodin
"Do you remember that woman, the young one with mismatched eyes?"

Marc watched the way Thorn's fingers played with the edge of the glass. "Anna? Yes, why? She adored you."

"I hit her too."

Marc looked up. "But Hadrian..."

“Hates me.” came the cheerful answer. “But he’s addicted. He’s hooked. Hadrian is a masochist to levels you don’t understand, Marc. He submits, and gets hard when I throw him against the wall. Bruises? He says he hates me, but he’s addicted. He needs a man like me.”

Marc shook his head. “No.”

“That he doesn’t need me?” he arched a brow. “But I’m doing this for you, Marc. Because you want the best for Hadrian, don’t you?”

"Yes."

“This is the best for him.”


naeodin
“Hadrian told me that you might not tell me the truth.” he said this honestly, frankly. Because he trusted the man, and yet what he said was... it couldn’t be true, could it?

“Do YOU think I’d lie to you?” he asked.

"No." Marc didn't need to think about it.

"Then believe your own instincts, rather then that of a man who has never told me to stop." Go away. Don't do this. Stop it. But never to stop in general. He was cutting very fine lines with this, but Thorn didn't care.

"Hadrian would never..." he said.

"Not with you. A masochist like him probably doesn't realize it in himself either. But I know- and you've met them before as well. You've met the ones who like pain, the ones our colleagues keep around. They're happy."

Marc shook his head, slamming his drink down on the glass table. "Not Hadrian."

Thorn smiled. “Not with you.” he specified.


naeodin
“He doesn’t like getting hurt.” Marc said quietly.

"And you love him." Thorn pointed out. "But trust me. I know better." He said it with such ease that it was hard for Marc not to believe him. Fight? Perhaps. But he had never wanted to believe the worse in Thorn, so he didn't. He couldn't.

“But if he gets hurt...”

“Bruises heal and cuts mend themselves.” Thorn said, arching a brow. “I’m good at what I do, Marc. I won’t harm him in any way that he can’t heal.”

Marc got up, shaking himself the way an animal might after a bad dream. “I don’t want this. I want Hadrian too.”

Thorn smiled. It was a slow, sexy smile that vinolved eyes more than lips. “Then we’ll share.” Compromises. That was how a man ruled and won.

Marc shook his head. “No.”

Thorn arched a brow. It was a weak denial.


naeodin
Marc got ready to leave, taking both their glasses and moving it. “So, it’ll be okay then” he asked, relieved.

"You won't have to worry about seeing another bruise, nor another cut on Hadrian." he promised. He hadn't promised not to hurt him, however.

Marc smiled, mistaking this. "And in exchange, you can still see him." he said, nodding. He felt as if he had won- when he hadn't.

Not at all.

“By the way, Marc.” he said, idly as if this had occured t him at the last minute. “Why now?”

Marc nodded. “A woman came to see me about Hadrian, because Haki went crying to her.”

“A woman?” he thought of Natalie. She had interfered once already.

"Mmhmm." Marc smiled. "Haki sees Gavin as a pet, so she's constantly over there." he was oblivious to the questioning, and instead of making him suspicious, Thorn merely nodded.

“Ah, okay.”

Aletea
Vice Captain

Wheezing Elocutionist


Remiyah
Crew

PostPosted: Tue Aug 08, 2006 12:00 am


((Continuation >>))

Remiyah
So far it had been a relatively quiet afternoon. Gavin was in the living room playing with the toy boats usually reserved for the bathtub. Remi cleaned the dishes from their late lunch, smiling at the make believe sounds effects her son was making, though none of them were related to boats. But that would be a lesson for another day.

She finished drying her hands off with a red dishtowel and made her way over to the couch to maybe watch some television, or maybe to pass out. In truth, the quiet made her quite bored.


naeodin
"Haki." Thorn looked down, amused as he looked up the door. "Are you sure this is the right one?" the girl had changed her mind three times already, and he was beginning to doubt that sure look on her face.

"Yes." she said, staring at him with a toddler's version of a teen's look of vexation. "Knock, Thorn." she said, and he complied, laughing as he held her.

He knocked twice, adjusting his grip so that she was slightly higher on his chest. For some reason she preferred being at a higher height then strangers, and so he had taken to holding her higher too. Anyhigher and she would look ridiculous- so would he. But this was good, for the both of them.

"And who are we here to pick up again?" he asked.

“Avin.” she said, smiling, patting his soft her. “Gavin hero.” she explained.


Remiyah
Remi's brow furrowed at the knock on the door. She hadn't been expecting anyone today. There were no friends coming over that she could think of. Door to door salesman maybe? If only there were peep holes on the stupid apartment doors.

Sluggishly she went to the front door and opened it to see who had disturbed her quiet afternoon. Not that she minded much.

Well, at least until she saw who was behind it.

"Hello...?--ah..." she stopped dead in her tracks when her eyes fell on Thorn. Her mind began to scream every profanity in existence, even creating a few of her own. Mayday. Mayday. Code Red! Emergency! /Not/ good!

"C-can I help you?" she asked, completely forgetting that Haki was in his arms.


naeodin
Haki beamed. “Remi!” she squealed, waving her head and nodding her head. “Gavin sleeping?” she looked around, deciding that she didn’t see him- but surely he wasn’t napping yet? He had been napping the last time... and it wasn’t good, no. It wasn’t good at all.

"Hello. Remi, right?" he said, nodding his head. "We met at the school compound. I'm Thorn." he reintroduced himself, staring with slight amusement at her reaction. Did he have something on his face? Why was she behaving so... nervously?

Maybe it was the sight of a stranger, perhaps. Maybe she had a nervous disposition.

“Haki commanded me to come pick up Gavin for a visit.” he smiled wryly, the -you know how children are- smile, and nodded his head. Could they come in?


Remiyah
Realizing that Haki was there, Remi loosened up somewhat. Only so much could happen with toddlers present, unless Thorn was the kind of person who didn't mind mentally scarring young children. She really hoped not.

"Yes, it's Remi," she said, still slightly tense. Focusing on Haki with a smile, she continued. "Gavin's in the living room. Here, come in."

Though everything in her brain railed against letting Thorn anywhere near her apartment, she couldn't deny Haki. She let the door open so that they could get through. Gavin, being within seeing distance of the door, perked up when he noticed a familiar face.

"Haki!" he jumped up and ran over, standing at Thorn's feet to look up at the girl in his arms.


naeodin
“Gavin!” she yelled right back, looking down and waving her arms rather erratically. Thorn blinked. Well, this was certainly enthusiastic- and rather painful too, if you got in the way of the arms. So he put her down on the ground, and she beamed, running over to ask hyperactive questions in a mangled version of the english language.

"They're... close." he commented, grinning as he did so. But he hadn't missed the tenseness, and it made him wonder. Why?

Unless...

His eyes were speculative. "You could say they were very close childhood friends." Hadn't Marc said that a woman, the guardian of Haki's friend had talked to Hadrian? Maybe... maybe this was her.

“He’s gorgeous.”


Remiyah
"Thank you," she said, slightly unsure of his intent. Did he know? Was that why he was here? Maybe he didn't know, and just came by at Haki's whim. Surely that was the reason. He couldn't know.

"They've been close ever since they first met," she commented, seeing how Gavin had already launched himself at Haki with a hug. "She keeps sneaking over here at night for impromptu sleepovers."

And to let her know about Marc and Hadrian. She /needed/ to get her mind off that right now. If he wasn't here for that purpose, she couldn't act suspicious, though that cover was probably already blown. While she tried to remain calm on the outside, inside she was in chaotic panic. Especially after seeing what this man did to Hadrian.


naeodin
Thorn’s eyes were fastened on Remi as he said the next words. Usually he was good at reading people. The flinches, the widening of the eyes and the narrowing of the nostrils. So he said his words casually, laughing as he nodded his head. “It wouldn’t be around the time Hadrian” he lengthened the word. “would come over for his own sleepovers, would it? I keep telling Marc the walls are too thin, but he doesn’t listen.”

There was no point to the statement, but he wanted to see how the woman would react. To the mention of Marc, to the mention of Hadrian. Because if she knew... well, maybe her reaction would be stronger then if she was ignorant of the truth.

So he watched, barely noticing the way Haki behaved. She wasn’t the important female in the room, right now.


Remiyah
Just for a very brief moment, the inner panic showed on her face at the mention of Hadrian and Marc. Like a deer in the headlights moments before death. Only for a second before she quickly tried to wipe her face of it. Was he baiting her? Did he know? She wasn't really helping the situation for herself. She'd never had to deal with anything like this. Maybe there was a /reason/ her friends never told her secrets back in school.

"M-most likely," she said, her voice just slightly shaking. Trying to regain full composure, she pushed onward. "When I first met those two, I'd accidentally walked in on them."

She gave a weak laugh, trying to ease her own nervousness and failing miserably. All she could think was, 'He knows. He knows. He knows!'


naeodin
Thorn laughed, as if it was funny. Because it was. So this was the woman who had talked to both Hadrian and Marc? The one who knew everything? His eyes were flat and speculative as he assessed her, considering if she was worth the trouble. Haki adored her son- if something terrible happened to her, would it affect the boy too much? He didn’t want to get on the bad side of any of the children yet. They had lots of potential.

"Marc looks better now." he said, his voice soft, nodding his head. "We talked about it, and we've come to an understanding. He's much better." the words were simple, tame as he said them outloud and nodded his head. It was all good. Right?

"Gavin is a very pretty boy." he mused. "Perhaps it is time I took them to Haki's?" He wanted time alone, with this woman. And as if sensing this, Haki blinked.

“Gavin come with me?” she asked, staring at the boy.


Remiyah
Thorn's laugh only provided to unnerve her more. At his next comment, her stomach sank. He /did/ know. Her mind was in total disarray by now, but she needed to keep her cool. She couldn't lose it here in front of Thorn. In front of Gavin. Maybe Hadrian was right, and she shouldn't have gotten involved. But she'd helped the two of them, right? Even Thorn said they'd come to an understanding.

"S-sure," she answered, wanting him to leave. Marc had said Thorn had never hurt Haki, so as long as Gavin was with Haki he was safe. "I'll pick him up later tonight, then."

Gavin gave Haki a wide smile. "Okay! Follow Haki!"


naeodin
Thorn smiled, slowly, and Haki looked up at her father’s friend and nodded. “Bye bye!” she said, waving at Remi.

And then at Thorn.

Thorn turned to Remi and arched a brow. “Don’t you think.” he said slowly, the words purred out at a dangerous level. “You and I should talk?”

See, Haki recognized the twitch of his brow and the steady gaze. It’s what he used whenever he had something to say to her daddy without her being there- so she got the hint. (Usually she ended up with a pretty top in her wardrobe for listening) So getting up, she offered Gavin her hand. “We can go see Hamit!” she said somewhat gleefully.


Remiyah
Okay, she hadn't been expecting /that./ She watched the two toddlers rush out of her apartment with a look of abandonment. Gavin even closed the door, making Remi curse all those times she'd reminded him to do that when he ran outside. Now Thorn was in her apartment. Alone. With her. No one else was coming by that night. This was definitely /not/ a good situation to be in.

"A-about what?" she blinked, flinching, though she knew the innocent act wouldn't work. He knew. The tone of his voice told her he knew. She started to back away slowly, one small movement at a time. This scared her. And that fright was starting to show now that she realized she was all alone here.


naeodin
Thorn watched her move away, and his eyes widened with delight. Oh, whoever had created this compound must have been thinking of him, for it was like a little playpen for a child. A candyshop for a sugar addict? He laughed, a low, gentle laugh that chided her at the same time.

"I won't hurt you, Remi." he said, the name personal, accompanied by a slight chuckle and a darkening of his eyes as he continued to stand there. Power. There was power here, but there was also curiosity was well. So had she told anyone? Or was she going to leave it up to the three of them to figure out? "Haki would be displeased if I hurt her friend's mother."

It was a threat, kind of. Haki would be displeased if he hurt her-- but really. What was Haki but a child who could be lied to so easily?

"And you know exactly what."


Remiyah
When people said things the way Thorn did, they usually meant the complete opposite of their words. Remi was not a powerful figure the way Thorn was, standing there in her living room. She only posed a minor threat when she was angry, and right now she was too scared to be angry.

"I was only trying to help," her eyes pleaded. She needed an escape, but to where? Thorn was blocking her way to the front door. "Haki came to me about Marc."


naeodin
Thorn smiled. It was slow. "Thank you." he said, slowly. Savoring the moment. It wasn't every day chance would throw something like this into his waiting lap. "Marc is much better now." he watched her, his eyes cool- predatory, almost. "And do you believe you have helped matters?" he asked, slowly.

Deadly, because he knew the answer, and his tone seemed to suggest that she was wrong. No. She hadn't helped a thing.

“Has Marc explained, to you?” he sounded amused.


Remiyah
Another confused expression crossed her face. Why was he thanking her? She hadn't gone completely out of her way to help /him./ The fact that she'd already let fear take hold of her made her feel ashamed of herself. Her hands were already shaking.

"I would like to think I helped," she gulped. Maybe she didn't. What if it had made things worse? But that night...Hadrian and Marc were together. Everything should be fixed now, not broken again!

"I-I don't believe M-Marc and I have had a chance to t-talk since," she admitted, stammering more and more. This was exactly what she /didn't/ like about Thorn. The look in his eye. The amused tone. It was almost as if he was mocking her in her frightened state.


naeodin
Thorn was smirking as he crossed his arm. He leaned against the door he was so close to, not only effectively blocking her entrace, but to get comfortable too. There was something about this situation...

"You've certainly made things more... interesting." he drawled. Yes. She had, hadn't she? Not only by involving herself, but by making him lie to Marc. Making him, really. Because Thorn would do what was necessary to hold onto those he wanted. "Marc and I." he paused. "Have come to an understanding, thanks to you."

So anything in the future, that didn't work out? He'd blame her, of course. Or rather, anything that worked out for him, but didn't work out for the doomed couple. He nodded. "So thank you."

For the game was more fun, now.


Remiyah
Thanks to her. She wanted to run. Get away. Go somewhere. Find Stephan. Anywhere that was safe and away from Thorn. No wonder Hadrian was so frightened to even mention this man's name. His mere presence was enough to send her into a panic.

"W-what kind of understanding?" she asked, though she wasn't sure she wanted to know. She hoped it was a good understanding for the sakes of Marc and Hadrian. Though a part of her kept telling her that that's all that was...hope. Maybe she had made things worse, but not for the two men she'd tried to help.

Maybe she'd just made turned the situation on herself.


naeodin
Thorn's smile widened. "A surprise, Remi darling." he drawled, rather in the same way he called Hadrian darling too. "But if the man comes crying to you again..." his smile fell. No, that wasn't quite right. It disappeared completely until a cold, expressionless face was left. "I do hope you realize it is your fault?"

It would never be Thorn's fault, in his own mind. He was only doing what he did best- having fun at another person's expense and health. But it didn't bother him. Why should it? So he straightened, holding himself as he walked towards her, crushing any space that existed between them. No. He as going to have fun.

"And don't get too upset about it." he said, showing teeth. "I promised Marc I wouldn't leave a cut or a bruise on his body."

His smile was slow, as he watched.


Remiyah
She could deal with Marc calling her 'darling.' She could /not/, however, deal with Thorn calling her the same thing. With Marc it was about teasing and general good fun. With Thorn...she didn't want to think about the implications. What was worse was that he was walking toward her.

"I-if you hurt Hadrian, h-how is that m-my fault?" she backed away even more, except that she kind of ran out of space to back into. She cursed whoever came up with the idea of walls. Stupid, stupid concept. Especially when she needed a place to bolt.


naeodin
Thorn smiled. He leaned forewords, putting one hand against the wall casually as if this was something everyone did. You know, trap another human being against their body and the wall.

"It's not a question of me hurting him, per se." his voice was quiet, hushed, as if he was sharing a secret. Allowing her insight almost, into the way his mind worked. "But if I hurt him more, if he develops that haunted look in his eyes?" he smiled. The thought of it almost got him off, because it was exciting.

He purred. "It's certainly not my fault that I promised Marc not to hurt him."

Well, that reminded him. And his eyes hardened. "Remi." he said, slowly. "Don't. Try. To turn Marc against me."

Quietly bitten off words said right above her lips.


Remiyah
Did this man not understand the concept of personal space?! Her breath quickened when she realized she was trapped. Trapped between a wall and a very dangerous man. At least Admon had been somewhat harmless, if indeed crude. She listened to what he said, but most of it didn't register until his last sentence. Or well, the last couple of sentences, the way he was saying it.

She /had/ tried to turn Marc against him, hadn't she. Tried to convince him that Thorn was the reason Hadrian was too scared to come out of his office or talk to anyone. Thorn was the reason Marc was upset. This was all his fault. She bit her lip when he got so close to her face. By this point, her entire body was shaking.


naeodin
Thorn decided he adored having her shake, so he leaned forewords, patting her cheek with two fingers in a condescending manner. "Is that a yes then?" he inquired, his voice light. Casual. This wasn't important, what was happening between them. But that didn't mean the man wouldn't have some fun while he was here.

You couldn't buy this kind of entertainment.


Remiyah
She flinched at his touch. Tears glistened in her eyes, but she wasn't crying just yet. Keep strong, she kept telling herself. Very few things scared her when she was younger, making her very inexperienced when it came to fear. Thorn was definitely going to be added to her list of phobias.

"W-what do you want from me?" she pleaded, looking up at him. At least if she could still make direct eye contact she knew she wasn't completely hopeless just yet. Keep strong.


naeodin
Thorn smiled. "Don't interfere, Remi." he murmured. He lowered his head almost as if he was going to kiss her. Almost. "Don't turn Marc against me. Don't make Hadrian stronger than he is... because the more he fights, the harder he'll... be punished." a smile on his lips, a toying one as he considered the idea. "Don't make things worse for yourself... or for Hadrian." he was delighting in this little conversation.

And almost, almost, he did kiss her. But it would have been too much for the moment so he didn't. He sighed, breathing on her lips as if he was considering breaking the small gap. Fear probably tasted good too, on a new woman.

"Because I won't hurt you." he whispered. "But I will hurt Hadrian. So no faux pas-es, Remi." he chided.


Remiyah
Remi tried to move her head back further, only to remember that she was still pinned against a wall. She could taste his breath moving past her lips. Not the most pleasant sensation. The closeness was starting to get to her, making her body react. He was too close. She wouldn't have minded if it was Stephan, but this wasn't him. This was /Thorn./

"Why Hadrian?" she asked, more defiantly. "Why not someone else?"

It was a question that had been lurking in her mind for a while. Why would someone like Thorn go through all the trouble just for a man who was already taken? She would think it'd be easier to go find someone a bit more available.

But then again, she could never really comprehend the minds of men.


naeodin
Thorn smiled. And this time, he did it. He rubbed his lips on hers for just a second- to see for himself, if fear had a taste. Because she was asking questions now, and if he knew anything about these compound people, it was this: they ended up developing a backbone, all of them. So it was best to take advantage of what he had before they grew to be too defiant.

"Because he belongs to someone." he stated. "Because he's powerful. Because he's weak." his smile became more fierce. "Because he never says no for long."

Because because because. So many reasons, and he didn't feel like letting the woman into every dark hole. Abruptly releasing the space between them and walking towards the door, he nodded his head, raising a hand to his forehead in a gesture of a mock salute. "It was nice talking to you." he drawled.


Remiyah
Remi's eyes widened in shock when he finally closed the gap. It hurt her, though not physically. Her mind was shot with fear and she was too stunned to move. His words didn't even process in her head, she just slumped to the floor in a stupor when he walked toward the door.

She even missed him leaving. Now the tears fell freely, but there were no racking sobs. Just tears as she stared blankly ahead of her. Her breathing was starting to slow down and she was trying to recooperate. Everything that happened now was /her/ fault?

She really hoped it would be Marc, instead of Thorn, who would be there when she picked up Gavin.
PostPosted: Tue Aug 08, 2006 4:12 am


Aletea
Hadrian was nervous enough that he had left work early. Why? Well, he was hoping that Marc would come by, would come by and tell him that he believed him - not that he thought that would do much, but it would relax him a bit. And at the same time, while he was hoping for that - he didn't expect it. And either way, /someone/ was going to get hurt.

He supposed it was selfish of him to hope that he wasn't the one this time, but...well, he couldn't really help it.

So the mage was trying to distract himself by doing work - he'd brought some paperwork home with him.


naeodin
Thorn was a very very busy man-- today. But it was a good, willing kind of busy as he made his way to the now familiar path to Marc and Hadrian's building. He needed to get all this done before Marc returned from work- for while he had some idea of how the man would react, he didn't want to take chances.

This time, he was thinking of both Hadrian and Marc.

Walking to the door and trying to open it, he tilted his head. Hadrian would be home, or in his lab- but Thorn preferred the hurt him in his own apartment, which was why he always came here first.

The possibilities were so exciting.

They'd... talk. Yes. That was it. But at a more physical level then he had with Remi. After all-- he had promised not to cut or bruise the mage.


Aletea
Hearing something at the door, Hadrian glanced up. Marc? Well...it made sense. Marc wouldn't expect the door to be locked. But he wasn't leaving that door unlocked, not with what had happened the last time. That was one lesson that had finally imprinted intself on his mind. And he didn't get up right away to answer, either - he'd wait and see if anyone knocked. For all he knew, it could have just been someone walking by.

He hadn't really heard any specific sound, after all - just a bit of sound from that direction.

So he watched the door, forgetting his paperwork which was strewn across the kitchen table.


naeodin
Thorn paused, his hand on the door, and one brow slooowly went up. He had locked the door, had he? What a smart little pet. Smiling sightly with amusement but narrowing his eyes at the same time, he knocked. They were gentle knocks, and so what if he subconciously mimiced Marc's pattern on the door? It wasn't as if he was doing it on purpose. Much.

Interesting. Was the pet growing a backbone, because Marc had decided to take him back? His smile was grim. It seemed some needed more lessons then others-- hadn't he promised that nothing would change to Marc, that he would teach Hadrian?

Yes. Teach.


Aletea
Hearing those knocks, knocks that were so familiar...so much like the way Marc knocked...he didn't consider that it might /not/ be Marc. And if he was knocking like that, and not angrily - maybe he believed him? Though he didn't know what could have happened that would lead him to believe Hadrian. After all, Thorn seemed very.../skilled/ at manipulating people.

And Marc wanted to believe that Thorn wasn't like he had said.

Standing, he approached the door with a mixture of nervous apprehension and hope. Then, he opened it.


naeodin
"Darling." he said immediatly, walking in, not past Hadrian but towards him. He stalked the man like food- and his smile suggested just as much. "And who would you be locking the door against? Burglars?" his tone was mocking, light as he closed the distance. He decided that it was something to be annoyed with, more than proud. Who cared if Hadrian grew a backbone? While that made his job more fun, it made it harder though.

Thorn didn't understand this battle of wills. If people just gave in faster, he would be able to do so much more with them before their mental health gave out.

Pity, that.

"Have you missed me?" he purred, his eyes travelling low on Hadrian's body. "I have."


Aletea
Hadrian drew back as he saw an unexpected face at the door, before cursing himself for opening the door. He could have /asked/ if it was Marc - just because he didn't have the little peep hole in the door didn't mean he should just let people in before hearing their voices.

As Thorn advanced, Hadrian retreated - it was unconcious, more of a reaction then a concious decision. It was instinct to try and stay away from the man who had so obviously become a predator, here. Or rather - had always been a predator. It was just that it had only been somewhat recently that he realized he was the prey.

He didn't answer the first question, though he flinched at hearing the pet name. The second however...

"Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Maybe you should try being absent a bit longer - how about forever?"

Why was he making comments like that? Probably because he couldn't think past the panic in his mind.


naeodin
Thorn laughed. Oh, his pet had indeed grown a backbone! He was swept away by the initial rush of delight as he watched him with amused eyes. "Cute, Hadrian." he purred. "Very cute." he wasn't annoyed by the comment yet- how often was it that Hadrian would be able to fight in the future? And with that thought, his smile grew. Let the boy have some fun while he could still believe he had some free will in this issue.

"I was going to come here to... reprimand you." he chided lightly. "For giving away our little secret. But I think you've done a very, very good thing now." For now Marc wouldn't be a sulky, love-lorn teenager, and Thorn would have an excuse to be seen with Hadrian. "But you've been bad, darling."

And his smile grew more intense as he as he reached out and lightly smacked that cheek. "You know I don't like it when you go against me."

His smile fell. "I've talked with Remi already. Delightful girl. It would be traumatic if something happened to her, wouldn't it, for her son?"


Aletea
Snaking his hand up, Hadrian reached out and grabbed Thorn's hand, before shoving it and the man away. Or attempting to, in any case; he had no intention of being forced against a wall or floor again, into a situation where he had such little control. And perhaps Thorn saw it as a backbone, but it was more along the lines of fear making him act in a self-preserving way.

Or, well...an attempt at it.

Those words worried him. And then, Remi -

"You won't harm Gavin. If anything happened to one of the Souls, you'd have far more then me to deal with," Hadrian's eyes were narrowed into slits, as he knew that if a Soul was harmed by Thorn - well, Dacian and Ahneta wouldn't stand for it, "And Remi...don't you even go /near/ her!"

She was innocent of all of this. All she had wanted to do, was help...


naeodin
Thorn smiled, fierce. "I would never hurt any of the souls, Hadrian." he purred. "No, I have bigger plans then allowing them to wallow in their self pity." he paused, arching a brow. "But what they don't know, won't hurt them, will it?" He stood there, taking a step back with the action which shoved him away but holding on to the ground in front of him too. "Hadrian." he said, dangerously.

“I promised Marc I wouldn’t mark you again... but you, of all people know I don’t need to give cuts or bruises.” No. Sometimes there was the pain that came without the cuts, without the bruises to make their going. “Be very, very careful.” he advised.

The man could be generous too. See? He gave good advice.

“And Remi?” he raised a brow. “I won’t hurt her.” not yet. “Because we both know if someone else was hurt...” the way his eyes claimed Hadrian’s body let them both know who he was talking about. “It would hurt her more.”

Guilt was such a powerful thing.


Aletea


Hadrian's jaw clenched. Marc...had spoken with Thorn, obviously. And - what was Marc thinking? What on earth was the man thinking, that he was satisfied with a 'promise' like that - he was smarter then that!

...but not around Thorn. He knew that.

And Remi...well, guilt /was/ quite powerful.

"Stay away from the compound, Thorn." His voice was quiet, but strangely steady. Because he didn't plan on standing for this anymore - and if Thorn didn't intend to 'mark' him...well. That just meant that it gave /him/ more freedom, more ability to act against the man. After all, Hadrian didn't have any qualms about injuring the other man.

"Stay away from me, and stay away from Remi. I want you to leave."

The words didn't carry an obvious warning, but his intent was clear.


naeodin
Thorn smiled, and then flew forewords for an open handed slap. Such a sissy’s weapon! Well, it did hurt, and as for as he knew no one had been bruised up or cut due to a slap. It hurt his hand too, and so he frowned. Next time, he would come prepared. ((*amused* oh dear. Does this mean I have to research how to hurt people?))

“You don’t own the compound, darling.” he purred, reaching out to pull Hadrian’s hair back to expose that long, delicate neck. Marc wouldn’t be home until evening- small marks would heal by then, he knew. “Don’t suppoe for an instant, that you can order me around.”

Besides. He could always find an invitation back through a certain adventurous mage.


Aletea
"I may not own it...but the other mages won't stand for you acting as if /you/ own it, either."

His countenance was - somewhat calm. That had /hurt/ - not as bad as he knew Thorn could do, not as painful as it could be. And he supposed that in a way, he felt...grateful to Marc, for that silly promise. Because dealing with this was better then dealing with what would have happened before.

Hadrian's expression was calm, but his eyes reflected exactly how he felt at the moment: utterly terrified. And yet...there was a bit of confidence there as well. For all that Thorn had a hold on his hair, his hands were free.

Flicking his eyes downward slightly, an unconcious motion, was the only warning as Hadrian's hands began to quickly slide into positions, movements. He was fast, faster then he had been before - faster because he knew this was his best bet to get rid of Thorn. The spell was the same one he'd used last time, as he'd seen how effective it was. Except...well, this time, he thought he'd let the man spend the night in the gardens. In the mud.

Wouldn't that be lovely? Maybe he'd get sick of it by morning.

Of course, that was only if he wasn't stopped.


naeodin
Thorn saw it. He recognized it with a curse and immediatly he reached out and snapped the fingers back on of Hadrian’s hands. It was infuriating- how dare the mage use magic against him? That was...

Cheating.

“Hadrian.” he purred. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Shoving him towards the couch which Thorn knew was softer, he attempted to push him against the back, arching Hadrian’s own back until it was curved around it, head and neck on the seat.

"Don't ever do that." his own hand formed a fist around Hadrian's-- he didn't need to hold both, by now he knew. One, or the other. And stopping the actions... surely that was all there was to it.


Aletea
Gasping in pain and surprise /at/ the pain, Hadrian didn't offer much resistance to being forced back ohto. He was too focused on his fingers, and the pain there, to think of fighting in another way. Because as much as he may try, he was not a warrior sort, he wasn't someone who was used to pain, who knew how to get past it.

As as the hand formed a fist around that hand, he couldn't hold back the cringe as he felt his fingers pushed a bit more painfully, in that fist. All it would take to cause more pain would be for Thorn to tighten his fist. It distantly occured to him that it was stupidity to underestimate Thorn - which he had just done. He assumed that such a handicap of not causing bruises or cuts would allow him the advantage -

But it obviously hadn't.

That little confidence he had built up, shattered. His eyes this time, darting across Thorn's face that showed - while he didn't speak - that he had been sufficiently frightened by this. Because Thorn had just proved he could hurt him without leaving any sort of mark.


naeodin
Thorn smiled, leaning forewords and brushing his body up suggestively against Hadrian's. And then with a long, slow smirk he nibbled at the man's neck. Not enough to leave marks- no, he knew better then that. But hard enough to leave teeth marks, if only for a few seconds. Hadrian's fear had a taste, in Thorn's mind. It was sweet, subtle and he smiled into the flesh, hand tightening in a harder fist.

"Don't be stupid." he murmured under his bretah, inevitably turned on by the fact that he was here, doing things Marc would never do- and things Marc would now never know of. The thought of being forced to admit his acts was gone now. Hadrian had taken care of this. So his hand, the other one slipped between their bodies to touch the mage in low, warm places- and Thorn chided him.

“I can still hurt you.”


aletea


Hadrian shuddered, and seemed to be trying to sink into the couch with a cringe. Sinking into the couch - that sounded good, right about now. If he could just fall into the couch, Thorn would leave. Probably.

But obviously, that wasn't going to happen. He could feel enough happening to prove that this was something far more real then any little fantasy like that. And, with his breath coming in short gasps, panicked and afraid - and his hand hurting even more as Thorn tightened the grip - Hadrian didn't have any problem believing the other man's statement.

"Stop."

A command, from the words...but the tone was pleading.

"...y-you've proven your point. Let me up."


naeodin
Thorn smiled, and he sank his teeth into the soft spot where ear almost meets jaw. It wasn’t hard- Hadrian’s skin was smooth, not bristled with a beard, or with hair too long and harsh to his mouth. Leaning forewords almost aggressively, he looked up at Hadrian’s eyes from the position he was in.

"You're mine, Hadrian." he said, taking his teeth out of the flesh. "You listen to me, not to your friends, not to Marc." his voice was low, casual as he said this in an almost agreeable tone.

“Do you understand?” He’d give the mage one more chance.


Aletea
Hadrian closed his eyes, closing them as if he could hide from Thorn simply by not seeing him. As if he could hide from all that the other man was doing with his eyes closed. But while that may block out the sight of him, it did nothing to stop what the man was doing. And closing his eyes had another purpose in well - it had the purpose of hoping that Thorn wouldn't see how much this was hurting.

Not physically. But...Hadrian felt like he was being torn apart, emotionally.

His other hand was clenched, the knuckle white, as he spoke - his voice merely a whisper, shaking as it was. "...yes."

He had to say that. If he didn't say that, he couldn't get out of this - but if that was the case, why did he feel so sick?


naeodin
Thorn smiled. He patted the cheek, and nodded his head. “Good answer, Hadrian.” he purred, and released the mage, giving them space.

But his hand never moved from the other man’s, and his gaze never left him either.

"You'll be smart to remember it this time, Hadrian." he purred, and arched a brow. Or else. Well. That didn't need to be said, did it? It would ruin the fun so much. "We'll keep this discussion a secret, between you and I.

I'll be seeing you, Hadrian."


aletea
Hadrian shifted his head to the side, as if by keeping his closed eyes on the couch it would help. Which it wouldn't, of course, but those unconcious motions didn't really listen to logic. And while he knew what would happen -

"..I won't say anything about it."

He wouldn't. Because he felt as sickened by agreeing, by giving in, as he did by Thorn.

But that didn't mean he was going to just let Thorn have whatever he wanted, either. Just because he was giving in this time...well, it didn't mean he was going to suddenly start acting like Thorn wanted. He wasn't going to just sit there - but this time, still trembling and terrified...all he wanted was for Thorn to leave him alone. To regain his control.

So he didn't say anything more.


naeodin
Thorn smiled, and nodded his head. And left.

Aletea
Vice Captain

Wheezing Elocutionist


Aletea
Vice Captain

Wheezing Elocutionist

PostPosted: Tue Aug 08, 2006 4:52 pm


Aletea
Hadrian knocked on Remi's door, having a feeling that he didn't look as he normally did - pale, hair a bit messier. He hadn't brought any bags with him, but he could easily go back for stuff. He just...needed to see if that room she had offered was still open. Because he couldn't stay there, couldn't stay where Thorn knew to find him.

Couldn't go to Marc either, especially since he'd been satisfied with that little 'promise'. To not mark him...

He was afraid of Thorn. But he first had to make sure that Remi was alright, right now - and then, he planned on making sure he was somewhere he'd be better prepared to fight him. Some place that didn't hold those same memories of being defeated, of giving in all the time.


Remiyah
Remi was doing what she always did when she was extremely nervous...cleaning things. She'd lost count how many times she'd washed the dishes over again. Four or maybe five? Her hands were started to turn a blotchy red from all the scrubbing and the soap. Still, she was trying to wipe her memory of what had happened earlier that afternoon. That a*****e had actually kissed her.

When she heard the knock on the door she jumped, causing her to drop the plate she was holding, letting it shatter across the kitchen floor. Well that was a waste of twenty dollars. Still, she gingerly walked to the front door, opened it slightly, and then heaved a great sigh of relief when it was Hadrian--not Thorn--at the door.

"Hadrian," she said, as if it were a miracle it was him actually standing there. She noticed something was slightly off. "Are you alright?"


Aletea
"Is your offer of a place to stay still open?"

Hadrian didn't bother to answer Remi's actual question, not entirely sure what the answer even /was/. Was he alright? Well, physically he was. But...considering that he had just a bit ago essentially agreed to being Thorn's - agreed under duress, to escape further pain - but he had still agreed. So needless to say, he was unsettled.

Or perhaps unsettled was not a strong enough word for it. But the mage wasn't about to spend time digging through his mind to find the right word, because when he started to think, he started to think of Thorn. And what he had just done, what kind of ramifications it would have..

Though he was a bit doubtful it would actually change anything except Thorn's justifications.


Remiyah
Remi blinked for a moment at his question. Under any other circumstance she would have said 'yes' immediately. However, after the events of that morning, she didn't know if it was the right decision. She couldn't protect him if Thorn knew where she was. Thorn would figure things out eventually if he noticed Hadrian was gone from his apartment long enough.

She sighed with a rueful expression. "Thorn...found me this morning."

She didn't know how else to word it. She still didn't even know if the 'finding' was deliberate or coincidental.

"You know I would let you stay here...but would it still be safe for you?"

For her. For Gavin. What would Thorn do if he found out she was doing even more to keep Hadrian away from him?


Aletea
"It would be safer."

Safer then his own apartment, because at least it would take a few days for Thorn to realize he wasn't staying there anymore. Maybe...well, he could always just shift where he lived every night, unsettling as the idea was. There /were/ some empty apartments, after all. He didn't like the idea, and knew that Thorn could merely intercept him at work -

But at least it wouldn't be in his own home.

"Just tonight, if nothing else."

He'd just...pick an empty apartment for tomorrow. They had basic furniture - he could live with that, easily enough. Perhaps it would be even 'easier' to just live with Marc, but - well, he was finding that he was a bit irritated with the man. Hadrian wasn't sure he wanted to live with him, not when he didn't know the full extent of the 'deal' Thorn and he had made.

"..you're alright, aren't you?" Thorn had said he hadn't hurt her. But still, he scanned her for a moment, to make sure that she actually /was/.


Remiyah
"Of course," she nodded, opening the door more to give him room. "Come in. Forgive the mess in the kitchen. I dropped a plate."

At his next question she had to think for a second. Was she alright? She had definitely been scared, but not physically hurt. Right now she was just a bit skittish and more than a little jumpy.

"I guess I'm fine," she smiled weakly. "Haki led him here so she could see Gavin, and they ran out leaving me alone with him."

The memory made her wince slightly. But she liked to talk about things that bothered her. It made her feel better afterward, no matter how hard it was to talk about them. And Thorn hadn't threatened her not to talk.

"He cornered me, warned me not to turn Marc against him. And then he...kissed me."

She blanched at the memory, clearly remembering being sick after realizing what had just happened. There needed to be a word for an unwanted kiss. Just the simple word 'kiss' had too positive a connotation.


Aletea
"Kissed you?"

Hadrian seemed as dismayed by Remi as she herself was, as he knew exactly how she was feeling. Except that by now, no matter how much it made him cringe - he was growing used to it. To being kissed when he didn't want to be, to being abused, to being...Thorn's. And he hated it.

And...Marc did tell Thorn it was Remi. That much was obvious, and it made his eyes darken with anger. Marc could have damned well done that without endangering someone else! He may have assumed Thorn to be innocent, but that didn't mean he should have risked Remi like that.

"He didn't do anything else, did he?"


Remiyah
"No, he left right after that."

And thank whatever gods were out there for it too. It was disgusting. Horrible, horrible feeling. She never wanted to be in close contact with that man again. If he ever showed up again...well, she didn't know how she'd handle it.

"Though," she added with a slight twinge of guilt in her voice. "He did make a point of telling me that everything that happened now was /my/ fault."

Moving to the kitchen, she started to pick up some of the larger pieces of the broken plate. Her hands looked terrible after all the washing she did, making her slightly embarrassed that she didn't stop herself before it got out of hand.

"Do you think you could hand me a dustpan? It should be in the pantry over there."


Aletea
Sighing quietly, Hadrian corrected her.

"Anything that happens is the fault of two people: mine for not finding a way to get rid of him without involving other people, and...Thorn himself."

None of this was Remi's fault; only his own. Well, and Thorn's - but Hadrian felt like he was just as much a contributing factor, because it was his own actions that were causing all of this. If he found a way to make Thorn disinterested - that would be the route to go. Now if only he knew of a way to do that...

Following, he stopped over and located the duspan, before bringing it over to her. And as he did so, he took note of her hands. Frowning, as he realized this was probably /his/ fault. Remi shouldn't have to deal with Thorn, too.

Once again, doubts began to grow about even staying here tonight. Maybe he should just - leave Remi alone. Not involve her in this mess, anymore...


Remiyah
"Thank you," she took the dustpan and started to sweep up the smaller pieces. Gavin had a penchant for running around barefoot, and she couldn't have him cutting his feet on spare shards that she'd missed.

"Someone needed to get invovled Hadrian," Remi reassured him. It wasn't like she was forced into this. "I volunteered myself so I need to deal with the consequences of that. After this morning I was having doubts that maybe I'd just made things worse for you without realizing it."

Because Thorn had said he wouldn't hurt her. He would hurt Hadrian. Her intention was to alleviate the pain, not cause him more. Though, in the back of her mind she wondered how long it would be until Thorn changed his mind and went after her. Though he'd scared her once, she was still going to help.


Aletea
"You volunteered without realizing the danger to yourself," Hadrian's voice was quiet but steady. Because he didn't blame her - in fact, he considered her a victim here. Because she hadn't known what she was getting into...hell, she had probably just though it a lover's spat when she originally went to see Marc.

And he was just putting her in more danger by even being here.

So why was he here? He could find another place to stay that night, if he couldn't handle being in his apartment alone.

Still, it took a bit of effort to make himself open his mouth to speak - Hadrian...he didn't want to be alone. Maybe that was why he was.

"..I should go, I think I'm just going to put you in danger by being here. I can find another place to stay, tonight."

His words were sudden and abrupt - but honest. And as soon as he was finished speaking, he had begun to slink out of the kitchen and towards the front door. He didn't want to get her hurt, he shouldn't even have come.


Remiyah
"Yes but--" Remi started, but he'd already started making his way to the door. It was in her nature to be helpful, but in this case she didn't know how to help. Hadrian was probably right in that by letting him be here she was putting herself in more danger, but part of her wanted to openly defy Thorn. Show him that not everyone will just bend to his commands. Of course, she didn't have a clue what kind of punishment people received for doing or thinking such things, but in that case she was blissfully ignorant.

"At least take this," she scrambled to the pantry, reaching for something high on the top shelf. Ever since her incident with Admon in the gardens she'd kept a small supply of pepper spray. Had she been able to think straight when Thorn cornered her, he probably would have gotten a full spray in the face. Before Hadrian walked out, she strode up to him and held out the can.

"I don't know how much this will help," she started sheepishly. "But if you can spray it in his face it should give you a few seconds to make an escape."


Aletea
Hadrian blinked in confusion at the can for a moment, before taking it. What /was/ it? He hadn't seen anything like it before...

Obviously, things like pepper spray didn't exist in his world. So he waited a moment, before finally, hesitantly, asking Remi.

"What /is/ it?"

Spraying it would let him escape? Was it some sort of magic spray that stunned someone? That made sense, he supposed. Though he couldn't really figure out how someone would manage to create a spell that released after...pressing? Hm.


Remiyah
Remi chuckled a little bit at his confused reaction.

"It's pepper spray," she explained. "It's extremely painful if you get it in your eyes. Enough to keep a person busy without seeing for a few moments."

When she was little, she'd accidentally gotten pepper juice in her eyes. That had taken a good thirty minutes before she'd flushed it all out. The pain had been blinding at the initial contact for the first few minutes, but the stinging lasted a long while after that.

"It's a self-protection mechanism. If I had a tazor I'd give you one, but those are a bit more expensive."


Aletea
Understanding appeared in Hadrian's eyes at this. Not quite what he had thought it was, and perhaps not quite as effective - but it could buy him a few moments. A few moments to cast a spell, or to run...to do something. A few moments was all that he needed, when dealing with Thorn.

Though...he had a feeling it would only work once. He only ever managed to get one over the other man when he took him by surprise, after all - and surely Thorn would realize what he was reaching for next time, the same as how he now recognized when Hadrian tried to use magic.

"Thank you," he bowed his head towards her. Remi...she wouldn't understand how it felt to him, that he was being given something that could let him get away from Thorn, let him have the time he needed. And he had no intentions of going anywhere without it.

"..I'm sorry you got involved in all this, Remi," he spoke softly, while wondering exactly what Thorn and Remi had spoken about asides from Marc. Though she hadn't asked him about Thorn yet either, so he wasn't about to pry for more information then she was willing to give.


Remiyah
"Don't worry about me," Remi smiled. "I'll find a way to take care of myself. Worse comes to worse, I'll invest in a rifle. /That/ should scare him off."

From his reaction, she could tell that maybe she finally did /something/ right. As much as he denied needing other people involved, Hadrian seemed like he needed all the help he could get. Just to make sure one last time, she asked with a concerned expression,

"Are you sure you're going to be alright by yourself tonight?"


Aletea
"I...should be fine."

Managing a slight smile towards Remi, he explained further. "I'm not going to stay in my apartment. There are still some empty apartments, and they all have basic furniture - I'll stay in one of those, tonight. Thorn won't know to look for me there.

He hoped he wouldn't anyway. And there was only one building that even had those empty apartments. But at least he could lock it, and he had no intention of unlocking it unless he knew for certain that Thorn was not there. Hadrian wasn't even going back to work today - he didn't know /what/ he was going to do, but he wasn't going back to work.

Maybe he would just stop by his apartment and grab some things? That worked...

"And.." trailing off, the mage bit his lip almost spastically, as he thought before speaking further, "..if Marc asks you where I am - don't tell him. Please."

Because as horrible as that made him feel, as ill as it made him feel to purposefully exclude Marc - he couldn't help but feel that he couldn't trust the man to not tell Thorn. He'd already told him about Remi, already made that silly deal with the man (after all, he didn't know of the full extent of that deal - or he wouldn't have been calling it silly. He'd have been furious.), and would probably think nothing of telling Thorn.


Remiyah
"Alright," she nodded in acknowledgement. This time she'd make more of an effort to keep his wishes. For once, she'd keep her blabbing mouth in check. Gotta think before you speak. That was now her new motto.

She was going to see Marc this evening, so she could only hope he wouldn't ask her directly. /Not/ answer direct questions was always a challenge, but in this case she would really try.

"If you need anything while you're jumping around apartments my door's always open," she said, trying to be cheerful again. "Though, except for the part where it's locked to keep certain people out, but just knock and I should be here."


Aletea
Just knock?

"Remi - make sure who it is, before you open the door. Maybe install some sort of peephole, or get them to speak - but don't just open it."

Hadrian's voice was sharp, pressing Remi to listen to this. Because he didn't want Thorn getting into her apartment as easily as he had gotten into his own. No, he didn't want her in that situation at all.

If he needed anything - no, he would be fine. Except that he would have all night to brood, with nothing to distract him. And considering his difficulty sleeping /normally/...well, it was bound to be an long night.


Remiyah
"Alright, I'll see what I can do about a peephole," she replied, slightly bewildered.

Hadrian's sudden change of tone startled her. The urgency in his voice made her realize something. And then she remembered his state when she first answered the door. The question she'd first asked that he didn't reply to.

"Did something happen?"

Did Thorn go after him again? Did this mean that Hadrian got hurt because of the incident this morning? If so, then maybe Thorn was exacting on his threat to hurt Hadrian as her punishment.


Aletea
"I - ...Thorn stopped by, a bit ago."

Hadrian glanced to the side, averting his eyes from Remi as he spoke. It was with bitterness and disgust at himself that he remembered how easily he had folded - he'd been all bravado and show, until he got hurt, and then he had just...crumpled.

"...I locked the door, for once. But he knocked - he mimicked the sort of knock Marc always does. Marc has a distinctive knock, one I've come to known...and it never even crossed my mind that it might be anyone /but/ Marc." His speech was quieter, strained sounding. He didn't want to tell Remi about what had happened - but she needed to know that, to realize the danger of doing what he had done.

"A suggestion - keep your door locked, especially when you're at home. He has no problems walking into an unlocked apartment without warning,"


Remiyah
As Hadrian recounted the story, she could only feel sorry for the mage. Thorn sounded relentless when it came to hurting Hadrian. Still, it didn't make much sense to her why Thorn was so insistent on this whole situation. All his 'becauses' from before didn't piece together in her mind. She didn't have sadistic tendencies, and therefore couldn't understand the ones of others.

"I'll keep it locked," she nodded. "I'll even drill a peephole or something. I mean--if that's alright that I drill holes in the doors."

She'd do it so long as it didn't count as defacing private property. Plus, it'd be cheaper just to do it herself rather than pay for someone to come install one for her.


Aletea
"It's fine."

That she drill holes, that is. Hadrian didn't think that it was too big of a deal, though Dacian was technically in charge of that. Ah well - if Dacian had a problem with it, he could speak with him. In these sorts of situations, it was definintly something neccessary. Maybe he should speak with the other mage about doing that to all the doors, sometime?

Hadrian was obviously thinking of anything he could, to distract himself. But no matter what, his thoughts kept drifting back to one thing. So finally, he offered a tired half - smile to Remi.

"Thank you, Remi. Enjoy your evening."

Thanks for what? He wasn't sure. For listening, for helping him - or at least, trying to help him. Then he turned, to walk down the hall.


Remiyah
Remi smiled. "Thanks, you too."

It was all she could do to hope the best for him. That, and start searching for her power drill.
PostPosted: Wed Aug 09, 2006 8:30 pm


naeodin
Marc hadn't been expecting anyone to be home, when he returned. Or rather- any stranger. And so the fact that Gavin, yes, said Gavin who was starting to look more and more dangerous, was alone, ALONE with his daughter... well.

“Haki?” he queried, a slight question in his voice as he dumped his bag on the kitchen island and shrugged off his jacket. The girl looked up from where she had been entertaining the boy with the miracles of more cable, and waved.

"Daddee! Thorn let Gavin come over." she was beaming as she patted the couch, nodding her head.

Marc didn't like the idea of a boy watching TV alone with his girl alone in his living room, alone.

“Is Thorn home?”

Haki shook her head. “He left.” she nodded her head. “Bizniz?”

Marc nodded, and loosened his tie as he went to pour himself some coffee.

“Alright then.”


Remiyah
relmiyah: Remi approached the door and hesitated. What if Thorn was still there? She didn't think she could handle another meeting like the one from that morning. Still, she'd need to pick up Gavin /eventually./ Couldn't just let her son stay there for the rest of his days while she worried over who the heck was going to answer the door.

And so, with a reluctant hand, she knocked. Her hand was still a bit red from all the washing earlier, but most of the blotchiness had subsided since Hadrian came by. At least she'd stopped washing.

Though all this apprehension was making her nervous again.


naeodin
Marc opened the door immediatly- he had been standing near the door anyways, and with a cup of coffee in one hand, his eyes widened with delight. “Remi, sweetheart!” he crooned, nodding his head and moving to allow her to come in. Alright. So what if he was happy because now he got to have Haki to himself? He missed her. He missed Hadrian too-- but the mage wasn’t here. Yet.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t around when Gavin came over.” he apologized immediatly. She was still The Mom, afterall. “I just got back from a meeting myself.” he grimaced.

No. No mentioning meetings in his house.


Remiyah
Remi let out a visible sigh of relief, immediately feeling more comfortable as she accepted the welcome. For once, she was overjoyed that it was Marc answering the door. Even that tiny realization made her realize how desperate she was.

"Thank god it's you," she said tiredly. "I was afraid Thorn was going to be here."

Maybe he was and she didn't know, but she didn't care. Someone else was here. Protection. Anything. If Thorn really /wasn't/ there, she would tell him what happened. Marc needed to know.

Gavin pulled his eyes away from the wonders of cable to see his mommy coming through the door.

"Mommy here!"


naeodin
Haki paused. “Mommy is!” she confirmed, nodding her head and waved at Remi. Marc smiled at that, and nodded his head, and then paused. Wait. Having almost missed the beginning, he watched her, shutting the door.

"Huh?" it was the most graceful answer that could leave his mouth at the moment. He knew Thorn must have picked Gavin up, or Remi must have dropped Gavin off with Thorn around- Haki had said something of that extent. So he was curious, and a little bit wary too. This was the woman who had accused Thorn from the beginning, and... well. He didn't like her words.

But Gavin was here, and Haki too. And he was tired, and cranky and all he wanted was good food and Hadrian. (Marc was no better then a toddler).

“Oh?” he managed, trying to gain back some tact.


Remiyah
Under other circumstances, Remi would have laughed at his reaction but this was slightly more serious. Thorn had cornered her in her own home. Knew where she lived. Frightened her. Definitely not the kind of person Marc seemed to think he was.

"I'd tell you here," Remi said, trying to choose her words carefully. "But even Thorn waited for these two to leave before deciding to have a little 'talk' with me."

She emphasized talk in a way that implied that it wasn't the whole story. Hopefully Marc would get the clue.


naeodin
Marc arched a brow, and nodded his head. “Gavin.” he said, cheerfully. “You’re mother and I have to talk. We’ll be right outside, okay?” Not one to waste subtlties, he barely waited for a reaction before he nudged her out the door. They could talk downstairs, at the foot of the building. Because he hadn’t liked the way she had emphasized the word ‘talk’.

What on earth would Thorn want to talk to this woman about?


Remiyah
Glad that she wouldn't have to explain it in front of her son, Remi followed Marc down the stairs. Once they reached the bottom, she turned to him with a rueful expression.

"I know you're not going to like this," she started, bracing herself for the worst reaction possible. Knowing Marc, it could possibly turn out pretty bad. "But it disturbs when the man you say is like a brother to you corners me in my own home, pins me against a wall, and basically threatens me to stay away from what's going on between you and Hadrian."

She hadn't even mentioned the kiss yet. She would save that part for if he /really/ needed convincing. Hopefully that wouldn't be necessary, considering how much trouble she had even thinking about that part of the 'conversation.'


naeodin
Marc wasn’t prepared for that, and for a moment he stared at her, letting the words sink into his mind. Once. Twice, and then he opened his own mouth to say something, except... well, the proper words didn’t seem so willing to leave.

“Thorn.” he stopped, and tried again. “Huh.”

Marc sank onto the bottom step and patted the seat next to him. Somehow it was easier this way, and as he waited, he kept his gaze fixed straight ahead. Ranting, yelling, denying. That was all at the tip of his mouth to begin-- but there was something else too. Something that bothered him more.

"And Hadrian?" he asked.


Remiyah
"Hadrian..." Remi began again, sitting down next to him. Well this was going better than she thought. He hadn't even started yelling at her yet. This was definitely a good sign. "Hadrian came by a bit later , asking if I was okay. Apparently Thorn paid him a visit too, so now he's scared to even go back to his own apartment."

She almost had to catch herself with that one. Luckily she hadn't mentioned that Hadrian /wasn't/ planning on being in his apartment for the next few days. Remember, think before you speak. She couldn't let that secret out.


naeodin
vellacrean: Marc got up immediatly. (So fickle, he was) "Scared? Is he at your place then?" Maybe the lab? Because he hadn't sensed Hadrian in his own apartment-- Haki would have said something, right? Worried, and deciding that the safety of Hadrian was better to focus on then the thought that Thorn had threatened someone else, he looked back up the stairs.

Too scared to go back into his own apartment? He needed to speak to him. He needed to...

And with that, Marc sank back slowly into the stairs, rubbing his eyes.


Remiyah
"He...told me not to tell you," she said with a guilty expression. She felt bad, keeping these kinds of things from Marc. The guy seemed to be the only one in the dark here. "I don't know why, but he really insisted on me not telling you where he is."

Though, after she said it, she hoped that didn't make Marc angrier. Hadrian was keeping secrets, and Marc would want to know. But she couldn't let this one out. Not this one. Dire consequence could come if she did, and she didn't want to live with that.


naeodin
Marc blanched at the comment. It hurt, and it... well. Marc didn’t want to think that one through. Straightening himself and swallowing once, twice, he tried to work it out. Hadrian didn’t want him to know because... because of what? Marc didn’t get it at all. Because he didn’t want to see him? Because he wanted to be alone? Why? Shaking his head, he leaned back.

"He did?" his words were bleak. He wasn't really intent on confirming Remi's words-- that would hurt too much. But he had to say something, didn't he?

It hurt.

"Well." he managed. "That's..." good? Bad? Surprising. "Okay."


Remiyah
"I don't think it had anything to do with you," Remi tried to reassure him, surprised that the man seemed so torn over this. So Marc /could/ show emotion other than anger and perversity. She preferred this type of emotion over the former. At least this kind of thing she could deal with.

"I think he's just trying really hard to make sure he's not found," she said. "Even I don't really know where he is right now."

All she knew was his plan, not where that plan would lead him. Playing musical apartments would throw anyone looking for him for a loop.


naeodin
It made him feel better, knowing Remi didn't know either. It seemed less personal, more vague and he nodded his head. That was better. That was... nicer. And so he turned his attention to Remi. "Are you okay?" he remembered belatedly that Thorn had waited for the kids to leave and...

The thought bought him up short again.

"So. He..."

Marc...

“I’m sorry.”


Remiyah
Remi gave him a warm smile, that kind of motherly grin that came so naturally to her now, glad that he seemed to be taking this well. At least her comments on Thorn had seemed to finally hit home.

"It's alright, he didn't molest me," she reassured him, figuring that's probably where his mind headed. Well, in her world what Thorn had done was molestation, but she tended to exaggerate things. Not the best course of action when you're trying to be credible. "He got close though. Stole an very unwanted kiss and then left."

Hopefully that would be the end of it and she'd never see the man again. Ugh. No more Thorn. Ever.


naeodin
Marc smirked at that grin, regaining some of his composure as he leaned towards her, slinging his arm around her shoulder in an almost brotherly gesture. (Because... well. Perverted brothers are ick, and Marc was perverted) “Sweetheart, that’s my job!” he teased, “And your new boyfriends. Has he seen those costumes yet?”

And at the kiss. He scowled. “He kissed you?”

Marc needed to talk to Thorn. Tomorrow. Now. Soon.

But from what Remi had said...

He loved Thorn. He didn’t believe half the stuff, but he knew he did. It was...

Better to think about tomorrow morning.


Remiyah
"I haven't even unwrapped those costumes," Remi narrowed her eyes in an annoyed expression, though happy for the contact. Just so long as it didn't go too far. She continued playfully, "They're forever going to be at the bottom of my closet until I have permission to burn them. As much as I love your sense of fashion, I just can't see myself ever wearing anything like that."

At his next question, she paused. "Yes, he did. Please don't make me relive that memory again."

She said the last part tiredly, as if she'd been dwelling on it too much already. Which she had, well sort of. As much as she tried /not/ to think about it, it just kept coming back into the forefront of her mind. Today had been too long a day.


naeodin
Today had been a very long day. The thought echoed in Marc’s mind as he laughed, trying to focus on the better things. “I don’t know.” he mused. “If I let Steps know of the existence of the costumes... I’m sure he’ll come up with something.” he smirked. Pictures. He’d bribe the man to get pictures, and then the woman would never live it down.

This was nice. Comfortable. And he didn’t want to...

She didn’t want to relive the memory, but he didn’t know what to do. Coming home to find a man you thought you’d reached an agreement with, a man you trusted... he trusted Remi too (there was a reason he had left Haki alone upstairs only) but this...

This was new. Different and.

“This is going to take a while.” he murmured.


Remiyah
relmiyah: For a moment Remi went into a nervous panic. Her face even turned the customary shade of red. "Oh don't tell him that! Then I'd probably end up actually having to /wear/ them."

She paused at his next words.

"What is?"

Talking to Thorn? Finding Hadrian? She didn't know what Marc had planned, but she hoped it would turn out for the best. She'd just succeeded in starting to do exactly what Thorn told her not to do: turn Marc against him.


naeodin
Marc waved a hand, gesturing. “This.” Thorn. Hadrian. Thorn. Remi. Thorn. Thorn.

Thorn.

“If he does anything, anything to hurt you again... let me know, okay?” he said, turning so that he didn’t need to look into her eyes. His words were strong- calm. But that wasn’t echoed in his eyes. He would have to learn to hide his emotions properly, sooner or later. “And if...” he paused.

"If you see Hadrian before I do." he cleared his thread. Wow, this was uncomfortable. "Let me know."


Remiyah
Remi nodded in understanding. This went a lot better than she thought it would. Now Marc had a clue as to what was really going on, and maybe now some of the Thorn-related issues could end soon. And maybe Hadrian could actually sleep in his own apartment without fear of being attacked.

"Alright, I'll let you know," she smiled. Not that she would go looking for Hadrian. With her luck, that would just cause him to be found or something else equally bad.

Remiyah
Crew


Remiyah
Crew

PostPosted: Wed Aug 09, 2006 8:43 pm


((A few days later... >>))

Remiyah
Remi was out of the apartment again. Frankly, she just didn't feel like being holed up in there all day again. The weather was nice, great for another walk like she always did. She'd been feeling a bit more upbeat in the past day or two, now that she kept her door locked and everything seemed a bit more safe. That, and her literary muse seemed to be kicking in again. The morning had been spent writing, but now she was outside to take a break.

And, as always, a break included sleeping. She'd found her usual bench, though this time she looked over the area to make sure no Admons were around to interrupt her sleep. No need for /that/ to happen again. Once she felt the coast was clear, she drifted off to sleep, curled up on the bench.


naeodin
Thorn was just returning from a visit to a mage. Not the same cranky, stubborn male that seemed to have vanished, but the other one. Nicer. Voluptuous, exciting. Times like this he felt very happy that Marc had a little kid here-- what he would do for entertainment? And then when he saw the girl sleeping on a bench...

Ah, Remi. The one who knew it all.

It was tempting fate- he had a feeling she had more brains then Hadrian. But it was hard to walk by, and so he stood there, for just a second and smirked. What would he have done for entertainment, if he hadn't discovered this little compound? Lifting her feet gentle and slipping onto the bench before placing them back on his lap, he patted the curve of her waist.

See? He could be nice too.

Now he wondered how long it would take for her to wake up.


Remiyah
Remi was drifting in between a daze and a deep sleep. It took her a while to register that her legs had, in fact, been moved. She noticed the warmth underneath her ankles, but thought nothing of it. Maybe the sun moved or something. It didn't process that the feeling was coming from /underneath/ her legs.

When his hand touched her, she made a soft noise but didn't wake up just yet. Her mind was slowly awakening, her eyes almost opening, though with a blank unseeing gaze. For the most part she seemed unaware of what was going on, except that she knew something /was/ happening.


naeodin
Thorn smirked, patting her in a familiar, intimate way reserved for lovers- or maybe gay bestfriends. He watched her eyes, a part of him tense- she was a woman. She couldn't be so strong? But you never know with women. (That's why he liked Hadrian so much. Such a pretty, predictable... man.) Stroking her hip through the material of her clothing, one hand rested just slightly above her ankle.

In case she tried to run, of course.


Remiyah
As the touches continued, Remi began to drift back into consciousness. Whatever that was felt really good. At first she didn't mind until she realized that a human hand was touching her. She didn't remember giving anyone permission to touch her like that. This time her eyes shot open.

To see Thorn.

As if it were a reflex, her body tensed as she rapidly shifted herself onto her back rather than her side.

"W-what are you doing?" she asked fearfully, though she knew exactly what he was doing. This was worse than Admon. /Much/ worse than Admon.


naeodin
Thorn smiled. "Good afternoon to you too, Remi." he said, his voice polite, a note of irony in his words. Had that been a stutter he had heard? Why. She was scared of him! This made things so much more fascinating. So he smiled, acknowledging her words with a nod of his head and a removal of his hand.

For now.

“Nice weather we’re having.” he said, amused.


Remiyah
Remi blinked, too stunned to think or say much of anything. Thorn acted so casually about this, as if it were normal to touch people like that when they were sleeping. This was definitely not normal. She noticed the placement of her legs, and tried to move them out of his lap.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, slightly more angry this time. Her body was tense, ready to retaliate this time. No more unwanted touching, kissing, or whatever else the man had in mind. She wanted to bolt, but would wait for the right opportunity. Taking the wrong one could just make things worse.


naeodin
Thorn’s hand tightened on her ankle, keeping her the way she was. They were small enough to make it easy- god forbid if he tried this on a man. “I was visiting a mage.” he said, smiling. Keeping it ambiguous to see what her reaction would be. “We had a delightful time together.” the smile seemed sexual, suggestive, and he watched her with that smile.

How cute. If she fought harder, would he be allowed to haul her around for self defense?

Hopefully.


Remiyah
Remi flinched when he grabbed her ankle. No running away now. Inwardly she started to panic again. To his smile she returned a look of horror. Hadrian. He hurt Hadrian again. She knew it, and that smile of his confirmed it. Her eyes narrowed angrily.

"You b*****d."

Just like she had with Marc, she made a move to slap him. Hurt him. Something. At least get him to let go of her ankle so she could run. This time her anger was stronger than her fear, meaning that she would attack. Attack or bolt, whichever seemed the best course of action.


naeodin
Startled that she wasn’t quite as cowardly as she had first seemed, his grip on her ankle loosened as the other hand went up to catch her hand. Very nearly missing it, it slipped back on the look of amusement, of delight and satisfaction. “You should join us the next time.” Thorn knew he was deliberately baiting the woman- but it wasn’t his fault. Not really. She made it so easy!

But his eyes were keen. If this twit thought she could slap him again...


Remiyah
Though the grip on her ankle was gone, it didn't help improve matters much because now he had a grip on her wrist. Her eyes widened fearfully when he caught her hand. Well there went /that/ method of attack. She wasn't really in a position to kick him, as much as she'd like to. Now she was trapped, and the panic started to worsen.

"Let me go," she began to struggle like a frightened animal. His words. From hanging around Marc for so long, she understood the implications behind such things. Where was Thorn going with this? Though somewhere in her mind she knew the answer, she thought it might be best not to acknowledge it.


naeodin
Thorn’s gaze turned speculative as he watched her. Not quite as pretty as the male mage who was hiding from him, but she had a beautiful little boy. If he could break her, maybe it would make it easier to have the boy (Alvin? Galvin?) work for him in the future. “No.” he answered, simply. Did this woman think that a command like that would actually have any effect in anything he wanted to do?

Women.

“Now, Remi. Darling.” he purred. “You’ll answer one question for me. Why has Marc been avoiding my calls?” well, kind of. But it was something, and he liked testing this woman’s reactions. “You wouldn’t have...” his grip tightened. “said anything stupid?”


Remiyah
Remi's struggles halted at his question. She had told Marc everything. Thorn had threatened her not to. She winced as the pain in her trapped hand increased, making a slightly strangled noise. She couldn't answer that question. He would know if she was lying. But if she told the truth, that would be so much worse.

She didn't know what to do. The added 'darling' was enough to make her start to shake again, though only slightly. Still, what to say. She couldn't make this situation any better, but she sure as hell could make it worse. And that was the last thing she wanted.

So, she did what she could. She glared at him defiantly, refusing to answer. Maybe she could deal with whatever reaction he had to that, rather than what he would do if she flat out told him she'd done everything he'd told her not to do.


naeodin
Oh, so she had told his Marc something? How interesting. Not quite angry yet- he was too swept away at this show of defience to be angry-, he wasn’t quite sure how to intepret her answer. Was it silence, because she had told everything? Or silence because she had told only the important bits? Because surely, if she had remained quiet about their little encounter, she would have given him more then just this look. How...

Intriguing.

He tried then, to lift her up and place her firmly on his lips. One hand on her ankle, the other on her hand, the one around her hand shifted so that it spanned her back. As long as she didn’t struggle (too much), it should have been a possible feat.

“We have a lot to discuss, don’t we?”


Remiyah
Remi made another startled noise as she was moved. She didn't like this position, the way he had her on his lap. She even doubted she could do this with Stephan comfortably. Anxiety and panic were building up. Unfortunately, unlike her anger, those two emotions mixed together usually caused her to freeze. She couldn't afford to freeze right now, and so tried to make use of her anger while it was still there.

"I'm not discussing anything with you," she said with a snarl, making another move to hit him with her now free hand. Hit, slap, anything. Just anything to get her out of this position.


naeodin
The hand connected with his cheek, and he snarled too. Dimly, he was glad it wasn’t his nose- a bruised cheek? Sure, he could handle that. But a nose? Dammit. It had take years to make sure it would remain this straight. He wasn’t going to let some startled young _thing_ knock knots into that.

So he snarled right back. “You’ll do what I tell you to do.” The word b***h, whore, slut-- nothing so degrading was attached to his words. But there was still the same amount of arrogance, assurance that no matter what she thought, he’d won. He was going to win. Because she was such a short little thing.

"Now, Remi." once she was on his lap it was easy to keep those hands controlled- which was a good thing. He wasn't going to make the same mistake twice. "Where the hell is Hadrian?"


Remiyah
At first, Remi thought there might be hope for her when her hand connected. However, all delusions of that vanished when he caught both her hands this time. Now she really had no place to go. The adrenaline brought on by anger was gone, and now fear was taking over.

"Like hell I'm going to tell you," she spat in his face. Weak, but it was all she could do now. Her voice wasn't as strong as her actions would lead one to believe. Anger was leaving, and panic was setting in. She didn't even know where Hadrian was anyway.


naeodin
Thorn smiled. It had only had his hands free, he'd have probably patted her on the cheek. "Now, Remi. This strength doesn't suit you." he chided. "Let me know where he is, and life will be much easier for you too." That was to say, he wouldn't do anything to her this time. Next time? Well. All bets were off, wasn't it?

"You're not very strong." and he wasn't referring to her physical potential either. "Tell me where he is, and you won't get hurt."


Remiyah
Remi knew she wasn't strong, though she thought he meant in the physical sense. As soon as the fact that all this wasn't doing much finally set in her mind, the panic started to show. She was shaking again. Still, she could speak.

"No."

Her mind was telling her that he'd go away if she kept defying him. Some logic that was. Still, she couldn't tell Thorn where Hadrian was even if she were willing. He was somewhere on the compound, that's all she knew. In the meantime part of her wanted to make this man angry. Make him frustrated. Some sort of payback for everything he did to Hadrian. Even if she got hurt, it couldn't be anything as bad as what Thorn would do if he ever found the mage. Right?


naeodin
Thorn bared his teeth, mocking smiles everywhere as he leaned closer. Closer. "Remi." he said, his tone warning. "I promised that I wouldn't hurt you." Kind of. "But if you fight against me any longer, Hadrian's going to pay for it."

He meant it, kind of. Sort of. Because the man was going to pay, and either way the fact that this one was holding out on him was going to influence Thorn's treatment of the mage-- when he found him. It wasn't a matter of it being an 'if' any more. WHEN Thorn found the mage, he was going to pay for thinking he could hide.

"Well?" he demanded.


Remiyah
Remi tilted her head back as he drew closer, trying to get as far away as possible. He was /not/ going to steal another kiss from her, if she had any say in it. She knew she didn't anyway, but that wasn't going to keep her from trying.

"You can't hurt him if you can't find him," she said, and with her own smug smile, despite her shaking and the position she was in, "And he must be doing one hell of a hiding job if you're coming to me to find out where he is."

Maybe she should just tell him she didn't know and he'd be on his way. Oh no, because that would be too easy. At least the time Thorn was spending here wasn't time he was spending searching for Hadrian. She could at least do that much for the mage.


naeodin
Thorn paused, and he released her. Damn. This wasn't fun, with what she was saying. "You're right." he said. "I can't hurt him yet. But the longer it takes for me the find him, the longer I have to decide how he'll be punished for what he's done." his eyes were cold was he watched her- he had no need to hide that side of him from this woman any more.

"I can do enough things without harming a hair on his body, Remi." he purred. "What you do, by holding out? Is ensure that when I get to him, I will thoroughly break that will of his." he smirked. "Then what will this act of bravado mean to you?"


Remiyah
Remi blinked in surprise for a moment. She was free. As he spoke to her she rubbed her wrists, though her eyes didn't leave him for a second. Part of her told her she'd won in some small way. He was threatening again. But to her his threats didn't mean much to her anymore. She had Marc's protection this time.

"And how are you going to do that now that Marc doesn't seem to be on your side so much anymore?" she asked, her eyes telling what she didn't say earlier. She'd told Marc everything. How he attacked Hadrian. How he attacked her. How Marc had told her if Thorn ever did this kind of thing to her to run and tell him. She felt protected from this man, even though he could very well assault her right now.


naeodin
Thorn stiffened. Or rather, movement seemed to leave every cell of his body. His eyes were hot now as they watched Remi, fastening onto her own. "Marc, is it?" he asked, easily, simply. Because he had never supposed that whatever it was Remi had told his Marc, would actually have worked. "Marc is..."

"Negligable." he purred the word, except whatever it was that lit his eyes let her know it was kind of a lie.

So this one had tried to turn his Marc against him to, was it?

"Do you not remember what it is I said to you?"


Remiyah
Usually oblivious to most forms of body language, Remi missed the glint in his eye. Negligable. If Marc was negligable, then why would Thorn insist so severely that she not turn the man against him. Lies. Had to be. Maybe now would be a good time to tell the truth, considering she felt she might have the upper hand.

"Very clearly actually. Marc knows it too."

There she said it. Verbal confirmation. Maybe finally someone could pull the proverbial rug out from under Thorn's feet. Still, she seemed to be forgetting the fact that she was still in his lap and in no position to be acting as smug as she was.


naeodin
Thorn got up suddenly, literally dumping her on the ground. A challenge, was it? Well, he could rise up to mose challenges. "Marc knows about Hadrian." he said, his words lingering. "But hadn't we reached a deal on that issue?" His smirk widened. So what if it was a bluff? He felt... no... he KNEW that he could eventually turn Marc around to his way of thinking.

Perhaps it had been a mistake, letting the man rear a child in such a compound. This was meant to be Thorn's playground, not a battlefield between old friends.

No. He would do it. He'd turn Marc around... somehow.


Remiyah
Remi yelped in surprise as she was unceremoniously dumped onto the concrete. Well at least /that/ had made some sort of impact. Enough to surprise Thorn anyway, something she had been beginning to think wasn't possible. She leaned on her elbows for support, hurting too much to get completely up just yet.

"Not just Hadrian," she narrowed her eyes at him. "He knows about what you did to me too."

The cornering. The threatening. The...kissing. Everything. Marc had believed her too. She wasn't going to make this tirade of Thorn's easy at all. Nope, she was going to try and destroy every step of the way so long as nothing stopped her.


naeodin
Thorn smiled. "You can try, darling." he drawled. But he had lost his mood for the game now. It wasn't so... exciting any more. He would go back, see how much damage this one had caused with Marc. And then he would plan. She wasn't about to get away with being so arrogant. "I'll deal with Marc."

Because the mood was ruined.
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