Afraid

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Doom doesn't think much of Dain on their first meeting.

Doom is a hard man, a characteristic that is not much desired. Most people don't stick around long enough to discover that it is not all Doom is, and he doesn't know whether or not he would let them if they did. On second thoughts, he wouldn't. He knows what has to be done.

Doom doesn't know much, the thing that drives him, keeps him striving for a type of revenge that isn't really revenge. It's not going to get easier with time; there can't be any easier. He doesn't know if there is a worse –he spends each night the same, his strong back hunched over a flask in some seedy corner of Del. He doesn't get drunk; oh no, he has only disdain for the men who manage to leave their senses long enough to get blindingly unaware, but something he would never admit to is he sometimes envies them, craves their stupidity, their lack of sense, their lack of caring.

Many people would not think Doom cares. Doom himself certainly doesn't, something he would stare upon proudly if he didn't look down on the proud. The same way he looked down on Dain.

Dain was not hard. Dain was soft and smiling and gentle. He was not driven; he was pushed, pushed into a world too strong for one of his heart. Dain had no problem for men and their ale –indeed, Doom remembered one such incident where he walked on Dain seated with several men, all of whom were laughing uninhibitedly at his –hysterical, I'm sure, Doom thought dryly—impression of a mouse. Dain laughed and sang until he cried, and Doom took him home covered in vomit and sobbing like a newborn babe. He had never tried it again, but Dain had no problem with those people.

Dain cares. He is not proud, but humble. He stares at Doom with large, intense eyes and faint, muted understanding. His naivety brings irritance upon Doom, but he can't be angry with him, not for long, because Dain is there.

Thinking has always been how Doom controls things, but with Dain around, it suddenly grows tiresome. Doom may be hard and proud and ruthless, but he can also be confused.