They say we are what we are
But we don't have to be
I'm bad behaviour but I do it in the best way
I'll be the watcher of the eternal flame
I'll be the guard dog of all your fever dreams
(oh...) I am the sand in the bottom half of the hourglass
(oh...) I'll try to picture me without you but I can't
The next morning Vex woke up at the sound of someone violently knocking on the front door. The house was big but completely silent and the noise could be heard all the way to the master bedroom.
As reluctantly as possible, he rolled out of bed and, without bothering to make himself presentable, he cursed his way to the hall.
'Yeah, yeah, coming!' he yelled at the door, more than annoyed that someone had kicked him out of bed before noon.
'Whoever you are you better have a bloody good reason for-'
The threat died in his throat as Dyson appeared in front of him. He looked like he would have preferred to be everywhere but there, but there he was, standing in his threshold holding a carton trail with two fuming cups of what smelled like excellent coffee.
'So...the ancients have decided to call on their card for the early destruction of the world, uh?' he joked, resting his bare shoulders on the door frame.
The wolf frown deepened at his remark.
'Just..shut up and take the coffee – he said, shoving the trail into his hands – I'm coming in.'
Without further hesitation the man showed himself in, stopping immediately in the middle of the hall as soon as his eyes took in the surroundings – or as it would have been better, what remained of them.
The last few pieces of furniture still in the room were covered by white sheets already turned gray from all the dust they'd been accumulating.
Anyway, the missing furniture was a nice excuse of distraction from his current stream of thoughts.
After Vex had left the clinic, the day before, he had had time to reflect on his words and understand that his ways had been way too harsh.
It was indeed true that in his life the Mesmer had done many bad and despicable things, but everything was changing and maybe the dark fae was too, why not give him the benefit of doubt.
So there he was, standing in the middle of his mansion, trying to forget that his eyes had actually lingered a little too long on the half naked body of the Mesmer.
'Kitchen's on the left.' Came the dark fae voice from behind him.
Vex had closed the door and was now walking by him, showing the way; he had noticed the Cop confusion but said nothing. He figured he was smart enough to come to his own conclusions.
The mansion was in process to be emptied and sold: there was no reason to keep such a house when all you were trying to do was move on and leave everything behind.
Dyson silently followed the host through the hall to the Kitchen. All was left in the room were just the essential furniture and a long table with coordinated chairs.
Vex pointed at one of them for him to sit on and went to the counter.
The wolf sat and watched as the other man run through the drawers; after a couple of failed attempts, he resurfaced with two coasters in hand, scene at which Dyson couldn't help but raise an eyebrow in amusement.
Vex noticed and shot him a glare.
'It's mahogany.' He explained, throwing one of the two to him.
He sat in front of him and took one of the cups from the tray.
'Did something happened or you're just here to chit-chat?'
Dyson hesitated as he looked at him crossing his legs and leaning on the char, calmly savouring the hot drink...there was something extremely captivating in his 'just out of bed' look...
'Nothing happened yet. – the Mesmer quickly frowned at that – I just came to apologise for what I said yesterday at the clinic...It was uncalled for.'
Vex froze with the cup midway to his mouth, unable to fully take in those words.
No, the world was definitely coming to an early ending...There were no chances in hell that the Wolf was actually sitting there, in his kitchen, because he'd felt the need to apologise to him.
No freaking way!
'How considerate.' He breathed in the perfectly sugared coffee.
Dyson's jaw tightened. Why couldn't he just accept his words instead of making such a fuss out of them? Did he not have the ability of answering like a normal person would do, without sassing back all the time?
'But I know you mean it, don't make that face.' Added Vex as soon as he noticed the slight change in the air.
'I'm not making any face.' Dyson sulked.
'Oh you are indeed, – the other laughed lightly – you have the 'I'm this far from beating the crap out of you' face which, I have the confidence to say, I know very well.' He grinned.
Hearing those words, the Cop kind of relaxed.
That joking around was the closest thing he'd ever get to a thank you and, for that moment, it was enough.
'You are one annoying son a bitch Vex, but I don't want to kill you. I just don't trust you.'
The man nodded slowly with his words.
'Yeah, can't blame you for that either.' He murmured.
But Dyson was not done talking, it seemed he had plenty to add and he didn't know if he wanted to stay and listen to the end.
'But, you helped us out when we needed you. You turned on Evony, you gave us your help even though we did nothing but treat you badly...for that I think you need some recognition and a chance to prove yourself.'
That sudden declaration left the Mesmer speechless.
Had he really made an impression on the ever stoic Wolf? How on the bloody earth did that even happen?
For a good couple of minutes he didn't know what, how or even if to reply to those words; he just sat there, spacing out, trying to process all of it.
He shook himself soon after, resolute to send Dyson off and go back to sleep since it seemed he was lacking some lucidity.
'I think it's better if you go back to your son, now. I'd also like to go back to bed, I've some sleep to catch up...'Vex told him, getting the two cups and walking to the trash can.
'Unless..'
The Wolf raised an eyebrow, his eyes following the Mesmer every movement.
'Unless what?'
His eyes flickered with a light that Vex had never seen before and, for a chance, he considered carefully the words he was about to say.
'Unless you would like to join me, of course.' He finished, his voice a sensual whisper to the wolf's ears.
He already had a foot out of the kitchen when he felt himself coming to a stop. Looking over his shoulder he saw Dyson's hand wrapped on his wrist.
He gave the man a questioning look, but when he caught his eyes his mind went blank.
'What if I say yes?' asked Dyson in that husky voice that sent the Mesmer's senses into a hype.
Once again he had been rendered speechless...
Were the Oracles on the loose again? Unlikely.
Did he got high and was just hallucinating? Probable, yet he didn't remember taking anything the night before.
Whatever the hell was going on, there was no chance it was true.
Lost in his thoughts, Vex failed to notice Dyson approaching. As he snapped out of his self-induced trance, he started to back away, suddenly very wary of the whole thing.
The Wolf grabbed him by the waist and immediately the cellar flashed through his mind.
It was oddly annoying how something that never really happened could influence him so much. Even just the idea of losing control of his own head because of it was unbearable to him.
Those bloody truth-sucking creepy Oracles... he thought, cursing the three women in his mind.
'Pay attention to me.' Came the Wolf demanding – yet not imploring – voice.
But by the time those words reached the Mesmer's ears, Dyson was already saying something else.
'Someone's knocking on the door...' he whispered in his ear with that low and arousing voice.
Well now, that wasn't exactly what he'd expected to hear him say.
The Cop cupped his face with a hand, the other firmly grasping his waist. He brushed his thumb on his lover lip as he stepped closer; his eyes going hungrily back and forth between his eyes and his mouth. Vex had his back on the wall, their bodies now completely touching, and he could feel the pleasure of a bloody fit body pressed against his own.
'Go. Open. The door.' Growled Dyson once again.
At this point Vex was really confused – other than way too aroused. What the hell was he talking about all of a sudden?
No one was knocking on the-
Vex eyes flung open as the sound of someone violently knocking on his front door slipped through his sleep. When he realised what was going on, he jumped out of bed and rushed to the hall, suddenly completely awake.
When he opened the door and saw Dyson standing there, an headache started to creep its way to his temples.
'Oh bollocks, not this shit again..' he mouthed, looking warily at the man in front of him.
The wolf looked at him with a furrowed brow, not sure to what the Mesmer was talking about.
'I'm here-' he started.
'Don't tell me, you're here to apologise for the shitty way you treated me yesterday.' He stated, cutting off the other fae.
Dyson's furrow tightened as his mind attempted to grasp the meaning of those words that had been so uncharacteristically free of any sarcasm.
'Well, yes.' He replied.
That was probably the man's way of saying that he accepted his apologies, he thought, rubbing his faults in his face.
A picture of Dyson holding coffee flashed through Vex's mind and he instinctively glanced down, only to find out that that time there was none.
'Now I'm disappointed.' He commented under his breath.
'I'm sorry, is there something I'm missing?' asked his guest in utter confusion.
His head was starting to spin, the Mesmer was completely behaving out of character and it was beginning to freak him out a little.
'Don't ask me. - was all he got back with a shrug – So, do you have any urgent business to discuss with the mighty me or can I get my ass back to my bed and pretend this never really happened?'
A small piece of the same old Vex seemed to be put back in place, but Dyson kept his scepticism since something still felt off.
'Trick wants to see us. Seems like there are some updates.'
At the mention of the Blood King, a light lit in the Mesmer mind: if there was actually someone who could give him an answer for the sick shit that had just happened well, that could be only the old fae himself.
'See you there in thirty.' Vex told him, ready to shut the door and head to go get some fresh clothes to put on.
'Go get changed, I'll wait for you.' Replied Dyson, a hand spread on the wooden door to stop him from closing it.
The Mesmer froze on his feet. Did the Wolf just offered to drive him?
If that was going to end up being another bloody dream, things were about to get messy later on. But the pulsing headache that grew stronger by the minute was proof enough to make that time the real one.
'Suit yourself.'
He turned on his heels and made his way on the main staircase, leaving Dyson to close the door and wander in his hall.
The first thing the Wolf noticed was the absence of most of the furniture; the few pieces that remained were cover with white sheets. The other odd thing about the Mesmer's mansions were the scents; there were different trails all over, some older, some newer, but the strongest one smelt like regret. He flinched when his nose caught the biggest of these trails; it smelt like burnt plastic and whiskey ì, and with every breath it burned his throat. His detective senses pushed him to follow the scent, and after a quick glance to make sure the other man was out of sight, he moved and followed through a dark room. With a hand on the wall he searched for the switch and turned the lights on. Dyson found himself in a wide living room with covered sofas and other stuff. His eyes followed his nose, and soon he saw it: the trace started and was the strongest right in front of a very impressive and very empty bar. Somehow it wasn't surprising at all, the dark fae wasn't the only one who had used alcohol to drown his sorrows…
Another glance at the room and he was out; he'd found all the information he needed anyway.
Vex reappeared five minutes later wearing a pair of dark jeans, a blue shirt and one of those freaking tight leather jackets.
He found Dyson standing in the middle of the atrium, exactly where he'd left him, arms crossed on his wide chest and lips pursed.
'What's with that face? Isn't my humble abode of your tastes?' he joked, climbing down the stair with his arms spread open.
'Not quite' the other replied, dry.
Vex shrugged.
'Pity, I'm looking for a buyer.'
'You're moving out?'
'Times have changed love, Evony's human, the Elders do not require my services any longer. I don't have to hold up a status anymore' he explained, matter-of-factly.
Love? Dyson thought, that's new.
The dark fae realized the slip but said nothing to correct himself. It wasn't the world of the world, anyway.
He chuckled at his own choice of words.
'Have you already found somewhere else to stay? You could just move without selling the house.'
As they kept talking, they left the mansion and reached the car.
Vex's headache was still raging, but the casual conversation had put him at ease ever so slightly. He relaxed against the seat and waited for the car to leave his driveway.
'I was thinking of buying a loft somewhere, a nice open space with just one room for everything in it. No more gigantic villas with uncountable bathrooms for me' Vex declared.
Listening to the Mesmer, Dyson began to understand what all the regret he had smelt back inside meant; the man was desperately fighting for a change while trying to keep up appearances. He knew how he felt, he'd lived it, and for only the desire to change he could forgive him some of the things he' done.
'Anyhow, we should probably solve this apocalypse thingy first, before I start any kind of investment. I wouldn't want to buy a house and then tragically go extinct, ya' know.'
Despite everything, Dyson found himself chuckling at the remark. In a very twisted way, Vex reminded him of Kenzi, he thought. The same dark sense of humour, the tendency to shoot sarcastic remarks whenever possible, the constant effort to hide their weakness to others, and the taste in clothes. Oh the clothes! More than once Kenzi had showed up with some outfit impossibly tight that would have made all men turn their heads – fae or no – , but what she liked most were tight pants and leather, and the Mesmer seemed to share the same passion for both. Only the results were slightly different since those clothes, on him, tended to highlight different….things.
They pulled into the Dal sometime later, and were still discussing about Vex's not-so-impelling apartment hunt when they walked through the door.
Sitting at the counter was a badly bruised Tamsin that turned to face them as they approached.
'Aww, are you two playing house now?' she quipped, sarcasm dripping from her voice.
'Good you see that at least your sense of humour's still in one piece' Dyson shoot back. 'Are you ok?' he then asked again once he'd given her a once over.
'My hair will never be the same, but yeah. The bitch didn't kill me so I call it a win.'
'Care to share?' Vex asked as he took the stool next to her.
'Zeus electrified the shit out of me with a fucking thunder' Tamsin hissed, visibly annoyed at the mare memory.
'Kinky' Vex laughed.
'Yeah, wait until I get my hands on that decrepit ass and I'll show you kinky!'
He Mesmer chuckled at the Valkyrie's remark. That was why he liked the Dark Side better, that no to subtle violent sarcasm that impregnated every threat was intoxicating! Well, that was the side with a brain, though…
'I think right now we have more pressing matters than your revenge, Tamsin' came Trick's voice from one side of the bar.
At his appearance Vex lightened up, and with him his headache seem to come back too, just a friendly reminder that there were, in fact, more pressing matters on the table.
'Where's Bo?'Dyson asked.
The Succubus had been rather absent at their meetings lately, and it seemed this time was no exception.
'That's what I was coming to – the Blood King followed up, stopping behind the counter just in front of the three of them. – Bo freed Hades,'
Silence fell hard on the room as the thought of Hell literally breaking lose settled in.
Dyson was the first to snap.
'She did what?!' he yelled in disbelief, his hand clenching into fists.
'All hail the succubitch…' the Mesmer mouthed under his breath.
Tamsin sat in silence, the hurt in her heart still fresh and too strong to truly care about the other woman's screw up.
'It seems Hades isn't the one we should worry about right now. - Trick went on – Iris is still on the run, and if I have done my researches thoroughly, – which I have – she's the strongest of Zeus and Hera's children, supposedly stronger then them all together if unchecked.'
Greek mythology wasn't his cup of tea, but Vex knew enough to know that that were bloody bad news.
'Your son manage to bed the strongest of gods, twice. Impressive' he commented, grinning up at the wolf.
Dyson shot him a glare but said nothing.
'I'm on it. I'll go out there and try to find her' he said, instead.
Trick nodded his approval, and moments later the Detective was hitting the door.
As he left, Vex seemed to remember that, without him, he was basically stranded at the Dal – again.
This time it didn't mean much of a problem, though, since what he needed could only be found in there, for a change.
'Well then, you call me when the world starts to crumble. In the mean time, I'll be catching up on my beauty sleep.' And with that even Tamsin was gone.
'What about you?' Trick asked a moment later as he turned the corner of the bar.
Vex stood from his stool and followed the bartender through the bar and in one of the side rooms.
'Actually, I have a question.'
The bartender stopped mid action and glanced at him, motioning him to go ahead.
'Ok, so…is it possible that the Oracles have messed with my head?' he cautiously asked.
Trick frowned, his brain already on the starter line, ready to process everything at the tiniest hint of information.
The Mesmer started to explain everything that happened to him that same morning. He was careful to leave out the more…intimate details, but the essential, he said.
'Interesting' the Blood King mumbled to himself, crossing his arms and patting his lips with a finger, deep in thoughts already.
'I was going for bloody disturbing, but whatever shakes your boat I guess.'
A smirk passed on the old man's face, but immediately disappeared as his brain turned and turned in search of a possible explanation.
'I've never heard of something like this before…though it's likely that the instability caused by the appearance of the Ancients interfered with the Oracles ritual, making it possible for a part of their powers to transfer to you during the process.'
Vex cringed at the theory. Controlling people's actions was a thing, but seeing the future? Oh no, that was something he couldn't hope to handle. Not now.
'Oh bollocks! – he cried in annoyance – Please tell me this bullshit is only temporary and I can very soon go back to the bliss of ignorance!'
The Blood King shrugged.
'I don't know – he answered honestly. – it could be temporary like it could be permanent. We just have to keep it under control.'
Vex sighed. Like he wasn't messed up enough already, now there was even the chance that he'd permanently become a bloody half-Oracle.
'I need a drink' he announced, turning on his feet and making a bee line for the bar.
Even whiskey was a viable option.