notes: //...// - thoughts; //~...~// Syndey speaking as a ghost; "..." Kildean
warnings: shonen-ai (as usual), language, and /yes/ Sydney is a jealous, short-fused jerk sometimes.
------------------------------
Rain was falling by the buckets, turning the paved streets into miniature rivers. The few scurrying merchants and travelers out in the wretched autumn weather clutched their oil-skins and tarpaulins close to their bodies as they slogged through the deluge. The lower slums would undoubtedly be flooded by morning, but here in the wealthier guild districts, the threat wasn't as severe. Among the few scuttling shapes of craftsmen ducking into their Halls and shops, a solitary figure moved with confidence, seemingly unconcerned with the torrent. The traveler abstained from the customary oiled cloak in favor of a wide-brimmed hat and curiously water-resistant black leather coat of a style not usually found within the cultured neighborhood. The coat, like its owner, was an eccentricity, just another novelty to be found in a city of novelties. Some of the hurrying men paused to wave and receive placid greeting; others merely muttered curses at the artisan's shadowy form.
Ashley smirked at the small cadre of Silversmiths who were forming the ward against the evil eye as he passed their soggy storefront. Their quarrel with him was in truth more founded in finance than religion, and he found their pretended piety amusing. The sudden turn in the weather couldn't be helping their already-slimming profit margins. His small group of craftsmen had been making serious inroads into the Florentine market since their arrival the year before. The latest in a series of seedling shops, the business was already showing signs of being very profitable. The promise of quality weapons at reasonable prices was something that even Florence's affluent households found generally irresistible. The knight-turned-merchant snorted at the thought.
// Just because we aren't asking twenty times the value, they think we're giving them the deal of a century.
He turned down first one alley and then another, boots ankle-deep in the runoff. The dark man worked his way downward, away from the peaceful Hill districts, following the draining water down into the seedier and now waterlogged portion of the prosperous city. Weather or no, he had appointments to keep, and he had no intention of being late.
------------------------------
The dingy tavern was full of its customary and not necessarily appealing smells, but was pleasantly warm and dry, and filled to capacity. Every laborer who could was seeking shelter out of the rain and warming themselves with the summer's wines. Able to easily see over the heads of most of the swarthy city folk, Ashley caught the barkeep's eye and received a hopeless shrug in response. If his friends were waiting somewhere in the cheerful mob, the man hadn't seen them. Using his mass to his benefit, the knight slowly pushed his way toward his customary corner. The area grew dimmer and slightly less crowded as he moved further from the hearth and bar, the booths here full of shadowy shapes and murmured conversations. There was almost an ironclad guarantee that the majority of them were illegal on one way or another.
// Whoever said crime doesn't pay... The Church may think that this place is firmly in their sway... but then most of those people would never think to come down /here/... see how the majority live... not that I'd exchange the company of these 'honest workmen' for a Curate any day. Their information may be unofficial, but it's a damn sight better than any other I can get my hands on... and then of course there are the even /more/ unofficial regulars... The Cardinal would eat his frock if he knew a place like this was doing booming business. //
Ashley had originally selected this establishment because of its reputation of accepting 'all kinds of friendly folk.'
"No fair! You look barely half-drowned, whereas I was nearly swept away twice in these bloody tunnels.
"Ah, Cavo, I don't think those tunnels were ever meant to be used as a standard trade route." The dark man nodded greeting to the other two figures lounging at the table.
"Well then, the Church ought to realize what an inconvenience it is for businessmen like me to be forced to use them!" The urbane demon ran a hand through his damp hair, settling it more artistically around his small horns. A snort of amusement came from the mule-headed man sitting next to him. "I mean /really/... first they say we can't come in through the gates... now they try to flood out the alternatives... what's left? Climbing the wall like an insect?! I think not!"
"Perrrrrhaps, frrrriend-Cavoclarrrrievan-Rrrro, they do not intend forrrr us to come in at all... The human goverrrrnments have made it /quite/ clearrrr that they do not want us herrre." May's purring voice was laced with gentle sarcasm, her matted fur making her look more like a recently washed puppy than the wily huntress Ashley knew her to be. He nodded in agreement and, flagging the barmaid to refill the tankards, produced a small leather purse from a deep pocket.
"A little something to ease your troubles then, Master Clavo... now do tell me, who is this companion of yours?
Clavo's smile revealed a number of gold-capped teeth. "Why Ashley, by the time this young fellow's spoken his piece, he'll be your new best friend! /This/ is the one I was telling you about! Ashley, please meet Murue, from Rome. Mu, this is the man who will be just /aching/ to know what you've got in that slow little head of yours..." The aquiline man gingerly offered a mammoth hand, and the Riskbreaker blinked in recognition.
"Troll? At least half-blooded, yes?" He studied the hesitant man curiously.
"....Yes. Ummm.... on my mother's side... and my father was full-blooded. There are a number of us in Rome-below.
Ashley felt the beer slowly go sour in his stomach as he listened to the new happenings in the holy city, but pushed the thoughts aside and tucked the information away for future reference. Paying his newest observer handsomely, he bid the nervous youth good-night and spent the next several hours catching up on the month's 'world events.'
------------------------------
//~ Well...all that's missing is the Ark.
"Are you quite done?" Ashley rolled his eyes at the parody as the ghost chuckled. "It's a storm, to be sure... but I'd hardly call it a disaster of Biblical proportions... Were you listening in earlier? I didn't sense you, but that doesn't mean much."
//~ Oh, crap. You met with Clavo /already/? Damn it, you should've called me, I could've used the diversion... I was hip deep in Müllencamp's moat, trying to convince the sea monster to relocate.
//~ So, what did I miss? More war, pestilence, plague, and famine? ~//
"Sorry about that, I must have gotten caught up with everything happening and forgot to remind you. 'Tis been a bothersome week. As for the world at large...? Just about... It looks like the German states are about to 'restructure' again.
//~ Gods, five days of rain... We haven't seen a storm like this since the monsoons at the temple.
The two men contemplated the truth of the statement in grim silence as the Riskbreaker walked the empty streets back to the Guild District. The clouds muted the predawn light, leaving the sky a leaden gray. Nobody in their right mind was on the streets at this cold hour; even Ashley was looking forward to his small Hall and his bed. The knight was surprised, therefore, when the Dark whispered in interest at an unremarkable sodden pile of rags lying in an alleyway. Looking closer, he hissed in sympathy for the gaunt, pale corpse of some unfortunate street child.
"Dear god, what kind of world is this where a child is so callously tossed to the gutters." He stopped and stared sadly at the frail, partially submerged form.
Sydney made an eloquent face. //~ The same world that tossed me to the proverbial wolves, Ashley. The same one that stole your life... This is nothing new, leave it be.
The Riskbreaker was already in action, moving to the youth's side and helping him sit up, giving what shelter he could from the pounding rain. "I don't know anything about that, Sydney, but he needs help.
"W-w-who...?" Large blue eyes stared up from amidst the messy curls matted to his head. "P-p-please... I'm so cold..." The knight nodded in concern and started guiding the foundling down the street. He glanced over his shoulder to see that his mage was not following. Sydney was staring at the half-drowned youth, his face fixed and cold.
// What is it, Sydney?
//~ That's no /child/. Leave him, Ashley, this one's not for you.
"Please, sir... I'm /cold/." Ashley stared down at the innocent face, trying to see what it was that the cultist had seen.
//~ Yes, I /bet/ you are... Leave him, Riskbreaker, he's /dangerous/. ~//
"Dangerous...?"
//~ Look out! ~//
The Riskbreaker's honed reflexes responded to the threat before his mind fully grasped what was happening; he felt the small form in front of him suddenly tense and lunge at his exposed throat, and unerringly backpedaled and swatted the boy across the face, sending him staggering into the wall. Ashley dabbed at his neck in surprise. The two healing scratches testified to the youth's speed, but as he watched the rain wash the traces of blood from his fingers, his mind refused to grasp the meaning of what had just happened.
"What the Hell was /that/ all about?!"
" 'Tis just a scratch, whelp. Nothing to get excited about..." The tall man bent down to the unconscious figure, tilting the thin face into the light. As he finally got a closer look at the street-child, Ashley reached several immediate realizations. First, the child was no child at all, his age stood far closer to three and twenty than to any more tender time. The glamour, now fading, had been simple if remarkably effective, making the man appear younger, smaller and generally more pathetic than he already was. It was almost as if he had /wanted/ to be seen as a victim, someone who would inspire pity. Ashley watched as his chosen calmly skinned the upper lip away from the teeth to reveal disproportionately long canines. The knight felt a shiver of disgust; the 'boy' was a vampire. He traced out the past several minutes' events in his mind, realizing how he had almost walked into a very tidy trap. The mage, always one step ahead of him, was already scanning the surrounding area with a critical eye. He answered the unspoken question.
//~ He seems to have been working alone. I can't sense anything bigger than a rat nearby. ~// The ghost returned his guarded stare to their captive. The creature was no longer childlike, but it was certainly not much better off on any account. Once-fine clothing was liberally coated with mud and the questionable contents of the alley. With the glamour gone, Sydney could easily see the vampire's unique duality.
"I think I hurt him..." The dark man's concerned reverie broke into Sydney's train of thought with a vengeance.
// No...no...don't /even/ say it. Ashley, I'm going to kill you. //
The Riskbreaker, oblivious to the glowering of his friend, moved to pick up the waterlogged body. "Poor fellow, he looks rather like he could use a hand." The mage sighed in exasperation.
//~ Don't you dare! /Vampire/, Ashley! It /won't/ be grateful! More likely 'twill just eat one of the Apprentices! Look at it, 'tis three-quarters starved, practically feral! Best to leave it here, he'll make someone a fine meal. ~//
"Sydney!" Ashley's voice was reproachful as he bundled up his find. " Look at him.
//~ It's neither a /waif/, nor a /puppy/! This is going to lead to nothing but trouble... Ashley?! Are you even listening?! ~// The tall man had already continued down the street, leaving the mage ranting to himself. Stamping a foot in irritation, the mage slinked after his partner, muttering. //~ 'Tis not like you could ever trust it... they aren't generally known to befriend their food, when they even still have the wits to pretend to be human... ~//
"Hush, Syd. I know. I'll be careful." The Riskbreaker couldn't explain the sense of obligation he felt towards the crumpled form in his arms, but he was also taking no chances. The smaller man would have to be damn fast to attempt another attack, and once they were back to his home, there were a variety of places that could be made into a temporary cell should it be necessary.
// Not a puppy...
He snorted at the pretentiousness of the thought.
Ashley sighed in relief as he finally reached his current home. The wooden doors to the shop were tightly closed to the weather, but freeing a hand and knocking on the smaller side-door brought an immediate response. He felt warmth and light flood over his chilled body as one of the apprentices held the door open, mouth gaping in awe at his soaked clothing and ragged burden.
"Stop catching flies, Amory, and close the damn door." Ashley set his new guest down by the large fireplace, noting that the rest of the craftsmen had already apparently turned in for the night. He smiled at the nervously waiting boy, a silent apology for his previous gruffness.
"Yes sir." The tired boy gave the fireplace one last curious glance before climbing the staircase leading to the living quarters. The Riskbreaker continued to slowly work at his wet clothing, grimly wondering if he dared to take a nap. The vampire, however, was still unmoving, seemingly oblivious to the world.
"...Sydney... "
//~ /You/ brought it home. /You/ take care of it. //
"Don't be catty, I just need to know what to expect.
//~ Excellent, then you've answered your own question! Off you go then.... stake it and your problem will be solved.~// Ashley grimly rubbed his forehead, but it was too late.
"Can we please just assume for the moment that I'm /not/ going to kill him and be done with this argument? All I want to know is what to /do/ with him.
// Do you dump him back on the street and let the daylight take care of him...? // Sydney choked off the thought; the argument was pointless.
//~ Well.
"We'll put him in the store room across from my room then.
It was a simple enough task to wrap the slender form in some spare bedding and lock it in the small room to sleep undisturbed. The tall man then staggered to his bed and, leaving his remaining clothes in a wet heap, crawled into the welcoming quilts.
// And with any luck, Sydney will be a saint and leave off arguing for a few hours... //
------------------------------
Ashley allowed himself the idle pleasure of a half-doze, well satisfied with life as he lay in the warm tangle of limbs and blankets. Sydney's head was tucked in its customary position under his chin, the wiry arms around his chest. The dark man gently caressed the smooth skin in a lazy pattern, provoking an occasional happy noise from the blonde. No matter how many places he traveled to, or what people he met, /this/ would always be home.
// A bizarre sort of 'home' to be sure, but then it could be said that I'm a bizarre sort of man now... //
He listened to the surf for a while longer before softly breaking the silence. "...Sydney...?" The body in his arms surrendered any pretense of sleep to languidly plant kisses along his shoulder and neck.
"Hmmm? Feeling better now?" The mage pulled himself up enough to smirk down on his lover.
"Quite, but I should go.
"Butcher? Whatever fo-
Ashley smiled up at the blonde's almost-pout. "Indeed.
"Good, 'twould probably be a bad idea on a number of levels. Damn, but I was just getting comfortable...
"I know, but I promised Morgenthau to see this store off to a good beginning, and that first glut of work was incredible.
"Jerk."
------------------------------
The room he awoke to was pitch black and more than a little stuffy. His enhanced vision could make out the shape of the cluttered shelves and the outline of the door, but neither provided him a clue as to where he was, or how he had come to be there. Sitting up, he moaned in pain and gingerly touched first the massive bruise on his face, then the lump on the back of his head. The previous night's failed hunt came back to him with a lurch.
// Oh God.
For a moment, the vampire thought he was hallucinating. He had been very carefully watching the door, ready to spring at the first sign of it opening, when suddenly he found he was no longer alone. Leaning with his back against the still-closed door was a rather disgruntled-looking young man.
//~ Hello. ~//
The tattered man stared in disbelief. The figure before him /seemed/ solid enough, but there were a number of things out of place, and they were setting off a number of warnings in his head. He tried to consider the puzzle logically, firmly telling his growling stomach to piss off.
"Ummm... How do you do?" The slouching figure raised a curious eyebrow. He was also softly glowing. Vincent stared curiously at the way the light seemed unable to illuminate the rest of the room.
//~ /I/ do very well, all things considered. You, on the other hand... Well, /you/... are a conundrum. ~//
The vampire's entire body sang with need; he was /hungry/. Closing his eyes, he forced himself to wait.
//~ And that is precisely the reason we locked you /in/.
Vincent's stomach twisted again and he felt himself slipping. "So you're not going to let me out?" He couldn't keep his voice from cracking.
//~ Perhaps. ~//
Something inside him snapped and, almost without thinking, he lunged for the smirking man. Hunger driving his speed and strength to their limits, he reached out, positive that the kill would be easy. Somehow he ended up smacking into the door, hard. Shaking the stars from his eyes he spun to see his prey now perched on a crate, still smirking. Ignoring the warnings that his more reasonable side was shrieking, he pounced again, this time with even less success. Vincent found himself hanging a moment in mid-air, but before he could adjust to the development the blonde man flicked a finger and he was slammed once more into the wall. The hard impact left him a little dazed, and he sat stupidly staring at the mage.
//~ Foolish boy, I don't know why we're bothering to help you.
The young vampire blinked again, attempting to digest the statement. "But, I have to eat... "
//~ You will be fed. ~//
"Blood?"
//~ That was the general idea, yes.
"Alright. I swear on my Maker, I'll not hunt here.
//~ Very well then, I suppose we ought to let you out. ~// The vampire watched as the man calmly passed through the door, without opening it.
// Later, think about it /later/.
// I never saw his face, last night. I knew he was large, but... I'm surprised he didn't knock my head clear off! He looks like Thor himself! I tried to eat /that/?! I must have been daft!// Vincent looked up at the larger man and found himself feeling faint. Surprisingly there was no sign of bitterness in the tall man's features, only a mild, almost friendly concern. //Wishful thinking, idiot...wishful thinking. Why would a human give a damn about you? Aren't you supposed to be a bane on their race... a traitor to the people who bore you? But no, I was born again wasn't I, my only loyalty now goes to Master Tupolev... who's probably back in Venice right now, wondering what happened to me... He wouldn't just /forget/ about me... would he? He would know that I was alive... //
"You look pretty hungry." The deep voice was only a murmur but startled the vampire nevertheless.
"Sir, with all due respect, I think I could consume a cow."
Ashley smiled and led the way to his set of rooms. Vincent found himself escorted into a tidy workroom and seated at the small table. Outside the rain continued to fall, but was now of a more temperate nature. The knight followed his gaze.
//~ That's... disgusting. ~// Sydney pointedly refused to watch the vampire eat, choosing to stare out the window. Ashley merely shrugged, wandering back to the storeroom to try and find some cleaner clothes for their guest.
Eventually the large jar was set down with a satisfied 'thunk', and the mage turned around in time to catch the man discreetly wiping the few drips from his face. The vampire wavered for a moment, then fell onto his seat like a drunkard. He was full, and incredibly happy for the first time in days. Vincent rested his head on the table, feeling the strength ebb back into his weary limbs, the various injuries knitting themselves together at last. It felt wonderful. He gave a happy sigh.
//~ What a difference a 'meal' makes... Hmmm? ~//
He pushed his dirty hair out of his eyes to look over at his still-wary chaperone. "You have no idea...
//~ Not /me/.
"Oh."
//~ Tell me, Vincent. What will you do now? ~//
The vampire pondered the question for a minute before sitting up in alarm. "How do you know my name?!" He looked around then down at his rags, half expecting to see his name somehow written on them. Sydney merely laughed.
//~ I already know a great deal about you, Vincent. 'Tis one of the reasons I am not /too/ angry with my Chosen's asinine desire to bring you home. You are a curious one... for a vampire. ~//
"Not to be rude... but who /are/ you? Why did you help me?" The young man felt hopelessly confused, but his sharpening wits focused on one thing long enough for him to realize it was important. "And why can't I smell you?!"
The cultist blinked in surprise. //~ What? ~//
"You have no smell!
Sydney shook his head in dismay. //~ You really /are/ new at this, aren't you... Look at me. Look closely. ~// For a moment the younger man could detect nothing further out of the ordinary, but when he looked away a moment and looked back, it was almost as if his eyes were playing tricks on him. If he concentrated, he could see /through/ the smirking man. //~ Ah, and at last he sees... You can't smell me, little one, because I'm not /here/.
"Now what!
//~ 'Tis not /my/ fault! ~// The mage threw up his hands in disbelief. //~ It seems our little fledgling is afraid of /ghosts/... ~//
The Riskbreaker blinked in surprise and took a look at the shaking young man. "He didn't notice until now?"
//~ Who knows, ask him yourself.
"I'll try, something may come up. Don't wait up for me."
The blonde's form wavered and vanished with a shrug. The phantom had had enough foolishness for the evening and, certain that he would be forced to watch his partner spend the rest of the night chatting with the fledgling, he decided he'd rather be anywhere else.
// No...fine... Spend all your time babying an incompetent.
------------------------------
A bath and a change of clothes later, Vincent felt almost civilized again. He idly wished he could see how bad his hair was, but as mirrors were out of the question, he contented himself with patiently finger-combing it until it felt reasonably smooth once more. It had always been a curly mop; he had few expectations of it looking much worse than usual. Wandering back from the communal bathroom, he found his patron thoughtfully staring at a drafting board. The diagrams for some sort of new flintlock were carefully stacked and pinned to the wooden surface. The large man was making careful notes.
"Ummm, thanks for the clothes..." The vampire made a vaguely apologetic gesture. The older man just nodded and finished a page before looking up. Ashley blinked in acknowledgement of the now ordinary-looking man. No longer starved and muddy, the younger man resembled nothing more sinister than a lawyer, a clerk, or some sort of lesser nobleman. His unruly curls fell in loose ringlets around his face as he stared curiously.
The Riskbreaker returned the gaze for a moment, feeling slightly uncomfortable under the intense look. "You're quite welcome, 'twas no trouble." He turned back to his workbench and busied himself with putting away his pens. "So, how long have you been..."
"A vampire?" Vincent laughed softly and settled on the floor nearby. "Three months, six days. Pathetic, is it not?" He shook his head in amusement at the craftsman's dumbstruck expression.
"/Three months/?!"
"Well, every vampire has to start sometime... I may be bloody useless now, but I've been assured that this too will pass... should I survive long enough to grow strong." The lanky man stared critically at his hands. "I can't say I ever thought seriously about this... but given my general lack of success at being human, I really can't see how adapting to being /this/ will be any worse."
Ashley gave up any pretense of being interested in his work and stared at the younger man. The faint sound of the midnight chimes ringing floated in the window. "If you are truly so 'young'... how is it you were on the street? Were you unwanted? I thought your kind were more caring than /that/...
Vincent scratched his head thoughtfully. "Well... apparently there are several types of vampire, although personally I've only met the one so far... I was his broker, you see..."
"You were a /money lender/?" Ashley resisted the urge to start laughing.
"Do you mind...?" He shrugged in defeat at the older man's placating wave. "Yes, so /anyway/... I started as a clerk on Lord Tupolev's accounts some four years ago at a firm in Venice... and have been his chief clerk and financier for the past two... To be honest, I always thought his late hours to be a simple eccentricity.
The dark man nodded in bemused understanding. "So you became part of his clan... But how did you end up in Florence? This is a goodly distance for those who cannot be caught in daylight."
Vincent nervously toyed with a curl. "We came on business.
"Never been poor before, hmmm?"
"Nor hungry neither..." Vincent ruefully agreed.
"Maybe your maker doesn't realize you were left behind... there may have been an accident..."
The vampire gave a depressed shrug. "Who knows."
"If you'd like, you can write him.
"Why are you being so kind?" The man shifted uncomfortably. "I tried to kill you, and yet you still offer me hospitality... I don't understand.
"Do I look terrified?"
"No, you look like you could break me in half with one hand."
"Ah."
"Did you mean it? About sending my letter?"
"Of course."
"Can I borrow a pen?"
------------------------------
Sydney was silently fuming. It had been three days, and Ashley hadn't made so much as a momentary appearance. He gave up staring at the page in front of him.
// Why the hell not... it beats mooning around like Rapunzel in that bloody tower.
'' Who the Hell...? Sydney?! "
" Afternoon, old man, I thought I'd swing by and say hello... "
The larger dragon shifted its bulk a little to make room for the new arrival. " You're always welcome, Cub... but I admit, I'm surprised.
" Well you know, I was just out for a walk... "
" You're bored, aren't you? "
Sydney bobbed his head sheepishly. " Perhaps... "
" Where's your ... "
" Busy. "
The mage found himself suddenly in the shade as the large head swung down to take a closer look. A scaly eyebrow curved in curiosity. " Ho ho!
" Very funny. " The cultist primly tucked his tail around his legs and shifted into a more comfortable crouch. " He's just occupied at present... "
" And how long has this 'occupation' been going on? " The smaller golden dragon muttered something unintelligible. " What? "
" I said... 'something like five months'... but it's nothing.
" 'Everything's fine'. /Except/...? "
Sydney sniffed. " I don't know what you're talking about. "
" Out with it. You didn't come all the way here to whimper at me and not say the whole of it. "
The younger dragon flinched again. " ... Chang...? "
" Yes? " He suppressed the urge to sigh in exasperation.
" Do you think Ashley's bored with me? "
" Oh for the love of... "
------------------------------
The cultist's form wavered into existence in the bedroom, and cheerfully checking himself over, he passed through the door to check on his missing partner. He realized he had been acting foolishly and was determined to put it all behind him. Nodding decisively at the evening skyline, he headed for the door. The Riskbreaker had to be nearby.
// Nothing like being yelled at by an irate fire-breathing lizard to make you reassess the seriousness of your troubles... // Sydney smirked. // So Ashley's been busy lately.
Sydney phased through the door into the smith's private workroom, and froze. Ashley was gently cupping the vampire's face, staring deeply into the teary eyes. The two men, standing close together, didn't notice the additional presence in the room.
"There.
"Yes.
"Bah. 'Twas nothing, I can imagine how difficult it would be." Ashley gave a slight nod and moved to let go. The vampire however caught one of his hands and brought it to his face. "Vincent?"
"Wait a moment..."
The ghost very quietly closed his gaping mouth, turned on his heel and vanished. Sydney was completely thrown. Standing in the spacious kitchen, he tried to sort out just what he had just seen, what he felt. The thoughts in his head seemed to skitter like dry leaves, tossing him first into disbelief then to hurt, despair, doubt, and at last into fury. Sydney smiled tightly, mocking his own stupidity.
// What, you thought it would just 'work out'?
// But he said he ... //
// What, 'loved you'? And haven't we heard that before? People always say that, but it always means something else.
// No. Ashley wouldn't lie to me.
// What if he was trying to protect me from myself...? What if he is afraid to say that he doesn't want me out of some feeling of duty...? //
Sydney had never been a terribly optimistic person, and even with the recent years of happiness, that part of his personality didn't stand a chance against a lifetime of cold reason and self-doubt. No matter how he turned the problem over in his mind, he could not escape the fact that the man he loved was holding someone else, was wiping away /their/ tears. Ashley hadn't even noticed his presence; or maybe he just didn't care. The mage bit his lip until he tasted blood.
// By the Lady, I /swear/ I'll kill him.
// If Ashley had just /told/ me that something was wrong... we could've worked /something/ out... but no, he just goes on like everything's /fine/ and I /let him/...and I didn't say anything because I was an ass and I /trusted/ him... 'Twould serve him right if I did behead that little twit...
// This is what happens when you trust people. //
He gnawed on a knuckle in frustration.
------------------------------
" Ummm, Vincent? What the Hell are you doing?" Ashley stared, perplexed, as the vampire began to cautiously to sniff his palm and wrist. The young man's expression was equally baffled.
"I... Ashley, has anyone ever told you that you smell /very/ odd?" The man frowned in concentration. "'Tis like nothing I've ever scented before..." He released the hand to wipe again at his still-watering eyes and gave the dark man a hard look. "You... you aren't human, are you..."
"What?"
"I may be new at this whole thing, but I know what humans smell like... and demons... and lycanthropes, and a number of other things, and I'm telling you, I've never smelled /anything/ like you..." He glared at Ashley's baffled shrug. "You're telling me that you're just a completely /ordinary/ man?"
"I never said that... but I've also never noticed anything remarkable about my smell before either... or had someone mention it."
The vampire frowned again. "'Tis like... smoke almost, and also like blood... and fire, and a dozen other things, many of which I have no names for, but they make my nose tingle as though I was inhaling spearmint... What /are/ you, sir?" He stared up in wonder.
The Riskbreaker grimaced.
Vincent wiped his eyes again and blinked repeatedly before grimly nodding. "I'm fine.
"Well, next time don't offer to hold the wood when Renault starts sawing.
"I was just trying to be helpful..." The Riskbreaker sighed in amusement at the plaintive tone.
"Somehow, I don't think you were meant to be a craftsman." He rubbed his own eyes and settled back at his bench. He was beginning to feel a little groggy, but it was nothing he couldn't handle.
Vincent watched him curiously for a moment. "You don't have to do this, you know... keep me company... I'll be alright on my own."
" 'Tis no trouble."
Making a doubtful face, the younger man pressed his case. "How much sleep have you gotten lately?"
"I'm fine."
"How much?"
The older man shrugged. "Since you arrived? About three hours..."
"What?!" The vampire stared in shock. "That's impossible... 'tis been three days!"
" Call me special then... "
The blonde gave his host a critical look. "Go to sleep, Ashley, you /must/ be tired.
Giving his stubborn companion an inscrutable look, he hesitated and finally nodded. "Stay out of trouble." The blonde nodded. "And call me if you need anything." The blonde nodded again. "And don't try to shake me awake or I'm liable to kill you by accident." The vampire snorted in exasperation.
"Go!"
Ashley rolled his eyes, and gratefully wandered to his bed to collapse, only barely caring enough to kick off his shoes. Vincent watched him begin to softly snore, in awe for a moment before quietly draping the quilt over him and shutting the door. The house was completely quiet, but that was nothing new to the young man. He made his way to the shop's front room and lit a lantern. It took no time to find the heavy ledgers of the new business's expenses and sales, and with a happy sigh the vampire spent the remainder of the evening balancing the books.
------------------------------
// Oh... /great/. //
Ashley stared out the kitchen window morosely, watching the soft rain soaking the grass and dulling the ocean. It would've been rather pretty if it didn't bring back a number of unpleasant memories about the /last/ time it had rained. In his experience it didn't rain often in the Shadow Lands; only once before, in fact. The Riskbreaker listened carefully but could get no sense of his lover's mood aside from the obviously inclement weather.
// I /knew/ he was being too quiet... // The man winced at the low peal of thunder. // So now the question is... what is it this time?
// I know I've been busy lately... but surely he knows that it was unavoidable.
Ashley found the mage easily once he made it to the top of the tower. The blonde was shoulders deep in a large brass tub, the aromatic water scenting the room strongly with vanilla. The smaller man didn't turn to greet him, seemingly unaware of his presence.
// Is he...? //
" I'm back." He quietly strolled over to the tub and tousled the cultist's hair.
"I know." The knight took the opportunity to give an idle glance at his lover and suppressed a sigh.
// Yes... he is. // Large hands trailed in the water a moment before resting gently on the narrow shoulders. // He's pouting. // Ashley began to gently knead the tense muscles in silence.
------------------------------
"What are you doing?"
"What I always do when you're upset...trying to keep you from waking up tomorrow with a backache..."
"You don't have to do that."
"Maybe I want to, hmmm?"
"I'm sure you have other things you'd rather be doing." Sydney couldn't help but let some of his bitterness seep into his voice, but he kept his thoughts to himself. // Like play with your new little toy... // The knight froze, and for a moment he was afraid the man had heard the silent addition. He heard the body behind him shift, the hands resuming their labor after the man was seated on the edge of the tub.
"Not really. " The deep voice paused. "I missed you lately... you haven't been by for your usual visits."
"I could say the same for you..."
"Hmmm.
// So what if he was overworked... He didn't /have/ to stay awake... He was just too busy 'helping' that little tramp of a ... //
"If you're just going to get tense again, this is going to take forever..." Sydney rolled his eyes and glared at the inoffensive water, glad that the knight couldn't make out his expression. He froze when he felt the man stoop to place a kiss in his hair. "Right, never mind. Why don't you just tell me what I did /this/ time, whelp?
// What? Is he completely /dense/? How stupid does he think I am?! // He gave up his uninterested attitude to shake free of the caressing hands, and turn to glare at the man.
"You..." He stared at the worried features and forgot what he was about to say. The Riskbreaker's expression was as open as ever, unguarded in a way Sydney could never dare to be. Somehow that only made him angrier. "If you didn't want me anymore, why the Hell didn't you just /say/ so!" There, he had said it. "I mean, /really/, Ashley! Does it please you so much to string me along like some sort of common trull while at the same time going off and making /new/ conquests? How many?! You have /this/ one fawning all over you in less than three days! How many others have you reeled in?! And when exactly were you planning on telling me?!"
Ashley felt as though his eyebrows were permanently embedded in his hairline as he stared in amazement at the outburst. The blonde was now standing in the tub, water pouring from his slim frame as he stared down at the perched Riskbreaker. The knight would have found the sight tempting, but was caught in the burning glare, forcibly reminded exactly /what/ had made Sydney one of the most dangerous men of the century. The gray eyes were nearly molten, gleaming with the power contained within.
"Sydney.... What /are/ you talking about?"
------------------------------
"What do you mean 'what'?! I /saw/ you!
"/Cheat/?!" The knight had a feeling that he was missing something relevant. "Wait, hold on!
The blonde spelled it out slowly, using small words. "I. Saw. You...with /Vincent/.
// He saw.../that/...? // Ashley's mind slowly adjusted to the idea, attempting to see the events from how they must have appeared to an outsider. // Oh Sweet Merciful Heaven.
"You're mistaken."
------------------------------
Sydney refused to turn around, refused to look into those too-calm eyes. He knew it would only break his resolve, and he was determined to not allow the soldier to see how much he wanted to believe in him. The mage firmly told himself to stop feeling sorry for himself. His voice, when he tried it, was surprisingly calm. "In what way?"
"There was nothing going on between the vampire and myself.
".... Nothing..." Ashley loosened his grip a little and moved closer, almost embracing the smaller man. Sydney felt all his arguments fall to tatters, the simple words a challenge. "But... but he /kissed you/... kissed your hand..."
// Was this /really/ all some sort of blunder?
"Close... but not quite.
"Not surprising I suppose.
"Correct." The arms tightened into a genuine embrace.
"And all these months you've been working twenty-hour days... that has nothing to do with me?"
"What? Wait... I'm confused, what do the two have in common?" The knight bent to try to see Sydney's face, but the blonde turned away. "You /really/ think the reason I wasn't here was because I was chasing skirts?! Or... boys?!" Ashley struggled for a moment for a similar euphemism for chasing a man, and failed miserably. He couldn't even picture himself 'chasing' anyone without starting to laugh. On a whim he gently touched the mage's thought with the image.
------------------------------
The cultist's head snapped up at the intimate connection, and he saw for a moment into the Riskbreaker's thoughts. It was an idealized city street bustling with people, one of them being a very pretty woman. An exaggeratedly swaggering 'Ashley' walked over to her as she looked over a basket cabbage.
"Excuse me Miss, Would you by any chance be interested in a /strong man/ with a /big sword/...? Because I'm available!"
The woman blinked in surprise and looked her would-be-suitor up and down. The Swaggering-Ashley grinned. She smacked him and stalked off. Sydney couldn't help but laugh. The silly thought faded, leaving him only with the Riskbreaker's all-encompassing presence. It was like a warm blanket, or the feel of dappled sunlight through leaves; it brought a sense of great peace. The mage surrendered the last of his anger and sighed, leaning back into the embrace. He felt a kiss on his temple.
------------------------------
// Do you see now, Whelp? //
// Do I see...? //
The dark man slowly turned him around so they were facing each other, trying to catch his eye. // I wouldn't... I wouldn't even know how to try... I /hate/ people... you know that... //
Eyes downcast, the cultist nodded grudgingly. // That /was/ the /worst/ pick-up line I've ever heard... But I thought...//
// What, that I was weary of you? Look at me, Sydney... /Look/. // Gray eyes reluctantly gazed upwards again; he stared into the earnest brown eyes, and for a moment felt as though he was falling. Contained within them was a lifetime of affirmation and love, unquestioning loyalty and a generous portion of guilt. His breath caught in his throat.
"Goddess... I'm an idiot." His voice sounded rough and alien to his ears.
"Indeed. But not often." Ashley stooped to kiss his forehead. Sydney closed his eyes in contentment.
"I don't deserve you."
"Nonsense.
"Well, I should've said something, too... "
"Yes, next time please do... Preferably before you get to the point of murder.
"What makes you think there'll /be/ a next time...?" The knight grinned apologetically at the smaller man's growl. Eventually Sydney relented and smiled in relief, pillowing his forehead on the muscled chest. "So... what now?"
"Huh?" Ashley responded intelligently.
"With the vampire.
"Honestly? Take him home and let this Tupolev character deal with him.
"Oh?"
"Yes. It occurs to me that we have a considerable amount of catching up to do.
Sydney laughed. "If not, it can be arranged."
------------------------------
There was never any reply to the letter, but given the condition of the highways after the fall storm, Ashley wasn't expecting any. Undaunted, he announced his plan to travel to Venice to the nervous vampire and spent the next day gathering supplies. Evening found Sydney perched on the seat of the wagon, watching the two men get into a loud debate. Vincent was violently protesting his travel accommodations.
"I'm not getting in /that/!"
"It was the only thing I could find on short notice! With the storms and all, the coffin makers have a bit of a shortfall..."
"I don't care! It smells like pickles!"
//~ Don't be such a baby. ~//
"I don't see /you/ getting in there!"
//~ /I'm/ not harmed by the sun, I don't have to. ~//
"Look, you'll only be in there while you're sleeping.
"I'm going to smell like brine..."
------------------------------
------------------------------
notes: Well, what can I say... A little fic celebrating rain, since there's been so much of it lately... There may be one more alteration to this to justify Sydney being so... /spastic/... but the polls are tied as to whether he's just being high strung or truly OOC, so for the moment I wash my hands of it and leave it for another (more inspired) time. I like Vincent, he's so ordinary, "Joe-schmoe-vampire" :) Stupid, I know. /Anyway/... just another random fic that started out all about "plot" and instead got hit repeatedly in the head with the ever-present "WAFF stick", I make no apologies, if I was a real writer, I'd be charging money :) Comments, especially about Sydney and his potential ooc-ness are very welcome. Maybe they'll inspire me to rewrite this... or maybe I'll just put it back in the sock drawer with the other abandoned fics.
-Lunar