Post by Talen Mythik Aureon Gale on Jul 30, 2015 22:38:19 GMT -6
Fire birthed light across his lap, highlighting the silken folds of his black cloak like ink. He loathed it. Between the unwanted illumination displaying him to the crowd and the painfully wrong burn this fire produced, his mood was sour. There was only one flame he found appealing. Even the Mezzanine, a prime spot for his normal attraction, had grown dull. Finding the life around him suddenly devoid of passion and spark was an unexpected side effect of Owning Akira and a consequence he found particularly unpleasant. He normally bonded with brethren here, warmed his feet and shared a laugh while evaluating every individual and preparing notes in his mind on each. This time, the luminance only revealed his darkened expression.
Eyes focused on the flickering bonfire, a heavy hand fell solidly against his spine, disrupting the sulking stone overtaking his face and making him glance sidelong for the first time that night. No alarm sounded in his head; the weight in that rough hand was unmistakable, as was the familiar woodsy scent. Galdric. Who else would approach Talen so amiably? Though his name was not yet whispered in alleyways, Alcryst did not breed fools who touched midnight strangers with unearned camaraderie. Or, rather... they didn't last long. Memories of Cesare breached his mind, tugging half a smile to his lips as he shifted backward on the log bench and twisted to address his surrogate father.
"Something you need?"
He asked with forced innocence, unable to pull it off and cracking a smile at Galdric's cut the bullshit glare. It was obvious what Galdric wanted. He'd given Talen his space, watched the unmoving silhouette from the lodge's corner, and now he'd had enough. It was time for the boy to relax and stop chasing after whatever tail had caught his attention and brought such moodiness into their life. They held a relatively simple existence. Shadows swathed them in turn for their allegiance and nothing came before one another. Nothing and no one. And now suddenly Talen had become drawn, distant, and distracted. Of course it was a girl, what else changed a man so significantly? But for this man to transform so drastically... worry sculpted Galdric's bared brow.
Blowing out a hefty sigh, Talen knew there was no answer coming, even if he had masqueraded nonchalance successfully. Galdric wouldn't talk today. Even a dagger glinting toward the King's back would warrant intervention, not verbal assistance. Silence was more than Galdric's companion, it was his one consistency, his guarantee. Instead, one learned to interpret the freed slave's vibes, movements, and expression, or ignore him altogether. Most chose the latter... Talen always chose the former. There was something important between the two that frustration could never sever and time could never tarnish. He didn't understand the bond of fatherhood; the Fox's negligence and absence ensured family bonds would evermore be a mystery, a foreign concept Talen could only wish after, never achieve. But whatever affection and trust did grow in his heart was for Galdric, and the ferocity of his loyalty stemmed entirely from their relationship. He knew what it was to be alone... and it had taught him to never be again.
"You're right. I'm sorry, I'm just...ahh."
His voice trailed off, unwilling to elaborate and releasing another sigh. Arching his arms behind his head and leaning against the crude backrest, he stretched languidly and met Galdric's eye with an apologetic wince. It was clear he wasn't going to open up more. It was clear he didn't have to.
He wasn't raised by a fool. There was a reason they weren't in their favorite Tavern for the night, drowning in Elixir and joining the raucous singing of the bar, and Talen's knuckles still stung from it. Galdric's fared little better. He'd never leave the lad in a fight, even if it was concocted by misplaced stress relief. Getting them both banned, albeit temporarily, from their hangout was the last outlash Galdric would tolerate. He had uttered a single rebuke, almost a whisper; Talen's name, nothing more. A quiet plead.
When Galdric asked, you listened.
And so they sat in the Mezzanine, pretending all was normal as the Morrene folk blustered around them, and their unspoken words were louder than the din.
