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Seething Tensions[]
Two weeks had past since Vladik had met with Shigenaga Arma for the first time. He had only known the Shinigami for less than half a day and yet his world had been worsened by that night and the subsequent morning. He was still angry, at least on the surface. Underneath, however, was an entirely different story. Vladik was in turmoil. All of his life he had been rejected, an outcast of society, unwanted by the masses. Even the Vandenreich and Impero Nascosto had only wanted to use him. He had thought things would be different at some point in his life. And, in part, it was. He had Abram, but, Abram would never return his feelings. Even Shigenaga had hurtfully pointed that out. And now, with Shigenaga's recent business attempt, exploiting the beast within him, Vladik was beginning to think nothing would ever change.
In the glow of the full moon, Vladik's beast form receded once again. This had been his second transformation since he had left Shigenaga in Soul Society. The leftover indignation had spiraled out of control, resulting in two rampages, both quite violent. In an attempt to gain control of himself, he had arranged to meet up with Abram in southern Rider City, which was being rebuilt after its destruction by Impero Nascosto six months prior. Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, Abram was making his way through a construction site. He and Vladik had agreed to meet at a restaurant, have lunch, and then return to Vladik's estate to discuss the fruits of Vladik's mission. Abram was anxious to find out why Vladik had left for Soul Society. At the same time, he also found himself worrying for his best friend.
Ever since Vladik had returned, two weeks prior, he had been acting strange. He was still his usual protective self, of course, but Abram had known Vladik far too long to not know if something was bothering him or not. And something was severely bothering him. Hands in his pockets and head down, Abram pressed ahead, pushing through the crowd of construction workers and civilians looking to rebuild their lives. Up ahead, he could see the restaurant coming into view though Vladik was still nowhere in sight. Sighing as a way to disperse his stress, Abram lowered himself into a seat on the bench directly across the street from the rendezvous location to await his friend.
A shadow suddenly crept over Abram where he sat, and looking up, he would gaze into the hazel eyes of none other than Shigenaga himself. The man was dressed sensibly, in stylish modern clothing, he simply wouldn't accept not looking his absolute best while in the human world, that simply wouldn't do. He was a man who appreciated refined taste, after all; his contacts had spent some time trying to track the Quincy down. Shigenaga would not permit himself let such a rare tool slip by him unused, it simply was not in his nature.
So, the warlock coughed politely to attract the attention of the smaller male. While he did so, the warlock callously assessed the worth of Abram, his build was slight but he could note the toned muscles beneath the skin, he also noted how the boy sported a rather impressive amount of spiritual power, comparable to his own; although for the most part he found him unimpressive and unassuming, he was nothing compared neither to Vladik or his right hand man Raphael. When those cold, cruel hazel eyes had finished assessing the younger man, Shigenaga let his face beam up in a hearty smile-- despite being insincere (he'd hardly ever honor an inferior creature such as a Quincy with a true smile); it was performed so well as to almost perfectly masked the cold disdain that lurked beneath that veneer of warmth, with the endeavor being aided somewhat by Shigenaga's magic.
"Hello there.. Might you be Abram Solovyov, per chance? I'm looking for Vlad, my boyfriend, we've not met one another in a long time and some sources tell me that you might know where he's currently at, with him being a close friend of yours and all" Shigenaga's smooth baritone seemed to fill the air around them while he spoke, his words seemed strangely agreeable and Abram would quickly find himself appreciating his company and how he spoke.
Upon hearing his name, Abram snapped out of his daze, immediately aware of the presence of the taller man. Had he called himself Vladik's boyfriend? Vladik hadn't mentioned having a partner, and he usually told Abram everything. Not that it mattered to him, however. He had known Vladik was gay since they were young teenagers, however, he had never known that he was searching for someone, much less that he had found someone. It took a moment, after Shigenaga finished speaking, for the young man to respond. Shigenaga, outwardly, appeared to be a man of great stature. His attire said it all. He was obviously wealthy. Where had Vladik found him?
He was, however, prevented from replying. In their brief interaction, neither man had seen Vladik approaching from the flank, having arrived to meet Abram right on time. Vladik, on the other hand, had not been caught off guard by Shigenaga's appearance. As he had made his way to the meeting place, he had caught on to a familiar scent, one that was unmistakeably Shigenaga. While he was not burdened by this, initially, when he sensed the same scent now with Abram, he became extraordinarily concerned and had raced to their location. Now, standing directly behind Shigenaga, gazing not just at him, but through him, as if staring into the Shinigami's very soul. Abram must've sensed that something was wrong, because the moment he noticed Vladik and the expression on his face, he flashed a horrified look of his own.
"Vlad..ik?" Abram managed to croak at last.
Vladik didn't reply with his voice, instead only nodding to reassure Abram that everything would be fine. He then returned his gaze to Shigenaga. An entire host of vengeful emotions were welling up in the pit of his stomach. The man who had so cruelly and harshly dismissed him two weeks prior had come looking for him and had sought out Abram to accomplish this. Needless to say, this didn't rub Vladik the right way. Slipping his hands into the pocket of his trench coat, Vladik walked silently around Shigenaga until he was standing directly between him and Abram, forming a physical barrier. He didn't think Shigenaga was here to harm either of them, but he wasn't about to take a chance. After all, Vladik had caused quite a scene when he left the suite two weeks prior. With as much disgust as he could muster, he finally spoke;
"What do you want?" Vladik spat, emphasizing the "you".
Shigenaga snickered in obvious amusement at the animosity the other regarded him with, folding his arms across his chest slowly the mans posture relaxed, leaning backwards slightly while tilting his head questionly at Vladik's dismissive gesture. "You already know why I'm here, you left so suddenly that I didn't get the time to give you your orders. Or figure out your address for that matter, you're a terribly irresponsible boyfriend, aren't you?" the warlock chuckled darkly at his own comment before he turned his attention back to Vladik again, his hazel eyes, were as cold as unfeeling as he remembered them; they searched for weak spots, changes in his posture, his demeanor anything that could possibly give the warlock an edge in the equation. Then it struck him, the boy!
Grinning slightly, the warlock apparently vanished into thin air... there was no flash, no indication of movement whatsoever, just that at one moment he stood in front of Vladik and the next moment he was seated beside Abram on the bench, leaning in to speak in the youth's ear softly, his smooth baritone sounding both comforting and mocking at the same time; like if Abram was merely a child whom had committed a grave mistake for the first time.
"You know.. when we had fun, he was thinking about you the entire time. Your name was upon his lips when we were together, he thought I couldn't hear - but I did" placing his hand gently upon Abram's shoulder, the warlock continued his voice a bit louder this time "You consider him your friend, a trusted defender and an excellent ally, but I assume he's never told you of his ulterior motives - its what you humans call love; and unlike that shared between siblings, this one ain't innocent" grinning at the situation the warlock finally added "Indeed, if you were to give him permission, I'm half inclined to believe he'd drag you home immediately... and then, he'd lay you on the table.." Shigenaga cut his message short at that point, allowing the implications and not-so-subtle imagery do their work on the poor boy.
Abram couldn't speak. And, for a moment, he felt as though he couldn't breathe. Never in his young life had his eyes gotten so wide. Then again, he couldn't recall a moment in his life as shocking as this. He opened his mouth weakly, as if to speak, but only gurgles escaped his throat. He was utterly speechless. Vladik, on the other hand, was beginning to feel things he had never felt before. Anger, hatred, indignation; those words were simply not able to accurately depict the emotions flooding Vladik's soul. Had Shigenaga actually said that? Really said those things... to Abram?! He didn't have time to think. No. Rather, he wouldn't think. Not this time. He would kill. Every bit of his animal instincts commanded it of him. He felt the beast inside waking up yet again, but, for once in his life, he didn't care. He had never felt the need to kill one person such as he did now. With a flick of his wrist, he brought his Quincy cross out, forming his sword in such a fast motion, it appeared as but a blur to those before him. As he began to charge his arrow, however, Abram let out a shriek.
"VLADIK, NO!" he roared, tearing himself out of his seat and tackling Vladik.
As a consequence, Vladik lost his aim, firing just inches over Abram's shoulder as he toppled to the ground, his arrow traveling high into the night sky and exploding like a firework. Vladik connected with the cold concrete. Hard. It distorted his vision at first, but it didn't take him long to readjust. Abram was on top of him, pinning his hands to the concrete. When Vladik looked up to face him, however, his heart broke. Tears were gathering in the youth's eyes, sprinkling down and dripping on to Vladik's cheeks before sliding down to wet the cold ground beneath them. Abram had enough self control to prevent himself from letting go and bawling, gritting his teeth whenever he felt it coming on, but soon swallowed it back to speak;
"Is... Is it true?" he began, his voice weak. "Is it true... Vladik? What he says?"
Vladik couldn't answer. He knew that. His reaction had been enough of an answer. He knew that too. Abram seemed to understand this and clamped his eyes shut, tears now streaming down his cheeks. Vladik couldn't tell if the news of this had grieved him, his actions had grieved him, or whether he was just so confused that all he could do was cry, but either way, he wished Abram would stop. Even in their younger days, Vladik couldn't bare to see Abram cry. It always hurt him tremendously. But now, mere inches from his face, Vladik could honestly say it never had hurt him as bad as it did now, because he knew that he was the cause of these tears.
"So," Abram continued, "It is true then?"
Vladik still couldn't form a vocal response. Instead he shut his eyes, crushed by the shame, and turned his head, allowing Abram's tears to splatter solely on his left cheek, where the pooled and trickled past his ear until they finally dripped to the ground. His own tears were now mixing in with his best friend's. Suddenly, Vladik felt the pressure on his arms and torso alleviate. Snapping his eyes open, he saw Abram rising up and standing to his feet. The young man shot Shigenaga a bitter look then looked down at Vladik with a cruel expression of sadness and confusion on his face. Wiping his tears, Abram began to walk towards the other side of the street.
"I... I need to be alone for awhile. I'll... I'll catch you later, Vlad." he mumbled softly, to the point that Vladik barely heard him.
Having said that, Abram, in a demonstration of his Hirenkyaku, vanished from sight. Now the rage came. Now... the animal came. Vladik felt the beast within him fully awaken at this point. His eyes and canines had already begun to change. Spiritual pressure, like magma being ejected from a volcanic eruption, erupted from Vladik's body, causing the very air around him to seemingly increase in weight. And, as he rose to his knees, he unleashed an unholy scream that tore the night sky asunder;
"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!" he bellowed to the full moon.
Without thinking, purely on instinct, he charged, not caring if Shigenaga killed him. Not caring if he became the wolf. Completely intent on harming this man who seemed intent on ruining his life. And, in a blur of motion, he threw a beastly punch at Shigenaga, with all of his might behind it.
Shigenaga frowned at this, but instead of making a move to avoid the blow, he simply reached out with his hand while he turned the back of his palm to face the charging lycanthrope; revealing an elaborate ring beset with a large pearl-white gemstone, the jewel encrusted within a circle of faint runic symbols. Once the beast charged at him, the gemstone shone up with a brilliant silver hue as a powerful field of force was erected between the warlock and Vladik, the partially transformed man's fist hit the barrier straight on, resulting a booming sound, as a massive amount of force was distributed evenly along the barriers surface, despite the great power of Vladik's attack, the barrier held - even if a pair of cracks had begun taking shape along tts smooth surface.
The warlock clicked his tongue in annoyance at the show of barbaric force, he really loathed such unsophisticated means of getting a deed done, but he supposed the beast had little else to turn to in regards to offense at this point, he'd surely remedy that. While the beast brawled with his barrier, the warlock summoned his magic to strike back against his assailant; the effects were instantenous - the massive beast suddenly felt an overwhelming sensation of weakness and.. wrongness wash over its growing frame, and its strength was slowly sapped away, absorbed by the very intensity of Shigenaga's sorcery - soon it was impossible for it to stand upright and it winded up quivering on the ground before Shigenaga. Bit by bit, the warlock soothed Vladik's raging emotions, causing the transformation to recede bit by bit, piece by piece.
"Its not me you loathe, human - that would be only yourself: I am merely the man whom opened the eyes of your friend and informed him of the danger you pose to him. For you do indeed pose a dire threat to the boy; what would happen should you ever lose control around him I wonder? Would you tear him apart limb from limb, or would your most primal of desires kick in and urge you to take the boy by force? Both of these scenarios are likely" Shigenaga's voice mused ominously at the Quincy, his words unveiled and brutal.
As Shigenaga spoke, the very environment around them seemed to change, forming pictures and spectral imagery of the very events he spoke of; the illusionary tapestry being woven directly onto the canvas of reality.
Gazing down on the sight of the man whom covered at his feet, the warlock's eyes gleamed with a gaze that Vladik most likely wouldn't even have given something that had gotten stuck on his shoe; the sorcerers eyes condescending, filled with scorn and spite at his situation. "You're a pathetic man... Vlad, you've let your feeble mortal emotions get the better of you, dominate you even and lead you astray from what should be your goal" while his voice was smooth, there was that very same mocking quality to it that it always had, but.. and this was odd, there seemed to be a softer tone to it than before, less critical and judgmental - almost as if Shigenaga's harsh words were meant to offer some actual insight and aid in his situation; as if he was briefly trying to help him. But as soon as the notion came, it was gone again.
"Love is festering within you, like a lethal cancer it spreads its influence within you as it takes root - forcing you to commit actions for someone other than yourself, your interests change and you become chained and restricted, trapped within your own heart like a proud beast locked away in a cage" the warlock paused briefly to give the human a disapproving glance, as if to ascertain just how far Vladik's love for Abram had reached at this point. "Soon you realize your choices are no longer your own, but are constantly influenced by other factors - you lose control of whom you are and your inner self is forgotten, or left behind. Don't you see how much power you involuntarily given Abram over you?" even as he spoke he leaned down slowly to gently grasp at Vladik's wrist before the warlock slowly attempted to help the other man back to his feet.
Vladik, weakened by a combination of the Shinigami's spell-weaving and the general feeling of drained energy he felt after transforming, was reduced to gritting his teeth and enduring Shigenaga's lecture. Even despite his anger, Shigenaga was alluring, especially bathed in the moon's mystical light. Unlike the last time, however, Vladik was not so easily swayed by the man's obvious charm. He was rightfully angry this time, and would not be quick to forget it. However, with his emotions calming down, he began to feel the freezing sensation of numbness creep through his veins. Shigenaga had only further illustrated his limitations and short-comings. Maybe love was just as bad a cure as his own lycanthropy. It had, after all, caused him just as much pain. Regardless, Vladik couldn't shake his undeniable adoration for Abram. The love that welled in his heart for his lifelong friend was almost unbearable at times.
"I.. I wouldn't expect," his voice finally came, "I would expect someone like you to understand love. All you care about is your flashy spells and your money."
As he spoke this, Vladik began to feel a rise in his determination. A push to spill what he really thought about Shigenaga. Mustering whatever strength he could, he slowly rose up on his knees and then to his feet. It took him a moment to adjust, but finally, he was standing at his full height, staring Shigenaga right in his cold, hazel eyes with his own cold green eyes.
"You, who surrounds himself in a harem of men and servants. You who has everything you desire; money, power, sex, you name it." Vladik's words were laced with icy cruelty, intending to jab at whatever soul the Shinigami may possess. "But there is one thing you don't have. There is one thing no spell can enchant for you, no money can buy for you, and no amount of sex will earn for you."
At this point, Vladik had his nose mere inches from Shigenaga's face. He truthfully didn't care how menacing or threatening the Shinigami was. His whole life, Vladik had wanted to die. Wanted to die because he could never truly live his life thanks to the curse on his body and soul. If Shigenaga finally granted this wish of his, then who was he to argue? Nevertheless, he would stand up for what he believed in, even in the face of this bastard of a Shinigami. With a single finger, Vladik invaded the man's space, planting it harshly in the center of Shigenaga's chest, in a jabbing motion.
"And that one thing is," Vladik continued. "True, willing, and unrestrained love. The love that only another person can give you and you them. I may be a cursed man, bound to the wolf-blood because of the atrocities your kind has committed against my people, but I will never truly be alone. You on the other hand, for all your wealth, servants, and power, are just a lonely man with nothing but himself to live for."
Vladik then retracted his finger, stepping back and turning his back on Shigenaga. The Quincy could no longer bare to look at the Shinigami. It was a shame. He had thought that maybe he and Shigenaga could've had something if they'd tried, but, he realized now that may have been just a foolish gander, conceived by the lustful nature of their night two weeks prior. However, as Vladik finished his speech, there was one thing that remained at the tip of his tongue, something he felt he should say, even though he was positive it would fall on deaf ears;
"And I feel sorry for you." he stated, a hint of sorrow behind his voice.
Not far from where this was taking place, behind the restaurant in which he and Vladik were originally supposed to meet, Abram was listening, tears now pouring down his cheeks. True, willing, and unrestrained love. The love that only another person can give you and you them. Had Vladik been referring to him? After all, the man, this Shigenaga, had introduced himself as Vladik's boyfriend, so how could it be Abram he was talking about? He didn't know how to feel. Of course he loved Vladik, but never had he considered that Vladik loved him like this. The older Quincy had always been there, since they were but a few years old, protecting him in the boy's home they'd been sent to. He'd always stuck up for him. So why now, after all this time, was he just finding out Vladik's real feelings? In his mind, Abram convinced himself that it must be because Vladik knew he was straight, and therefore, likely to reject him. Abram cursed softly under his breath, slamming a fist into the brick wall directly behind him. He had never felt so confused in his life. Realizing that he still had more to think about, the young man took off again into the night sky, looking back only briefly to see his best friend fading into the distance before wiping his tears and plowing on ahead. He would find an answer for this. He just had to.
Shigenaga's eyes widened in surprise as the younger man spoke his mind, the warlock had lived his entire life in places where people didn't dare to defy him, much less talk back at him; the fact that this man, this human was willing to do this despite the fact that he knew what the warlock could do to him, or even worse - do to Abram, baffled him. With Vladik's words having caught him off-guard, the sorcerer began to remember certain flickers of his past. He remembered the man that only mere centuries ago had so foolishly fought against what his grandmother tried to teach him, believing her methods inhuman and cruel. Be that as it may however, he had eventually submitted to her teachings, and she in return had made him powerful, strong enough to survive the tests and hardships forced upon him
However, the words of the Quincy reached a memory he was ashamed of, he remembered how he, as a foolish young man had sought to find respite and comfort from his grandmothers strict ways and unloving disposition in the arms of other men. At the time he had wanted nothing more than to prove to the old hag that someone wanted him, and that someone found him worthy of their time, it was his way of getting back at her for her treatment of him. These were unpleasant memories, he had been taught to despise weakness, in others but most of all within himself - that he in his youthful idiocy had shown this very weakness to the public; and been proud of it sickened him to the very core of his being.
Shigenaga knew that beauty and love were both fleeting concepts without proper substance, wealth had meaning... power had meaning; indeed, his grandmother had been right to break him of his misguided notions. Yet, Vladik's words had awakened but an inkling of those buried emotions; and without meaning to, the warlock looked away from the gaze of the human.. and for a moment, as he grit his teeth in some unknown emotions. When the sorcerer turned his gaze away; his eyes seemed different: they were devoid of arrogance, their usual intensity had faded, and he seemed to shrink somewhat, becoming less menacing; for but a brief moment he appeared like any other man; infact - if his looks were to be any indication, he seemed almost hurt.
But as soon as the moment had come, it was gone as the warlocks eyes snapped back into place and drilled themselves into Vladik's eyes with renewed intensity. "Let me tell you this, and we shall speak of it no more. Love is a weakness. To Love is to slaughter your own ambitions, your goals, your drive and indeed your very identity. Love is when you are willing to trade everything for a blissful memory. The love you speak of is something that would be so important to you that it consumes everything else, even your own life. In this, you are indeed correct - I know no such love!"
"What I do know however is passion, the mutual respect between equals - the point where both parties take what they want from the other and that's it. What we had, was passion - I wanted you, you wanted me and judging by your leering; still do. Why complicate matters further, desire is what desire is; lust and love are separate"
Shigenaga's smooth baritone held the very same even-tempered tone that it usually did, but beyond this veneer of indifference the other man could feel his fury like a physical force. Although it appeared as though his anger wasn't directed solely at Vladik, but mostly towards Shigenaga himself - he despised showing weakness of any form, no matter how brief or inconsequential it might be...
"I can see how you reacted at your friends discovery of your desires. You're shattered, broken by the knowledge that at this time he might even fear you. You've given him all this power over you unconditionally, and now you suffer for it. And in your sorry state, you mean to tell me that love is not a weakness? Inconceivable"
Vladik held his ground, refusing to be intimidated by the man before him. He had been carefully watching Shigenaga's reaction. He knew that, even if it was only briefly, the Shinigami had experienced conflict within himself. Judging by the way he had acted, it wasn't often that Shigenaga had encountered such emotions, much less a challenge to his authority. Yet, just as that moment had come, it passed, and Shigenaga's words rang out with renewed harshness. So much so that, whatever pity Vladik had pondered feeling for Shigenaga vanished before it had any chance to take root. Mustering all the determination he could, Vladik shouted his rebuttal;
"That's exactly what I'm telling you." he declared, his eyes sparking now as the moon came out from behind the clouds, bathing them again in its light. "Money. Power. Sex. These are things you can achieve with your own talent, your own skills. And if even that isn't enough, you can just take it from those that are weaker than you. Love is something different. You can't earn love and you can't take it, either. You cannot enchant someone to love you, only to desire you. What we had two weeks ago was nothing to me. It had no substance. It was pure carnal instinct."
As Vladik spoke, his deep voice began to raise in volume, now echoing through the deserted night streets of the city. If he couldn't hurt the man with his fists, he would do so with his words. Vladik couldn't stomach his kind. The kind that disregarded emotion and love as nothing but mere obstacles in their way. He had met many before, particularly among the Shinigami crowd. Perhaps that was one of the reasons he hated them so.
"And the sad thing is, for all your skill, all your power, if you mess up even once, all your money, all of your influence, and everything you associate with it will fall. And you? You will be nothing. Love endures all of that, so that even when you've lost everything of material worth, there is but one thing remaining that you can cling to and know it shall never fade. That is why I give Abram, as you put it, such 'power over me'. Because his life is more important than mine. And to me, his love is more precious than any sum of money, or any amount of sex. To me.... his love is worth this beastly curse."
As Vladik finished, he exhaled a large amount of air, releasing the angry pressure he had felt building in his chest. For a few moments, he stood staring at Shigenaga, analyzing the Shinigami's reaction. He had to admit, he was hoping his words would reach the man, but, it had almost become clear that the Shinigami was beyond redemption. He was too far into his own twisted ideals to be swayed by such words. However, as with last time, there was one final thing he wished to say to Shigenaga;
"I loathe beings such as yourself," he said, turning his body so that he could glare at Shigenaga out of the corner of his eyes in an accusing manner. "You climb to the heights of power and then take what you can from others. You don't care how they feel or what they've been through to get where they are. I wonder how many strong souls have been crushed by your foolish way of thinking. Beings like you... take the easy way out. It sickens me."
At this point, Vladik turned completely, once again making it so that his back was to Vladik, as if not to give the Shinigami the time of day it took to look at him any further.
"For someone like me, who has expended every modicum of my will for that which I love, pushed through all of the harsh times thrown at me from childhood up until this point, and even endured a curse that I did nothing to deserve, someone like you, who sees only what you can gain and sees any emotion contrary to that as a 'weakness', is a vile slug. Someone like you could never tell someone like me 'we shall speak of it no more'. We wolves are honorable creatures." he paused there for a moment, finding it odd that he would refer to himself as a wolf, even though all indications were that he despised the curse he was afflicted with. Shaking his head of these thoughts, he continued. "We would never allow ourselves to be ordered around by the likes of you."
Vladik, at this point, decided to turn Shigenaga's motives back at him. He would corner the Shinigami with his own motives and then see how he reacted. From this, he would decide what to do about Shigenaga. His heart was still aching for Abram and no amount of this man's sex appeal was about to waver him after what had transpired thus far.
"Besides," he finally spoke. "Why would you try to convince me of such weaknesses? Am I not just a tool to be used for my curse? Am I not just another man you have bedded in your lustful pursuit of happiness?"
Complications[]
Shigenaga chuckled darkly at that, before he leaned in slowly to whisper in Vladik's ear, given how close the two of them were standing, he didn't have to step in at all. When he spoke, his voice was sultry and he placed emphasis on every octave of his words "You hunger for him, don't you? That's why you attempt to resist me - you're denying yourself a chance to overcome your desire, aren't you!" the warlock let out a mirthless laugh at this, before he continued speaking. Completely ignoring the points the other man had made out just before, apparently he found he had said what he needed to and any further discussion would be pointless.
However, despite his sultry and playful demeanor - Vladik could make out the frustration the Shinigami felt; as well as the intense anger burning in his gut. He'd get the impression that at the moment, the warlock was attempting to use seduction and desire to conceal his true emotions. But eventually, his anger proved too powerful to mask and his lascivious demeanor gave way to one of anger; and he spat his next words out with an underlying growl of frustration, it would appear that he had great problems trying to work out how to respond to the other mans comments.
"You know.. If you desire him this much, I can make you have him. There are two ways I can accomplish this, the first is to enchant him, I can convince him to let your ravish him; since I'd be using his own emotions for you, its practically consensual. I can even convince him to like it, and if you wish - wipe his memory of the event. You can have him, all you need to do is ask!"
Vladik glared at Shigenaga. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. After all he had said, all he had tried to convey to the Shinigami, none of it had gotten through. He was still trying to convince him that enchantments and magic were the solutions to his problems. However, unlike a few moments before, his facial expression had softened. He had meant what he said earlier; that he felt sorry for Shigenaga. Shigenaga had obviously never felt love. Not love the way Vladik felt it, at least. Sighing, Vladik finally spoke;
"No." he said, his voice almost a whisper at this point. "I know what you're trying to do and its a nice offer, but I'll pass. It may be a foreign idea to you, but I'd rather earn his affection. It may seem consensual to you, but I wouldn't feel right the entire time. Nah, I'm not going to allow magic being used. I'll do things my own way."
After saying this, he turned around once again and began to walk away. He had a lot of things to deal with. Confronting Abram being the most important. He knew his friend was deeply conflicted, less angry more than he was confused. Vladik knew that talking to him would be one of the hardest things in his life, but he wouldn't be able to call himself Abram's best friend if he didn't do something to calm his friend's fears. As he thought this though, he noticed Shigenaga still standing where he had left him out of the corner of his eye. Turning his head slightly, he spoke in a most witty fashion;
"What's wrong? You lost? Don't tell me you're thinking about staying in the Human world for the night?" Vladik snapped.
Shigenaga spoke up immediately as he sauntered over to the other man, his steps slow and elaborate "Mhmm... that's an accurate assumption, very impressive, Spice. I take it you want a treat for your effort, hmm?" the warlock gleefully spoke as he walked past Vladik before finally placing himself infront of him, blocking his path and his advance, the difference in height once again being made apparent, in the moonlight the Shinigami's eyes seemed to gleam with an almost otherwordly intensity to them; the light dancing across his handsome features, and somehow causing the hazel color to become even more pronounced and visible.
"However, this so-called love of yours is the last thing your friend needs at this moment. He doesn't need you suffocating him further with your promises and reassurances. He's recently had to face something of a significant emotional magnitude. You need to let him properly puzzle himself back together first, he needs to come to terms with himself and his own viewpoints before you've got any business dropping your story on him" the warlock's voice was the smooth baritone he usually spoke in, it was suave, articulate and cynical; a most unusual combination. As expected, Shigenaga paid very little mind to the fact that it was infact he whom had revealed Vladik's secret to Abram in the first place.
"However, I'm certain you've gathered by now that I'm here neither to enjoy the sights of the human world or to wreck up your personal relationships. Although, being a guy of wide and varied taste, I've nevertheless found myself doing abit of both in spite of my intentions.. mmm, whomever said that a man can't do more than one thing at once didn't know shit" the warlock clicked his tongue in amusement as he continued on talking "No, I've come to discuss the details of our arrangement, along with certain other matters of importance. These things are better discussed within the confines of your home however, so, lead the way"
Vladik immediately narrowed his eyes. Shigenaga all but inviting himself to Vladik's place of residence didn't sit well with the Quincy. Sure, his anger with Shigenaga had begun to recede, likely because his transformation had completely subsided, but he hadn't forgiven the Shinigami for what he'd done to Abram mere moments before. He studied Shigenaga carefully as the cold night wind blew between them, causing his blackish-blue hair to rustle atop his head.
On the one hand, Vladik wanted to turn Shigenaga away. To turn away from him and search for another way to deal with his lycanthropy. To turn away and never look back at the Shinigami again. On the other hand, he wanted to show the man some degree of kindness. That, maybe, just maybe, if he showed Shigenaga what kindness was like, the Shinigami would soften up and stop being such an asshole. Vladik chuckled internally. The thought of Shigenaga being anything but an asshole was wishful thinking at best, insanity at the worst.
Sighing, Vladik closed his eyes and shook his head. He was too soft hearted. Far too much for his own liking, at least. Silently, he made up his mind that he would allow Shigenaga to stay with him for the night only, but, immediately, he became worried about how the situation would unfold. After all, Vladik's small home only had one bed. That meant that both men would have to sleep with one another again. Not that Vladik particularly disliked this situation, he just felt like he was further betraying Abram if he slept with Shigenaga again despite what Shigenaga had done to him. Nevertheless, he figured he'd deal with it when the time came;
"Yeah, you're right. Follow me. Let's head that way." he sighed, giving in.
Only fifteen minutes later, Vladik was opening the door to his small home; Shigenaga in hot pursuit. Flipping on the light closest to the door, several lamps illuminated the main room of the house. Vladik left the door ajar so that his constituent could follow his lead, but, upon entering the house, immediately slipped off his shoes and tossed his trench coat across the back of the nearby reclining chair. In the meantime, pausing infront of the door, the warlock turned to regard Vladik cooly, sizing him up from head to toe. His hazel eyes unreadable and cold, he turned his face away from the other man slowly before he spoke, his expression unreadable and clenched;
"About letting me stay here...", he paused to draw a deep breath before he continued speaking. "...Thanks"
The warlocks voice was gruff and informal, but somehow, Vladik could tell that he genuinely meant it. Shigenaga then scoffed at his own behaviour, his features changing into that of a disapproving scowl. Vladik, on the other hand, was completely taken by shock. Utterly mystified. The man that had, up until this moment, treated him as little more than a tool, had thanked him. Genuinely thanked him. The Quincy couldn't help but let a small smile slip across his face as he turned back towards the small kitchenette ahead of him.
"Don't mention it." he replied simply, not wanting to ruin the moment. "I couldn't just leave you out there, after all."
Vladik motioned for Shigenaga to completely enter the home, which he did, shutting the door behind him. While the Shinigami made himself comfortable, Vladik went into the kitchen and pulled some food from the fridge. He didn't have much. Some uncooked beef, noodles, and rice. It would have to do. Heating the stove, Vladik removed his shirt and tossed it over the counter and onto the reclining chair where his coat was, to make himself more comfortable. He then tossed a frying pan onto the stove and threw in the assortment of ingredients. The two remained mostly in silence, with Vladik cooking in the kitchenette and Shigenaga sitting somewhat awkwardly in the living room, which had no real separation from where Vladik was.
About twenty minutes later, the food was done, and Vladik switched off the stove. Pulling two plates from his cabinet, he quickly divided up the food, giving Shigenaga the larger portion. Vladik himself wasn't a heavy eater, but he didn't want the food to go to waste, so he figured Shigenaga would put it better to use. As he entered the living room with the plates, he could see the look Shigenaga was giving him and realized what this looked like, so he quickly quipped with an excuse;
"You Shinigami with big spiritual pressures do eat a lot, after all. Can't be having you pass out on me." he mumbled, obviously lying.
He sat Shigenaga's plate and chopsticks down on the small coffee table in front of him and returned to the kitchen to retrieve sodas from the refrigerator, tossing one to Shigenaga before sitting down across for the Shinigami with his own dinner and drink. After opening his chopsticks and his drink, as well as taking a few bites of his food, he glanced up at Shigenaga, who was glaring at him intently. Wiping his mouth of the food that had managed to smear on it, Vladik cleared his throat;
"You did say you wanted to talk about something right?" Vladik interjected. "Well? Out with it."
When he was handed his food he had immediately begun chomping down, the human was an excellent cook and he involuntarily found himself looking over at the other man thoughtfully, for once, his eyes betrayed a sense of begrudging respect for the Quincy. It was clear that he was just alittle bit impressed by his skills, so impressed infact that once he had wolfed down one plate he helped himself to seconds - Shigenaga was a man who enjoyed food, and he enjoyed it twice as much when it was free.
But his eating was disturbed by the voice of the human, and with some reluctance he ceased his feast and directed his attention at Vladik. He was content to see that he had been right to include Vladik in his business, no question about it, the Quincy's talents would be most helpful to his affairs, making a deal with Vladik had indeed been a good call, there was so much profit to be made with the man; he could study the curse cast by his fellow spellcaster more closely - possibly discovering some secrets the caster hadn't intended for him to find.
"You're a valuable resource, Vlad.. and I'm certain you haven't forgotten our agreement; as that would be most troubling for our mutual benefit" he flashed a smirk at Vladik, it was a playful expression that barely touched his cheeks "Id originally decided I wanted you to accompany me back home tommorow, but due to certain events I've decided to postpone this for five days. I assume you'd protest quite loudly were I to attempt to spirit you away before you had the chance to make up with that boy of yours?"
Despite having just asked a question, Shigenaga rudely continued his speech - cutting off any response from Vladik. Appearantly the question was merely a formality, and he was confident he already knew the answer. "Also, I've got some gifts for you - two to be precise, one of them being my end of our bargain. I may be a man of questionable morals, most certainly. But I always keep my word in a bargain, anything else would yield unfavorable results"
Without a word, the warlock reached a hand down beneath the table and into his pocket before he fished out a plain-looking ring of simple quality. When Shigenaga showed him the ring plainly, it would become apparent that it was made out of copper, not an especially valuable material: Shigenaga's stingyness wouldn't allow for that, but it was well-made and appeared large enough to fit his fingers quite neatly. Noticing the other mans confusion, the warlock muttered softly
"I've enchanted this ring with a particular spell. During our night of passion two weeks ago, I took the time to ascertain the nature of your curse. The enchantment on this ring is therefore specifically designed to keep your curse in check and while wearing it you will find that its magic will work as a barrier between you and your curse" briefly scouting Vladik for a reaction, Shigenaga continued his rant "Also, don't attempt any funny business with it; if you do, the spell on it will cancel itself out and the ring will become just another simple trinket"
The warlock then handed the ring over to Vladik in one fluent motion, before his eyes gleamed with amusement once again. Standing up, the warlock removed a ring from his right hand - the same ring he had earlier employed to deflect the attack of Vladik's beast form. He then walked around the table to stand at Vladik's back, reaching around with his arms.. the warlock let his hands trace lines down across Vladik's bare biceps, letting his fingers brush tantalizingly across the back of the humans hands before he slowly slid the ring onto Vladik's middle finger in a drawn-out motion.
With Shigenaga standing this close, his exceptionally aware senses as a Quincy would alert Vladik to the raw power and energy the man behind him exuded, it was like a palpable force; smothering him with its sizzling intensity. But it wasn't his spiritual pressure he sensed, it was Shigenaga's spiritual energy dancing across his skin, eliciting new sensations with each disembodied touch. The hands of the warlock himself were different than one would imagine, despite the hardships he had no doubt been through his hands were soft and smooth, with just the right about of roughness - they were the hands of a powerful spellcaster, cautious and elegant in his craft and these surprisingly gentle touches were a direct consequence of decades worth of discipline.
Vladik admired the ring in his palm before slipping it onto his ring finger. The affects were immediately felt. Vladik's eyes widened as he felt a surge within his being he'd never quite felt before. The beast, which he could usually feel sleeping in the depths of his soul, was now barely detectable. At the same time, the Quincy became noticeably aware of Shigenaga coming up behind him. The Shinigami's touch was almost electrical, sending Vladik's nervous system into an array of senses; pleasure, awe, comfort, the like. Comfort began to completely envelop him. He didn't know whether this was just another magical trick of the Shinigami's or not, but, judging by the looks Shigenaga had given him earlier, he suspected it was something else entirely.
It was rather seductive in fact. Letting go of his suspicions, Vladik, for the first time in his life, let the comfort completely consume him. After all the hardships of his past, the troubles of loving a man who would possible never love him back, and the stress associated with being unable to express his real feelings for so long, the powerful sensation of comfort was the most welcome thing Vladik had ever experienced.
Vladik allowed his body to relax as Shigenaga traced lines on his bare biceps. When Shigenaga touched his hand, Vladik instinctively tensed. He was unused to anyone being like this with him, even though he had for so long desired it. Then Shigenaga did something unusual. Slipping a second ring onto his middle finger. As he watched the Shinigami do so, his eyes narrowed as a wave of confusing emotions overcame him. He didn't know the significance of this, and, though he wanted to ask, he doubted Shigenaga would tell him. Instead he just let it happen. It was then that he noticed that he was completely being racked by emotions and yet, he couldn't feel so much as a stirring. Comfort again hit Vladik and he melted back into his seat, glancing up to look at Shigenaga, meeting the Shinigami's rough eyes and giving him a small smile, but a genuine smile nonetheless.
Reaching up with his free hand, Vladik intended to gently stroke Shigenaga's cheek, but caught himself, remembering what had happened the last time he'd tried to be affectionate with the Shinigami, and pulled away in such a quick motion, it almost seemed as a jerking motion. At the same time, his eyes embarrassingly darted away from Shigenaga's as his hand hung limply in the air. His cheeks now felt as though they were on fire, no doubt flushed with a crimson red color, which made Vladik internally hate himself. He hated Shinigami. But this one. What was it about this one? Why was he so drawn to him? Was it because of the Shinigami's spells? Was the Shinigami forcing these feelings on him, or were they his own? He couldn't tell, but he couldn't deny the fact that, slowly but surely, he was developing a crush on Shigenaga and the thought of this was eating his innards alive.
Finally breaking the silence, Vladik managed to push himself out of the chair he was sitting in, standing to his full height and looking back at Shigenaga with an almost longing, yet sorrowful expression in his eyes.
"Thank you..." he croaked, fighting back tears of gratitude and loneliness that he felt building powerfully within him as he thought about these things. "Of course I haven't forgotten our bargain. I will do as we agreed, but you're right. I need to set things right with Abram."
A small silence took over after he finished speaking, but did not last long. Shuffling around the chair, Vladik headed for a small hallway leading to his bedroom.
"Come on. We should probably get some rest." he murmured softly.
Once Vladik stood up, he saw straight into Shigenaga's hazel eyes; they had changed once again, it appeared as though he noticed Vladik's conflicting emotions; and even as he heard the shaking in the voice of the other man he leaned in closely before he gently pressed his lips against Vladik's own in a chaste kiss. It held none of the passion or fire that Shigenaga's kisses usually had, it was just a kiss.
Pulling away from him, Shigenaga nodded softly "Yeah... lets" before he began walking in the direction of the bedroom, down the corridor where Vladik had gestured earlier.
Vladik was completely beside himself as he received the kiss. It wasn't a fiery kiss, laced with desire and lust. It was just a simple kiss. Short and sweet. Vladik lead Shigenaga to his bed room and tossed his trousers to the side as he entered the room, now standing in just his boxers. As the two slipped under the cold comforter of Vladik's bed, the Quincy felt compelled to be close to the man. He was still in pain for the way Abram had left earlier and he didn't want to feel alone. Casting aside what he feared the man might do if he showed affection and stepping out on a proverbial branch, Vladik curled up under the larger man's arm, resting his head gently on the Shinigami's breast. His last thoughts were of wondering if this was how the world was meant to be before he drifted off into a peaceful slumber.
Meanwhile, across town as the ripe full moon filled his small bedroom, Abram sat against the wall of his room, knees tucked tightly against his chest, and his arms yet wrapped around those. He had been in this position ever since arriving back home. He was so confused. Vladik loved him. Not just as a childhood friend or brother, but loved him as his lover. As a man straighter than a straight line, this, for some reason, deeply bother Abram. A part of him wished he could love Vladik back, but the feeling just wasn't coming. He loved Vladik immensely as an older brother, but just couldn't see it happening as lovers. The young man felt terrible, however, for how he'd acted. He could only imagine what his poor friend was feeling right now. As weariness overcame him, he found himself consumed by the desire to be held. It was a feeling he'd had on nights like this since he was a mere child. But, like all nights before that, he found himself cruelly alone. Giving into his exhaustion completely now, Abram slumped onto the floor as he found sleep; a single tear dripping from his puffy red eyes.
End