[SEMI-OPEN] Better not be the one who falls in love again

[plasticasshole]

Who: Connor and an open prompt (with other closed prompts later)
When: April!
Where: Aefenglom
What: Meteor shower for now
Warnings: None yet


Everyone wants to fly with the fireflies; (April 3rd)
[It's beautiful, honestly. Connor has never seen a meteor shower, nor has he seen the insects that accompany it. They land on him, and he might glow a soft pink or blue in places, or even green. The emotions that accompany the colours don't bother him as much as the folks pushing him towards anyone whose colours match, but he just lets it happen. He was going to meet new people anyway, right? Strangers get small, polite smiles.]

I'm sorry. We could take this time to get to know each other better, and they'll leave us alone?

[Of course, people who know him get a different response-]

Oh. Well, it could probably be worse.

[He's joking. Made (hopefully) obvious by the way he nudges the other person playfully. The Full Moons are nearing, he's feeling a little bit sassy.]

Wildcard;
(I'll write a prompt out if we plot something, or you can write your own! I'd rather keep memory share stuff to the event post when it goes up, but anything else goes! My plurk is novicecity if you want to plan something! As for which colour Connor gets, I'll either RNG it or you can pick~)

Comments

[cyclopticsadist]

[Niles' glare turns into a full on snarl, fangs bared and eye bright with fury.]

Bullshit.

[The word is spat out, harsh and definitive.]

You have no idea what you're talking about, and it's none of your concern. This is between Linden and I.

[plasticasshole]

[Connor frowns, but doesn't seem dissuaded.]

It becomes everyone's problem when you take matters further like this. What exactly are you planning on doing?

[Because there's no way Niles is just stalking L because he wants to look at him more often. He's planning something.]

[cyclopticsadist]

[Now Niles' expression is one of pure disdain.]

Do you honestly expect me to tell you?

[Oh sure why doesn't he just lay out his whole revenge plot to Linden's new bodyguard. The request would be funny if it weren't so insulting.]

[plasticasshole]

I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask.

[Connor folds his arms, though.]

You're an intelligent man, Niles. Surely you can see that if you harm Linden, his friends are going to get involved. Do you want a repeat of what happened with the SQUIP?

[cyclopticsadist]

[Niles shrugs, ugly glower morphing into an ugly smile.]

I think I came out on top in all that, honestly.

[He knows the situation is different. He's the Squip in this scenario. The objectively wrong party who needs to be stopped for morality reasons or whatever. He knows he'll have to go into hiding if he even manages to get away with it. He knows he'll be burning nearly every bridge he's made. There's a part of him that balks at that. That is terrified of abandonment. But by the same fear, shouldn't he sever all his connections on his terms? Over something that's deeply important to his survival? The question at the center of it all, the internal debate that he is having believe it or not...

Is it worth it?

But that's a question for him and him alone to decide, he doesn't need clueless meddling from a naive and easily manipulated stooge.]

[plasticasshole]

You're hardly as powerful in this form as you were in that one.

[The whole 'taur thing? It was a pain in the ass. And Connor, despite the fact he realises Niles is a skilled fighter anyway, thinks it gave him an advantage.]

And you'd be alone in this.

[Is that really what Niles wants?]

[cyclopticsadist]

[Niles hmphs. He's only half right. So far Henry is his ace in the hole, but even two against Linden's inconveniently powerful gaggle of followers aren't odds he likes. He's not about to show any signs of worry or doubt to Connor. He also won't be baited into divulging any details of his plan.]

You can't talk me out of this. Give up.

[plasticasshole]

[Connor bites his lip as he considers his approach, then leans in slightly.]

What did he do, Niles? A simple mistake doesn't warrant this kind of reaction.

[He doesn't want to have to choose between Niles and L. He likes them both. But in this situation, Niles is the aggressor... at least, as far as Connor knows. As far as he's been told. But he wants Niles' side of things.]

[cyclopticsadist]

It was not a mistake!

[The response is a shout, voice rich with conviction and fury. His fur bristles, and his tail lashes behind him. He takes a deep breath and brings his volume down to a harsh whisper.]

He knew what he was doing. He wanted to hurt and humiliate me, and he said as much to my face while he-

[He cuts himself off as his voice begins to rise again. Instead of words all that comes out is a deep growl.]

[plasticasshole]

[Well, he seems to be getting somewhere. Not the place he wanted to get, but he's learning more about what happened.]

While he did what?

[In contrast to Niles, Connor's voice is even and he appears unfazed by Niles' outburst.]

I want to understand where you're coming from, but I can't do that unless I know what happened.

[cyclopticsadist]

[Niles is breathing heavily, volatile anger welling up in him. He pushes Connor back. He needs space, he needs to run. He doesn't want to think about what happened. He doesn't want to bare himself open again like he did with Myr. He shouldn't have to keep repeating this, reliving this, but Connor's incessant questions bring Linden's dark looming eyes to the forefront of his mind. His hand gratuitously running through his hair and covering his eye. A blatant acknowledgment that he knew what was coming and was looking forward to the show.

And worse, Connor's blank, impassive face isn't helping him get the image out of his mind. He's waiting to judge, to analyse Niles' worst nightmare for validity, for justification. He's ready to pick apart and witness the whole ugly scene himself if he could.]

What story has he spun for you then? The same unappreciated self sacrificing hero fairy tail he gave to Myr?

[plasticasshole]

[His only reaction to the push, besides his LED blinking yellow, is to hold up his hands. He’ll give him the space he needs.]

Well, something like that. But then I did learn that he did something inexcusable and later demanded to be thanked for it, which...

[He winces a little, the first sign of emotion he’s really shown towards all of this so far.]

But I don’t want Linden or Myr’s versions. I want yours. Please?

[cyclopticsadist]

[The space helps, it does. He breathes, and even closes his eye for a minute. It's a testament to just how much he trusts Connor, even as his rage boils. He wrestles that fury it the ground, reminding himself of they way Connor had waited, unprompted, while Niles was incapacitated. He wouldn't have minded if Connor kept going, he'd have been able to recover quickly, but the fact that they'd wound up in a place where Niles' hadn't set rules, and Connor didn't take advantage of that won him a lot of respect.

Connor would wait.

And he'll have to. If he wants to get through explaining this without risking injuring himself or others, he needs to shut down. Especially if he needed to recount the apology sequence. When he opens his eye again his face is stony, locked in a steely eyed glare at some point in the far distance.]

You know a little about where I come from. Linden kept me paralyzed and restrained by magic while the man who put my eye out with a hot poker beat and assaulted me while he waited for it to warm up in the coals.

[His arms are crossed, his tail is dead still, locked in a half curve strike pose raised a few feet above the ground. It would be an overtly threatening gesture but he's deliberately facing at an oblique angle to Connor. It's not a threat, it's a response he isn't used to holding in check. Another deep breath.]

Then he wanted thanks for deciding to break the illusion before he took the eye.

[plasticasshole]

[It's... not an answer that sets Connor at ease any. He's mortified that Niles had to go through it even once, let alone twice, and L... he'd thought better of him. For a moment Connor is silent, eyes cast towards the ground. It's awful, and there's no excuse for it. He can't defend L here.]

I'm sorry, Niles.

[He looks back up, saddened and shocked by what he's learned.]

But thank you for telling me. I realise it wasn't easy. But now I know, and... I won't try to justify Linden's actions for him.

[Of course, he remembers L's recount of it. The stories together make for an interesting picture. L apparently believing he was helping, Niles believing he was being cruel. It's a mess. Honestly, it would have been so much easier if he could just care less. But here he is, and he cares a lot about what happens to both of them.]

Did Linden say anything during this?

[cyclopticsadist]

[Of course he'd said things, but they're indistinct in his mind. Just a wordless smear of smugness and taunting. He knows he was threatened, knows he was mocked. But even looking back at the big picture was taking a toll on him and he won't make himself look any closer. But after the illusion ended, one thing Linden said had stuck with him. The tone of voice, the finger tilting his chin up, the smell of Linden's breath. He swallows hard, a sudden twinge of nausea hitting him as the memory passes over him. His voice is quiet, even, measured, when he responds. He's repeating it exactly how he heard it from the witches mouth.]

You should be grateful.

[His claws are digging into his upper arms. Luckily his thick fur protects him from the full damage, so the wounds he'll leave behind will be shallow.]

[plasticasshole]

[That pretty much cements that L wasn't really trying to help. Looks like he needs another talking to. Connor doesn't know what to do right now with Niles, though. He feels like touching his arm the way he wants to wouldn't be a good idea, so he doesn't.

Especially not when Niles' tail jumps, with Connor's eyes immediately locking onto it. He isn't afraid of being stung. But he's programmed to detect danger, and even if it was only a mock strike, something done in the heat of the moment, it still makes Connor wary.]

I just want you to know that I'm here if you need me, okay? You don't have to go through this alone. That's not to say I'll help you hurt anyone... but if you need someone to talk to, or just something to take your mind off things... I'm around.

[cyclopticsadist]

[Not touching is the right call. Now that Connor isn't asking another followup, Niles is dragging himself back to the present. In equivalent measures his eyes brighten and his body relaxes. In the present he is furious. The light at Connor's temple draws his gaze as his eye refocuses. All he sees is a literal target for his built up ire.]

That's what I was using you for, idiot. But now! [Now he knows. Knowing changes Connor's motives, shifts the foundation of their dynamic. Niles had no problem with having Connor distract him, but Connor knowingly distracting him feels far too much like...something he instinctively dreads even as he struggles to understand it.] Now you're involved.

[plasticasshole]

Of course I'm involved. Incase you hadn't noticed, I consider you to be more than just a distraction. I like you, I enjoy your company.

[Though he never expected that kind of feeling back from Niles somehow, so he's not particularly hurt to be told he was just being used.]

It's why I'm offering. You don't have to accept it, but it's there.

[cyclopticsadist]

[The kind words sting. Connor is so undeniably, annoyingly decent. It's what earned him Niles' attention in the first place, but in a situation like this it was dangerous. The spread of the knowledge was inevitable now, which pushed up his timetable. He was already feeling a dangerous amount of sympathy towards Linden, he needed to stay focused.

The knowledge was spreading, complicating factors were being added by the minute, and he and Henry were hardly in the planning stages. He can't afford to feel better about this. Now he can't let himself cool off with Connor anymore. Or, at least not until he's done what he needs to.

But Connor won't still be offering then, now will he? Ideas roiling like thunder in the wake of a storm, Niles weathers the passing urge to burn this bridge to the ground. He could keep Connor at arm's length, play to his overabundance of sympathy.]

If I do, One more hard limit. We do not talk about this.

[plasticasshole]

[Connor just nods- he had expected as much.]

I won't talk about it anymore.

[He doesn't want to lose Niles as a... well, is he a friend? He's never considered what their relationship actually is. He supposes Niles did just admit to only using him, so maybe friend is too much. But whatever they are, he enjoys it.

He goes uncharacteristically silent for a moment. Then he steps back, away from Niles.]

I'll leave you alone now. I'm sorry.

[cyclopticsadist]

[Niles lets out a disbelieving Tch.]

No you're not. [A real apology requires the intent to change future behavior, and he might lay off pestering him about for the near future, but there's nothing that Niles can do to stop him from meddling.

He turns on his heel and scales the building with ease. He pauses on the rooftop to look back down at him for a moment before retreating out of view.]