vacate et scire

⋮ Rhys Dasior ┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅ ✧ 44 (June 18) ✧ Witch ✧ Head of Magic Consultants ✧ (white magic) abjuration / earth magic (expert), divination / air magic (advanced), transmutation / water magic (advanced). ( Sideblog to Arnon )

[rhysdasiorarchive]

closed starter for @aneirin-ap-mouric

Entanglements with the family coven back in Mayfair had been pulling at Rhys’ attention until the inevitable had occurred and he’d found himself having to rise above his station whilst shoving an unfortunately heavy workload onto Seth’s shoulders in the process – not a fact the other magic consultant likely enjoyed, especially after all the fuss Seth had kicked up about his workload only a short while before Rhys’ departure. However, needs must and apologies usually went down a little sweeter with a good bottle of something old and red, so Rhys made sure to sneak a bottle from the Dasior’s cellar the morning of his return home, burying it under the sweaters and various tomes he’d promised only to borrow before heading back into Krovs’ uninviting gravitational pull.

The bottle had only come to mind the moment a beat before a knock sounded at his office door and Rhys paused midway across the office with a hissed curse as he hurried to gently slide it into one of his desk drawers and flicked a wrist to lock it shut before. Checking his pocket watch with a sigh at his own poor time management (the jet lag excuse really didn’t fly when abjuration was his main school of magic, it was a nightmarish burden to bear sometimes), Rhys forced himself to slip back into his workplace persona of someone capable of possessing comfortable ease in some capacity and strolled to the office door to tug it open with a warm smile, stepping aside to gesture for the councilman to step inside. “Aneirin. Right on time. Please, come in, make yourself comfortable.” Letting the office door fall shut behind Wales’ representative, Rhys leisurely wandered to lean against his desk chair, watching Aneirin over it curiously. “Before we begin discussing the finer details of your consultation, can I get you anything sent up? You need anything sustenance-wise?”

[witchysethharper]

It'd been ten years since Seth wound up in this horrible, dreadful place. Hell lived up to its name for sure though it wasn't at all what he'd expected from its mentions in fictional media. The fiery landscaped hued in ominous reds, oranges, and smokey black with rocky and mountainous terrain certainly lived up to the images conjured upon the realm's name. Seth first saw those visuals from behind a grand window overlooking some part of Hell when his bargained and corrupted soul landed in the deceased Lilith's home all freshly demonized. His death then had been painful yet the searing flames of Hell scorching his soul and turning him into the clawed and winged thing choking and gasping on the clean marble floor far surpassed his last moments on earth.

He'd only had a few moments to catch his breath and collect himself, immediately noting his heightened senses. He blinked rapidly –– his vision had never been so crystal clear before even while wearing his glasses at their strongest prescription. Whiffs of roses, jasmine, and vanilla within the nearby vicinity along with ash, fire, and sulphur beyond these grand walls assaulted his sense of smell. He could hear distant screams and cries of either torment or pleasure or both near and far but his ears picking up on the approaching footsteps of the elder incubus who introduced himself as Lilith's heir in running her House of Desires. Here, the collected souls sold to her served as essentially slaves to service the hungry succubi, incubi, and other lust demons on this part of the realm. Maybe comparing Krovs to Hell had been far more accurate than anyone truly realized. Except the slaves here might've been treated slightly better (so long as they behaved) than the ones in the castle.

So began Seth's new life in the afterlife. He stayed in the luxurious bedroom he'd been assigned where he'd live and work for the rest of eternity. The only times he left were when he was granted freedom to roam around the house (which happened rarely) or when he was punished for not obeying or satisfying a "client" (which happened usually). The torture in Hell certainly surpassed anything he'd ever faced in Krovs and he'd lived through Raiden Proulx more than once. Mental, emotional, physical, each one catered specifically to see just how far Seth could break and could last for hours, days, weeks, even months or more.

Once he'd managed to escape a few years ago but his freedom didn't last very long as he then found himself forced onto the front lines of some infernal war before getting caught and dragged back to the House of Desires and having his skin torn off over and over and over again. When finished, the house manager sent the tribrid back to his room to serve again. He still had a contract to live out, after all.

Since then Seth had been a model "employee" for the past few years with hardly any incident. Course it was easy for him to obey when he felt nothing any more. No happiness, no sadness, no anger, no anxiety. He never knew his once overthinking mind could be so quiet. Sex still felt good and hey he could use his magic and feed some too so he had no qualms in getting fucked or fucking or whatever the person paying for his time wanted.

Currently he wasn't occupied when this Rhys walked into his room. Seth stared at the man he'd once called a mentor back in his living years, no sign of any emotion flickering across his deadpanned features or in his cold red eyes. None of the years of torment showed on his body that healed at an accelerated rate now and was barely covered in the tight leather pants and thick leather collar around his neck. Aside from the tattoo of fae wings covering shoulders, biceps, and back, and demonic features Seth likely hadn't changed a day since Rhys last saw him before his death. Though Seth had seen far too much to believe this to be a real thing.

"What is this?" the tribrid asked in a flat and slow tone as he didn't make a move towards what he believed to be another illusion to fuck with him. Had to be a trick, perhaps that bastard manager testing him to make sure he wouldn't dare try and escape again. His eyes narrowed into a squint. "There is no need to play games with me, Cain. I am not stupid enough to make that mistake again. I've been on my best behavior, haven't I?"

[rhysdasiorarchive]

Trying to navigate Hell had been no easy task. Realistically, Rhys had expected as much and Cairo had even had the decency to warn him all those weeks in advance prior to the committed undertaking of this questionable decision. Hell was somewhere Rhys had been raised to fear, had been threatened with eternal damnation more times than he could count thanks to his raised religion and more… frowned upon lifestyle choices. Now that he was firmly within it, though, Rhys couldn’t bring himself to be too concerned with his doubts and uncertainties; they could be fretted over later. Right now, as impossible as it felt, finding Seth and bringing him back was all that remained important. 

When he’d finally managed to follow the pull of the metaphorical thread (never again would Rhys badmouth his own magic, not even jokingly, not if it helped get him to this point – Cairo could have a fruit basket or something as thanks) and stumbled across what and who he could only assume to be Seth, the reunion wasn’t quite what he’d had in mind. Seth’s gaze was blank, devoid of any recognisable emotion and the sight alone was enough to stop Rhys in his tracks. The questioning made Rhys’ heart sink further and without thinking, he stepped closer to pause just before Seth. There was far too much trust in the gesture, especially when one firm hit from Seth could easily fuck Rhys up beyond repair. Healing himself would naturally be an option, but drawing attention to himself like that? Down here? No, he still had to be at least a little smart about things. “That’s, uh, that’s great to hear and all, Seth– well, not really–” pausing, Rhys cast his gaze around the room like he had time to spare. “Not great if this is the environment– look, I’m rambling. We’re on a time limit, kind of, and I’d really like to get out of here sooner rather than later.” 

Taking a further step back, Rhys took a breath to steady himself. “It’s really me, Seth. It’s Rhys. I promise this isn’t any kind of illusion or trick. Look, with a little help from Cairo, we managed to devise a plan to get you back home– well, not home, but– back where you rightfully belong. With us, you know? Not here, not with these types.” Casting a wary glance over his shoulder, Rhys tried not to let Cairo’s words ring too loudly in the recesses of his mind; 'Hell isn't a place for the living, especially those who are good at heart.' “C’mon,” Rhys extended a hand out towards Seth with as warm a smile as he could muster despite his rising discomfort. “I know it’s easier said than done, but for the first time in what I can only assume is going to be some time, I need you to really put your trust in me. If you want me to prove my identity to you somehow, I can, I will along the way, but we need to start thinking about getting out of here now. My protections only last so long.”

[councillor-roland]

Roland was furious. Two hours of his life wasted for what? Because Seth didn't like him and Nahim was trying to establish his position by attacking older council members? Clearly there was more there and Nahim was acting on some petty slight. Roland saw no other reason for it as with his continued interactions with Rhys and now this Nahim was clearly trying to get to him, the snake. A whole council meeting about his relationship! Preposterous. They'd barely had enough people there to call it a meeting yet Raphael and Nahim had continuously hounded him and for what? Spending time with his lover? He was practically incandescent with rage and had obviously needed to inform Rhys of the nonsense during the meeting, ignoring anyone who tried to draw attention to how much he'd been texting. He'd paid enough attention to all the nonsense. Thankfully Quin had been there but it was still absolutely ridiculous.

As soon as the endless bullshit had finally wound down, Roland had let Rhys know and they'd agreed to meet at the greenhouses. He had walked out of the council chambers, barely, but as soon as he was in the hall he'd used his speed to get to the greenhouses and get to Rhys as quickly as possible, his expression a mask of fury. Not directed at Rhys, obviously, the arm around his waist already helped and he slid his own arm around Rhys, stealing his cigarette with the other hand and taking a much needed drag before returning it to him, barking a bitter laugh at the question. "I am not okay, not in the least. Two hours of being belittled, attacked, ganged up on, condescended to, and threatened with dismissal all for what? Because I dare spend time with the person I love?" He shook his head and pulled away, too agitated to stay in one spot and needing to pace. "They dare put us under a microscope when everyone in this castle bends the rules and fucks whoever they want whenever they want to, whether it's during working hours or not? Putain de merde!" He wanted to break something and he paced restlessly and viciously, gesticulating with his hands and tossing his hair back though he stayed near Rhys. He belatedly realised there were questions he hadn't answered and shook his head, though his pacing didn't stop. "No real conclusion from the meeting itself though I'm sure there will be some kind of follow up designed to keep us from seeing each other. I certainly did not keep my outrage at a socially acceptable level, why should I faced with such audacity? It should never have been a meeting at all! What concern is it of theirs?" He shook his head as he spat the words, lip curled in a sneer. "I can't gauge the level, not yet. We'll have to see what the fallout is. This apparently started with your darling Seth, by the way. He asked Nahim to bring these concerns to the council instead of just talking to you about it. It seems he's ratcheted his dislike and disapproval of me up several notches, to the point where he's trying to ruin our lives over it!" It was perhaps a dramatic statement to make but that certainly seemed like the case. Roland snatched up a nearby broom and snapped it in half with his bare hands, hurling the pieces at the nearest wall with a snarl, eyes blazing.

[rhysdasiorarchive]

Rhys made no attempt to hold Roland in place once the initial outburst had been hissed in all its glory. He was more than happy to let Roland pace through the worst of his residual irritation following a meeting as pointlessly infuriating as the most recent one clearly had been. “It doesn’t make sense,” Rhys sighed in frustration, taking a final drag from his cigarette before crushing it underfoot to fold his arms across his chest and watch Roland curiously, still trying to figure out exactly what it was that they were dealing with here. “All this over… what? A few visits here and there? I mean, sure, maybe we took a few liberties here and there with the timing now and then, but it’s not like we were obnoxious about it, right? Not enough to warrant a meeting. That’s just absurd.” Casting his gaze off to scowl at the greenhouses, Rhys sighed heavily and tried to keep his thoughts ordered. “As you said, what’s with the double standards? Why do these punishments – these threats of dismissal – only happen to befall you and, by association, me? Doesn’t make sense if you ask me. Sounds like the rest of the council is pulling these grand plans for discipline out of thin air. Why weren’t you or I privately addressed beforehand? Would that not have been preferable? Sensible? Fuck, even the decent thing to do?” Clicking his tongue with a disapproving sigh, Rhys forced the worst of his frustrations to the back of his mind and recentred his focus on Roland, his eyes narrowing slightly as he studied the vampire. It came as no surprise that the meeting had failed to reach a coherent conclusion. “Well, of course it didn't reach any kind of fruitful end. Given that the entire meeting was based upon the most ludicrous premise imaginable, I’d be more surprised if they had somehow managed to reach a conclusion. Thank God they didn’t. Right now, you and I need all the time we can get to piece together some sort of credible defence should they decide to push this any further. Although why I haven’t been asked to speak myself yet, I don’t know. Seems a little odd, no? If this is about the two of us, surely we should have both been offered ample opportunity to give our side of things.” A plan to keep the two of them separated didn’t sound great and Rhys made no attempt to keep his displeasure hidden as he heaved a sigh.

8Rhys’ attention snapped sharply upwards at the mention of his beloved magic consultant and he watched Roland with a look of pure incredulity for a moment until he forced himself to accept the truth of the accusation. All things considered, it wasn’t exactly surprising to know that Seth had been the driving force behind this specific brand of disaster. What was less expected, though painfully apparent now, was just how involved Nahim had gotten. He’d seemed disinterested in anything related to Roland during their conversations during their various consultations and sessions so far – how long had Nahim and Seth been hatching this plan for? Rhys took a small step back as the broom suffered the worst of Roland’s ire, watching the scene unfold with a quiet sigh as he cast his attention back to the looming silhouette of the castle from afar. Lifting a hand leisurely, Rhys’ restoration magic gently pieced the broom back together after a beat and nestled it against one of the greenhouses away from any further harm before moving to close the gap between himself and Roland to wrap both arms around him from behind, resting his chin on Roland’s shoulder as he swayed them slowly in a feeble attempt to lessen Roland’s anger. “It’s awful, I know. It’s less than ideal. But we’ll find a way around this, okay? We’ll make this work. I highly doubt they’ll dismiss you over this. I can talk to Nahim privately, see what his angle is, see what we can do– even if it feels like it, it’s not the end of the world, I promise. This is just a minor inconvenience.”

[mindful-mateo]

Mateo: It was a pretty good basket. You know how to pick 'em. Mateo: It still sounds very silly. He'd probably laugh about it, too. Mateo: No, no, I don't need you to hold my hand for it though I appreciate the offer. I can handle it, it'll be fine. Mateo: Oh yeah? What're you guys working on? Mateo: You got all snippy so it definitely seemed like I hit a nerve. Mateo: How very modern of you with your over a millenium old vampire. Mateo: Of course you have hope, you're a hopeless romantic and don't even try to deny it. You're also weak as hell for him and you can't deny that either. I waved red flags in your face about him and you ignored me so don't pretend you won't do exactly the same thing going forward.

[rhysdasiorarchive]

Rhys: ‘I can handle it, it'll be fine.’ I’ll hold you to this. No pressure. :) I’ve got nothing but faith in you. Rhys: We’re not working on anything groundbreaking by any means, more of a gentle reeducation on the abilities within his possession. He’s never really been shown how to work with what he’s got from what I’ve been able to deduce so far. Could be interesting. Could be a disaster. Guess we’ll find out.  Rhys: I was not snippy. Just wanted to get the record straight. There’s definitely a difference. Rhys: You can’t see it but I promise I’m rolling my eyes. Can you feel the force of it all the way from the library? Should I try a little harder? Rhys: I know you’re concerned about me, I know you don’t think Roland’s a good fit for me and I know you’re explicitly aware of the ups and downs the two of us have had. I also know that I’m a big boy who is capable of making his own decisions and is able to maturely speak things through with his partner.  Rhys: Roland’s not the devil incarnate like you think he is, you know. I know you’re never going to be best friends with him, nor do I expect you to be, but we’re serious about making this work for good this time around, so… do with that what you will. :) Rhys: I’d suggest a double date to ease the tension but that went horrifically last time, so maybe not.

[councillor-roland]

Rhys seemed so sure and it was clear from his certainty that being able to communicate with Corinne beyond the veil, as it were, had most definitely been comforting for him. Just having their voice...it had been so very long since Roland had heard Alix's voice outside of his memories. The timbre of it, the precise way he chose his words, just as selective with those as he had been with his movements. The longing for it was so sharp it felt like it was cutting him from the inside out and yet it still felt like it wouldn't be enough. His smile was ghostly as he tried to stay tied to the conversation and Rhys' information about Corinne. "Good to know she's still speaking her mind even from beyond the grave." She'd certainly been headstrong. Rhys seemed willing to accept whatever choice he made regarding contacting Alix but he would definitely need some time before he made a decision. "Merci. It's...a very generous offer. I'll let you know." That was all he could bear to say about it for now.

It was much better to focus on how good it felt to kiss Rhys, to have him so eagerly return the gesture, to be able to touch him again. While he was normally the one who liked to drag things out and tease he felt amazingly impatient and only needed Rhys' final permission to move them to the bedroom. Apparently, according to Rhys, that permission had already been granted. "Forgive me for seeking enthusiastic consent." The comment was a little wry even if he followed it with more kisses to Rhys' neck. In a blink they were in the bedroom and on the bed, Rhys lightly pinned beneath him as he kissed him again, rocking his hips down against him with a slight sound. He moved his hands down and was met with the soft fabric of the hoodie rather than the stiff dress shirt he was more familiar with. Roland pulled back from the kiss with a light laugh. "I'm so used to having to undo your buttons it's a surprise not to find them there. Are you wearing anything underneath this?" The question was decidedly mischievous, lightly teasing, and he pulled back just enough to hook the bottom of the hoodie and lift it over Rhys' head to find out. Impatient as he was, Roland still enjoyed the anticipation that came with undressing Rhys and being undressed, it seemed too important a part to skip over entirely.

[rhysdasiorarchive]

Roland’s tone was enough of an indicator that this subject was anything but sweet and Rhys made a conscious effort to reel his commentary on the matter in. At the very least, Roland knew it was an option. If the possibility became more attractive to him in time, he knew where to find Rhys to explore things a little further. He smiled wider at the reference to Corinne, inclining his head as he chuckled lowly to himself at the most recent memory of her and the hours that had passed by like seconds as the two conversed from alternate planes of existence. Rhys nodded affirmatively as Roland spoke again. “Of course, Ro. As I said, there’s no pressure. The choice is yours to make. If that time comes, you know where I am. I’ll never need a big heads up or anything– never takes too long to set up. If the mood strikes, let me know and we’ll work something out. If it doesn’t, that’s fine too. Whatever works for you works for me with this kind of thing.”

With the physical overtaking the conversational in terms of rampant need, Rhys was more than happy to push less pleasant thoughts to the back of his mind to focus on how right it felt to have the other half of his heart back by his side again. Whenever they were apart, no matter how long for, it always felt as if a part of Rhys was missing until he had Roland back by his side again. The wry comment pulled a laugh from the witch instantly, the tender kisses against his neck that followed lowering Rhys’ defences enough that the blurred arrival at the bedroom felt more like a conceptual occurrence than any kind of reality. Blinking a couple of times to familiarise himself with the change in scenery, Rhys groaned encouragingly into the kiss, Roland’s hands against his hoodie stilling the experience until Rhys forced himself to properly focus as the kiss was broken, his brow lightly furrowed as his gaze flickered between his hoodie and Roland until his mind finally put two and two together, Roland’s explanation pulling another chuckle from him. “Listen–” there was no time to defend his laziness as the hoodie was tugged off and Rhys shook his head to fix some of the disheleved aspects to his usually pristine form that lingered from the graceless undressing. “In my defence, I was only planning to spend a few hours with Mateo and then call it a night. You don’t get to make any smart-ass comments about the slovenly approach.”

[cairogaudetdeluca]

"I don't pretend to know what motivates other people." Cairo offered in response as he ushered the younger towards the exit of his office because he had things to get and Cairo had other things to do. "Make sure you have an understanding of where you're going. I'm not there to protect you. Hell isn't a place for the living, especially those who are good at heart." He tapped on Rhys chest. "You're a flavor that'll attract attention." He pushed the door open. "You know where to find me." He let the other leave and went back to his business as if it was any other day.

[rhysdasiorarchive]

Letting himself be guided to Cairo's office door, Rhys paid close attention to the advice offered as a series of apparent afterthoughts, his brow furrowing lightly as he tried to commit everything to memory. Rhys' gaze dropped to his chest as the tap against his heart registered and forced a small smile to his face as he lifted his head to study Cairo curiously for a moment. "Catholicism isn't going to help much either, is it?" The joke rang hollow – Rhys couldn't bring amusement to his tone even if he tried, but it'd felt worth a shot regardless – but at the very least, it helped to keep the severity of the situation at the forefront of Rhys' mind. As the office door was tugged open, the younger witch gave an appreciative nod. "Yeah– yeah, of course. Thanks again, Cairo." Offering a parting nod of appreciation, Rhys wandered back to his office with his mind full of more questions than he'd left with in the first place. Now, at least, things were heading in the right direction. It was a step in the right direction, even if it didn't feel like it just yet.

END.

[witchysethharper]

Seth nodded once more, glad to let the topic of Roland die there so as not to spoil the mood of the evening. He was out of Hell and back to normal. Almost. Aside from the whole obvious demon thing but whatever, more power wasn't something he'd complain about. He had his dog, he had his suite, he had his job –– it was like nothing ever happened. And Seth was fine to move on like that.

"I mean, do you want to hear those kind of details?" he asked, grinning a little wickedly at Rhys. "Like I said, he said he was happy I ain't in Hell any more. He was more surprised than anything when I walked in, which makes sense cause I didn't exactly tell him about any plan for me to come back and I'm guessing you didn't either. But it's fine. Everything's fine." Or so Seth kept telling himself. He smirked a little at his mentor across the table. "I'm sure you're glad to have someone help you with the magic consulting load that you don't need to train," he chuckled. "How've things been with you otherwise while I've been... uh, away?"

[rhysdasiorarchive]

Rhys’ expression faltered slightly at the hint of less dinnertable-friendly discussions and he wrinkled his nose in visible disagreement. “Actually, y’know what? Yeah, keep those details to yourself. I think I can survive just fine without them.” Listening attentively as Seth continued, Rhys tried to remain focused and not lose himself to the simple joy of simply having Seth back. The time spent apart from him had been nightmarish in its own right, the process of getting Seth out of Hell had been gruelling in ways Rhys had never even thought possible… but it’d all been worth it for this moment. Worth all the heartache, the grief, the frustration, the uncertainty – there wasn’t a doubt in Rhys’ mind that he’d do it all over again if he had to. There was very little he wouldn’t do for Seth. Rhys gave a coy smile at the reference of his complete lack of informing Shade of the plan in any way but then again, it hadn’t seemed wise to encroach upon Shade’s space even after all the time that had come to pass since their last altercation. Rhys’ ego and pride simply hadn’t allowed it, not that it would’ve made much of a difference in the long run anyway, not in Rhys’ professional opinion. 

The witch raised an eyebrow in silent judgement across the table as Seth insisted that everything was fine but he knew better than to press further. If Seth insisted as much, then it was so. Rhys’ arched brow rose higher at the sight of Seth’s smirk across the table and gave a light laugh in response, shaking his head at the memories of the difficult interim period. “The agency staff weren’t the worst, but… well, they weren’t you. Do you know just how many last-minute corrections I had to make to things? I owe you an apology, Seth. I really do. I’ve been taking your expertise for granted all this time and didn’t even acknowledge it. Honestly, between the two of us, I’m just glad the department’s still standing. Had a few touch and go moments here and there. Fuck knows what happened to my time management skills– but it’s like you said, it was fine. It’s definitely fine now, anyway.”

[raidenproulx]

"Problem is, you think you can say a buncha shit and I'm going to ignore the rest. Too fuckin young. Too fuckin stupid. Never should have got the job you did. Told them should be an age limit for head of anything." Raiden moved to the young witch again. "You don't seem to get it. The only shit stopping me from killing you right now is how much it'll cost me. You think I want you as a fuckin pet? Your worth is in what I can get from Belgium and there ain't much in that." Raiden shook his head.

"My fault. Would do better fuckin with De Luca than you. Can drop the contract. Shit ain't gonna work. You aren't going to work. You aren't good at your job. Stay clear of me Daisor. I don't give second chances." Raiden pushed past the lesser thing. "Belgium can't save you from me." He was sure to make clear, in case the other didn't get it since he didn't seem to register a lot in that small brain of his.

[rhysdasiorarchive]

But I got the job anyway, didn’t I? The retort stayed locked behind Rhys’ better judgement as Raiden reeled off his displeasures surrounding Rhys’ employment and, arguably, existence and the witch glowered at the councilman before him as he steadily counted down from ten in his mind to ensure he kept his temper under control and didn’t risk anything due to not being able to hold his tongue. Heads of departments were expected to act in such a way, weren’t they? Even if Raiden felt a certain type of way about it, Rhys saw no reason not to continue on as he was. “I’d like to remind you that you sought me out, Raiden. Not the other way around.” Rhys’ tone was clipped, measured and wholly disapproving. “You don’t want me as a pet and I wouldn’t wish being your pet upon my worst enemy, so at least we’re seeing eye to eye on something here.”

Through some miracle, Raiden cut the session short far sooner than anticipated and Rhys’ irritation melted into surprise as the sheer mass of the councilman shoved past him. No second chances? Fine by Rhys. So long as that meant he could stagger out of this godawful arrangement with his life force intact and no healing magic required to patch himself back up afterwards, Rhys had no complaints whatsoever. Rhys made no attempt to halt him, merely ducking his head with a nod to show his understanding as the distance between them increased. “Very well. Choice is yours. It was a pleasure doing business with you.” The thinly veiled threat bothered Rhys less than the repeated inclusion of Roland into this equation and the witch’s brow furrowed into a reproachful frown at Belgium’s ominous mention. “Noted, noted. Best of luck with your tutelage elsewhere, Raiden.”

[familiar-finn]

"Well, that's pretty bang on then, we have been spendin' some time together," Finn confirmed. Nothing more, nothing less at this point. Sure, he felt an attraction towards Mateo though he had a habit of rushing into things he was trying not to fall into with this one. Slow and steady and see how it goes as he tested the limits of his own patience.

He smiled small at Rhys, the amusement twinkling in his bright eyes. "Is this your polite way o' sayin' that if I break your best friend's heart you'll break me?" he chuckled, resting his chin in his hand with his elbow propped on the armrest of the chair. "I s'pose I appreciate the head's up. I don't really know what's goin' to happen or where this'll all lead. There're a few, erm... complications on my end." The obvious collar around his neck for one that surely he didn't need to explain to Rhys. "But know that I think he's nice and sweet and I fancy him too." He paused then, smile fading a bit as he cleared his throat. "Let's not, erm, tell 'im I was here like this, yeah? I wouldn't want him to worry."

[rhysdasiorarchive]

The smile and twin amusement mirrored in Finn’s eyes lowered Rhys’ defences by the slightest amount and the witch smiled fondly in response, a slow nod following suit as the question pulled a light laugh from him. He gave a noncommittal shrug. “You said it, not me. In all seriousness, violence isn’t my area, but a stern talking to certainly is. Not that I’m assuming you’ll fuck him around. If you do, though, we’ll be having another talk. That’s all.” As Finn elaborated, Rhys listened closely and gave another slow nod of understanding, his gaze sympathetic as the picture was pieced together. Raising a hand in defence to show he understood, Rhys hummed his acknowledgement and processed the revelations accordingly. “There’s no pressure to have it all figured out, I swear that’s not my angle. Contrary to popular belief, I’m not trying to run you out the picture. It’ll be good for the two of you to have something good going if that’s the way things have the potential to go. But it’s complicated, I get that. Taking it a day at a time like the two of you have been is undoubtedly the best and smartest way forward.” The pause brought Rhys back to the cold reality of their situation and he scanned his gaze tentatively over Finn as he closed the distance between them again, circling the armchair to get a better look at the familiar. “Won’t say a word,” Rhys replied airily, leaning over the back of the armchair to gently lift the blankets to assess the still-bleeding wounds. “If he knew I’d said anything, he’d rant and rave at me for the next six months for sticking my nose into his business. Neither you nor me has the time or the patience for that.” Straightening up, Rhys ran a hand over his hair with a slow sigh and walked to stand before Finn again, one hand resting on his hip as he trailed his gaze over the familiar for what felt like the millionth time. “I think I know the answer, but how are you feeling now? Still shit, right?”

[familiar-finn]

Finn raised a brow as he watched Rhys, not sure where he was going with this questioning until Mateo came up. A small smile poked at the corner of his mouth and he laughed softly. "What, are you Mateo friends or something? I take it he's said something?" He bit his bottom lip as he glanced away for a moment, both flattered and a little nervous with how this conversation seemed to be rolling. "We've been, erm, hangin' out, I suppose," he started as he looked back at the young witch. "What's he told you?"

[rhysdasiorarchive]

“Yeah! Yeah, we go way back. We’ve known each other for… what, must be about twenty-five years or so now? I told him about the librarian position going here a while back, actually. I’m still surprised he followed up on it.” Rhys had partially expected Mateo to shrug it off but fortunately, he’d done the opposite. “Oh, nothing major, don’t worry. Just that you’ve been spending a little time together, getting to know each other better.” With a little order reinstated around the desk, Rhys strolled around to lean against it, offering the familiar a reassuring smile as he settled.

“I’m not trying to insinuate that there is or there isn’t something going on. Whatever the deal is between the two of you is your business and I respect that wholeheartedly. It’s just…” Rhys shifted slightly as he searched for the right words and loosely folding his arms across his chest. “…without overstepping the mark, I just wanna give you a heads up that it takes quite a bit for him to open up to others, properly open up to them, I mean. He tends to withhold a lot, puts others before himself all the time, almost to his detriment—” Rhys cut himself off with a embarrassed breath of a laugh at how quickly he’d descended into rambling. “Sorry, I’m getting carried away. All I’m trying to say is that it’s a good idea to keep that in mind if something is going on. He’s taken a shine to you, that’s for sure. I just worry about him, y’know? Probably needlessly so, but he brings it on himself sometimes.”

[rhysdasiorarchive]

Given how frequently Roland had occupied the office and Rhys’ suite outside of his working hours, a small part of Rhys felt as if he’d already experienced what Kaden lightheartedly joked about and though the momentary ecollection tugged a little too sharply on his heartstrings to be comfortable, Rhys pushed aside old feelings to focus on the much more pressing present. “Think I’d rather take my chances against the hypothetical firing squad. Probably be less mentally taxing.”

Kaden’s agreement came as a much-needed breath of fresh air. Rhys hadn’t meant to earn himself a reputation as an anomaly around the castle though in hindsight, perhaps the constant isolation and refusal to socialise with others unless he absolutely had to outside of contractual demands likely hadn’t helped his cause. Still, it was reassuring to know that there were others out there who possessed similar traits to him. It was all too easy to view life within the castle as the norm, all the overinflated egos and twisted social norms included. Rhys’ smile widened at Kaden’s suggestion and he gave an affirmative nod in response, not even having to think about accepting such an attractive offer. It’d been a while since he’d really had to put his magic to the test and whilst rebuilding sections of the town hadn’t been too demanding, the toll it had taken on his mana supply called for a brief reprieve regardless. “Sounds like a perfect plan to me,” giving an encouraging pat to Kaden’s shoulder, Rhys moved to saunter off to give the recently rebuilt sections a final once-over for any possible missed faults before he could class it as a job well done in his mind. “Let me know when you’re happy to go and we’ll find somewhere decent.”

[kresnikxkaden]

"Fantastic." Kaden grinned at the plan for a bit of rest and relaxation after a hard afternoon's work well done. He wasn't mortal any more like Rhys was and had far more mana to spare. The task they'd been granted to repair a town, even the smallest fraction of it, would tax anyone quickly at Rhys' age. Kaden, however, could go a bit longer as they both knew from their previous working sessions on these reparations. He glanced down the street at the last little bit left and nodded as he jogged towards it. "Give me five to finish up this section and we can go. Your pick, my treat since you made the trip all the way down here. Afterwards we can do final quality assurance test and I reckon we can tell the council all's good down here."

[rhysdasiorarchive]

END.

[witchysethharper]

Seth's piercing red eyes bore right into Rhys' with every syllable that dripped from his lips defending Roland. He didn't say anything for a long moment though the flickers of fiery sunlight underneath his skin seemed to intensify for a few moments while waves of agitation and anger coursed through him. His eyes narrowed into a squint and his jaw set tight. Oh, he had so much more he could say about this topic but clearly Rhys wasn't in the right mind to listen properly. Perhaps another time. And perhaps he ought to pay Mateo a visit and scold him for letting their mutual friend slip back into this insanity with Roland. And just as quickly Seth visibly relaxed and forced a smile. "Whatever. You're an adult, you can do whatever and whoever you want. Hope you don't regret it." The threat of excitement over a much deserved "I told you so" lingered behind that last statement because he bet that the councilman would fuck up again soon enough.

Their waiter arrived with perfect timing to take any drink orders and Seth asked for a refill of his vodka soda. Weird how even though he was an immortal he still felt a buzz building. Was that normal? Thought it took supernaturals a whole lot more to get drunk. "It was fine," he answered, shrugging. "He's happy to give me Circe back and that I'm not in hell. Nothing special to write home about."

[rhysdasiorarchive]

Though Seth’s concession was welcomed, Rhys had a distinct feeling they weren’t entirely finished with the topic. For now, at least, they could move past it and it was just as well. The last thing Rhys wanted was for their much-needed reunion to turn into a relentless bout of snarking back and forth at one another. Lord knows they’d endured enough of that the last time they’d found themselves sat at the same table. “I don’t,” Rhys confirmed, surprising himself with the certainty in his voice. “But thanks for making sure.” Even if it was exasperating to continuously be questioned on all sides when it came to the apparently ever-complicated matter of his relationship with Roland, it meant a lot that Rhys’ nearest and dearest were as dedicated as they were to making sure he wasn’t monumentally fucking himself over by giving Belgium’s councilman one last chance to prove himself. 

Politely requesting another refill himself, Rhys kept his attention trained on Seth once the waiter flittered off and tried not to look as taken aback as he felt by the response provided. “What, that’s it?” Despite his best efforts, Rhys’ expression turned incredulous in a heartbeat. “Nothing… memorable? Thought he’d at least be a little happier to see you than that.” Then again, it wasn’t as if Rhys knew or cared to learn any more about the inner workings of Seth and Shade’s bond. It wasn’t his business, nor did he need to know the ins and outs of whatever it was that was going on between the two of them. “Well, whatever–” plucking his glass from the table, Rhys lightly tapped it against Seth’s own in another mock toast. “I’m glad you’re back. Couldn’t be happier, actually. It’s been a nightmare without you around. The days really dragged without your pointless emails flooding my inbox throughout the day.”

[familiar-finn]

"Thank you," Finn said as he took the pills and water from Rhys and gulped them down immediately. No surprise this wasn't a first go-to since most supernaturals often healed much faster than over the counter pain relievers started working. He settled back into the seat as comfortably as he could –– a difficulty given the agony of his widespread injuries across his back –– and smiled tightly at Rhys. "Oh, certainly, you'll be the first to know, I promise. Sorry I've interrupted your day here with this... mess. I hope I haven't distracted you from anything important."

[rhysdasiorarchive]

Rhys waved a hand dismissively at Finn’s apologies, eager to dismiss them the second they surfaced. “No, no– no, don’t be ridiculous, it’s fine, you’re all good. I’d rather you add this to my day instead of continuing to bleed all over the place. Don’t sweat it, really.” Scanning his gaze over Finn in vague concern one last time, Rhys forced his anxieties to quieten and mentally prayed the painkillers would at least take some of the edge off for the time being before he busied himself with tidying away the small mess he’d managed to make in his blind panic. “Say, while you’re here…” he glanced over in Finn’s direction as he locked up the various desk drawers for safekeeping, an inquisitive smile starting to form at the corners of his lips as he studied the familiar from afar. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you about, actually. A certain thunderbird’s been keeping me semi-up to date with his personal life. Is there a little something going on between the two of you or am I being overzealous with my assumptions? Speak now or forever hold your peace, Winchester.”

[hwan-seu]

Hwan gave the other a flat look, hinting at disappointment that he wasn't suffering as well. "The last two years I have been hit with this. Whoever is passing these out must like seeing me look like a monster. If they want that more often, I'm perfectly content being crueler on a daily basis."

[rhysdasiorarchive]

The look received in response almost coaxed a laugh from the witch but Rhys recovered himself before it had the chance to escape – there was something far too amusing about his safety being an apparent disappointment of sorts and from a guard, no less. Clearing his throat to banish any lingering amusement, Rhys focused on listening as Hwan elaborated on his own predicament. “Two years straight?” Rhys’ expression fell to one of pity instantly, not that it seemed to bother wendigo much. Hwan seemed surprisingly accepting of such a fate. “Have you got any idea who it could be? Not that I’m suggesting anything, but… well, it’s a repeated pattern of behaviour. Sounds like someone’s got it in for you. Still, guess it prevents anyone from acting up too much down in the Undercroft, right? I know I’d think twice about fucking around with you like this. I mean that in the politest way, I swear.”

[raidenproulx]

"The fuck I want De Luca and Gaudet's kid teaching me shit." Raiden clapped back grabbing Rhys by the front of his shirt. "You think this is some fuckin game to me. I want to be working with some piss poor shit like you. I was with Aurelius, but his ass is dead now I got the bottom of the fuckin barrel I'm scraping with." He shoved the other away. "Fucking joke. Fuckin child compared to me. Know how long I been alive compared to you. Know what I've done on this fuckin land alone, right where you're fucking standing. I've won wars. What have you done? Read about them? Read about me? I'm the motherfucker in those books, those fucking stories. I'm that big fucking dragon destroying the village in all them God damn fairy tails. So don't tell me shit."

No Raiden did not like being told what to do, how to do it, when to do it. He'd brought down empires for being told what to do, there was a way to work with him and a way not to. There was no compassion or empathy to work with. Reason and logic weren't going to work either since he was made up of greed and ego. Really the only way to make Raiden comply was to spin it into helping him against his rivalry with Raph or play into his ego.

[rhysdasiorarchive]

Sounds like a you problem, Rhys thought immediately, his expression hardening as Raiden’s grasp embedded itself within the material of his shirt. He knew better than to verbalise his irritation when his life and his freedom were on the line but by God was it tempting to remind Raiden that his shortcomings weren’t Rhys’ problem regardless of what his contract said. Raiden’s ranting continued, as did Rhys’ mental replies, but the witch remained on his best behaviour and schooled his expression back to one of passive acceptance. If the tribrid needed to get all that off of his chest, Rhys wasn’t going to interrupt. He was getting paid for every second of it after all and though his trust fund’s balance was still sitting at a comfortable amount, he wasn’t planning on fucking up a sizeable addition to it if he could help it.

Rhys waited patiently until Raiden’s ranting drew to a close and took an extra moment to gather his own thoughts before finally offering some sort of response. “…Right,” he answered plainly, dropping his gaze to inspect just how much damage could have come to his shirt given Raiden’s vice-like grip. Lifting his gaze back to the councilman’s, Rhys gave him a small smile to eliminate any possibility of further ire or complaint on his part. “I apologise for overstepping the mark. Wasn’t my intention. However, we’re getting away from the matter at hand here, aren’t we? You’ve achieved many a great thing in your lifetime thus far, I can appreciate that, but there’s always room for improvement, for more. I intend to help you get there but it’ll be significantly more challenging for both of us if you don’t meet me halfway, Raiden. We both know you’re more than capable of doing so. If you wanna work on developing your teleportation abilities, then let’s do it. Right now. Why wait any longer?”

[cairogaudetdeluca]

Hell was not a new experience for Cairo, mostly. This version was. The real version. He did experience it as a medium so not exactly the same as he was currently, but desperate times and all. Losing that part of him made certain aspects rather insufferable. If he was opening a gate to hell that gave him a very unique opportunity and he'd use it to his advantage.

The trip to the Dasior's was for a few spells that he needed. Like any magical family, his own included, they just collected. White, neutral, and dark; it didn't matter. Aurelius had a number of spell books that covered all manners of magic. White to keep it from them and neutral and dark for his own purposes. He'd never be able to use the spells in the white books, but nor could any magician opposite him.

"Seth can teleport or do you think he lost that ability? What did you think I'd be able to find him faster than you? I've done my part. Got you in. Go find your charge. This isn't a group effort." Cairo could have found him faster, but it didn't benefit him to do so. "I told you this was your burden. Carry it."

[rhysdasiorarchive]

As Rhys should have expected, Cairo’s responses had been as helpful as a chocolate teapot but there wasn’t sufficient time to bicker over the particulars. Giving the older witch a strained smile of reluctant acceptance, Rhys nodded his acknowledgement and turned to focus his attention on seeking out the familiarity of Seth’s presence, regardless of the inevitable difficulties that hell tended to carry with it. Through some small miracle – the irony of which wasn’t lost on him given their current surroundings – it didn’t take long to find something faint to tether himself to and Rhys followed the thread as swiftly as he could, the determination and concern for his unofficially adopted pain in the ass overriding any discomfort and unease his raised religion tried to drill into him above it all. Distractions weren’t an option right now. After an unsurprisingly gruelling effort had been made to get as close as the faint thread leading him to Seth would allow, Rhys gave a breathless sigh of relief at the familiar silhouette that finally came into view and Rhys approached with caution, knowing better than to blindly trust anything down here. “Hey,” he called out as he approached, his gaze flickering around their surroundings constantly, not wanting to drop his guard for a second. “You wanna get out of here any time soon? I know I do.”

@witchysethharper

[cairogaudetdeluca]

Cairo liked to hear the unabashed agreement. Questions were never welcomed. "I can't tell you that. You want him out of hell. That's what I'm giving you." This was Rhys burden. Seth was his burden. Not Cairo's. The good thing was regardless of what Seth was or wasn't he'd be weak because he was young. In the end it wasn't Cairo's problem. He had no strong feelings for or against the former witch. Nor did he have any with Rhys. Did he think what Rhys was doing was short sighted, of course. Especially if he was asking that question to Cairo.

"If you have this many reservations going into it, maybe this isn't something you should do." Cairo said flatly not the wishy washy type. "This is your shit or get off the pot moment Dasior. You're in or out. There's no reassurance."

[rhysdasiorarchive]

As expected, Cairo was jarringly blunt and to the point and Rhys had no choice but to accept the responses given even if they did little to soothe his agitation surrounding the entire ordeal. “Right. Yeah, sure. Noted.” If there were dire consequences, he’d have to learn to deal with them when they arose. For now, he’d focus on getting Seth back in one piece at the earliest convenience. Little else really mattered more than that right now, after all.

The older witch’s indelicate tone continued to deliver unpleasant truth after unpleasant truth and despite his better judgment, Rhys gave him a sharp look of affronted disapproval at such an assessment. “Of course I’m in. Do you really think I’d offer up my family’s library for your perusal if I wasn’t sure about any of this?” Reining himself back in before he slipped a little too easily into snarking territory, Rhys took a deep breath and levelled Cairo with an apologetic stare for his outburst. “I understand where you’re coming from, though. Sorry. It’s just… this is a little outside of my usual comfort zone. But I get it, there’s no room for doubt here. I’ll keep that in mind.”