« nobilitylost » han zixinâ
âDoesnât matter how I found you.â A simple shrug followed, the end of the discussion as far as ZiXin was concerned. No way was he going to tell someone as dangerous as Chase Collins that he made an impression on a waitress at a diner. Her blood would not be on his hands. âIâm good at my job, and my job was finding you. The specifics arenât important.â None of his words are spoken with any malice, no âah-ha, I gotchaâ egotism in his tone. Simple fact. âMy job is done. I could leave here today, walk away and send in people a whole lot more powerful than me to sweep up the pieces.â
But he hadnâtâŠnot yet.
In fact, he didnât even have to confront Chase at all. He could have sent word to a strike force, had those witches come in and take the other man out. Yet, he knew better. Lives would be lost â most likely good men and women who didnât deserve it, and yet more blood would be on his hands.
Instead, he found the arm of a couch that had seen better days and perched on it as if they were two old friends catching up on the time missing between them. ZiXin was used to talking, used to attempting diplomacy before violence; it was one of the reasons his parents desperately wanted him to lead the coven. He was a fighter, but he led with his words and then followed with his fists. âYou and I arenât really that much different. Fundamentally. Forgotten children scored by our covens. Of course, I didnât seek revenge by trying to kill everyone, butâŠâ Those last words werenât an attempt at buttering Chase up; ZiXin didnât believe in that â and it wouldnât have worked anyway. âI guess what I want to know, is what you plan on doing next.â
Likely, it wasnât an easy question to answer â not that he expected it to be answered honestly in the first place.
âYou got your revenge. You nearly destroyed yourself in the process. Now you have every coven in the world looking for you, and youâŠno offense, but you look like youâve seen better days. So, what now? Where does Chase Collins go from here?â Head tilted, eyes narrowing not in annoyance but in careful calculation. The very last thing he was doing to do was underestimate Chase, give him the opportunity to get a leg-up on him. âYouâve got to be tired. Worn out. In need of medical help and a rest. Magic depleted. Who the hell knows what else. Internal bleeding probably. Broken bones. I can get you help, instead of you just staying here with rotting furniture, dust, and spiders.â
đđâđ đđđđđ . đđđ đđđđđ đđđđđâđ đđđ đđđđ . arguments in words have done nothing but prove themselves pointless in moments like these . though strength and war are all that heâs used to prove his point as of late ---  now heâs on the defensive . this is his territory and zixin has waltzed his way inside of it . some ? they would call him a fool for such an act , while others would judge the collins son of ipswitch for allowing him within feet of where he hid . â   think thatâs a matter of perspective   â a pause , he allows the other to continue his little speech , the reminder that he could have just discovered him and left without a word --- and that leaves another question at the tip of his tongue .
â   so why donât you do that ? turn around , walk away --- tell them where i am   â  a sleek smile creeks in the corner of his mouth , once designated as cat like in comparison , beautiful some may have whispered at the pillow , but many can feel the threat that lingers within each syllable .  â   but the thing is , i bet you and i both know why you wonât do that   â
they are different , that much is clear . chase wastes not in comparison of what brings others to do as they choose to , he has his own motivations , a knowing darkness in his blood that coats the inner linings of his chest and waits for the chance to escape . his opportunity is before him , and perhaps if he were at full strength he could destroy the witch before him , take all that the other carries and make himself impossibly stronger . that is not an option , though all this talking is âŠÂ exhausting all on itâs own . â    we all have our own ways of dealing with things , perhaps you crochet , knit --- sketch birds you see in the park , i find it easier not to judge    â  execute maybe , but he cannot help the way his power works . he cannot prevent the death toll that comes along with it .
he leans back , arms folded across his chest while watching carefully of the other . he is worse for wear , this is something chase is aware of . what had previously been bright and radiant eyes , sharpened expressions turned sullen and sunken in , bones have grown tired and worn , but he has found a means to survive âŠÂ for now . how long that will keep him going is uncertain , but he will carry on . â    what i plan on doing is making it to tomorrow , and anything that gets in my way of that well , weâll see what happens and cross that bridge when we come to it , now wonât we ?    â  where that bridge will lead is still in the unknown , and his head shakes slowly , â   i donât imagine accepting your help would come without a price , and itâs something i donât think iâm willing or ready to pay    â