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Alexander opened his eyes, recognizing the room he was in as a makeshift bunker. Alexander sat up clutching his head as his thoughts started racing. Run! Run! Run! A thought started to scream at him through the noise. He blinked as the room slowly started to come back into focus. There was a large cloaked figure close by and Alexander started to move back, away from the possible dangerous thing.
@ganymede-oftheeyes
A portal opens up close to Ganymede and a small human falls through. The person fell hard onto the floor and looked up at the Custodian.
“Hello Ganymede” Alexander says.
@ganymede-oftheeyes
Soup
Alexander was talking with Callisto, nothing truly of note about the conversation when he saw Steve walk in. Callisto excused herself after she saw the look Steve gave her.
"What's going on?"
"I brought some soup." Steve said giving Alexander the soup. The smell of chicken noodle filled Alexander's senses. The homeyness and nostalgia suckerpunched him. Alexander looked at the spoon and turned it into a pair of chopsticks. "I thought I said no more psychic powers."
"These are better. Besides the spoon was bad," Alexander said before digging into the soup. Steve rolled his eyes and joined. Alexander felt Steve's eyes on him. "I'm not going to choke." He said between mouthfuls.
"I'm just watching."
"Creepy."
"You know how it is." Steve said, reminding him of the delicate situation they were in. They finished the soup with the occasional playful nudges from the other. "You good?"
"Yeah, I think I just needed some time."
"Do you want to know? About the life you have now." Alexander heard the small need in Steve's question. And he was also interested in what his life is like. After more than 15 thousand years of pain. He nodded and felt Steve moved closer. A comforting presence. If not for the fact he was over 9ft tall and clad in golden armor. Sure the purple cloak helped but it didn't change the fact that Alexander wasn't quite used to being in the same room as the giant armored warrior.
"Things... have been rough for humanity. The Men of Iron rebelled and helped cause something called the Age of Strife." That information stuck deep into Alexander. No, it can't be.
"The Men of Iron? Oh no... No"
"What is it?"
"Giovanni worked with them. He helped maintain them. He- he was a friend to them." Alexander said, looking up at Steve. He saw the information click into place.
"I am sorry. But this happened a long time ago." Steve paused before continuing, "But as you have been told the Emperor went out and conquered the galaxy. Then the Herasy. You were captured-"
"You don't have to tell me about that."
"I'll skip over that then. Next you spent the next ten thousand years roaming the Imperium and beyond. With Nathan." Steve said, and the name was familiar. Then Alexander remembered, the other large man in golden armor from before. The one that didn't say anything when Elia was lying to him.
"Nathan, the other golden guy." Alexander saw Steve smile and nod. "The one that lied to me by omission."
"He didn't know what to tell you. And this entire situation has been testing his stress tolerance. He has been worried about your health, more than usual."
"Usual?"
"He was sent to watch over you and your health." Steve chuckled, "And you used to hate it."
"It is not fun to have someone so young. Someone who can't understand."
"Nathan tries his best. And you two have gotten close."
"How close?"
"..." Steve seemed conflicted about answering the question.
"Please tell me, how close are we?"
"Partners. Boyfriends." Steve eventually said. "I don't want to disrespect the memory of your late husband. Or daughter." It felt like the air got knocked out of his chest. Alexander looked down at his hands. "Alexander, I-" Alexander held up a hand, stopping Steve.
"I hurt him. How many times have I hurt him?" Alexander looked up and saw Steve shaking his head. "Damnit." Steve reached out and pulled Alexander into a side hug.
"We will fix this."
@goldenthroneresident @inkedfrankestien @althaineblog @duketheshark @phaeron-of-somewhere
Aftermath pt. 2
Nathan looked at the partially destroyed bedroom, the door was broken down and everything was moved or thrown. Nathan picked up and moved the weighted blanket back onto the bed. It was grounding to do a simple task, such as making a bed. It got Nathan's mind off of what has been going on, and what will happen shortly. After smoothing the top comforter Nathan heard a knock. He didn't move and listened as Steve walked in.
"I'm glad you are back. I heard what happened." a pause then Nathan heard Steve take a small breath, "everything that happened. You have my sympathies with Alexander."
"Thank you." Nathan said, his voice flat with exhaustion. "Look after Alexander." He picked up the now abandoned project he was working on to surpise Alexander. Nathan debated throwing it out, but when he looked back at Alexander Nathan couldn't bring himself to. He carefully put it away and moved to sit. Steve walked up to him and stopped him, Nathan blinked and let Steve pull him into a hug. The brotherly affection surpised Nathan, especially after he targeted Steve for abandoning Alexander.
"I am sorry Enkidu." Steve whispered pulling his brother closer. The use of his old name, the one given to him by The Emperor for his heroic actions during the Unification Wars, made Nathan crumble into his brothers arms. "It will work out. We will get you through this." The words soothing. Nathan didn't cry but he was finally able to relax, at least for a second. Nathan pulled away, holding himself in an attempt to self soothe.
"Thank you. Can- can" Nathan couldn't get the words out of his mouth.
"I will look after Alexander." Steve finished for Nathan. "You can stay out of his line of sight. If you don't want to talk to him." Nathan nodded and moved to sit out of of sight. He watched as Steve checked on the chains and the anchors. Steve watched as Alexander started to stir. Nathan made a mental note at how the time under sedation was getting shorter. He heard Alexander groan and then suddenly there was a battle roar. Nathan jumped slightly and Steve signaled Sister of Silence to join them. Nathan felt his heart sink seeing her, not becasue he was disturbed by the presence of the blank but because what the blank would do to Alexander. The Sister walked in and Alexander stilled, the null field washing over him. The curse vanished and soon Alexander was tugging at the restraints, screaming nonsense. Nathan put his head in his hands and listened to the terrified screams of his partner.
Steve looked over to Nathan and suddenly Alexander talked. Both Custodians snapping to him.
"Nnnnathhaan! HELP ME!!! PLEASE" The screams barely cohenrent though the sobbing. Nathan rushed over to him, moving as fast as he could. Nathan saw as Alexander reconized him tears swimming in Alexander's eyes. There was a warmth to them that could only belong to the man that loved him.
"Alexander? Do-do you remember me?" Nathan asked trying to hold Alexander steady. Alexander nodded, tears streaming down his face.
"O-of course. Help me" Alexander was amoslt convulsing. "my love please" Nathan turned and saw Steve taking the Sister away. Nathan turned back and held Alexander as he started to recover from the blank. Once the shaking started to die down Nathan pulled back, looking at Alexander.
He watched as Alexander started to relax but his eyes breifly glazed over. Then he was back and looking around confused. His body tensed as he pulled at the restraints. Nathan pulled back and Steve took over. The brief time he got his Alexander back was now gone. And until those seals were fully removed the only way he would be back was going to be through proximity to blanks. Nathan entered the bedroom and laid ontop of the bed taking in the smell of his partner. He felt himself drift off and let himself. Nathan would need all of the rest he could manage to help deal with the future to come.
@inkedfrankestien @goldenthroneresident @althaineblog @phaeron-of-somewhere @duketheshark
Alexander had changed his clothes and was trying his best to keep his head down. It was barely ten minutes after his outburts when he saw it. A hooded figure that was a bit to large sticking to the shadows, observing everyone. Alexander did his best to pretend like he hasn't seen the hidden Custodian. He felt the figure move, following a different person who was doing a much shitter job of laying low. After he made it to a quiet alleyway, not quite a dead end, when he ran into a solid mass of metal and muscle. He jumped back trying to run away but the man he was running from grabbed and threw him further into the alley.
"Alexander! It's me!" The Custodian called, "It's Nathan." Alexander cocked his head, the Nathan he knew never called himself by that derogatory nickname. And the pain in his voice was not from any physical wound. "Please remeber, remeber the time we have spent together."
Alexander felt his mind drift to a place where he couldn't quite remember. Something slashed through the confusion, the newst voice in his head. Don't listen to him! Kill him! Kill him! Kill him! KILL HIM!!! Alexander winced and saw red. Yes, Nathan had to go. Gone for good then Alexander would be free. Free from everything that kept him, him.
"Fuck off!" Alexander snarled, backing up into the smaller parts of the alley. He summoned a warhammer cloaking it so Nathan couldn't see it.
"Alexander! Please, I want to help you."
"You want to control me!" Nathan got in range and Alexander swung. He connected with Nathan's head. Why didn't he dodge? He could have kocked the hammer out of his hands and countered. Why didn't he?
Nathan fell to one knee and Alexander hesitated. He lounged and tackled Alexander to the filthy ground. This threw the hammer out of his grip and killed the hesitation. Alexander grew metal claws in his fingers and heated them. He gouged Nathan's armor with them, melting the metal and burning Nathan's flesh. He pushed Nathan off of him and scrambled to his feet. Don't look back! RUN!
And with that Alexander ran, changing his body to be able to run through the small cracks and crevices. Leaving a slightly confused Nathan back in the filth of the lower Hive.
@goldenthroneresident @inkedfrankestien @althaineblog @phaeron-of-somewhere @duketheshark
Aftermath pt 1.
Nathan was still fuming, the conflict between him Elia and Alexander just made his anger at the situation overflow. He needed someone else to help look after Alexander, someone who didn’t just lie to him. Callisto needed some time off and was likely not answer any of his requests for some time to come. Nathan moved to summon a backup but winced, his untreated wounds that Alexander inflicted on him underneath his armor flaring up. Nathan sat down once again, looking down at Alexander. He needed to restrain Alexander, because even with the sedation if he woke up before the curse subsided a Custodian would be needed to watch over him. Alexander's baseline physical capabilities are comprable to astartes but if he is enraged he was on the same level as Nathan. And the curse placed on him didn't dull his battle mind, in fact it seemed to enhance it further.
Nathan felt his wounds stitching themselves toghether just enough to the point where he could freely move. Not combat ready just yet but enought to get the job done. The most important thing which was to restrain Alexander, and time was running out. Nathan moved to get the chains that were enchanted to be able to withstand Alexander's physical and psychic power. The psychic outlashes might be an issue once the curse subsides, Alexander is pissed and Nathan was complicite in the lies. Nathan moved and started to anchored the restraints on the outsides of the couch and ensuring that Alexander wouldn't be able to injure himself once he woke up. After testing the chains and finding them satisfactory the question now was should he summon Steve or a Sister of Silence?
@goldenthroneresident @inkedfrankestien @althaineblog @duketheshark
Alexander was tired, like he hadn’t sleep in millennia but he just couldn’t fall asleep. Sure he still had night terrors that were getting worse. Sometimes he would get a prophetic visions of the worst authoritarian regime imaginable. And some thirsting god in the warp, something of pure excesses.
His eyes snapped open, breathing ragged. “Fuck” Alexander sat up. Giovanni always helped him sleep, even if it was once every other month. He could actually dream when his husband held him. His mind drifted back to the large golden warrior, sure he was hot but Alexander felt something about him. Alexander put his head in his hands, rubbing his eyes. This bed in his room was huge, probably a quick hold over until Neoth found a better room for him and his family.
He opened his eyes with considerable effort, he was tired but why couldn’t he fall asleep. Time for the sleep remedy that always worked. Stimulates. Sure Giovanni hated it when he used them, and his nightmares got worse when he did but he needed sleep. Alexander summoned a drunk made of almost pure caffeine and downed it like a shot. Alexander curled up into a ball underneath the weighted sheets and started to feel himself drift off.
Alexander knew this memory, he hated it. All he could see was the mass grave. And the face if his starved son. The tears may block his vision but he could still see the face of the boy he raised. They had stayed to try and help any and all those who were persecuted by the regime. The night they were going to leave for good, to join his aging husband and daughter in England, they were found. And taken.
The memory shifts, it was Khora. The day she was born, Alexander was holding her, pure joy filling him. Giovanni leaned down to kiss Alexander on his sweat covered forehead.
“You did amazing my love.” He caressed Khora’s red face. “I can never thank you enough for going through all of this.”
“I wanted to. You deserve a chance at a normal family my love.” Alexander looked up and saw Giovanni, but it wasn’t the same man. It was a charred corpse one eye looking down at him. Alexander froze, staring at the man he loved. His body collapsed and Alexander looked down at Khora.
The baby in his arms was too warm, burning up in a fever. Boils and lesions covered her small form. Alexander pulled her close trying his best to help his baby girl. Then the crying started, starting from Khora but Alexander quickly followed.
Alexander woke up in a cold sweat, screaming. He fell out of the enormous bed and hit his head on the floor. Alexander’s vision blurred and he groaned. Where was his husband and daughter?
@goldenthroneresident @althaineblog @inkedfrankestien @duketheshark
Nathan's turn
Callisto was busy trying to ensure Alexander wasn’t going to hurt himself in his stupor, she didn’t notice when Nathan entered the room. The small chaos and noise masked the noise Nathan made when he walked up to Callisto.
“Go, take a break. I can look after him.” Nathan said, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. He felt a small jump under his hand and Callito turned to look at him.
“Nathan– I didn’t hear you come in.” Callisto said getting to her feet, tilting her shoulder so Nathan’s hand would slide off. “I wouldn’t ask you to look after him in this state. I know this is a difficult time for you.”
“I have dealt with this for over ten thousand years. Let me look after him.” Nathan bent down to get a closer look at Alexander. “This is normal.” Callisto took a step back not wanting to leave.
“I’m sorry. Call me if you need anything.” Callisto then left, the door closing behind her. Nathan brushed the loose strands of dark hair out of Alexander’s face, and grabbed the bottle out of Alexander’s hand. And with that Alexander’s vision seemed to focus on Nathan. Nathan moved Alexander into a sitting position, offering him some water. “Sober up.” It was a simple ask, but Nathan’s tone told even a drunk Alexander that it was not an ask. It was an order. Alexander grumbled but complied, finishing the water and closed his eyes. He rested his head back on the top of the couch he was sitting on. Nathan let the silence sit, not wanting to push Alexander. After a while Alexander sobered up and Nathan saw how his body tensed, going back to its normal state of vigilance.
“So you are the boyfriend.” Alexander moved to look at Nathan. He saw Alexander’s eyes drag across his face and body, lingering on his mouth and eyes. “I can certainly see why. You're pretty.” Alexander reached out and Nathan didn’t move. Alexander’s rough calloused and scarred hands ran through his short hair, down to his face, almost carefully cupping his chin. Thumbs moved over the grown stubble that Nathan hadn’t had a chance to shave yet. His eyes were narrowed in slight confusion, searching for familiarity. “I don’t remember you. But I feel something whenever I look at you.”
“What do you feel?” Nathan immediately asked, hearts skipping a beat. He didn’t care how it looked or how pathetic he sounded. Nathan needed to know.
“Something… I don’t know what.” Alexander paused, thumbs stilling on his face. “I haven’t been able to name any emotions I have felt for centuries.”
Nathan closed his eyes, not trying hiding his disappointment. He felt Alexander’s thumbs still for a half second before continuing their small circles.
“...I can feel it, squirming about in my head”
“Feel what in your head?” Nathan’s eyes snapped open, his body aching to move. To protect.
“The thing in my head. It is trying to seal more and more of my memories.”
“Can you get it out?”
“No. And I don’t know if I want to fight it.” Alexander said, breaking the steady eye contact he had been maintaining. Nathan felt dread at those words, remembering Alexander’s earlier words with Callisto.
“Please fight it,” Nathan’s voice cracking, “please.” He reached out to Alexander and pulled him close. Their foreheads almost touching, “Please, if not for yourself then for me.” Alexander let out a small breath and rested his forehead on Nathan’s.
“I still don’t know you and I won’t promise anything. But I am sorry for the unintentional hurt I have caused you.”
Nathan sighed, but didn’t pull away, “The emotional pain is not your fault. But you did purposefully give me a concussion.” Nathan almost smiled, trying to lighten the mood. Alexander gave a small laugh, and moved to remove his hands from Nathan’s face. Nathan stopped him holding the much smaller hands inside his own.
“Don’t… don’t leave” Nathan whispered, feeling Alexander’s hesitance. “Just let me have this. For a little bit.”
“You are a handful.”
“Says the walking suicidal maniac”
“Wow, you really do know me.”
“I have known you for over ten thousand years.” Nathan said and he felt a shudder roll its way through Alexander.
“That’s enough stranger.” Nathan heard Alexander mutter, pulling his hands away. Nathan immediately missed the warmth of Alexander’s hands. Nathan restrained a noise of disappointment and moved back. Giving Alexander the space he needed.
“You need to eat”
“Then get me a sandwich bitch.” Alexander rolled his eyes.
“Of course.” Nathan bowed his head, falling into what he was supposed to do. Serve, and protect. He summoned Callisto so she could watch Alexander from the other room while Nathan was making Alexander’s food. Callisto gave Nathan a worried look, they both knew the other was listening in on every conversation on this ship.
“Are you still doing okay?” She asks Nathan pulling him to the side.
“Not really, but talking to him,” a ghost of a smile makes an appearance on Nathan’s face, “It is making it more bearable.” Callisto’s worry didn’t leave, but it wasn’t getting worse.
“Don’t get your hopes up. As he said himself, Alexander’s memories are sealed by a still active daemon. We don’t know if killing it will undo those seals.”
“I know.” Nathan nods, “I know.” And with that Callisto lets Nathan go.
“I don’t want you getting hurt.”
“Then let me talk to him, take care of him.” Callisto sighs but doesn’t stop Nathan. After he is done with the food prep he walks back to Callisto. “I know you don’t like this, neither do I. But until we get back to Terra all we can do is work around the amnesia.”
“You mean the possession.”
“Yes the possession,” Nathan looks into the room Alexander was in. The man they were talking about was staring at nothing. Clearly daydreaming, or knowing Alexander daynightmares. Nathan patted Callisto on her shoulder, “We will get through this. We will get him back.”
“I hope so,” Callisto said, and Nathan could only agree. The thought of Alexander not remembering kept pressing him at the back of his mind as he made his way back to Alexander. It was begging for Nathan’s attention as he shook Alexander back to the present. The thought was only getting stronger as Nathan watched Alexander eat the sandwich, and as Alexander started to disassociate once again.
Nathan couldn’t shake the thought that even when they get the daemon out, Alexander’s memories would stay locked away.
@goldenthroneresident @inkedfrankestien @althaineblog @phaeron-of-somewhere @duketheshark
