undeadunalive asked: "Detective Arkeit?"
@undeadunalive || Prompted Interaction || Always accepting
It was his own fault, being out this late in the middle of the night. The American would blame the change in time zone, though by now he was well aware that it was a poor excuse. How many months had he been gallivanting around Europe alongside the man who had effortlessly stolen his heart? Admittedly, the detective had lost count. Initially, they had gone to Italy, to James' home in the Vatican City, where Connor had immediately fallen in love with the culture & the architecture. As promised, the coffee had been delectable, the atmosphere pleasant & lively. There had hardly been much time to recuperate, as the exorcist's mentor was a demanding sort, & there was always a new case to be looked into. Connor was equally as demanding, & he had refused to allow James to leave him behind. So they had traveled together, to Spain, then France, a small stint in Romania.
Eventually, they had come to the British Isles. There, the priest had managed to get away from his ornery young lover for a time, though not without argument. Apparently this assignment was just too dangerous. Thus, much to his chagrin, Connor was persuaded to remain at their hotel until he returned. It was like slow torture sitting in that room, especially after night had fallen, for as the silence came, the thoughts in his head became too loud. He was worried, though he needn't be. He knew that his lover would be fine, but that didn't calm his nerves.
A late night coffee run with his latest reference material in hand - a book on demonology & unearthly spirits - was just what he needed, though disappointingly, he hadn't managed to find anywhere open to serve his needs. Defeated, the detective had decided to return to the hotel, when the sound of a familiar voice caught his attention. His head turned towards the direction in which the voice came, spotting a figure beneath a nearby streetlight that made his heart skip a beat. Was that— “James? ” Bewilderment suddenly became elation & he turned to make a beeline for the figure, a wide smile warming his pretty, though somewhat ashen features. He hadn't been sleeping well again. Maybe that was why he hadn't questioned the way this man had called out to him. When was the last time James had been so formal? "What are you doing here? I thought you wouldn't be back until—" His words caught in his throat with a near-silent gasp & the detective stopped short.
Just as soon as that excitement had grown, so did it die as the detective realized, perhaps just a little too late, that this man, whoever he was, could not be the priest. He was too tall, his hair too dark, as the absence of that gentle dusting of gray gave a stark distinction. Besides that, there was just something… off about him. Still, he could have been the older man's twin.
Visage awash with confusion & mild embarrassment, Connor quickly apologized. “I'm sorry, I…” Still several feet from the other man, he made no effort to close the distance, just a little wary. The priest had filled his head with stories of fae & changelings, of various entities in the area who might mimic a loved one. It sounded fanciful - there was more likely a rational explanation beyond midsummer nights trickery. “You look just like somebody I know.” He chose not to explain himself further, forever intent on keeping his lover safe, no matter who or what from. Besides that, what was he meant to say? That this stranger was the spitting image of the holy man he had been shagging across half of Europe & Michigan? Furthermore, there were more important questions. "How do you know my name?" He supposed that he couldn't have remained entirely anonymous here, not after that Selkie business in Scotland last month. That had been an oddly eye opening experience.
