Thomas Raith

Dresden Files Private Indie RP

[whitecourtblacksheep]

Justine will make one kick ass single mom.

I... I'm sure she will. I wish I could be there.

[whitecourtblacksheep]

Don’t touch it, it’s awful! Where are the lights in this rustb- Tho- what are you... That’s not very... prof...

“It’s alright,” Thomas tried to assure her, to assure himself, but the words came out garbled by damaged jaw and teeth. “Iss a-igh,” he slurred instead.

He tried to lean up to kiss her, but hissed in pain and sank back to the cot as shattered bones and weakened muscles rebelled against the effort. Instead he tugged her closer. He wouldn’t have been strong enough to pull her anywhere if she pulled away, or even if she didn’t lean into his touch.

But his touch was what she was here for, and only needed the slightest encouragement to press herself against him.

[willwizardforcoffee]

He hesitated a moment and it may have cost a woman her life.

He’d lived with Thomas for long enough to have become accustomed to a steady stream of visitors. He’d come to terms with loud nights (and mornings … and afternoons.) It made him hesitate outside the door where Thomas was fighting for his life when he heard a feminine moan. For a moment that felt normal, to be expected.  But this was different. Thomas was dying, and he wasn’t safe to be around.

He’s never safe to be around, a voice in his head pointed out, one that sounded enough like his grandfather that Harry felt a quick twist of nausea in his gut.  A groan of agony made his decision for him and Harry shoved the door open.

A woman was pressed to his brother’s chest. Her ragged hair shadowed her face but her form was limp, locked in place by Thomas’ arm in a display of strength his wasted body should not have been capable of.

Harry reacted on instinct, diving forward and grabbing the woman to drag her from his brother’s grasp. Her head lolled to one side as Harry tugged on her, and he felt sick. There was a time Harry never could have competed with Thomas’ physical strength. That was before the mantle, and before the Svartalves. The woman came free of Thomas’ grip with alarming rapidity and Harry stumbled backwards, her body hitting the floor of the cabin with a dull thud. He couldn’t spare a glance for her, even to see if she had survived. Thomas was struggling forward weakly, agony etched onto his face, and dangerous as a wounded bear.

“Thomas?” Harry asked softly, hands raised in a gesture both pacifying and defensive.  “Stand down, man, I do not want to hurt you-” 

[whitecourtblacksheep]

Thomas snarled like a wild animal deprived of a meal as someone dragged the woman away from him.

He was still so hungry. It wasn't enough. It was never enough. Pain was supposed to go away when he fed but it didn't. He still felt like he was starving.

He lurched forward off the cot, trying to reach her, trying to devour every last bit of sustenance from her limp frame. Fresh agony shot through him but didn't stop him.

The man in the way wasn't moving so Thomas threw himself forward still snarling, unable to focus enough to even try to demand he get out of the way.

[whitecourtblacksheep]

Don’t touch it, it’s awful! Where are the lights in this rustb- Tho- what are you... That’s not very... prof...

"It's alright," Thomas tried to assure her, to assure himself, but the words came out garbled by damaged jaw and teeth. "Iss a-igh," he slurred instead.

He tried to lean up to kiss her, but hissed in pain and sank back to the cot as shattered bones and weakened muscles rebelled against the effort. Instead he tugged her closer. He wouldn't have been strong enough to pull her anywhere if she pulled away, or even if she didn't lean into his touch.

But his touch was what she was here for, and only needed the slightest encouragement to press herself against him.

[whitecourtblacksheep]

Where the hell have you BEEN??? I’ve been stuck in quarantine for 16 weeks and I got desperate. I bleached my hair and tried to cut in layers and YOU HAVE TO FIX IT NOW!

Thomas blinked, trying to clear away the spots dancing in front of his eyes. The kine spoke like she knew him.

No. Not kine. Customer. He just needed to get up. He needed to fix her hair. He would feel better then. He always did. At least a little bit better.

No, wait. That wasn't right. It had been a long time since he fed like that. He could do better. And far worse.

He could almost here the rasping laughter of that creature in his ringing ears. Once a monster, always a monster.

But a customer was here. Why was a customer here? Another hallucination? Were those little monsters going to come back and beat him again? Was he even on a boat at all? He shuddered and closed his eyes, trying to hold on to the image of the woman.

She wasn't who he usually dreamed about. In his worst dreams and his best nightmares, it was always Justine.

This woman must be real.

He reached out a hand, running emaciated fingers through her bleach burned hair. His eyes were glacial white.

[whitecourtblacksheep]

In his defense, how would you respond if Harry showed up at your place in the middle of the night and almost bled to death on your couch. Pretty sure you’d be rather stubborn on the subject if WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED too.

True. Although I might have been less concerned about random relatives and more concerned with actual immediate threats. He should know by now that Lara might -okay, does- manipulate and coerce people, but she is unlikely to be so unsubtle as this. And if she decided to kill me, I would be dead already.

[whitecourtblacksheep]

Do you think Harry will ever let you go to sleep ?

Definitely. Once he is convinced that me and the entire world of people he has never met is one hundred percent safe. 

[whitecourtblacksheep]

Parkouuuuuuuuur!!!

“Uhuh. You do realize that is not a reasonable battlecry, right? Nor is it a reasonable way to wake me up.”

[whitecourtblacksheep]

willwizardforcoffee‌:

“What the hell were you fighting?”  Harry asked,  eyeing Thomas pointedly.  “This was another of Lara’s crusades wasn’t it?”  

Thomas dropped his gaze and it was all the answer Harry needed.  

“So now what?” Harry spat, voice tight with anger.  “I’ll see you the next time Lara uses you as a weapon then tosses some disposable girl at you?”  

Frustration boiled over into hot anger.  Lara would use him and use him and use him up until there was nothing left but the hunger.  And Thomas was going to let her do it. 

“Stars and stones, Thomas, this isn’t you.  You killed someone.  Do you even know her name?  She was someone’s kid.  Maybe someone loved her.  Maybe someone is never going to know why she never came home.” 

“Lara is using you, Thomas.  And you’re letting her do it.  You’re fighting her wars,  consolidating her power.  Do you dare to defy her, at all? Damn it, Thomas, you’re letting her hold Justine hostage every damn day.  Do you actually believe Justine is safe under Lara’s thumb?”

“I don’t know,” Thomas snapped, but his anger was more at himself than at Harry’s persistence. “I don’t know her name. I don’t know if she has a family. I don’t know if there is anyone who loves her. I don’t know if anyone is looking for her. I don’t know if anyone is wondering why she isn’t home yet, but I do know that if there is, they will never find the body and will never get any closure. Is that what you want to hear?” The anger faded away and he just sounded lost.

Originally posted by shanewests

“I didn’t want her to die for me, Harry. And if I thought she was disposable I wouldn’t be here.”

He closed his eyes for a moment. His side still ached fiercely and exhaustion threatened to overtake him.

“What are you actually suggesting? That Justine and I just disappear and go on the run together? I can’t do that. I wish I could. Justine wishes I could. She doesn’t like it when I come home eviscerated.” He tried to say it as a joke, but Harry could see a bit too much truth behind it to take it as one.

Because one part of Harry’s accusation was true. Lara’s protection of Justine could very easily turn sour. He wouldn’t go so far as to call Justine a hostage at this point, but that was a very real future possibility. Which didn’t change the importance of the missions he was on these days.

“But I can’t just leave.You have no idea just how much I wish I could, but it’s not that simple and it’s not just about Lara. And it’s not about me. It’s not even primarily about Justine.” He met Harry’s eyes for the first time since he turned up on the couch. “I’m doing important work. Not enough to justify the price, but it matters and I can’t abandon it.”

[whitecourtblacksheep]

You’re stronger than him, right? Just hit him. Unconscious people don’t talk so much

It would never work. Never underestimate Harry’s ability to talk in situations that should make him quiet.

[dresdenfilesincorrectquotes]

The Merlin: The White Council has made it’s decision.

Harry: I recognise The White Council has made a decision, but given that it’s a stupid-ass decision, I’ve elected to ignore it.

[whitecourtblacksheep]

And that’s why my idiot brother spent so much time with the White Council wanting to chop his head off.

[whitecourtblacksheep]

Do you ever get the urge to style Harry’s hair so it doesn’t look so... castaway-chic

So very often. I hold out hope that his new boss will require him to look presentable sooner or later.

Although maybe we should cut him some slack on the whole looking homeless thing. I mean, his place burned down a couple of years ago and he has been living alone on an island like Robinson Crusoe for a while. I’m not sure the island even has mirrors.

Which would explain so much.

[whitecourtblacksheep]

He is awfully odd about women.... Does it bother you that some day your brother is going to die abruptly because some lady asks him to jump off a cliff for her and he’ll just do it because she asked nicely?

*sigh* To be fair, Harry has gotten slightly smarter about that than he used to be. Now she would probably at least have to appear completely human and in some sort of distress for him to jump off a cliff for her. Probably.

[whitecourtblacksheep]

Harry is rather hazardous to ones health...

The idiot is certainly hazardous to his own health.

[whitecourtblacksheep]

Harry and Lara sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g. Or is he d-y-i-n-g. So hard to tell with raiths...

I’m sure they aren’t. Harry is smarter than that. Usually. Or at least smart enough not to get his ass kicked by Murphy. And Lara doesn’t want to cause strife in the family. Which would happen if she hurt Harry. She knows this. Both of them know not to... Dammit. Harry is the dumbest man I have ever met when it comes to women. And Lara, if she gets Hungry enough... Excuse me, I have to make a call.

[whitecourtblacksheep]

Yeah and he nearly dies like once a year too. It’s not something to aspire to!!!

Be fair. I nearly die about once a year, too. Less since Harry and I hang out less. I don’t have to aspire.

[whitecourtblacksheep]

Do you think anything could make dresden and Lara work amicably together?

They have a few time. When there was an immediate threat either to myself or to both of their lives. Usually an immediate threat to all three of us.

And I have a really weird suspicion that threats to all three of our lives are extremely likely to happen again. Probably with alarming regularity.

[whitecourtblacksheep]

WHAT DID YOU DO!?!

You mean the whole getting on Mab’s bad side thing? You sound shocked, as if Harry doesn’t piss her off at least once a year.

[whitecourtblacksheep]

Do you trust Lara?

Of course I trust her. She is family and that means a lot to the Raiths.

Of course I don’t trust her. What kind of idiot do you take me for.

Trust is not a yes or no question, not in the circles I run in. There are things I trust her to do, and things I don’t trust her to do. Ultimately what I trust is in my reading of which is which.