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 Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2009 10:16 pm
Quinn did not expect this at all. The kiss, being pulled closer...He expected to have to fight with Vale, to tease him. This was different. This was too easy, there was no challenge. It wasn't as fun. He loved the kiss, that wasn't it. It was just...the lack of anything leading up to it.
Quinn hadn't even had to work for it. That wasn't usual. He kissed back, then pulled his lips away for a moment.
"Well," He laughed, his arms around the other boy's neck, "Based on your enthusiasm, I suppose you haven't been satisfied recently, without me around." Quinn kissed him again, and slipped his hand down Varu's back, carefully pushing the oven dial with two fingers as far as it would go to 'high' so it would ruin the broccoli. He trailed his hands back up to the man's neck, though.
He had to distract him for just a bit longer. The water was already boiling, and it didn't need to boil for very long to be ruined. He didn't kiss him, but brought one arm up to pet his hair and rub his ears. "Oh, Valeriu..." He used his full name, trying his best to imitate Vale's original accent. "I've missed you." He leaned his head down and lightly kissed the boy's neck, running his teeth along it.
Then, eyeing the broccoli and being certain it was ruined beyond repair, he stepped back and smiled.
"But, you know, we can't go around acting like that with Sydni awake and in the house. And besides, we can't exactly say we're...like that, anymore." He waved chipperly, and bounced off with a spring in his step. "I'll be reading to Sydni in the other room!"
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Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2009 10:36 pm
He grumbled unhappily when Quinn pulled away, but was quickly soothed when he returned after one of his usual little b*****d quips. He didn't bother to respond to that - it was pretty obvious that Valeriu was completely inept at dating, hadn't even recognized the interest in others.
And he - he could see why. He didn't feel this insane attraction towards others. Didn't feel the need to kiss and bite to his heart's content, wouldn't melt under their touch like this. None of those mothers were even a passing blip on his radar once he'd known what it was like to have that hand running through his hair, touching his back, rubbing his ears, murmuring those things to him. It left him high, as high as if he'd been drugged up again, scooting his palms up Quinn's sides and purring like a maniac against the touches.
Only Quinn could have such free reign over him like this. Had anyone else gone anywhere near his neck, he wouldn't have offered up more skin to them with the slightest tilt of his head - no, they would never have gotten that close. So when fangs, dangerous fangs, grazed his neck, all he did was nibble back at an ear, rub down feathers threaded through hair, and pull him closer.
"I have missed you too," he muttered back, strangely warmed and happy.
And then Quinn had pulled away, leaving him bereft, and happily quipped those words and fluttered right out - taking the warmth right with him.
Oh, he thought, in a dazed sort of confusion. Oh, he's right.
They weren't. His stomach twisted. They wouldn't be. It did an uncomfortable flip. Oh, oh, oh. It curled into a pit. He wasn't really that hungry anymore.
Still, if anything, Valeriu had learned to shake it off. To shake those sorts of hopes off. It was nice, while it lasted. It always was, really. Those few brief moments of happiness. Brief - he had to keep in mind that they were brief. Always were. Take them where you could get them, and then forget about it.
He turned back to his pot of mushy broccoli, blinking blankly for a minute.
He should've strangled Quinn when he had the chance.
It was, with no great amount of flourish, that Valeriu finally presented dinner a few minutes later. Tenderly cooked fish, well-mashed mashed potatoes with butter on top, and raw asparagus.
He smiled and handed them their silverware.
"Eat up, now."
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Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2009 10:46 pm
Quinn glared down at his food. He ate the mashed potatoes and the fish, and encouraged Sydni to do the same, but then stared down at the asparagus with distrust. It was asparagus. It was raw. It was raw asparagus.
In the next instant, his entire helping was being flung like arrows, or javelins, all fired at once in Vale's direction.
"I am not eating this. Why aren't we eating the broccoli? I thought you said we were going to eat the broccoli?"
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Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2009 10:53 pm
Valeriu was quite content to chew on his own asparagus spears. So content that it seemed like he hadn't even been paying attention to Quinn's reactions.
Until the javelins had been thrown, and in the blink of an eye the shadows underneath Valeriu's chair had snapped up like a pair of jaws, and the asparagus was gone.
Just like that.
He coolly looked up from his plate, biting one spear with a fatal-sounding crunch.
"The shadows ate it," he lied, smoothly, for the first time in his life. Or maybe it wasn't a lie - maybe he'd really fed the mush to his shadow spawn. Sydni looked down at the shadows beneath her chair, casually pulled her feet up, took one look at her frigid brother and ate her vegetables like a good girl.
"V'ould you like some more, Quinn?" Vale asked, politely, as if just noting that Quinn had finished the asparagus.
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Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2009 10:59 pm
The shadows caught him off guard, and made some bolts of electricity flicker across his skin just from the proximity of the other god's powers.
Quinn frowned, and turned his head sideways a bit. "Why," He asked, "Would you feed perfectly good broccoli-possibly-with-cheese, to shadow demon things? I wouldn't feed chocolate to my lightning. And isn't broccoli, like, your chocolate?" Quinn looked utterly confused. Sincerely looked like he didn't know what was going on.
Quinn was a liar. It was the deepest part of him. He knew how to lie, and he knew how to do it well. He had probably gotten it from his father.
"And look, you're scaring Sydni, now!" Quinn's look of confusion turned into a half-glare. "Why do you have to act like such a jerk?" He pushed his chair back with his arms, and threw his hands up in the air.
"I have to go use the bathroom, again. If that's what you're mad about. I had to leave. I had to use the restroom, really badly, but it was embarassing to tell you and I felt bad. Okay? I'm sorry." The threw the napkin that he had set on his lap because he was afraid to make any mess on Vale's chairs onto the table, shoved his hands in his pockets, and started storming across the house.
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Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2009 11:11 pm
Quinn was a very good liar. He knew exactly how to throw a fit, how to poke and stab at another person until guilt oozed out of their wounds.
He watched the boy's show, calmly, turning to Sydni once Quinn had gotten up to storm off.
"They v'ere hungry," he explained, kindly, to his sister. "Little shadows have to eat broccoli and asparagus to grow big and strong, just like you."
"Really?" she asked, looking curiously at the unmoving shadows once more.
"Really," he affirmed, grinning warmly and triumphantly when she began gnawing on her asparagus. "Quinn never ate his asparagus or broccoli. That is v'hy he grew up scrawny and pale, like a ghost," he added, solemnly. "He only ever ate sweets, and now he is not right in the head. See? Acts just like you, even though he's an adult."
"Ooh," she replied in awe, and Valeriu was smug. He ruffled her hair approvingly.
You've changed, his god echoed in his mind, just as approving of him as he was of Sydni. Used to be you would fall for that ploy like an idiot.
Ha, he muttered back, bitterly. Very funny.
There's hope for you yet.
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Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 12:10 am
Quinn shut the door in the bathroom, splashed some water on his face, used the restroom (he really did have to pee), and then stared at himself in the mirror. Even after all of that time, Vale did not come. He scowled at himself.
You're losing touch, Quinn.
Don't talk to yourself. It's unhealthy.
You have any better ideas?
Actually...
Quinn grinned. That was awesome.
I didn't know you could be so cute, Quetzalcoatl.
Quinn, the more power you have over Valeriu, the better. The way I see it, he is your biggest competition in the game. Best him, and you best the rest of them.
You're just living vicariously through me.
If Tezcatlipoca deserves it, which he does, I feel no remorse.
Quinn quietly snuck around to the fireplace, and saw the kitties on the mantle. They had crack lines all over them, but they were all so painstakingly glued together. It was adorable, and Quinn felt warm to see them. They were cute. And Vale had taken all of that time...
Quinn scooped them up, and carried them over to the small window opening from the entryway into the kitchen.
A grey kitty suddenly popped up onto the windowsill, and Quinn cleared his throat loudly. He put on a very high voice, and the grey kitty began to talk.
"Oh, woe is me," Said the grey kitty, "I, a poor lost kitty of grey named Clawsy am poor and lost. Also grey, and a feline!" The kitty moved about dramatically. "I need help to find my way, because I have no friends and work too hard." Suddenly, a newcomer appeared! A tabby cat.
"Oh, woe is me," said the tabby cat, "I, a poor lost kitty of tabby named Pawsy am poor and lost. Also tabby, and a feline!" the kitty moved about equally dramatically, while Clawsy watched incredulously. "I need help to find my way, because I am flighty and oblivious to the world around me and need someone to hold me down!" A calico appeared.
"Oh, woe is me," said the calico, "I, a poor lost kitty of calico named Useless am poor and lost. Also calico, and a feline!" The calico moved about dramatically, but the other two didn't seem to notice. "I need help to find my way, because I have no real relevance to the story!" And, with that, the Calico disappeared. Clawsy moved to center stage.
"Pawsy, get off me!"
"But I don't want to! Hanging out with you is fun, Clawsy!"
"I said get of--DEATHJAVELIN"
"OH GOD CLAWSY THE FUR ON THE TOP OF MY HEAD IS RIPPED I'M SO SAD HOW COULD YOUDEATHLIGHNING! YOU KILLED MY FATHER!"
"No, Pawsy, I didn't kill your father, I am your--"
"I HATE YOU!"
"I don't hate you, I just want to kill you."
Useless popped up.
"Several days later!"
"Pawsy, I luuuuuurve you."
"Clawsy, you ripped up the fur on the top of my head. And you want to kill me. But I luuuuuurve you too."
"Best friends forever?"
"Best friends forever."
Useless popped up.
"The next few days are censored for naughty bits. Sorry, young'un." Useless bobbed his head to Sydni.
"Oh no, Clawsy! You are frightening! Ahhhh!"
"Pawsy, no! Best friends forever! Boohoohoohoohoo." Clawsy looked incredibly sad.
Useless returned.
"Several weeks pass."
"Hey Clawsy."
"Hey Pawsy."
Useless returned.
"A day passes."
The two cats were on opposite sides of the 'stage'.
"I was dumb to be afraid of Clawsy. He didn't do anything wrong. I think we should be best friends forever again."
"I miss Pawsy. I wish we could be best friends forever again."
"Clawsy?"
"Pawsy?"
"I missed you!"
"I missed you too!" They joined, in a passionate, limbless embrace.
"I'm sorry for being stupid, Clawsy."
"It's okay, Pawsy. But now you're being stupid again!"
"I'm sorry Clawsy."
"Harrumph."
"Forgive me, Clawsy!"
"Harrumph!"
"...I thought we were best friends forever?"
Useless popped up.
"To be continued!"
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Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 12:23 am
The minute the kitties appeared, he knew nothing good would follow. At first he was confused. What in the world was Quinn doing?
And then it made sense, only his face was probably twisted in a strange expression of horror and outrage. Sydni clapped at the story, and laughed, and he sat there wondering where his life had gone so wrong.
But still--
He frowned, getting up and putting the dishes in the sink, before meandering over to carefully pluck up the grey porcelain cat.
"Careful," he muttered, though still with a glare on his face, "Clawsy v'as more fragile than the others. He broke into a lot of pieces. It took a very, very long time to fix him." He gingerly ran a thumb over all the cracks and chips in the grey cat. "Even then, a lot of pieces are still missing. For good, probably." For a minute, he looked far older than he was - rougher, weary, and tired. And then he was snorting, gathering up the other two kitties from Quinn's grasp, and returning them to their safe spots on the mantle.
"All of them are. You break them, you get to fix them this time."
Sydni's attention had been drawn off the cats, and back to Quinn, eyes pleading. "Dessert?" she interrupted, scooting off the couch and into the Quinn-safety-radius because Varu was looking like he was going to put her to bed soon.
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Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 12:32 am
Quinn looked at Vale with a look of distress, then lightly banged his head down on the window. Quinn looked at Sydni, though, and wiped at his eyes. They weren't tears, they weren't.
"Actually, Syd, you already had a butterscotch tonight, and I probably shouldn't have given it to you before supper, anyway. I'll make you a deal, though. Next time I see you, I'll give you another golden dollar to make up for it, and I'll take you out for ice cream, alright?" Quinn knelt down and tousled her hair, pulling her into a hug.
"I don't have time to make anything, anyway, and these shorts don't hold much more than a coin and a piece of candy." He let her go, and stood up, wiping at what was definately not tears at all nope and glancing at Vale.
"Yeah. Clawsy felt kind of fragile. Stronger than Pawsy, though. Pawsy kind of felt like he could just slip through your fingers. Sometimes like he wanted to. But I could keep a good hold on him. I had to make it clear before the show that I wanted him to listen to me, though. And that he was mine. At least for the duration."
"But, yeah. They're both pussies." He glanced down at Sydni. "Cats, I mean." He glanced around, as if to see if he had left anything lying around, but knew he hadn't, and was just stalling.
"I'm gonna head home now, Sydders."
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Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 12:43 am
He retrieved Sydni, the girl pouting all the way and muttering a sulky 'bye' back at Quinn, but unable to deny that she was getting pretty sleepy. She still gave him a look that said he definitely owed her a dollar and ice cream. With sugar in it.
Sugar-filled ice cream, her eyes pleaded.
Valeriu sort of understood what Quinn was saying. Understood, and was struck, left cradling a tired girl in arm once again as he looked carefully at the other boy.
There was a chance, here. Somewhere.
A chance he didn't deserve.
"Pawsy v'as right to fall through the first time," he said, slowly. "It v'ouldn't be fair to hold onto him again. Especially v'hen Clawsy," he hesitated, biting his lip, "v'hen Clawsy has done terrible things. V'orse things. If Pawsy knew, he v'ould just run av'ay again."
Of this, Valeriu was very sure.
"So it is good if he falls into better hands."
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Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 1:03 am
Quinn stepped up to Vale, and reached a hand out to run his fingers through Sydni's hair. He gave her a smile that meant Of course sugar filled, Syd. You expect less of me?
What? It was a long smile.
Quinn looked up at Vale. "But," He muttered, "What if there aren't any more hands? What if, without Clawsy, Pawsy just hits the floor and breaks?" He sighed. "Pawsy already started cracking when Clawsy was gone the first time."
He looked down at the ground.
"And Pawsy has done bad things, too."
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Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 1:09 am
"It's not that I do not v'ant to hold onto Pawsy," he found himself confessing, and his heart was aching uncomfortably. "But I do not know if I can. Clawsy gets scared about breaking again."
Discomforted, he hefted Sydni, who looked like she wanted to reach out and grab onto Quinn and never let go. Because he had sugar - he might've been made of sugar.
"Can you give me some time, to think?" he asked more hesitantly. "V'e should - v'e should talk later, v'hen certain children are asleep. Now is not a good time."
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Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 1:11 am
"Of course." He nodded. "Because, though Sydni is old enough to hear grown up conversations, we have to wait till Clawsy and Pawsy are asleep." He smiled at Syd.
"I'll be at home. Come over, whenever. The door's unlocked." He hesitated, not sure how to say goodbye. He settled for resting his hand on Vale's shoulder for support as he leaned over to kiss Sydni's forehead.
"Night, Syd." He turned, and walked outside.
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