[html] Set in Ethereal eclipse
He was laying in a pile of leaves. His blood was tacky under him, on him. His head throbbed, his mouth tasted like ash. He remembered the shadow wolf, remembered the demonic light in it's eyes. He remembered fighting it. And then there was screaming. Lets of screaming, lots of anger. There was pain, he was punished... for something. He tried to fix his mind on it, but it slipped away. His eyes drifted to the bare branches above him. His golden eyes slipped shut, then opened again. It was dark now, he could see the stars. The butterflies whispered softly, soothing him back to sleep. As he drifted in and out of consciousness, he became aware of a burning sensation in his throat. He struggled to his feet, only to fall to his knees. The trek to a pond or river or stream was long. He barely remembered anything of it.
He awoke with his hands in the small stream. His wounds were full of mud. Voices whispered urgently of needing to care for his wounds. How many days had passed? The trees gave no answer. He cupped some of the cool water in his hands, splashing it on his face. He felt less woozy now. Less, disconnected. He looked at himself in the stream, the flowing water disrupting his image. What he could see was a straggly male with wounds on his chest, shoulders, and claw marks on his face. he didn't have to look to know that he'd been beaten severely. He opened his mouth to speak, but all that came out was a hoarse croak. He lifted some water to his mouth, drinking it in. It tasted so good, he knelt down and continued drinking. He drank so much water, he ended up throwing it back up. He leaned back against a nearby tree, closing his eyes again.
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Ayasha took to exploring the surrounding area and on an impulse she headed to see Liam. She was worried about him and what had happened at Cercatori d’Arte and needed to see him and make sure he was OK. So she headed in that direction and hunted two rabbits. They were not easy prey but they were better than nothing.
Yet she did not eat them right away, she wanted to bring them to Liam. He had brought her rabbits and so she would repay him with the same. As she walked towards CdA, she caught the scent of a very familiar scent. Yet it was mixed with something that she hated to smell and never wanted to smell on him. She took off running towards him, needing to make sure her boy was all right.
When she saw him, her heart nearly broke and she wanted to run over and cuddle him. Yet she approached him with caution. ”Liam? Are you OK, loverboy?” Her teasing name for him morphed into a fond and loving one. She held up the rabbits. [/b]”I caught some food if you want to join me.”[/b] She would get some food into him and then help clean his wounds. She didn’t know a lot about medical care but had a basic idea of what to do.
[html] ooc junk here.
Her voice, her scent. His eyes drifted open again. Behind her was a halo and wings, like an angel in the books he and his (now disowned) father used to read. And yet behind the angel was the succubus, the sleeping seductress. His eyes rolled back. After a moment, he realized she had spoken to him. He grinned crookedly, though it came out as a grimace, a snarl from a dying ghost. "Don't look so worried, Kiddo," he thought he said. Instead, what came out was a string of disjointed words, which made no sense except to him.
He looked at her rabbits, then back at her. He nodded as though to accept them, then turned his gaze beyond her again. He mumbled something to himself. If she was listening closely, she might have caught the name Gemma, but maybe not. He grinned again, a hand going to brush off his tanktop, only to realize it wasn't there. His fingers traced over a deep gash, then he looked at her and shrugged as if to say 'no worries.' He yawned, his eyes drifting shut again.
Though few would know it, his speaking problems, his disjointed movements, they weren't because of the beating or a head trauma, but because of the mental illness he had. He had severe schizophrenia, which led to 'word salad', the mangled speech he had.
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She watched as Liam opened his eyes and his mouth formed a shape. She hoped it was actually a smile but it looked like he was snarling at her. His eyes rolled back and she was worried about him. It was possible that he was delirious and his unintelligible mumbling strengthened that. He seemed to want to tell her something but she couldn’t understand him.
As he nodded about the rabbits, she approached him more eagerly but still concerned. She heard what she thought was a name but she couldn’t tell what except it wasn’t hers or anyone else that she knew. She frowned but would ask when he was more coherent. She placed both rabbits next to him so he could eat both. She would eat later but now he needed his strength to get healed. She would deal with whatever problems had come about later.
His eyes drifted shut and she shuffled through her bag to find some cloth and went to the stream and got it wet. She started to gently clean his bigger wounds, frequently going back and forth to the stream and whispering words of encouragement and apology for any roughness from cleaning his wounds.
((She can tell him what he did if you want. Just be prepared, he won't believe her.))
His eyes drifted open as she cleaned his wounds. The butterflies were receding quicker and quicker, as if vanishing down a tunnel. Bits and pieces of what happened came to him, and he felt a sense of pride. He had done it, he had destroyed a shadow wolf. He had proved himself worthy of both the butterflies and Ayasha. He hissed softly as she cleaned the gash on his shoulder. Seemed the shadow wolf had given as good as it had got. (He didn't remember the beating he'd received at the hands of the outraged pack anymore.)
Her voice was sweet, her touch gentle as she could be. He grinned crookedly at her, his beautiful woman. "Looks like the shadow wolf gave to me as good as it got, huh? Quit looking so worried, Kiddo. I'm fine. A little banged up, but fine." Unlike before, his words made sense. Perhaps the context of the words made no sense, but his speech was intelligible again. He leaned forward, trying to nuzzle at her chin affectionately.
OOC: Oh, she's pretty aware that he might not believe her. But she's hopeful that by telling him, he'll eventually remember and fell remorse or something.
IC: She watched him as she cleaned his wounds and smiled gently as he opened his eyes. The darkness that was there when the butterflies were there had gone away. Though she sensed a bit of pride in his eyes and she wondered what he thought had happened that night. When she cleaned the gash on his shoulder, he hissed in pain and she apologized quietly. She didn’t mean to hurt him, no matter how bad it was.
She loved him and nothing would change that. He was her loverboy and she was his kiddo. He gave her a crooked grin and her breath caught in her throat. She really liked that smile from him and so she gave him a grin back. Though when he started talking, his words were clear but he apparently didn’t remember all that had happened. He tried to nuzzle her chin and she put a hand out to gently stop him. He needed to know the truth.
”Liam, it wasn’t really a shadow wolf that did this to you or that you fought. You murdered your little sister Tammy. Then the adults hurt you because of what you did.” She paused and tried to put together her next words. ”They didn’t understand that you did it because the butterflies told you to.” She was excusing his actions but she did understand what made him do it. She would help him through the butterflies and shadow wolves. She pressed her forehead against his and waited for his reaction to her news. She had a feeling he wouldn’t believe her.
((the 15th is liam's birthday. Lol))
He looked at her, a gentle and slightly confused smile on his lips. No, kiddo, I killed a shadow wolf. It was going to attack me. It stalked me from my room to the border tree. And I destroyed it. The pack, they... He paused for a moment, a frown crossing his face. They don't understand. I'm not so sure you do either. After a moment, he shrugged. She pressed her forehead to hers and he nuzzled her face gently. Though her words about Tameri made him grimace. Tameri wasn't my sister kiddo. My father might have adopted her but she wasn't my sister. The shadow wolves killed my sister.
A scowl was on the males face as he looked into her eyes. He hated the thought of the young female being called his sister. Afterall, she wasn't. It was obvious. He shrugged then kissed her cheek. Stop worrying so much kiddo. I bet Sky told you those lies. She promised to help me you know. But she wants me out of her love nest so her and my father can play house. . He wrinkled his nose. She never really liked me anyways.
He looked into her eyes. Ayasha you know I love you and I'd never hurt you. I try to hard to keep my promise to you. But I swear it was a shadow wolf I destroyed before it could kill me the way it did Liadain. The male kissed her cheek, hissing as a wrong motion made the wound across his chest and shoulder ache. You've done good patching me up. Would you be offended if I had you find a few things to help further? . He grinned crookedly at her again knowing that the grin was the surest way to melt her.
OOC: YAY!
IC: She knew that she wouldn’t believe her but she still tried. She gave a sigh at his not believing her. The part about her not understanding hit her for some reason. ”I’m not sure I ever will understand, Liam, but I won’t abandon you, no matter how tough things get. OK?” He nuzzled her face and she sighed, a happy one however. At Tammy not being his sister, she nodded but said, ”But you still hurt her. The shadow wolves made you do it.” But she wanted to drop this conversation.
He mentioned Sky telling her and she shook her head. ”It was someone else who really doesn’t like you. Juliet. But I’m sure that Sky and your father love you.” Though even she wasn’t sure if they did after what he had done to their baby. Plus, they let him go off by himself, injured. She did kiss his nose when he wrinkled it.
Their eyes met and Ayasha believed Liam. ”I know that you do and that you try your hardest to keep your promise to me. Would being near me help?” That was her way of asking if he would join AniWaya. He gave a hiss of pain as he kissed her cheek. She considered his request. She shrugged her shoulders. ”Depends on what you need me to find.” She would most likely find anything for him or do anything for him for that smile. ”What do you need, loverboy?”
He listened to her words, but let them pass. He wasn't in the mood to argue, even though the shadow wolves didn't make him do anything, he fought the shadow wolf and won. At the mention of Juliet, he scowled. "She's a spiteful little brat." As she spoke about his father and Sky, he just rolled his eyes. He still didn't argue though. There wasn't any real reason to argue with her.
As she asked if being near her would help, he hesitated. He didn't want to say yes, and he didn't want to say no. He wanted to be with her, but he wasn't going to ask to join Aniwaya just yet. He wasn't ready, nor was he old enough to begin the process of becoming her mate. And he very much wanted to do that, to become her mate. He wanted to father her offspring, to help raise them. After a moment, he shrugged indecisively. "Not yet. Let D'Arte's scent fade from me."
When she asked what she could find for him, he scoured his memory. "Willow bark, for one. And something to help keep infection away. I can't think of the name..." He closed his eye, trying to think of it, then opened them and shrugged. "More worried about dulling it then I am preventing infection, kiddo. So if you could just bring me some willow bark I can chew on, I'd be thankful."
His gaze dropped to the rabbits, his stomach growling. He couldn't remember if she said they were for him or if she was taking them home, and he was embarrassed by needing to ask.
OOC: Feel free to PP Ayasha coming back with the willow bark.
IC: Liam seemed not to agree with her and she was ready to argue with him but he let the issue drop, for which she was grateful. Though she did want to make a point. ”I’m not approving of your actions but I still love you, you know that, right?” Then she gave in to the need and kissed him. It was gentle and sweet and simply that. She didn’t want to make lose control, at least not yet. That would wait.
Her invitation made him pause and her heart stopped, not literally. Did he still want to come and live with her? Did he regret making the promise to be hers? After a moment of fear, her questions were answered and he would make her wait but he would come for her. ”How long will that be?” She curled up next to him, laying her head on his heart.
She nodded at getting him willow bark. Mizu had shown her the plant and she remembered what it looked like. At him not wanting her to get something for infection, she frowned but nodded. She got up and whispered, ”I’ll be back.” But before she left, his stomach growled and she giggled. ”Those are for you. You got me rabbits when you came to visit me and I was going to do the same. So eat as much as you need. If you both, I’ll go hunt for more, OK?” She then went and got the willow bark, hoping that while she was gone, he would eat some of the rabbit.
He just smiled gently, kissing the tip of her nose affectionately. [b]"Soon."[b] He watched her go, then picked up one of the rabbits. He didn't trust himself to eat more than a few bites of the rabbit at a time. His stomach was knotting anxiously, and he took his time, remembering vaguely what had happened with the water. Still, it didn't take long for him to demolish one of the rabbits clean to the bones. Normally he'd peel away the fur too, but that would take too much time, and the muddy hued male was starved.
He leaned his head back for a moment. He hadn't realized he'd drifted off, but obviously he had; Ayasha's return woke him up from a light sleep. Golden eyes darted around for a moment, his hackles raising as though his shadow wolves were surrounding him, and then his form relaxed. He went to tug at his tank top, remembering again it wasn't there. Somehow, being without it made him feel naked. His jeans, too, were shredded even more than they had been before. When the gouges knitted up better he'd have to make a trek to someplace to find a new outfit. Bummer.
He took the bark Ayasha offered with a thankful smile. He hated to ask for help, hated to see the concern in her beautiful blue eyes. He gazed at her as he chewed on a piece of the bark slowly. When she curled up next to him again, he put his arms around her, pulling her close. [b]"I'm sure you'll need to get back home soon, Kiddo."[b]
OOC: Want to end it with your post?
IC: She grinned at the kiss on her nose and he told her soon. She left him in a good mood and went to find the willow bark. Though as she went to find it, she realized that she needed to let her mother know. She had a sinking feeling that Liam couldn’t come into AniWaya but she wanted to make sure before she mentioned anything to him. She wondered if he had given that any thought and highly doubted he had.
It took her about half an hour before she collected a decent amount and when she arrived she found him asleep. He had eaten one of the rabbits but as she approached he woke up. His hackles rose for a moment but soon he calmed down when he realized it was her. ”Here you go, loverboy.” She then gave him a soft kiss on the lips.
When she curled next to him, he put his arms around her and held her close. He talked about her needing to go home soon and although she nodded, she said, ”I can wait until tomorrow, Liam. I want to make sure you’re OK first.” She also wanted to hold off telling her mother for a while. She eyed the other rabbit. ”Are you going eat the other one?”
Her concern made him smile lightly, kissing her forehead again. After a moment, he stifled another yawn. "I think I'm fine now, kiddo. Just need more sleep and I'll be right as rain. I promise." As she eyed the other rabbit, he chuckled. "Think it's been a few days since I ate last. I'm stuffed from one." He let his eyes drift closed, embracing sleep casually and with no small amount of exhaustion on his part. He would end up sleeping away most of the healing process.
He only stirred for a moment as Ayasha slipped away from him, his mind drifting in and out of dreams.
Sounds, colors, lights. All these things played in the darkness as another shadow loomed over the male, whispering dark things and painful things. The colors that flashed around were red, yellow, black, gold... and the smell, the smell of blood, of burned flesh. The pain he could feel screaming around him, but not his pain. And the ever present mocking laughter of the butterflies, the ever present dry whispers of their greed, their hate, their rage.
Disconnected.
Disjointed.
A flash of light....
His eyes drifted open, fixing on the cold moon. The chill at his side, the faded scent let him know Ayasha had left. Feeling lonely for a moment, the male let his eyes drift shut again.
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