[ some part of him should feel offended that he doesn't take it, even just to hold it. but rune knows his explanation is vague, allowing more questions than answers, and for a brief second, he entertains the idea of grabbing 704's wrist and forcing it into his hand. then, it would be out of his control. but he's not so dissuaded that he pauses to take it and then ultimately rescind his offer, instead taking the opportunity to set it on the counter near the kitchen. the soft lighting of the room reflects through the glass and the contents of the bottle, causing it to shimmer, and rune wonders, not for the first time, if that was a side effect of using 704's own blood or something else.
he leaves it alone and settles his hands back in the pockets of his coat. ]
Something different than I usually do. [ he writes spells, but he's never been particularly keen on potions. honestly, he should have asked ciro for help in that department. ] If you want the specifics of its contents, I can send it to you later. Essentially, it's magic – like a spell.
[ rune hesitates then, gaze drawn back to the small jar and torn. he's never anything but truthful—to a fault, most would say. and really, he sees no point in lying to 704 about what it might do, which is why he said he wasn't certain. there had been plenty of intentions with it, hours spent pouring over old texts and trying to uncover as much information as there had possibly been written about reapers, but in the end, he had to guess at a lot of it. he's already working on something else that will be much more stable; he just needs to interrogate a few people before finalizing it.
until then... well, 704 would just have to deal with the aftermath as it came. ]
I can't give you any sort of freedom. [ yet. ] But it might help you in other ways.
[ this time his sigh is audible. there isn't, academically, a risk-oriented bone in 704's tired body. that said, he's taken plenty of risks simply not viewing them as such; more often: what had to be done, or what should have been done, so on and so forth. but the nature of that kind of behavior is that it goes unnoticed by the one doing it. he knows, on a very basic level, just accepting what rune gives him and trying something even the creator himself isn't a hundred percent sure of, is just foolish. some would see it as a sign of trust, but that's a moot point; it doesn't feel like either of them is asking for that. rune simply wants things to be even -- as far as 704 can tell, and perhaps to learn something about the nature of the magic he's written inside that jar. and 704 just wants him to leave done as done and not bother.
but it would be a lie to say he isn't curious.
lies aren't something he excels at, though he tells them -- usually by omission -- from time to time, smaller and greater. rune says 'freedom' and 704 can only stare at him like he's perhaps slightly out of his mind in that it would have even been on the docket for consideration. this look smooths in favor of something dryer at the follow-up though. well, sure. something is likely to do Something, rather than Nothing. but what?
suppose, 704 considers silently, gaze slipping from the magic to rune and back again, it 'works' in whatever capacity rune expects or half-expects? what? to him there is no notion of partial liberation; and probably there should not be. if this is due to his own sin then it's his responsibility to carry it out, and it doesn't matter that he can't remember because that's just the nature of becoming a reaper. one might call it a blessing.
inwardly, he flinches. outwardly, he walks to the counter and rests one hesitant hand atop it, near enough to the jar it's not accidental. part of him, a part he tries very hard to keep crushed under his own heel and quiet quiet quiet, poses the not unrealistic likelihood: even if he drinks it, nothing will happen...so why not?
704 is really not a 'why not' person.
he wonders, vaguely, if maybe, when he was alive, he used to be.
it doesn't feel within the realm of possibility, but most things don't. ]
'In other ways'.
[ at this point 704 might as well take up part-time as a parrot. but he pinches the jar between his fingers and lifts it against the artificial light, watching the sway and shift of the liquid inside, thoughtful. it's only now that he's touching the tiny vessel that he feels it. there's no other way to say it really; it's almost a physical kind of pull. he blinks. for some reason, it gives him the feeling of something trying to return, which would make more sense to him (in a weird, nonsensical way), if he knew his blood was in it. if he was to compare it to another feeling, it would be the gradual hazy fall into drug induced slumber; except he's quite awake. he lowers it back to the counter but doesn't let go of it; strangely feeling like he can't. ]
When you made this, did you really consider my 'freedom' as a possible result? [ he shakes his head. ] You shouldn't waste your time.
[ it's a levelheaded gaze and a levelheaded tone neither meant to be rude nor considerate; quiet. he surprises himself by asking at all, and the follow-up feels more his usual speed. magic that can effect the contract of a reaper would be beyond...well, he can't even figure it out actually. yama comes to mind but even he...
...
but you're curious.
he is. and there's that pull. the pinch of his fingers against the jar is taut, paler than even usual. the words 'I won't drink it' or the like, have not actually left him. somehow it feels like they would be a lie if he said them now, and he dislikes the compulsion as much as the indecision. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
he leaves it alone and settles his hands back in the pockets of his coat. ]
Something different than I usually do. [ he writes spells, but he's never been particularly keen on potions. honestly, he should have asked ciro for help in that department. ] If you want the specifics of its contents, I can send it to you later. Essentially, it's magic – like a spell.
[ rune hesitates then, gaze drawn back to the small jar and torn. he's never anything but truthful—to a fault, most would say. and really, he sees no point in lying to 704 about what it might do, which is why he said he wasn't certain. there had been plenty of intentions with it, hours spent pouring over old texts and trying to uncover as much information as there had possibly been written about reapers, but in the end, he had to guess at a lot of it. he's already working on something else that will be much more stable; he just needs to interrogate a few people before finalizing it.
until then... well, 704 would just have to deal with the aftermath as it came. ]
I can't give you any sort of freedom. [ yet. ] But it might help you in other ways.
no subject
but it would be a lie to say he isn't curious.
lies aren't something he excels at, though he tells them -- usually by omission -- from time to time, smaller and greater. rune says 'freedom' and 704 can only stare at him like he's perhaps slightly out of his mind in that it would have even been on the docket for consideration. this look smooths in favor of something dryer at the follow-up though. well, sure. something is likely to do Something, rather than Nothing. but what?
suppose, 704 considers silently, gaze slipping from the magic to rune and back again, it 'works' in whatever capacity rune expects or half-expects? what? to him there is no notion of partial liberation; and probably there should not be. if this is due to his own sin then it's his responsibility to carry it out, and it doesn't matter that he can't remember because that's just the nature of becoming a reaper. one might call it a blessing.
inwardly, he flinches. outwardly, he walks to the counter and rests one hesitant hand atop it, near enough to the jar it's not accidental. part of him, a part he tries very hard to keep crushed under his own heel and quiet quiet quiet, poses the not unrealistic likelihood: even if he drinks it, nothing will happen...so why not?
704 is really not a 'why not' person.
he wonders, vaguely, if maybe, when he was alive, he used to be.
it doesn't feel within the realm of possibility, but most things don't. ]
'In other ways'.
[ at this point 704 might as well take up part-time as a parrot. but he pinches the jar between his fingers and lifts it against the artificial light, watching the sway and shift of the liquid inside, thoughtful. it's only now that he's touching the tiny vessel that he feels it. there's no other way to say it really; it's almost a physical kind of pull. he blinks. for some reason, it gives him the feeling of something trying to return, which would make more sense to him (in a weird, nonsensical way), if he knew his blood was in it. if he was to compare it to another feeling, it would be the gradual hazy fall into drug induced slumber; except he's quite awake. he lowers it back to the counter but doesn't let go of it; strangely feeling like he can't. ]
When you made this, did you really consider my 'freedom' as a possible result? [ he shakes his head. ] You shouldn't waste your time.
[ it's a levelheaded gaze and a levelheaded tone neither meant to be rude nor considerate; quiet. he surprises himself by asking at all, and the follow-up feels more his usual speed. magic that can effect the contract of a reaper would be beyond...well, he can't even figure it out actually. yama comes to mind but even he...
...
but you're curious.
he is. and there's that pull. the pinch of his fingers against the jar is taut, paler than even usual. the words 'I won't drink it' or the like, have not actually left him. somehow it feels like they would be a lie if he said them now, and he dislikes the compulsion as much as the indecision. ]