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[ He reads the spell wrong.
As soon as the incantation leaves his mouth, Rune tastes the twisted magic on his tongue and through his bones like fingers digging and pulling his flesh apart from its very seams. The sensation only lasts a moment, body heavy enough that it drops him to his knees on the stone floor of the basement beneath the shop. It's been quiet for hours upstairs except the soft echo of whatever music Ciro's decided to play, and Rune breathes through the discomfort until it settles, grunting quietly as he crawls his way across the room to the steps. The weakness he expects, but that, too, doesn't last long, using the edge of the staircase as leverage to get upright and suddenly craving the tea that he hates.
The tea that Ciro makes.
Ciro —
He'd been on his mind the moment he'd cast, so of course it's all he can think about as he climbs to the main floor and pushes the door aside. It smells earthy there, as it always does, but there's also a hint of cleaning product used on the linoleum. Rune drags a somewhat shaky hand through his hair and exhales, trying to straighten his jacket and shirt before Ciro spots him and the mess he is. He'd known the potential side effects of misspeaking – they're almost always the same depending on the spell – but it's cruel irony that a separation spell is causing him to crave closeness. He squeezes is fingers into a fist so tightly that his knuckles whiten. ]
Ciro. [ Even his voice sounds strained. Perfect. ] Where are you?
As soon as the incantation leaves his mouth, Rune tastes the twisted magic on his tongue and through his bones like fingers digging and pulling his flesh apart from its very seams. The sensation only lasts a moment, body heavy enough that it drops him to his knees on the stone floor of the basement beneath the shop. It's been quiet for hours upstairs except the soft echo of whatever music Ciro's decided to play, and Rune breathes through the discomfort until it settles, grunting quietly as he crawls his way across the room to the steps. The weakness he expects, but that, too, doesn't last long, using the edge of the staircase as leverage to get upright and suddenly craving the tea that he hates.
The tea that Ciro makes.
Ciro —
He'd been on his mind the moment he'd cast, so of course it's all he can think about as he climbs to the main floor and pushes the door aside. It smells earthy there, as it always does, but there's also a hint of cleaning product used on the linoleum. Rune drags a somewhat shaky hand through his hair and exhales, trying to straighten his jacket and shirt before Ciro spots him and the mess he is. He'd known the potential side effects of misspeaking – they're almost always the same depending on the spell – but it's cruel irony that a separation spell is causing him to crave closeness. He squeezes is fingers into a fist so tightly that his knuckles whiten. ]
Ciro. [ Even his voice sounds strained. Perfect. ] Where are you?
[Ciro isn't far, but he can sense that something is off even before Rune makes it up the stairs. He was just outside on a not so important phonecall with a former bootycall. The excuse he makes up comes out in an instant, and he doesn't even stop to consider whether or not it makes sense because Rune needs his help.
He's not sure for what, but his skin felt prickly from the barely noticeable aftershock of magic gone wrong. It felt like sour milk tasted. Ciro rushes inside, spots Rune, and swoops in to the rescue. What he's lacking in muscle mass, he makes up for in enthusiasm and concern. It takes him only a moment to spell the front door locked. They were after hours anyway, no one they knew would use the front door for anything.]
Hey, take it easy. I've got you.
[For someone whose diet consisted largely of tea, cigarettes and wine, Ciro manages to pull one of Rune's arms over his shoulder to help support him on the way to one of the decorative sofas in the shop.]
Give me a second. I'm going to make you something. [Before he goes, he takes one of Rune's hands into his own to try to get a feel for the sort of residual magic might have lingered in his skin. A separation spell. But was it for work or personal use? He'd have to find a way to ask later. Rune was fussy when Ciro did the overly concerned mother thing.]
He's not sure for what, but his skin felt prickly from the barely noticeable aftershock of magic gone wrong. It felt like sour milk tasted. Ciro rushes inside, spots Rune, and swoops in to the rescue. What he's lacking in muscle mass, he makes up for in enthusiasm and concern. It takes him only a moment to spell the front door locked. They were after hours anyway, no one they knew would use the front door for anything.]
Hey, take it easy. I've got you.
[For someone whose diet consisted largely of tea, cigarettes and wine, Ciro manages to pull one of Rune's arms over his shoulder to help support him on the way to one of the decorative sofas in the shop.]
Give me a second. I'm going to make you something. [Before he goes, he takes one of Rune's hands into his own to try to get a feel for the sort of residual magic might have lingered in his skin. A separation spell. But was it for work or personal use? He'd have to find a way to ask later. Rune was fussy when Ciro did the overly concerned mother thing.]
[ He doesn't like the way he mothers him, but Rune doesn't have much protest in him at the moment. As it is, the contact between them is deliciously soothing, letting Ciro navigate them across the shop to the sofa that he melts into without a word. His protests are minimal, surprisingly, and he knows that Ciro knows that something is wrong. He could just tell him the truth – that it's for work, another customer to fuel their more expensive habits – but it doesn't leave him, lips parting to exhale once more before he reaches out to capture Ciro's hand between his.
It's a vulnerable moment, one he isn't sure how to process. ]
I don't want any tea. [ The disdain is real, but he lets him go gently. ] If you want to do something for me, just sit here.
[ Ciro should understand the consequences of such magic. Even if he's absolutely ridiculous more often than not, he's an incredibly talented witch in his own right, and though Rune is often loathe to admit it aloud, he tries to show it through other means. Right now, he needs to ride out the effects of this spell and figure out how to get it right again so there are no more mistakes. Worse than his sudden neediness is the fact he'd failed at all. It rubs him raw, and he tilts his head to look at him, dark eyes burning at the center with the remnants of bad magic. ]
I think that's what I need right now.
[ As difficult as it is, Rune relies on Ciro for so much more than he usually lets on. ]
It's a vulnerable moment, one he isn't sure how to process. ]
I don't want any tea. [ The disdain is real, but he lets him go gently. ] If you want to do something for me, just sit here.
[ Ciro should understand the consequences of such magic. Even if he's absolutely ridiculous more often than not, he's an incredibly talented witch in his own right, and though Rune is often loathe to admit it aloud, he tries to show it through other means. Right now, he needs to ride out the effects of this spell and figure out how to get it right again so there are no more mistakes. Worse than his sudden neediness is the fact he'd failed at all. It rubs him raw, and he tilts his head to look at him, dark eyes burning at the center with the remnants of bad magic. ]
I think that's what I need right now.
[ As difficult as it is, Rune relies on Ciro for so much more than he usually lets on. ]
[Ciro knows how it feels. It's happened to him a time or two, but he's probably a good deal more masochistic than Rune is. Not to mention, he always has something ready on the sidelines to combat the after effects of his fuck ups. Otherwise he would end up sprawled out on the floor overnight until it all wore off. Yet he wouldn't dare let Rune go through that if he could help it.
He doesn't think much of it though. Everyone fucks up sometimes. Even the most experienced of them. People lose focus. Thoughts stray. Concentration gets broken, and words get jumbled.]
You sure? I think you'd feel a lot better if you-- Rune.
[Ciro stays put even after his hand is released, taking a breath and nodding when he resigns himself to stay put to give his friend a little moment of closeness. Rune could be pretty prickly sometimes, so he'll indulge him just this once. He's not sure they'd have a moment like this again for a while.]
As you wish. Come here.
[He pulls Rune in like a man twice his size might, lanky arms curling around his friend protectively as he scoots in closer.] Better?
He doesn't think much of it though. Everyone fucks up sometimes. Even the most experienced of them. People lose focus. Thoughts stray. Concentration gets broken, and words get jumbled.]
You sure? I think you'd feel a lot better if you-- Rune.
[Ciro stays put even after his hand is released, taking a breath and nodding when he resigns himself to stay put to give his friend a little moment of closeness. Rune could be pretty prickly sometimes, so he'll indulge him just this once. He's not sure they'd have a moment like this again for a while.]
As you wish. Come here.
[He pulls Rune in like a man twice his size might, lanky arms curling around his friend protectively as he scoots in closer.] Better?
[ The way Ciro says his name cuts through him until it's setting him on fire, and he has to squeeze his eyes shut in an effort to ignore it. He manages it well enough until he's getting drawn into his embrace. Then, something clicks and Rune is maneuvering to meet Ciro's body, dragging him down to lay sprawled next to him along the length of the couch. On his side, it's easier to look at his face, shadowed by the dimmed overhead lights and surrounded by the scent of tea. Had he always noticed those things about him? And his eyes, the shape of his mouth...
Rune stares hard and then forces himself to look away. ]
A little. [ Truthfully, it's so much better. If he could convince Ciro to be even closer — ] Did I ruin your plans for tonight?
[ It's as close to an apology as he can force himself to give at the moment, lips pressing thin as he finds himself staring at Ciro's face again. If the side effects were going to last all night, he almost feels guilty for keeping Ciro too preoccupied to follow through with whatever mindless activities he'd decided on. Likewise, he would have spent too many hours in the basement, memorizing spells or trying to cast a more useful shield around their business, but right now, this is perfect.
A soft pause, and Rune lifts a hand to touch his knuckles lightly to Ciro's cheek. ]
I only need a few more minutes.
Rune stares hard and then forces himself to look away. ]
A little. [ Truthfully, it's so much better. If he could convince Ciro to be even closer — ] Did I ruin your plans for tonight?
[ It's as close to an apology as he can force himself to give at the moment, lips pressing thin as he finds himself staring at Ciro's face again. If the side effects were going to last all night, he almost feels guilty for keeping Ciro too preoccupied to follow through with whatever mindless activities he'd decided on. Likewise, he would have spent too many hours in the basement, memorizing spells or trying to cast a more useful shield around their business, but right now, this is perfect.
A soft pause, and Rune lifts a hand to touch his knuckles lightly to Ciro's cheek. ]
I only need a few more minutes.
[He was only on the verge of making plans with someone he probably shouldn't have made plans with, but Ciro has the tendency to make decisions he shouldn't if it meant that he'd get a little bit of attention for a few hours. It's all he needs some nights. The issue was that for most other people attention comes with a physical aspect and he's awful at saying no.
Even if Rune wasn't being adorable and particularly clingy, he'd want to stay with his friend. It's clear he needs him. Regardless of whether or not he would ever outright ask for it.]
They're not ruined. You probably rescued me from a potentially shitty situation.
[Ciro doesn't ever mind closeness, so he allows Rune to get close, pull him down to lie with him, and even touch his face, but he won't let it get too far. He knows why it's happening, and doesn't want to take advantage of his closest friend and coworker by letting things get too far. Besides, Rune could do much better than him.]
Stop looking at me like that.
Even if Rune wasn't being adorable and particularly clingy, he'd want to stay with his friend. It's clear he needs him. Regardless of whether or not he would ever outright ask for it.]
They're not ruined. You probably rescued me from a potentially shitty situation.
[Ciro doesn't ever mind closeness, so he allows Rune to get close, pull him down to lie with him, and even touch his face, but he won't let it get too far. He knows why it's happening, and doesn't want to take advantage of his closest friend and coworker by letting things get too far. Besides, Rune could do much better than him.]
Stop looking at me like that.
[ Rune's knuckles slide further along Ciro's cheek, slipping to caress the outline of his jaw until he reaches his ear. There's something peaceful about the motion, sweet and intimate in a way that Rune never seeks out from others. Magic is his first and only, but Ciro – Where would he be without him? Probably dead. Probably consumed by his own greed for perfection in mastering an art that's been born into them.
A frown creases his normally neutral features. ]
What way am I looking at you?
[ It's not as if Ciro is proficient in reading his thoughts or picking out his emotions. Their gifts are different than that, of which Rune is grateful. However conflicted he is most days is something that bothers him on his own terms; he doesn't need to have someone else in his head or feelings to manipulate them. Most witches carry the wards with them that prevent it, but every so often, some are too powerful to be blocked. If he chose to let Ciro in, would he be happy about it? Or would he turn him away?
Rune drops his hand, resting his palm against the cool skin of Ciro's forearm. Every touch helps to settle the magic eating through him, and any moment, he's just going to feel nauseous. That, he decides, he can deal with on his own much better than all of this. ]
A frown creases his normally neutral features. ]
What way am I looking at you?
[ It's not as if Ciro is proficient in reading his thoughts or picking out his emotions. Their gifts are different than that, of which Rune is grateful. However conflicted he is most days is something that bothers him on his own terms; he doesn't need to have someone else in his head or feelings to manipulate them. Most witches carry the wards with them that prevent it, but every so often, some are too powerful to be blocked. If he chose to let Ciro in, would he be happy about it? Or would he turn him away?
Rune drops his hand, resting his palm against the cool skin of Ciro's forearm. Every touch helps to settle the magic eating through him, and any moment, he's just going to feel nauseous. That, he decides, he can deal with on his own much better than all of this. ]
[It's strange how normal this feels. Usually Ciro is the one being clingy, or as he prefers to call it, physically friendly. Hand touching, shoulder bumping, arm linking, hugging, and lots of in betweens. It's like he has no barriers between himself and other people. He wears his emotions on his sleeve, says whatever he thinks without filter, and acts on impulse. Rune was the opposite of him in so many ways that it was the only reason he trusted himself to go into business with him without fucking it up somehow.
They worked so well because even when Ciro was at his most persistent, Rune could redirect him perfectly. Or at the very least tell him to knock it off. But it was also true that opposites attract, and while he does his best to suppress that most of the time there's always been something there.]
Like you want to kiss me.
[He's not guessing, and he's not sure how he knows because Rune always kept his shit locked up tight with key thrown away just in case.]
They worked so well because even when Ciro was at his most persistent, Rune could redirect him perfectly. Or at the very least tell him to knock it off. But it was also true that opposites attract, and while he does his best to suppress that most of the time there's always been something there.]
Like you want to kiss me.
[He's not guessing, and he's not sure how he knows because Rune always kept his shit locked up tight with key thrown away just in case.]
[ He's calmer now, more collected, and that means the negative aspects of the spell seem to be wearing off quickly. It's a good thing, he supposes, but it also places him in this particular predicament that he's wanted to avoid for a long time. When he'd first met Ciro, he'd wanted to kill him. But that had been the adrenaline rush, the stacked force of explosive magic needing to leave him in yet another volatile way, and after he'd had time to settle, the trust of his own kind had instinctively cinched their friendship. Attraction is nothing, but if he allowed this, it could be something.
Would that ruin everything they've made together? ]
Hmm. [ It's under his breath, curious and questioning even as he leans forward so their foreheads touch. ] You know I'm saving that for the perfect ritual. Maybe the solstice this year.
[ A half-lie because he can't give him the truth. A spell might guide his actions, but it never pushes any harder than the individual allows. Rune had gotten lost in that, in the idea of he and Ciro being something, and now that he can think a little more clearly, he realizes it's cruel to string him along with such hope. If he gives him his body, he'd surely have to give him his heart. But... but. Eyes closed, he places his hand at Ciro's hip now. ]
I don't need to kiss you to touch you.
Would that ruin everything they've made together? ]
Hmm. [ It's under his breath, curious and questioning even as he leans forward so their foreheads touch. ] You know I'm saving that for the perfect ritual. Maybe the solstice this year.
[ A half-lie because he can't give him the truth. A spell might guide his actions, but it never pushes any harder than the individual allows. Rune had gotten lost in that, in the idea of he and Ciro being something, and now that he can think a little more clearly, he realizes it's cruel to string him along with such hope. If he gives him his body, he'd surely have to give him his heart. But... but. Eyes closed, he places his hand at Ciro's hip now. ]
I don't need to kiss you to touch you.
[Ciro has that same fear, although for very different reasons. He doesn't think exploring any possibility they have of something more than friendship would ruin things completely. They still had a business together and he's sure they could agree on keeping that going regardless of their...labels. Which, he wasn't a fan of to begin with. But the thought of treating Rune like he did the rest of the people he was intimate with didn't quite sit right with him.
He doesn't want to hurt him, and he doesn't want to be told he's not good enough to make him happy if he does decide to really try. So usually, he just avoids this kind of temptation all together when he can. And he can't always, clearly.]
Hadn't pegged you for the romantic type.
[Ciro smirks, the closeness of their faces starting to get to him enough that his heart is racing. They've kissed before. It wouldn't be new, but those kisses were always Ciro giving cheek smooches or friendly kisses to his forehead. Never anything like this.]
No, you don't. [He wishes Rune were a little easier to read, but he always has a hard time telling what's on his mind. His emotions? Those were easier to get a sense of, but what was going on while his gears were turning were always a mystery to him. He both hates and appreciates it. Ciro puts his hand on top of Rune's, taking it up to kiss his palm.]
But I'd rather you kiss me. [Oop. He shouldn't have said that. Ciro drops Rune's hand and sits up quickly before he does anything either of them could regret.] Sure you don't want some tea?
He doesn't want to hurt him, and he doesn't want to be told he's not good enough to make him happy if he does decide to really try. So usually, he just avoids this kind of temptation all together when he can. And he can't always, clearly.]
Hadn't pegged you for the romantic type.
[Ciro smirks, the closeness of their faces starting to get to him enough that his heart is racing. They've kissed before. It wouldn't be new, but those kisses were always Ciro giving cheek smooches or friendly kisses to his forehead. Never anything like this.]
No, you don't. [He wishes Rune were a little easier to read, but he always has a hard time telling what's on his mind. His emotions? Those were easier to get a sense of, but what was going on while his gears were turning were always a mystery to him. He both hates and appreciates it. Ciro puts his hand on top of Rune's, taking it up to kiss his palm.]
But I'd rather you kiss me. [Oop. He shouldn't have said that. Ciro drops Rune's hand and sits up quickly before he does anything either of them could regret.] Sure you don't want some tea?
[ None of what Ciro says is a surprise. Rune knows he shouldn't be so hard on him, that he should open up more considering how long they've been together now, but he'd been pulled far too thin in the past to simply give even an inch. The spell helps relax him, feeling that sharp tug at his heart when Ciro presses his mouth to his palm, and he's ready to give in when Ciro is drawing away. It's a jarring sensation, shifting to sit up and get his arms around him before Ciro decides he wants to escape this moment of theirs. There are so few of them as it is; what's it matter if he's under the influence of a botched spell?
Rune rests his chin lightly atop Ciro's shoulder. ]
I hate tea. [ The irony will never stop being hilarious to someone, he's sure. ] I don't think I'd hate it so much if you really wanted to try. A kiss?
[ Something real, not the friendly grazes of lips to his forehead or his cheek when he's disappearing out the door to be with someone he'll more than likely never see again. Rune can never keep up with Ciro's social life, and some part of him prefers it that way. Jealousy is a dangerous creature to a witch. So, even if it prickles under his skin every now and then, Rune has it locked so tightly under control that it couldn't possibly escape unless someone forced it out of him with magic. He thinks about it as he gently nudges at the side of the other's face, hands flattening so that the arms around him are loose. ]
Don't leave me, Ciro.
Rune rests his chin lightly atop Ciro's shoulder. ]
I hate tea. [ The irony will never stop being hilarious to someone, he's sure. ] I don't think I'd hate it so much if you really wanted to try. A kiss?
[ Something real, not the friendly grazes of lips to his forehead or his cheek when he's disappearing out the door to be with someone he'll more than likely never see again. Rune can never keep up with Ciro's social life, and some part of him prefers it that way. Jealousy is a dangerous creature to a witch. So, even if it prickles under his skin every now and then, Rune has it locked so tightly under control that it couldn't possibly escape unless someone forced it out of him with magic. He thinks about it as he gently nudges at the side of the other's face, hands flattening so that the arms around him are loose. ]
Don't leave me, Ciro.
[The need to escape is intense, like if he doesn't he'll single handedly ruin the most important relationship in his life. He's far too good at ruining his relationships before they can even take off to want to risk that with Rune, but the draw he has on him is completely magnetic.
So when he literally puts his arms around him to draw him back in, Ciro doesn't do much to protest. How can he? His eyes close and he leans into the contact, this time it's his own hands that rest on Rune's sides experimentally. As though at any moment Rune will come to his senses and shove him away. He knows there has to be some amount of his friend that really wants this closeness or he wouldn't have acted on it, but he can't tell how much is the aftereffects of that messed up spell, and how much is Rune really trying to open up.
He takes in his scent while he's close, and it's clean, crisp, and perfect. Just like Rune. For a moment it's easy to just believe that they can get away with this. He can stay with him like this, they can even kiss, and nothing would change. But that was a daydream, wasn't it?]
You can't be rid of me that easily. I'm not going anywhere.
[Ciro debates about whether or not to respond to the suggestion of a kiss. It would only be a disappointment. He tastes like nicotine and jasmine tea. Definitely not the most appealing combination at the moment.]
I don't want you to hate kissing me..
So when he literally puts his arms around him to draw him back in, Ciro doesn't do much to protest. How can he? His eyes close and he leans into the contact, this time it's his own hands that rest on Rune's sides experimentally. As though at any moment Rune will come to his senses and shove him away. He knows there has to be some amount of his friend that really wants this closeness or he wouldn't have acted on it, but he can't tell how much is the aftereffects of that messed up spell, and how much is Rune really trying to open up.
He takes in his scent while he's close, and it's clean, crisp, and perfect. Just like Rune. For a moment it's easy to just believe that they can get away with this. He can stay with him like this, they can even kiss, and nothing would change. But that was a daydream, wasn't it?]
You can't be rid of me that easily. I'm not going anywhere.
[Ciro debates about whether or not to respond to the suggestion of a kiss. It would only be a disappointment. He tastes like nicotine and jasmine tea. Definitely not the most appealing combination at the moment.]
I don't want you to hate kissing me..
[ There's something right on the tip of his tongue that says he should give Ciro space. He should retreat to his room and nurse the remainder of the spell out of his system until he's collected enough to have a real conversation, until he's able to explain to him what he'd been doing and why he might need his help. Sometimes, it requires more magic than even Rune himself has, and it's a sobering thought in the wake of everything that's unfolding between them. How should he answer? The moment and the rest of the night seem to be balanced on the cusp of his own actions.
That, too, he hates. ]
I won't. [ The reply leaves him before he can swallow it down. ] Promise me that you'll consider it.
[ Unlike his usual air, Rune doesn't elaborate too much on those words and what they might mean. He wants Ciro to decipher them on his own, and besides, he isn't feeling particular brave enough to broach the topic of their relationship right now. This must be another side effect of the magic, exhaling slowly just before he leans forward and presses a chaste kiss to the curve of Chiro's cheek. He rests his forehead against him, trying to collect his thoughts. ]
I can't do tea, but I would like a drink. [ A pause. ] Let's go out.
That, too, he hates. ]
I won't. [ The reply leaves him before he can swallow it down. ] Promise me that you'll consider it.
[ Unlike his usual air, Rune doesn't elaborate too much on those words and what they might mean. He wants Ciro to decipher them on his own, and besides, he isn't feeling particular brave enough to broach the topic of their relationship right now. This must be another side effect of the magic, exhaling slowly just before he leans forward and presses a chaste kiss to the curve of Chiro's cheek. He rests his forehead against him, trying to collect his thoughts. ]
I can't do tea, but I would like a drink. [ A pause. ] Let's go out.
[ He stumbles through the front door of the tea shop just after midnight.
It's foolish, he knows, because the front door of their legitimate business is not the kind of place to be hemorrhaging magic, but Rune is so lost in his own head that he can't even think straight. At least he doesn't break the glass, hands shaking as he catches his balance on one of the sofas and smears the top of the leather with blood. It's empty at least, unable to feel Ciro's presence, and vaguely, he wonders if he had told him he was going out. Not that it mattered since Rune had already made plans to meet with someone to see this particular venture to its natural end. And it should have been easy. It should have been an exchange of spells and money, not a fight.
His hip checks the counter, knocking over the neat stack of cups Ciro had arranged and wincing as some of them shattered when they hit the floor. Their nice mugs specifically for in-house guests... Rune doesn't know why he's thinking about that, searching for something to staunch the bleeding in his side; considering it's already bled through his shirt, a towel isn't going to do it. Yet, that's all he finds, and he nearly falls to his knees making it to the sink, heaving into it as he clutches at the edges.
Was it the ID tag? Was it a curse?
He can't seem to get a grip on his aura, and when he vomits into the sink again, there's nothing but red. He needed help. He needed — ]
Ciro! [ Rune grits his teeth, trying to remain standing. Fuck. Would he even hear him? ] Ciro!
It's foolish, he knows, because the front door of their legitimate business is not the kind of place to be hemorrhaging magic, but Rune is so lost in his own head that he can't even think straight. At least he doesn't break the glass, hands shaking as he catches his balance on one of the sofas and smears the top of the leather with blood. It's empty at least, unable to feel Ciro's presence, and vaguely, he wonders if he had told him he was going out. Not that it mattered since Rune had already made plans to meet with someone to see this particular venture to its natural end. And it should have been easy. It should have been an exchange of spells and money, not a fight.
His hip checks the counter, knocking over the neat stack of cups Ciro had arranged and wincing as some of them shattered when they hit the floor. Their nice mugs specifically for in-house guests... Rune doesn't know why he's thinking about that, searching for something to staunch the bleeding in his side; considering it's already bled through his shirt, a towel isn't going to do it. Yet, that's all he finds, and he nearly falls to his knees making it to the sink, heaving into it as he clutches at the edges.
Was it the ID tag? Was it a curse?
He can't seem to get a grip on his aura, and when he vomits into the sink again, there's nothing but red. He needed help. He needed — ]
Ciro! [ Rune grits his teeth, trying to remain standing. Fuck. Would he even hear him? ] Ciro!
[For once he's actually not out visiting friends, just on the roof. It's late at night, and the moon is beautiful, so he's spending time with his garden, collecting different herbs for the shop, and some for personal use when suddenly his stomach twists and he's overwhelmed with nausea. He even doubles over as he senses how much magic is being spilled nearby.
Rune.
He drops whatever he's doing, and rushes down the stairs, past their bedrooms, past the store level where he slows at the sight of shattered ceramics and the strong scent of blood and magic, trying not to look at Rune as he goes into the basement to grab some things.
Ciro is back as fast as he can be, right at Rune's side as he coaxes him to sit. There was so much blood, the smell of it alone was overwhelming and making his eyes water and heart race as he's picking up on some of Rune's emotions. He tries to calm himself, drawing up Rune's shirt to assess the damage and immediately try to stop the bleeding.
He pulls away the towel and puts his hands right over where he's bleeding from whispering words he hasn't had to say for a long time. Words so old, they'd been taught to him by his mother and passed down from her mother before her. It would be painful. Meshing torn skin back together was never comfortable for the person, but he doesn't think there's time to worry about pain management when he has to stop Rune from losing too much blood. It's not like they could just go to a hospital.]
Stay with me, alright? I've got you.
[He lifts his hands away and the wound is sealed, but there's also the issue of how much blood he's lost already, possible internal bleeding, and a physical wound not being the only of his injuries. At least the other's weren't as urgently pressing, so he could move him in a bit.]
I need you to drink this. All of it. [He's pouring a few things out into a small mug in a ratio he's mostly just eyeballing]
Rune.
He drops whatever he's doing, and rushes down the stairs, past their bedrooms, past the store level where he slows at the sight of shattered ceramics and the strong scent of blood and magic, trying not to look at Rune as he goes into the basement to grab some things.
Ciro is back as fast as he can be, right at Rune's side as he coaxes him to sit. There was so much blood, the smell of it alone was overwhelming and making his eyes water and heart race as he's picking up on some of Rune's emotions. He tries to calm himself, drawing up Rune's shirt to assess the damage and immediately try to stop the bleeding.
He pulls away the towel and puts his hands right over where he's bleeding from whispering words he hasn't had to say for a long time. Words so old, they'd been taught to him by his mother and passed down from her mother before her. It would be painful. Meshing torn skin back together was never comfortable for the person, but he doesn't think there's time to worry about pain management when he has to stop Rune from losing too much blood. It's not like they could just go to a hospital.]
Stay with me, alright? I've got you.
[He lifts his hands away and the wound is sealed, but there's also the issue of how much blood he's lost already, possible internal bleeding, and a physical wound not being the only of his injuries. At least the other's weren't as urgently pressing, so he could move him in a bit.]
I need you to drink this. All of it. [He's pouring a few things out into a small mug in a ratio he's mostly just eyeballing]
[ it's been three days since he was thrown into one of the cells in the deep basement of the dahlia. three days since he returned mijat's errant jaguar and earned a mouthful of obscenities in response. three days since his little tiff with rune.
the guard is kind enough to keep his phone alive, though lynx doesn't spend much time using it. he sits cross-legged with his back against the stone wall, perfectly still, his eyes closed as he rewinds memories and plays them back through his head. walking through the woods with mika on his shoulders, teaching her the names of flowers. chasing sofija across the beach after she showed him how to build a sandcastle. family dinners, back when he and mijat actually got along. he plays through them until his heart begins to ache, and only then does he stop, keeping his mind carefully blank as he waits.
sometimes it's just a few hours. sometimes it goes past a week. sometimes his punishment is cut short because even mijat knows he keeps the dahlia in excellent working order and deals with petty crises with grace. the guard tells him something goes wrong every time he's gone, and lynx takes a great deal of personal satisfaction in knowing that mijat knows he's fucking his own business every time he gets angry and throws him in the basement.
his hand takes its time healing. he downplayed the severity of his injury to rune, not that it fucking matters because rune doesn't fucking care, but the jaguar broke three bones in his hand and fractured his wrist. the guard offers him human painkillers, which lynx accepts just to crush into the concrete floor to pass the time. he's not ingesting poison. he'd rather have tea.
three days, and not a peep from rune. the nerve. the fucking nerve of him, thinking he can swoop in and restore his wings and save him from his miserable existence. the sheer arrogance of a witch who can barely tap into his own magic. he knows nothing. nothing of love and family and atonement. lynx yields to it all so mika can be safe. sitting in a cell is nothing. the stupid cat nearly taking his hand is nothing. none of it is anything. rune has no idea the depths lynx would go to for her, because rune has never cared about anyone.
on the third night, after spending hours half-asleep counting the same stones over and over and over, he finally decides he can accept the shame of being the first to break. ]
will you behave if we speak?
the guard is kind enough to keep his phone alive, though lynx doesn't spend much time using it. he sits cross-legged with his back against the stone wall, perfectly still, his eyes closed as he rewinds memories and plays them back through his head. walking through the woods with mika on his shoulders, teaching her the names of flowers. chasing sofija across the beach after she showed him how to build a sandcastle. family dinners, back when he and mijat actually got along. he plays through them until his heart begins to ache, and only then does he stop, keeping his mind carefully blank as he waits.
sometimes it's just a few hours. sometimes it goes past a week. sometimes his punishment is cut short because even mijat knows he keeps the dahlia in excellent working order and deals with petty crises with grace. the guard tells him something goes wrong every time he's gone, and lynx takes a great deal of personal satisfaction in knowing that mijat knows he's fucking his own business every time he gets angry and throws him in the basement.
his hand takes its time healing. he downplayed the severity of his injury to rune, not that it fucking matters because rune doesn't fucking care, but the jaguar broke three bones in his hand and fractured his wrist. the guard offers him human painkillers, which lynx accepts just to crush into the concrete floor to pass the time. he's not ingesting poison. he'd rather have tea.
three days, and not a peep from rune. the nerve. the fucking nerve of him, thinking he can swoop in and restore his wings and save him from his miserable existence. the sheer arrogance of a witch who can barely tap into his own magic. he knows nothing. nothing of love and family and atonement. lynx yields to it all so mika can be safe. sitting in a cell is nothing. the stupid cat nearly taking his hand is nothing. none of it is anything. rune has no idea the depths lynx would go to for her, because rune has never cared about anyone.
on the third night, after spending hours half-asleep counting the same stones over and over and over, he finally decides he can accept the shame of being the first to break. ]
will you behave if we speak?
[ he's not mad at lynx.
he's furious.
as if a faerie would know just what he'd been through in his life, of the pains he'd suffered and the loss he'd lived through. he hadn't let it crush him the way lynx's own grief does; he'd used it, rose up to consume it before it consumed him. and rune's aware that it doesn't always make him the most agreeable person, especially when it comes to normal things, but he didn't get to the place he is by rolling over and taking it. oddly enough, it's the lapse of time that he notices more than the silence. he could apologize – laughable since he doesn't apologize to anyone – or he could go to the club and demand to see lynx regardless of whatever punishment he might have been dealt.
he could do a lot of things, but instead, all rune does is work.
there's research first, of course. and he has to reach out to some old contacts to find out what they know about faeries and their particular kind of magic. witches and fae have never gotten along, but there's always something somewhere. a pair that fell in love, or close friends. someone had information, and rune is patient enough to wait the day and a half it takes for an address to appear in his phone one night while he's working on a basic healing spell. it's exactly what he wants, but it's also a day away from the tea shop. which means he has to leave as soon as he tells ciro that he's going.
he's checking into a tiny b&b nearly twenty hours later when lynx texts him. there's no reply for at least ten minutes. ]
What do you want to talk about?
he's furious.
as if a faerie would know just what he'd been through in his life, of the pains he'd suffered and the loss he'd lived through. he hadn't let it crush him the way lynx's own grief does; he'd used it, rose up to consume it before it consumed him. and rune's aware that it doesn't always make him the most agreeable person, especially when it comes to normal things, but he didn't get to the place he is by rolling over and taking it. oddly enough, it's the lapse of time that he notices more than the silence. he could apologize – laughable since he doesn't apologize to anyone – or he could go to the club and demand to see lynx regardless of whatever punishment he might have been dealt.
he could do a lot of things, but instead, all rune does is work.
there's research first, of course. and he has to reach out to some old contacts to find out what they know about faeries and their particular kind of magic. witches and fae have never gotten along, but there's always something somewhere. a pair that fell in love, or close friends. someone had information, and rune is patient enough to wait the day and a half it takes for an address to appear in his phone one night while he's working on a basic healing spell. it's exactly what he wants, but it's also a day away from the tea shop. which means he has to leave as soon as he tells ciro that he's going.
he's checking into a tiny b&b nearly twenty hours later when lynx texts him. there's no reply for at least ten minutes. ]
What do you want to talk about?
It's your biology, isn't it?
There are ways.
And if there aren't, I'll find one.
[ which is exactly what he's doing right now, so. ]
There are ways.
And if there aren't, I'll find one.
[ which is exactly what he's doing right now, so. ]
I could ask you.
But I know you'll give me some impossible answer that couldn't ever be replicated.
So your body will tell me instead.
But I know you'll give me some impossible answer that couldn't ever be replicated.
So your body will tell me instead.
If this is the kind of conversation you want to have, bother someone else.
Those are your choices, and beggars can't be choosers.
[ but after a minute: ]
What color are they?
Those are your choices, and beggars can't be choosers.
[ but after a minute: ]
What color are they?
[ a typical faerie answer. ]
I'll just stick with my original plan.
It would work better that way.
I'll just stick with my original plan.
It would work better that way.
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