it's too late to say you're sorry [closed]

[championbittersweet]

Who: Jonathan Reid and Haein
When: After his meeting with Fayura
Where: In the library
What: Sorting paperwork
Warnings: Probably talk about vampire stuff, will add more if anything comes up


Feeling healthier than he has in weeks, perhaps even longer, Jonathan finds a new interest in the goings on at the Queen's residence, and a new desire to prove his gratitude to her for her assistance. So when he hears that Loren still needs help with the influx of complaints, he quickly accepts and heads to the library with a new box of letters, Loren having said since there were two of them now, they could handle more.

Even the idea of company seemed pleasant now, and Jonathan had a faint smile on his lips when he located the area set aside for the work... until he saw who was there. Immediately his movements were slower and more careful as he set the box down and drew out a chair opposite Haein.

"It seems we're expected to work together for a time."

Comments

[unwieldy]

When Loren asks for further help, Haein volunteers a second time without much of a fuss. Having already sorted through a stack of complaints once with Emil, he thinks he has a decent grasp of what's supposed to be done. The work is easy enough, and he'd rather be doing something rather than nothing during these trying times. While it had been a bit annoying when he'd been told that someone else would be joining him to work on the complaints, it's nothing new. He's found himself partnering up in a lot of these situations, and things usually don't end too badly.

By the time Jonathan enters the library, Haein is in the middle of looking through a pile of paperwork, his expression one of concentration. He looks up at the sound of approaching footsteps, and upon seeing the familiar figure, he pales, body tensing instinctively.

Okay, so maybe he shouldn't have volunteered after all.

"No. No way." His expression shifts, turns accusatory. "I told you to stay away from me."

[championbittersweet]

It isn't an unexpected reaction, all things considered, although Jonathan's expression twitches to one of annoyance briefly before he schools it and sits down. He's had worse insults before and at least this doesn't come with a threat of violence.

"And yet we're expected to work together," he pointed out, keeping his voice level. "I don't expect you to understand what it's like to live with a curse that compels you to do things you hate just to survive, but I don't mean you any harm. You can at least give me a chance in that respect.

"Besides," Jonathan continues, "Lady Fayura has made it quite clear what would happen if I harmed anyone without their consent."

[unwieldy]

There it is again, the mention of a curse. Haein falters for a moment, caught off-guard by the fact that he can absolutely relate to a compulsion-based affliction. That's the whole reason he's here, with a single-minded conviction to break free from it.

But as tempting as it is to snap back that he does know what it's like, just to prove Jonathan wrong, Haein keeps quiet. His curse is no one's business but his own, and he hastily tries to cover up his taken aback silence and hesitation with a shake of his head, leaning back against his chair with a look of distaste when Jonathan sits down.

The assurances do little to quell his unease, and Haein eyes the other man warily, possibly even out of curiosity with how healthy he looks compared to the last time they'd met. He remembers the desperate way Jonathan had bitten down on his own wrist, as well as the rat (a difficult memory to forget), and he has an idea of what might have happened for this sudden change in appearance.

"Who gave you their consent to eat them?"

[championbittersweet]

The silence is odd, and for a moment Jonathan wonders if his words had someone managed to get through to the younger man. But then there's that question.

"Lady Fayura aided me," he says reaching for the box and starting to unpack letters onto the table. "She offered when she initially learned of my affliction. After it became clear that I was having difficulties I... took her up on the offer."

Which is a rather genteel way to say what state he'd been in and the results. But Haein had seen some of it first hand so he hoped to gloss over it a little.

[unwieldy]

Surprise colors Haein's face when he hears it was the Queen who helped Jonathan. He doesn't know why it's so shocking, perhaps it has something to do with the fact that he just wouldn't expect someone in such a high position of power to offer a monster any aid.

But having spoken to Fayura on more than one occasion, he's starting to get the sense she's really not what he'd imagined at all.

He picks up the complaint he'd been working on before Jonathan's arrival, though his attention is anywhere but on the work laid out in front of him. Haein warily peers at the other man, a general sense of aversion and their earlier meetings making him critical and hostile.

"Maybe you mind controlled her into offering."

[championbittersweet]

Jonathan outright laughs at that suggestion, purely incredulous by the implication that he could make Fayura do anything.

"She was able to pin me against a wall and warn me to... not let my hunger control me. I doubt that I could force her to do anything if it were truly against her will."

[unwieldy]

That's... kind of impressive.

"Must be nice," he mutters bitterly. Haein would also love not to do things against his will, but life likes to be a pain in the ass and it doesn't help that someone who has the ability to take away his control is talking to him.

It's a grudge he's never letting go of.

"I suppose it's good to know that monsters like you can be stopped."

[championbittersweet]

"Yes, it is," Jonathan agrees wholeheartedly. "Although she made a point that it would be better if I did not allow myself to get to the point of being a risk in the first place."

Which is a concept he's still struggling with. It means accepting assistance in ways he's never wanted and that has its own challenges.

He can't help but pick up on Haein's bitterness and guesses that it's likely linked to his own actions. He can't blame the young man on that, but perhaps he can offer something. "...do you know how to shoot?"

[unwieldy]

In Haein's mind, Jonathan is a constant risk. He's seen the man on the brink of losing it, and it's not a pretty picture that he thinks he can get out of his head any time soon.

Everything about this place has pushed him to face circumstances he would never have faced before, and it's wearing away at him and his comforts. Most unsettling of all has probably been Jonathan, so this interaction isn't an easy one.

The question about shooting does pique his curiosity, though the wariness stays.

"Shoot? Like with a gun?"

[championbittersweet]

"Yes, with a gun." Jonathan reaches into his coat and draws out his pistol, easily opening the chamber and checking the contents before offering it to Haein.

"The ammunition is specially designed to ignite on impact. It's made to hurt, and even kill, vampires." He lets Haein take it if he wishes, not showing a bit of concern for the weapon in the hands of someone who has wished, multiple times, for him to die.

"If you like, I can show you how to shoot. In case you ever need to."

[unwieldy]

Haein immediately tenses at the appearance of the pistol. He's seen one up close only once before, and that was here in this place when it had been pointed at his head.

The memories the gun evokes aren't exactly fond.

There's some hesitation when it's offered to Haein, but he ultimately takes it in his hands and stares down at it for a few seconds. Having never handled a firearm before in his life, he doesn't know what to think. It's... heavier than what he would have imagined.

"What are you playing at...?" He glances back up at Jonathan, his gaze as suspicious as ever. A lifetime of distrust and betrayals makes it hard for Haein to understand why anyone would want to teach someone else how to kill them.

[championbittersweet]

The way Haein tenses doesn't go unnoticed, the uptick of his heartbeat obvious to Jonathan's ears, but he remains still until the younger man makes the move to accept or reject the offer. He can imagine a little of what he might be feeling; Jonathan himself had struggled with the idea of hurting or killing others in the war. He hopes Haein at least won't need it even if he learns it for protection.

At the question, Jonathan settles back in his chair and shrugs. "You're afraid of me, for good reason," he answers. "But I imagine some of it is because you don't know how to defend yourself if you need to. If you would like, I would teach you how to do that."

[unwieldy]

It's... true. Haein is afraid of Jonathan. He thought he'd be able to get rid of the monster by pushing him away with harsh words, but that doesn't seem to be working at all if their continuous encounters have been any indication.

Still, learning how to use a gun? Potentially taking a life? Haein harbors a lot of hatred in his heart for so many things and people, and he's wished them ill and more on several occasions, but killing is...

"I don't know," he admits, his eyes dropping back to the pistol in his hands. "You're springing a lot on me."

[championbittersweet]

It interests him that Haein hasn't handed the weapon back or set it aside yet either. While Jonathan understands the reluctance to take up a weapon, the lack of rejection speaks volumes in its own way too.

"This world, and any other, will spring worse on you without warning," he says quietly. "My offer will remain as long as you need it. But if you are truly afraid of me or others and truly wish to learn how to fight and stop my kind... few would be able to teach you better."

[unwieldy]

The answering silence draws out for a beat longer than necessary. Haein doesn't need to be told about how the world works. It's already fucked him every which way, and he knows it'll continue to happen unless he does something about it. He just hadn't expected that something to involve a gun.

He can't come to a decision. Not right now.

"I'll consider it," he says, voice hesitant. Haein places the gun down on the desk before sliding it toward Jonathan. It's going to haunt him. He's going to spend too much time thinking about this offer now.