Post by Deleted on Jun 7, 2013 15:19:49 GMT
It's mid morning and Tamas has been out working in his forge since before sunrise. Now sweat streaked, in spite of the snow, he pauses to wash up before entering the house. Steam rises lightly from the wet fire dragon's skin.
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Looking up he sees Nicholas..
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... standing in the doorway holding a towel.
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Tamas takes the towel
Thanks
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My pleasure, just returning the favor for all the towels you've had ready after a run.
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Nicholas watches his mate wipe off his face
Want to talk about it?
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Eh?
Tamas is taken off guard by Nicholas' words
Talk about what?
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Something is bothering you
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You noticed, eh?
Not like I could miss it, really.
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Nicky looks over to the open front of the forge
You've been holed up in your forge swinging that hammer for three days now, only leaving it to eat and sleep.
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And you have nothing to show for it. I know you have the triphammers automated, because you showed me how the generator works. So you must be trying to work something out of your system.
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I never could fool you
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Nicholas smiles
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Then frowns
It's about Hajime, isn't it?
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Tamas looks up surprised
What makes you think so?
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It's not that Nicholas is precisely jealous of Haji, but there's an intimacy between the two men that sometimes makes him feel left out.
You've been watching him a lot lately and you had a talk with him that involved loud voices before you slammed out of the house and disappeared for hours.
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Tamas finishes drying off as he composes his thoughts.
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Throwing the towel over his shoulder, he expertly reads the conflict in Nicholas' face and decides that the best way to reassure his lover is to level with him.
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Tamas pulls the younger man into his arms. Softly he relates his guesses about what's going on in Haji's head and what Scramble confirmed to him.
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That's...
Nicholas pauses
creepy
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So do you plan to do anything about it?
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Well that's just the problem, I don't know what to do
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Tamas scowls in frustration
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Scramble says the spirit is, for the most part, harmless but..
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It's only there to observe or something
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I don't think I would want a spirit in my head, harmless or not!
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Hai. And neither would Haj
So are you going to tell him?
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Tamas steps back and leans against the door looking out into the yard. Nicholas' voice had been unusually sharp
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I'm sorry, I shouldn't be dropping this on you too
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Why not? He's my room mate too. And you're my lover, what hurts you, hurts me too.
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And it's not like I dislike him or anything.. he's a very caring person.
His voice trails away as he fumbles for words
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Nicholas chuckles suddenly
Well, I'm kinda out of my depth if I can't put it under a microscope and examine it
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Tamas laughs
Same here, if I can't swing a hammer at it, I don't know what to do with it!
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The two men look at each other and laugh
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So I guess we're back to whether or not you're going to tell him about the spirit...
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That is the problem, I know Haji well enough to know that he takes a great deal of pride in his spiritual abilities and in
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Tamas pauses and looks down
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And in himself
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Yes
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I wonder how much of his power is the spirit's?
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Scramble seems to think that most of it IS Haji's.
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Hmmm.... I'm not certain that's precisely comforting either...
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Tamas grins
Hai, I know what you mean
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I, and I can only speak for myself here, think it would be better to let Hajime sort it out for himself as long as there is no threat to the rest of the people living here.
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It would be horribly humliating for me to be shown by a non-microbiologist why my research was garbage.. I think it would think the same would be true for Hajime.
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Scramble said as much as well
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I just need to mind my business and not meddle as Da says.
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It's not meddling, you care deeply for the people in your "family."
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It's what attracted me to you to begin with
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Has always attracted me to you..
Thank you
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For what?
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For listening to me and for not being..
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Tamas shakes his head
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For just being you, I guess
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Tamas thinks So many lifetimes and he is still Nicco, ready to mother any stray that crosses his path
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OH!
Nicholas flushes pleased.
Tamas slips his arm around Nicholas' waist once more
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And as it always has, talking to you makes things look clearer and I know what I need to do. Thank you, my love.