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[myriadeclipse]

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Home of Mockingbird and the voice in his head

Mockingbird

Please forgive me for missing your message. I'll be right with you.

The Other Me

He isn't that sorry.

Mockingbird

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[paraselenic]

[Something grounding and real. Lycaon wonders just how blurred the line of fantasy and reality became for Hugo in those years apart. He's not naive enough to think the man didn't find his own coping methods, especially now that he the truth behind Mockingbird's clipped wings came to light between them. Did the man think of him at any point during those times? What a selfish thought...

No matter the answer, he would just have to outpace those memories. Easy enough.]

You could use a bit of a reality check, in my personal opinion.

[That finger that traced his neck moves up to Hugo's chin. It's so cliche--this is absolutely an introverted girl's fantasy story playing out before them. The tip of his nail catches underneath it to tip it up ever so slightly. But this sort of blatant, almost cringey honesty is just what a man like Hugo needs. More indulgently, he also wants to see that smile get wiped off his face.]

Stars in the night are no match for the moon.

[Their face shapes were not 1:1 when it came to something like this, but Lycaon was no stranger to it, either. Angling his head to account for his longer snout, he cranes his neck down to press his lips against Hugo's. Elf lips were soft--softer than he prepared himself for. He wasn't sure what to expect--the usual comparison for something like this is fireworks, yes?

He tastes citrus. ..Well, that's somewhat endearing in its own way.

It doesn't last long, and yet it feels like he held his breath for hours when he finally pulls back, fangs catching on Hugo's bottom lip as his head raises up again. His throat clears a little awkwardly, trying to hide his smile.]

I-I digress, you're exaggerating. I have no natural skill in seduction.

[myriadeclipse]

[ There were a few moments where he wanted to ask if Lycaon was trying to start a fight. A reality check? Really? They had gotten along for a precious few hours, and how Lycaon was trying to pull the rug, as they say? For those few moments, he wondered if Lycaon had neighbors. If they had a fight right here, and how would they get the cops called on them? He'd like to avoid handcuffs in his first month.

It was the finger under his chin that stopped him from proceeding with that barely thought out plan. His eyes instead went up to Lycaon, tipping his chin up as the press suggested. He knew the scenarios in novels. The edges of his memory remembered Vivian delighting in salacious tales of boys in love, where the large, stoic man exercised his masculine desires over the shy, smaller one.

... That wasn't what was happening, but he was silenced, so it works the same way.

Oh. He's being ... romantic? Lycaon was being romantic.

The breath did not come until they were touching lips. Hugo wondered far more often than he would have ever admitted what it would have been like to have even small affections like this. The awkwardness of their shapes and the difference in their lips didn't matter when the act alone made some of the tension in his shoulders vanish. It felt like being melted and left vulnerable. A terrifying thrill, all with a simple, sweet kiss.

The fang pulling at his lips gave him the desire for an entirely different 'thrill', but he would push that aside to give Lycaon a sultry smile, licking at his lip. ]

I'm not exaggerating. I've seen your correspondence. If they don't want to date you, they want to adopt you.

[paraselenic]

[Enjoy peace while it lasts, Hugo. I'm sure there's something you two will pointlessly argue about that'll cause thrown frying pans and worried neighbors.

The kiss went over better than he expected. He had to admit it's new territory for him to initiate such things. Sure, he'd seen them in movies and PDA was rampant in a bar setting, but you may be shocked to find out Lycaon wasn't exactly on the dating scene give or take a one off here or there. His comments about people's tastes often ended at just 'tastes'.

At any rate, Hugo seemed to like it. If anything, that face meant he took it in stride. There's a little twitch of his own lips in return.

With his gloves completely removed, he sits back down on the bed, elbows resting on his thighs. His ears twitch, face turning away for a moment. Is he...flustered at the idea that he may be considered 'a catch'?]

Now I know you're making fun of me.

I won't deny that my...appearance has some affect on people. [He's seen Zulius watching his tail at work, the unmistakable urge to hug it.] It's in their nature to gravitate towards..softness.

...Is that why you were so cagey back then? [At the Korean Barbecue?]

[myriadeclipse]

[ With Lycaon seated, Hugo could cross his arms and remain standing, taking in the other's reaction to what he said. Embarrassment; well, that should be expected. Thinking Lycaon would do more than focus on what Hugo could only imagine are 'happy little butterflies' when someone is appreciative of his work would be laughable. Or maybe it was easier to notice these things when you are watching from the shadows. ]

You think it's your fur? Lycaon, please—

[ The second part stops him, Hugo blinking slowly as he tried to think back on what Lycaon was getting at. He was cagey ]

Remind me. When was I 'cagey' during that conversation?

[ He could feel the presence of his other, like the sting of ice on the back of his neck. Thanatos was not as chatty as some others, he would imagine. Whenever he felt that prickle, Hugo would turn his head to the side, as if listening to someone standing next to him. Then, without a word, look forward again.

When he did it this time, it was followed with a scoff and his gaze settling on Lycaon once more. ]

[paraselenic]

[Lycaon's breath pauses in that moment. He wondered briefly if this would start another argument, and considered backing away from it. After some thought, he came to one conclusion: Running from Hugo was the start of this whole thing. He just had to be honest, and think carefully about how to go about it.

A tall order when the man was so much better with words than he was. His eye looks to the side, a bit embarrassed, but in a much different way than Hugo's compliments about his alleged seductive behavior.]

When you asked about my courting habits, I had thought you were trying to antagonize me about it. That you found some weakness of mine to expose. When I elaborated, about the moon, your face changed, like you had accepted a fate worse than death. Was it because you thought you couldn't have me?

In hindsight, it was quite cruel of me to call you what I did with those thoughts in your mind. You'd already won the contest and yet you thought you weren't in the running.

[Hugo's side glance doesn't go unnoticed. As if his attention wandered to someone else for a split second. He'd almost forgotten about Thanatos. Sure, he'd believed Hugo, as outlandish as it seemed, but it was still something he had to reconcile. Lycaon didn't put too much stock in the belief of gods until now. He supposes he'll have to get used to that little party member.]

...Does Thanatos have something to share?

[myriadeclipse]

He thinks I was being cagey the entire time.

[ Hugo waves his fingers as if he could shoo away a being living in side his body. Fat chance for that. ]

He's mistaken. Thanatos simply lacks the experience of what is it like when we are around one another.

[ It was kind of strange to think about it. He had been carrying this thing that felt like a burning lump of ice in his chest for so long, that he had forgotten that it and Lycaon hadn't existed together in his life until now.

The reminder of what part Lycaon meant got him tipping his head up. Right, that part. His arms slide loose, resting on his hips instead as he thought about how to answer this. Now that he was reminded, he remembers what thoughts plagued him that day. ]

I very rarely feel such things as 'jealousy'. If someone thinks they can handle you better, be my guest. [ One of his hands lift in a wave. ]

I was ...frustrated. At myself. It had sounded to me that once we parted, you were able to find a life that was suitable to you. A job. A family with someone you loved. Friends and people who wished you well.

On the other hand, I had nothing to show. Much of that time wasn't even spent being 'Mockingbird'. No accomplishments or connections to show for the time. Barely any skills you wouldn't have already seen. The last thing that I expected was for you to both mock me and also declare something so boldly.

[ It wasn't entirely as bleak as he made it sound, but it had always been difficult for him to see the light when he dwelled in the abyss. Neither Lia nor Mollymauk were so insignificant to him. Yet even so, he knew he held them both at such a distance that he wouldn't lie about things he had been too fearful to nurture. ]

So no. To both of you. I wasn't 'cagey'.

[paraselenic]

[The smile that graces Lycaon's lips should be illegal. It's rare he lets himself move his lips into anything but a small smirk. But here...oh his eye's glittering too.]

You were. I doubt we will be allowed back there.

[And since he's being honest--]

A shame. I would've been happy if you were jealous. Had it been you, I would've never accepted they could do as good a job as I could, no matter how graceful I could make it sound.

[Dogs should really not be so honest.]

For what it's worth, I think Hugo Vlad, and Mockingbird, are outstanding things to be.

[myriadeclipse]

[ He should have honestly expected that Lycaon was going to say something like this. It was so very like him. ]

I've seen what you're like when you aren't trying so hard to be the perfectly put together Good Boy. I accept every annoying part of you, even the parts I hate. I don't need to be jealous. They'd return you.

[ Honestly, he's more sure it's the micromanaging clean freak part that would be the dealbreaker for others, but he digresses. ]

You used to be one of those.

[ He would make no difference to dwell on that after everything. His attention went down to Lycaon's legs and the state of the broken one. ]

... Has it been difficult? Living on your own and dealing with this?

[paraselenic]

[The Lycaon everyone knew wasn't exactly a lie, but it wasn't the whole truth. One could compare it to the dark side of the moon, if one used such metaphors. His much uglier traits--his jealousy, his possessiveness, his micromanaging, and the less refined stubbornness, those were things he'd tried to hide from others.

And Hugo accepted all of them. If anything, those parts belonged to him.]

And I accept--and welcome--all the parts of you. Your best and worst. Even at your ugliest, I won't make the same mistake I made years ago. You are the sun only I, the moon, can look at and not go blind.

[A pain jabs at his heart when Hugo softly makes that statement about Mockingbird, unable to hide a somber smile.]

I did, and despite my desertion, I am still proud of what we did.

[Especially now that the miscommunication has been cleared up. Mockingbird's reputation was never sullied, so how couldn't he be proud?]

... [Hugo's next question is a loaded one. The man's gaze drifts to his legs, and he immediately knows where this is heading. He can't see him getting angry, but he sure wouldn't be happy to know just where life led him after it.]

It would be a lie to say it was easy, but life always persists. Zodiac knows how to capitalize on the weak, and my prosthetics had a very high price. Learning to use them took some time and therapy, but I am now able to move as I always did. Ever since Master Percy took over in overseeing them, he's removed the...corporate part of the equation, so now I simply pay him for my upgrades. As for living alone...I miss the company.

[myriadeclipse]

Zodiac...

[ Hugo merely sighs. It was neither approval nor disapproval. What really could be done? In that situation, Lycaon had to deal with whatever good deal came his way. Hugo would have liked it if his tragic childhood didn't keep taking victims, but if Lycaon wasn't blaming him, then he supposes in this instance he couldn't either. Today. Right now. ]

Despite his affiliation, This Percy has been--

[ It took him a moment to think about why that name seemed familiar, and then he remembered, laughing at the realization. He didn't know much about that particular tragedy, but when you exist in the underworld, you hear a little of everything. ]

Surely not the de Rolo. That would just be hilarious. Regardless. As long as you feel you're being well taken care of.

[ The living alone, Hugo understood. It was more difficult to go from their noise and rowdiness back down to silence and a lack of presence. The little things vanish and leave holes where warmth once existed. ]

Your stubbornness must truly know no bounds for you to have been alone this whole time.

[paraselenic]

Mm. The very one. [He'd heard and seen the double take when whispers were heard. He doesn't have his claws sunk into too many sources, but their little info broker friend was enough to give the idea.]

He's been wanting to upgrade my legs to more robust ideas for ages. I believe he promised me the speed of a cheetah a few weeks ago. [He says it so calmly, but Hugo of all people could pick up on the hidden mirth in his voice.]

If that accursed board game showed me anything, it's my own weaknesses. I have spent long enough recovering. [If the wolf for all intents and purposes was going to protect anything, he needed to come out of 'retirement'.]

..Heh. You of all people know how stubborn I can be.

[myriadeclipse]

I do.

[ Hugo leans down, pressing a kiss to the top of his snout. At the moment, that stubbornness didn't seem to bother him. Knowing Lycaon could run through the city at the same speed as a vehicle was truly terrifying. Why would anyone choose to give him? Do they not know the terror they inflict?

With that horror on his mind, Hugo finally sat down, bending over to remove his shoes and the socks that go with them. ]

Either way, it sounds like you'll go back into proper training. If troubles like that continue to happen, It might be necessary, even for me. Something like what you went through isn't exactly what I've been honing my skills for.

[paraselenic]

[There's a soft thumping sound behind them as Hugo plants that kiss, his tail hitting the bed like a steady drumbeat. Again, that softness..he swears if this whole afternoon ends up as one big dream, he might throw himself into Blue Fish Lake. As the man sits down, he adjusts his weight and position to allow him more room. He's going to take this time to actually look at his legs, pulling out a stray stick or piece of debris from the monsoon out of the cracks before unfastening one from his thighs.]

I regularly frequented the gym to keep in shape, but it seems I'll have to double my efforts. My skills in ice magic only apply to water that already exists. I've yet to conjure it myself. [It doesn't surprise him. He's never been incredibly magically inclined.]

I agree. I had no reason to assume I would need anything on this level. It'd be in our best interest to prepare.

[myriadeclipse]

[ The mentioning of his ice magic brings to mind his own abilities. Most were just his natural abilities as an elf mixed with all the drawbacks of being a vampire. His shadow power, however...

Hugo reaches over, picking up one of the rings he took off, and holds it between his fingers. With just a little effort, the golden jewelry began to give off an aura of dark smoke and shadow. With a huff, he holds it out and puts it back with the pile.]

I can put the shadow power in other things, but I also can't summon them for other purposes. It helps when I'm carrying my scythe, but if someone were foolish enough to break in now, I am not left with many choices other than to imbue shadows into something ridiculous and hope for the best.

In short, we both have work to do.

[paraselenic]

[Lycaon watches as the shadowy smoke engulfs that ring, head tilting slightly out of curiosity. Truth be told, he could imbue ice onto his gloves and legs as well, but it was so fleeting that it was much easier to just hope for the water source.

His eyes drift to his arm, with the row of spiky puncture wounds going up it.]

Back in the barrier, I am certain that my success was partially due to the elemental alignment being in Water's favor. I can't rely on such a handicap.

[After unclasping the second leg, he lets himself ease back onto the bed, staring at the fan that lazily spun above them.]

We could spar monthly. I know you're quite busy.

[myriadeclipse]

[ Turning to watch Lycaon lay back, he merely watches for a few, long moments. Then, he blinks slowly and leans over, laying himself half on top of him. He settled his head against Lycaon's chest, looking up at him as he slid his arm across him. The puncture wounds were carefully avoided in the way he laid. The idle thought spinning around in his head lagged a little, enjoying being with him for those quiet moments. ]

I'm not that busy. The Art Gallery will have employees and the trips are merely Mockingbird work. I can control how much or how little I do. I won't put anything important aside, but ... time with you is still important. We can spar.

We're trying to get stronger. Who better to test that on than the person who knows you best?

[paraselenic]

[It's like no time had passed at all. Lycaon feels that head slot against his chest, feeling how it perfectly lies in his fur. Memories of when they had to share a bed back in the day, where he'd always find Hugo resting his head in this exact spot.

He angles his head down to look back into those mismatched eyes. Though honestly, they did match one exact pair at his moment. His clawed hand reaches up to brush some stray hair out of his face to look at them better.]

Perhaps I'll have an 'epiphany' during my forced house arrest. That I should regularly use my PTO. [Lord knows he has a ton of it.]

If anyone knows my weaknesses, it's you.

[He pauses a moment, though, nails trailing long blond hair.]

Is something on your mind? [He might be mistaken, but..]

[myriadeclipse]

Yes...

[ It takes him a bit more time and thought to say it out loud. They did match. In all of their flaws and troubles, looking at Lycaon was like looking in a mirror sometimes. Even as his fingers drew a pattern in white fur, it took him time to focus again on words and not the way it felt when Lycaon was being so tender with him. ]

I thought about the last time we shared a bed like this. Even into ages where it would have benefitted us to find better to find better accommodations, we still slept like this because ... I couldn't sleep alone.

[ His shortcomings always inconvenienced others. It was making do, but it was doing it in such a way that benefitted him more than Lycaon. ]

Afterward, I would find small places to rest. The smaller, the better. Even while I was on the run with Lia or... with Andouille [ Clearly a nickname for a mysterious third person who has not earned name status. ] I would stay awake, or put myself in the closet if I was exhausted.

I don't think I've 'rested' in a long time. Even Molly hasn't seen me at rest.

[paraselenic]

[Ah. Nostalgic warmth spreads through him thinking about it. He remembers when it had been necessity to share--when their living quarters didn't accomodate two beds. Then, when the chance to have their own presented itself, he still felt Hugo crawl onto his bed to huddle against him. Sure, in the summer it made him reconsider living with his undercoat trapping all that heat, but he didn't regret it once.

It felt empty any other way.

The hollow feeling of staring at an empty bed..even now it gripped his heart in ice.]

I liked it. Though I complained when we were told to share, I slept a lot better having someone with me. [What he'd thought was encroaching on his space was...security. A sense to protect.] After that, I never saw a reason for us to sleep apart.

[He'll never forget the nights he would wake up only to see Hugo buried deep into his tail. ...Slowly, he lifts it up to drape across Hugo's back.]

Perhaps you just needed to return home. [Home. Presumptuous of him, but it was something he was realizing about himself too. Those many, many nights where sleep would evade him, only for him to walk outside to stare at the moon, as if she'd soothe him to sleep. He wanted to go home, too.]

You look tired. Should it benefit you...I would be happy if you rested here, as long as you need.

[His thoughts drift to the food containers he'd left on the counter. No doubt they probably should be put away. ...But his priorities are here.]

[myriadeclipse]

I always look tired.

[ Hugo laughed quietly. Having Lycaon curled around him was embarrassingly more comfortable than settling against thick fur in the summer should be. It could be the thumping of his heart or the rise and fall of his chest as he breathes under him like a living symphony. Lycaon was alive and no longer cross with him, and with it the years long heavy burden of disgrace lightened. It would be enough to lull anyone to a long awaited rest. ]

It was always easier to sleep with you than to sleep around my family. Dropping your guard could be your last mistake. Encouraged villainy between children, drawing out their natural heartless nature. Too young to see the world as more than yourself, and cultivating that to its highest insult.

Yet, when I was with you and Jack, I was forced to put my fears aside and trust the weakest moments to you or suffer a lack in my performance. It's only when I look back do I realize how his manipulation was just as bad as the others.

He coated it with sugar, but the desire to keep me like a valuable but dangerous pet was there.

[ He knows what the words sound like and the abrasive way they rubbed against his ears. With a soft sigh, he looked up to Lycaon's eyes again. ]

It wasn't a mistake, however. It was the only home I felt comfortable in. No matter what brought it about, That fact did remain.

[ For all of his bluster, it was 'home', and now he could return to it. ]

[paraselenic]

[As Hugo talks, Lycaon's eye drifts to the fan once more, ears tilted in his direction to indicate he's still listening. Hugo's family...it wasn't a particularly common topic they talked about back in the day. But he knew enough to dislike the treatment Hugo received from them.

His father, while Lycaon never met him, exhibited all the traits of a man high off his own ego. Untouchable in his mind, and that the ones below him were simply marionettes he pulled the strings of. His siblings...spoiled little creatures that no doubt would condemn Hugo for something as meaningless as his eyes. That couldn't have been a family. He's never had one bound by blood, but he keep it to himself that maybe Hugo didn't either.

As for Jack...]

I'd like to think he meant well. [Though he couldn't deny the stark contrast between how Jack spoke to him versus how he spoke to Hugo. Maybe it was because he was obedient. He'd always be grateful for what Jack did for him, but that one night where the bridge between them all was broken at its foundation sits in the pit of his stomach to this day.] He just...didn't understand you. Maybe I didn't, either.

[There were probably better ways to handle Hugo's trauma than refusing to listen to him. Infinitely better ways. That didn't make Hugo correct, but he could've at least been heard.

But despite that, his words make him smile, turning his gaze back to the vampire.]

I've read that bats exhibit something called 'roost fidelity', where they will often return to the same place to rest, even after long migration periods.

[He pauses, pressing his snout to Hugo's forehead.]

Welcome home.

[myriadeclipse]

[ Hugo was so pale that it was almost impossible to hide when a blush of color takes him. The bright color spreads over his cheeks and flood porcelain skin from ear tip to shoulders. It would take more time to believe it or trust it, the sound of it still made him feel a hope that the day he did would come. It was frightening, but the thrill of home becoming a person once again was a warm feeling.

Absolutely no one could ever know.]

That is true. It is also true for certain kind of vampire. I can't say I've ever run into them in real life, but fictional vampires sometimes need to carry dirt of their 'home' with them as they travel.

This is more convenient; both for roosting and for resting.

[ His eyes were already half closed. It was anyone's guess how long it would take him to fall asleep like this against Lycaon. That didn't stop the more curious or chaotic thoughts from blinking in his mind like stars. ]

How soundproof are your walls?

[paraselenic]

[He could feel the soft increase in Hugo's body temperature against him, and it takes every ounce in him not to wag his tail. It would ruin the moment, and all Hugo would get out of it was an unconventional beating.

His 'pack', as outdated and traditional as that term was, had reformed. Sure, all it consisted of was a one-eyed wolf and a hypoglycemic bat, but it was all he wanted. A secret they would keep as long as the world would let them. It was a ticking time bomb until the public found out about this relationship, but no one had to know just how deep it went. That part was for them only.]

Vampires are overly complicated in everything they do. [Maybe he'd mess with Hugo a bit and leave some of his tail fur on his briefcase.]

...

[Hugo's question causes him to close his eyes, his chest heaving in a reserved, but deep chuckle that resonated from the depths of his chest. The thoughts that danced through his mind betrayed any dignified air he currently possessed.]

I haven't checked. [His hand goes to his lips in thought, fangs peeking through the spaces between his fingers in an almost predatory grin.] But I am certain it won't be enough.

[myriadeclipse]

I could have meant it innocently.

[ He did not mean it innocently, but there were innocent ways of knowing. Maybe Lycaon heard children or yelling. He has no idea. No matter what more innocent way there was, the answer felt pretty accurate in his mind. He didn't know, granted, but he can imagine that if they did end up getting complaints, it was going to be because someone sounded like they were being mauled by a dog. ]

... Wait, are you saying I'm loud? Me? When you have all of this bulk and an untested bed? You're so rude.

[ He huffed gently, closing his eyes completely now, relaxing fully against his side. ]

As if you aren't also going to be noisy. Growling and what not.

[paraselenic]

I was merely looking out for you. Your ears are sensitive.

[He didn't either, but this sort of banter was second nature to them. One of his claws idly traces circles on Hugo's back as he thinks about it--yes, he'd definitely have to look into it.]

Your volume increases the higher your emotional state, so yes. But I can't deny you bring out my...untamed side. I wouldn't want the neighbors to worry.

[He'd probably have to replace his bed for something sturdier. Eventually.

Now that he thinks on it, the whole house could use an update. It was rather open for the size it was, and the upstairs went unused. Maybe he could do some renovations on that area for them.]