steals this instead of starting us one
he's not sure how he ends up so deep within the mountain range. the hours — has it been hours? — have passed in a blur. there's no thought in this heavy fog; he doesn't know where he is, he hardly knows who he is. he doesn't want to. his feet move and the scenery shifts, he breathes and the air fills him, and for the moment his grief is muted. it never quite leaves, but he's learned to deal with that.
suddenly he's — where is he? he comes to an abrupt halt, dazed. it's dark, at least until his vision adjusts (haltingly) to the dimmer lighting and he realizes it's a cavern. he blinks and gapes for several more moments. the scent of a stranger registers belatedly; he's walked right past him, so he turns to look, wondering distantly how he'd managed to get down here without seeing or hearing a single thing.
"huh. didn't see you," he says, slurring just slightly; he's gotten better at this, and he knows he shouldn't be proud of that. "hey— your eyes, they're kinda like my brother's. fuckin' wicked." the observation is made lazily, but he tacks on a half-assed grin. he wonders if he'll kill this stranger, too.
<3
he's aware enough to recognize the tone the dark male uses, the shadows gathering behind his eyes now; it thrills him. he takes a step closer, pulse quickening. maybe the stranger will kill him instead. the question draws a strangled laugh from him. "i left him," he tells him, sucking in a breath as if the words are painful to hear from his own mouth. "for his sake."
he's pleased with the other man's discomfort, daring another step forward. he watches for glimpses of his teeth as he speaks; he wonders how much it would hurt. a smile settles across his features, tired and knowing. "observant," he murmurs, drawing dry tongue over his lips. he sits, posture relaxed in sharp contrast to the other's.
"tell me, then, what afflicts me." he knows — of course he knows, and it's likely the stranger does not, but he's intrigued now, watching closely with eager inkjet eyes.
he's struck with the urge to touch the stranger, watching him lower his head. a shiver runs down his spine, but he doesn't move. "what can you give?" he inquires, tilting his head slightly. the air feels thick in his lungs. nothing, it answers for the stranger, a fleeting rustle of a whisper in the stillness of the cavern that only he can hear. his ear twitches, but he doesn't acknowledge it. perhaps it's true, but he's never been afraid to take what cannot or will not be given.
he senses his brother the moment he's stepped into the cavern, but he lets him go unacknowledged until absynthe is close — too close. he tenses, hackles lifting as he listens to him speak; idiot, he thinks, ignoring that he'd given the telling information himself.
"what you want might be of more consequence to me if you did not insist on flaunting our — relationship," he keeps his voice smooth with great effort, eyes still fixed on the stranger. "i'm not sure i want to let him leave, now. he may ah... know we're brothers. don't ask." he continues, still careful of his tone, but as he slinks around to put himself between the others and the exit, he's certain his intentions cannot be hidden any longer.
A scowl crossed his features but he dismissed his brother's words for now to focus on the frustrated stranger. His tail flicked behind him at the foreign words. Relax.
He cooed softly to the obviously frustrated male. Even if the words didn't mean much, the tone was readable.
Where did you learn to speak like that?
And what did it mean? Abysnthe was pushing his boundaries with everyone but that was okay to him.