Grouse Thicket thou bleeding piece of earth

He smiled, small and humourless, and canted his head in an almost mocking manner. "Indeed," the chuckle that rumbled from his maw was cold, holding within them not even a hint of amusement. "Nicolas needs me, as I need him." It was no opinion; it was a simple fact, as far as Sargent was concerned. "We are two, stuck in one body." The corner of his lip hitched upwards in the shadow of a smirk and he narrowed his eyes, burning brilliant green and shining fiercely. He looked at her, contemplating his next move.

"Doesn't matter," he dismissed, smiling, "no one really does. Unless it's by someone they love. Still, that takes the fun away, doesn't it?" and when his smile grew, it was the same cold one that he used just a moment before. Gone was his boyish humour, and carelessness. This was business, and facing the silver fae, Sargent felt the need to just be a tad bit more serious than he usually was. 

"Aeronwyn," Sargent tested the word out and smiled a small, curious smile, eyes lighting up with an unfathomable gleam of emotion. "I can see why Nico likes you," and when he grinned, it was a genuine one. "Don't let him go so easily, yeah?" he spoke, then frowned and sucked in a breath, "well, if he ever comes back, that is," Sargent added, lips pressed into a thin line, countenance wiped free of any hint of emotion as various thoughts came rushing forward. 

He moved away from the water and onto the bank in graceful movements; there was no hint of aggression in the way he walked and gestured, and he kept a careful distance between Aeronwyn and himself. "I don't know," Sargent lifted a shoulder in a languid shrug, and while his demeanour appeared to be one of insouciance, it was a genuine answer: he didn't know what he was going to do next. "Living my own life separate from Nico's never works, fighting against his life just brings us both pain." Sargent lifted his eyes, bracing his shoulders, "I'll just go with the flow, see what shit I can get into."

But when Sargent attempted the charming boyish smile that more often than not was plastered on his face, he found himself slowly slipping away and his expressions contorted as he grimaced painfully and his knees buckled beneath him. 

When his eyes opened once more, they were still the same apple green and his expression was still carefully emptied of emotion, but now they were just a tad bit more guarded, and while Sargent's gaze was more open and welcoming, albeit with a curious glint within their depth, his were shadowed and secretive, dark, reserved and guarded.

He rose to his paws, narrowed his eyes and sucked in a sharp breath.

"What happened?" were his slow, careful words, devoid of any emotion as he struggled to maintain his composure.