Re: [Snoozevamp] Damian's new friend

by **nocturnalie** on Mon Mar 12, 2012 11:32 pm

Colin accepts them gratefully. He's unembarrassed about being naked in front of Damian, but there's Alfred, and the nuns--except they're not back in the grey parts of the city now, and Colin doesn't want to think where Damian's taking him now, but there'll undoubtedly be people there. He pulls on the clothes and drags himself up onto a seat, his muscles aching.

He thinks he can still taste blood. "I remember what happened. This is the first time I've remembered."

by **sinistra_blache** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 12:27 am

Damian lifts himself onto the seats and pulls Colin with him. "I'm sorry," he says, unsure of what else to say. "I didn't think that would happen. You were a lion when I saw you. I'm - sorry."

(And in the driver's seat, Alfred is currently gobsmacked since he's never once heard Damian apologise for /anything/.)

by **nocturnalie** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 12:31 am

Colin leans in to Damian, grateful of the physical support and contact. When they'd been allowed to be human, the other kids and Colin had curled up together for comfort, too. "It's okay," he says quietly. "You had no way to know. I wasn't bitten like normal shifters, remember? I'm a lab experiment." A monster, he doesn't say, but the word's there in his head now.

(Damian's probably never accepted responsibility for anything, either, not like he has for Colin, quickly and immediately.)

by **sinistra_blache** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 12:35 am

"You're a /miracle/," Damian corrects him. "There are at least four strains of shifter blood in your system, all cohabiting, and there may be more. It's amazing. You're amazing." Damian doesn't gush, and his tone of voice is flat and matter of fact. But that's because he is stating facts.

(*explodes before uttering another 'babiiiiiiiies'*)

by **nocturnalie** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 12:38 am

Colin stares at Damian. No one--not even his parents--has ever called him a miracle, or amazing. Miracle rings around and around in his head, and he knows he's close to crying again. He squeezes his eyes closed, trying to stop it, and throws his arms around Damian again, hugging him (and hiding his face). "You're the best friend I've ever had."

(omg how is it possible for them to be this cute)

by **sinistra_blache** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 12:46 am

Damian puts a hand on Colin's back, remembering how touch calmed him down when he was shifted. Damian doesn't really mind contact with Colin, anyway. "I will try to live up to that statement," he says. He doesn't think he has so far. This is his fault. He was so sure, so confident. So bloody arrogant.

(I DON'T KNOW sob)

by **nocturnalie** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 12:50 am

"You already are," Colin insists, his voice muffled in Damian's shoulder. He's glad of the muffling; his voice might shake otherwise. "You got me out of there. I could have--I almost--he attacked me, but I nearly ripped out his throat," he makes himself say. He has the courage to do that, at least.

(well I suppose we are controlling them)

by **sinistra_blache** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 12:56 am

"And you stopped yourself," Damian starts to reassure him - then realises what happened. "...I'm not sure I've ever heard of a young shifter being able to do that. Ever."

(partially. I'm still headaching and detached from reality XD)

by **nocturnalie** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 12:59 am

"It was you." Colin looks up at him. "I heard your voice, and I just--I wanted to do what you told me to do. You made sense. The rest of them were all yelling and angry, but you made sense."

(Eh, that's fine, just means Eames is controlling Damian, snicker.)

by **sinistra_blache** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 1:06 am

"That's a pleasant change," Damian smiles a bit. "But I don't know why that happened. We can ask - I have people we can ask. And they won't mind what blood you have. They had better not. ...they live with me," Damian says, explaining. "They will be fine."

(That - that is a weird thought.)

by **nocturnalie** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 1:07 am

Colin takes a deep breath, and calms down even more--he doesn't know it's because Damian's scent is strong and surrounding him. "Is that where we're going? Where you live?"

(Yes. Yes it is.)

by **sinistra_blache** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 1:14 am

"Yes," he nods. "And, that means that you didn't entirely lie to the nun. Much better." Damian's platitude is weak, but he's not good at them. He furrows his brow at himself. He should probably get better at those. "I like in Wayne Manor."

by **nocturnalie** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 1:18 am

Colin's eyes go wide, and he's definitely awed. "The big place on the hill? You're one of /those/ Waynes? /Wow/. What's it like?" Then he catches himself. "Sorry. I probably sound like a little kid."

by **sinistra_blache** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 1:22 am

Damian shakes his head, ignoring Colin's apologies. "You'll see it soon enough," Damian promises. "I won't spoil it for you."

by **nocturnalie** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 1:24 am

Colin maybe smiles a bit, the tears seeming further away. They'll probably return tonight, once he's alone in his bed. So close to having a family, a real family--he shoves the thought away and smiles wider at Damian. "I can't believe you're taking me to your place. That is so awesome."

by **sinistra_blache** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 9:18 am

"That is what we said was going to happen, earlier," Damian points out. "Besides, I had half planned on it. I had no way of knowing if you would be staying there or going back to the orphanage... And I didn't know how long you would stay shifted. Or if you would be too worn out afterwards to be human," he frowns. There are so many unknowns and a lot of them he isn't saying out loud. Why did he ever think this was a good idea? He was an idiot. "And you need something to eat."

by **nocturnalie** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 12:03 pm

As if on cue, Colin's stomach grumbles. He claps his hand to it, surprised and embarrassed, cheeks burning. "I guess you're right," he says, laughing a little. He's trying not to think about staying with the shifters and not having to go back to the orphanage. That's just one more ball of misery to add to the stack.

by **sinistra_blache** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 12:18 pm

"We're used to feeding shifters," Damian keeps going. He feels like he needs to talk or he'll apologise again. "So you needn't worry."

by **nocturnalie** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 12:20 pm

"Good. Great! Thanks," Colin babbles, grinning. "What do you eat? When I was--shifted--I smelled you, and you smell human /and/ vampire all at once. Do you eat--drink blood?"

by **sinistra_blache** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 12:26 pm

Damian shifts around a little on the seat. "I can drink blood," he says. "But I'm not supposed to. My - family, they don't want to push me towards vampirism early. Which is something else entirely, let me tell you, and a taboo I don't subscribe to. So I eat food as a human would."

by **nocturnalie** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 12:29 pm

"So the more you act like a vampire, the more you'll become a vampire?" Colin grasps Damian's hand. That must be horrible, knowing and waiting for something like that to happen. "Can you stay human forever?"

by **sinistra_blache** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 12:42 pm

"I'll always be both," Damian looks out the window and squeezes Colin's hand. "But it can fluctuate. I'll never be affected by the sun, and I can sleep and eat, but I'll always want blood. I'll always be stronger, faster than humans. I'll live longer than any human will. And with a beating heart."

by **nocturnalie** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 12:46 pm

Curiously, Colin slips his fingers around to test Damian's pulse. He's right--it's there, strong and steady. "And you called /me/ a miracle," Colin breathes.

by **sinistra_blache** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 12:57 pm

Damian snorts. "I am a product of brilliant minds and better genetics. I'm no miracle." I'm a curse, I've been told. But no miracle.

by **nocturnalie** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 12:58 pm

"Even genetics couldn't predict the kind of person you'd become," Colin says stubbornly.

by **sinistra_blache** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 1:11 pm

"You are determined to put me on a pedestal, aren't you?" Damian smirks lightly.

by **nocturnalie** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 1:13 pm

Colin looks momentarily befuddled. "But I couldn't talk to you if you were--oh. Well. Maybe," he says mischievously. "Are you tall enough to climb up on one?"

by **sinistra_blache** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 1:25 pm

Damian stares at Colin, surprised by the jab. He recovers quickly. "Oh, you're an inch taller an me and suddenly I'm short," he replies coolly.

by **nocturnalie** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 1:28 pm

Colin's grin fades quickly at the cold expression on Damian's face. "I was just--I mean--I didn't mean to--sorry." He folds his hands nervously in his lap, letting Damian's hand go. "I was just joking."

by **sinistra_blache** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 1:58 pm

Damian snatches Colin's hand back, hastily. "I know you were," he assures Colin. "I know. I was trying to - also joke." He frowns at himself.

by **nocturnalie** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 2:00 pm

Colin stares at his hand in Damian's for a moment, then smiles hesitantly up at Damian. "Neither of us are very good at this, are we?"

by **sinistra_blache** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 2:17 pm

Damian looks down at their hands as well. "I think you're better at it than I am," he says quietly.

by **nocturnalie** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 2:32 pm

"We'll just have to practice," Colin promises him, squeezing Damian's hand. He likes this, the hand-holding, the constant contact. It's good for both of them, he thinks.

by **sinistra_blache** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 2:35 pm

"That seems likely," Damian says, smiling just a little. He doesn't know how he feels about the hand holding, other than he doesn't want to stop. He'll be teased about it. Drake will have something to say, anyway. But he doesn't care. It makes Colin feel better and that makes Damian feel better, oddly.

by **nocturnalie** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 2:38 pm

"So, we can hang out again?" Colin asks, just making sure. He's very hopeful. "Even if you're not taking me to the pride or anything. We can just--hang out together?"

by **sinistra_blache** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 3:29 pm

"I would like that," Damian realises out loud. "And I won't take you to a pride again. Lions," he scoffs. "They're arseholes."

by **nocturnalie** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 3:32 pm

"I'm surely they're nice people when they're not--you know, feeling threatened by a kid," Colin says doubtfully.

by **sinistra_blache** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 3:44 pm

"They're arrogant and self-obsessed and I have no time for them," Damian says in a clipped tone. "Even less so now than before."

by **nocturnalie** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 3:46 pm

Colin chews on his lip. "All shifters can't be like that. Right?"

by **sinistra_blache** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 3:55 pm

Damian shrugs. "I'm not the one to ask," he admits. "What I know of shifters is regrettably rose-tinted. But I do know that some of the different groups are subject to prejudice, or get set in their ways and customs. We can hope. Do you still want to be part of a group of shifters?" He has to ask. He's been wondering for a while. If it were Damian, he would swear off all shifters and go alone but he's pretty sure Colin won't be like that.

He hopes Colin won't be like that. Damian is used to being alone, and most of the time he wants to be. Colin doesn't seem to want to be.

by **nocturnalie** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 3:57 pm

Colin chews his lip, thinking, then nods slowly. "I want--I think it'd be easier if I had other shifters to talk to. I don't know anything about shifting or what I'm supposed to do or how I'm supposed to feel when things happen, or how to control it. And... well, you said it'd be like a family. I want that."

by **sinistra_blache** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 3:59 pm

Damian nods. "Then I will do my best to get that for you," he says. He promised to help. He's going to help.

by **nocturnalie** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 4:00 pm

"I know you will." Colin grins at him. "Thank you. You're the best."

by **sinistra_blache** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 4:16 pm

Damian inclines his head in acknowledgement, since he can't tell Colin to stop praising him /again/. He will later. For now, he rolls down the windows to let Colin see properly. They're pulling up to Wayne Manor now.

by **nocturnalie** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 4:17 pm

Colin peers out the window and his jaw drops open. "Wow. Wow! This place is /huge/. I never realised--from far away it looks smaller but /wow/!"

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