Just a tickle

[Robyn]

Reaver had settled back in his home after the trip to visit his darling Sal. He missed being around his fellow homunculi. But sadly there had been no drop in visits from Ogi or Xan. He poured some fine white wine into his glass taking a sip. A soft hum escaped him as it's sweetness tickled the spot he wanted to fill. Ah it was vintage to. Well he had a cellar full. Shame no one to share it with but oh well.

Sitting back he complemented his evening. Should he call numbers from his little red book or take a nice relax in the tub? He had no clue. Giving a sigh as he lay down on the sofa in a slightly over dramatic fashion. He couldn't help but down the glass. Maybe a soak in the tub would help him come out of his after flight depression.

Shedding the white coat from his shoulders he hung it up neatly with his hat sat on top of the coat rack. The boots came off and where placed by the kitchen for polishing for when the servants came in the morning. Heading up the stairs he undid the pin for his bow and unbuckled the holster. His bare toes wriggling on the cold wood flooring. The bang of hair flopped down before his eyes and in a huffed noise he blew it to free his vision. He loved his hair but it was a temperamental love hate relationship between them. Entering his bedroom room he quickly removed his leather waist coat. Leaving him in just the black shit and the beige breeches. Flopping on the bed he let a content sigh as his head hit the plush silk covered mattress. His fingers played with the black sheets for a brief moment. His eyes fluttering closed. Okay maybe a brief nap wouldn't hurt. Not like anyone was coming to see him.

[Xan]

Unfortunately for Reaver, someone was in fact coming to see him. Someone who had the very entertaining ability to appear on ones doorstep without making a sound and even appear on the other side of the door if he felt so inclined. However, as an act of courtesy, Xanthus decided to only use the former ability, simply appearing in front of the door to Reavers' house. He raised a black-gloved hand to knock on the door, then thought better of it, opting to use the doorbell, which causing a series of loud ringing sounds to echo throughout Reaver's home.

As the loud noises, reverberated through the abode, Xan looked down at himself to make sure that he was sufficiently dressed to visit one of the more fashion forward of his immortal friends. He was dressed in his casual clothing, appearing not as Brigadier General Icarus, but as Xanthus. He was wearing a white shirt with a black jacket covering the majority of the shirt except for a line that ran through the center from bottom to top, black pants that were adorned with a darker black belt, and recently shined black boots. Yep, he was dressed well enough for the occasion, at least in his own opinion.

After checking himself out for a few moments, Xanthus returned his attention to the door with the vaguest thoughts concerning what Reaver might be doing on the other side. Hopefully not preparing to shoot him through the door. At that thought, Xan found himself moving away from the exact center of the doorway to stand more alongside of it. Just in case.

[Robyn]

Reaver's eye lids flittered open as he heard the bell. Sitting up groggy his normally well styled hair now a mess from being splayed amongst the sheets. He rubbed his left eye yawning quietly. "Who on earth could that be?" He mumbled as he stood heading out the room.

Bar feet pitter pattered across the floor as they made a steady way along the hall and down the stairs. Soon he stopped at the door and had to itch his right eye. Odd it rarely itched unless there was something worth it to itch over. He briefly looked to his pistol frowning as he realised red rum had been left upstairs. Sighing gently he switched on the charm even though he looked more ruffled then a bird's feathers and gently opened the door.

" Yes Duckies what brings you here quite so late......" His words trailed off as he took in his guess. Xanthus Icarus stood there in all his glory. Dressed in simple casual but never the less stood there on his door step. It had been so long since he had seen the other. " Xanthus....." For once the great diva was at a loss for words.

[Xan]

Xanthus stood on Reaver's doorstep with a highly amused look on his face. He gave a look toward the sky, as though he had just realized that it was in the evening hours that his visit had occurred. Had he forgotten about time differences again? Oops. As had happened before when he had returned to places where people knew him unexpectedly after some time had passed, Reaver stood before him speechless for a few moments. With a small chuckle, Xan now looked back at Reaver, looking him up and down, noting his apparent bedgear. Then, just to break a little forming ice, Xan began to speak with an amused voice.

"I must say Reaver, I like the night-gear. Very nice. But are we going to stand here and stare at each other all night, or are you going to invite me in?"

Taking a peek inside, Xanthus looked back to Reaver, then back inside, then back to Reaver with a slightly puzzled look on his face. Then, the look shifted to being seriously confused. Finally, Xanthus voiced a question that captured the essence of what seemed to be confusing him so. With a serious face, Xan asked:

"Hmm...somehow I expected there to be beautiful men and women here! Where are the parties and orgies?!"

[Robyn]

"I must say Reaver, I like the night-gear. Very nice. But are we going to stand here and stare at each other all night, or are you going to invite me in?" Quickly putting on his charm he took a step back and let him into the finely decorated manor. "Oh my dear Xanthus this is not night-gear. This is me shedding a few layers. I wear much less when I go to bed." He purred seductively and headed to the wine rack.

"Hmm...somehow I expected there to be beautiful men and women here! Where are the parties and orgies?!" He uncorked a champagne and poured it into two flutes handing one to Xanthus. "Ah but I have been busy at those for the past two weeks. I felt a night off was needed...I was heading to the bath but I guess I fell asleep before your arrival..." He sat on the black leather sofa sipping his wine. For a second he looked over the glass down at his rather delicate toes. Giving them a wriggle in slight amusement musing over if he could get a pedicure soon. He had too much time to waste as of recent.

"And you my darling, I have heard you pulled a nice vanishing act? Where have you been?" He scolded lightly. The poor man looked almost in shock at how quite the large manor was. Especially seeing it was his manor. But sadly when he had left central...he had left the lovely company who regularly stayed in his life.

[Xan]

The casually-clad Ishvallan was soon invited into Reavers' mansion and escorted to the wine-rack, much to his pleasure. It had been some time since Xan had tasted excellent quality wine and he was sure that Reaver only kept the best stock within his abode. Raising his glass to his and Reaver's health, Xan took a sip of the champagne and was delighted to discover that he had not been mistaken and that the wine was in fact excellent in quality. Finding a remarkably comfy-looking chair, Xan turned it to face Reaver where he sat upon a sofa and sat himself down, getting completely comfortable whilst he sipped upon his wine.

When Reaver asked about where he had been, Xanthus simply smiled in mid-sip and gave Reaver a slight wink over the fine glass in his hand. Putting the cup down and brushing a hair strand away from his eyes, Xan leaned forward a bit in the chair towards Reaver, a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

"Oh, you know, I was touring the world, handling clandestine tasks and sampling some of the more...exotic pleasures that I discovered during said tasks. However, distractions aside I did find what I had disappeared to search for in the first place."

Xanthus left the explanation where it stood for the moment, leaving the topic in the air and taking another sip of the champagne. Really, it was exquisite wine! The Ishvallan made a mental note to discover where Wrath obtained his alcohol. He just had to have some sent to his own home.

[Robyn]

The smile...the slight wink...brushing the hair back and leaning foreword. These were all behaviours Reaver knew well. his nails drummed on the glass as he listened. "Oh, you know, I was touring the world, handling clandestine tasks and sampling some of the more...exotic pleasures that I discovered during said tasks. However, distractions aside I did find what I had disappeared to search for in the first place." His lips twitched into a frown. Oh how he wished he had Red Rum with him.

His eye had rolled back revealing the sign of his Ouroboros. That mark of wrath. "Mmm yes....When I visited Sal he hadn't seen you for a while..." He placed the glass down with a cold chink. "So you upped and left him and me for some mediocre chores and some shitty romps…left without telling us!" His tone had gone from calm purr to sharp snarling. His normally bouncing hair was still a flopped mess from his earlier nap. hanging down framing his elegant face. "I wouldn't of even cared if YOU hadn't messed me up!!" He snarled pointing to Xan accusingly.

[Shula Brighton]

{BUMP}

[Xan]

Xanthus' eyebrows both rose in unison in an expression of exaggerated surprise. It had been sometime since he had last seen Reaver's Ouroboros mark; the Ultimate Eye of Wrath had been revealed, something that was only done when Reaver was either upset, planning to end someones' life, or both as far as Pride knew. Fortunately it seemed that his favored weapon was missing in action. Even immortals did not like the prospect of being shot.

Apparently however, even without his firearm, Reaver was more than capable of shooting deathly glares in his general directions, and following those glares up with pointed words of accusation. When he was finished, Xanthus crossed one leg over the other and leaned even further backwards into his chair, staring at the man across from him with a contemplative air.

"Just so that you know, I was actually kidding about the 'sampling' part. In truth, I actually had a very good reason for leaving behind you and Sal without saying a word as to where I was going.

Here Xan paused long enough to sigh heavily, as though a heavy weight had been dragged off of his shoulders and set down on the floor beside him for a time. Reaching fingers found his glass and he took another decent sip of the fine wine before setting the glass down again. His eyes never left Reaver for a single moment.

"Before I go on, exactly what did you mean when you said that I 'messed you up?'

Uncrossing his legs, Xanthus leaned now a little bit forward in his chair, to better show his host that he in fact held his full and undivided attention for awhile.

[Robyn]

Reaver crossed his arms. Feeling naked with red rum at his hip. Suddenly he felt uncomfortable exposed. This had never happened before. But then again His superficial world was being knocked over by Xan and Sal as a child would kick a sandcastle.

"You and Sal....I've never cared for anyone...I knew how superficial the world was and that people only cared if they could get something out of being near you. And I was fine with that! I was fine with not caring what the name of my bed partners were. I was fine with not having anyone close. Fine with people appearing on my life for a few minuets of fame and then pissing off!!! I was fine with being selfish!! I was fine with using people to get what I wanted! Why did you two have to come and ruin it!"

He got to his feet pacing and snarling slightly. After collecting his thoughts he stopped pointing to Xan. " I came back to Creta, A for better money and B to escape you two. Why is it that I find that without you two in my life I feel empty.... I tossed my family aside without a care because they were holding me back... I used my wife for immortality....I don't care for people...why are you two special......" The eye returned to it's normal state replacing the feral rage with a broken man. To some this would seem silly the prospect of missing and loving people. But Reaver who had seen the world as selfish and superficial since childhood this was frightening.

[Xan]

Silence hung in the air for a time between the two men; a heavy silence, silence in which nothing could be heard throughout the house except for perhaps the repeated breathing of those who were inside. Xanthus allowed the silence to continue unabated and uninterrupted for a while as he stared at Reaver, watching him change from the enraged Wrath the Furious to the broken Reaver. The change was swift, and its effect something terrible to behold. When he felt 'satisfied' with what he was seeing, Xanthus stood and after a small stretch addressed Reaver again, only he did not look at him this time.

"Reaver, although I don't know that much about your 'loved' ones of the past or about you in general, I can at the very least say that Sal and I are special because you actually love us, whether as friends, family, or otherwise, you care for us simply for that reason."

Now Xan was looking at Reaver, and though to most people this would be the moment to let emotions shine through like water rushing through a broken dam, his face was almost perfectly neutral, a mask of absolute calm which clashed wonderfully with his words spoken and as of yet unspoken. Pride hesitated to say '...and we feel the same way,' if only just for the moment, though the particular reason for this was his to know alone.

[Robyn]

Xan wasn't looking at him. sometime this would of once made him angry. But right now part of him was glad Xan couldn't look at him. He felt disgusting...unnatural and even ashamed.

"Reaver, although I don't know that much about your 'loved' ones of the past or about you in general, I can at the very least say that Sal and I are special because you actually love us, whether as friends, family, or otherwise, you care for us simply for that reason."

He wanted to scoff and laugh at the joke. Him? Loving? The word was a mockery on him. He had loved no one in his life. Unless himself had counted. He loved himself plenty. He cherished Sal and Xan...well he was something different. But did he love them. He was unsure of it. Then again someone who had never loved wouldn't know what love is... Though he was too proud to ask.

sitting back and sipping his wine. He scoffed. "Let us just forget this....either we can drink more wine or....get down to other things?" He purred but.....the heart wasn't behind it. Making it sound like an empty drawl. His temper was flaring up as Xan's words repeated in his head. Looking up at his still blank face he snapped. Ouroboros flicking back in seconds and with a perfect aim the glass...wine and all was lobbed in that beautifully sexy face.

"HOW DARE YOU MOCK ME!" He all but roared. "How dare you accuse me of ridiculous things yet stare at me like some low life under your shoe!!" His anger and hatred seeping into each word. His fingers curled into the material of Xan's coat pulling there faces closer his eyes glowering into Xan's own. "I am not that man anymore!!! I am not from that life anymore!" Lip curling. "I am something much greater!!!"

[Xan]

Xanthus watched Reaver as he moved and spoke and was instantly reminded of an old acquaintance...no, an old friend of his who was quite like his Homunculus host in personality. Thus, when the wine glass flew, so did a pitch black tendril from behind. The glass froze in mid air and its contents splashed about inside and went onto the floor, except for a drop or two which found themselves upon Xanthus' face. He had just enough time to wipe off the drops with a finger before Reaver was pulling him by his jacket and roaring in his face.

Suddenly Wrath was done after his yelling speech. Instead of immediately responding, Xanthus lifted his finger and stuck it in his mouth, licking the spilled wine off. He then smiled at Reaver for a moment before saying: "You know, this really is good champagne."

An exaggerated and contented sigh escaped his lips for just a second a look of pure bliss came over his features; an expression that was almost terribly out of place amongst the face of Pride. Then, just as quickly as it had appeared there, the expression was gone, lost amongst the expression of pity that came over his face. He held that expression for a while, looking at Reaver as though he had seen the future and seen disaster waiting for his host. Then, his face changed yet again, this time back to its neutral state. When he spoke again, this time his voice was blank save for a tinge of impatience that was very barely hidden and becoming more obvious as he spoke.

"That was me mocking and looking down upon you in pity, Reaver, which I was not doing earlier. I was not mocking you, I was speaking a truth.

You claim to be somehow greater, but how do you see yourself as having achieved this greatness? By claiming to not have feelings of love and caring? Homunculi that are like us, are still part human Reaver! So yes, you are in fact 'that man' even now!"

Pride let his accusation hang in the air for a little while, staring deep into the Ultimate Eye without more than the slightest blink to break the stare. Again silence stood between the two men like a thick mist, and again it was filled with a heaviness that was beyond description.

[Robyn]

Just...what... the expression from Reaver's face had changed from curling lip of anger to just pure confusion. Mouth agape mid word Eyes wide but no longer wild head tilted slightly. It was oddly cute.

Then it bubbled and burst. Soft chuckling escaping his lips as his grip loosened lightly on the material. Hair flopping down in front of his eye blocking its view but not it's vision. His forehead resting against Xan's shoulder as his laughter died down.

"I think I know why you stuck on me Xanthus....." He whispered softly. "Your immune to my drug..." He rocked back on his heels letting go of the other picking up the glass placing it on the glass table before flopping on the sofa arm falling over his face. "I can wrap anyone and everyone round my finger....but you...." He sighed softly looking over. "Your immune..."

Maybe that’s why he had this so call 'Love' For Xan. Maybe for Sal too... Though not quiet the same way. Both weren't there because he charmed them into some addiction to be there....They where there by choice. They left and came back into his life by free will.... Maybe Xan was right....Not that he would tell him that. He already was pride...he didn't need an ego stroke.....he'd stroke something else but not his ego.

[Reila Tsukino]

archiving (Shu it's been two weeks; you don't bump)

[Xan]

Xanthus watched Reaver's temper suddenly and swiftly drain through the bottoms of his feet, and watched as the man's expression shifted from wrathful to confused. His face was almost comical as it portrayed exactly how confused Reaver truly was; it almost made Xanthus want to chuckle, but he held himself back with a minimal effort. Ironically, it was at this time that Reaver himself began to chuckle for a time, and rest his forehead upon Icarus' shoulder. Within some seconds, Reaver had gone over to his couch and sat down rather heavily upon it. However, Xanthus chose merely to stand, an unreadable expression upon his face shielding his thoughts from view.

With deliberate slowness, Xanthus finished the last drops of the bubbly liquid within the confines of his glass, then gathered up his jacket about himself. His crimson eyes were still rather unreadable as he walked over to Reaver and put a hand upon the top of his head, an action typically reserved for children that Xanthus felt attached to in some way. After a while, Xanthus simply turned upon his heel and headed for the door with a slow, and purposeful stride. When he reached the door, he turned around to face his host, and made a light bow in his direction. Afterwards, he spoke in slightly formalized Cretan, perfectly accented as though he had lived in Creta his entire life.

"It has been a pleasure to see you again Reaver, and I thank you for your hospitality and your highly flavorful wine. I hope to see you again some time in the future."

With those oddly cold words, Xanthus left Reaver's abode, simply walking into the night and disappearing into the shadows. However, before he disappeared he did offer one last expression towards the mansion that he had just left which displayed the emotion that he had been feeling towards the end of his visit. Without saying so, Xanthus was leaving Reaver alone so that the other Homunculus could have some time to think on what was said that night. The expression upon his face had made that evident as he merged with the shadows of darkness...the expression had been suspiciously close to pity.

*Topic Exit*

[Robyn]

The hand on his head brought him from his stupor. His eyes flicked up towards Xan connecting there eyes for the brief moment. His heart felt warmth yet an odd pain at the same time. An almost longing that almost was doomed to never be filled. His hand reached up clasping his free one for a brief moment. He turned his hand placing the delicate kiss to it's skin. A tiny sentiment of the emotions that puzzled him so.

But as the other left he wanted to call out. Ask even beg the other to say but...his pride must of been infectious for now it held his tongue in iron shackles and chains. The man stopped bowing at the door in his final words.

"It has been a pleasure to see you again Reaver, and I thank you for your hospitality and your highly flavorful wine. I hope to see you again some time in the future."

And then he was gone. And Reaver cursed him, the sin he resembled and himself to damnation and everything that went with it.

THREAD END

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