29 June 2008 @ 11:03 pm
[For Stephen] Fangs make the man (Part Two)  
[Dated to July 14]


Three days and they were still there. They didn’t feel as foreign as they had when he’d first woken up with them; he’d stopped accidentally clamping down on his bottom lip and tongue, forgetting they were there. They almost felt as normal as ever; natural. Right.

Asher decided it was probably best not to think about how right, though. They were just teeth. Everything that had come with them before didn’t seem to affect him now. No allergic reaction to the sun, no superhuman senses, he’d even checked out as ‘normal’ according to the whitecoats at the clinic: normal temperature, normal pulse, all vitals were decidedly human.

Everything else was just in his head... but he was still afraid of snapping, genuinely worried that he'd cross paths with the wrong person who'd say or do something and flip some switch, setting him off. He didn't want to kill anyone, at least he didn't think he did. Maybe a maiming at the most... Or maybe he just didn't want to deal with the consequences of killing someone. There really wasn't much in the way of consequences back home.

This wasn't home, though.

He'd avoided staying in the Compound for too long for the past few days, but he'd begun to miss his bed. He might have even missed waking up with Chloe's nose in his ear, not that he'd admit it.

After showering and braving the clothing box (which seemed to have taken pity on him today), Asher made his way to the dorm room, buttoning up his shirt then sitting down heavily on his bed. Ruffling his damp hair, he flopped back on the mattress, then grabbed a pillow, placing it over his face.
 
 
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[identity profile] colbert-bump.livejournal.com on July 7th, 2008 12:56 am (UTC)
"What?" Stephen asked, blinking in confusion. Sincere confusion, even, as he hadn't really noticed he had been inching away. "It is interesting."
asher_talos: The predator within wants out.[personal profile] asher_talos on July 7th, 2008 01:24 am (UTC)
"Is it?" Maybe he'd end up inching right off the edge of bed if he decided to keep it up. At least that was something to potentially look forward to.
[identity profile] colbert-bump.livejournal.com on July 7th, 2008 01:57 am (UTC)
Sighing, Stephen said "Yes..." in a way that signified massive amounts of duh. "I mean, you're not...the way you were before, right? You can go out in the sun..."

It was fascinatingly weird.
asher_talos: I can even make a vest look intimidating[personal profile] asher_talos on July 7th, 2008 02:45 am (UTC)
"No." Asher shook his head slowly. "I'm pretty sure you'd be dead by now if I were exactly like a was before."

Actually, he was almost positive of it.
[identity profile] colbert-bump.livejournal.com on July 7th, 2008 02:50 am (UTC)
Well, that was rude.

"Oh, that's great," Stephen said, maybe pouting. "I wouldn't even get the chance to be one of those whatever you called them?"
asher_talos: [Danica] Waiting in the wings[personal profile] asher_talos on July 7th, 2008 03:05 am (UTC)
"Truth hurts," Asher said with an indifferent shrug. "I remember them being a lot more agreeable than you. Knowing when to keep shut kept them alive longer; the smarter ones caught on to that. The dumb ones were made examples of."
[identity profile] colbert-bump.livejournal.com on July 7th, 2008 03:29 am (UTC)
Now there was a definite pout on Stephen's face. Why should he have to die by vampire?! He was famous!

Not that he was actually going to be killed...But logic didn't occur to him.

"Well, you're just unreasonable!" he so-thereed.
asher_talos: Asher doesn't DO nature. Or nurture.[personal profile] asher_talos on July 7th, 2008 04:03 am (UTC)
"No, you asked a question and I just gave you an honest answer," Asher insisted. Although, he should have known The Truth wouldn't sit well with Stephen.
[identity profile] colbert-bump.livejournal.com on July 7th, 2008 04:08 am (UTC)
"Well, I don't want to die!" Stephen exclaimed, arms flailing.

He didn't know why it bothered him so much. It's not like this was real; Asher had the teeth but apparently wasn't fully back to his old state, so what the hell? But Stephen couldn't help but feel somehow really offended.
asher_talos: Icy glare[personal profile] asher_talos on July 7th, 2008 04:30 am (UTC)
"Nobody wants to die... unless they're suicidal." Obviously. But fangs in his mouth now or not, he was going to. Eventually. "Kinda the point of vampirism."
[identity profile] colbert-bump.livejournal.com on July 7th, 2008 04:38 am (UTC)
"Which is why I should get the choice!"

This was ridiculous. Stephen knew that if he died for any reason, he'd be up in Heaven before his body went cold. So why did he care?
asher_talos: For serious?[personal profile] asher_talos on July 7th, 2008 04:51 am (UTC)
"If you say so..." Stephen apparently thought he'd made a point, possibly an important one. Maybe he had. Too bad Asher didn't see it.
[identity profile] colbert-bump.livejournal.com on July 7th, 2008 05:01 am (UTC)
"I do."

There was a silence before Stephen let go of some of his annoyance (and hurt, but he didn't want to think of that) and returned to peering at Asher's mouth.

"You should let me see them," he said conversationally, as if that made sense.
asher_talos: Going down?[personal profile] asher_talos on July 7th, 2008 05:11 am (UTC)
It was Asher's turn to lean away slightly at that.

"I'm doing about all that I should be doing right now, actually." There was plenty more he could be doing, though.
[identity profile] colbert-bump.livejournal.com on July 7th, 2008 05:30 am (UTC)
"The whole pillow thing?" Up went the eyebrow.

"I wouldn't touch them or anything..." Stephen said, like Asher was worried about that of all things.
asher_talos: Tell it like it is[personal profile] asher_talos on July 7th, 2008 05:39 am (UTC)
"Good to know. Because you'd pull back one less finger if you tried to..." Asher said plainly. "Not sure how good they are at reattaching body parts here."
[identity profile] colbert-bump.livejournal.com on July 7th, 2008 05:45 am (UTC)
If Stephen were any other person, the constant threats may have gotten to him. As it was, he was too busy trying not to think about how he had been so offended at the earlier comments of his death.

"See?" he said, clearly thinking Asher proved his point. "I'd keep my hands to myself."

Any suggestive wording was lost on him.
asher_talos: Acute[personal profile] asher_talos on July 7th, 2008 06:05 am (UTC)
"See what?" Was another point being made? Did he care?

No...

"And, in turn, you'd get to keep all ten of your digits. Congratulations."

Edited 2008-07-07 09:52 am (UTC)
[identity profile] colbert-bump.livejournal.com on July 7th, 2008 06:51 pm (UTC)
Sighing, Stephen said, "See that I wouldn't do anything but look!" Wasn't it obvious?

Really, Asher should be impressed that Stephen was so interested in something that had nothing to do with himself.
asher_talos: What do you mean not approachable?[personal profile] asher_talos on July 7th, 2008 11:26 pm (UTC)
"No," Asher bristled. "I'm not part of some fucking exhibit at a museum or a damn zoo." What the hell was wrong with him?
[identity profile] colbert-bump.livejournal.com on July 8th, 2008 01:36 am (UTC)
"Well I didn't say I'd take pictures..." Stephen said, because that was just logic. "Plus museums are boring." Zoos were okay, though. Animals where they should be.
asher_talos: Daniel Powter can suck it.[personal profile] asher_talos on July 8th, 2008 03:02 am (UTC)
Clearly, he'd never been to the Mutter Museum.

"Why can't you just stop while you're ahead and shut the fuck up?" Asher said, frustrated, rubbing a hand over his forehead.
[identity profile] colbert-bump.livejournal.com on July 8th, 2008 04:25 am (UTC)
Blink.

"I...like to talk?" Stephen enjoyed the sound of his own voice, in other words. He wasn't really sure when Asher had considered Stephen to be 'ahead', though. Through his cloud of self-absorption, he figured Asher had been annoyed with him the entire time.
asher_talos: Blond moment[personal profile] asher_talos on July 8th, 2008 04:55 am (UTC)
"Really?" Asher feigned a mild sense of shock. "I never woulda guessed as much..."

Guessing probably wasn't necessary when dealing with something so stupidly obvious.
[identity profile] colbert-bump.livejournal.com on July 8th, 2008 05:08 am (UTC)
Stephen sighed heavily and obviously so there was no way Asher could miss it. "So since you're here, does that mean you're out of hiding or wherever you were?" he asked. "I could...bring you some food or something if you don't want to leave..."

It was awkward, offering something for nothing in return. As was becoming a pattern, he wasn't sure why he did it. Being around Asher obviously wasn't good for Stephen.
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