Settling In

Aeker took out another cigarette, lighting it and placing it between his lips before offering one to Aodh.

"That is a shame."

He said with a nod, he had not had many partners in his life, he had no desire for one and could not offer much support on the subject.

"Never again is a bold thing to say, you have eternity spread out in front of you."

"It wouldn't be so bad if it was someone I had just-" He sighed heavily. "It wouldn't have been so bad if it wasn't someone I had loved since we first lad eyes on each other."

He shook his head when the man offered him a cigarette.

He didn't feel like smoking at the moment.

"An eternity that'll be spent hiding."

He could not help but feel a pang of sympathy for the man, matters of the heart never seemed to end painlessly.

"You must rise above this friend, you can not let the past dictate your future."

"Eighteen hundred years. We have loved each other for eighteen hundred years."

His hands tightened into fists. "And then he met this- This child! And then I meant nothing to him... He chose the child over me."

He curled up into a ball. "That's a lot of past, Aeker. I can't just rise above that. No matter how much I try."

Aeker's eyes slid shut, pieces falling into place slowly.
So this was why he had asked if he and his sister had an incestuous relationship, his brother whom he had mentioned and he must be twins, given the length of time that they had been together.

"You and your brother are twins too."
He stated more than questioned.

He nodded silently.

They had been triplets, but the third child was stillborn. He and Coilean were the two that survived and carried on the family.

He and Coilean were the ones that did everything from herding the village sheep to trying to steal some cheese to feed the family.

He and Coilean were the ones that had been together since they were born.

And now Coilean had abandoned him for a child that had turned around and abandoned the younger twin for four months like it was nothing.

He bit his lips harshly.

Aeker sighed softly.
He felt the need to apologize to the man for his suffering, but he was positive the man did not want his pity or else he would not put on such a playful, care free exterior.

He rose to his feet and sat beside the man, Aodh had already kissed him so he saw no need for socially dictated boundaries.

He placed his hand on the mans back and gave it a soft pet, of the twin, Aeker was definitely the more empathetic.

He flinched a little when Aeker pat his back.

Great, comfort. Just what he wanted.

It took him a minute to compose himself, but he lifted his head and forced a grin onto his face.

"I'm fine. Just a...A moment of self pity. It's over."

Though the grin on his face was bright, his silver eyes were dull.

"Liar."

Aeker replied smoothly, rising to his feet again.
Taking a few steps before flicking the excess ash form his cigarette and placing it back between his lips.

He was clearly not well versed when it came to interacting with other people, but he had good intentions none the less.

"Do what you can to survive," he repeated.

"Sadness, love..." He sighed heavily and began running his fingers through his hair, pulling it over his shoulder and letting it cascade over his chest. The tips orange locks caressed his navel.

"They're emotions that could get me killed if I show them to the wrong people."

"And yet you choose to show them to me, a man who was contemplating tearing you apart moments ago, of all people."

He said as he shook his head.

"You have a strange taste in people whom you let your barriers down around."

"I don't choose to let them break."

He kept his thoughts to himself usually.

There were some things that just shattered his barriers.

"I needed to let that out." He shook his head with a heavy sigh. "And you were the unlucky bastard that had to listen to it."

The man shrugged with another sigh and began braiding his hair. "Sorry about unloading all that shit onto you."

"Any time, I think of all people, I am probably the closest who can understand how you feel, even if it only slightly."

He said with a blank expression, loving a twin was something others could not understand.

"I fear that it may be something that you have to discuss with your brother, it's eating at you."

"Never thought you'd be offering me help after my wonderful greeting." His lips quirked into a little grin.

The grin quickly faded, though.

"No..." He shook his head softly. "I cant."

Aeker chuckled softly.
"I'm not a violent man and I don't hold grudges, those are my sisters vices, you'll find that we are yin and yang in most cases."

He shook his head and looked back at Aodh.
"Can't or wont?"

He smiled softly. "Twins usually are."

He and Coilean had been complete opposites in the past few hundred years. Yin and Yang.

"Wont."

"Yes well, unfortunately for you, you've caught the attentions of the evil twin."

He replied shaking his head as he referred to his sister.

"I'm not going to push the matter, it's not my place, but you should."

He grinned and gave a quiet chuckle.

"Evil is fun."

The 'evil' twin was interesting. He liked her.

"I know I should. But I can't talk to him about this when he can't even look me in the eye."

Aeker chuckled softly.
"Then by all means have fun, I have one request though..."

He replied softly, this man was older and stronger than his sister.
He hoped he could restrain her some what, keep her preoccupied since he was not as breakable as her former suitors.

He arched a brow curiously at the man.

"Aye?"

What could he do for this man? They barely knew each other and they weren't close. At all.

"If something does happen between you and Alexis, I don't want to hear about it.

Just...She bites, you're a lycan and it is beyond dangerous but she loses herself in her urges, doesn't think things through.
Stop her."

He said with an exasperated sigh, shaking his head, she was reckless.

"I've seen the effects of blood poisoning before." He shook his head softly; he wouldn't wish it on anyone.

"An old lover of mine had it." They hadn't bedded each other often but Gacinto had been his lover when they first met. Back when she and Alek were mates. The circumstances of their beddings were odd but he hadn't complained.

"I'll stop her. I'd stop anyone in danger of getting poisoned."

Aeker nodded, that's all he wanted to hear.

"Good, if she got sick, I would come after you."
His tone was not threatening, he was simply stating facts.

If she got poisoned, it would happen, and he would not show mercy.

"I wouldn't be so stupid as to let it happen," he assured.

He could count the number of times he'd let a vampire drink his blood on one hand. And even then he hadn't let them take any more than what was necessary.

No one had or would get poisoning from his blood. He wouldn't allow it.

"I'm glad to hear it, she gets caught up in what she feels and loses her senses."

He replied with a shake of his head, glancing up for a moment to view the sky.
Morning was on its way.

"I'm afraid I must leave you for now, it was a pleasure talking to you Aodh."