Re: Art of Conflict (Laven & Kol)

[Kol]

No. The word cut through the air like Hasi's hand. Negating Kol's offer sharply and dismissing it out of hand. The dark-haired man blinked slowly, looking like a man trying to rise out of sleep but finding the lure of warm blankets difficult to shake off. Except it was not warmth or blankets that called to Kol. It was the sound of Hasi's voice, the echo of his pain which had set fire inside of Kol's veins and which refused to be dismissed as easily as the flicker of a hand.

Did not want this?

It did not sound like a lie. It sounded like passionate truth even if it made no sense at all to Kol.

Kol's mind helpfully supplied a singular word to the end of Hasi's statement and tension spilled out of the tall man. Green eyes slid over the elf. Noting the harsh rise and fall of his breath, the tension. There was a readiness in Hasi, but not eagerness. Weariness. Just there. Kol had seen it all along, since the first moment that Hasi had realized what was happening but Kol had not known then what it was.

Slowly Kol's eyes slid away from the elf to the man who was just beginning to rise from the floor. "Money to bring you here, a challenge." It was what he had been promised. His smile had in the space of a moment become small, but now it began to grow again. "Go mon Hasi. Rest oui?"

The darkness which Kol himself could not feel was deepening around him. The weight of his intent as he stepped not toward Hasi, but toward the man who had paid him to be here. He would make his challenge in another way.

[Laven]

His body almost sagged as the other assassin turned his attention away and towards Randwulf. Every inch of Laven's body hurt in some way. Bruises and aches that went to his bones as well as the wound in his shoulder. And yet there was a tiny part of him that felt satisfaction at seeing Randwulf's eyes open wide at the approach of Kol.

"Demontry, stop this. You are still in my employ!" The human gestured angrily at Laven as if his earlier objection had been forgotten. He was backing up, sparks of lightning dancing on his fingertips and discharging between them. It did nothing to halt the pursuit of Kol, the man's stilted walk making Laven's whole body tense just remembering it scuttling towards him.

With care Laven managed to keep himself upright and began to make his way towards the door that would lead him to freedom. His eyes remained fixed on Kol, only switching to Randwulf when he caught sight of Laven trying to leave. "Laven! Lavender, please you know I love you. Please, help me." The begging sound of his voice made Laven frown.

With narrow eyes Laven observed the scene before him, his face impassive. "I told you, Randwulf. I just have to wait you out. Twenty more years, at the longest. And maybe only tonight." Red eyes didn't even blink as Kol grasped Randwulf's wrists , the lightning arching between the two men cut short by what Laven could only assume was the assassin's poisons at work.

Finally turning his head Laven opened the door, shutting out the screams of fear and rage from Randwulf's mouth as he forced his body out of the mansion that was filled with bitter memories and the taste of blood in the very air. He was going to get Remembrance and then...

He was going home, where there were people who loved him, people that knew the difference between love and loathing. And a single man that deserved to know how he felt, before their lives took them apart once again.

~End~