12-10-2022, 10:28 PM
Adrian Kane. Again. Was he king around here? Sent by Ascendancy to be the man’s tutor. He was connected in the highest of ways. Then deposited in a suite all to himself that may have well have been a condo more than a hotel. Then upon being denied entrance to that same suite, simply mentioning Adrian’s name opened the doors to the palace. Maybe Jay should have tried the same tactic to get a table. Then again, if he had, he’d be alone. As he watched the waitress depart, Jay had a feeling he may not have been alone for long. Instead, he found himself in interesting company. The man whose space Jay invaded spoke with a tilted accent that was decidedly northern European in origin. It was like someone out of a movie.
“Everyone around here seems to know of Adrian Kane, but nobody ever seems to know where he is. Does he even exist?” he responded. When their order was returned, Jay popped several bites greedily before he remembered himself.
“Did you want some?” Jay pushed at the plate in semblance of offering.
“Sorry about stealing a spot. If you’re expecting more company, I’ll be sure to make room,” he glanced at the open space between them. There was plenty of room for others if they got a little cozy. Not that he would mind.
“But the room was full and you can’t imagine how hungry I am,” he added.
“Call me Jay,” he said with a mouthful of savory morsels. The drink was a cocktail of some kind. Jay didn’t really pay attention when he ordered.
In that moment, a notification befell his wallet. His breath caught in his throat. He caught himself wondering if it was Cayli until he thought better of it.
He re-read the words, not understanding the first few times through. He just stared at the word promise. Then the memory of Nox’s voice begging him to recognize what Jay was too fucking selfish to understand replayed with fresh, awful understanding.
He immediately replied, but the message came back undeliverable.
Every muscle felt like it turned to water. He tried resend, but the outcome was the same.
God he was fucking stupid. He thought Nox understood. Thought that no matter what fuckery was going on, Nox would get it. He thought of Axel then. Dead also. Someone else who got it, also betrayed and gone. His arms fell limp, wallet abandoned on the table. Next thing he knew, Jay had finished the cocktail in one swallow and asked for a shot the next time around.He didn’t want to feel this feeling. Failure inevitably followed. Swift on the heels of rejection by the only person still alive he considered a friend.
He got his entire family brutally killed. Nox was done with him. Blamed him for something that Jay didn’t even understand. What was wrong with their being friends?
His gaze, hot and empty, eventually settled on the nearby individual whose life he was also encroaching upon.
“Sorry to bother you. I’ll leave you alone,” he said quietly. As soon as the shot was placed on his table, he downed it in a single swallow. Of course, he quickly finished off the remaining food because despite being torn apart, he was still hungry, left something in the form of payment and hurried from the room.
Only as soon as he found himself in a lobby full of people, the faces may have well been empty shells. The people walking skeletons. He didn't even know where to go.
There was nobody left. Nobody except the cadre of soldiers devoted to the Ascendancy’s missions, but they were less like brothers and more like tolerated coworkers. The power was all he had. This bloody-forsaken fucking curse of power. He summoned it like an old companion, let the numbness of it roll inside. The room exploded into life then, and he heard footsteps behind him. He turned carefully, catching a glimpse of blonde hair. If it was Natalie coming to tell him to fuck off also...
Well, at least he knew where to go to find a good fight and finish things off proper.
“Everyone around here seems to know of Adrian Kane, but nobody ever seems to know where he is. Does he even exist?” he responded. When their order was returned, Jay popped several bites greedily before he remembered himself.
“Did you want some?” Jay pushed at the plate in semblance of offering.
“Sorry about stealing a spot. If you’re expecting more company, I’ll be sure to make room,” he glanced at the open space between them. There was plenty of room for others if they got a little cozy. Not that he would mind.
“But the room was full and you can’t imagine how hungry I am,” he added.
“Call me Jay,” he said with a mouthful of savory morsels. The drink was a cocktail of some kind. Jay didn’t really pay attention when he ordered.
In that moment, a notification befell his wallet. His breath caught in his throat. He caught himself wondering if it was Cayli until he thought better of it.
He re-read the words, not understanding the first few times through. He just stared at the word promise. Then the memory of Nox’s voice begging him to recognize what Jay was too fucking selfish to understand replayed with fresh, awful understanding.
He immediately replied, but the message came back undeliverable.
Every muscle felt like it turned to water. He tried resend, but the outcome was the same.
God he was fucking stupid. He thought Nox understood. Thought that no matter what fuckery was going on, Nox would get it. He thought of Axel then. Dead also. Someone else who got it, also betrayed and gone. His arms fell limp, wallet abandoned on the table. Next thing he knew, Jay had finished the cocktail in one swallow and asked for a shot the next time around.He didn’t want to feel this feeling. Failure inevitably followed. Swift on the heels of rejection by the only person still alive he considered a friend.
He got his entire family brutally killed. Nox was done with him. Blamed him for something that Jay didn’t even understand. What was wrong with their being friends?
His gaze, hot and empty, eventually settled on the nearby individual whose life he was also encroaching upon.
“Sorry to bother you. I’ll leave you alone,” he said quietly. As soon as the shot was placed on his table, he downed it in a single swallow. Of course, he quickly finished off the remaining food because despite being torn apart, he was still hungry, left something in the form of payment and hurried from the room.
Only as soon as he found himself in a lobby full of people, the faces may have well been empty shells. The people walking skeletons. He didn't even know where to go.
There was nobody left. Nobody except the cadre of soldiers devoted to the Ascendancy’s missions, but they were less like brothers and more like tolerated coworkers. The power was all he had. This bloody-forsaken fucking curse of power. He summoned it like an old companion, let the numbness of it roll inside. The room exploded into life then, and he heard footsteps behind him. He turned carefully, catching a glimpse of blonde hair. If it was Natalie coming to tell him to fuck off also...
Well, at least he knew where to go to find a good fight and finish things off proper.
Only darkness shows you the light.