The Caretaker (Koh & Hadrian)

by **Hadrian** on May 8th, 2010, 2:52 am

"Well, you're a Constrictor... one of the three subspecies of the Dhani. The biggest and the strongest. Their nest is called Zinrah, in northwestern Falyndar, which is far away." He didn't want to assume anything about Koh's world-knowledge, but didn't want to irk him either. "But the Myrians aren't very friendly toward them, so I guess it's an embattled area. If you don't know your family and have no interest, it's probably too dangerous to risk. Even if you would probably be more comfortable with the weather there."

He considered what Koh said about Hrair and nodded. "Yes, I hope he makes it too."

by **Koh** on May 8th, 2010, 4:03 am

Koh thought about this for a moment, "Zinrah...of Falyndar..." he whispered repeating a select few words of the information. He then reached for the apple at his side absentmindedly and took another bite causing his entire body to shiver at the taste and thus breaking him out of his train of thought. He stared at the apple at hand, and then thought to himself again, "So. You're going to be really tired after you cast your magics in the art of magecrafting right? Want to sleep here when your done then?" he asked in an actual curtious manner, as though Hadrian was much like him in the wilds, unprotected against dangers of the world after a large enough meal or during the cold days.

by **Hadrian** on May 8th, 2010, 6:00 am

"I appreciate the offer, but I live really close to campus, so it would be more convenient for me to walk from home."

If he had understood the reasons behind Koh's offer, he would have assured him that his door locked and there was a rather fearsome Nuit who probably wouldn't let any harm come to him -- unless the Nuit were to find some reason to harm him himself.

His mind went to more practical matters.

"Are you asking because... you're too cold? We can buy you some coal or firewood to heat the place up. I'll admit I'm a little worried you might crush me in your sleep."

He grinned.

by **Koh** on May 8th, 2010, 5:39 pm

Koh shook his head, taking another bite of the apple trying his best to finish it off. On cue his body shoo once more, "No no no, it's fine. The house has been plenty warm. I'm just offering because you helped me a lot which is why I'de be willing to help you." he said waving the unfinished apple with his hand before grinning and leaning closer towards Hadrian, "Besides. I couldn't kill you at this point even if I wanted to."

This much is true too. Hadrian helped me so much, especially with where I'm at now. Even if he were to hit me, I don't think I could raise so much as a hand against him, Koh thought to himself as he continued to hold his grin towards his friend.

by **Hadrian** on May 9th, 2010, 6:59 am

"Well, I do appreciate the offer," he said, maintaining the smile. "I'll keep it in mind for next time. In case I do need a caretaker." Then he squinted curiously. "Why couldn't you kill me? I hope you wouldn't want to. I like to think I'm more useful than merely as a meal. Do you... not like the apples? You don't have to eat anything if you don't like it. I just thought, you know, try to find things we could eat together."

by **Koh** on May 9th, 2010, 7:13 am

Koh looked towards Hadrian, his grip suddenly grasping the apple and squeezing it. "You are much like her." he said, referencing to the original owner of this home, "You do not hate me. Instead you are very nice. Most humans, I don't care much for. I would no sooner snap their arms and legs and devour them alive to suffer a fate deserving, but..." he paused and looked at the half eaten apple firmly grasped in his hand, "Even if you were to raise a hand against me. Even if you tried to cut me in half at this very second. I don't think I could fight you, not a bit. I would rather resign to such a fate then to do so."

With that he took the apple and stuffed it into his mouth, crunching down on it, core and even the step that was sticking out of it. After a minute of chewing he gulped it down and grinned again towards Hadrian, "Sorry if that sounds weird."

by **Hadrian** on May 9th, 2010, 9:57 pm

Hadrian looked at Koh for some time, eyes wide as if to take in every detail. Gradually he stitched the details of Koh's life and times together into the skeleton of a cohesive whole history. No connections to his kind, fond memories of people who had been good to him, strange sense of self.

No, Hadrian was not good with emotions, but that didn't mean he didn't have any. He reached out boldly, swallowing any shreds of atavistic human fear of snakes, to rest his hand on Koh's shoulder.

"You have been a lone, haven't you? I'm sorry."

by **Koh** on May 9th, 2010, 10:38 pm

Koh held a blank face, his eyes not depicting sorrow, anger, or happiness. They were a blank stare, an empty one. "I suppose I have." he began before looking twisting his head to Hadrian's hand, looking at it as if almost in a careful nature. Time is cruel in nature. Some of us have an eternity to live as others minutes. I'de have long accepted a fate of death by her side rather exist now. Yet at the same time I cannot bring myself to face death head on.

His cheek suddenly twitched, breaking the statue like appearance before Koh turned to face Hadrian again, "Sorry. It really isn't good to mope around like this." After saying this he gets up off the ground abandoning his friends touch before stretching one arm downward behind him twisting in a strange fashion and then stretching the other, "So. Feel like doing anything today? Feel kind of cooped up in here so some air should do some good." With this he brings his hood over, shoving his hands into two deep pockets and thus hiding the scales upon them.

by **Hadrian** on May 9th, 2010, 11:17 pm

Glancing up at his sinuous friend, he felt sure that he had arsed up somehow. When he tried to be compassionate, things got messed up. He hoped that didn't bode ill for Hrair and the blood-compass. The last thing he meant by making the thing was to have blood on his hands. Any distress, though, was hidden behind a friendly enough smile.

"We could go out," he said amiably, gathering the remains of the meal and getting to his feet. "What would you like to do?"

What was salvageable, he put in the kitchen. Between that and the goat outside, he hoped Koh would be all right while he was busy making Hrair's amulet. Though he thought Koh could fend for himself without preying upon humans or pets, he wasn't sure how Koh would react to ten days without supervision.

Was that unfair? Supervision. Well, in many ways Koh seemed a child to Hadrian. He had either been cared for like a pet or left to his own devices for however many decades he had been alive.

by **Koh** on May 9th, 2010, 11:35 pm

Koh watched as Hadrian placed the food into the storages, his mind back into a state of thought, What would I like to do? Where honestly do I want to go? A smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, "Honestly. I don't know. Anywhere is good, though it's a bit more difficult in town for me." he says as the smile widens a bit. He was trying to keep a calmed face but in the end he was an emotional wreck now. His body was shuddering in a strange manner that he did not take notice of and was not very apparent underneath the large robes he wore, wrapped from end to end with the leather belts.

The only hint he had given as to where he wanted to go was anywhere out of town or perhaps anywhere there are no people who would see them. Suddenly his head jerked to the side with an odd quirk, "Actually. I don't believe I've seen your home." he says bringing the minor thought up, "Perhaps, if you do not mind that is. Perhaps I could see it?"