alec (𝘩𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘳𝘥𝘶𝘥𝘦) brennan⚡ (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
striketwice) wrote2022-10-02 07:47 pm
striketwice) wrote2022-10-02 07:47 pm
No, no no no. You can't play a player. That was a threat.
A very polite threat, but still.
A very polite threat, but still.
I'm not gonna let you blackmail me over halfway decent eggs, Creel. Nice try.
Go right ahead. I'm perfectly capable of telling the rest of the team to fuck off, too.
We'll see how it goes.
[ A shrug. Whatever, he's prepared to lie through his teeth if he has to, but time will tell whether Henry even cares enough to follow through. ]
[ A shrug. Whatever, he's prepared to lie through his teeth if he has to, but time will tell whether Henry even cares enough to follow through. ]
Don't get used to it.
[ The correct response is "you're welcome", Alec.
In any case, he waits around until Henry has slipped off to get up and clean up any trace that he or Henry were ever here. Then it's off to bed with him too. ]
[ The correct response is "you're welcome", Alec.
In any case, he waits around until Henry has slipped off to get up and clean up any trace that he or Henry were ever here. Then it's off to bed with him too. ]
[Should Alec wind his way through the graveyard, he’ll find two familiar faces. One of them is Henry, who stands face-to-face and frowning with another large and intimidating figure, one that Alec will remember from the time Henry told him of his fate in a parallel dimension: “Vecna” himself.
He is no less intimidating in person than he is as a figment of the imagination. The tendrils along his neck and shoulders writhe and squirm like living things; his flesh is undead and irreparably scared and twisted. That large, clawed left hand reaches out and stretches in Henry’s direction, though Henry doesn’t seem shaken enough not to return the favor, gripping hard against his shadow’s wrist to halt him. Why should he be afraid? This is just another visage of him, after all.
Their eyes, though. They share the same eyes, if not in color due to Henry's current possession, then in shape. In keen, piercing coldness.
Vecna’s voice is impossibly deep when he speaks. It could not be farther from Henry’s soft intonations, the delicate way he pronounces every syllable.]
If you cannot decide, then you must accept.
[Whatever they’re talking about, Henry does not seem pleased. He has no reply, trying to wrest him away.]
He is no less intimidating in person than he is as a figment of the imagination. The tendrils along his neck and shoulders writhe and squirm like living things; his flesh is undead and irreparably scared and twisted. That large, clawed left hand reaches out and stretches in Henry’s direction, though Henry doesn’t seem shaken enough not to return the favor, gripping hard against his shadow’s wrist to halt him. Why should he be afraid? This is just another visage of him, after all.
Their eyes, though. They share the same eyes, if not in color due to Henry's current possession, then in shape. In keen, piercing coldness.
Vecna’s voice is impossibly deep when he speaks. It could not be farther from Henry’s soft intonations, the delicate way he pronounces every syllable.]
If you cannot decide, then you must accept.
[Whatever they’re talking about, Henry does not seem pleased. He has no reply, trying to wrest him away.]
[ There sure has been some weird shit happening in the graveyard today. Alec has yet to run across his own personal demons, but he has seen plenty of familiar (and not so familiar) faces do so. That's the only reason he doesn't assume it's some trick of his mind, Henry's vision come back to haunt him somehow, when he runs across Henry and the thing he's supposed to be.
He's not so certain he wants to intervene just yet - or at all, so as he winds his way through the headstones, aiming to get closer, he taps into his camouflage, vanishing from sight. ]
He's not so certain he wants to intervene just yet - or at all, so as he winds his way through the headstones, aiming to get closer, he taps into his camouflage, vanishing from sight. ]
[Alec slips away unnoticed; Henry’s attention is far too focused on his Shadow—shaped like how he should look—to notice. It appears the same applies to Vecna, whose glowing eyes look cruel yet almost mocking. How strange, to be on the opposite side of that knife, but Henry can hardly appreciate it for now.]
Nothing to say? [—Vecna growls, guttural and threatening.] Pathetic, scared child. Is that not all you are, angry at a world that’s wronged you?
It has wronged me.
[Henry spits back, but Vecna just laughs.]
You sound so, so certain. But maybe it’s just you who’ll never suit the world. Maybe your parents were right.
Shut up.
[Henry pushes out with a hand, presumably using his powers to toss Vecna away — but the creature does not move so much as an inch, and instead takes the opportunity to wrap its clawed hand hard around Henry’s neck.]
Nothing to say? [—Vecna growls, guttural and threatening.] Pathetic, scared child. Is that not all you are, angry at a world that’s wronged you?
It has wronged me.
[Henry spits back, but Vecna just laughs.]
You sound so, so certain. But maybe it’s just you who’ll never suit the world. Maybe your parents were right.
Shut up.
[Henry pushes out with a hand, presumably using his powers to toss Vecna away — but the creature does not move so much as an inch, and instead takes the opportunity to wrap its clawed hand hard around Henry’s neck.]
[ Oh, well. So much for not intervening.
He might have done so anyway, even without the creature's hand curled tightly around Henry's neck, if only because their conversation had rankled him for some reason. (Probably because it could also be about him, though he chooses not to explore that at the moment.)
From his place hidden off to the side, still invisible, he etches out a spell in quick, angry motions. A second later, lightning streaks through the trees and grave markers to strike the creature and blow it away from Henry. ]
He might have done so anyway, even without the creature's hand curled tightly around Henry's neck, if only because their conversation had rankled him for some reason. (Probably because it could also be about him, though he chooses not to explore that at the moment.)
From his place hidden off to the side, still invisible, he etches out a spell in quick, angry motions. A second later, lightning streaks through the trees and grave markers to strike the creature and blow it away from Henry. ]
[Alec’s magic strikes true. The lightning slams into Vecna, who releases Henry from his grip, allowing the man to land hard on his knees, crumpled to the ground. He inhales in a haggard gasp of air, his eyes flying upwards to see his Shadow go reeling back a yard or two.
He whips his gaze around to where the magic came from, already knowing without even verifying who it could have been. Anger flares in him again, mixed with something far more treacherous: uncertainty. He doesn’t need Alec here to view this exchange, not with a version of himself that seems to intent on spewing… lies, they’re all lies, they are all lies—
Vecna’s already rising again to his feet. He growls, mindset likely the same, reaching out a clawed hand to aim his powers—not dampened like Henry’s—in the direction of that magic. If he gets ahold of Alec, despite his camouflage, he won’t hesitate to drag him forward.]
A teammate. Come say hello. You’re part of the problem, too, human.
He whips his gaze around to where the magic came from, already knowing without even verifying who it could have been. Anger flares in him again, mixed with something far more treacherous: uncertainty. He doesn’t need Alec here to view this exchange, not with a version of himself that seems to intent on spewing… lies, they’re all lies, they are all lies—
Vecna’s already rising again to his feet. He growls, mindset likely the same, reaching out a clawed hand to aim his powers—not dampened like Henry’s—in the direction of that magic. If he gets ahold of Alec, despite his camouflage, he won’t hesitate to drag him forward.]
A teammate. Come say hello. You’re part of the problem, too, human.
[ An invisible strength grips the front of Alec's clothes, despite his camouflage, and he finds himself quite suddenly dragged forward, heels carving tracts in the dirt. Well, he knew that he'd get one chance at surprise, as is so often the case with surprise, so he drops the invisibility almost instantly.
When he comes to a stop, he looks up at the thing before him. The thing that is Henry yet not Henry. ]
I'm a wizard, actually.
[ Smartass. ]
When he comes to a stop, he looks up at the thing before him. The thing that is Henry yet not Henry. ]
I'm a wizard, actually.
[ Smartass. ]
[He pulls him close. Close enough to reach out… and grip at his chin, hard, with his more human-like hand. Oh, yes, this is definitely Henry’s Shadow — not that there was ever any doubt.
Vecna tilts his head, considering Alec with glowing eyes.]
Still as weak as the rest of them. To think that something like you might be one reason for Henry’s shaken resolve.
[But Henry’s not just going to stand by and let this happen, having gotten to his feet, cutting in with a forward step and an extended arm.]
I said shut up. What do you know?
[Not to treat Alec like a rag doll, but Henry’s powers wrench him away from Vecna’s, freeing him — though it does mean that he might suffer a less-than-graceful landing.]
Alec, just leave.
Vecna tilts his head, considering Alec with glowing eyes.]
Still as weak as the rest of them. To think that something like you might be one reason for Henry’s shaken resolve.
[But Henry’s not just going to stand by and let this happen, having gotten to his feet, cutting in with a forward step and an extended arm.]
I said shut up. What do you know?
[Not to treat Alec like a rag doll, but Henry’s powers wrench him away from Vecna’s, freeing him — though it does mean that he might suffer a less-than-graceful landing.]
Alec, just leave.
[ Why do all aspects of Henry like to manhandle him so much!!
His gaze is wrenched up, and through the stormy light in his eyes, Alec glares. Only the slightest shift in his expression betrays his surprise when he's called a reason.
("I don't think you're wrong. But I don't think you're right, either.")
And before that can well and truly land, Alec is yanked away again. Thanks guys. He crashes to the ground, though like in Henry's dream, his barrier bears the brunt of the blow, and Alec pushes himself up to one knee. ]
What for, so you can make ineffectual gestures at Swamp Thing, here?
His gaze is wrenched up, and through the stormy light in his eyes, Alec glares. Only the slightest shift in his expression betrays his surprise when he's called a reason.
("I don't think you're wrong. But I don't think you're right, either.")
And before that can well and truly land, Alec is yanked away again. Thanks guys. He crashes to the ground, though like in Henry's dream, his barrier bears the brunt of the blow, and Alec pushes himself up to one knee. ]
What for, so you can make ineffectual gestures at Swamp Thing, here?
I don't need your help.
[-he snaps, eyes still fixed on the visage of himself. Alec is right, though; his powers seem so useless against him. Harried violence appears to get him nowhere, but this disadvantage is hardly one-sided.
Vecna steps forward to close the space between them. Long, terrible strides.]
No. He doesn't want you to see this. To know that his resolve begins to falter, letting in a terrible truth. Do you know what that truth is, Alec?
[-he snaps, eyes still fixed on the visage of himself. Alec is right, though; his powers seem so useless against him. Harried violence appears to get him nowhere, but this disadvantage is hardly one-sided.
Vecna steps forward to close the space between them. Long, terrible strides.]
No. He doesn't want you to see this. To know that his resolve begins to falter, letting in a terrible truth. Do you know what that truth is, Alec?
[ Alec would argue that Henry very much needs his help right now, since he's the only one who's been able to do anything.
He gets to his feet, posture and expression wary. ]
Even if I said yes, you'd tell me anyway. Monologue, much?
[ but of course some part of him still wants to know ]
He gets to his feet, posture and expression wary. ]
Even if I said yes, you'd tell me anyway. Monologue, much?
[ but of course some part of him still wants to know ]
Edited (reading comprehension hello??) 2022-11-22 04:46 (UTC)
[Monologuing is a natural part of any aspect of Henry. Alec has only been privy to it in snippets, and none with the utterly cruel gravitas that Vecna seems to wield.]
That there is something wrong with him. They all said so. Not only his parents. His teachers. His doctors. Even Papa would render him useless in the laboratory after a few years' time. Prized number One, not so prized anymore.
[Henry's teeth grit until his jaw hurts. Another attempt at lashing out with his powers nets him the opposite: caught in Vecna's return effort, limbs gone taut, and thrown straight towards Alec like little more than refuse.]
"Broken."
That there is something wrong with him. They all said so. Not only his parents. His teachers. His doctors. Even Papa would render him useless in the laboratory after a few years' time. Prized number One, not so prized anymore.
[Henry's teeth grit until his jaw hurts. Another attempt at lashing out with his powers nets him the opposite: caught in Vecna's return effort, limbs gone taut, and thrown straight towards Alec like little more than refuse.]
"Broken."
[ Oh hell.
Alec half-catches, half-lets Henry collide with him, but with his Enhancement tattoos flaring to life, the two of them just sort of end up tumbling back a short distance, coming to a stop when Alec's back bumps against a headstone. You're welcome for the cushy landing.
He has his feet under him surprisingly quickly, coming up to a crouch, one arm looping under Henry's own to help him upright. ]
Hah. Shit. You really like the sound of your own voice, huh?
Alec half-catches, half-lets Henry collide with him, but with his Enhancement tattoos flaring to life, the two of them just sort of end up tumbling back a short distance, coming to a stop when Alec's back bumps against a headstone. You're welcome for the cushy landing.
He has his feet under him surprisingly quickly, coming up to a crouch, one arm looping under Henry's own to help him upright. ]
Hah. Shit. You really like the sound of your own voice, huh?
Edited 2022-11-22 15:50 (UTC)
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