[ Alec's whole business is secrets. He knows well which to keep and which should see the light of day. This is the former, something personal and painful that he knows better than to drag out into the open.
The last thing he expects is thanks for sticking his nose into the whole mess. It's just as well that Henry doesn't know what to say after that, either, because Alec is at a loss for words. He just... looks at the other man. Where does that leave them? ]
I... I dunno. I guess the offer's out there, if you want it.
[ If there’s no place for you in your own world, find a different one. ]
[This is likely something that needs actual clarifying between them, yes. But at the same time, that connection is already forged on Henry’s end — there is a primal part of him that, if flung back into the Upside Down right this very second, would tear a million holes in every multiversal veil to find Alec again. At some level, he knows this now.
But Alec will probably take to a simple conversation better than unveiling that feeling verging on infatuated mania or obsession, so.
Instead:]
Will what I am be an issue?
[Alec would know that Henry doesn’t mean psychic.]
[ Alec chuckles. Not in any sort of dismissive way. It's a surprisingly light sounds that comes from him, standing here next to grave markers and a patch of charred earth where Henry's Shadow once stood. ]
I mean this with absolute sincerity. You would be one of the least weird things around.
[He wonders what kind of world Alec comes from, where a man twisted up into a monster, controlling other monsters, would be considered so mundane. Some insane part of him is almost indignant. The rest of him feels like taut wire uncoiling.
Somehow, he thought this would be harder concession. Like admitting to it would tear him in half. But now, somehow after confronting that strange version of himself, it doesn’t feel so monumental for him to accept an offer like this one.
And maybe—for everyone’s sake—that’s a good thing.]
Then if you’ll have me… I think I would like to go with you. Back to your world.
[ Living around magic does that. He'd probably have to set Henry up with some kind of glamour just so he could be mildly functional, but it wouldn't be the first or last time someone walked around in Alec's world wearing only the guise of humanity.
It's strange that he feels a mote of relief when Henry agrees. In part, perhaps, because he's just spared another world from Henry's reign of tyranny or whatever the fuck, but more because... it feels like maybe he's forged something worth keeping, and now he gets to keep it.
[Oh. Ohhhh, sir, you cannot say those kinds of things to Henry when he is so freshly raw from his Shadow experience, when he’s newly affixed so much of his attentions to you. He’s rooting himself deep — or is it the other way around?
(A promise. No one’s ever promised him anything like this before.)
Alec’s hand feels so warm; Henry's forgotten to let go.]
[ No going back. Somehow it doesn't feel as daunting or as earth-shattering as he thought it might to all but invite someone into his life. Maybe because there's already no secrets here. Every broken edge is already on display, and neither of them have turned away from that.
What the fuck. He's never promised anything like this to anyone before.
His gaze drifts back down to their joined hands and lingers there a moment. Eventually, he loosens his grip and slides his hand away. ]
Guess we'd better really work on getting out of here, huh?
[Henry seems to remember himself once Alec pulls his hand away, though the touch lingers even after he drops his own.]
But I think I’ve had had enough excitement for one night.
[He looks at him, though, steadily. This “promise” of theirs has made him feel magnetized, like every atom should not stray too far from Alec right now.
[ No, he feels it too. The feeling of somehow being caught in each other's orbit. Like whatever this is would be undone by distance. It's not helped by Henry's lingering touch. The way their eyes keep meeting.
[Henry's own mouth curves, too, a little lopsided. They're on the same wavelength. And maybe after the night's over, they can exist on different frequencies again, but for now...
Well. That's the last thing he wants after such promises made.]
Then let's go.
[A little half-turn, encouraging him to follow. Time to leave this graveyard behind them and continue the long night elsewhere.]
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striketwice) wrote2022-10-02 07:47 pm
no subject
The last thing he expects is thanks for sticking his nose into the whole mess. It's just as well that Henry doesn't know what to say after that, either, because Alec is at a loss for words. He just... looks at the other man. Where does that leave them? ]
I... I dunno. I guess the offer's out there, if you want it.
[ If there’s no place for you in your own world, find a different one. ]
To come back with me if we ever get out of here.
no subject
But Alec will probably take to a simple conversation better than unveiling that feeling verging on infatuated mania or obsession, so.
Instead:]
Will what I am be an issue?
[Alec would know that Henry doesn’t mean psychic.]
no subject
I mean this with absolute sincerity. You would be one of the least weird things around.
no subject
Somehow, he thought this would be harder concession. Like admitting to it would tear him in half. But now, somehow after confronting that strange version of himself, it doesn’t feel so monumental for him to accept an offer like this one.
And maybe—for everyone’s sake—that’s a good thing.]
Then if you’ll have me… I think I would like to go with you. Back to your world.
no subject
It's strange that he feels a mote of relief when Henry agrees. In part, perhaps, because he's just spared another world from Henry's reign of tyranny or whatever the fuck, but more because... it feels like maybe he's forged something worth keeping, and now he gets to keep it.
He offers Henry a hand. ]
Sounds like a deal to me.
no subject
A deal? Like a business transaction? And what am I giving you in return?
[But he reaches out anyway, long fingers grasping around Alec’s hand.]
no subject
Maybe deal isn't quite right.
[ His eyes flick back up to Henry's. ]
Call it a promise.
no subject
(A promise. No one’s ever promised him anything like this before.)
Alec’s hand feels so warm; Henry's forgotten to let go.]
...All right. A promise.
[No going back.]
no subject
What the fuck. He's never promised anything like this to anyone before.
His gaze drifts back down to their joined hands and lingers there a moment. Eventually, he loosens his grip and slides his hand away. ]
Guess we'd better really work on getting out of here, huh?
no subject
[Henry seems to remember himself once Alec pulls his hand away, though the touch lingers even after he drops his own.]
But I think I’ve had had enough excitement for one night.
[He looks at him, though, steadily. This “promise” of theirs has made him feel magnetized, like every atom should not stray too far from Alec right now.
Silly, of course. And unreasonable. But—]
Would you like to return to the dorm with me?
[There is an unasked question in there, curious.]
no subject
It is silly, and yet-- ]
Yeah. Sure.
[ The corner of his lips quirk. Yeah. Sure. ]
no subject
Well. That's the last thing he wants after such promises made.]
Then let's go.
[A little half-turn, encouraging him to follow. Time to leave this graveyard behind them and continue the long night elsewhere.]