CHAPTER FOUR ♔ does it run in your blood to betray the ones you love

[coldheritage]

♬ The Truth - Nonpoint

WHO || Failboat, Rafael, Isabella, Nadia  [Closed]
WHAT || After an exciting Grammy night, the Knights meet up with Nadia to hear what she has to say
WHERE || Staples Center, LA -->  Warehouse
WHEN || Feb 8th, 2015  [back dated]
HOW || Actionspam

[  The Knights' mission to stop the signal and prevent Draken's cult from spreading whatever subliminal message  was lurking beneath Keijen Blade's performance was a success.  It didn't come without its bumps in the road, however:  Alexander Anderson showed up, and the Knights ran afoul of the Mind Master.    Buffy nearly died fighting Anderson, but in the end, he was defeated, beheaded, and hopefully put to death forever.   Finnick, though, found himself thrust into a mental illusion that convinced him he might still be in the Hunger Games, and left him uncertain about whether any of his life here was real.  

Another surprise came in the form of an announcement by Nadia Reichenov, an artist working with Crombe and company, that she was changing her band name and taking things in a 'new direction'.   This direction was perhaps revealed when after her performance, she approached the Knights in Rafael's dressing room - and handed them the necklace that connects her to the Nightmare God Malaak'a, saying she was willing to tell them everything.  ]

Comments

[slay]

[ She continues working to catch her breath, holding his gaze. Confusion mingles with concern as she affirms that it's not real, that it's behind her. One hand rubs the slope of her neck, working out the tension that built up. A quick glance over at the window tells her it's still not light out. ]

It wasn't — [ wis 19, she remembers to stop herself from the name. ] Him. It was … It was Anderson. [ And she sounds put-out by the admission. ] He was alive. And I think Spike was there. [ The crease of her forehead says she's not quite sure what the progression of that was or what was happening. She shakes her head to dismiss it, leveling her eyes on Rafael's again. ] He's really gone.

[romanticidal]

He is, si. He will never trouble us again, Buffy. [ except he knows it's not as easy as that, that he'll be troubling her heart and mind for a long time, and that's why he lifts a hand gently to her temple now, as if he can soothe her thoughts with a grounding touch ] That fear is over.

[slay]

[ Though she nods, her eyes still look faintly lost. But she trusts him in affirming what she herself began to doubt when her dreams tried to deceive her into fear; she lets her faith in Rafael be her anchor, and she settles back in beside him, staring off at the wall for a long moment as she processes his words and works through the panic.

Her breath evens out, and she seems to accept the assessment. That fear might be over, but there will be others. That thought plagues her yet. It won't do her any good to dwell on Keijen and the Mind Master now, though; she's not going to swing out at 4 in the morning to do battle barefoot in shredded formalwear.

She holds onto his hand, squeezing it to show how important it is to her that he's there. If she'd woken up from that alone, it— It wouldn't have been good. But she's not alone anymore. ]

[romanticidal]

[ he's content to hold her in silence for a bit, settling his chin on top of her head as he does so. finally, he says quietly: ] Is this often? These dreams?

[slay]

[ Brushing her thumb over the back of his hand, she lulls herself into a more peaceful repose. His question doesn't startle her out of it, but she does take her time in answering. There's real thought there. The metronome of touch sweeping across his hand carries on in the silence. ]

Not all the time. And they're always different. Different places, different demons, even I'm different in them. But it's always me, and they always end bloody.

[ Just like she will. She gets it now, now that Faith and Robin have explained. ]

[romanticidal]

Do you know? What this means. [ he's clearly straining to understand, puzzle it out through the haze of sleep still half clouding his mind. ]

[slay]

Other than chronic insomnia?

[ The humor in her voice is dry. ]

Not really. [ She turns to glance up at him briefly, expression soft. ] It's okay. I'm used to it, and … It's not usually this bad. [ There's the added murder-guilt component. She's quietly hoping that it's not setting a new trend of some kind. ]

[romanticidal]

Still... I wish there was something more I could do. [ there's a precious earnest quality to his words, like he's really thinking about how he could possibly help, even if it's really not in his power. finally, he seems to admit defeat for now, and buries his lips against her hair with a soft hum. ] Do you want me to wake you, if they return?

[slay]

[ She snuggles against him, her thoughtful sigh hardly a hum through pursed lips. ]

Only if I keep you up. [ It wouldn't be the first time she's suffered through it to morning. Sharing a room with Myri for some time has led her to believe that it's not often the case that she keeps anyone up with it. ] I'll be okay. [ She raises his hand to her lips, a quick kiss. ] Go back to sleep.

[romanticidal]

You first. [ the words are mumbled with some humor, but there's nothing to back them up really because he drifts off within like

twenty seconds of saying them... ]

[slay]

[ Adorable. It's only once she glances back, realizing he's already out, that a real smile breaks across Buffy's face for the first time in too long. It's wide and enamored as she takes in the subtle shifts in his expression the deeper sleep takes him. She cuddles up close with no particular trouble falling asleep after that, and nothing but pleasant dreams to follow now that she's certain of his comforting presence. ]