023 - In You The Wars And The Flights Accumulated

[worldofourown]

...Really.

[ Karl is seated by an intricate gazebo in the Phantomhive garden. Sipping - tea. What? Blood isn't the only thing he drinks. He's also (mercifully) fully-clothed. ]

This isn't as scandalous or as liberating as it's being made out to be.

[ Eyeroll. ]

Still. Some of us are much better off with our clothes on. This curse will hardly contest that.

[ Himself included. Hard to be imposing in the buff. Especially for the eternally pale and bony. ]

Glad I escaped notice for this one. I don't ...tan very well.

[ Or at all. ]

[ Private to Merlin ]

Time's more than up.

You'd better have found a way to fix him. 

[ Private to Self/ Semi-Difficult to Hack ]

Another one bites the dust. Literally. It's a pity to see Mr. Aion go. I rather enjoyed speaking with someone who was knowledgeable in subjects that held my interest. I'm envious he escaped. Yet ... not. I admit, in the early days, I'd have been bitter. Especially with Saya gone. Our Vietnam War is unfinished. I haven't made her pay for her crimes against me. She will die by my hand alone. When I think of how she slipped from my grasp - how I almost had her - I want to destroy the City.

I can't remain here. It's vile and intolerable. It's like I'm being choked to death.

But ... with Diva here, I don't want to leave. I know it's not a good sign. This place is making me complacent. Because Amshel isn't here. Because there's no agendas or experiments. But that doesn't make it safe. Anyone can leave without notice. If I'm hit by a curse, I can't protect Diva. It's no safe haven for her. Or her children. A few days of being happy won't change that. I can't - It's deluded and idiotic. It's pathetic. Being so dependent on the Deities whims. There's no one I can entrust with protecting her if I'm - indisposed. Not Solomon. He's my brother. Sometimes I miss him. But he can't be trusted. Look at all he's done.

I wish I could still summon the hatred to kill you.

As you killed me.

The others ...the humans, the non-Chiropterans... They can't be trusted either. They're blood-bags. They're nothing. I'm not deluded like Saya. They have their place. I have mine. So it's always been. Yet the longer I stay away from home, the more I -

Carla. Little Setsuna. They're not human. But they're still -

It's no excuse to start thinking that ...-

This isn't a second chance. I can't let myself believe that.

Diva could still leave at any time. She's too good for this place. Or for me.

I can't...

...

I should just stop thinking at all.

Comments

Action sounds fun! \^^/

[worldofourown]

Perfect.

Unless you suffer a revisit of pesky modesty.

[ He just - wants a swim, Setsuna. Honest. ]

Action - he'll learn one day

[beyourarmy]

Even if I did, it's not like I can really cover up.

I'll meet you out there!

[Because he's flying. All six wings, and lots of feathers.]

One day. One day... xD

[worldofourown]

[ He'll be perched on a rock by the Drowning Pool. Keeping an eye out. ]

[ Six-winged or not - a flying boy is hard to miss. ]

Maybe; even when he KNOWS he still does stupid stuff

[beyourarmy]

[Setsuna lands, forgetting about the whole state of undress thing. Swimming!]

This wasn't a bad idea, Karl! I have to admit.

...why is this called Drowning Pool? [Sits at the edge and looks down into the water.]

xDDDD

[worldofourown]

[ Raised eyebrow at the Nekkid!Cherub. Huh. He really was expecting a third eyeball or something. ]

I can only imagine. Maybe it's a hot suicide spot.

...Ever read Hamlet?

[beyourarmy]

[Nope, Karl, the eyeballs are for Sandalphon. This is just six feathered wings, and a scrawny blond, with minimal hair.]

[Doesn't answer right away because he's trying to figure out if Karl's being sarcastic or not.] But people can't die here....

No. Like I told you last time, I don't read much. Especially Shakespeare. [Oh, not that he didn't look on the network when he had hands again, though.]

[worldofourown]

[ Trauma is no excuse for being unsophisticated, Setsuna. ]

...I'm going to loan you the Complete Works of Shakespeare, Cherub.

So you at least know who Ophelia is.

[beyourarmy]

Why do I need to know who Ophelia is? And I can't say I'll read it. Read enough of that stuff already. Weren't the Shakespeare murders enough?

[The trauma is why he's read "Titus Andronicus" though~! He was unsophisticated before it.]

[worldofourown]

[ One play down. A million more to go. ]

Because she may be the reason they call this place 'The Drowning Pool'.

[ Also: ]

I suspect the Shakespeare murders were the only way to force some culture into half the pigs here.

[beyourarmy]

[Yeah...he doesn't have the attention span for that.]

Well, couldn't you just tell me about it, instead? I'm trying to juggle two jobs. Don't really have time to read much.

[He stops, cold, body stiff. He could mention it, for the first time in ages, but Karl's comment grates on him. Part of might be the focus on drowning, since that's how Charlie died.]

Could we talk about something else, Karl? Or I'm going home.

1/2

[worldofourown]

I'll just recite you Ophelia's death scene, then.

[ And he steps, fully-clothed, into the pool. Water sloshing at his knees, then his belly. Chest. Neck. Chin. Treading water, he floats easily onto his back. Smirking at Setsuna. ]

~Her clothes spread wide,
And mermaid-like a while they bore her up,
Which time she chanted snatches of old lauds
As one incapable of her own distress,
Or like a creature native and indued
Unto that element. But long it could not be
Till that her garments, heavy with their drink,
Pulled the poor wretch from her melodious lay
To muddy death~

2/2

[worldofourown]

[ And plop. ]

[ He disappears underwater. ]

[beyourarmy]

[He would be mad, but he DID ask Karl to just tell him.]

Okay. The reciting was fine, but you didn't need to act it out, you jerk!

Wait...he can't hear anything underwater, can he? [Peering curiously at the edge to see where Karl went. It's not like he can die, Setsuna. Keep telling yourself that. He's already dead.]

[worldofourown]

[ Keep waiting, Setsuna. ]

[ And waiting. ]

[ No sign of Karl so far. ]

[beyourarmy]

[And he starts getting a little concerned. What's down there? How long can the dead hold their breath? He's just fucking with him, isn't he?]

Dammit! Karl! Get your ass back up here before I go down there and pull you back up.

[worldofourown]

[ Silence. ]

[ FOREVER. ]

[beyourarmy]

[Antsy and worried, he can't take it anymore.]

Karl, you are so getting your skinny vampire ass beat for this!

[And he dives right into it, because, sob, impulsive bleeding-heart, okay.]

[worldofourown]

[ It's what he was waiting for. ]

[ The moment Setsuna jumps into the water, Karl dives unnoticed behind him. Rearing up with a splash to dunk the boy's head underwater. ]

[beyourarmy]

[Careful, Karl, he's in one of his elements. Not that he has the best control over them, yet.]

[The second he feels something touch him he panics and tries to turn, reaching out for the hand with a forceful grip.]

[worldofourown]

[ The moment you turn? Enjoy a bracing Ptoooo of lakewater in your face. ]

Tch.

It's no fun to creep up on those who won't yell.

[beyourarmy]

[Karl, really, you almost got blasted. But it's Karl, and Setsuna's breathing seems to calm a little, but he stares at him, very intently.]

How did you get there?

[worldofourown]

[ He's sneaky like a ninja. ]

The same way alligators and snakes do.

And sharks. [ Thoughtful. ] They're attracted to blood, you know.

[beyourarmy]

You scared me! I thought something happened to you.

[And...then he splashes Karl with water in return, but he barely even uses his hands. It's his powers, this time, and they make a fairly large arch of it.]

[worldofourown]

[ Whoah. ]

[ An impressive wave. He's startled for a moment. Then he laughs and disappears again beneath the water. Diving behind the boy swam to grab one ankle and pull him down under. ]

They always have such ridiculously long threads.

[beyourarmy]

Karl! [A sigh when he disappears. Fuck it. He's insane. He probably doesn't understand or care. Setsuna really was scared for him.... Oh well. So he thinks.]

[THEN HE IS PULLED UNDER. Okay, it's on, now!]

[He kicks back in the direction he was grabbed.]