Of Chainsaws and Egotism {iris}

[High's .Valentine.]

"If I can stay awake, I can see them coming and fight them off. But...sometimes my body doesn't agree. Thankfully Luther keeps me safe, should I pass out." That should explain the exhausted expression on her face and the bags under her eyes. mentioning elves may tip him off to her strange appearance...

Lucien’s blue eyes sparkled with delight as she turned towards him and started rattling off information. In short, the scientist was enthralled by the girl’s attention. Even more so when she started talking about things that made absolute no sense in his world. Night elves? Lucien frowned and glanced at her ears.

“Night elves? Why that’s impossible! Elves are merely fiction! But…no wait!” Lucien bolted from his seat, excited by this new idea.

A few seconds later, he was back, a book in hand. “Could it be…?” It was a medium sized book and as he sat down, the smell of soft leather, red dye, and aged yellow pages permeated the room and grew even stronger as he flipped it open. Each pages were as thin as rice paper, the font small and dark, but the pictures spread generously throughout the book. He finally opened to one page that had been dog eared. A strange circle printed in the middle of the page seemed magical even shrunk down by several sizes. It showed pictures of animals beyond oral explanation. Strange creatures with long ears, otherworldly large eyes, and mix-match of body parts. “You see these? They are chimeras. Only through magic and biology could such creatures exist. No sane person in England would ever believe one until they see it. And the same was for me. However, I see now…” his voice lowered to a whisper and he seemed in complete awe of the woman before him. Tentatively he reached forth and lightly touched a few strands of her blue hair before stroking the pale skin of her elf ears. “I see now…there are such extraordinary and beautiful beings, even if I do not see them…”

Realizing what he was doing, he pulled his hand back and flipped the pages again. This time, it was of a circle imprinted in the page.

“This, my fair lady, is a black magic circle.” Lucien pointed excitedly at it. “Not just any black magic circle though, my dear,” his finger traveled along the printed circle to the carefully drawn circle that had been done by hand rather than machine. “I’ve been studying this magic alongside my findings on physics and the anatomy and have managed to discover a way to merge the two into a more efficient practice,” Lucien spoke dreamily, still pointing at the circle. “Please, tell me more about these Night Elves. Are you and your companions from around here? Are there more of you?”

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[Iris|Kairi]

She listened to him, intently captured in all the words he was rushing to say, but made no sense to her. He was a very smart man, she could tell. Maybe she wasn't so smart...but then again, maybe neither one of them understood each other very well. He seemed surprised by the word 'elf'.

A small blush lit Faye's cheeks as Lucien touched her hair and ears. It was almost as if he was calling her beautiful...but no. How could that be? She was hideous. She belonged nowhere and only existed to be tortured, hunted and killed. There was no beauty about her. She was a night elf. That look in Lucien's eyes and that tone of his voice was not directed at her...but she let herself feel, just for a moment, what it would be like if they were...

Wow..

Her attention snapped back to reality as he pulled his hand away and began swishing fragile pages again. She couldn't read, but the pictures and symbols were interesting enough. "Magic?" she asked, poking a palm into the air and lighting a small ball of warm energy, keeping it away from flame level. It seemed natural to her. Faye kept it lit as she continued to inform him.

"Night elves are evil! That's what I am..but I don't look or act like any of them and they treat me horribly! They are gray skinned and skulk around in the dark...and they are assassins! I came from a whole village of them. But Luther isn't a night elf. He's the Mantis King and very powerful! We're from a different world than this one," Faye chattered happily, despite the grim words spilling from her mouth.

[High's .Valentine.]

The minute her hand lit up like a match, Lucien pressed himself against the couch, grasping the back of the chair with a death grip. His wide eyes stared straight at the light, all the while mumbling exclamations. “What in the world…” As soon as he realized that Faye wasn’t about to go ballistic on him and turn the house in to ash and char, the man scooted in, perhaps a bit too close for comfort. What Faye was saying to him seemed to be going in one ear and out the other as he tentatively reached out to touch the fire, urged on by rabid curiosity.

“Other worlds?”

Or not. Lucien’s brain was about to blow. All this…magic performed right before his eyes, elves, other worlds. Even though he researched magic and tried it a few times himself, Lucien had never seen such power generated with a click of the finger. Light, at your fingertips. He let out a gagged chuckle, still running his finger around the bright magic, the scientific mind of his edging him to experiment and touch it, even it meant burning his hand.

“How can there be other worlds? Does this mean we really are not the only ones in this universe? How did you arrive here then? Some kind of contraption that grants you the power to travel through space?” At this, Lucien seemed to calmed down quite a bit, looking rather disappointed about something. That is…until he registered the rest of her words.

“My dear, but you are anything but evil!” Lucien butted in, grasping her free hand in a fit of passion. “Lord, you are different from them, if what you say is true. You look…human, if not for your hair and your ears. You are as fair as the queen herself…if I do say so myself.” Sheepish, Lucien looked to the side and cleared his throat, but did not release the elf’s hand.

“Who is this Mantis King… does this mean that Luther is the ruler of your world? Oh I have so many questions for you…”

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[Iris|Kairi]

Faye toned down the heat of her white energy so Lucien wouldn't burn himself, but allowed him to run with fingers through it. There was no harm in that. It was rather amusing to watch him puzzle over it anyway. Amusing enough to get her to giggle again. He was so curious...maybe as curious as her in a way. "The only ones in the universe? Not a chance...when my world vanished, we were thrown into another one. Now it seems Luther can just...poof us places. It's cool!" Faye chattered, well, until Lucian had his passion fit.

His warm hands grasped her small one, startling her enough that the magic she wielded evaporated harmlessly and the heat instead transferred to her cheeks again. Fair? This time he WAS talking to her... she'd never been called anything particularly nice before. "M-Me..?" she squeaked before falling into stunned silence again. The elf smiled shyly, reaching up with her now free hand to remove the hat-and-veil so she could see his face without a think layer of black fabric. He knew about her hair and ears anyway. Fair as the Queen? Who was the queen? ...Surely not that Queen that was so mean to them on that one crazy world with the cat!!

He distracted her before she could ask for clarification.

"Oh, no, he's not the king of the world. Just the king of his clan...I think. Something like that. He's very strong," Faye though hard out loud, trying to get the story straight for Lucien. She wanted to answer all the questions the best she could.

[High's .Valentine.]

The phrase ‘very strong’ worried the scientist, though he kept quiet on that thought, all the while pondering over their method of transportation. If Luther was indeed as powerful as Faye had said, and had the power to magically transport them wherever and whenever they want, then…

Lucien lowered his head, seemingly in deep thought. A smirk crossed his features.

Immediately, he lifted his head again and stared intensely at the elf before him, though he said nothing. He had more questions, but a glance at the clock showed that it was past the appropriate time of interrogating a lady such as Faye. Besides, she looked as if she was near collapse now that she had her hat off. The bags under her eyes were terrible and deep. Lucien frowned slightly at the sight. Even if the girl said she didn’t sleep, her whole figure said otherwise.

“Miss Faye…what say we get you into something comfortable…?”

Standing up, he gently tugged the woman along, never releasing her hand. He guided her into his room and began flipping through his wardrobe for something. “I don’t have any clothes for women…but I do have an old sleeping gown someone gave me that might be a bit fitting, if you don’t mind.”

Finally, he pulled out a long white gown from the depths of his drawers, having been stuffed in there out of embarrassment.

“A gift from…my mother,” he explained sheepishly, shaking it out. Lined with lace along the collar and sleeves, the satin gown was too long and too wide along the shoulders for the elf, but it was feminine enough for any kind of woman.

“Well, I’ll leave you to it…” he laid the gown on his bed and then walked out of the room.

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[Iris|Kairi]

Faye followed without resistance. She was used to being lead around...besides, slipping into something more comfortable sounded glorious. This dress was far too think and heavy to wear for as long as she had. The thin, airy material that she was faced with was a welcome change. "You're mother?" she asked, almost to herself. That was an odd concept to her. A mother...were not all mothers mean beings who abandoned their children? Who pretty much got pregnant by accident or by the need to keep the population stable only? Faye puzzled a moment before thanking Lucien with a big smile before he walked out of the room.

Once he was gone, she got out of her outfit as quickly as she couldn't which took a bit of work. She never really wanted to wear it again... but she'd probably have to put it on once the night was over. If she could, she would run around in this night garment all day...

Soon the elf emerged in the gown, the sleeves rolled nearly halfway up just for her fingers to be visible. She had to pull it up so she wouldn't trip over the long material, and it was a bit of a task to keep both of her shoulders covered. It was comfortable though. Stretching her arms with a grin, she flitted on light feet to find Lucien, footsteps completely silent, as if she weighed nothing at all without that heavy fabric.

"Thanks again, Lucieeen! This is great," she sang happily, fussing with her hair to try and calm it. It was a little ruffled from all the moving around.

[High's .Valentine.]

“I’m glad you like it,” The man gave her a small smile, giving her a few good glances in her oversized nightgown. One point for Lucien, a few hundred for Luther…

“Are you not tired at all?” Lucien cocked his head, giving her a doubtful frown. “You are quite safe here in the house, I assure you. And…” He began to walk back to his room again. “You may sleep in my room if you wish.” The scientist was starting to find it difficult to be gentlemanly while avoiding any subtle hints at making a move at the same time. It was a hard balance to take. This might have been one of the reasons why he was still a single man. The female population was tougher than science.

“I’ll…keep you company,” he said in a hurry and pointed at the chair in the room. “And I’ll move all the candles in there if you wish.” Grasping her hand, he frowned. “You don’t look so good, my dear.”

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[Iris|Kairi]

The mention of sleep made her tense and the anxiety race back into her face. Even her heart started pounding at the thought of it. Faye's tiny hand gripped his, her eyes darting to the floor for a change as they re-entered the room. She didn't look good? So...she did look tired. She was tired. Exhausted. This feeling wasn't strange to her, but it was getting to that point where her body would force her, despite her fear and complete confidence that she would be killed in her sleep.

"...I..I could try.." she stammered, though she didn't sound convinced at all. She still had no plans of it. There was no way after so long being this way she would give in for Lucien, even if he did look like Luther. Even Luther couldn't make her sleep. With candles in there and Lucien, maybe it would be decently safe, should she pass out... which she would fight.

"I don't mean to stress you out..I just don't sleep. It's daaangerousss..." she hissed, tugging on his hand and then peering up at him with a cheeky grin.

[High's .Valentine.]

“Dangerous?” Lucien repeated. Raising one eyebrow, the male strengthened his grip on her hand. “But you look…pardon me for this but…you’ve got terrible dark circles under your eyes. And look at you, you’re swaying while you talk.” Faye might not know it, but whenever she stood still, her body trembled from the effort of trying to stand on two strained legs. Lucien was a scientist and was no idiot.

“I promise you that no harm will come to you. I swear…I swear on my mother’s grave.” Lucien raised his right hand and nodded to further confirm. “In case you’re unused to the expression, it means I will never break this promise.” He then led her into the room having picked up how easy it was to tug the woman around with him. She seems to put up no resistance…

“Besides, isn’t Luther the strongest man in your home? I’d think that you have no fear of any kind of danger when he’s around.”

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[Iris|Kairi]

Was she swaying? Why, yes she was. She hadn't noticed. Faye was used to walking this way, though. She had a way of high functioning even when her body was exhausted. It took years and years of practicing, which she had. The elf rarely slept her whole life, and especially now that she was 'on the run'. Yet, she'd never noticed any swaying...but sure enough, she was. The young-appearing elf smiling gratefully at Lucien, feeling as though she could trust his promise.

"Yes! Luther is very strong...but I'm not completely sure where he is," Faye answered, weary legs bringing her down on the edge of the bed with enough force for her to bounce slightly. Her free hand rubbed her eye again. It was odd not to have heard from Luther. This was the longest she'd been away from him for a long time. It probably would've really bothered her if Lucien hadn't looked so much like Luther. It was like having a warm Luther around that was nice.

"I don't fear when he's around, but I'm still so used to not sleeping. I can't help it, it's a terror I live with that won't go away."

For a moment she wondered what it would be like to want to sleep. To just be able to lay down on a comfy cushion and drift off with no fear, and do that every time she got tired. What would life be like?

[High's .Valentine.]

Lucien wondered quietly just what could have happened to this young elf that could have conditioned her to the point of fearing sleep itself, which was a necessity of life. It was as unreasonable as not drinking water for fear of water itself. His fingers itched to hold her and tell her to stop being silly and just sleep. Yet, Lucien was a gentleman. He would refrain from being so intimate with the elf unless he had been asked to.

Instead, he busied himself by fluffing the pillows for his female guest. They looked so inviting that the scientist wanted to collapse into them himself.

“I think Luther is deep in thought at the moment,” Lucien muttered, pulling back the covers. “Maybe he’s asleep too?” The man looked up at the ceiling, as if he can look right through it into Luther’s room. He had not quite gotten over the bizarreness of having a clone. Does this mean there is another Faye look-a-like in this world? The thought warmed him, almost as much as the beauty before him.

“How about just a little nap? I’ll sit right here and watch over you. If anything happens, I’ll holler for Luther.”

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[Iris|Kairi]

Faye sat obediently on the bed for a little while, swinging her legs and seemingly trying to convince herself it would be okay. But the tireder she got, the paler she got, the more terrified she got. She laid over on the fluffy pillow and stared at the wall, then at Lucien. No matter how much she willed herself to, she couldn't close her eyes and invite the darkness. She couldn't bring the death on herself. Her chest heaved lightly as she fought the tears to no avail. Her eyes sprung a leak, and the elf wiped at them fruitlessly. Sitting up, she hopped quickly off the bed. This was the last resort she had.

Her small bare feet took her over to Lucien in a flash, and without permission--as usual-- she plopped light as a feather onto his lap sideways and curled her legs against the left armrest. Her forehead rested against his neck, her cheek against the crook of his shoulder. The heartbeat and warmth was foreign to her, yet welcome. it was different to Faye and the only thing that assured her that Lucien was not Luther. But he was close.. Faye closed her eyes and allowed the exhaustion to conquer. She felt safe..

[High's .Valentine.]

By the time Faye had decided to put her head against the pillow, Lucien was slowly drifting off to dream land. It was clearly too much excitement for him in one day, what with the elves and the attacks and his look alike. Though he did not show it, he was worn out. And Faye’s reluctance to sleep was not rubbing off of him in any manner. Sitting in the old Victorian chair with his elbow propped up on the armrest, the man nodded off, oblivious to the girl’s tears or any of her terror.

That is, until something very warm jumped into his arms. His head snapped up like the rapid recoiling of a pistol and the blood flushed to his face. Stiff, Lucien glanced down at the elf snuggled against him, sweet and beautiful like a cherub.

Chewing on his lips, Lucien sighed with satisfaction and wrapped his arms around her frame, unsure of whether he was dreaming or not. It seems the minute she was in his lap she was out. And judging from her peaceful expression, it seems she was out and happy.

Lucien chuckled, though in the corner of his mind, doubt clouded his satisfaction. Was it because he looked like Luther? Was that why she was so close to him? It seemed Luther did not treat the elf warmly or had even an ounce of respect for her though. Strange how he could understand the other’s expressions and body language. As if they were his own. Well, they were his own. But Lucien would never be this cold. Especially not towards such a beauty like Faye. His blue eyes shimmered in the candlelight at the thought. Faye needed warmth. She needed acknowledgement. And he can give them to her. He can place her up on a pedestal and love her. And Luther could not, it seems. She had only stuck with Luther because he was strong. Because he was the only one she knew.

Lucien was Luther, except better.

At the realization, Lucien’s grin grew. And he picked up the girl, carrying her over to the bed and placing her under the covers before he dragged his own chair over to the bedside.

“My Faye…” he muttered, clasping her hand and drifted off to sleep with a smile.

From behind the agape door, amber eyes burned as they watched the scene. Luther stood behind the door, caring for the least that he was ‘sneaking’. Giving a humph, he turned and walked down the stairs and out the front door, into the foggy London night.

He was going to search for her…

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[Iris|Kairi]

Faye slept like a dead thing and didn't wake until the afternoon, seeing as how it'd been nearly daylight by the time she actually fell asleep. She was still clasping his hand when daytime sounds started to fill her ears. One particularly loud bird made her pointy ears twitch, followed by bleary pink eyes opening, but not yet seeing anything but blurry colors.

Where was she again? She was confused for a moment. It was soft where she laid, and she was warm. Something warm was in her hand. Where was Luther? Her eyes searched for him as she became more awake, but with consciousness brought her memory. Luther wasn't in the room with her. She was in Lucien's house, holding his hand. The nice man must've moved her to the bed after she went to sleep...and he protected her through the night! She was alive...perhaps he was just as strong as Luther. Waking up brought some awful pangs of missing Luther, despite his warm human clone within her sight.

Moving her limbs slowly, Faye stretched and sat up sleepily, blue hair a mess, shirt hanging off one shoulder. She stayed as she was, though, now just looking at Lucien, then around. Honestly, she half expected Luther to at least be down to check on her...be waiting for her to wake up. The elf couldn't help but be a little disappointed. Was he still up there thinking in his room?

[High's .Valentine.]

Afternoon? Lucien was still sleeping deeply as if it was the middle of the night. It wasn’t until Faye’s hand left his did he jolted, sitting up. Or attempting to sit up. Unlike his immortal counterpart, Lucien was very much human. Thus, the strange position he was in the night before constituted to stiff sore bones.

Crack, crack, crack. The man yelped as he turned his neck with care, only to hear several joints pop in symphony to his grumbling.

“What time is it…?” Lucien mumbled, pulling his spectacles off his nose and rubbing his eyes before smoothing his frazzled hair back into a neat ponytail once again. Like Luther’s obedient long hair, Lucien’s own black locks settled down the minute he brushed his fingers through it.

“Good lord! It’s already past noon!” Lucien glanced at the alarm clock at his bedside and got up, only to sit back down as his back erupted into pains. “I’m getting tool old to sleep in chairs…”

“How did you sleep, Faye? You look much better,” Lucien smiled at her as he looked the young woman over.

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