convergence (Earinor & marquis)

Ros was never true to himself or anyone else - of course the bowl was full of soup because he deluded himself into thinking that he wanted that, some cardboard concoction he could barely taste in the first place, and not what his body needed. Nathan was right, though, and yet he still rolled his eyes - this had merely been a gesture of good will. "I will, when you're sleeping. Don't worry. I need to get around to it first, and I think I'll need a bit." The thought alone made him wince, though. Ros had truly, formidably, become soft and picky, and even as he drank the bowl empty in one go, he knew that wasn't what he needed at all. He needed to be back in one piece soon, able to make all of it work for himself, lest it would probably hurt him even more if he just kept on fighting with a clammoring hole in his chest, rightmost from where all the vital organs sat. This was, in any case, not a good thing to have to deal with, wasn't that it? "I'm just wondering if I should try and be as human, as normal, about it as possible or if I'd waste the meat if I just put it in a pan and cooked it through. I fear I know the answer." Was this about texture or being uppity about something he couldn't control? Ros didn't know, and he never wished to actually question it thorougly.

As Nathan turned into some sort of pupa, he reminded himself that they both were exhausted, strained and bent into a multitude of shapes and forms and definitely drained from all that they had done in the hornets nest - as Nate called it - yesterday. "You apologized enough, stop that." It was both of their fault and asking one another for forgiveness was like asking a dog why he demolished a pillow - it led nowhere, simply because there was no common language to speak here. "Yes? The kissing part? Surprised I didn't bite right into him? He tastes like shit." There was nothing that followed that, yet he could hardly blame the spent man for these endeavors. Alas, he was only going to find out what any of this meant if it went onward and upward. "Mh. I mean, you know me, right? Think about it. Did I use magic when we first met, like, at all? I think you'll find your answer there." It wasn't an inborn thing at all, and Ros' magic was among the weakest things he had access to. Naturally, it sucked and then it sucked more when he actually needed it. Well, that happened to the best of them at least. "So it is the radius. He had that thing on him when we were alone in a room, and I felt like lead for a bit, kind of ... drugged, in a sense?", Ros explained his own symptoms away. "I'd assume so. Whereas your magic is your thing, the thing that keeps you afloat anyway, it's not that bad for me ... and no, you're fine in that regard. You just look really, really tired. Like a hundred-year adult. I guess you're still hurt, anyhow. Do you want a hot-water bottle? You're shaking like a newborn deer."

"You don't have to wait for me to sleep, I won't disrupt you either. I can move to the bedroom if you want more distance." It wasn't dangerous, Nathan just knew Ros didn't want to be seen like this, even though they both knew what was happening and what he was eating. Surely it was someone who died of natural causes, or was dead anyway before Ros acquired their body. Nathan didn't judge, but that wasn't the point. "You don't have to be ashamed for what you need to survive and besides, you haven't eaten anybody at the club, although you could have. If you need to eat the rest of the meat that's here, then do so. You're the only one judging yourself, nobody else is. Going by how you were yesterday... you need it to heal, right?" Nathan looked at him, knowing very well that Ros didn't want to hear it. "If it helps you, I'm going for another bowl too, then we both have to force ourselves to eat?" Nathan smiled a bit, it was a joke and he knew it wasn't comparable. He also knew Ros knew that Nathan wasn't thinking they were.

"I assume you haven't tasted him yet then... mh..." Was Ros aware of the end of yesterdays night? Nathan wasn't sure, but it didn't matter much. It wasn't unlike Ros to ignore uncomfortable topics, but maybe he genuinely didn't remember being somewhat uncomfortable and flirty. "Well it's not like you had much reason too, neither had I." But naturally he used a lot of magic, he was a mage after all, it was like second nature to him. "Drugged? As in sluggish and weak? I assume it effected me the same, only much worse. It didn't seem to affect him at all, also not the minotaurs, but that makes somewhat sense." Nathan nodded, they came to the same conclusion after all and it was great Nathan hadn't aged rapidly. "Mh... maybe it would help, but it's more like the cold spreads from the inside. it's fine... I probably just don't have the energy to keep my body temperature up."

"It's really not that, don't worry.", he chided his former lover with promises of being alright, with this being fine and there being nothing he could or feasibly should worry about in the end. Roscoe was, always, someone that didn't want to be seen as anything less than he was, yet, at the same time, took on project after project and ate through himself like a crumbling limestone wall until there was nothing left of his rigid self, and he broke down into his pieces, trying to reassemble himself into a semblance of his former being. As Nathan tried to assure him, he simply shook his head. "It's not ... that.", he explained away, maybe for the first time in a while. When had he ever told Nate why he stopped indulging, or grew a moral compass, or seemingly suddenly cared about humans he tyranized for years before, all his life? There was something else about it, a weird quip he couldn't quite make out himself for a while, and then, it bloomed, like a corpse flower, for a blip in the backchamber of his memories, painted by fine strokes, indiscernable from the regular off-white they usually exuded. "I'll bring you another bowl then. I guess a shared, unwanted meal is as good as any. Is the soup any good? Do you want me to spice it more?" There were some herb mixtures in there, it definitely was anything but bland, but Ros had a hard time gauging "human" taste of all things, when his entire palate for taste was human.

"I prefer I don't. I think ... yesterday is quite a ways murky to me. I don't suppose ... no, actually, don't tell me." What remained of the night should probably stay buried deep; Ros didn't want to confront himself or even have to chide himself any more than he already did. "That's true." Why wouldn't it be? For now, he leaned back and pinched the bridge of his nose between his index and thumb, rubbing it ever so gently, trying to make sense of it all. Normally, none of this mattered, but what in the world was actually going to happen? "See, I never did, you're right. Actually, fine, I'll let you in on something. It's a sham. You talk to any other ijiraqi and they wouldn't be able to use it." Years ago, to better blend in, Roscoe had simply struck a deal with someone and that was that - it was either a curse or a blessing in disguise, yet, he could not say what really was the case. "I assume so. I'm not that magical, as you are, in the first place. You're like, a bundle of that kind of energy, you know? It makes sense it would affect you more." Ros got up from where he sat and looked at the little caterpillar on his sofa. "I'll bring you some more soup. And something to warm up. If I was anything like an ifrit, I'd just offer my essence, but I'm quite the opposite so that won't do any good." As he got up, he stretched, took a detour to the bathroom and got the empty bottle - Ros cooked up some water, until it was hot, and filled it in. This would help, even if that wasn't necessarily how hot it should be. Then, another helping of soup. Without even as much as a word, he brought it back to Nate. "And you're sure you're fine if I eat with you? Like that?"

"What is it then?", Nathan asked raising a brow but then quickly shook his head. "It's fine, I'm not entitled to those answers anymore." Not that he was given them when they were a couple. Right now however it was hardly his business at all. Ros could deal with his stuff on his own or talk to an actual friend. Nathan only came here because he wanted something and Ros gave more than he ever should have had to. "The soup is good, maybe a bit more salt." He rarely complained about Ros cooking who cooked for Nathan quite often when he himself hardly could do anything with the result. He claimed he could eat that too, but he was lying, Nathan figured that out a long time ago. A long long time ago actually. Ros had had troubles eating vegetables, almost throwing up and when he claimed he got used to it and it actually filled him, Nathan knew it was a lie, but he didn't say anything. Ros was prideful and hurting his pride was never good.

"Won't tell you then...", Nathan mumbled. Right now he felt save and not like he'd be nibbled on in his sleep and he wanted it to stay that way. "What? That just poses more questions than answers. Aren't you like... an ice being or something? I always imagined your true form looking like a yeti..." Well he was clearly wrong, he got a short glimpse yesterday. "A human body powered by magic, yep, that's what mages are in essence. So now I am just a human I suppose, though I doubt they feel as shitty all the time.", he responded. Ros was getting up again to bring more soup and a heating bottle. Nathan meanwhile looked around for the remote, but he didn't see it. He wanted to know if anyone reported about Abaddon and what was known. Ros was back soon enough so Nathan didn't even start arguing with himself to get up and out of the blanket to search for it. He had to come out anyway. First he shoved the hot bottle under the blanket on his lap and then he took the soup off of Ros hands. "I'm just pretending it is pork and so will you, right?", Nathan nodded. He wasn't a fan of the notion of cannibalism, but it wasn't like Ros had a choice there.

"Look at it like that.", Ros looked at him like he wasn't sure what to say at first. "If you only eat carrots, and only carrots, but you know just about anything else might make you reel, or if you're past that, it might just be like a clump of stone in your stomach, you know that you can eat carrots and nothing else. The problem is, there's one part of you that wants to know what other stuff tastes like, and there's the other part that really wants the carrots. Now imagine you don't always feel like eating, but carrots are scarce, and you have to freeze them so they don't go bad. But when you thaw them, they're kind of mushy and slimy and just overall disgusting, so you'd rather eat anything else - even if it makes you feel bad - than those thawed carrots. Maybe they taste a bit like their packaging too. And then you think, maybe if I put the carrots in a frying pan that'll help, but you come to realize that it does little to nothing.", he explained away. To give Nathan an edge, he actually whisked the container of salt up for him and put it down on the table - they both loathed food for their own kind of reasons, and yet, Ros would never complain if Nathan didn't eat his fill. He simply would ask if it was good, or if it sucked horrendously, and if the latter was the case, he'd make it right, somehow, some way. "I'm glad I can cook, at least."

"Thanks. I appreciate it.", Ros replied. He really did, even if it only meant that he'd have questions from here on out and furthermore if the truth was ever up for debate. Well, whatever, no? If Nate had the courtesy to keep it a secret, Ros would take it at face value and never pry - he knew well enough that it wasn't something he'd enjoy hearing. Amusement filled his ever-weary eyes thereafter. "A yeti?" Roscoe snorted - he only ever did when something as actually funny to him, which was the first in a while of long whiles of not giving Nathan a hard time, really. "No, it's different. Ijiraq are most common in the human world where you'd find nomads in the cold north - hunting and keeping the flesh fresh implications aside - they're shadow beings, not ice beings. That's why the whole territory thing works, they just slip into the shadows. I'm just used to the cold, not part of it." And that was why ice magic was a trick as good as any to fool someone into believing one thing over the other. Besides, Ros found it to be more useful than any other element - it was sharp, and as long as he wouldn't have to use it in a volcano, did the job just like any other knife would and could. "Thank god you're not human. I mean, any of my kind won't see you as prey even if you were, but if they're feeling feisty you can at least fight back. Let's hope you feel better soon." Silence, then another stupid implication. "We will." With that, Ros walked back into the kitchen and actually unpackaged that still partially frozen mess - mostly in the middle. He tore and ripped at it, cut it into smaller pieces and then - for his own consciousness - threw it in a pan with hot oil, at least until the sides looked kind of cooked. The middle wasn't important. Afterward, he just brought it to the coffee table in a bowl, with a fork in hand. "Bottoms up?"

Nathan listened to Ros explanation but it was a bit confusing. The carrot analogy was clearly not the best and Nathan was too much into fast food to care about quality. "So you want fresh meat instead, but not when you actually feel like eating, so you have to freeze it and then it tastes bad?", he tried to summarize what he just heard. "I mean if I only got to eat mushy cooked carrots, I'd probably eat less than I do anyway, but on the other hand, you know I rarely have an appetite, but I still eat before I collapse somewhere and if it had to be mushy carrots, I'd do it too. You're always pushing your limits for no reason.", he concluded with a sigh. "Besides, a mage might have different means of storing things than a freezer. There are time spells and that sort, it wouldn't need to be frozen then. Some dimensions have time work differently, all that stuff. You don't need to freeze it to preserve it." He doubted Ros would want to store living humans, which was possible, but also a terrible thought. "Better than me."

Nathan bit his tongue, not telling him that he probably saw a little glimpse of that shadow form of his, he simple nodded in acknowledgment. Then he snorted. "Me? Fight back? No, you know I specialized in sealing magic, which means I can cast all forms of magic. The more types of magic you incorporate in a seal, the more complicated and the harder to break it, but that also means I had had no time to study one field of magic more thoroughly. I can light a candle, teleport a few feet and maybe fill a glass of water, but that is about it. Manipulating magic or countering it is possible, but if you or a werewolf came at me? I'd have not much of a chance. Run and hide is what I can do." When they were a couple Nathan hadn't even studied all schools of magic, by now he had, but that made him a one trick pony with a lot of useless gimmicks when it came to combat. Nathan waited for Ros to come with his food as well, then started to eat his soup while Ros ate his... human salad? "Do you mind if we check the news? I want to know what they report about Abaddon, or if there were any more leyline incidents."

Ros raised an eyebrow then shook his head. Nathan misunderstood. "I don't like meat when it's mushy. But to keep it eatable, it has to be frozen, which makes it mushy. It's pretty disgusting. But I'm also not thrilled to hunt, at least when I'm ... like this. Sometimes some less fun parts of me get the better of me, especially when I'm hungry, and then it's not about needing to eat, but like if a well-fed housecat found a mouse that runs but never hides.", he explained his problems away as Nathan finished up his summary. Maybe that was true, mushy carrots - or meat - would do, Roscoe just didn't particularly like it and besides. "If you only can really eat one thing, but have tasted others because you envy all those who can and you want to have a piece of that pie, too, it's also really disheartening when all you have is ... a pile of something old and stale and raw, you know?" Which was to say, him being like this almost smelled like he was a wild beast being domesticated against it's will, declawed and fangs dulled, but Ros either deluded himself enough into liking it or thought that this was the life he wanted. Did he, really? Or was it just because of what made him hungry that he did not dare actually make any amends about his predisposition to a strange palate? "That's something." In fact, he was jealous of Nate, but he'd never told him that - why eat all of that disgusting, cheap food when he could eat disgusting, expensive food?

"Oh I know.", he told Nathan with a pretty much neutral expression on his face. "I'm just saying, you don't smell like food. You get what I'm saying?" Maybe he had to spell it out for Nathan, more thorougly, but he seemed so disturbed by being meat on someones plate for a while that Ros felt the need to hammer it home now. "You're pretty good at running and hiding, too, I'll give you that. But I mean, you've always been more the brains than the brawn, when you don't lose your head. We've both been there." When was the last time they had done something, together, that they shouldn't have done, just in theory? It had to have been years, maybe even before they were really into one another as lovers - how long had Nathan been his friend for, though? Ros wondered. "Not at all ... the remote, right." Most likely, he sat on it - and Ros was right, it was wedged into the side of the chair he sat in, which also meant he did Nate the courtesy of turning that thing on for him. It came with the apartment, looked like a painting if nobody touched it and Ros liked it like that. As a painting. Not as anything else. For once, though, he didn't want to be like that, especially if he got to eat his food in company, civilized, while he tossed Nate the remote. "Feel free to do whatever." And don't mind me, best of all.

"I know all that, but that is why I am saying you should eat more regularly and not prolong it. Especially if you have food at home. There'd been times were you didn't have any and while I was fine with dealing with you then, I don't think you wanted that. Also now is different too. For one, I am not always around and second, you're not exactly easy to deal with when you're hungry. Somehow I am not fit for food which is good I suppose, but that doesn't mean that goes for anyone else. What if a neighbor comes by or the postman?" And Nathan had been a mouse to Ros, something to toy with yesterday and he didn't appreciate it. The mage wasn't sure how aware of any of these instances Ros really was though. "People always want what they don't have Ros. I understand it's hard to watch others have what you have not and I can eat away from you too, but there are certain things we can never achieve. I will never be as strong or resilient as you, or as orderly so I don't misplace my things all the time. I will never be able to shapeshift at will, because I want to spread my wings. A werewolf will never be calm during a full moon, a vampire will never be able to walk under the sun and a human will never learn how to cast magic. We are who we are and some things are unchangeable. You have to accept that eventually Ros. Focus on the things only you can do, like surviving a stab wound in the chest with relative ease. If it was me I'd be long dead." There was no point in being envious, especially not if there was nothing to do about it.

"I don't... I don't smell like food to you, bur surely others would happily eat me and if not I'd be a little bit offended actually.", he responded. Ros somehow told his brain Nathans smell was family or something, but he didn't stink to all predators, right? "I'm... not that smart. You are the one working at the magistrate, I only know stuff about magic." He wasn't interested in anything else like interrogation tactics, battle plans, or anything of that sort. Nathan watched Ros search for the remote and grabbed it once he got to use it. He switched to a news channel where some things about Abaddon were said. Nothing Nathan didn't already know, but he listened anyway, in case they'd find out more. Sometimes these journalists were good in finding information the magistrate tried to hide too, but no mention of any artifacts, it only was about his crimes of thievery and trafficking. There was another leyline incident reported too, not too far from here. They even showed a map of all the places it happened and Nathan paused the TV. "Come to think of it... these incidents all are close, I mean... nothing happened on the other side of the world yet, only in this area. I wonder... hm..." He wished he had all his books here, even though he was better off resting anyway, at least for today. "So the artifact has to be close, or maybe the network collapses and it will spread..." There were so many things they didn't know and they had no indication of who wanted this artifact stolen to begin with. It was utterly annoying Nathans magic didn't work at all.

Was Nathan right? Ros didn't want him to be right, but he was, for the first time in maybe a while of recent memory, this man was more right than Ros wanted him to be and maybe, just maybe, that hurt ever so slightly, knowing that he'd always deny him that before, tried to fit in, and now, he just ... was right about it all. Would Ros ever admit to it? He didn't know. Fuck, he hardly knew if he wanted to hear this, but today wasn't the day to get shmarmy or up in arms about certain things, especially none of these. "I ... still don't like it. I don't know. I guess you're right, yes, but I don't ... let's just drop that, okay? Thinking about makes my head spin.", he admitted with quite a bit of force, deciding the conversation was over, for him at the very least, and that he didn't want to hear any more of it to begin with. There was, after all, only so much even Ros was willing to sit out. "You know what side my heart is on, that's hardly something I'm tough for. It's luck that he assumed it wasn't the wrong way around." And it also meant that Abaddon would know, and probably any of his lackeys if they were out for him, which meant he barely could use that trick to his advantage ever again, as long as he had to deal with the situation at hand. Suddenly, though, Nathan made him feel sick again - for all the wrong reasons. It was better they were apart now, in fact, it was better they'd go their separate ways as soon as possible. Ros, suddenly, decided he wasn't enjoying this, the closeness and the weird ideas that filled his mind.

"That's ... different. You don't smell like food to anyone anymore, if ... well. You don't fuck what you eat, you know? That kind of lingers a long while. A really long while.", he informed Nathan, which might have been something he mentioned really early into their relationship, when they both had no inhibitions and simply lived through the day as best they could. "You're plenty smart, if not, you'd not be around any more, no? We haven't seen each other in forever and you're still in one piece.", Ros praised him, which, again, seemed like it happened a lot more today, just there wouldn't be any bad blood between them for the forseeable future, as long as it didn't mean he'd have to rescue this man yet again. Ros, burying his resentment in his food, just wished he'd be done with it already so he had an easier time actually focusing on what was important, be that to him or others. Now, then again, where would all of this lead the two of them? Grasping at straws wasn't enjoyable at all. Right. "Our best guess is to cross-reference the incidents and find an overlapping point, then looking for anything at that spot. The problem is, if that's just happening because the first incident was close by and the particular incident made the entire area unstable and susceptible tho these things, then we might have an issue." With his brows furrowed, Ros looked at the ceiling, crimson eyes ever so focused on a random spot on the white wall up there - as if anything would momentarily change. "Also, about the magistrate. I didn't get in because of my wits. I'll explain it, sometime." It was more somber than that, actually. Well, whatever. Nobod was forcing his hand. "You should rest, I'll go figure out where we can start looking tomorrow."

"Fine.", Nathan simply answered. Ros knew he was right, now he just wanted to avoid admitting it. Fair enough, Nathan wasn't out for another fight, so he just shut his mouth. "Ros, you are insane if you think that I could survive such a wound whether it's on my left or right side. I would have just bled out right then and there and died." Ros wasn't necessarily something special for his resilience compared to other magical beings, but Nathan and other mages would have been dead and so would have been plenty of other beings. Sure, there were also plenty that would have survived, but Ros was too narrow minded if he thought everyone could take what he could. At least he was shown his own limits and he tanked Nathan for it, which was weird, but he learned something valuable hopefully. No more insane stunts hopefully. Nathan forced him too, but maybe if Ros would have been less confident, he would have been more careful too... As always he didn't admit to his weakness enough though and ran around for Nathan.

"Wait... so to other predators I smell like a fuck toy? Well great...", Nathan grumbled displeased. That was somehow humiliating and degrading. Not that it was Ros fault and apparently it helped being no prey, but on the other hand, did that really stop anyone? What if they wanted to take something from another to start a brawl or whatever and Nathan would be caught in the middle. Nothing happened so far but the thought of smelling like that to others was unpleasant. "I'm not sure why you keep praising me, it is a bit unsettling... are you sure you're okay?" It almost seemed like Ros was compensating for something. With the soup eaten Nathan leaned back again, pulled the blanket around him again and warmed his hands on the warm bottle on his lap as well. "If we got a map of all known leylines, maybe we can figure out what a next spot would be. Whether it be someone doing it or it collapsing, if we can predict it's happening that would minimize the damage, right? And if we're lucky we might learn something too." Maybe the magistrate had a map? Nathan was told to rest however and Ros was right. Well half right. "You should rest too Ros. You're hurt as well, I think we can take a day off..."

With the topic dropped, their conversation felt much better, much safer for Ros to continue - even though there was nothing to really feel save about here, he was the predator and Nathan the prey, and he felt as if something was off if they kept digging into his flaws? Maybe, Ros just enjoyed being hypocritical for the sake of it, which many a time meant that he was right on the money, he just simply did not like admitting to his own problems and thought that, if he was lucky, he'd be able to wish them away. "Maybe I am insane, that wouldn't be necessarily anything new.", he pointed out to Nate, who probably already loathed the back and forth. A compliment never really stuck with Ros, meaning that one had to hammer it home, yet trying to make that work also never really worked in the first place because it - simply, and all things considered - was nothing short of mystifying to him that anyone would praise his ilk, of all things. "I'll take it." Finally, he relented - Ros was tired of arguing, not that they had even started, but he'd rather not as he was quite busy with his own brain that told him something in his chest was hurting, quite a bit actually, and that there was nothing he could do about that in the long run if he only got upset.

"And who said that? No.", Ros sighed, then sunk deeper into his chair as he finished his bowl of food. There was, for the lack of a better word, a bridge missing between them that would get rid of the gap that had been established. "It's a pointer that one of us loves - loved - you and wants you to stay alive, so you're marked as a significant other. That's also why I'm not eating you when I'm hungry, because you smell like me, and what smells like me belongs - belonged - to me, and I don't want to eat that at all. To others, it just means you're not edible.", he cleared the misunderstanding up, and, hoped that he could get out of that chair soon. This was clammoring and uncomfortable and he had brought it up, yet it was clearly nothing Nate seemed especially happy about, even if he could be and should be that he no longer was considered just about anyones food. How ... ungrateful, in a way, but he understood, too. "Just a bit weak, exhausted ... don't have the energy to not give a rats ass. Besides, it's easier to just let it happen than to push you away all over again." That had been a big problem too, not just when they started out, but when they had been together as well. Ros felt inadequate, much like Nate was made to feel by him - if he could see clear like this all the time, he'd maybe still have the chance to be with this guy. Now, he didn't even want him - or maybe deluded himself into not wanting him. "I can ask my boss for a favor, probably. That'd work?" What an offer. As Ros got up and grabbed both their empty dishes, he heard one more thing. Ah. Right. "Mh. Ack. Fine.", he eventually agreed, even when he didn't want to. "Need another tea?"

"Ugh, I didn't mean that literally...", Nathan sighed. Ros was exhausting and maybe it was better to drop all discussion, because this time Nathan couldn't even run away if it got too much for him. It had already been too much yesterday and the fact that they acted like it didn't happen was uncomfortable too. Nathan lay down more and turned off the TV, he saw what he wanted to see and his brain was not up for more and the noise it would make would drive him insane. He put the remote control on the table, then quickly pulled his hand back under the blanket. What smelled like him belonged to him, huh? Yes it felt like that yesterday, but as long as Ros fed himself sufficiently he'd be fine here. That was a big if however, but Ros ate some more now so that was good. Maybe he could make him eat something else later on, after he had a good nap. For now he needed rest and Ros probably needed rest too. Nathan was still cold, but he felt a bit better after eating the soup.

"That sounds a bit idolized.", Nathan sighed. "Surely there are people that like to take things from others." Besides, this was like he screamed he was married when he was not. Not that he tried to date anyone and it didn't have to e a predator either, but that was a matter of principle. They hadn't slept with each other in decades and he still smelled like Ros? He didn't like that. So he let the compliments happen too, huh? Were they even genuine? "Mhm... I honestly doubt I can go anywhere tomorrow, but I'll be fine on my own if you want to check things out... I'll just look at those artifacts once I'm not as tired anymore..." It was hard keeping his eyes open and he made himself comfortable on the sofa. "No, it'll only grow cold... stop running around and lie down a bit too. you need the energy too..."

Ros didn't say anything about that thereafter - it didn't help that the two of them usually fought, so getting into the thick of it now wasn't something he deeply desired, or even wanted to happen in the first place. It was simply better they both shut themselves up for now, and then, when they actually had somethink to share with one another, they could back to what they wanted to actually confer to one another - if there was anything. Did he know? Was he aware? Who knew. Ros was his own bundle of insecurities, many of which came about from the weird thought of never being enough, while others simply stemmed from the fact of not understanding what it meant to be just himself, nobody else, and maybe the slightest bit upset at every little turn of events that didn't go his way. There was, so to speak, nothing he could push forward if he, of all people, stagnated. Why be stuck in the past when the future called your name, why focus on the many things that one thought was right when they knew that they were simply wrong? Was it pride, or reason? Blindness, even. Ignorance was like poison in a well and those who drank from it were the ones that found themselves paralyzed by its effects overtime, or worse, dead.

"It sort of is. It's merely ..." Should he explain that? It was a complicated manner and Nathan already seemed to be more adept with crawling down under for the day, resting for as long as he wanted to and, when he eventually rose from that slumber which his body craved, he'd even still hear him out, wouldn't he? "There are, but that's not a thing in a controlled society. Me being here, or any of my kind wandering so far out to be in places like these is a problem, you know?" Ijiraqi were homebodies, so one of them taking a stride into a world that shirked their cannibalism but let them roam around others just fine, because they were simply yet another race among them, was somewhat unheard of. Sure, Ros wasn't the first and the last, not the only one at this time either, but they were few and far between, and easy to spot. "It's also not ... exactly that. You smell like family, but because you don't smell like an ijiraq, you're a lover, in that sense. Or were. You get the gist of it." That was all he wanted to say on that matter for the rest of the time being and now, he just wanted to get rid of the smells that he'd brought about in his own living room. "It's alright, I'll go by myself. You need the rest." That much was true - Nate was hurt by this, or rather sucked quite dry. "I- Okay, fine, I'll just put these in the sink and then I'll go lay down. Have a nice nap."

Once Nathan closed his eyes he fell asleep almost immediately. He slept for the whole day and subsequent night, not even noticing Ros getting up himself again and walking around him or checking on him. He was fine besides the fact that he was incredibly tired and when he next woke up he needed to orient himself. "Ros?", he asked after sitting up, but got no answer. The door to his bedroom was open and when Nathan finally got up and checked he didn't see him there. He checked the kitchen next, all the while he had the blanket still wrapped around him and wore it like a cape. Ros wasn't in the kitchen either, but there was food that was most likely for Nathan. Maybe he went out on an errant? Get that leyline map, or his stuff from his coworkers place, or maybe he checked in on work. Nathan went back to his coat to grab his phone and see if he had any messages, but it was dead. He'd charge it later, first he went to the bathroom and took a shower.

After that he got dressed in Ros clothes again, because they were more comfortable, but he raided his closet for some pants too. He also needed socks, he was still a bit cold, but he felt better already. Next he put the remaining soup in the microwave and warmed it up. While he waited he searched for a charger and eventually plugged in his phone. With the soup ready he sat back down on the sofa and turned on the TV, to see if there were any more news, but since there wasn't any on right now, he switched to a random show. With the food gone and Ros as well he grabbed one of the artifacts on the table to check it. His magic slowly came back too, but a snap of his fingers only procured some sparks, no flame. Best not to overexert himself, so he stopped doing that and inspected this curious thing with its very smooth surface. He spent one or two hours inspecting it, then got his phone to turn it on. No messages or calls, so he messaged Ros himself. >I'm awake again. Can you check on my place? If it's not dangerous, can we go there later and grab some stuff?< He felt bad for staying here, but Abaddon definitely knew where Nathan lived, so he rather didn't stay there. Maybe it would be easier to make it their base of operation because all his books were there, but with Ros also not fully recovered it seemed too much of a risk. Also Ros would try and clean up and Nathan wouldn't find anything anymore.

That morning he'd made the unanimous decision that it was time he got out there - he found the spare apartment someplace, factually not too far from the cupboard he'd imagined it to be in, and had snuck out rather quietly, while Nathan still seemed to be quite a ways asleep. Ros needed a moment, he needed some silence and some distance to order the thoughts in his head away from the feelings he still thought himself to be experiencing after all this time - there was nothing, they weren't connected anymore and that thread was severed, even if he wished it to be somewhat different. How long until he'd hammer that into his skull? Sometimes, when he was stressed out, he started smoking and today was one of those mornings where he allowed himself to grab one, ruin his lungs just a tad bit more for some food for thought. As his brain filled itself with thoughts of any kind, he took step after step into the wild unknown, spread out before him that he called home - this city, that which he never would understand if he only ever tinkered away at time itself, he thought. His boss, even after he called out, wouldn't be happy to see him. Ros simply borrowed from the library early in the morning, a copy of some of their maps, for personal reasons he refused to disclose to the clerk that eyed him like he'd finally lost it - in fact, Ros wasn't going to need anyone to know any of this.

His office turned into a base of operations and was, for a while, the only room that had some flickering light, visible from the outside. It was early, or late, however one would frame that and Roscoe was already using it to stake out where they'd seen what, crossreferencing the reports that he'd been harking over both at home and here. As he slowly but surely finished up, someone else made their way into his office - he grimaced at the sight of Lilya, then almost choked on his own spit. "You look awful." She put a bag on his desk. "Go home, you have time off." She even foisted his phone into his hands. "I have things to do, you know." There was a grimace on her face, akin to that of a displeased mother. "Those things shouldn't involve you. At all. It's already bad enough.", she reiterated. "I washed them and charged your phone. Here's your card. Just don't do this stuff ever again, okay?" What a proposal. "Can't say I can't." "Ros, we both know you're not into this kind of stuff. Why meddle with it now?" There was a pause, then a glint and something that they both suddenly shared - a look of knowledge that sat inbetween disgust, horror and maybe even disapproval. "Don't.", Lilya reprimanded him, but Ros simply smiled - sickeningly sweet. "I hate your guts sometimes. Whatever. Just don't get yourself killed." The approval wasn't mutual, yet that hardly mattered when Ros looked at his phone and pickpocketed the rest of it all. >Good morning.< Nathan would find everything he needed, even without him. >I'm going to head home in a bit, I'll do that.< Was it rude to leave him all alone in his apartment, without as much as a word. >Do you want or need anything specific?< Ros was quick to ask while he packed up to head out.

It took a while until Nathans phone buzzed and there was only one person who'd write to him. >Some books. But I'd rather not have you break in.<, he answered. Nathan doubted Ros took his keys with him on a whim and even then, when he left his home and shop, he usually ramped up the security and that was something he was good at. He couldn't use magic right now, but he was able to pass through his seals as long as he had the right keys to unlock his door as well. >It's dangerous.<, he added. >I don't want anyone stealing from me, so it's pretty much highly secured.< It was better Ros didn't try, especially if he was still hurt. >Some of them aren't very fancy, if you are near Percival's Books you can probably find some copies as well, if that's easier.< There were one or two books that weren't as easy to find he had at home, but he didn't 'hoard' them as Ros would call them. Knowledge was for everyone and if it was something special, he was fine reading it at the library if it was something that couldn't be borrowed.

He sent over a list of books he wanted, it was only seven about different topics he thought would help or could remember something about, but no specifics. >Otherwise just clothes, maybe a toothbrush.< >Not that important though.< He could keep borrowing Ros clothes, even though they were a bit large, but he could also wash his own for when he eventually would leave this apartment again. There was nothing else he needed from home and nothing that needed his attention. There was a time where he wanted a cat and a time where he had a magic plant, but eventually realized he wasn't able to take care of anything. He gave the plant away and never got a cat. Surely if they had a new plan of action, there were useful things in his shop, but they could go there at any point... hopefully. If not, most of those things he could buy somewhere else or make himself again.

With his things packed back up, Ros had made his way out of the building again - his coworkers, some of them at least, had given him quite the stare-down, hoping he'd disappear back into thin air and not annoy them for the rest of their shifts and today, they actually got what they wanted, if only because Ros didn't want or need to be here in the first place. Where were they even getting all of that energy from? Who even knew. Not that he cared. As he put his coat back on, the map neatly folded and stashed away in the bag that Lilya had brought him his stuff in, he wondered if he even liked this - why was Nate asking him, of all people, to help him with stuff like this? There clearly wasn't any real answer to that, but one could fathom what any of it meant, really. >Is it gonna bisect me or something?<, he asked, full of curiousity if he could push through the security of Nathan's place by himself. Maybe, if one were to act about it in a certain way, anything was possible. Ros wasn't that slick, or non-magical, though - quite the opposite, he consisted of the shadows themselves. >Hm, so new stuff is in order.< Which meant that Ros would have to spend his money on a man he should care less about and on a cause he shouldn't be involved with. Whatever. >I'll go pick those up.<

With the air seemingly colder than it had to be, Ros was already feeling like he was going to freeze to death forreal at some point, be that as it may in fifty years or tonight. Regardless of the circumstances, he simply needed to do away with it. In the end, he knew what was important to most of them, what needed to be done and what couldn't be done at all - sometimes, Nathans asks mystified him and then, other times, they made him realize just how simply they both were. >I'll get you a toothbrush, you can wear my clothes if you want to.< Not spending too much on this guy was probably still the best way about it. With that, Ros foisted his phone back into his pocket and walked off. One quick stop for some books, then for a toothbrush at a different location. All of that was easy, but in the end, Ros just showed up back at home with way too much than he really needed to pick out for either of them. Ros hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary, neither at Nathans place, nor at the two shops he'd gone to, and overall, it was still quite early - when he came back home, it was barely midday anyway. "Nathan?", he called into the vastness of his apartment as he let himself in. "I got your stuff."

>Many things.<, Nathan simply answered, but he got the things he needed so he was content. For now he continued to look at the artifacts, which wasn't all too easy without his magic working properly. Once he needed a break he put the empty plate back in the kitchen and into the sink, then remembered about the laundry he made that needed another wash now, since no one got it out of the washing machine. Two rounds with the amounts of blood on it was probably better anyway. He didn't dare shove his own clothes in there as well, in case it was too much blood and he'd only ruin his own clothes. He sat back down with the artifact after and also got the second one out. They were pretty much the same, no differences. At least he started to feel a bit of magic around him again, but he also didn't trust what he felt and saw, simply because he knew he was messed up at the moment. There wasn't much he could do, but he tried until he heard the door unlock.

Ros was calling out his name and Nathan got up to walk to the door. "Thanks.", he mumbled and took the bag with the books inside off of Ros to immediately check it's contents. "How's your magic?", he wondered, he wanted to know if Ros was back to normal by now, he didn't carry as much magic as Nathan, probably, so maybe he was fine. He almost asked Ros if he wanted to order some food, but then remembered that he couldn't really enjoy it, so he kept his mouth shut. "I took a look at the artifacts and they are... odd. They seem very new at the very least... I have to check some things." With that he already trotted off, his mind focused on those things, not on Ros and he sat back down on the sofa with the bag full of books next to him. He pulled out one and started to search for something skimming the pages.

This was a mistake. To fall for the tricks of the mundane, was, too. Ros was failing himself, but not just that, he was also failing others. In theory, maybe he was absolutely and undoubtedly smitten by the idea of this working out, but the grim reality of it was that, after everything he’d done, he now stood in his doorframe, a bag whisked out of his hand and the promise of nothing else left. Right. He closed the door, locked it and foisted the key away, onto a hook. Afterward, he was quite a ways intrigued by the progress - or lack thereof - that had been made. His weary eyes bubbled with warmth and his understanding of all his feelings, especially tonight, was nothing more than a fickle and finite mundanity of many a realm-changing reality. “My magic?”, he asked in a befuddled state as he sat his own bag down, got out of his coat and his shoes and put them away. Ros, ever eager, was more than ready to just deflate on the spot, like a shitty balloon would. Maybe Nathan had always been right after all. Perhaps he should rest more, take more care of himself, spend more time sleeping rather than running around like a headless chicken and lastly, run from his responsibilities.

“Anyway; no problem.” Finally, he let himself fully into his own apartment and walked over to the coffee table by the sofa, which served as a current base of operations, even when there wasn’t much of a concise operation going on anyway. With his stuff put on the table, Ros tried his earnest to conjure some ice from the atmosphere around them, but it didn’t quite work - there were somewhat small, frozen droplets instead of a blade that fell frok his hand and that was it. “Not entirely, I guess.”, he was quick to remark and even quicker with leaving it be. If his body ever made the decision that he didn’t need this type of magic anymore, he’d gladly take it. “Do you reckon they were made from scratch, one based off of the other or that they’re older, in any form but this one?”, he wanted to know, ever so slightly interested in finding out what was wrong or right to someone like Nate. In the end, tho, Jos grabbed the map from his bag and spread it our on the emptied table, for his temporary roommate to see. “Something like this?” Why was he hungry, actually? Still?

Ros was odd sometimes. Nathan had the feeling he wasn't happy around most people, maybe it was because he couldn't help seeing them as food and having to fight his instincts, or maybe it was because he just wasn't very socialable, like Nathan himself. While he didn't have more contact to others than necessary though, besides his shop of course, Nathan picked a job and profession where he had to be around people, be in an office and talk to strangers. When he came home he looked tired and Nathan was pretty sure it wasn't because of his drained magic, he wasn't as connected to it than the mage. Maybe it was because he was still hurt and healing, but he never was inviting people over or had many friends if any at all, despite now having the apartment for it. He often seemed like he wanted to be a guy that invited friends to dinner parties, but his nature forbade it and he kept alone in this big place with a fancy kitchen. He liked cooking for Nathan way back when, but he got this place when that was long over.

Ros magic was confirmed not to be recovered as well. A shame really, but they just had to wait it out. It didn't weaken Ros much at least and Nathan couldn't really fight for himself either way. "These ones are definetly not old. I'd have an easier time if I could actually see traces, but it seems it'll take a while longer until I recovered..." Nathan grabbed one of the books Ros brought and turned the pages in search of something. Then he looked up, looking at the map. "Ah good, maybe we can figure out something from this, if we mark all incidents? Well all that we know of anyway, some might not have been reported, like the one in my shop." It was just a hassle to call the official channels to deal with these things, if nothing much happened people might have just dealt with it themselves, or they didn't even notice. "The artifacts are made of metal, it's not magical or anything. There is some fine engravings and those are just, I just double checked, very mundane seals. Nothing special, the actual source of this magic, or maybe I should call it curse..., has to be inside. But for one, I am not sure if I can even open it at the moment and two, I am not sure I am willing to be further drained even for a second, in case it doesn't need another activation of sorts. Then again if it absorbs magic, it wouldn't make any sense to have another component to stop it at least. How would you if you can't cast any. How did you stop it?"