Visiting Hours [Closed]

[carcinoGeneticist]

Seth shot the heron a grateful smile as he left the room, then turned his attention once more towards the King that was resting before him. The man's amusement helped to calm the Solandrian's nerves, but the thought that was in his mind was like a splinter. The more he tried to ignore it, the more it seemed to be forcing itself into his mind, impossible to push aside for now. "Tease him all you like, as long as you don't think he'll try and get back at you. Teasing's good for a man, as far as I'm concerned.[/b]" the bat's smile wavered ever so slightly, and he covered it with a shake of his head. "...but Lyn would be furious if anything got in the way of your speedy recovery.[/b]"

"Well,[/b]" the man blinked, taken somewhat by surprise at this. How long had he waited to meet this man, who he had hoped would teach him more about the magical side of battle, only to be told right off that he could call him simply by his first name?

If it was under any other circumstance, the bat would have been overjoyed. "That... Actually means quite a lot to me. It's like being told that you can go out drinking with your hero, in a slightly less extreme way. When this is over, I'll take you for a drink.[/b]" The smile that accompanied those words was weak, but present.

When Bernard started to speak about childcare, Seth's mind locked up, frozen on what the coyote had told him the night before. He nodded in reply, giving the King a strangely hollow smile, his eyes staring blankly ahead. Yes, the children would be well-cared for. Especially if they were the children of a noble of the court of Hearts, rather than a roaming Spade assassin. "We were all quite worried when we heard the news, but... You seem to be doing better. Dying of boredom would be slow and painful, so we'll do our best to keep that from happening. I bet Gaston would even sing you a song,[/b]" the man replied, almost forcing himself to keep the turmoil out of his voice. He couldn't find it in him to be angry at the man. No wonder Heilyn had chosen him...

Seth knew that he would hate himself for it later, but he couldn't let the issue rest any longer. As much as it pained him to ruin the man's good mood... He needed this discussion. By this point, the splinter felt more like a dagger, and the bat was having to work to keep himself calm.

"Bernard, uh... I'm sorry. I don't know how to say this. I'm not a people person, but I would like to have a good relationship with you because you obviously mean a lot to Lyn.[/b]" he rose his eyes to look the man dead-on, pupils mere slits. "She... She told me that the children... Might be yours.[/b]"

[Nathalia]

Bernard chuckled. "Trust me when I say he teases back so there's no great loss on his side."

He gave the Bat a slightly confused look as he began to prop himself up and Seth compared being able to speak on a first-name basis to... Hero? Me?....He's joking right?

"Sounds like fun and thank you, but I'll tell you now, I'm no hero. I'm just an overenthusiastic nerd, ask Heilyn." He joked, blushing a little at the compliment...hero? Really?

The Bat's face seemed to freeze up a little at the discussion of children and Bernard figured that the poor man really was worried about the impending kids, and dropped the topic for now.

"I appreciate the concern, but really I am doing better...I'm not hacking up blood when I laugh anymore so I assume I'm on the mend. Oh Hills, if Gaston comes in to serenade me...I'll put myself out of my misery, his ego can crush souls, I swear."

He smiled, but it died a little at the look on Seth's face...he was obviously distracted...what was wrong?

"Well, I'd like to be able to get along with you too, but it doesn't seem like that'll be too hard at the moment, you're a very interesting man. I rather like you."

Then Seth looked up at him...and spoke again. Bernard froze.

That had never occurred to him....at all.

"Oh...oh hills...I hadn't even um..." He flushed crimson and put a hand up to his face. Damn, damn, damn!

"I...I don't know what to say, I suppose it's possible but...oh Hills, Seth, I'm sorry."

He could only imagine how awful that talk had to have been for the Bat...

[Kiki]

Nat, Jenn, Kari, and Xenon receive 3 tokens each, to be redeemed in Ashwin's Shoppe. This will automatically be added to your recorded totals in the shoppe. Congratulations, and keep up the good RP!

[carcinoGeneticist]

The bat shook his head at that, then had to reach up to push his hair out of his face with a somewhat sheepish smile. "No, you're a hero. I heard about you from as far away as the glacier, and... Well, honestly I'd been hoping I could study magic under you one day.[/b]" he shrugged. That was seeming more and more like a dream that would have to be put on hold. Being Heilyn's bodyguard... Was a full-time job, that much was certain, one that left him with very little chance to be with himself and his studies. He could only assume that the entrance of children into their life would only further complicate matters.

It was true, Seth was worried about the children, and he was worried about Heilyn. She was, quite clearly, not one of the women who settled into pregnancy well, and the bat found himself wondering if, depening on how things turned out, she'd ever even dare to sleep with him again.

Despite his displeasure with the issue, Seth was able to keep himself mellow with one thought: If they're his, then I don't need to deal with them. Or her.

Seth was pleased to hear the man's opinion of him, but his ears twitched back all the same. Who knew how things would be between the two when all was said and done. Seth fell silent, eyes locked on the ground. He felt so awkward, more awkward than he'd ever even dreamed possible. He had thought he would be more upset, but all he felt was... Empty. Strangely devoid of any kind of real emotion.

"I don't blame you, Bernard.[/b]" the bat said, scratching behind his head. It was common behavior when he felt out-of-place. "I mean... She's an attractive woman. And... Well, I don't think we're really together. I'm just supposed to be her bodyguard.[/b]" why was he working so hard to make this man feel better?

[Nathalia]

Bernard flushed a little more at the continuous compliments and just shook his head. "If you say so, though they might have just heard how well I can destroy things without meaning to."

His mouth actually dropped open a little when Seth's request was put out. "You...you would want to? I'd be delighted! I haven't had an interested student in years! I can work around schedules...though later at night would probably be better...huh, that...that would be great."

He grinned, quite pleased...Seth looked promising too, he wondered if he would be at all adverse to learning how to better his natural Spade abilities?...

The awkwardness of the situation managed to put most of that from the King's mind. Hills, this was awful! He had never imagined that Heilyn had someone else "with" her...he would never have....not if he had known.

Well, this just settled the fact that he never could again.

"Hills, you should...I'm surprised you haven't killed me by now...hills...Seth. If I had known she was with someone I would never have..."

He put his head in his hands, trying to figure out what to say. He couldn't get the blush to die either...fantastic...

"I can assure you it will never happen again...I have no idea what came over me and...if there is an issue...I'll take full responsibility."

And hang myself...

He never had considered that possibility. He was far too old for children...and he wasn't sure he wanted them. He had nieces and nephews crawling out of the woodwork, children were so unnecessary he could scream.

He really hoped the Bat wouldn't hate him for this...hills he did know how to ruin things...it just seemed to be his lot in life...he tried to do enough work to make up for it, really but. Ugh...why hadn't Heilyn told him about Seth?

[carcinoGeneticist]

The bat's eyes fell downward, unable to look at the man directly any longer. He wished that there was a clear and easy answer to all of their problems. In his mind, there were two clear solutions: One of which was to give up on the coyote, and return to the Glacier. The second was to kill Bernard in his weakened state. As it turned out, neither was simple and they both resulted in the same thing: Seth losing Heilyn, possibly forever. He wasn't willing to risk that, not yet. But wasn't that what all of this came down to despite his best efforts?

He just wasn't ready to give up on her. Or Bernard, for that matter. The man was interesting, and he seemed to think Seth would be a good student! The man's words only made the bat feel worse.

"Hah, like I'd try that. Fighting a Heart is risky business, I'm sure you understand.[/b]" he coughed, absently scratching an arm, ears flicked back in a sign of discomfort. He didn't want the man to know that the thought had, in fact, crossed his mind. But only very breifly. Heilyn's fist had made sure that it was quite fleeting, and the idea had left his mind along with a small amount of blood from the bat's oversized nose. "Hair catches fire so easily, and the smell... Ugh. I've got an awful lot of hair to burn, when you come down to it.[/b]"

It was an utterly pathetic attempt at humor, but if he could get anything but this awful depressive haze in the room, it would be an improvement. Seth felt beyond horrible about the entire situation.

"Well,[/b]" he said quietly, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. "...I can't say that I'm not happy to hear that. However, I can say that you shouldn't be so quick to abandon her.[/b]" the man wasn't quite sure what he was trying to say. He'd never been much of a wordsmith when it came down to it. "She didn't tell you about me. The way I see that is that... Well. I didn't mean that much to her. She even told me that I was the first person who had looked at her like... that since she'd gotten back from the bog. That's all I was to her. But I guess you're different.[/b]"

It hurt to say out loud, but as far as Seth knew it was the truth, and Bernard needed to hear it. "What... What is she to you? I'm sorry I'm putting you on the spot like this, but it's important to me to hear.[/b]" How could he tell this man the truth? How could he tell Bernard, who must have meant quite a bit to Heilyn, that the bat was devastated by the news? That the bat had just been a fling for the woman, but she had ended up being so much more to him?

[Nathalia]

Oh, Hills...what have I done?

Bernard tried to assist the flat joke, shrugging lightly and nodding. "The smell of burnt hair is pretty awful, I should know...I light myself up at least once a week. No, we can't have that."

The King of Hearts shook his head at the Bat's next words though. "Ah, but there you're wrong. I should be quick to abandon her, my time for things like that passed awhile ago, I should never have..." He sighed and his shoulders rolled forward...sitting up was beginning to toll on him. "I'm so....I'm sorry, Seth. I really had no idea."

He gave the Bat a look, it was perfectly serious and a little flat. "It's no different...she informed me of the terms quite directly...I know what I am... Even if she had wanted more I would not have been able...to give it."

He didn't mind so much being on the spot about the Coyote...but explaining why...that was what hurt...damn...

"We are rather alike, you and I...you know? The girl I fell in love with never saw me either...not in the way I wanted her to...." He was still smiling, but he looked as though a good wind would knock him over...and the smile didn't reach his eyes. "She's my friend...nothing more, and I hope you won't begrudge me that as she dug me out of a hole I had dug for myself...but she's not...what I will be pursuing. My Queen...is dead..."

The last bit was said in a whisper as he hung his head a little. He felt like a heel and honestly hoped the Bat hadn't picked up on the last few words...though with those large ears he probably had...damn. He was taking Heilyn away from Seth...who...loved her...from what Bernard could see.

Just like his own brother had taken his Lin...though Blaine hadn't cared.

He wouldn't be Blaine.

He just hoped that he hadn't lost a friend and potential student...he was good at making a mess of relationships...at least he could keep palace records running smoothly...

[carcinoGeneticist]

The bat snorted softly, the noise cutting through the silence rather abruptly. He leaned forward, putting his head into his hands and raking sharp nails through his mane. Things had become a horrible mess, and it had all happened in what seemed like a flash. One minute, the man had felt that his life was finally going in a direction that he could take some amount of pride in. He had changed his life for the better, and was dedicating his time to protection rather than killing.

Well, he did miss the killing a little bit, when it came down to it.

But now he felt like he had something to live for, something that meant that the adrenaline he got from the hunt just wasn't worth it anymore. But now things were so different. Seth was not an emotional man, and he just felt as though he was at a complete loss. What could he possibly say or do to fix this awful situation? For all his time spent in the Glaciers using his creativity to make life bearable, the man felt lost without an answer.

"What do I do?[/b]" the bat finally said, still refusing to look Bernard in the eye. There was a small scuff on the floor, and he found himself watching it instead. "I don't know what all has happened in your past, but I know you've had a hell of a rough time. Rougher than I have. And... if she really did dig you out of a hole, then that's a good thing.[/b]" the man shook his head slightly, finally looking up at Bernard. He had never seen anything like the King in his life, and he could feel himself freezing up. He knew that he needed to do something to comfort Bernard... But what? He probably wasn't even supposed to hear his last words.

Tenatively, the bat reached out, one large hand coming to rest on Bernard's shoulder. He hesitated for a moment, not sure if the small touch was appropriate. "You've lost a lot. I can't take a friendship from you, too. I could never live with myself.[/b]"

Apparantly, Heilyn's ettiquite lessons had gotten through the man's thick skull.

[Nathalia]

What do I do?

Bernard felt like the worst person ever to exist.

"She did...but that's no reason for you to back out of the picture."

The contact was...nice. It made the King feel like less of a monster...he reached his own hand up and placed it gently over the Bat's own, shaking his head.

"Heilyn's my friend...and I intend for her to remain that way. You won't be taking her from me...she's not mine...at all. Actually, I think anyone would be hard pressed to call Heilyn theirs...she would probably eat them." He smiled and gave the hand on his shoulder a reassuring squeeze...oh Hills did contact help...it made things more genuine.

"I appreciate your concern but honestly...it's not my place. I would much rather see the tow of you together and happy. As to what to do...have you tried flowers?"

He tilted his head lightly and gave a lopsided grin.

"Though seeing as it's Heilyn, have you tried shiny weaponry? After that, I have a few restaurants I can recommend."

He teased gently, hoping Seth would feel a bit better about the situation...Bernard knew he didn't belong with Heilyn... He would never be able to actually...love her...it was better for her to be with someone who so painfully did...

Besides, friends were just as good...and didn't steal your towels..

[carcinoGeneticist]

Seth felt awkward. In the Glacier, emotions like this had no place in life and were buried and forgotten beneath the harsh snow. He wondered if at least some of what he was feeling now was backlash of sorts, for bottling up his feelings for such a long time. Either way, he could tell quite quickly that the small touch was the right move to make.

The man let out a small and surprised laugh. "I think you're probably right. It's frustrating as hell, but makes sense.[/b]" He was starting to see why Heilyn liked him... This... Hearts King. A small part of the bat's mind was screaming at him, telling him to leave and go and detatch himself from the whole situation forever. He didn't need to associate with the Hearts, all that would do would be to lead his mother to him. No, he thought to himself as he watched the frail man who was sitting before him. People need me here.

The bat blinked. Was Bernard really offering him a suggestion as to how to try and keep Heilyn? Despite the man's kind words in regards to the situation, Seth hadn't been expecting that. The touch of humor in the man's voice hit the bat hard, and brought his mind to something he'd almost managed to forget. A small box, tucked under his bed, holding a gift directly from Midori... In a surprising act of... Well, Seth didn't really know what, he pulled Bernard into a hug, being careful of the man's many injuries and taking care not to crush him.

"Thank you.[/b]" he said quietly, then remembered himself and let Bernard go, glancing at the ground awkwardly. He had seemed to appreciate the physical contact from earlier, and he just hoped the hug hadn't been misplaced. Sometimes, he hated the Glacier and the emotionally stunted man that life there had made him into. "This might sound weird, but... If you like, I'm offering my services as a bodyguard to you, at least until you can get your feet under you again.[/b]"