Immortal Resistance [roomies]

Rein stared up, gaze trailing disbelievingly along the warpath that his own power had created along the other's skin. It ended up at the eye- ruined, it looked. Or...how could it not be, it was entirely black. His vision blurred slightly, and he could not look away. Yet it would not clear, the tears would not shed. It seemed to insignificant, so insufficient a repentance to cry.

"I'm so sorry." His voice was small, so empty. What had he done? "It- it's never done that before. I couldn't-" How could the other smile at him...be pleased at anything at all? Rein swallowed thickly and got to his feet, hands worrying together at his front. Little sparks of necromantic flares sparked at his wrists and the lijk instantly took a step back from the other, frowning deeply regretful. "I can't really...I don't think I should come near you just yet but, what can I do? Should I get the school physician or...someone to help heal you or..." Rein trailed off. At some point his breathing had picked up, and it was clear that he was just a wreck in the current moment. He could not stop looking at the new decorations upon Ambrose's person, and couldn't stop blaming himself more every second.

Ambrose could only stare back, slightly puzzled by the expression. They had just met; why the worry? Why the held-back tears? He hated the questions, the uncertainty. He wanted to know why this man worried and why he felt the need for tears. His smile faded, replaced instead with a furrowed brow. If he was this broken up about his injuries, then it wasn't his fault or intention.

"No apologizes," he managed, shaking his head as lightly as he could. The initial shock of the injury was passing, so small movements were allowed. Small, invisible movements to Them. They were well trained by the giver but easily noticed by those on the ground. "I'll . . . stay here." The pause was only to compile the words; Their voices were beginning to cover the most present voices, his and Rein's. "No one . . . is needed." His lip burned with the formed sounds. It was definitely odd for Them to let such serious injuries by. Not that it mattered too much to him in the end.

The girly-man was in no emotional place to fetch anyone, regardless. Ambrose had heard multiple breakdowns in the asylum; it was striking to actually see it. He had to interrupt, though:
"How bad . . . is it? The eye?" The spots still weren't gone.

His frown only strengthened. Should he really not go and get anyone? What if the boy needed medical attention? He surely couldn't give it, he couldn't even touch the other. But, everyone here was different, and he himself would have denied any assistance in a similar situation. There was no way to tell if his new roommate did not simply have some exceptional healing powers on his own or-- there were too many possibilities. He'd just have to trust the other.

A small obedient nod was given in return. The question made him wince, grimacing. He didn't really want to tell the other boy.

"Bad. You...seem to be....burnt?" He questioned this, his power was neither hot or corrosive. Not typically. It did not burn, but it certainly looked like it here. "Your eye is completely black... Can you see out of it?" Rein wrung his hands together. He was afraid for the answer.

The nod was a comfort; the grimace took it back.
"Burnt . . ." He repeated the word not for clarification but as a prompting to Them-- and, more importantly, to Disaster. He was watching this, wasn't he? Why wasn't this prevented, then? Such injuries were under his domain, and yet . . . This wasn't his style. Something was happening Up Their, but it was Their very collection of voices that prevented his knowing. Ambrose hated being left in the dark. He needed answers-- but, he knew well enough not to ask. They would only get louder. And louder.

The boy slowly raised the unscarred hand and waved it tentatively in front of the eye. He could still see the hand, but when it was aimed closer to the eye in question, there was no doubt.
"No.
It doesn't matter," he assured both himself and the girly-man, all the while glancing his good eye upwards. A challenge. Compile the words well. "One good eye is all I need."

He didn't know what to say, what was there to say?

How could he have been so stupid? There were a slew of things he shouldn't have been doing that caused this. Playing with the spider, using necromancy so recklessly around another he knew nothing about-- and now what? He'd blinded his new roommate, scared him. Rein looked down at the floor. The boy himself, though, was taking this exceptionally well- it was admirable.

But the anger in Rein grew. It seemed linked, as his power hummed unhappily. Quickly the boy dropped to one knee, bowing his head with a hand over his heart.

"Even so. Please, this is my fault. If you should need anything and it is within my power, please, let me make up for this." His lilac eyes glowed and flickered with conviction. He didn't mind. Could he make the boy breakfast? Wait on him, help him till he healed? Be a set of two eyes to fill in for the missing one? How could he ever repay him? Rein knew his conscience would not be at ease, weighted with guilt, until he had.

He lowered the arm to better view the kneel. And, as They shrieked and giggled away at this new development, a rush of euphoria crested over the red-haired boy . . . the redder-haired boy. The dark brown was dissolving into a fresh blood red. His eyes, as well . . . A smile escaped his lips along with a breath of sheer joy.

They shuddered in unison.
THAT'S why we took the eye-- one exasperated in explanation, but it was no use. They all knew, but it wasn't going to help anything.

"Anything?" he repeated, the smile growing on his face in proper maniacal fashion. Anything-- anything was a tempting offer. Anything was a beautiful offer. Anything was power; anything was-- well, ANYTHING! The bliss pushed back Their collective thoughts, making way for his own wants and desires. And, how much he wanted! With Rein's necromancy, the possibilities were endless. Anything he wanted, ANYTHING HE--!

Anything was not needed. He could get 'anything' on his own; right now . . . The smile faded.

"I want answers," he eventually collected, slowly getting up from his spot on the floor in an attempt to properly lie down. The pain researched; Their voices crept back in. "Tell me: why did your powers attack me?" He had more questions, but Their screams drowned out his chance of doing so. Something about never grinning like that again? He didn't remember grinning . . .

He had been looking down, unaware of the new developement in Ambrose's expression. It was only when he looked up that he caught the crest of it before it started to fade. Rein's eyes widened, staring in something a mix between horror and interest. Just what was this boy...? It took him a moment to realize he was meant to respond.

"Almost anything." He clarified, though he even sounded a bit unsure. There was a many thing he would do to make up for wrongs, but some things were entirely off limits. But, with such a threatening air asking something of him... His eyes had lighted up again, feeling slightly defensive in the face of such an expression, though he fought it back. His reaction was ridiculous. His roommate was not going to go insane and attack him or be dangerous. Well, he hoped, anyway. Strangely, at the moment, he found himself missing Owen dearly.

When Ambrose calmed, though, and asked a fair question, Rein shifted his stance to be less rigid and more comfortable. He wanted to help the boy up, seeing him start to move, but he also didn't want to chance another accident.

"I don't kno-" He cut himself off. He did know, sort of. "It doesn't like living things. But it doesn't normally react so strongly, most times it just wnt do anything. And it's not hot, it shouldn't have burned you..." The boy hesitated again, brow furrowing in thought. He remembered with Vera, how his power had zapped them both a bit harshly, and he had later found her to be immortal. Rein's gaze refocused on Ambrose with a new curious clarity.

"You can't die, can you?

The boy proceeded to sit down properly on the mattress-less bed, a trick he had learned early on in his residency at the academy. The burns still stung but only lightly so, the initial pain fading into background noise. Their voices, however, remained dominant.

He listened carefully to the answer, lowering his eyes and focusing on the words and words alone. This quickly changed as Rein himself seemed to realize with him the reason, the reason he had been avoiding for months. Years. Decades.

He met the roommate's eyes-- and, immediately turned away. Nothing shook or sweated or anything kindred to the usual symptoms of anxiety, but the eyes . . . He couldn't meet them. He swallowed hard, trying to find the words. Were there words? They were laughing all the while, a contagious symphony filling his mind ear-drum to ear-drum--

"Yes," he forced out nearly in a yell, regretting the word as soon as it came. It wasn't the truth-- he would make it the truth, though, force it to be so. "Yes, I . . ." Their screams were now burning through all comprehensible thought, piercing all sense-- "I can die."

And all the while, They shook Their heads in unison, laughing. What an obvious lie! The boy hadn't slept, hadn't eaten nor drunk in a forgotten number of days. If he didn't die then, when was the appropriate time?

He didn't quite pick up on the extent to which Ambrose was uncomfortable with this, well, not until the yell took him off guard. Rein blinked, leaning back a bit. Okkay.

Rein remained silent a moment, watching the other and contemplating. But he was firm in his belief, there was no other logical reason that his power should have acted so violently. It just didn't make sense, but-- well perhaps a lot of things didn't need to make sense around here. But, also the way in which the boy claimed his mortality...

Perhaps, Ambrose was like him? It wouldn't be a lie if Rein said he could die, but it would be lie to stay he stayed that way. A soft smile, and understanding look, came upon Rein's face.

"That...doesn't mean that you're not immortal." He paused. "It's really the only reason I can think of. Unless, well, I don't know what exactly you are to be here at this academy...despite the spider thing..." Which, he still didn't understand. But, he left the sentence open for Ambrose to explain and fill in if he saw alright to do so. Knowing about this would be best for helping the other boy with his injuries as well.

The soft smile set the boy immediately on edge.
No. Not this.

He could still bleed out, theoretically, but They wouldn't allow it. He could probably die of starvation or become immobile due to malnutrition, but They wouldn't allow it. He wouldn't age because They needed him to remain until he made his final decision. He wasn't immortal; death was not an option for him.

Denial, They whispered-- and screamed and shouted and banged into his mind. The whisper was the most effective of forms, though.

The worst part about Rein's words was not the manner in which they were spoken nor the persistence of being immortal; it was being 'normal' in a place where everyone else stood out. The so-called 'spider thing' was only when people did not know him-- afterwards, he failed to stick out, the equivalency at the academy to 'failed to blend in.' He didn't belong here. Ambrose didn't need anyone to tell him so.

He swallowed back his anger. Hard.
A sharp inhale . . .
"The spider is just perception." He forced the words out, each phrase grating on his throat. "Besides that, I am human--"

WHAT A LOAD OF CRAP! They jeered, letting the final word barely escape his mouth before the inevitable response. YOU CAN'T SERIOUS BELIEVE THAT! YOU CAN'T SERIOUSLY BELIEVE--!

"Shut the HELL up!" was the immediate reply. The boy whipped his head towards the ceiling, glaring at the invisible Them. ALL of Them, Disaster and Laughter included. He needed silence. He needed some damn silence at long last so he could THINK instead of . . . instead of just taking things when they came. Not like now.

(( And, Rein was all but forgotten . . . ))

The boy pondered this. Perception, but, he was human. Okay...but, that still explained nothing. Rein's expression turned thoughtful as he looked down, brow furrowing and a delicate frown balance upon his features.

When the other suddenly yelled though, it made the lijk jump, eyes up, wide with worry. He hadn't said anything-!

"Sorry!" Was his immediate, nearly squeaked, reply. He didn't know what he had done, but it seemed it had certainly upset the other... Rein hesitantly looked up, seeming as Ambrose was...

"Uhmm.." He didn't quite know what to do, not exactly sure what was happening... "Are you...okay?"

It took more than a moment before Ambrose realized he had company.
He never left, one of Them pointed out, forgetting the previous order or simply ignoring it all together. Either was possible.

Ambrose's eyes widened slightly, taking his gaze away from the ceiling after several more suspended moments and turning his focus instead towards Rein. Again, the unwanted responce. There was the sympathy of before, yes, the 'understanding where he was,' but this . . . It was the usual. The questioning of his sanity. It was inevitable and it some ways relieving, as he knew how to deal with it. The only question was if his roommate would believe him.

He gripped onto the metal frame, mainly so that he would not fall into its matress-less void. He was practice, but They had a cruel sense of humor. He had to pause for a moment or two more, struggling to come up with the right words.

"No. I'm used to it," was the immeidate ammendum to the truthful response. And, indeed, he was: They had been the whole of his existence for over a century. Whether or not such a presense was 'okay' was a completely different matter.

No proper explination; the boy, no matter how accepting so far, would fail to believe the truth.

In uncomfortable silence, Rein waited, looking the other over. When Ambrose had finally directed his attention back on him, he only grew more uncomfortable.

When the answer finally came, it didn't seem to have all that much effect on the lijk.

"Okay." Whether or not he believed it, it didn't seem it mattered. He had accepted it. It actually made perfect sense to him. One could be not okay, and never be okay. But, they could grow used to that state of being, as sad as that was. "So..." He hesitated and glanced up again before looking back at Ambrose. "What were you..uh, yelling at? And...what did it do?"

Oh, he hoped it wasn't him, but asides from this slight uncertainty, Rein seemed mostly just genuinely curious.

Good questions. Horribly good questions.

"'They,'" he immediately corrected, glancing back up for a split before retracting his gaze entirely to the floor. Perhaps there was a poor, neglected coin on the ground; regardless, it gave him something else to look at. "More than one." To group all of Them into the singular was a mistake repaid in fire. They were each individuals to the point of singularity.

The Powers That Be . . . Rein had asked direct and honest questions; that should be rewarded. And yet, mentioning Them would give Them yet another power high. That, he wanted to avoid.

His good eye had yet to blink.
"Don't concern yourself."
It was stated as a command, but his mannerisms suggested otherwise: a request more than anything. His rejection was not Rein's fault; there were just other parties at play.

They...? Okaay...Rein was certain he had no idea what the other was talking about. And he was almost certain that he didn't want to know. His slightly confused, but reluctant expression stared back at Ambrose.

"You know...Part of me really wants to take you up on that offer...but I am in pursuit of hoarding knowledge on any subject I can...so...I'm not sure I can really follow that unless you're going to get angry with me if I ask..." His tone was really entirely unsure.

This was turning out to be a weird day. He shook his head.

"Okay, just...is this something to do with just you, or is this like...a thing that pertains to everyone?"

At least he's honest, one of Them pointed out. True enough.

One question, and this conversation would end. Unfortunately, it was the one question he could not answer. The correct answer was 'everyone,' but They would get a power-high with the mention. Their egos would inflate, Their pride soar, and Their voices increase in volume. An eardrum would shake at the squeals if they were anything that could be heard through normal means. It only translated to a headache and declarity.

He would have to lie. Again. But, such things were not easy.

The boy wiped his brow-- completely unnecessary, but a habitual sign of stress. Great. He brushed his dangling sideburns from his eyes, debating his words carefully. He had one shot . . .

"Depends," he eventually settled with. It wasn't a lie; his voice was clearer than before. It wasn't a confession, either. "Depends on what you ask.

"Don't ask." Again, not a command; the phrase was almost a plea. He didn't want Rein involved. Not like Richard. Not . . .
Not like Luppa.

Rein stared at the boy, unmoving even after his question had been answered, something of a reluctant uncertain look on his face. It was as if he were uncertain with the situation and with what expression should actually be on his face.

Eventually, he sighed, and looked down and around the room in a quick, distracting glance. Don't ask. But how could he not? But--

Oh indecision.

As his eyes lingered back towards Ambrose, he tried a smile though it was still entirely uncertain and somewhat desperate for a distraction now.

"Alright well...is there anything at all that I can do? For you, or...to help, or....well, anything at all?"

A chant was beginning in the ranks, growing with volume with every turn. Ask! ask! ask! ask! Thankfully, Their behavior was not rewarded; a chorus of groans soon followed Rein's hesitant responce, a few hecklers continuing to demand regardless. Ask, damn it!

"No," was the immediate reply to Them, the word falling just after the roommate's question. The boy paused for a few moments, attempting to process what had just happened. He responded to Them but also to Rein . . . That would work. Less questions that way. Less temptation for Rein. He was being surprising complacent, considering.

Anything . . . It was tempting. So very tempting.
Suddenly, the accidential answer seemed wrong. It would not work. Not at all.

He took a deep breath in, a smile escaping himself. Elation. Bliss. All surmised into power. Power, he would have. Power, he would take.

"What are the limits to your powers, if any?" he asked out of nowhere, his voice smoother than before, more fluent. More free. Talking was no longer a chore; it was a pleasure now, a delight. All of his words were coming easier than before. . . .

A disgruntled, worried frown settled on Rein's face. His eyes couldn't stop tracing over the damage he had done to poor Ambrose's face.

The second question, though, had that changing. He looked into the other boy's untouched eye and his expression fell into confusion. His power?

"Uhm, well...I don't know. I know that it'll be more powerful the older I become. And I've always seemed to be able to make things came back alive, but it's a little iffy whether or not I can control them." He raised an eyebrow, as if to ask why the other wanted to know, but continued. "I've only just begun to actually outright control humans. The older they are, the better. I've not really be able to practice with any freshly dead, but I can make a fair guess I could probably do that will relatively little trouble...depending...Things like vampires or ghosts are...tricky."

He trailed off, and set his hands in his lap, tapping fingers together. He only hoped the other would explain reasoning or desire behind the question.

The eye didn't bother Ambrose-- in fact, he understood now why such injury was necessary. It made things more interesting. Sacrifice was necessary for entertainment, yes?

Such thorough explanation was indeed satisfying. With Rein's last note on his powers, the boy's smile could not help but widen . . . Yes. Yes, that would do nicely. Perhaps a little trick on the vampire-- no, what was he thinking? He couldn't do that to--

"Do you know a Richard Wallace?" The words slipped out with ease; everything was with ease now. EVERYTHING. The smile remained and his head was refreshingly clear . . . He could do so many things with such a power. So many things-- wouldn't Richard understand that? "He's the vampire counselor here; have you ever tried to manipulate him the way you manipulate other undead?" Such excess, but so easy! Too easy to no abuse. Power was meant to be abused.

Abuse it was.
"You said 'anything,'" Ambrose reminded with a smile, a continual smile so genuine that it was on verge of unnatural. So very unnatural.

As soon as the name was said, Rein knew he should not have mentioned anything even closely relating to vampires. One day, he would have to apologize to Richard about letting an idiot such as him know so much. The thought pained him.

The boy's right hand lifted to grasp at his left forearm and he shook his head, not quickly but forcefully in solemn air. Rein's look upon Ambrose was slightly mistrustful.

"We are acquainted...and I have. It did not go well, though he's helped me greatly on the subject. But don't go there. If there is something I will respect not asking you about, then I ask that you do the same with me about him." That connection - and anything that had happened because of it - was between them, and Rein did not want Ambrose in that. He may have betrayed the older immortal by using his powers on him, but he had done it with the best intentions. Telling someone else of that was a step farther he would never take. "Any other undead, any other vampire, okay. But not him, specifically. He is one man off limits." The last was said with any vehemence Rein could muster while feeling awful about going back on the 'anything' he had promised, but he felt strongly in this regard. He then hesitated.

"Why do you ask about him anyway?"

The answers pleased him to a certain extent . . . although, he would have liked to have viewed the attempt himself. It would have been entertaining. He merely shrugged off the rest of the explanation, the ease of his mind allowing such casual movements. What a wonderful thing it was, to move, to think. Yes-- he would have to think of something else.

"Just curious," was all Rein received in answer. The topic of Richard was boring him, already moving on.

Anything he wanted, anything he wanted. Now that such a power was presented to him at long, long last, it was proving difficult to come up with anything worthy enough for such abuse. He crossed his legs and leaned expertly back on the bed's frame, his arms providing support. Anything . . . His eyes drifted towards the ceiling. What did They do with such power?

Minions. They gathered minions. And, he had yet to have a single one.
"We shall go grave-robbing, you and I." A one-sided decision with a twisted smile. "And, I will gain a servant just like your Jim."
Prolonging the power . . . Yes. Yes, this was the right decision.

Rein blinked as the topic was left completely. Well that was...unexpectedly lucky. And really, he was grateful. Still pondering over this, he let the other boy think undisturbed.

Rein blinked again when the final decision finally came. ...Wot? The lijk opened his mouth, then shut it. Well, that was...concrete. I mean, did he have problems with it? No, not really. Sure, it had always had some moral concerns for him, but he was what he was and it just came with it. You can't spend forever being so concerned...though he did sometimes feel bad for any still living relatives the dead person they choose may still have. Well, if they ever found out that their beloved's body had been stolen, that is.

He tried again and opened his mouth.

"Ahh...well, okay." His tone was still a little unsure, but really...he still had the control, would have control over the zombie-servant, so what could really go all that wrong? "When?"

A little hesitation-- ah, there he goes. Compliance; a shiver ran up the boy's spine, a twisted smile lingering on his face. Yes. The thrill he had ached after for so long was finally his. Soon, it would be his forever.

"Now." Ambrose grabbed a nearby black vest poking out from one of the many scattered cardboard boxes, his items still untouched from the move. There would be time for that later. There would be a servant for that later. For his neck, he grabbed the usual labeled scarf, the bright red words AMBROSE clear to anyone who cared to read.

. . . It was him, wasn't it?

The boy, whomever he was, unhesitatingly moved towards the shared room's door, pausing briefly for Rein to follow.

(( GRAVE-DIGGING TIME? ))

Rein blinked widely and hopped to his feet with slight distress.

"Now?" He echoed. "Are you sure you're okay to go now? Should you...rest or...shouldn't we really get that looked out or try-- uhm..." He had lost the train of thought into concern and was clear as he twiddled his fingers together. But still, he was quick to follow. If Ambrose said now, then now it was and he'd go along, but it wouldn't stop him from worrying.

(( YES! <3 ))