#infernocte

'  talking about your pet ravens?  '   the edge of his razor sharp mouth softens an inch,  as neil swivels to look at @infernocte.  the icy glare was reserved for the row of disgruntled ravens some tables ahead,  looking featherless and lost without their king and in utter disbelief about their new captain's behavior.  bianca di angelo,  not just mingling with foxes at the fall banquet,  but with their soon to be captain,  sitting next to him,  angling her head to mutter something cospiratory for his ears alone. 

'  it's fine.  i trust you to keep them in line.  '   without breaking them is implied,  self evident.  bianca is not riko,  she won't be a monster and the erc seems to think so too.  the board had been adamant about things running smoothly from here on out,  though,  no repeat of the previous freak show,  no more pr fiascos.  it's clear bianca has her hands full without needing to worry about him.

it wasn't that simple. bianca knew that better than anyone. jean, especially, was property. he didn't get what he wanted. he was lucky to get what he needed to survive. he didn't feel lucky. he wouldn't wish the life he lived on anyone, even his worst enemies. life at castle evermore was . . . complicated couldn't even begin to explain it. he didn't even know if he could put pen to paper to describe all the hell they were put through, not even sun up to sun down. they lived in a different time schedule down there, one he still hadn't gotten out of his system. his sleeping schedule would never be the same . . . not that he had ever gotten much sleep.

hades @ zagreus: frankly, i'm surprised you're even here. i have no idea what to do with you. will fuck this up royally. thankfully, if you die you'll come back and i can get a re-do.

hades @ melinoe: persephone, are we positively sure this one is ours? *most closely resembles him. the normal kid who the narrative said would herald an army from hell to kill her father* ok this may have been a stupid question

hades @ makaria: this is baby !!!!! my sweet angel !!! has never done anything wrong ever !!!?!!?!

hades @ niko: hmmm..... maybe i won't fuck up with this son as bad, but i'm still *squints*

''  stop sticking your nose in my business,  then.  ''   neil quips right back,  skates in hand as he sits outside the rink.  he doesn't even turn to look at @infernocte,  just keeps staring at the ice,  the shock of white familiar and welcoming under the lights   (   that should have long since been turned off,  but their insane coach said he could make use of the rink during the off hours too   ).  neil wants to press his hands to the hard,  gleaming surface,  keep them there until they go hypothermic and he doesn't feel a thing anymore.  he finds reason and a better use for his hands in the next breath:  putting his skates on.

''  i didn't break in,  if that's what you're thinking,  ''   he adds somewhat reluctantly,  like it's physically painful for him to not be on the ice already. like the simple act of talking with his new found partner is wasting precious time that could be spent trying to get the hang of the discipline.  which means forgetting most,  if not all,  of what playing hockey taught him.   ''  coach gave me the keys.  ''   of course there is only so much he could do alone,  but the thought of asking her to join him hadn't crossed his mind at all,  before now.

neil sways a little on his feet,   barely registering the hot trickle of blood pouring from his nose.  his legs tingle all over with exertion after being pushed nearly to their limits and for a moment neil isn't sure they will carry him to the plexiglass walls,  let alone out of the court and into the locker rooms.  the roar of the crowd drowns out his teammates' voices,  but neil is still staring at the scoreboard,  racquet held in a white knuckled grip.  this isn't disbelief,  a mad rush of dizzying adrenaline after an impossibile win,  this is neil josten committing the moment to memory,  pride pooling warm in his chest. 

nathaniel's first instinct is to scramble away from the touch,   to shake so hard out of his skin nothing can reach him anymore,  but @infernocte is relentless,  she chases him as his back knocks against the bedpost.  night terrors and whatever riko forced down his throat last night   (   the edges of it hazy,  blurred by substances and the drum of heavy bass ringing through his skull   )   not mixing well for neil's already scarred psyche.  his mother's screams and riko's laughter.  his father's world shattering cruelty   (   fetch me my knives,  nathaniel.  i will show you what to do with traitors   ).  all so vivid,  real and distorted in his memories at the same time,  made worse by his disoriented state.

''  what has he done to me?  i don't—  ''   breath rattles in his throat as he tries to gather air into his lungs.  he chokes on a dry sob instead,  his breathing becoming more and more erratic by the second.   ''  i blacked out.  ''   he stops fighting,  grabs her wrists to tether him to reality instead,  fingers harsh and desperate.  a shut door,  the touch on his skin not unwelcome and unwanted,  riko and his minions nowhere in sight.  safe.  he's safe.  he just has to convince himself of it enough to draw a full breath.