a ray of light shone in my darkness

[bearshermark]

WHO: Eleven + various! YOU, if u want
WHEN: Late May
WHERE: The farm
WHAT: Catch-all for misc threads
WARNINGS: Violence, dark topics?

[ooc: prompts in comments. if you've got an idea for a thread outside of El's open thread that you think would work better here, go for it. If you'd like to work something out, pm or plurk!]

Comments

[darkeststars]

"Ah." He gives a thoughtful hum. "Involved with Wei Wuxian's plan, then. I see."

Interesting that a 'god' would need to borrow power from anyone at all, of course, but he's not surprised his quite credulous friend decided to take the words at face value.

"Withdrew, though? I thought you said you'd already let him do something to you. Did he get a part of it? What exactly went down here?"

Arche squints over at Eleven, feeling as though he must be missing something. Or perhaps that's a premonition of the Force niggling at him to dig deeper? He doesn't know a thing about this Xie Lian, after all; it somehow seems like there must be some crucial fact being left out here.

[bearshermark]

Eleven glanced off with an embarassed sort of smile.

"We- it just.. we had to try, first, since we couldn't be sure if my magic would be compatible or even enough if it was. I don't have as much power as you do, after all. So he did pull some of it, in that. But for the actual distraction, I hope he'll have found someone else."

He'd thought of Archeval first when Wei Wuxian asked, but in retrospect, he's glad he'd never actually asked him, considering the method of extraction.

[darkeststars]

Another frown from Archeval, then, as his own thoughts go in a similar direction.

"...and you didn't mention it to me? I don't hand out power to just any charlatan, but I certainly have more to spare than many, and technique enough to safely give and take."

Apparently he's just not going to leave well enough alone, too bad for Eleven. The embarrassment and discomfort in the look on El's face, though, and the feelings drifting around him, are becoming an increasing source of confusion.

[bearshermark]

The embarassed tint of color turns full force and Eleven's face turns several shades darker as he flusters.

"Ah, no, you probably don't- don't want to do that, I think. It's uh, he has to.."

Goddess, his ears are burning at just the thought over again. Deep breath. "He ah, pulls power through a- a kiss, so.."

[darkeststars]

What. He pauses and squints at El for a long several moments before finally uttering, deadpan:

"Are you entirely sure you didn't just get taken in by a garden-variety pervert?"

[bearshermark]

Eleven sputters.

"No! I mean, yes. We'd met and spoken at length before and it's not- I didn't know until-"

He runs a nervous hand through his hair. "Anyway, he's very beautiful so I didn't really mind that much.."

[darkeststars]

"I see, I see."

There's a couple seconds' pause before, somehow even more deadpan than before:

"Just wanted to keep him to yourself then, hm?"

(Of course he's not enjoying this, shh.)

[bearshermark]

Eleven slaps a hand to his face, making a sound somewhere between a cough and a pitiful groan. His skin feels hot and he's sure he must resemble the beets they're growing.

"No. I just thought you wouldn't want to.."

Slowly, his fingers slide down off his face, recognizing at last that Archeval is just messing with him. He gets a half-hearted glare for his effort.

"Goddess, you're awful."

[darkeststars]

For a second, a little smile tugs at Arche's lips. El has seen this from him now and again, quite rarely, but this one seems different from when Arche was doing things like mocking the Merchant. It transforms his face somehow, makes him look a little younger. They're not that far apart in age, after all, when one gets right down to it.

"I could hardly call myself Sith if I knowingly passed up such a perfect opening," he replies, almost fondly.

He can just picture Rynn saying the same thing to him. Far be it from Archeval to refuse to pass on such a storied tradition.

"Mm, I suppose you thought right, though. I certainly don't go around kissing just anyone if I can help it. But sometimes we do what we must in difficult circumstances."

[bearshermark]

The part of him that isn't terribly embarassed is pleased to see it, that Arche can relax enough in his company to soften to a smile and tease.

Of course, he'd appreciate the novelty more if only it weren't currently at his expense. At least the heat in his face is lessening.

"I did think of you, but I thought I'd try, first. Then when I learned how.. well," he clears his throat, weight shifting, "But I'm sure you could, if you wanted to."

[darkeststars]

"Hm, well. If I happen to run into this Xie Lian, we shall see perhaps," Arche muses in return, stepping a pace or two away now to begin to give El's sword a couple of experimental swings again. If they're going to continue their spar, and it sounds like Eleven probably wants to, they shouldn't stand here cooling down for too much longer.

"The whole thing sounds rather dubious to me. But I suppose the man can't be completely terrible if he's somehow gained your..." He pauses to throw El another wry glance.

"...hm. Admiration."

[bearshermark]

Well, there goes whatever he'd regained of his dignity, burning hot through implications. Eleven massages his face in an attempt to settle his expression. It takes a good several moments to get the muscles to lax and cooperate, though redness lingers.

"I didn't know Siths lived to be vexing," he huffs finally, taking turns to wipe overheated palms off on his long coat lest his grip on the blade slip. "But that almost sounds like high praise, if that's you trusting my judgement."

[darkeststars]

"Well then you've learned a lesson today," Archeval drawls, apparently in fine form -- he catches Eleven's eye with another look of amusement as he circles back to a proper starting distance for another round, lifting his sword in salute.

"'Being vexing' is practically the Sith Order's calling in life. You up for another go, then? If we're meant to cure you of overly guarding your chest."

The matter of trusting anything about Eleven, however, goes unremarked upon for now. But perhaps that's no surprise.

[bearshermark]

"Yes," he breathes with conviction, finally bringing his own weapon to bear. On the matter of trust, he can't help but wonder if Archeval understood his own position.

It's a risk even his own mind has seen fit to lecture him for, pushing faith when by rights he should have withdrawn- a mistake that could cost him far too much. But it's done, now, and he would have to live with the consequences if he was wrong.

"I need to hone a more effective defense."

[darkeststars]

"Indeed. And no time like the present--"

Once both of them are in position and ready, Arche wastes no time surging forward with an opening strike, and the spar is on once again.

Does he trust Eleven? Well, that's a complicated question. He trusts specific things, maybe. Eleven's good judgement... ...perhaps, though he's fairly sure their definitions of 'good judgement' differ wildly. Eleven's willingness not to betray him without good reason -- though there, again, what a 'good reason' might be for each of them is bound to be quite different. Eleven's desire to save sentient lives. Hm. He does trust that firmly, at least.

But simply trusting anyone at all, full stop, no specifications, well. That would be a tall order.

Does Eleven trust him?--

Shit, he certainly hopes not.

...well. Most of him hopes not. It would be unacceptably naive and deeply worrisome of the other young man to trust somebody like Archeval after knowing him for only a month or so. But -- he probably doesn't, right? Probably. That would be a little ludicrous, even for El.

...That's what most of him hopes, anyway. If some little part of him feels differently, well, everybody is allowed a few moments of foolishness here and there within their heart of hearts.