The Universe's Mixer

Eric had not revealed everything about his plans for the night that they'd reconnected, but Macklyn didn't need to know all the details. He knew enough. He knew the emotion behind it, and he knew that it hadn't just been an idle thought. Eric had given away their cat.

He wasn't angry. Not just because they'd already worked past it, but because it actually showed a lot of love for Eric to do what he'd done. He'd made sure that the kitten had a safe place to be, with somebody that would love it a lot. He was sad, though. Because he hadn't meant for that kind of finality to come about.

Macklyn wanted the cat back, though. They were together again, and they were in their home again. It needed every part of them in order to be a family. So he'd made it a goal to track down Selina and retrieve the feline from her.

She wasn't difficult to find. Browsing the shifting shopping area, peeking through windows. The fairy could only imagine the thoughts going through her head.

It had been a long five months.

Eric had given it a try, trying to hold reign on a normal type of a life. But the days were restless and the nights stretched out far too long. Every time he closed his eyes he didn't feel rested in spite of being so exhausted to the point of collapsing, and when he awoke during the evening hours it felt too long. He had adapted his sleeping schedule to be awake during the nights in hopes of catching John at the studios. Eric had been desperately trying to distract himself from the emptiness, but each day that came and went seemed like an eternity. The misery overwhelmed him when he was alone in that damned apartment. And the calendar on his mobile phone was all too eager to keep track of the days and nights so he didn't have to. They had flown by, each one had escaped him, and now he was convinced that this facade of an existence was no longer worth the effort.

Before....before the transformation into what he was presently, Eric had been able to be by himself with no concern. He hadn't needed anyone else, hadn't needed contact and presence of others to be happy. He loathed that the fairy part of him yearned so badly for that contact, the subtle motion of normal interaction. Being in Lee's presence helped, finding her on the wall was always a treat, and then there had been John. All of the time they spent together was nice, having someone to compose with, that understood the depth of music...but no matter how much time Eric spent with his friend it didn't ease him. This life he had built in Macklyn's absence was no life at all. In fact, each time Eric awoke to face the moon it was with dread. It felt like dying over and over again and he couldn't put up with it anymore.

Having made up his mind a few days ago, Eric knew it was best to escape this place while he could. There was nothing left for him here. He had entrusted Selina with Saucer, something that felt like abandoning part of his heart to a woman whom would only crush it beneath her shoe if she got the chance, but Saucer would be safer with her. And it was one less tie to the misery that had plagued him for the last five months.

This was the eve of the eve of his death. It loomed before him like a shadow and it made him hate the apartment more than usual. The couch where he slept during the day was a mess, his constant tossing and turning sending the cushions and blankets to the floor. The bedroom had remained untouched, the apartment itself was as much of a ghost as he felt like. Coats of dust covered much of it. He avoided the place when he could but having no place else to go made this the only true dwelling. He had toyed with the idea of burning it to the ground and each step closer he came to the 30th, the more pleasing the idea became.

Tonight he planned on going to the studio, though. There was a track that needed to be laid down and tampered with, and it was unfinished. He couldn't leave it like that. Hopefully John would show up at some point during the evening to approve it. If the vampire did, Eric would leave him the keys to the place. Eric knew John would keep it up and use it, which was what he had wanted.

But then something changed.

He had been about to put his keys in to the pocket of his leather jacket when he felt something in his mind switch onward and a flood of things returned. At first, it was a bit overwhelming, the connection coming back. Eric closed his eyes and savored it, letting relief wash over him. He wouldn't get his hopes up, not yet, but this was a start.

Another moment and he heard Bran in his head speaking to him.

Mara is here. She is beckoning us to return. It is time.

His eyes opened slowly. Eric wasn't sure if he was ready to face Macklyn yet. They had ended on such terrible terms and he was aware that his mate wouldn't have forgotten it. Eric couldn't even think to utter the word 'vampire' in regards to himself. He no longer thought about that part of himself. Buffy knew the phantom and the fairy, but only because of her occupation, and John wasnt worldly enough to know the difference in species.

It was time to go home.

Squaring his shoulders, Eric did push the keys in to his pocket and he was out the door of the apartment in a flash. It didn't take him long to find his way back to the little house that had once seemed a distant memory. Looking at it was painful.

Bran took his usual spot on the roof and the hybrid approached the front door unsure of what he would find. It took only a moment to open the door to the house, and once he had crossed the threshold he peered around at the dark, stale atmosphere. It felt like a shell of what had been there previously.

He wasn't sure if Macklyn was there waiting for him, they had a lot to catch up on when they did find each other again. It seemed best to just hang around and wait. He'd waited long enough already, what was a few minutes more? Slowly, Eric made his way further in to the house and settled into a shadow thrown by the kitchen to wait.

Macklyn hadn't really been back to the little house much. He made sure that the animals there were fed and taken care of and that the plants didn't die, but for the most part, he roamed and spent time by the water, or in the park, careful to use his connection to Eric to stay away from the other man. His anger at what he'd had to do to Ariel had stayed burning in his chest for a really long time. To twist that innocence, to betray somebody who was his friend. To know that he'd had to, or she would remain afraid of him and never look at him in that same way again...

But now...

The hybrid stood at the door, Mara on his shoulder. The strange bird never left his side. She was so much different than Bran, it was hard to imagine that she was technically the same creature, just changed. She needed blood to live. She was a she. She was... alive. That was truly the biggest difference. Mara had a heartbeat where Bran did not.

It had been so long that Macklyn wished he couldn't remember what they'd fought about. He wished he didn't have a vampire's mind for memory. And a fairy's for that matter. If he could only forget as a human could do, maybe he wouldn't have let this go on for so long.

He missed Eric.

They were soulmates, and that was something that he knew he could never sever. Not that he really wanted to. He needed his soulmate by his side. But he also needed to make sure that Eric understood the dangers of throwing information around. He was far too casual about the truth of himself. Macklyn hadn't lasted as long as he had in the world telling people willy nilly that he was part vampire. Hell, most never even discovered that he was a fairy, unless they were creatures that could tell right away.

The house smelled a bit stale and musty. That just wouldn't do.

"Mara. I need you to find Bran. Bring them back. I'll clean up here." It was time. Probably far beyond time. The two of them needed to reconnect, needed to make peace. Needed to be together. Macklyn opened the communication channel back up, that which he had blocked off to have his privacy. Now Eric would be able to sense him once more, in all the ways he'd been able to previously.

The last thing Macklyn wanted to be doing was to be hunting down the little mermaid. He wanted to encounter her on happier terms, see her and discover how she might be doing in this new place. He didn't want to have to wash her brain of everything that Eric had told her.

Of course, that's what he was doing.

Finding people when they had a bit of his blood in them was a lot easier, which she did not have, but he'd at least learned what her mind felt like, so he had that. It was more like finding a needle lost in the middle of a stitch, instead of a haystack.

Macklyn spied her red hair in the park, and he watched her for a moment, trying to figure out the best approach. Hoping that this was the end of the line. Hoping that he wasn't going to have to find others.

Macklyn was with Mara in the kitchen, using an eye dropper to feed her a little bit of blood, when Bran appeared. It was very rare that the spirit was without Eric, so Macklyn had expected him to be along soon. When he wasn't, the hybrid finally set down the makeshift feeder and turned to eye the big black bird who was unusually silent.

After a moment, frustrated, he'd spat out a slightly irritated what, and Bran had filled him in on everything that had happened with Ariel.

From that point, Macklyn had abandoned his task with Mara entirely, and gone to sit in the living room, waiting for his mate to appear. It wasn't that he didn't believe the bird's tale, it was that he wanted to hear it for himself.

They were not supposed to be revealing that information to anybody. Now somebody outside of them knew. It had made him uncomfortable with D, but at least D had been like them. This was entirely different, and it marked the second occasion when Eric had been flippant about their secret. Macklyn was incensed. He'd been very specific at the beginning that their survival depended on the secret. And he'd reiterated the point after D, he was sure.

For Eric to spout off about it as if it were nothing...

Three days.

Three days and two nights Eric had been away trying to deal with the aftermath of the impact. The first night had been the most difficult, the hardest night he had faced in quite a long time. Peter had been there, had helped him struggle through it and after that the day had come easier than before.

The second night Eric sat in the same spot on the Earth and weighed his options. He kept nothing from his mate. He didn't need to. Every thought that entered his mind, any doubts, he left open to Macklyn. He wouldn't hide the pain from his mate, it wasn't fair to himself to conceal it. The path before him was clear, and his heart knew he must walk it despite everything.

It may have been paved in blood and darkness, that path, but hadn't it always been? It wasn't new.

The dawn of the third day brought a small measure of hope. It was enough to spark movement from the Dark Avenger and so he rose to claim it. With a brief stop at the phantom's vacant apartment to clean up and to get fresh clothes (since his had been thoroughly ruined), Eric headed toward home. The only other detour he managed was to the pet store to grab a few things for that still nameless cat. The events that had taken their attention from it commanded every part of them, and now that it was no longer a barrier, the cat was now what needed tending to.

Finally Eric approached their little house.

The crow swooped ahead of him, perching on the roof. Eric needed no grand entrance, Bran would make enough of one for the both of them. He was too exhausted to care. The door to the cottage swung open and he set the bags full of kitty stuff on the couch once he was far enough into the living room to find an empty space.

He brushed a hand over the tight black leather pants he wore, and across the front of a black long sleeved shirt, before finally offering his attention to the house.

Eric needed time, and Macklyn understood that. His mate's hurt and anger still flooded him, he would not block out the pain. He had been the one to cause it. He had his own sorrows for what he had done, but he would not share them until Eric was ready. Right now, the Dark Avenger needed space.

He introduced Mara to her new home, showed her the garden and the animals within it. Let her fly and explore the roof where Bran liked to sit. Then he brought her inside to show her the rest. It was then that Macklyn heard the small mewling.

"Oh." He shook his head. He'd forgotten about the kitten.

He was still in the dish box, sitting in the center, looking up. It didn't appear to be distressed, just lonely. Macklyn bent and picked him up, and Mara inspected him closely, her head turning this way and that.

From the fridge, the fairy got some milk, realizing he hadn't even prepared for the kitten correctly. There wasn't food, or a litterbox, or toys, or anything. He really really had not thought the whole thing through. Much like a child, he'd seen the kitten and hadn't considered the rest of the responsibility. Before turning away, he grabbed a bag of grapes as well.

Macklyn put the milk in a teacup and set it on the table, then put the kitten next to it so that he could drink. He sat in one of the two mismatched chairs - he was hunting for a better situation, a matched set, but they needed something to hold them over - and urged Mara from his shoulder. For her he opened the grapes and put a handful onto the table. He knew she would like them. She grasped one between her toes so that it could not move, and began to eat it.

There was a moment that he was able to forget the mess he'd made, and instead think of the family he'd created. How fantastic they all were. Eric, Bran, Mara, they were all extraordinary. Even the kitten, who was the most normal thing of them, was extraordinary because of his ordinariness.

He sat watching the animals eat, waiting for his soulmate to return home.

He had a kitten in his hands and the knowledge of the Other Eric in his mind. He stood at the door to the home he shared with his mate, uncertain about everything. Macklyn wasn't used to being uncertain and he didn't like the feeling of it.

The fairy took a deep breath and opened the door. "Eric?"

Their house was still not all the way decorated, but he'd brought in some things over time. The abandoned recliner had been repaired and reupholstered to fit more into their lives. He'd chosen an elegant print for it, though he'd been highly tempted to find the most garish seventies monstrosity he could find, just for the amusement. It was the realization that he would also have to look at it every day that stopped him.

"Eric?" He called, the kitten held behind his back. He knew that his mate would likely smell or sense the animal before he saw it, but it was still... well, it was supposed to be a surprise.

Potentially not a good one.

Maybe Selina was right, maybe he should have asked first. But it was too late now. He was in the house with it.

Outside he heard Bran yelling at something, probably one of the squirrels. It made Macklyn smile.

They had talked, him and his mate, about this Other Eric that was out in the world. There had been caution at their first chat. A plan. They were going to establish themselves in the City and then seek out the other version. Between those events, they were going to discuss what they should do about it. But somewhere along the line, the plan had gone out the window, and Eric had gone to talk to the mirror of himself without Macklyn there to back him up.

It didn't anger the fairy, on the contrary, it frightened him. They had no idea what the other Eric would do, and yet his love had wandered off to confront him alone. It wasn't that Macklyn didn't think his Eric could take care of himself. He knew that there was very little alive that could take him down. Peter, probably, but Peter was a friend. That didn't mean that Macklyn wished to see his soulmate hurt in any way, and this seemed like a good way for him to get hurt, particularly psychologically.

He wouldn't chide Eric for it, or let his distaste toward the situation be known. Eric was a man, and could make his own decisions. Though he belonged to Macklyn now, in heart and in blood, and Macklyn could order him to not do or do something as he pleased, that's not what Macklyn wanted for either of them. Lilith had done that to him, he would not do it to another.

The result of that meeting had been that Macklyn needed to go speak to the Other Eric. He had been told to play nice. He had promised that he would go into the meeting with a clear head and he would. He had not promised that everyone would walk away from it. Macklyn still did not trust the Other, a lot of damage could be done by this one man, a man fresh with hurt. More than one. A man who still swam in the darkness like a hungry shark, bent for revenge.

The hybrid did not find the Other Eric as easily as he could have found his own, but it was still by far more simple than it should have been. His scent was still that of the man he loved, and the City seemed to be guiding him, bringing the pair together. The apartment building loomed before him, and he could hear the soft padding of feline footsteps within. Macklyn decided to start this venture by knocking on the door like a civilized being. He mounted the long stairs, though he didn't take those as a human would. He was at the top in a blink, knuckles rapping against the wood lightly.

This Eric knew as much as the other had, which already set Macklyn on edge. But it meant that he would not talk with the practiced Southern accent, nor would he go by Ben here. It would just be Macklyn. Fairy, vampire, every truth. Macklyn sighed. He really wished that Eric had taken a little more care in introducing the truth to his mirror.

Selina needed a break. She had been spending her nights in her suit, taking the streets one after another until all of the things she wanted were hers. And yet she some how didn't feel satisfied. She had Bruce, she had her cat suit and the night, she had any gems in the City she wanted....and yet....and yet there was something missing. Something lacking. She wasn't quite sure what it was. Perhaps it was the excitement from the jungle? Maybe it was the challenge of finding things to do that were beyond her skills. She had felt useful on the island. Here it felt too easy.

She found herself outside of a pet shop, peering in through the glass at the menagerie of creatures inside. Specifically her attention was on the small felines, kittens of all colors frolicking about before the glass. Selina couldn't help but smile. She tapped at the glass with her fingernails, and instantly the kittens all rushed towards her in a clump of tails and fur.

As ease swam over her at the crowd of fur balls, and Selina took an easy breath. It wasn't difficult to attract cats, she had always been able to do it. Felines of all caliber, large and small, wild and tame. Of course none ever could satisfy her heart. Cats could be fickle, coming and going as they saw fit. Her beauty back home was that way. The black cat stole away where ever the night took her and came back to the apartment when she pleased.

Selina missed her cat dearly. And she wasn't sure if Bruce would appreciate her bringing home kittens. She figured that she was cat enough for Wayne Manor. Could she be at her apartment often enough to tend to a feline? A small one that would need her? Or should she find something bigger? More dangerous? It would be no danger to her, the feline would not harm her, but still. She craved one anyway, wether she could care for it properly or not.

Finally she made herself stand and pull away from the window. The mewling of the litter met her warmly but she couldn't. She wanted to, but she couldn't. Not yet. If she could take every single one of them, oh she would. Without a minute of hesitation. But they were better off here where they could be tended to. For now. She would come back for them later. Not too much later, but later still.

The prince in him had wanted to take up at The Manchester, with all of the gargoyles and columns, the fact that it veritably stank of wealth. But what he really wanted was to have a place with Eric where they could have privacy when they wanted it. And an apartment, or condo - no matter how well appointed, was not going to provide that.

A lot of time had been spent looking for just the right place, and he finally found it. A cute little cottage-style house complete with white picket fence. Maybe it was absurd, but it warmed Macklyn's heart.

Eric had run off to do an errand, and the fairy hadn't butt into it. He knew that when Eric was done, he would come back and tell Macklyn everything. They didn't hide anything from each other. And if Eric thought it was necessary, then it was. Period.

But now he'd found a house and he wanted to share.

Eric. He pushed out with his mind, they didn't generally speak telepathically, but with two Brans out there, he didn't want signals to get crossed and messages to get sent to the wrong place. I have something for you.

Eric sighed.

He settled into the atmosphere of the cliff and watched the land expand before him. Behind him sat their house, the one he had built for them and the one that now seemed not to matter. No longer were they trapped on this island. No longer did they have to live in such basic accommodations though he would hate to see the place go unused.

It was almost as if the dinosaurs themselves sensed the changed. The trees were quiet, still. Not a leaf shivered. Not a saur cried into the daytime. It was strange. But as much as Eric loathed a cityscape, part of him welcomed the familiarity of it. Except for the part that lead him to believe that some of his past had finally caught up to him.

Bran had flown ahead to assess the danger. Eric had never expected the scene the bird saw. Bran had seen him, and Peter. It had sensed Peter's need for stability and comfort, thus the black avian had flown a circle around their friend to offer comfort. And before Peter had stood...Eric. Himself. He that seemed different. The Dark Avenger couldn't imagine what world or time that part of him was from, as familiar as it was, and yet he knew. They shared the same memories to a point. But that didn't mean Eric liked the idea of having another of himself running amok in the city.

That could be dangerous considering they didn't know exactly what to expect.

And so Eric sat patiently. He watched the city through Bran's eyes and weighed the challenges presented before them. They could do well in a place like that. Function better. He and Macklyn. His mate deserved much more than ancient flora and fauna. But Eric wouldn't move without Macklyn. If Macklyn wanted to stay here, they would stay. If he wanted to explore the tall concrete buildings and cityscape, then they would go together and forage a new existence there. But he would let Macklyn decide.

Bran cawed, perched upon a Directory. This place, apparently, was called The City, and it was waiting for them. Eric could feel the subtle pull. He wondered if Macklyn felt it too.