WHO: Briseis & Achilles WHEN: Friday night WHERE: Achilles' apartment WHAT: Briseis coming around for a large dose of 'WTF!?' WARNINGS: language
Briseis didn't really have a plan, but Achilles had threatened to hurt Patroclus and so Briseis had decided that plans took time they might not have. Something was seriously very wrong with their friend and she hoped that maybe she could get through to him where Patroclus had failed.
She got into the building when someone else came out and as she ran up the stairs she was furious and not understanding. She just wanted whatever was going on to stop.
The side of her fist thumped heavily against the door and if he didn't answer her then she'd just keep banging until he did.
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[info]chink_in_armor 2010-11-19 10:12 am (local) (link) Track This Achilles had kept his distance from his loved ones for a reason, but now since Patroclus' appearance that reason just became a necessity. He was still fighting Hybris' influential thoughts. It made him tired, but like the warrior he was he continued to fight.
Without her there it gave him some moment of himself, but it was as weak as the rest of him. Water dripped down his neck where a cold shower had seemed to cure that burn inside that continue to rage. He had just slipped on a pair of jeans and thrown a towel around his neck when that furious knocking continued.
When Achilles stormed to the door and opened it, jaw clenching, he saw Briseis on the other end and immediately bristled.
"You have no business here." He hadn't wanted to hurt Patroclus, he didn't want the same for Briseis.
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[info]spoil_of_war 2010-11-19 10:16 am (local) (link) Track This Briseis pushed past him - fast enough and small enough to do so - so that she was inside his apartment and he couldn't just send her away. "I want an explanation right now," Briseis snapped, crossing her arms and glaring at him. "You threatened your best friend. You threatened the man whose death turned you into an evil killing machine. So if you don't explain to me how you could possibly threaten him yourself then I'm not going anywhere."
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[info]chink_in_armor 2010-11-19 11:16 am (local) (link) Track This There was an eerie silence that passed before he shut the door behind her forcefully, pacing behind her like some kind of cat before his eyes locked on hers.
For a moment he let that arrogance take hold, his eyes unwavering, but he was wringing his hands together as if to keep himself from doing something he would regret later. He would regret this when it was all said and done, but Hybris' words---they weren't allowing him to feel guilt. What little control he still had over himself he was determined to go down hard.
"He shouldn't undermine me," he said coldly, hands still gripping each other, but there was a shake, and a flinch of his brow. She was sliding into his thoughts again, and it was like a hammer against his temples.
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[info]spoil_of_war 2010-11-19 09:17 pm (local) (link) Track This "Yes, yes, I've heard that before," Briseis stepped forward towards him. This wasn't Set, this wasn't some stranger. This was Achilles and even in the worst times of war he'd never hit her, even when his blood was running high. If he chose to hurt her now then she'd know that whatever this thing was, it wasn't truly her Achilles.
"Tell me," she demanded, looking up and glaring into his eyes, "what is happening."
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[info]chink_in_armor 2010-11-19 11:05 pm (local) (link) Track This His face was stone as she stood there demanding he he speak, as if it were her right to do so. He all but laughed.
"Foolish woman, making demands of me as if it were your place." His hands curling into fists.
It was as if he were watching in the background seeing these things happen and yet his actions were lagging in retaliation, his mind making decisions he wouldn't have stood for. Achilles could be demanding, he could be possessive, and he could be vile, but there was always a softness, and reason to his madness.
There was no reason anymore, but he could still break through at times. He closed his eyes momentarily, breathing in deeply and exhaling.
"You have no authority over me, Briseis, don't...." He pointed a finger at her, taking a step closer, lip twitching as if to sneer. Briseis had always been able to console. Now was different.
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[info]spoil_of_war 2010-11-19 11:08 pm (local) (link) Track This Briseis watched him carefully, watched that anger, watched that twitch of his lip, that breath held and released. She watched all of it and tried to read every movement into a form that made sense.
"Don't what?" she asked him, only slightly softer than before, a real curiosity there with her worry. "Don't stand here as a friend and ask what is wrong? Don't stand here like an equal and try to fix whatever is going on in your head? Don't you shove your finger in my face, Achilles, and don't expect me to pander to your ego, not now."
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[info]chink_in_armor 2010-11-20 01:19 am (local) (link) Track This Achilles stood just mere inches from her, his look demeaning, a hybrid of his own ego and the one Hybris had created. "What would you like me to tell you?" He crossed his arms. "As if you have the power to fix anything."
He may have always had a demanding tone, most times soft and considerate when it came to her, but it was becoming harder to find that softness. It made him weak. She'd have to look deeper to find it, because Achilles was there, no matter how difficult it was to believe, he was just loosing his grip.
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[info]spoil_of_war 2010-11-20 02:29 am (local) (link) Track This "Achilles," Briseis said more quietly, looking at him seriously. "Something is wrong with you. Tell me what you're feeling. Haven't I always been here to help you?"
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[info]chink_in_armor 2010-11-20 03:00 am (local) (link) Track This What was he feeling?
There was hardly an answer to that question because he wasn't feeling anything beyond that gnawing hunger for power, honor and glory. All things that were becoming his sole interest, anything else was just getting in the way.
She came forward, her voice while soft was being persistent. There was some appreciation in that, but she was still stepping into private territory. She was too close. Someone Achilles held so dear to his heart that even for a moment, Achilles could look at her without unseen voices in his head.
He rubbed his temples feeling that hard pound strike again. "There is nothing to feel," he spoke, "My thoughts, are not my thoughts anymore..." he started to tell her more but serving stopped him. That throb to his head, the power behind the influence.
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[info]spoil_of_war 2010-11-20 03:14 am (local) (link) Track This That meant something, the way he'd said it, and she reached out gently to try and take his hand. "Achilles," she whispered. "Whose thoughts are they?"
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[info]chink_in_armor 2010-11-20 04:00 am (local) (link) Track This "The one who gives me power," he shook his head, that surge too strong. Her hand was almost cool against his warm skin. A beacon of light from the outside. He closed his eyes at that touch. Yet, almost as soon as she'd put it there he slapped it back. "No more questions," it was personal now, he didn't like it, "Go!" he demanded.
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[info]spoil_of_war 2010-11-22 06:51 am (local) (link) Track This The one who gives me power.
That, right there, was Twilight Zone creepy and Briseis stared at him in confusion and a little fear now. Not of him, but of whatever was going on inside his head.
He slapped her hand away and she glared at his demands. "No," she told him firmly. "Who is the one who gives you power, Achilles?"
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[info]chink_in_armor 2010-11-22 11:36 am (local) (link) Track This "No one you could fight against." No one he could fight against, he was slipping.
He growled at her defiance, firmly looking into her eyes demanding she leave without saying a word. She still stood. He grabbed her arm, more forcefully then he ever would have, and pushed her towards the door, opening it.
For a moment he was silent, his hand still gripping her arm. "I'm doing this for your safety, Briseis" he whispered, his free hand coming towards her face, finger lining her lips. When he kissed her it wasn't with remorse, regret or love that Achilles had always shown. There was aggression inside that had no where to go, and what she was fearful of was not going to release him.
He released her arm, standing in the doorway looking at her, waiting for her to leave. He was lingering, and it was because it was Briseis that Achilles lingered.
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[info]spoil_of_war 2010-11-23 12:24 am (local) (link) Track This The kiss disturbed her and felt so much like an assault that she wanted to hit him, but instead she found she was just letting him pull her towards the door.
She wanted to go back inside, to keep fighting for this, but she was actually afraid to do it. His grip lingered on her arm, his kiss against her lips, the both of them bruising. That kiss... she found she was scared that if she pushed here this Achilles-shaped thing might force more onto her.
She should have stayed and fought for Achilles but the idea of having him violate her like that was something she knew she wouldn't get over. She'd never be able to look at him again, even if it hadn't been his fault.
So instead Briseis said, "this isn't over. I'm going to fix whatever this is." Then she turned and even managed not to break into a run until she was out of view of his door.