Who: Lennox & Zander - Lyrics Challenge What: A much needed pep talk from an odd place When: Backdated Where: Nerissa’s place Rating: Low Status: Complete
Lennox approached Nessa’s residence with the hopes that she wouldn’t mind a random approach. They were good friends - up until recently he’d met her for supper at least once a week considering their bond to the water. He didn’t mind her ravenous appetite, it was an endearing quality.
The surprise he noticed was the apparent fresh statue that was perched outside of her place. Had that been there before? Len couldn’t recall it had. Nessa had mentioned something about a guy she was seeing but she hadn’t gone into much detail beyond an excited text and the polite decline of his suggestion they go to dinner.
Trouble was, Lennox needed the advice of his friend more than ever and so he had sought her out in spite of her decline to want to see him. He was having issues with himself, a resurgence on the thing that had happened to him and the fact that he’d been alone for so long. He wasn’t used to that.
As usual for that time the sun was diving into the Earth, plummeting quickly.
Darkness began to shroud him. He waited at Nessa’s doorstep, leaned against one of the walls of her entryway to see if she would be home. It didn’t occur to him to try her place of work - he wasn’t sure what her schedule was like now that the catalyst had come into their usual routine.
He would wait if he had to.
Previously Zander had taken to perching on the higher buildings of Summerview, a different one each night. But instinct would have him guard the person he cared for in the building within while in his stone form. When they didn’t have work or a shift at the bridge he could get away with hiding out from the sun with her.
But he didn’t mind so much moving atop her Beach house during the day when she worked.
Lennox might not have noticed, it was hard to move in the day, but the stone creature had slowly turned its head to watch him move about the residence it was guarding. And when the sun sank behind the water, the stone shook and grew into the Gargoyles larger, true form, large white eyes glowing like headlights in the darkness as he dropped from the roof, perched in front of the sea creature, a puff of hot air blowing into the smaller man’s body as Zander caught his scent.
Another sea creature, but Nerissa hadn’t told him that she was expecting guests…
Body of a dragon, head of a lion and teeth that were thick and made for clamping opened and closed as the Gargoyle spoke in a gravelly voice, wings flexing and tail twirling behind him. “Are you a friend of Nerissa?”
A stereotype perhaps, surely she didn’t know all see creatures but this one looked distressed and as if he were waiting for her.
Caught up in his task of waiting and also the things on his mind he did not catch that slight movement of the stone statue. Instead he sat himself down near the residence to wait.
As the sun met the Earth a breath was taken. Lennox had been about to give up and go home when something in the wind shifted and the statue from the roof was now towering over him.
Startled by the sudden presence Len took a step backward, hands going up with his palms showing in a defensive manner.
Nodding silently, Lennox hoped that would suffice. “Yes,” He squeaked voice soft and floating away like a leaf on the wind.
Hmm. This would be reason enough. Zander sniffed at Lennox and his submissive behavior. It’d make sense he would wait for Rissa to come when she got off work. Which would be soon enough.
The Gargoyle blinked his bright eyes, giving what looked like a small nod before backing away and heading inside the beach house on all fours, unlocking the door with his tail and pressing his wings together tightly so as not to break anything inside. “Come in to wait, then.”
He disappeared down the hallway to change and pull on his clothes. Just a quick pair of jeans and a T-shirt only to emerge in his less intimidating humanesque form. Ugh. But blue eyes kept a sharp watch on the little sea thing in the house merely out of curiosity. “What’s your name, mate? I’ve never seen you around.” He moved to grab a bottle of water from the fridge and offered one to Lennox. “I’m Zander.”
This wasn’t his territory, not that he had any rights to any particular patch of anything in the first place. It seemed that the creature wasn’t hungry or in the market for a bout which was good for the Siren.
At the invitation to enter, Len nodded. He didn’t hesitate to rush forward and across the threshold. He had never been inside of Nerissa’s place before and so he took a moment to himself to get a good look at it.
When the creature returned as a human, Len relaxed and even offered a small grin, “Lennox,” he squeaked, words soft. “Nice...to meet...you...Zander.”
A small, scalely, squeaky little thing. Zander wondered how old the young man (or old) was. And since he appeared to be shy and didn’t seem to notice the bottled water Zander was holding out for him, the Gargoyle put it on the counter.
“Nerissa should be home soon,” he said casually and drank a gulp of his own water. He was hungry, but he had the patience to wait until his mate got home to see what she wanted to eat. “What is it you need exactly, Lennox?”
He supposed that question was fair. So caught up in processing the interaction he bypassed the offer of the bottle of water but not for any negative reason. Zander was utterly fascinating and Lennox was being a terrible guest. A swallow and Len nodded before speaking softly, “I...came to...find Nessa...to ask...some...advice…”
The sea creature had offered to help with things pertaining to the relationship part of his life and so Lennox had come to collect on the offer.
“She...offered...to help….with….something…..relationship…..talking to….someone…” It wasn’t that he couldn’t do it himself, Len had once been frightfully alluring and charismatic. Now he wasnt as spry or eager.
It hadn’t really occurred to Zander how scarce it would be for everyone else to know what a Gargoyle was. He hadn’t seen any of his own kind in..far too long. It wore on him. But as he had gotten used to Summerview he just accepted them all as creatures surviving together away from the humans.
The Gargoyle moved around the counter to sit up on it, used to keeping at a perch in habit as he listened, the corner of his lips turning upwards. “She’s a devious one, you know. Her advice may be..a bit much”
And yet she still charmed him. Devious didn’t necessarily mean lacking in warmth. Nerissa made Zander feel a little more whole and unalone. She was loyal and caring—even with that venomous mouth of hers. “Usually knows what she’s talking about though.”
Lennox nodded.
Nessa had a tendency to speak what was on her mind - brash, brute, with the occasional curse word for good measure - but that was one of the things Lennox appreciated most about her. Sure, she had colorful ways of putting things, but it was to the point. There weren’t really any games with her when it came to really helping people she cared about, those select few.
“She...is...honest….and...i know...she can….come off….as harsh...but….she cares….and that..is….what….matters.” Any advice was good advice, and Nessa was the only woman he could come to with these things considering it was a subject they’d touched on before.
The way Zander spoke about her made Lennox smile. He sounded as if he cared a great deal for her, which was pleasing to hear.
“Only harsh if you don’t know her..crude, is the word I’d use.” The Gargoyle chuckled, smirking a little bit more. “That’s the best sort of advice, that. One with no lies.” And Lennox was right—if Nerissa didn’t care she wouldn’t waste her time.
“You’ll be in good hands, mate. I don’t really trust anyone else to speak with either. About..much anything.”
He would’ve laughed, a real good chuckle had he been able. Lennox nodded instead, offering an amused smile. “She...is a...good friend...very….upfront….she knows...what...she wants….and….I dont….think...I’ve ever….seen….her be….shy.” That just wasn’t the woman he knew. Women from his time weren’t so crude or necessarily straightforward so it was a trait to be appreciative of.
There was a common theme here, he was glad to bond over something as wonderful as a friend in common (or in Zander’s case a girlfriend) because Lennox knew for certain Nerissa only chose the best to deem worthy of her time. If she settled down with this one then he really was worth something.
“So….” Lennox began, considering his reason for coming by in the first place. “Do...you think….you could….help...since...Nessa….isn’t...here?” He swallowed sheepishly and then smiled a little, “There’s…..this girl…”
Blinking timidly, Zander’s face gave obvious way to his confusion on the matter. It should have been a simple thing. Though he’d not necessarily been mates with any of the other males around here—the females were much more open. Perhaps it was the cause of their species. Or the fact he was just nocturnal.
Either way, the Gargoyle eventually shrugged. “I’m here so I may as well here you out,” though poor Lennox, Zander hadn’t had much experience with dating outside of Nerissa. “What about the girl?”
The thing about it was, before his accident Lennox had no problem at all talking to girls, and guys if the opportunity favored something, and here he was standing before Zander a heap of confusion and shyness. It was a lot of things, excuses culminating, and he wasn’t sure where to start. Nessa knew about this already, this thing with himself and Peisinoê that wasn’t really a thing.
“Uh...well….” he began as timidly as Zander appeared, “..there's...this...mermaid….and...I want….to ask...you know….but...she’s….so smart….and….” His hand had lifted, fingers pawing absently at the scarf concealing the scars on his throat. “...not sure….she’d be….interested….I’m….broken….”
Lennox unwound the scarf, showing Zander those healed scars across his throat.
A low hum came from the gargoyle’s throat as he observed the scars beneath the mer-boy’s neck, crystal blue eyes taking in his words with a steely expression. “Is that it?” He quirked a small brow, sitting back and folding his arms.
Well. Zander may have been new to courting or the mating rituals of other creatures but they all shared a heart. “Scars mean you’re alive, you know. You’ve had your battles. Despite what they may have been, you lived through them. Broken...mate, the dead bones in the ground are broken. You’re still alive.” Most creatures would wear it with a badge of armor. It was a tall tale to know who would be hard to take down if one had many scars—that meant the most battle experience. “If a girl’s not going to give you a chance because of an imperfection then she isn’t worth your time.”
Words held such power. Zander delivered the advice, those points that Lennox needed to hear. In the years since the accident no one had ever put it to him like that. Scars were something to be proud of, they should be as much a part of him as the rest of him was. He got the gist of the words in that sense, anyway, even if they weren’t given exactly in that way. He was a predator, Lennox overpowered humans, and he had been afraid of someone seeing him differently.
He felt more empowered.
Nodding in understanding, Lennox offered a grin. “Thank…..you…” he managed, pulling the scarf away completely. He wouldn’t hide anymore. He didn’t have to. That shifter had taken his confidence that day on the beach. Zander had given it back.
There was truth. He knew Nessa would’ve said the same thing (albeit with a few more crude words added in for good measure). “I….won’t wait….for….Nessa….I...won’t….keep you….”
Seeing the bit of light behind the sea boy’s eyes and watching him ditch the scarf softened the Gargoyle’s demeanor, almost made him smile, the tiniest bit. He was thankful to not to have said the wrong thing, but he’d only been honest. That Lennox felt well enough about himself to take it to heart, well, one couldn’t help be happy for them.
“Don’t mention it.” Anyone telling or knowing of the truth would have said so. Those that weren’t vain of course.
Cautiously, he gave Lennox a hardy pat on the back. His brother used to do so for him as a gesture of reassurance. “It’s no bother, mate. Stay if you’d like or be off to woo your lady friend. I’d better start supper before ‘Rissa gets home.”