Tuesday March 25th 2008
Who: Nox and Dante (and a bit from Garret) What: First meeting, again Where: Nox's Office When: Tuesday Evening Rating: R for language
Garret was not in the mood for this crap. He had rounds to do and papers to write out and what he did not need was some obnoxious guy making demands at him. How in the hell had this guy gotten in here, anyway? Security around the perimeter was pretty tight. Whatever. It didn't matter. The point was, some obnoxious prick was demanding to see Nox (or "The Real Director", as the guy said) and he wasn't gonna go away until Garret took him there. So with a huff and a sigh, Garret grabbed the guy's arm and dragged him off. Not that the guy was putting up any kind of resistance, but he didn't want him stealign anything. Garret was a pretty good reader of people, and this guy had "petty thief" written all over his face.
Knocking sharply and letting himself in anyway, Garret pulled the strange man into Nox's office. "Sorry to bother you, professor," he apoligized, plopping the stranger int a seat, "but I caught this guy wandering around the grounds. He demanded to see you specifically, says he knows you." Garret looked between the stranger and Nox, seeing recognition in only one of their faces. The newcomer looked rugged and rough, short brown hair in an army style crew cut, arms thick and muscled, body wide and hard. His face had a permenant scowl, icy blue eyes scanning everywhere, as though he were casing the joint. His strong brow and gaze were focused on Nox right now, a strange amusement etched into his features.
"He won't say his name, and he doesn't have an ID on him. All I found on him was this." Garret casually tossed a book onto the demon's desk. The black leather tome was small and worn, almost like a bible. In glittering gold letters, it simply read the word "Golems".
---
Nox didn't appreciate having Garret storm into his office, dragging a stranger along with him. The newcomer was then thrust into a seat. It was unnerving the way he stared at Nox. A gaze like that indicated familiarity, but Nox had never seen this man before in his life. Nox was good with both names and faces. If they'd met in the past, he would have remembered.
His memory was triggered suddenly.. not by a word or a look or anything about the man himself. No, recognition came in the form of a book that was hurled at Nox. Suddenly, the shadow demon turned pale, ghostly pale. He was frozen in his seat for several uncomfortable moments of silence as he stared at the book first, then at the man seated on the other side of the desk. Collecting himself enough to finally speak, Nox's voice was quiet and nervous as he addressed Garret, though all the while keeping his eyes on the so-called 'stranger'. "You may leave, Garret. Shut the door behind you."
---
The way that Nox suddenly froze was unnerving. Nox did not get unsettled, period. Garret looked between the two men, how their eyes never left one another's, how that book had seemed to jarr Nox into a terrified silence. "Alright," Garret said quietly, taking his leave. Something really strange was going on in that office, and while a big part of him wanted to know, a bigger part was a little freaked out.
The stranger held his gaze with Nox, the small smile on his face growing ever so slightly as the pieces of the puzzle fell into place. "Hello, Mr. Director," he said, gravelly voice soft.
---
Nox continued to stare at the man as Garret made his exit. Tomorrow, Nox would have to think of some sort of excuse for his odd behavior, but right now he was too startled. He was looking at a stranger's body, yet the smirk was familiar now that he really examined it. The pompous gaze fit, too.
The click of the door managed to break the spell Nox seemed to have fallen under. He blinked, and a second later he got out of his chair and rushed around the desk to lean over and hug a man he thought for sure was dead. "It's... so good to see you... Dante," he stammered. Nox was actually getting choked up.
---
As soon as Garret was gone, Nox was up and rushing Dante, and the demon/golem cringed. He was going to get hit and he knew it, he was prepared for it. He wasn't ready to get hugged. Every muscle in his new body stiffened as Nox embraced him, and for a second he was too stunned to react. That didn't last long, however. "Jesus," he snapped, "wouldya get the hell off me?" Of course he made no motion to actually remove Nox, but he didn't know what he would do if the man started crying. At this rate it seemed likely.
"Okay... alright, enough already... don't scratch the paint." Getting hugged was actually really, really comforting, but he wasn't going to admit it. He had missed Nox like hell.
---
Dante verbally protested the affection, but he didn't try to pull away or push Nox off of him. For all the big talk, Nox knew that Dante really liked him and trusted him. Nox would have gladly continued to hug the burly man, but he finally withdrew to have a better look at the new body Dante was inhabiting. Nox's eyes were watery, so it was difficult to give Dante a thorough inspection.
Swallowing hard and sniffing in an effort to collect his emotions, Nox nodded for no real reason. He wasn't quite sure what to say. "I thought you were dead," he blurted out.
---
Holy fuck, Nox was crying. Not just upset, not holding back emotion, he was actually crying. Tears weren't spilling over yet but they were obvious in the shadow demon's blue eyes. He was blinking, which was a novelty in itself because Nox rarely blinked (which was really unsettling sometimes). Dante could just stare at him, thunderstruck. Well now he had seen everything. Nox was really upset, and he'd been worried and he wasn't even trying to hide it. Dante fidgeted a little, uncomfortable.
"Well I'm not dead," he said plainly. "Obviously." Biting his lip, Dante ran a hand over his short hair, the jagged scar bumpy beneath his palm. "Is... is he here?" He needed to know, was dying to know how his other half was. If he'd survived.
---
Nox actually had to wipe at his right eye. He felt the tears threatening to spill over from the well they were creating. Of course he was upset. Of course he'd been worried. Nox had a hard shell, a mask that few bothered to look behind, but under it, he was a an emotional person who cared deeply for his family, friends, and everyone under the roof of this school. This was his home. It was such a relief to have Dante back. Nox had been carrying a so much guilt and regret. It was a heavy burden. It was momentarily lifted, though it fell upon his shoulders again when Dante asked about Roger.
Nox's face darkened, and he glanced down at the floor. "He is. He's recovering," he offered in a somber tone.
---
While Nox might have felt guilty, ashamed, Dante was totally relieved. "Oh, thank God," he murmured, putting a hand to his chest. He needed to know if Roger had survived, if he'd made it back here. If he'd come back to Wesley like Dante had promised. Dante had enough guilt riding on him from this, and he knew many people would be hurt, angry, and would hate him because of this. But he could ignore all that so long as Roger was alright.
Dante hadn't thought this far ahead in this scheme. He'd spent hour riding here, thinking about this reunion, thinking about all the ways this could go. Nox crying was not one of the ways he'd imagined, and he'd never gotten this far in the imaginings. Now a silence fell over him, unsure. He didn't know what he was doing here. "I don't... I'm not sure what now," he admitted softly. "I didn't think this far ahead."
---
It was strange seeing Dante like this, not because of his new body, but because he was acting so... human, for lack of a better term. Dante was showing emotions, like relief, and then he seemed vulnerable. Nox didn't know what to do next either. Dante's presence was going to spark a lot of questions if people discovered who he was. There was a good chance, yet again, that Nox would be fired. He'd aided in this transformation, which had been overly reckless and downright stupid. It was a miracle that Dante and Roger both survived.
Nox shrugged in reply. He was clueless. "I... are you hungry?" It was the first thing that came to him.
---
It was hard seeing Nox without a direction. Even when the man didn't know what to do, he always acted with decisiveness, made a plan quickly and followed it. But right now he seemed at a total loss. Dante was nervous about it. Nox was a rock, he was solid. If he was going under, what chance did everyone else have against the tide?
What a dumb question, though. Even in this tense moment, Dante laughed, quite obviuosly at Nox, his blue eyes glistening. The same smirk fit on this new face, same devious cockiness in different eyes, still of the same hue. "No," he laughed, shaking his head. "What the hell kind of question is that?"
---
It did help ease the tension in the room. Dante's laugh sounded foreign and familiar at the same time. Nox felt as though he was dreaming, because this was an extremely strange situation. How could he be expected to know how to behave? Nothing remotely similar to this had ever happened to him before!
Dante's reply managed to loosen Nox up a bit, and he rolled his eyes. "Well, then I'll eat. You can watch." He grabbed the borrowed book off his desk and then snatched up his keys. "Come on." Without another word, Nox walked out of the office, waiting for Dante to follow. From there, Nox headed toward his campus apartment, a location Dante knew well.
---
Everything about Dante was forgeing to himself, so it was no suprise that Nox found it odd as well. Dante was getting used to himself in this way. Sometimes seeing himself in a mirror scared him, sometimes his own voice startled him. Sometimes something as simple as looking at his own hand would get his heart hammering in fear. Everything was terrifying and new and unfamiliar.
Dante followed Nox, smiling a little. He could move through this place seamlessly, following Nox without anyone knowing who he really was. For the first time, when people looked at Dante, they actually saw him and not Roger. It was so liberating. It was also freaky to be so unnoticed. Staying close behind Nox, Dante watched the people pass idly in hallways. He recognized some faces, tiny pangs of regret hitting him. Was he going to be on the outskirts of this forever? It hadn't occurred to him while coming back here that maybe he couldn't just walk back in. Maybe he needed to stay gone. He was glad when they got to the familiar apartment. This place was safe, comfortable.
"Well, isn't this just risque," Dante mused aloud, his tone deviuos. "You disappear to your apartment with strange men often?"
---
Nox didn't look anyone in the eye as he escorted Dante through the various hallways back to his apartment. People gossiped about him enough, and he was sure this might spark more, but he wasn't about to stop and have a chat with a curious passerby. Nox and Dante would be able to talk when they were in the safety of the apartment and away from prying eyes and ears.
Locking the door behind them, Nox scoffed at Dante's joke. "Yes. All the time." He missed Dante's crude humor.
Immediately, Nox walked into the kitchen and set to work finding something to make for dinner. "Are you sure you're not hungry? Or maybe you'd like a drink?"
---
Oho, so Nox had developed a funny bone? How could Dante pass up this opportunity? He grabbed Nox's butt as they walked in, grinning happily. "You slut!" he declared. Last he knew Nox preferred women, but maybe he'd switched teams. More likely then not he'd just been kidding about the strange men, but Dante hadn't really know Nox to properly execute sarcasm.
Normally, Dante would jump at the chance of a drink, but now he hesitated. He hadn't tried eating or drinking since the surgery, and he wasn't sure if he could. He wasn't totally sure what he could do. "Uh... no, I'm good," he said, trying to sound like his usual self but it was hollow. Clearing his throat, Dante took a seat at the kitchen table, watching Nox. "You're such a woman," he commented with a sneer.
---
Nox had been through a lot lately. Having Dante back helped, because while it complicated some things, it made other things a lot easier. Maybe Nox would stop having nightmares now. If not for Belle, Nox probably would have lost his mind in the last few weeks. She'd managed to keep him from wallowing in guilt, strangling annoying students, and chewing out his boss. She gave his life balance, and maybe she'd helped improve his sense of humor along the way. He didn't appreciate the ass grab though. That earned Dante a glare.
Nox shrugged. "Cooking relaxes me. It's either this.. or you and I sit around and stare at each other." Nox washed some vegetables and started chopping them. "You're staying here, by the way... with me." Nox said it with authority. It wasn't a question, and he wasn't going to accept alternatives.
---
"Hmm," Dante hummed, propping his head up on his hand. "I dunno. Staring into your dreamy eyes sounds like a hoot." But food was good too. He could sit here and watch Nox eat, could make fun of the man's choice in meals. Hell, the fact that it contained vegetables was ammunition enough.
Dante nodded a little, not realizing what Nox had said until a moment afterward. "Wait... what? No." He sat upright, looking something between panicked and distraught. "No, I'm not staying here." He couldn't. Hiding out for the moment was one thing, but he needed to go see people, he wanted to see Roger for himself. He needed to know he was alright.
---
Stir fry wasn't humorous. Nox threw the veggies into a hot pan and listened to them sizzle for a moment before covering them. "You should know that I'm spoken for now." Dante never got a chance to hear about that first night with Belle. Dante was partially to thank for the way things had turned out. He'd told Nox to let go and just go for it, and Nox had, and now he had Belle.
"And just where else were you planning to stay? I doubt you've established any sort of quality identity or obtained the paperwork that goes with it. Only the cheap hotels let you pay cash without providing I.D. or a credit card for damages. And I'm guessing no one knows you're you.. other than me. You'll stay here for the time being."
---
Spoken for? Well, about fucking time. He was happy for Nox. But he couldn't tell this to the demon, lest the man think Dante gave a crap. So instad of saying what he really thought, which was that he was happy for him, he spewed out something expectedly obnoxious. "And the hookers on Pontiac street weep."
Gaze falling down to the table, Dante's fingers fidgeting on the hem of his shirt. "I've managed before," he said quietly, not wanting to go into detail. Truthfully, he'd been sleeping outside a lot the past few weeks. "No," he said again. But he couldn't tell Nox why. Or... "I don't want to stay here. I wanna... find Roger." He felt stupid just saying it, but now that he was here, and he was close, he needed to see him, needed to be near him. It was an insane feeling he was having, but he knew that as soon as he saw his other half, things would be okay. It was a pretty huge leap of faith for someone who had no faith, but he couldn't shake it. And if he was here with Nox... how would Roger find him?
---
Obnoxiousness was to be expected. It was actually comforting in its familiarity. Nox felt more at ease now that Dante was harassing him. They'd returned to a 'normal' pattern for their relationship. Although, Nox was a bit more humorous this evening. His return quip should have been evidence of that. "Only one of us has ever actually bedded a prostitute."
Nox sighed and left his stir fry to simmer. Taking a seat across from Dante at the table, Nox looked at him with concern. "I know you want to see him. I can't imagine how hard it's been adjusting to this separation. But you should get some rest first.. a shower wouldn't hurt either, and you can borrow some clothes. Relax for now. Call Roger in the morning."
---
"A prostitute?" Dante chuckled. Oh, Nox had noooo idea.
In truth, Dante was a glorified teenager. He had the knowledge of a thirty year old, but he had the emotional capacity of a teen. So as Nox came and sat with him, Dante leaned forward a little bit, as though curling into himself defensively. Nox really knew him too well, was too gentle with Dante. And he was right regardless of how annoyingly parental he was being. Dante needed to rest, he needed to shower and let himself heal properly. Unlike Roger, he hadn't had a healer on his side. The scar was still quite visible beneath his short hair. He was pushing himself and he knew it, but he had to get here, had to see people. Nox, Roger, Wesley, Lloyd... Erin. Thinking about her made him cringe.
"No." The word was solid, firm, not willing to be argued. And that's all he was going to say on the matter. Looking up at Nox finally, Dante was being both obstinent and pleading. "Aren't you burning shit on the stove?"
---
Nox simply rolled his eyes. He didn't want to discuss Dante's apparently extensive past with paid women.
Glorified teenager was putting it mildly. Dante had a great many emotional issues. The mental didn't match the physical, and it was why he struggled so much to find his place in the world. His best friend outside of Nox had been a child. That said a lot right there. Dante didn't have fond years to look back upon. He was created out of anger and fear. Earning his trust was nearly impossible, but Nox felt he'd done so, and while that trust had been tested, Nox thought they were in a good place now.
Nox disregarded the comment about the food burning. He didn't care. "I'm not actually hungry. You're staying here. I won't take no for an answer, because it wasn't a question to begin with. I'm not holding you as a prisoner, I'm simply taking care of a friend in need. You need a place to stay, and this will be your home until something else can be arranged."
---
"I don't want to be taken care of!" Dante snapped, anger his first reaction in all scenarios. "I don't want you coddling me, I can handle myself and I have been for a month now, and honestly, when you tell someone that you won't take no and that they don't have a choice in the matter... that's fucking prison!" Hands shaking, Dante got up from the table, fingers raking over his hair. He needed to relax, calm down. Everything made him fly off the handle lately, and he couldn't keep his energies in check when that happened. Before, with Roger, he'd had such control of everything. He could harness the electrical currents easily and use them at a whim. Now, they sparked up whenever they wanted, mostly when he was mad or upset, and sometimes he couldn't stop them. That was one perk to sleeping in dirt.
Breathing deeply through clenched teeth, Dante's skin was buzzing and sparking, little blue sparks falling off him like snow. "Shit, shit," he hissed, hands patting his own pockets to find something- anything- to grab onto. Keys: no good. In fact he tossed the so they wouldn't melt. Two fifties: even worse, they got tossed too. He didn't have anything else. Zweeby was with Roger, that stupid toy he hated so much but right now he missed it like crazy. He missed having a filter, having Roger. He missed having control.
---
Nox expected an angry reaction, but he didn't expect the display of supernatural power. He didn't know it was possible for Dante to retain Roger's powers now that Dante had a body of his own. It was fascinating, even if it was also dangerous, especially seeing as how Dante didn't have nearly as good a grip on those powers as he used to. Two minds were apparently better than one when it came to controlling energy.
Nox rushed to the front door and grabbed his basketball shoes, which were sitting neatly under a little table there. He tossed one of them to Dante. They were made mostly of rubber. Hopefully, they'd absorb the energy.
---
The beautiful thing about Nox was that he didn't panic, and for that Dante was eternally grateful. He caught the sneaker easily, giving Nox a 'Are you kidding me?' face. Even in distress, the man was not without his attitude. Closing his eyes Dante focused, something the alchemist had told him to do, something that Roger had learned from his Energies and Emotions class. Breathe in ten seconds, hold it deep in your belly, breathe out for five seconds. In, hold, out. Repeat seven times. Gradually, Dante felt his currents gaining control, felt it flowing through his arms and out his hands instead of just running haywire within himself. This was better. Of course now he felt like crying, an annoying side effect that he wished to get under control faster than this electrical business.
To say that Nox's shoe was melted would have been putting it mildly. When Dante did finally open his eyes, a charred misshapen form of rubbery charcoal was gripped in his hands. "Oh," he said, startled. He'd never focused into anything but the ground before, and that left scorch marks. Holding it up, a child like smile crept over his face. "Holy shit."
---
Sometimes Nox panicked, but it was very rare. More often than not, he was able to quickly analyze a situation and come up with a plan of attack in a matter of seconds. His brain was just wired that way. The shoe was the best he could do, and it appeared to have worked, though now he'd have to go shopping for a new pair and donate the surviving shoe to some poor dog in need of a chew toy.
At least Dante was smiling. Nox gently took the charred remains of rubber from Dante and set it on the kitchen table. "I really think a shower would do you some good, Dante. Clean up, put on some fresh clothes, and then you can figure out your next move. Alright?"
---
God, what a wreck he was. Dante hadn't been ready for this. He'd been ready for the operation, for the risks, for the failure. He wasn't ready for the success. Still in a state of shock, he let Nox take the singed thing from him, realizing a second afterward that the demon was near him. "Yeah," he said, scoffing a little, "put the electrical nightmare in water. There's an idea." Of course he knew Nox was right, he hadn't seen a shower in days. And while he knew he didn't smell, because so far he hadn't sweated and that was weird in itself, he was a bit dusty.
"Fine." He only conceded because he knew Nox would persist until he got what he wanted, because Nox was damn annoying like that. But he couldn't just go down without a fight. Keeping a straight, annoyed face, Dante pulled off his tee shirt and dropped it onto the kitchen chair. "You wanna get me naked so bad, let's get this over with..."
---
"I could arrange a sponge bath if you'd prefer," Nox joked. Where in the world had this dry humor been hiding? It was just such a relief to have Dante back, even if looking at him in this strange body was still difficult. It would take time for Nox to get used to the new face.
Nox showed Dante to the bathroom and started pulling out supplies. He kept an assortment of things for guests, because he had so many these days, although most of them were women... Katie, Hesper, Adora, and of course, Belle. He set fresh towels on the countertop along with soap and shampoo. "My robe is clean and hanging behind the door. I'll look through my closet while you're showering... see if I can find a few things that will fit you." Nox grinned with amusement. "You're bigger now." He wanted to ask if Dante had picked this body for any particular reason, but Nox could guess the answer. Dante liked to feel strong and in control, and this new body fit the image he wanted others to see.
---
Following Nox, Dante could not stop staring at the demon. He was... being really fucking weird. He was smiling and chatty and cracking jokes, accepting Dante into his world as though it were the most natural thing in the world. Even though that grin was infection (and dreamy, a word Dante would always assosciate with Nox), Dante felt he couldn't return it. "Which one of us underwent the body transplant?" he asked seriously. "I mean... seriously, Dreamboat. What the hell happened to you?"
---
Nox chuckled lightly at Dante's question. Nox probably did seem different now. "You're back.. so, that's one less thing to worry about." His smile faded, and he looked serious and even a little sad. "I really thought I'd never see you again, Dante. Even when I thought about the slim chance of you surviving... I didn't think you'd return... not to see me, anyway." He was quiet for a moment. "But, you're here now, and you're in one piece... rather than being a piece of someone else. I'm happy for you. I've been doubting my choice so much lately, wondering if I made a mistake in helping you." He looked Dante over. "I don't regret it now. I'm glad I could help. You deserved this."
---
It was really hard to keep himself in check when Nox- stoic, quiet, unflinching Nox- was becoming somewhat emotional. Dante eyed the man with a wary expression, his blue eyes scanning the demon's face for any hint of sarcasm, something to pounce on and get by this moment unscathed. But of course Nox was being sincere, and Dante didn't know how to take that. Suddenly he felt incredibly naked, and crossed his arms over his bare chest.
"You are so fucking weird." That of course meant 'thank you', 'I missed you', and every other term of endearment the stocky man could not bring himself to say. His eyes were glistening though, wet tears building in them dangerously. When Roger had been around, Dante never needed to release his sappy, girly emotions because that's what Roger did. Now they were all his to deal with, and they went nuts sometimes. He wiped his eyes before Nox could see them, although no doubt the shadow demon had already. "Get out already," he said gruffly, stepping past Nox into the bathroom. "You ain't showering with me and that's that."
---
Nox put his hands up. "Alright, alright. I'm leaving." He had a grin on his face. Nox was quite pleased with himself. He'd managed to get Dante a little choked up. It was good to know that the new body contained a heart. "And don't wreck my bathroom. Belle is probably coming over later." He hoped that would cheer up Dante. The man always liked prodding and mocking Nox in regards to his love life. "I'll be in my bedroom finding some clothes to fit your new muscles."
Nox left the bathroom then, closing the door behind him. He went straight to his bedroom closet to rummage. There was very little chance that any of Nox's pants would fit Dante. The new body Dante inhabited was TALL! Nox was only 5'11". The men had similar builds though. Broad shoulders and chests. Dante was more muscular, but Nox didn't exactly wear tight clothing. He figured some of his shirts would work on Dante.
---
"Stop ogling my muscles!" the man snapped from behind the door. He knew that his body was a novel concept, but damn. Rubbing his tired face, Dante stripped down and stepped into the shower, his weariness growing every moment he was in there. The alchemist said that might happen, since water opposed electricity so much. He made a point of showring quickly, getting more and more nervous as time passed. Seven minutes in there and already he felt like he needed to sleep for three days. Was this how elementals felt when exposed to their opposing elements? Roger never really liked water, but it didn't drain him quite so much. But then again he was only half a demon, not a full... whatever Dante had become. Animated corpse that ran on electricity and magic.
Stepping out of the bathroom (no steam, as the water had been barely tepid) with a towel around his waist, Dante wandered about the apartment a little, making a point to be soundless and avoid Nox's bedroom. He noticed that this body had a decent amount of scars, the largest of which being a huge, clean slice from stomach to sternum. Autopsy scar. Apparently whoever this guy was, he'd been banged up fairly well in his life. Thankfully he was not an organ donor. While Nox occupied himself doing whatever he was doing, Dante went to the man's living room and starting picking through his things, seeing what the place had to offer.
---
Midway through Nox's search for clothing, he heard footsteps. For a terrifing moment, Nox worried Belle or Katie might have shown up unannounced. It wouldn't be completely out of character for either of them. He rushed out of his bedroom and spotted Dante snooping around. Nox breathed a sigh of relief. "I told you I'd be in the bedroom. You scared me. I thought Belle or Katie had walked in. I'd really like to warn them both before coming across a nearly naked stranger in my apartment."
Nox rushed back to the bathroom and grabbed his robe. It would be short on Dante, but it would fit his form otherwise. "Here." It was less for Dante's benefit, and more Nox's. It made Nox uncomfortable to see a reanimated corpse. Nox had made a LOT of trips to the morgue when he was still a homicide detective, and he didn't like the way that Y incision looked on his friend's new body.
---
Dante listened to Nox worry, thuogh he wasn't looking at him because he was too busy flipping through a book on the shelf. "I know you said you'd be there," he said simply, frowning at the boringness of the novel. "That's why I'm out here." Honestly, Nox should have known Dante well enough to have anticipated this from him. New body or not, he was still the same childish prick.
As Nox ran off again, Dante replaced the book and stood a bit awkwardly, looking about. "Maybe your girls would like a naked stranger in your apartment," he called with a smirk. Maybe I could nail 'em both at the same time. Now that was an idea. He couldn't keep down the smile brewing. Though he didn't know if all the equipment still worked, he could not think of a reason why it wouldn't. His thoughts were interrupted as Nox handed him a robe, looking somewhat... nervous? No. Unhappy? Not quite... Dante studied Nox's face, letting the robe stay held out for a moment, refusing to take it. Nox was good at keeping eye contact, but today.... Aha! His eyes kept casting downward at Dante's chest. No, no. At his scar. The scar was making him uncomfortable. With a faint smirk, Dante finally took the robe offered to him and pulled it on. "Vampires are at least intact," he mused aloud. "Not quite the same level of "corpse", are they?" Yeah, he was pretty damn amused. He'd already been through the horrified feeling of a new body, throwing up from seeing himself the first few days. Time to cash in on someone else's discomfort.
---
Nox didn't appreciate the jokes this time around. He was relieved when Dante finally put on the robe. "I've seen a lot of mutilated corpses. Most of them don't talk," he said seriously, his tone quite grim. Sometimes he missed his old career, but this was a good reminder of how much better his new career was. He didn't miss seeing dead people. He didn't miss all the tears. He didn't miss the total lack of remorse in some killer's eyes.
He walked into the kitchen and removed the burned vegetables from the stove, setting the pan in the sink to soak. "I still think you should get some rest before contacting Roger. Seeing him again will be hard on both of you. You'll need all your strength to handle it."
---
"I'm not mutilated!" Dante said defensively. Sure, there were some scars, but it wasn't like he was deformed or anything. Whoever this guy had been, he'd been a total badass. But Nox was clearly unnerved, so Dante decided to drop it. For now. Truth be told, he was suprised Nox wasn't asking a billion and one questions about it. It had been a very interesting ordeal he'd gone through, and without Nox's book he wouldn't have known where to start it. But maybe the demon didn't really want to know.
"I think you need to mind your own business," he said shortly, but he also knew that Nox was right. He was already exhausted, and that odds that Roger wasn't gonna punch him in the face were very slim. He expected a fight, and he'd need energy for that. Stifling a yawn, Dante laid down on the couch, stretching himself out comfortably. The side of the towel exposed quite a fair showing of leg, but thankfully kept the vital bits covered. Staring at the ceiling, Dante let his mind wander. Too many people here to see, too many people who were either going to cry on him or be super pissed. Or some who would try not to cry and instead act more pissed then they were. Erin would do that.
Erin. Dante winced a little, clearly seeing her face in his mind. She had to be next. Before Roger. Everything depended on Roger. If he wanted Dante gone, then Dante would go, no argument. This was Roger's life here, and Dante had ruined things. So if the need came, he would go. But he needed to see Erin before he might be banished.
---
"You're covered in autopsy scars, Dante. I think that counts as mutilated." Nox was just going to be blunt, because there was no tiptoeing around the fact that Dante was using a dead man's body to move about the world. As for questions, well, Nox didn't see much point in asking. Dante never shared more than he wanted to at any given time, and Nox figured he'd offer up the information when he was ready.
Nox watched as Dante stretched out on the couch. He went to a trunk that was situated near the television and opened it, pulling out a pillow and thick, fluffy blanket. Nox brought them both over to Dante. "Sleep for a few hours. You look exhausted, rightfully so. I'll cancel my classes tomorrow and take you wherever you want to go. You'll need some clothes that actually fit, so we'll buy some. I'm sure you'd like to look your best when you see..." Nox was going to say Erin's name, but felt it was better left unsaid. He knew Dante missed her. Dante had scribbled that note on Roger's chest for a reason. "Well, anyway, you can't run around in a towel, and you can't continue to wear the same outfit everyday. I'll put your clothes in the wash for now."
---
Looking up dubiously at Nox, Dante said nothing. The man was mothering him, and the golem-elemental found that he didn't mind it totally. Maybe having people care about him asn't the worst thing that could happen to him. After all, he was completely alone now. There wasn't anyone else to be with him, no one to keep him company. He told himself he didn't mind but the fact of the matter was that without Roger, without any of these people, he would be lost. Just a child stranded.
"Thank you." The words were soft spoken, but he was looking in Nox's eyes as he said it. He wasn't going to cry, he was absolutely determined not to, but his facial muscles did tense against it, giving him away. He didn't say that he wasn't staying here tonight, that sooner or later he would be gone and Nox would just shake his head in expected disappointment. He didn't say that he couldn't look his best when he saw Erin because then it wouldn't be real. He didn't say that he had clothing in the bags on his bike, or that they were stolen, or that he was absolutely terrified of what came next here.
What he said instead was "If your girlfriend comes over tonight, is it ok if I nail her?"
---
Nox nodded curtly at the quiet 'thank you'. Those were big words coming from someone like Dante. Nox knew it was hard for him, which made the gesture all the more meaningful. Like it or not, Dante needed help, and Nox was determined to give it to him. He wouldn't allow Dante to push him away, at least not too far away.
Nox was preparing to leave Dante so that he could get some rest, but then the sarcastic idiot opened his big mouth. "She's more powerful than you, Dante. I'm fairly sure if you tried it, she'd nail you instead... and not in a way you'd enjoy. But if she does come over, would you like me to wake you?"
---
Nox was too easy sometimes. Chuckling to himself, Dante shook his head. "Nah, don't bother. I won't sleep that long." He didn't plan to sleep at all, just rest a little bit, although he could already tell his body was going to betray him and pass out. Asshole. Closing his eyes, Dante waved a dismissive hand at Nox, telling him wordlessly that he may go now. Already his brain seemed grateful that it was being allowed rest, as it had been thinking too much in the past few weeks. Dante had pushed too hard, tried to accomplish too much, had contemplated too many things. It needed a break.
But first, Dante demanded a plan of himself. Rest here, sneak out either while Nox was gone or just get up and walk out. What would the demon do, try to stop him? That'd be pretty damn suspicious. Anyway, get out of here, get clothing from the bike, go find Erin... he needed to grab a marker from somewhere...