Back in New York

[mythros]

[locked to ohhh_will and also jasonlocke if he's around

Comments

[ohhh_will]

At about that moment Will emerges from the bathroom, glancing around. To his delight he sees the sheath of red hair at the bar and approaches eagerly, just in time to hear Russ asking about him.

"Hey!" He puts his hand on the Elf's shoulder. "Guess what? I was hoping I'd run into you here."

[mythros]

"Hello, Will." Russ grins and starts to give Will a friendly hug, then notices the plaster cast on his arm. He looks down at it with a frown. "What's wrong with your arm?"

[ohhh_will]

"Oh, I broke it. I mean... well, someone beat me up when I was out in the city one night and broke my wrist."

[mythros]

"Someone attacked you?" Russandol's expression becomes more concerned. "When? Were you badly hurt?"

[mythros]

"Ah. Yes. I understand that. Sometimes we do what we need to do, even before we realise what we need."

[ohhh_will]

"I'm just glad I realised what I needed and wanted before it was too late. Before I got hurt too badly. Getting beat up... that was just a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Asshole," he mutters, lighting his cigarette.

[mythros]

"I am glad you realised it too." Looks at Will silently for a little while, wondering at his own feelings, and why he has inexplicably become so fond of this human boy. He blushes again, and looks away, hoping that Will hasn't noticed.

[ohhh_will]

But it's very difficult for a redhead to blush and get away with it, so Will does notice. "Is something wrong, Russ?"

[ohhh_will]

Since Will is looking right at him he sees the expression that crosses Russ's face, the look of pain. He's felt the way that Russ looks plenty of times. "Really?" he asks quietly. "It happened to you too?"

[mythros]

The elf gives the slightest of nods. "It was a long time ago. Still it haunts me sometimes." He folds his arms, his left arm protectively cradling the right, handless one. "I was held captive by Morgoth. Tortured." There's a long pause and Russandol closes his eyes again. "And raped."

OOC: The full story of this part of his background can be found here if you're interested.

[ohhh_will]

Will has an instinct to take Russ's hand, but his arms are folded so he can't. "Me too. A lot. I would have rather him beat me every day than that."

ooc: Goes to read. And, night!

[mythros]

Russ has a faraway look in his eyes now, focussed on something far down the street, or perhaps not even in this world. "There's a legend," he says quietly, "that if an elf is raped, they fade and die." He turns to look at Will. "It is apparently not true. I only wished that I had."

[mythros]

Russ gives Will a sympathetic smile. "Perhaps that's just your body telling you it needs a break," he says. "Time to rest and heal".

[ohhh_will]

"And my mind too. It's my mind that makes it the worst. Did you have nightmares after you got out, Russ? I have nightmares. Not as bad as I did before, but I still have them."

[mythros]

Russ closes his eyes and gives a short nod. "Yes. Still," he says quietly. "I don't think they'll ever go away now. Not for me." He takes a deep breath, shakes his head and takes a long drink of beer.

[ohhh_will]

Will nods. "Somehow I know they will always be with me too. Maybe not every night, but every once in awhile I will have them. They're just something we have to learn to live with I guess."