1533/After the Berl Mansion

After the Berl Mansion
Date of Scene:	18 July 2017
Location:	Unknown
Synopsis:	Summary needed
Cast of Characters:	1061, Sublime

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Dr. Mid-Nite (1061) has posed:
    The kitchen is alive with the scent of cooking once she steps down the stairs from the second floor. He'd only had a few minutes ahead of her, his shower inevitably taking less time considering that, well, he has a lot less hair on his head to worry about. But now, without the scent of blood and gunpowder and fire, this particular moment in life takes on a small, almost normal feeling.
    A bottle of brandy sits on the island of the kitchen, open with two glasses, one full and one partially empty. It has company in the pair of faintly sizzling pans of oil that are just now coming up to temperature. Combined with that, there are aromatics in the air. Some herbs, some garlic, perhaps some thyme. The oven's heating up, and for all intents and purposes dinner seems to be well in hand.
    And when she comes around the corner she'll see him at the counter, knife in hand as he chops up some of the broccoli he had intended to prepare.

Sublime has posed:
    When she comes down, she's back out of her fighting outfit, dressed down, feet. Her top is much less revealing now, a pretty sea green that sets off her hair and eyes, with khaki capris. She looks younger like this, especially with her hair loose instead of up in a more severe bun. Without a word, she walks over to the island, then finds one of the stools there, pulling herself up on it, then snagging the brandy glass as she watches. She seems...quiet now, sipping from the alcohol, then murmurs. "What were you making again?"

Dr. Mid-Nite (1061) has posed:
    A glance to the side over his shoulder and she'll see his brown eyes for a moment, the smile that lights at the corner of his mouth, then the small nod that precedes his words. "Ribeye, potatoes, broccoli." He shifts his grip on the knife and starts to cut off the ends of the broccoli, working that prep over and then tending to some of the herbs.
    Once that's done he turns around and presents her with two steaks on a cutting board, each well seasoned and having had the fat trimmed away in part, any gristle long gone. "Pick one," There's not much difference between the two. One is slightly larger, but that's about it. Both rich and marbled.
    Once she does he asks, "How well do you like it cooked?" And once she answers those each goes into their own pan, the sizzling and hissing rising as the sear begins.

Sublime has posed:
    She gestures absently to the one on the right, not really seeming to consider it deeply. "Little pink.." she offers in return as she sips from the brandy slowly, then mms. Her ice blue eyes watch you as you work, seeming to take a certain comfort in just seeing everything being turned into a meal, even if she seems to have withdrawn a little bit, lost in her own thoughts.

Dr. Mid-Nite (1061) has posed:
    The sizzling continues and he leaves them in to sear, the smell of the cooking meat filling the room with the tang of salt and peppercorns fresh with the sizzle. He doesn't push them around the pan, just leaves them there for now as he takes up a few potatoes and starts to puncture them with a fork, most likely prepping them for the microwave. "I'm sure your friends will be excited to see you again soon." He offers as he tosses each readied potato onto the plate, then pauses and reaches down for the pot to take up the steamer, getting its water boiling upon the stove top as well.

Sublime has posed:
    That causes her head to come up sharply, tensing. "What?" she says, lowering the glass to the table with a clink. Her breath catches for a moment, before she lets it out. "...why do you say that?" she says after a moment, forcing herself to relax again. He probably didn't mean what her mind jumped to, right? Her finger starts to run over the top of the glass slowly as the smells of the cooking food fill the room.

Dr. Mid-Nite (1061) has posed:
    A glance at her is given as he only then turns the steaks over, just a few minutes on each side and then they're into the oven. But for now they still sizzle in those pans. "You're healed. We've seen to the situation with Berl. I thought you would want to get clear of here as soon as you could to get on with your life." There's no hint of judgement in his tone, nor even an order or demand. More simply advancing this as how he expected things to be.
    "Though I expect to see you again when you find more on the people who..." He frowns and pushes the steaks again, "Who harmed you."

Sublime has posed:
    Her eyes darken as she drops her gaze from yours, looking at the warm brown of the brandy in her glass, the glass ringing softly as her index finger circles around it. "Mmm, I'm not...leaving town, or something." she allows after a moment. "New York's big. I can vanish there. Too many heroes for them to easily come after me without being out in the light more than they like."

    She sighs, then rubs her forehead. "John...I owe you. Not the other way around. As far as I'm concerned...I haven't repaid my debt to you, whether or not you think it's done. So...no, I'm not leaving the area. And if you need me..." Her finger idly flicks her glass, the crystal ringing softly again. "Sure, I'll come. But...I don't...want you to be pulled into that.." she admits quietly. "You have a son. Berl was an asshole, but he was a small fish compared to this. And they WILL kill him. Without hesistation, and you too."

Dr. Mid-Nite (1061) has posed:
    "Rachel," John pulls the steaks from their pan and he then transfers them to the cooking tray. A moment and he turns aside, drawing open the oven and pushing the tray in. He closes it and looks back towards her. "You will always be welcome here. You and yours should you need it. I am not without resources and abilities. I can insure the safety of my son for a period of time until we resolve what needs to be resolved."
    He takes a deep breath and pushes a hand over the rough stubble of his scalp. Brown eyes turn back to her and he seeks her own. "But I have not been entirely honest with you."
    He reaches for the brandy bottle and tilts it on its side, pouring some into his glass and then offers to refill her own. "So if you will bear with me, I will tell you what I can."

Sublime has posed:
    The young woman tilts her head, frowning as she looks a bit unsure, but doesn't immediately try to argue it, despite the slightly mulish look she gets at the idea. She straightens up, sipping from the glass again after you refill it as she meets your eyes with her own. "...alright..." she says, a little warily, lowering the glass again.

Dr. Mid-Nite (1061) has posed:
    "I... belong to a family that is long-lived." John takes up his own glass and takes a sip, setting it aside for the moment after gaining that small dose of liquid courage. He turns his head to the side and looks at her directly. "They've existed for a long time, and each of us were gifted with abilities, such as what you have seen me do at times."
    He leans back against the counter as he looks towards her, "Each of us were given spheres of influence, abilities to complement them, and over the years we indulged in those abilities. I am..." He looks to her, frowning then looks away. "I am very old." He tells her, "Very." He repeats and then looks back, "And our kind would be worshipped by some."

Sublime has posed:
    Rachel frowns at that, listening. Blonde jokes aside, she's never been dumb...maybe not inclined to showing her intelligence, sometimes, but not dumb at all. So as the explanation goes on, she leans back a bit, watching you more intently. "...like...a god?" she says slowly. She might not have jumped to this. But back before this all started...she did meet one. And he was...impressive, even if he couldn't stop staring at her chest, but there was an oath of celibacy involved, so it was mostly her deliberately...ahem. Anyway. It's fresh in her mind.

Dr. Mid-Nite (1061) has posed:
    "Yes," He rubs the back of his neck, awkwardly, but then he starts to gather up the potatoes, putting them in a bowl and walking towards the microwave. "I had many names. Though right now I prefer John." He pulls open the door and places the potatoes inside, then keys them up and hits the button.
    Now from there he leans against the counter, arms folded over his chest as he looks to her, "But my family are... they're terrible people. Who existed just for amusement from moment to moment, doing reprehensible things to each other and to mortals. Though, in ages past I was just as terrible as they were."
    He waves a hand to the side, "I turned my back on them two hundred years ago. I have... tried to live as a normal person since then."
    He shakes his head, "None of that is ultimately important, but I am saying... do not worry about me. I will look after the people I care about and I love. I will protect my son. And if someone threatens you and you need help, then I will help you."

Sublime has posed:
    Those blue eyes, stay on yours, a bit questioning as you explain. There's something in her eyes, as you talk about your family being terrible people, before she blinks quickly, twice, then looks down. "....why did you...do that?" she says quietly. "If you thought it was the way to live for so long. You...you chose to live like that, right?"

    She doesn't acknowledge your offer. Yet, at least. It's hard for her. She chose to separate herself from her friends because of this. Because they could be safe, and she would take the risks for them, send them what they needed.

Dr. Mid-Nite (1061) has posed:
    She asks a question he cannot easily answer. And she can see the affect it has on him. He does not wish to answer, or perhaps... if she looks closer, he does not wish to lie to her, and perhaps in some ways he worries what affect such an answer will have on her. And how she sees him.
    His eyes slip to the side and she can see the change in his body language, that internalization as he frowns. Then he looks to her and says quietly. "There was a war. During that time."
    He reaches over and grabs the cutting board of broccoli, then adds them to the steamer, leaving them to cook before he takes another sip of brandy. He settles back and folds his arms over his chest. "My role was as a warrior, as was my sister, and my brother. But I..." He looks to her and says quietly, "I was known for my brutality, for the rage... the wildness of battle, for exulting in victory and personal perfection. Such was my role. But I was looked down on for my... barbarity. I had done many... terrible things."
    He looks to her, "But the war went poorly for them. My brother and sister were struck down, and the enemy were at the gates. They eventually came to me and asked me to save them. And so I did."
    Those words hang there for a time, as if he were reluctant to go on. But then he says quietly, "But to win I had to do... unspeakable things. Horrible things."

Sublime has posed:
    Her voice is distant, quiet. "...so one day, you just...looked around at what you'd done, the blood on your hands, and you just said...no more?" She doesn't meet your eyes now, looking at the table in front of her, then breathes out. "After all that time, that was what was too much?"

Dr. Mid-Nite (1061) has posed:
    A nod was given as he doesn't answer with words at first, but he does look away. Towards the outside, towards the distant garden he most likely showed her at some point during her stay. To the peace and normalcy of a man's back yard in summer time.
    He turns towards her and says quietly, "They reviled me. Said I was a horror. And I believed them. Oh I was angry, hurt at the time. But I felt like... I was a monster. Truly. And what a creature had I become."
    A shake of his head is given, "So I left. I walked the earth. I spent a hundred years trying to get a handle on... this aspect of myself."
    He looks up at her, "It's always there. This other part of me, that wants nothing but... horrors. Evil. And I do my best to suppress it. That is why I may seem to act the fool with you at times. I am constantly at war with myself. And in some ways..." He looks to her and doesn't say those last few words. But it's clear... he sees the same in her.

Sublime has posed:
    There's a long moment of silence that stretched out between the two of you. She's still now, her lips parting slightly as she just breathes in and out at the tabletop, soft, quiet exhalations as her chest rises and falls.

    When she does speak, her voice is roughened with whatever emotions are eating at her. "You're stronger than I am." She falls silent again. "And I said you were an asshole. Not a fool.' Her lips twitch at that as she tries to shake off the memories she was lost in, taking a much larger gulp of the brandy this time. It drowns the demons, you see.

Dr. Mid-Nite (1061) has posed:
    A small smile is seen there at her jape, and then gently he reaches forward and touches her shoulder with his hand, just to give some feeling of... connection. But it is only there... a moment, then he steps back and looks towards the microwave as it trills its completion.
    The potatoes are drawn free and he sets them down on the countertop, then he looks to her and smiles faintly. "Eventually I met Alexander's mother, and now you're... all caught up." That smile grows a touch and he rubs the back of his neck. "But... my name in the past has been Orion. Or Mars. Or Ares. It has changed over time. But many of the tales have an element of truth to them."

Sublime has posed:
    There's a faint snort from the other woman. "...heh, had an argument over you." she says, looking amused, her eyes flicking up to you. "Met a guy who felt he was the actual god of War, got in this heated discussion with someone over it. All metaphysical, if there was one god of War with many faces, or many gods of War with different aspects." She huffs. "Felt like I was back in my freshman mythology course again." But she seems to be accepting what you're saying without too much questioning. Maybe that makes her foolish, but she just...wants to feel one person is not going to lie to her. Her throat works a bit as she flicks her eyes to the potatoes. "...you don't seem like a monster to me."

Dr. Mid-Nite (1061) has posed:
    "Rachel," He looks at her and she can see such a curious panoply of emotions on his features as she says that and for a moment it might almost seem to cause some... moment of reflection as he looks aside. But then he looks back and he says simply, quietly. "Thank you. But..." He shakes his head, and just holds up a hand as if to stave off that.
    "But for now, I try to do what I can. To be someone... better."
    He takes a deep breath. "In any case, I just thought you should know."

Sublime has posed:
    Rachel nods slightly at that, smiling weakly as empties her glass, tossing it back. "Yeah. Thank you. For telling me." she says softly. She looks up at you again, her eyes meeting yours. "...I mean it." she says quietly. "I've met...monsters. You're not like them."

Dr. Mid-Nite (1061) has posed:
    With some solemnity she can see him take that to heart as his eyes hold hers, and then he nods once and says quietly. "Thank you, Rachel." There's a pause as he looks down, faint touches of memory in his mind of those faces of those who have learned about him, who he is, and what he's done and been... unhappy to learn of such. So after that moment of reflection he looks back up at her and says. "Thank you." again.

Sublime has posed:
    Another quick, weak flash of a smile, then she slides her empty glass over towards you and the brandy bottle. "...I didn't take it as well, you know.." she murmurs, her voice starting to take on the more precise air of the tipsy. "When I realished what I was. I just tried to..." She mmphs, cutting herself off, then makes a little 'another' gesture at the glass. "Nah, thatsh a shtupid thing. You didn't have to though...sho it makes it better..." she says, waving an index finger at you slightly.

Dr. Mid-Nite (1061) has posed:
    "Rachel," He takes the bottle of brandy in hand and then finishes the last little bit of it, most of it already having been drunk by them. He holds it up and enjoys the last swallow, then tosses the empty into the garbage. He looks back to her, not as affected as her by the drink, but his cheeks are perhaps coloured subtly, and his smile is gentle. "You are not a monster."
    He starts to step away, pausing beside her and telling her gently, "You were a person in an impossible situation doing what she had to. If you were a monster... you would not care about what was in the past."
    That said he moves towards the wine chiller and pulls it open, drawing forth a bottle of red that'll at least not be as strong as the brandy, but allow them to continue to imbibe during dinner. Taking it under his arm he moves back into the room, pulling some glasses from the rack hanging above the island, he sets them down and then pops the cork with subtle pressure. He fills the glasses and then goes back to his place leaning against the counter.
    "Actually you'd be a monster if you told me to make your steak well-done." He lifts his glass to her as he smiles faintly at her.

Sublime has posed:
    She snorts, then grumbles as now she has an empty glass, but then there is wine and she snags the new glass instead. "Yesh...no..." she says, shaking her head, then points at you. "You did things becaushe it wash...wash how things happened. It wash brutal then. I've read hishtory." she insists. "I jusht..." She exhales slowly, then takes a larger drink from the glass, before licking her lips. "If you do thingsh..." she begins, constructing her words with care. "Becaush ish how thingsh are...then thash how thing are, you know? Caush how could you know know?!" She shakes her head. "...I knew. But I wash too afraid to shay no. I did it becaushe I didn't want it to happen to me inshtead." She siiighs as she leans down, resting her chin on her hands. "Couldn't even kill myshelf well..." she mumbles.

Dr. Mid-Nite (1061) has posed:
    Ah, it's worse than he thought. He smiles at her a bit and then steps forwards as he listens to her. "I knew the things I was doing were terrible, Rachel. You don't need to make excuses for me." He steps closer and then casually, ever so subtly and perhaps unwisely, interposes himself between the bottle and the glasses. He moves to take them off and perhaps get a glass of water for her as he looks back to her.
    At her last few words he frowns and looks to her, "But you survived, and you did eventually do the right thing, Rachel." He reaches out a hand and covers her own with his. "You are a strong, powerful, intelligent woman who has fought hard to survive. You should allow no shame to find you."

Sublime has posed:
    Her eyes widen slightly as she realizes what slipped out, then closes her eyes, berating herself. For fuck's sake Rachel, get a grip already! She thus doesn't notice when you deftly put yourself between her and the alcohol immediately, though she looks up, opening her eyes again as you squeeze her hand. "Mmmph..."

    She shakes her head after a moment. "...why the hell do you CARE about thish?" she says, a bit plaintively. "You're jusht sho...nice, it's bugging me!" she huffs, pulling away a bit unsteadily.

Dr. Mid-Nite (1061) has posed:
    "Isn't it obvious?" John draws back as well, giving her the space she needs even as he turns and looks over towards the oven, the appliance giving a faint beep letting them know that there's one minute left for the steaks. He looks back to her, "I see myself in you, Rachel. I see..."
    He takes a deep breath, his brow knitting as he tells her. "All of these years, thousands and thousands of years. Men have killed each other, died, were wounded. And always at the end of war... there are the survivors... the survivors who did not wish they had survived." He shakes his head and looks over towards the oven, then he murmurs, "I always felt like... even when I was fully in the grip of those dark feelings, I always felt that I had failed them. That I failed /you/, Rachel. It was the one aspect of me that was perhaps the most... human."
    He takes a deep breath and says, "It was my lifeline to retaining some aspect of who I was... who I am. And so when I see such in the eyes of another..."
    The oven buzzes and he grimaces, grabbing a pot holder and pulling open the oven. The steaks are brought out sizzling and smelling exquisite.

Sublime has posed:
    She blinks at you, then gets a slow flush across her cheeks before she looks down quickly. "...'m not a project..." she says, a little harshly. She doesn't even know why she's pushing him away at this point, but there's something in her rebelling at letting him say this, believe this, about her. "You make it shound like...like I'm one of thoshe old guysh on the shtreetsh...jusht..." Lost, she wants to say. But she is feeling that way, she realizes. What does she really want to do now, separated from the people she cared about so much it finally overcame her fears? It hurt so much to step away, even if it was the right thing. She doesn't want to feel that again.

    And by the time you've turned, her wine glass is empty again. She's definitely going to need something in her stomach, as she doesn't touch the water, though she's seen it, frowning at it distractedly as she realizes you've removed the bottle from where she can reach it.

Dr. Mid-Nite (1061) has posed:
    "No," John says as he prepares the plates. First the steaks are set in place, a hint of au jus coming from each to discolour the broccoli when he spoons them into place, small shaved parmesan cheese over the green to give it a hint more of texture. Then he takes the potatoes and splits them, adding a bit of butter to each. All in all it's a simple meal, but it should be a good one if she doesn't mind a lack of complexity.
    "You're not a project, Rachel. You're my friend." He says that with such... surety, such sincerity that it seems like he will brook no argument to it. But he sets the plate down before her, pausing long enough to get her a sharp knife and a fork as well as a napkin. It's hardly a fanfare meal, but hopefully it will serve.
    "Alright?" He finally asks as the food is before her, and he is sitting opposite her in one of the stool seats at the island, his smile there and gently offered.

Sublime has posed:
    The girl swallows, avoiding looking at you again, pretending to be facinated by the plate. And really, the scent down make her stomach suddenly wake up and note that yes, it would like that, right now please. She takes the fork and knife, then unrolls the napkin, idly sliding it over her hips with a little graceful flourish that speaks of years of practice; she doesn't even seem to realize she's doing it. "....alright..." she says finally, then inhales. "I shtill don't want you to be pulled into my troublesh."

Dr. Mid-Nite (1061) has posed:
    It's at that point that John looks across the table and says with a sharpness to him, but the tone has a hint of affection as he tells her, "Just eat your damn dinner." And should she meet his eyes he'll smirk for a moment... before he starts to dig into his own meal, knife working enthusiastically.

Sublime has posed:
    She sniffs. "...bully.' she mutters, then begins delicately cutting her steak into pieces. She's one of those people who likes to cut it all up, before starting to eat, apparently, though once she has the first bite, she's focused on the meal, eating it with obvious enjoyment.