Back to the Forest Park (for Cyren, but also Open)

[kilnarak]

Ari glanced back over the bar as he saw Cyren waving. He offered the bartender a wry smile, inclining his head to her in greeting. His smirk grew slightly at her assumption, and he glanced aside at Cyren as she answered.

"Pleasure to meet you, Lani," he all but purred, considering whether or not he intended to play into her assumption. His smile brightened at the mention of a free drink. He ordered something... that likely had more sugar than alcohol, offering a charming smile and his ID when asked for it. So maybe a few of the details on the document were a little off, the date of birth and the photo were correct, at least.

"I'm afraid we are merely friends," he glanced at Cyren, his lips forming a brief pout. Then his green gaze flicked back to the bartender and he smiled again, the expression warm. "But I suppose that leaves other options open, huh?"

[Salandis]

Moana was indeed entering the dance floor. She had been ‘on duty’ tonight, so was dressed stylishly in a flowing cream shirt and rather tight fitting black pants. Her mass of curled brown hair was brushed and pinned into a coil with an over-the-shoulder braid. She was even wearing tastefully applied makeup (water soluble stuff) and a subtle gold/greenstone necklace with matched earrings.


And so when Cyren was late coming home, she had been called into the bosses’ office. Her shapeshifting, and the ability to stop Cyren simply teleporting away (Although that was something she never had to actually do) usually made her a favourite for hunting down the wayward Atlantean. Besides, she liked Cyren. She reminded her of some of the girls she had known in Aotearoa, the ones that hadn’t been wastes of air and water.

But before she had been dispatched, she had caught the same radio report everyone else had by now. Cyren was late coming in, and had an older looking boy on tow – one decidedly under-dressed for Club REM. They had entered arm in arm, and headed directly for the bar.


“Trouble trouble.” She murmured. The dance floor seemed to give way in front of her – she wasn’t dancing, and no one was drunk enough in Mal’s Bar to mistake her for an easy play – And shortly found herself in view of Cyren.

Cyren looked like she had been in the wild for a while. The clothing she had been given (Who was that guy again? Ray?) Had been hardly fashionable to begin with. But now the frilly blouse had had the sleeves torn completely off, and the waistline tied tightly. Together with what looked like tree-related wear on the jeans, it looked somewhat grunge in style. It certainly tightened the shirt, and accentuated certain… assets. Bringing her directly to the boss like this, with a boy attached, would likely end very badly for said boy.


The boy in question… He looked drab in the club surroundings, dressed in old clothes with shaggy black hair. He was a splicer or a super – Her money on splicer - with yellow skin, leopard pattern spots and sharp tipped ears. Moana’s mouth quirked in an almost-smile. ‘I wonder how Alim will react to another cat? They would probably fight like any other pair of toms.’
 Well, best get this over with. Although for Cyren’s sake, she would improve the boys’ chances a bit.


She sashayed through the crowd, managing to emerge from it quite close to her oftimes wayward charge. “Cyren! It’s good to see you!” She said with a hug. “We were all getting worried about you. I was about get sent out to find you.” Her smile faded a litte “Oh, what did you do to that blouse! I know it was terrible to start with, but now it’s barely even shreds.” She sniffed. “We can get you something new – one of my orders arrived today, and you know how Malthiel gets upset about clothes.” She rolled her eyes, plucking at the knot in the shirt. “We can burn what remains of this afterwards.”


She glanced over at the boy and put up a charming smile. “I am Moana,” She said by way of introduction. “I’m an aide to the owner of Club REM.” She reached out to shake his hand, and then began leading them towards the offices in the back. “He is quite anxious to see Cyren, and of course to meet the person who brought her home.” Long practice let her voice carry over the loud music. And she even managed to tactfully leave off the ‘late’. “I can have one of the others show you to him while I get Cyren cleaned up a bit.”


Well. A new shirt for Cyren – maybe something more like a tunic? Anything that wasn’t showing off quite so much flesh - And enough time for the boss to get his own impression of this new boy. It was the least she could do.
If she brought them directly to Malthiel like this, she might as well weight the kids legs, take him straight to the lake, and save them all some time.

[Marshmallow]

“I can have one of the others show you to him while I get Cyren cleaned up a bit.”

No sooner had the words left Moana's mouth, when another of the staff stepped out from around a corner. She looked like a bouncer perhaps, or maybe even security if the dark earpiece and radio belted to her hip were any indicator. The woman had long dark hair that rolled in waves over her shoulders, and wore a sharp, grey pant suit with a white blouse. She greeted Cyren and Moana with a cheery smile, but turned a more predatory gaze to the young man.

"This way," the most likely security woman said, taking Ari by the arm. She was maybe only an inch taller than the young man, and didn't look especially strong, but had a grip that didn't leave any room for struggle. As Moana led Cyren away toward the upper floor, Ari was guided down the short 'Employees Only' hallway at the back of the first floor. She wasn't the talkative sort, perhaps one who took her job rather seriously. Wordlessly she tugged Ari along until they reached a particular door, and knocked. A man's voice beckoned from the other side, and Ari was escorted into the office a moment later.

The boss's office was rather large, and richly decorated. It was dimly lit however, the only light coming from a pair of glass lamps sitting on opposite corners of the expensive-looking mahogany desk in the center of the room. Two small but comfortable chairs were situated in front of the desk, and seated in the high-backed leather chair behind it was the Boss himself.
Malthiel preferred the dark, especially when his mood soured. He was leaned forward with this elbows on the desk, hands raised and folded, and chin resting against thumbs in a pensive expression. When the door swung inward, nothing moved save for his eyes, shining silver disks rising from the stack of paperwork to scrutinize his visitor.

"Where is Cyren?" he asked, pinning the security woman with his gaze.
"Don't worry Boss, she's with Moana right now. Here's the boyfriend," the woman chimed, giving Ari a light push into the room.
Those dark eyes narrowed a sliver, and he waved the woman out of the room. She obediently turned to leave, flashing Ari smirk and mouthing the words 'good luck' before vanishing into the hallway, and closing the office door behind her.

For a moment, the room was deathly silent. Malthiel eyed this stranger over his folded hands, then finally straightened in his chair. "Come on, have a seat, make yourself comfortable," he invited, gesturing to one of the chairs opposite him. "So, to whom do I owe the thanks for bringing my little girl home?" He put on a charming smile, though it seemed cold in the low light.

[kilnarak]

They hadn't even gotten their drinks yet when the dark-skinned woman approached them, moving immediately to greet Cyren. Ari's gaze flicked from the bar-tender to the new woman, giving her a considering glance-over. She was pretty, and her style of dress only further reminded him that he really needed to get himself some new clothing - especially if he ever came back here.

"Ah, hi. Kairen mentioned you... Um. I'm Ari," he offered a friendly smile and shook the woman's hand. His gaze shifted from her to Cyren a little uncertainly, then back. "All right then. Ah, I guess I'll see you in a bit then, Kairen."

Ari smiled and might have offered the pair of them a wave, if a new woman had not appeared. Unlike Moana, this one seemed outfitted to intimidate. He offered her an uncertain smile, only to find himself forcibly drawn up from his seat by the woman's grip on his arm. "Righ-Right. You don't gotta break my arm. He tried once to pull his arm free, but found it was firmly caught. The woman did not respond, or seem to acknowledge any of his complaints or attempts at conversation as she lead him to the Boss's office.

"I'm not her-- hey!" Ari staggered a step forward as the woman pushed him into the room, his green eyes fixed in a glare after her. He hadn't done anything wrong. Why the rough treatment? After she had left, his attention shifted to the dark-haired man, a faint frown turning down the corners of his lips. He folded his arms over his chest, returning the man's gaze for a moment, then abruptly breaking it. There was something wrong about his eyes, and something about the man's gaze that left him feeling cowed. What had he gotten himself into?

He glanced up again when the man spoke, then lowered his eyes as he inclined his head in a nod. He willed his expression to smooth to a neutral set, doubting his indignation with the security would have any positive effect here, and he moved to take a seat in one of the chairs as bade.

"I... think you owe Kairen that. She was the one who wanted to come back, because it was late... Um. But I'm Ari."

[nellewarner]

Cyren turned, when she heard her name being called out, to see her friend Moana. Well technically the dark haired woman worked for her 'Thiel and was sent to 'keep her safe', but Cyren liked to think that they were good friends. Her only female friend anyway... Cyren smiled and returned the hug. "No mean worry" she muttered while the darker woman fussed over the state of her clothes... she thought it was a good thing that her bare feet hadn't been noticed yet- Moana was probably the only person in this strange land that made her feel awkward over her state of dress.

When the darker woman turned her attention to her friend Ari, she was glad that Moana was being so friendly towards him, until she mentioned having someone else take him to meet with 'Thiel. She wasn't afraid of them meeting, but her guardian had opposing opinions concerning her friends. Some days she didn't think that he approved of the winged Marchelute or Fire-head Raine... he certainly hadn't been impressed with Thalynn- she wondered what happened to him.

She sent an encouraging smile to her friend, but his attention had been snagged by another dark-haired employee of 'Thiels. Cyren returned the guards- Jem? Jewel? Jade?- cheery smile as she was dragged off by Moana- something about a new shirt upstairs.

Cyren turned her attention to the dark woman as they reached the top level, "Moana, i not mean to be late, after visit mountain friends went to park to see old tree. Friend Ari there and we talk and play catch squirrel. Ari-cat take to arcade, but I notice the lateness. So can go yes? with friend Ari?" She rushed to explain the situation to her friend, She really liked Ari and was so excited that he was willing to teach her new things about this land, and learn more of hers in turn. Her gaze was pleading and pitiful, "'Thiel would accept?"

[Salandis]

Moana managed to keep a smile on her face, and discreetly keyed her radio transmitter off. The small Bluetooth unit was nearly invisible behind her ear, but she didn’t need any of the other aides here to hear what she was hearing right now. So Cyren had gone to her old tree, where she had first been sleeping, before the boss had found her and brought her in. That was fine, and probably would have made the top ten list of ‘places to find Cyren’. Top 5 now. Met this ‘Ari’ there? Had met him before? Hmm. Probably okay then, maybe he had helped her out previously. She nodded as she led Cyren to the lift, and used her key-fob to get access to the penthouse.


On the way up, her heart began to sink. Cyren was explaining in a rush about how she ‘really liked Ari’ who wanted to ‘teach her new things’ and 'learn more about her'. Yes, very glad she keyed off the transmitter. She did normally, with Cyren – she liked the kid enough to keep her privacy, so this wouldn’t be unexpected – but if that had gone out over the network, this Ari would probably be already getting fitted with new cement shoes. He might be anyway, if Mal had been monitoring the lift camera. Hopefully the kid was suitably distracting him. And thank god she knew Cyren well enough to know immediately that a game of catch squirrel was literal, and not some kind of weird innuendo!

Well Moana knew the drill here. Distract, redirect, and then ‘Oh Ari? He had to leave...’ But she looked into those pleading, mismatched eyes and realized that this girl had very few friends right now. And had lost more than one to Malthiel already, little did she know. And as she led the way to the wardrobe, she felt an unexpected pang of guilt. ‘Oh hell. The kid is probably fine, if a little old. Maybe if he is watched obviously enough, he will get scared off anyway.’

“Oh Cyren.” She began. “I don’t think Malthiel is going to be too happy. But maybe we can bring him around.” She grinned. “If we hurry. But I may just have to tag along, yes? Make sure you don’t get into any trouble at these arcades.” She made a face. “You never know what the people in those places can be like.”

She gestured to the hanging racks of clothes. “So let’s start by getting you presentable, yes? I know you hate pants, but these ones are fashionable leather and also resilient enough for tree-climbing… this sleeveless tunic is plush, goes to mid-thigh, and the rust colour really brings out your hair…”

She went on over the clothing. The style and cut was deliberately archaic – about 16th century – and selected with an eye for resilience, comfort, and of course, coverage. No plunging necklines here! She tut-tutted over the missing boots “Well they really were a bit heavy…” And pointed out some soft leather slips that might be flexible enough to not chafe.


All the while wondering how much fast-talking she was going to have to do to keep another ‘friend’ of Cyren from the lakebed. Realistically, as much as Mal valued her as an employee and Cyren-carer, her opinion wouldn’t sway the boss. She would have to approach this from the right angle… The kid looked harmless, and Cyren had no friends even close to her own age here. Maybe this kid could introduce her to a group her own age? Yeah. Group has a nice safe sound to it. Better than going off alone on what might be misconstrued as a date. And as long as she tagged along – off the clock, even - she could deal with any… misunderstandings. And what she couldn’t deal with, she could run from faster than nearly anything. With Cyren safe, if it came to that.


‘Maybe a 50-50 chance’ Moana decided while Cyren looked over the clothes. ‘It all depends on how he is doing with the boss now.’ She remained appropriately attentive with Cyren, and tried to ignore the banter on the wireless link from the other ‘on duties’ about the ‘newest addition to the missing list’ and ‘Next photo on the milk carton’ (That one from the vampire at the bar, showing their age a little). ’80-20 going by the ‘link. But maybe, maybe the kid will manage.’

[Marshmallow]

The boss leaned back in his chair. "Just Ari? Hmm," he tested the name, and eyed his guest from head to toe with the air of a judge evaluating a showpiece - one that didn't meet standards. The smile never faded. "Well, nice to meet you, Ari. My name is Malthiel. Friends call me Mal, my employees just call me Boss ... But you can call me Sir."

Now that introductions were out of the way, Malthiel rose from his chair and crossed the room to a cabinet set against the wall. "Do you like scotch, Ari?" he asked, filling the silence with a little small talk rather than let it stretch on. "Here, I'll pour you a little, see if you like this brand. It's one of my favorites." He plucked two glasses from one cabinet, and a bottle from another. Returning to the desk, he placed down the empty glasses and poured a sample of the exspensive drink in both, just in case Ari should answer affirmatively. Still smiling, he sat down and took a sip from his glass.

To his left, attached to the desk, sat a panel and an array of small screens, which weren't easily viewed from Ari's seat. Idly he flicked them on, taking another drink of his scotch as he looked over the surveillance feeds. When he found Cyren, safely alongside Moana in the lift, a little of his tension eased. He kept the feeds muted however, but Cyren looked excited about something. In the light of the desk lamps, his shadow rippled.


"So." he broke the brief silence, lowering the cover on the security panel with a sharp click. "My little birds tell me that you and my Cyren are friends." A pause, one more sip of scotch, and he poured himself a second. "Now, forgive me that I'm a little confused... because I could swear I heard boyfriend once or twice too. If I may say so, Ari, you look just a little old to be chasing a teenager, wouldn't you agree? So, I hope that I heard incorrectly." That ever-present smile seemed increasingly hollow and unfriendly. And those cold silver eyes stared right into him. "Tell me, have you known Cyren long?"

[kilnarak]

"Sir," Ari agreed, sitting tensely and watching Malthiel even as the man's eerie silver eyes watched him. He had the sense to know he was in a dangerous situation here. He recognized the man's name - at least, a part of it. This must be the 'Thiel' Cyren had told him about. She failed to mention he had the air of a mob boss.

He eyes followed Malthiel as the man crossed the room, although still he startled a little at the question. "Ah. Scotch? It's... It's fine. I mean, thank you, sir." He could play along with this fine, although he didn't like it - a bit too reminiscent of somewhere he had been in the past. Still, he offered a smile and nodded his thanks as the man poured him a glass, accepting it. While the man fell silent, he sipped at the glass, keeping his face impassive. He didn't really like the taste of scotch and it was a stronger drink than he had intended to partake of, although he didn't want to offend.

When Malthiel acknowledged him again after his bout of silence, Ari lowered the glass and tensed slightly again. He listened, then when given leave, he answered: "Just friends, sir. I'm not... chasing her, ah, sir..." He caught his lip in his teeth a moment, worrying at it, then shook his head. "Not... really. We met a while ago, but I've been away. I didn't really even expect to see her tonight..." He trailed off, uncertain of how to continue and what to continue with. After a moment he added, a bit lamely: "She teleported us here, that's why we were holding arms. I'm... Ah... I'm not her boyfriend, sir."

[Marshmallow]

Between the stammering, and the ready acceptance of the term 'sir', Malthiel felt he'd made a suitable first impression on the young man. His hollow smile slipped toward the wry. Ari had even taken the offer of scotch, though he didn't look like someone who indulged in the finer drinks often, if at all. Honestly, Ari did seem rather meek, easily cowed... This was promising.

"Just friends? Good, good. I'm glad to hear that," Malthiel hummed over his glass. Of course, he didn't necessarily believe what Ari said; the spotted boy may have just been trying to say the things he thought Mal would want to hear. He kept that skepitcal thought to himself, and finished his second glass of scotch.

It appeared things might have been going well, until Ari spoke of Cyren teleporting them here. Abruptly, Malthiel's smile vanished. He set his empty glass down a touch too hard, the loud 'clack' ringing through the room. "She what?!" he snapped, venom in his tone. Dammit! How many times had he told her not to use her power in the open?! Reacting to his temper, the shadow he cast on the wall coiled upon itself, and the deeper shadows that surrounded the room almost seemed to pulse.

Calm, calm. He took a breath to rein in his irritation, steadying his shadow's movement.

"Apologies," he said after a moment, speaking gently, calmly, though his smile didn't make a comeback. "My little queen is a touch... naive. She trusts people too easily, using that ability in public... I warn her again and again, but..." He sighed, and stood. With palms flat on the desk, he leaned toward Ari, evaluating him. "Funny. You'd think, when someone encountered something as... exotic as teleportation... that they'd be a little shaken. Are you someone accustomed to the supernatural, Ari?" Malthiel tilted his head, taking a second look over the other man's spotted skin. Something told him that wasn't the work of a talented tattoo artist. He flashed a sharp-toothed smirk, and when he next spoke, his voice was low. "Are you even human?"

[kilnarak]

Ari never quiet relaxed, despite the lightening of the mood in the room. He sipped at his glass, nodding agreement when Malthiel voiced approval of what he had said. Approval was good. He was trying to answer in ways that the man would approve of, not wanting to set him off. But that was how you dealt with people like this, wasn't it?

When Malthiel snapped a response to him, all but slamming his glass down, Ari flinched and his fingers tightened around his own glass. After a moment, he carefully set it down, focused on maintaining a neutral facade, on not reacting to the threat in the air by changing. And the threat was heavy. The room seemed to darken, the lights dimming with the man's anger - did they flicker? The shadows on the wall almost seemed to shift. He wasn't sure.

Ari sat very still, his body tense as Malthiel recovered his own veneer of calm. He held his tongue while the man spoke, leaning back when the other leaned forward. It had been a misstep, bringing that up. Mentally, he rifled through his options here. If the man asked Cyren, she would surely tell him what he was. She didn't seem the sort to hold things back - honest and too open.

"No, sir," he answered, his voice quiet. "Are you?" He countered with his own question, although he had already surmised the answer to that, given what Cyren had told him about this man. He shook a little, and he held himself too tense to pretend comfort, but that aside he kept his own mask in place well enough. He did not look at Malthiel as he answered, focusing his gaze on the still half-full glass he had set on the desk. "It was disorientating, but she talked me through it. I've... seen more exotic things. Sir."

[Marshmallow]

"Are you?"


A vicious, malevolent grin spread across Malthiel's face, and his silvery eyes seemed to glow in the lamplight. That should have been answer enough, though he felt that Ari may have already been suspecting as much. He could almost taste the young man's unease. Ari may have kept a straight face, but was pointedly averting his gaze.

How cute.

"That's rude, you know. You should look at people when they speak to you," Malthiel hummed, that man-eating grin slowly fading. The boss straightened up from his desk and idly smoothed out a few wrinkles in his suit. He meandered around the desk, coming to stand between it and Ari, leaning on the solid mahogany casually. He reached to one side, and clicked off one of the two desk lamps. All around the room, the shadows pulsed like a slow heartbeat.

"So, I have to wonder... what manner of non-human you are? See, the whole reason we're meeting right now is that I want to be absolutely certain that it's safe for my little Cyren to be around you. You understand," he spoke in a voice that was as smooth and dark as a fine velvet, with none of the earlier venom. The darkness seemed to pool and deepen at their feet. "This is a dangerous world. Monsters lurk in every shadow, and I can't always be around to protect her. You understand." Now the shadows were more than just deep. Something physical pressed in around Ari's ankles, clamping his legs to the chair. "I just want to get a read on who and what you are, your intentions, whether we can trust you... You understand."

[kilnarak]

"I... I assumed you would prefer it if I didn't, ah, sir." He flinched inwardly at his misstep - it was an animal thing, to lower ones eyes in subservience, he should have realized that it might be rude, to a human - or whatever Malthiel was. He glanced up to see the man moving, and he leaned back as Malthiel stepped between him and the desk. His manner was casual, but Ari registered a threat in it all the same.

"I'm... I'm sorry, sir," he murmured, forcing himself to look up at the man. His mask had slipped slightly, offering a glimpse of uncertainty. When Malthiel turned off one of the lights, it slipped further. There was an odd quality to the darkness in the room, as if it moved when he did not look directly at it - as if something lurked in it. He wanted to turn his head, to look and see if there really was something sneaking there, but he didn't want to further offend the Boss.

While Malthiel spoke, Ari caught his own lip in his teeth a moment, then forced himself to release it without worrying at it. He nodded understanding, kept his gaze turned up to the silver-eyed man even as he felt that lurking presence skulking nearer, setting the hairs on the back of his neck on end. When he felt something brushing against his legs, he visibly flinched. When he tried to move his legs and found he could not, his mask shattered.

"I-I'm not a... I'm not a threat to her!" he gasped, feeling his hands beginning to change where they gripped the sides of the chair. That wouldn't help things at all, and he didn't want the man to see. He tried to push the chair back, then bent forward, reaching down to try to pry whatever it was that was binding his legs. His gaze dropped to the darkness that pooled about them and a small noise rose in his throat and caught there. "L-Let me go! I'll-I'll just go, y-you won't see me again!"

[nellewarner]

Cyren hugged the darker woman, overjoyed that she might be able to help convince her guardian to let her keep Ari as a friend. She did pout at being forced to change into a completely new outfit, muttering about how it wasn't that she didn't /like/ pants... they we're just different. The blue-skinned girl, unconcerned about modesty, simply shed her current attire and shimmied into the delegated outfit. She had to admit that it was pretty, and more workable then what the fire-head Raine had bestowed.

"Can get Ari now, yes?" She asked as she headed for the rising box that brought her and Moana to the penthouse floor. As she hurried away from Moana she pulled her hair from the hasty tail she had secured it in and grabbed a small stretchy band from on top of a shelf and quickly twisted her hair into a side-braid.

"Jade take Ari-cat to 'Thiels office, yes?" and stepped quickly into the box, she was irrationally anxious to show 'Theil that she was alive and to drag Ari to the promised arcade. "Things fine," she whispered to no one, "just fine." She wasn't sure why 'Thiel wanted to see Ari-cat anyway.

[Marshmallow]

First Ari began to stammer. His facade was startinh to crack. And then all at once, with the tight grip of the shadows about his legs preventing escape, he broke down completely. As he pleaded to be let go, Malthiel looked down at him, composed and quiet. A cruel smirk played across his face at his victory.

Perfect.

The young man had even started to lose his grip on his humanity, a glimpse of what lurked under the skin manifesting on his hands. Were they becoming... paws? They didn't change completely, but enough that he could hazard a few guesses. "Hmm, just what are you? Shapeshifter, some were-beast perhaps..." he mused, speaking more to himself than the panicking non-human.

"Shh, shh," Malthiel soothed. He stooped down, taking one of Ari's arms in a gentle touch that belied his cruel intentions, and forced the younger man to sit up and face him again. "No need to waste your energy struggling, little thing. You leave when I let you leave," he said, and the shadows' grip grew tighter in emphasis. "Besides, you didn't even say 'please'. You are cute when you're scared, though." He grinned and patted one of Ari's partially-shifted hands as if to comfort; though his own skin lacked the warmth a human's would have had.

"So, Ari. Listen carefully, because your answer will determine whether or not you leave my office under your own power," he stated as he crossed his arms, and stood authoritatively over the shifter. "I love my little queen, and I want to see her happy. But she doesn't have many friends in this city yet - she only came here to be with me recently, you see. You seem harmless enough, so I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt... But I have to know I can trust you, Ari. I need to know that you can maintain confidence... and respect the pecking order. I'd like you to continue to be her friend. Keep an eye on my little queen, help me keep her safe and out of danger. So, can I trust you, Ari?"

[kilnarak]

Ari's clawed fingers flexed, trying to tear at the shadow-stuff holding his legs. Instead they caught in the worn denim of his jeans and pricked his skin beneath. He would have kept trying, despite what damage he might do to his clothing and himself, if Malthiel had not bent down and taken hold of his arm. His grip wasn't forceful in the slightest, but the touch froze Ari in place, his body going tense as. Another small noise rose in his throat, the faintest rumble of a growl - more distressed than intimidating. He didn't want to shift here, not in front of this man, but the fight or flight instinct might force the change.

He sat up stiffly as directed, trying to decide if it was worth it to try to swipe at the man. He shuddered slightly as he felt the thing holding him in place tighten, forcing his attention back to what the man was saying. His hand spasmed beneath Malthiel's when the man patted it, and he flinched at the chill touch, baring his teeth briefly. "P-Please," he moaned, pushing back in the chair as if to get away, closing his eyes and turning his head aside. Not looking wouldn't make it go away, but at least the dark behind his eyelids didn't pulse like the dark in the room.

Ari began to tremble slightly when Malthiel released his hand. He felt the man move back - not far enough - but didn't open his eyes to look at him. He nodded blindly as Malthiel spoke, agreeing perhaps a touch too readily to be fully comprehending what the man said. He just wanted to be released and allowed to leave - he would have said yes to near anything. "I-I can, s-sir. I can do that. Y-You can trust m-me." The words spilled past his lips quickly, tinged with a hint of hysteria.