[PRP] where the river flows (alexis & jeremiah & warg bfs)

[azuredreams]

Alexis's fingers were still curled around his own. It was- Well, it was not odd but he was making an effort to try and keep his chill away from his hands. How much that would work outside of Ashdown he had no idea but he knew, at least, he could control it to a certain degree.

They had appeared not that far from where Alexis lived, from Nasir and Wil's, and he tilted his head to look down at them.

"We're almost there," he said, though it really did not need to be said. "Do you need a moment before we head over?" Then, after another beat. "I'm not leaving immediately once we're inside, alright?" As this version of them - this Alexis who looked so disconnected - was far, far worse than the one he had picked up that had been in a lake that doubled as oblivion.

Daekie

i figure can post again after you post and bring in nasir and then halo can come in with wil? idk

iloveyouDIE

okay to be fair, wil isn't a warg yet but they will be warg boyfriends

 

[Daekie]

Alexis' grip was tight; if Jeremiah's fingers were too cold, they made no mention of it at all. They never tripped over their own feet, but they stood perfectly still, perfectly poised, back straight - but it felt automatic. They weren't doing it because they wanted to -- they were doing it because Alois had taught them to stand at attention, not speak until spoken to, act like a proper court member -- they had bled for it. And for nothing, now.

"Alright," they said, very hesitantly, and left it at that.

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

Jeremiah did not frown, though he wanted to. Instead he looked ahead and brought Alexis with him. His hand did not let go, treating it as a lifeline, and was not quite sure what he would do.

What would be done to move forward from this and do something that would see their powers returned to them. They had time, at least, to work something out. It did not need to be this day.

The steps up to the porch are easy, his eyes glancing once more towards Alexis. While this was their home, it was not Jeremiah's. He also needed to talk to the other residents. It was why he raised his hand and used the door knocker.

Daekie

iloveyouDIE

u can bring in wil with nasir to answer door? i assume that they knew alexis was out doing a thing just not that it was necessarily a noble thing (nasir might have, idk)

 

[iloveyouDIE]

Wil appeared at the door sleepily and wearing a tanktop that at this point in it's lifespan was nothing more than strips of rags. He looked barely awake, wreathed in his usual air of incense and herbs, until he saw Jeremiah and he immediately perked up.

Eyes moving to Alexis and- well they didn't look anything like they had before they'd left. Without a word he simply swung the door wide with obvious invitation and turned his head to look for Nasir who he could feel following behind him.

"Um.." He blinked, "Well, come in."

azuredreams

daekie

 

[Daekie]

Alexis' eyes were downcast, and they barely acknowledged Wil except with half-a-nod, their monitor suddenly feeling so heavy on their ankle -- without magic, maybe they didn't need it, but -- who would trust them saying all their magic had gone, without prior proof? They didn't feel up to lying. Not really. Not about something like that.

They let go of Jeremiah's hand slowly and pushed past Wil into the house, steps perfectly aligned, one foot in front of the other with perfect length inbetween.

iloveyouDIE

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

Nasir was a few steps behind Wil, enough that he caught sight of Alexis first and it was - for him at least - immediately noticeable something was not right.

That aura of theirs, for one, was not there. The constant sense of uneasiness ... "Alexis?" he inquired before he realized Jeremiah was at the door. "Chief Mercer."

Jeremiah's eyes were focused on Wil a moment before they flicked to Nasir.

"Azevedo," never a first name. "Nasir. Mind if I come in?" His attention went to Alexis then, watching their steps.

Daekie

iloveyouDIE

 

[iloveyouDIE]

Wil of course had meant for Jeremiah to come in as well when he said it but he nodded at the older man and waved him in, closing the door behind both of them. Alexis didn't need to knock of be invited, they lived here and while they weren't as close with him as Nasir the total shutdown was worrying.

The blonde scratched an elbow idly, "So um-" Did something happen? "You want anything?"

He felt weird offering to Alexis because he didn't normally need to. His arm curled lightly around Nasir's when he passed him to go into the living room, the unspoken gesture that they convene in there. Everything was quiet, serious and a bit awkward and Wil usually liked to avoid things like that.

The urge was suddenly strong to hide his bong.

azuredreams

daekie

 

[Daekie]

"Just a drink," Alexis murmured, ghosting into the living room after Wil; they made their way to the couch and kicked off their shoes, curling up, head hung low. Their fingers ran through a stray strand of hair, twisting it in on itself, spiralling -- not a braid, just repetitive motions to busy their fingers, simple.

iloveyouDIE

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

Nasir was getting more worried by the minute. "Yeah, uh ... I am going to go get drinks. Go ahead to the living room?" There was a nod that direction, his expression worried (because of so many things).

Jeremiah followed after a moment later, not even phased if there was anything out and about that was drug paraphernalia. It was, after all, legal for recreational use (though Alexis's age was technically underage for it but so long as the were clean when stuff like that came up-) and the silver-haired man was not in the mood to even consider slapping someone on the wrist.

When Nasir appeared, it was with a tray and glasses of water. One was set down in front of Alexis and another in front of Jeremiah (he immediately took a sip). It was taking everything to not start fidgeting, so Nasir sat down.

"There's some things we need to talk about," Jeremiah started after he set his glass down. "In regards to Alexis and the Court." Why they were now so obviously without their magic. There were no strange eyes, no kills on the side of their neck, no unnerving aura around them ... "I don't think either of you really know much about it?"

iloveyouDIE

Daekie

 

[iloveyouDIE]

Wherever Nasir sat, Wil settled in front of him on the floor and leaned back against his legs. He didn't take a drink yet, instead just watching and occasionally looking over Alexis with some worry.

"Only what people keep writing on that mailing list thing.." Wil replied to Jeremiah first, "And we went to the ball."

He glanced up at Nasir, knowing the other talked to more people than him but the big magic arrangements didn't really affect them directly very often.

azuredreams

daekie

 

[Daekie]

"The Spinel Lady took my magic," Alexis stated, quiet. "The court was built in her bones." They scowled, biting their lip, shoulders tight. "She died for it. I can't complain 'bout whatever she does to me. I didn't get the sigil carved into me." Over, under, over, under. It might have been half-a-braid, if you gave it a generous amount of possibility; mostly they just seemed to be knotting their hair, curl under curl over curl.

iloveyouDIE

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

Nasir's hand immediately went to Wil's hair, once he was close and tugged gently on the curls before nodding. "Yeah, we only know what Alexis has talked about and the listserv ..."

Then Alexis was speaking and Jeremiah moved to go next to them, fingers going to catch their hand and stop them. It was gentle and he stayed this time standing nearby. "Not literally built in her bones," he said with a quiet voice. "Wargs, moonwalkers, and Nobles are all governed by the Charter. Though, obviously, the Charter has more provisions in it regarding Nobles and their actions.

"It is embodied by the Spinel Lady, you would have seen her at the Ball. We gathered to discuss changes to the Charter, things that would perhaps make it better and less abusive," there were no illusions about the nature of the Court, given that people had been kidnapped last year, "but she made an appearance. She did not take kindly to Alexis," to put it lightly, "and stripped them entirely of their magic as they said already."

"Someone can do that?" It was a scary thought, if only because of the changes it brought in Alexis. "Is it because she embodies the Charter?" If Nasir was following things correctly.

"All the magic, even those who aren't differentiated, is filtered through her."

Daekie

iloveyouDIE

 

[iloveyouDIE]

Wil understood as much as he could of Jeremiah's explanation while also supplemented by what he read on the listserv. He couldn't help but think it sounded crazy and that even at the ball the Spinel Lady seemed like kind of a b***h from what he'd seen.

He didn't want to say out loud it sounded like a weird anime. He knew better than to make light of it while Alexis was clearly suffering.

"So what can we do? How do they get their magic back?" Especially if the Spinel Lady was the Brita filter.

azuredreams

daekie

 

[Daekie]

"It doesn't matter," Alexis murmured, hardly aware of Jeremiah's hand on theirs at all; their immediate reaction in any situation where emotions were high was always to be as small as possible, to hide, and they were doing it now as well. Letting their hair sit in front of their face, pulling their legs to their chest. "Wasn't doin' anythin' good with it. Someone else deserves magic more. Not me."

iloveyouDIE

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"Alexis ..." Nasir said, frowning and looking towards Wil. This- This hurt in ways he could not explain.

Jeremiah did not say anything, only sighing before he looked back to Wil and Nasir. His fingers stayed, holding Alexis's as a lifeline for the time being. "If I had not stepped forward, Alexis may have ended up under the Spinel Lady's care." Obviously not something anyone would want. "Until they're educated in matters of her Court, until she is satisfied, they will not see their powers return. Though I believe there's other ways to see their magic returned to them."

At his shoulder, Nasir's fingers were holding tightly.

iloveyouDIE

Daekie