Raef: The Last Time

Raef tapped his fingers on the table, staring at the door to the inn room.  He was waiting for Gwydion to show up. It had been several days since Candlenight and he hadn’t heard from him since until a small mouse crept into his room and dropped a note on his pillow.   He shooed it away and waited until morning to read, not wanting to wake Griffin up.

Now he was waiting in an inn for someone he had helped raise, and for someone he was certain he no longer knew.

The door opened and admitted Gwydion, tall and lanky like his father.  His hair was darker and his eyes matched Aria’s in hue, but he was still beautiful.  He always had been. He remembered when he first saw those eyes stare up at him and crinkled in a smile.  Now that smile was gone and Gwydion carried a staff instead of a stuffed mouse.

“You don’t look happy to see me, *otets*.” Gwydion smiled easily as he sat down in the chair on the other side of the table.

“Did you work with my friends?”

Gwydion smirked - fuck, he hated that smirk.  It was more like his mother’s. “Why else was I there?”

Raef sat up his chair, leaning over the table. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

“Getting to know people in a new town.”

“Not with that.” He pointed to the staff, watching Gwydion carefully. “I know goddamn death magic when I see it, Gwydion.  What the hell were you thinking?”

“None of your fucking business.”

“It is my business. I hel--”

“You fucking ran off!” Gwydion snapped, glaring at him.  That was all Aria. Aesar had never looked like that; had never looked as if he was dangerously close to falling off the edge.

“You were old enough to take care of yourself! Now answer the damn question!” Raef’s fingers tightened on the table.

“Not until you answer it yourself.” Gwydion’s grip tightened on the staff and he turned it.

Raef’s eyes narrowed. “Why should I have to answer that?”

“You’re fucking that half-orc, aren’t you?”

“What I do is none of your goddamn business, Gwydion.”

The corners of Gwydion’s turned up in a cool sneer and he leaned closer. “Does he know what you did?”

“Yes.”

“All of it?”

“What do you think you know?” Raef’s jaw tightened.  Griffin knew everything; he hadn’t hid anything from him.  Why would he?

Gwydion turned his staff again. “That they were alive.” He smiled and his voice was sickeningly sweet. “And that you enjoyed it.  As much as you enjoy fucking that --”

The table clattered to the ground as Raef launched himself forward.  He tangled his hands in Gwydion’s robes and hauled him to his feet, shoving him against the nearby table. “You have no  fucking clue what you’re talking about,” he growled low. He pulled Gwydion lower, closer to his height. “You need to fucking do research before you --”

“Dad told me.”

That halted Raef. “He told you --” he paused before his gaze hardened. “--what did you fucking do, Gwydion?”

“What you were too cowardly to do.”

Raef’s arm coiled back, fist balled, but before he could land the hit something cold wrapped around him.  *Something* -- His breath hitched his chest and he stumbled back, staring down at the transparent hand grasping at his side.  *What* -- he doubled over as ice wormed its way through him, spreading in thin tendrils to steal away his strength.  “Hah...Gwydion…” Something was wrong. He grabbed at his side, hand pushing to through the grey one still holding him...still holding him...

Gwydion straightened and fixed his robes, coldly watching his gasping step-father. “I could do so much more, Raef.”  He stepped closer and slid his hand through Raef’s hair. “But I won’t. Go home and leave me to my business.”

He couldn’t breathe, each movement painful.  Sweat dripped down the back of his neck. He grabbed weakly at Gwydion’s clothes.  His body fucking hurt, but he still grabbed for him. His hand was knocked aside. “...you should kill me.”

“Why?”

“Because the next time - “he shivered as pain flared and the ice dug in deeper.  His knees buckled and he dropped to the inn floor - “..hh..I’m going t-to kill you.”