cantilevers | Inbox (Etraya)

[Kirk softly huffs]

Yes, it's probably a rather prudent lesson to know.

[Kirk will never understand what was the mentality behind what Damian tried. Meanwhile, his body language is neutral and he's speaking in his usual monotone]

So things will be quiet for a while?

I'm not convinced the kid learned it, what with previously attacking Hernan. Time will tell, I suppose.

[Vander wasn't that interested in fighting that particular family, but he would if it came down to defending their property and rights to the technology that they had. He ran his fingers through some of his hair, though at this point, it was long enough that he tied it in a manbun.]

Ha, will things ever be quiet? Who knows. I doubt it.

Somewhat quiet in between missions would be nice.

[Kirk isn't the type to revel in drama]

Did you at least get something of a break after that was settled?

It would be. Maybe next month.

[To be fair, next month was a mission month, so that wasn't shaping up to be quiet. Whatever, he could sleep when he was dead.]

No. Damian stirred up my side, and that's going to take work to calm down again.

[That doesn’t sound good…]

What happened?

Look, you have to understand: my people have spent lifetimes having things taken away from us forcibly and we've been subjugated for close to two hundred years. When something like this happens, we close ranks. It's like stepping on a mud hornet's nest.

[He shrugged his shoulders, tension obvious. Maybe he should focus more on Kirk... but no, that wasn't fair.]

Others of my world are likely preparing their own defenses, and we tend to go... the violent route. It will calm down, but it will take time.

[Kirk patiently listens as Vander explains]

Understandable. Years of oppression and broken promises would cause a need to be defensive of outsiders. And here, when none of us arrived by choice and come from a wide range of worlds, there are bound to be conflicts at times.

There are. I'll do what I can to manage the conflicts as they come up, but... people who are brought here tend to be headstrong to say the least.

[And most of them had no reason to trust him or what he had to say. He had not built years of reputation here yet, and that was problematic. No matter, they would persist. They had to.

He looked at Kirk, seeing opportunity in the wane of the conversation topic.]

So, friends, huh?

[At that question, Kirk goes quiet again and his body is tense. Maybe he can still back out of explaining his history with friends]

What about them?

[The change in body language was plain as day even in the dim light. Vander pushed off of the bench he was leaning and approached, setting his big hands on Kirk's shoulders and massaging lightly.]

Come on, you invited me over. We don't have to talk about, but the evasiveness tells me it's bad. Have you fed lately?

[Kirk lets Vander massage him. He tries to let himself relax but he still feels reluctant. Maybe this was a mistake]

I have. Plasma earlier today.

[So tense. This was clearly a topic that was uncomfortable for Kirk if he couldn't urge the other man to relax. It only added to his curiosity. Was it as bad as his own fall out with a certain someone?]

And what are you currently working on, hmmm?

[Kirk still welcomes Vander’s touch but talking about Will and Tina may still take a bit]

Reviewing my notes on my artificial plasma. I want to see if I can improve the formula so that I don’t have to drink it as often.

Can you also potentially concentrate and enrich it so that you also don't need to eat as much of it? That means you have more opportunity on missions to make it last longer.

[He knew the plasma was important to Kirk's survival and keeping the other man from having to kill for a meal.]

Have you found anyone you trust to help you try to search out different avenues for a cure?

I’ll have to work out what it would take to enrich and concentrate it. But maybe it’ll work.

[Kirk suspects the project will take some time and that some trial and error will happen]

I’ve talked with Viktor and Jayce about combining our knowledge to help each other. And I’ll need to check in with Yuri again if his world’s magic could help.

It would be worth a try if it could sustain you longer with less. I am curious what the mission coming up will be and if they will send us off world again.

[He knew from working with alchemists that these formulas took time and experimentation. It wasn't fool-proof and there was a cost to innovation. No wonder Kirk spent so much time in the lab.]

What will you do if you do find a cure for your vampirism?

[It’s a question Kirk has thought about before. He answers calmly]

Stay by Hernan’s side as long as he wants me to. I could take on a more supportive background role instead of being a frontlines Justice League member.

[It was the expected answer honestly. His hands continued to massage Kirk's shoulders.]

And if that happens in Etraya? You'll be human like many of us again. I guess there are perks to that like eating more than one kind of meal, sleeping during the night hours if you want and going out in the sun.

[Kirk nods. It would be nice to have even just one of those things again]

Technically, I can be awake during the day and be under sun now but given the sensitivities my body has, it’s best for me to be careful about how much I do it.

[He hummed in agreement.]

We can't have you with a nasty sunburn. You've just said you tend to hunt more at night back home.

Yes. For many reasons, it’s best for me to work in the shadows.

[Though not all of those reasons are related to his body’s sensitivities. Criminals were also easier to hunt whenever it was nighttime]

Even here, if I hunt for deer, it’s best when it’s dawn, dusk, or night.

I assume that's also where you're most comfortable hunting. It's what you were used to back home, so why not here too?

[He made it sound reasonable and friendly. Vander had a lot of friends who were night owls and operated at night. There were a lot of elicit trades that did best when no one was looking after all.]

You know if you're hungry and not feeling it for deer, you can call me, right?

[There’s a slight change in Kirk’s expression. It’s one that seems a bit more shy and more reluctant to look at Vander in the eye]

I know. But I’d rather not use that privilege too much.

[He leaned down, resting his chin on the top of Kirk's head when it seemed the other man was avoiding looking at him. He was undeterred.]

Saving me for those hot dates on missions then. I understand and I'm not offended.

[That manages to get a soft laugh out of Kirk. He nuzzles closer to Vander]

For some, high-stakes missions takes the romance out of dates.

[But given the way Vander reacted to Kirk bruising and biting him…]

Then again, maybe it’s a turn-on for you.

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