7 hours ago
His clothing solidified as he took her advice. The Grecian jersey might have been juvenile, but it was the last thing he might have worn before he became in essence the property of the state. He kept his rifle, though; slung casually on his back. So much of his training had made it inseparable from him, even within his own identity. He met her eyes as she spoke, but she delved into the flames and showed him only the tip of her iceberg with her words.
She had the scent of agony. Ari knew better than to pry, for now. "I am Aristomenes. But Ari is easier." He listened carefully to her words, like a rookie who wished to survive his first few missions. "Silent Fang, I like that. But now I will call you Elyse, like a human." He sat at the fire and attempted a disarming demeanor. With care and muscle memory, he checked the safety, and leaned the rifle on a log he hadn't noticed that he conjured.
"I have seen that the wolves do not understand that part of us. They were happy to let me... Well..." He trailed off, knowing that recounting his past wasn't very good for peaceful campfires. But it was too late to retract it. "...Get lost in the hunt. But they mocked my loneliness as ineffective. You disparage your knowledge humbly. But it is divine for me."
The warmth from the fire washed over them, Night Hunter wagging his tail at his side. "Istanbul is my home. But I haven't been back. I mean, I left them a letter, but it was dangerous to go inside. My father probably wouldn't even mock me for returning, though we fought when we spoke last. He didn't want the CCD to make a soldier of me, and he ended up being right." He averted his eyes, in shame regarding how deeply he had failed his parents. "...I think he would be proud that I am talking to you now. It means... I am still a man. And not a beast, or a machine if you like."
He saw how she was lost in her own memories, and how they tore at her. Here, around these campfires, humans had spilled their hearts since dawn first gained a name; even before iron had been beaten into a spear point. "I would hear of your home, too. But if it hurts too much, I will wait." He spoke with unassuming matter of factness, and thought nothing of his assumption that they would see each other again. He wondered if his eagerness to make a friend made him appear desperate. If it did, it wasn't inaccurate.
She had the scent of agony. Ari knew better than to pry, for now. "I am Aristomenes. But Ari is easier." He listened carefully to her words, like a rookie who wished to survive his first few missions. "Silent Fang, I like that. But now I will call you Elyse, like a human." He sat at the fire and attempted a disarming demeanor. With care and muscle memory, he checked the safety, and leaned the rifle on a log he hadn't noticed that he conjured.
"I have seen that the wolves do not understand that part of us. They were happy to let me... Well..." He trailed off, knowing that recounting his past wasn't very good for peaceful campfires. But it was too late to retract it. "...Get lost in the hunt. But they mocked my loneliness as ineffective. You disparage your knowledge humbly. But it is divine for me."
The warmth from the fire washed over them, Night Hunter wagging his tail at his side. "Istanbul is my home. But I haven't been back. I mean, I left them a letter, but it was dangerous to go inside. My father probably wouldn't even mock me for returning, though we fought when we spoke last. He didn't want the CCD to make a soldier of me, and he ended up being right." He averted his eyes, in shame regarding how deeply he had failed his parents. "...I think he would be proud that I am talking to you now. It means... I am still a man. And not a beast, or a machine if you like."
He saw how she was lost in her own memories, and how they tore at her. Here, around these campfires, humans had spilled their hearts since dawn first gained a name; even before iron had been beaten into a spear point. "I would hear of your home, too. But if it hurts too much, I will wait." He spoke with unassuming matter of factness, and thought nothing of his assumption that they would see each other again. He wondered if his eagerness to make a friend made him appear desperate. If it did, it wasn't inaccurate.