Angels and Demons?
Who: Castiel and Baron Byron Balaz
What: A meeting.
When: Night, after the body-swap, October 13th
Where: Wandering the park
Rating: FL, Flirting and LOLZ
Status: Incomplete
( Moondance )
What: A meeting.
When: Night, after the body-swap, October 13th
Where: Wandering the park
Rating: FL, Flirting and LOLZ
Status: Incomplete
( Moondance )
Jimmy had almost cried in relief when Castiel returned and he felt for the man. It must have been terrifying for him to find a stranger in his body. Castiel did not consider that he himself had been a stranger back when he had first taken Jimmy's body. That was just the way of things.
When Castiel was stressed he always sought out those things created by his Father. The tress, flowers, streams. That was his medication when peace eluded him.
He knew he was not alone in the park and it did not concern him. This was his time. This was for Jimmy.
He did not wish to let that go.
He passed through a stand of trees and stopped.
He knew what was here before he even stepped into the park. It was of no consequence. Such a creature could not harm Castiel. He had no intention of avoiding it.
He had sought it out deliberately though he was not really sure why.
It was possibly from a desire not to be alone, maybe from a deeper desire to fight though it was very likely that he would not.
Castiel was confused. He had confided in Jimmy who told him it was to be expected. He had agreed.
Castiel blinked at the vampire.
"This is a peaceful place," he said cautiously, looking about the clearing testing to see if this being respected his Father's creation at least while also revealing his intentions were not to do harm.
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There was something about the man, Byron finally realized, that reminded him of the Outer Space Being he and D had fought on their way to Krauhausen--as if The Baron tried to cut him he would bleed sunlight. Although his form was human--'enough'-- that other-worldly aura was making him squint slightly in the dark.
"I quite agree." Byron said, standing with a characteristic flourish of his navy brocade cape. Any human who could sense the powers meeting that night would have fled, insane with fear, but both men remained completely in control.
In fact, up close, there was something Noble about the man in beige--he was beautiful--whether it was the work of his powers or not it did not go unnoticed by The Baron. 'Curiouser and curiouser.'
"Please, take a seat if you wish." Manners above all else, homicidal father or no, that was how he was raised. "I am Baron Byron Balaz. Although I'm by no means familiar with the town, I haven't seen you out here before." The comment was said with a kind of conversational shrug that was heavier than it should have been for the cape.
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He watched the fire for a minute, his face impassive. He did not make the obvious conclusion about beauty and danger. He just studied the movement of the flames, their colours, their shifting outline.
The Baron's title meant nothing to Castiel. Nor did he think to question the fact he had started a fire in a public park. The fire seemed to belong and that was enough.
His eyes drifted over the Baron, firelight making them flicker. "I have been here for some months. I have not seen you."
He kept watching the vampire calmly. So far it had given him to reason to be concerned, no motivation to subdue it and so he listened instead.
Castiel was one to take things on face value and, for all the fear vampires inspired in humans, to Castiel it was little more than a low-level demon with a propensity to the polite. Nothing to be concerned about.
"My name is Castiel," he offered, having learnt that was the social convention. He left his descriptor off for now.
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"Yes, I'm rather new myself it's difficult getting to know every face when most are safe asleep. And seeing as you're neither asleep nor safe, strictly speaking, that makes us an interesting pair, does it not, Castiel?"
That comment was followed by the closest thing yo a truly gentle style he could manage. "Castiel--what is a being so obviously divine doing in the realm of night?"
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"I have met some interesting people. They are generally kind and are eager to change me into one of them. You will not attempt that, will you?"
He stared up unto the Baron's face. "I merely come to experience my Father's work."
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"No, I will not." To illustrate his point, The Baron held up what was left of his first meal of the night. "Synthetic plasma--exactly the same as normal human blood down to the atomic structure...unfortunately the need is also psychological but I've...learned to cope. Moonlight helps."
Long fingers splayed out on the bench, brushing near Castiel's experimentally. While his eyes had adjusted, there was no saying what physical contact might do. It was vaguely as though he couldn't help himself.
"You are a man of God, then?" There were any number of religions flourishing on The Frontier, a few which the Nobility had to take credit for starting. "Though I find it difficult to truly understand I think I know what you mean. I have a revered Father too, if you want to call Him that. The Noble Ancestor believed humanity was to be striven for. I've tried to do my best."
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He was aware there was a certain amount of power in the drinking of blood but this was synthetic and came in a bag. Strange but also honourable.
"You do not harm others though it is easy for you?" Castiel was not sure he was reading the situation correctly and so he asked and hoped for a particular answer.
"I am not a man," Castiel said. "I am an angel of the Lord. Of course you have a revered Father. He is the same as mine though it seems you have another."
His tone got a little darker. "Striving for humanity can come at a high price," Castiel said.
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The Nobility had been a dominate speices on Earth for centuries, and in that time, they had evolved as all races did...they asked the same questions regarding the enigma of their existence as humans did; found about as many answers.
"The Noble Ancestor was not a god as you may understand the concept, but He is a god to me. I learned his philosophy at a young age and took it as my own and I live...hoping to match the ideals he had for our race."
An eyebrow raised when Castiel's tone darkened--apparently this angel among men understood that unique struggle. The one that left The Baron both defeated and awed almost every night. "You speak from some experience, I gather?"
Having not exploded from mere proximity to such divine power, Byron cautiously placed a hand on Castiel's shoulder. There was an understanding there, he knew. And it was painfully ironic.
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The angel thought for a moment. Not very long ago he would have said doing right was always each for him but not he knew that it was anything but.
What was right wasn't always what was ordered.
"There is only one God." Castiel said flatly. "A man you admire is not a god."
Castiel looked away at the Baron's question. He was clearly uncomfortable.
"I speak from the experience of those around me, of the orders form Heaven, of the mistake they tell me I made that I did not."
His voice rose in determination towards the end as if he expected the Baron to challenge him too.
Then he felt the contact and he started down at the hand as if he couldn't quite work out what it was. He looked at the hand and at the Baron's face in mild confusion.
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"Humans sometimes use slight touches as methods of comfort. I've found training myself to the habit makes those around me more comfortable." He explained, calmly and patiently but not condescending. The Baron had these things explained to him once before, many, many years ago by the family servants, both humans. His parents never saw the need to turn them.
"Whether literally a god or not, the result was the same. I never drink human blood if I can help it. Rather, I try to study them...children in particular, they are...curious, beings." Like Nokoru's complete and total lack of at least outward fear. Even Hugh had been nervous when they'd met, but the siblings had a traditional Frontier up-bringing.
Aware he'd struck a nerve, Byron squeezed his had on Castiel's shoulder before allowing it to drop gracefully back to his side.
"Having trust unfairly revoked is something I'm afraid I don't have a lot of experience in...it's enough that anyone aware of what I am trusts me to begin with. But...somehow I don't think you have that problem." The corner of his mouth twitched up a little. "I do however, understand what it's like not to understand what you may or may not have done wrong. As a child my birth father wasn't exactly the most trusting man. By the time I appeared the human age of six he had tried to kill me over a dozen times. I only hope you never have to endure that, my dear Castiel."
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It was impossible to tell from his manner if he was true but he seemed to believe it.
"Humans are of some interest to me too. They experience things much more intensely than angels. I believe it is one of their many gifts from my Father." Castiel was not really sure awakening emotions were a gift, truth be told, but he would not fault his Father's work and he was an aboration.
"I understand what they believe my error was but I do not believe it was an error. I believe I have done what my Father would wish me too."
He looked down for a moment before going on.
"I came here to avoid the wrath of my brothers who had come to kill me, the penalty for disobeying."
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Byron took a breath and let it out slowly, listening intently. So apparently Castiel had endured the wrath of family as well--what were the chances?
"The Noble Ancestor hoped that I would eventually be able to experience life from a human perspective...it is why he did what he did. You see, Castiel, while I am outwardly a most ordinary Noble the truth of the matter is the Noble Ancestor ran a series of experiments on me before my birth. His goal was to create a human-vampire hybrid, capable of the power of the Nobility but the emotions of a human. While not a complete success, I have always tried to believe myself capable of accomplishing what He set out to do. And along that vein, if you do not believe you were in error, than perhaps your Father doesn't either. To guess and take on faith that what you are doing is correct is one of the most common human trials there is."
For a long moment Byron paused. It was obvious the subject was touchy, but the fact was that they had too much in common for him to believe this was anything but fate.
"You believe your brothers are searching for you still? How odd would it be to them, if they should see you have made an ally, if not kindred, of one of the Nobility?" Perhaps it was the wrong thing to say, but Byron had never been able to help his Noble sense of humor. Juxtaposition and irony were his cup of tea.
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He paused, his shoulders sinking a little.
"It seems I will be forced to try and live as a human, not as a matter of choice as you, but as a matter of survival."
Castiel stood up suddenly. "I have troubled you long enough with things that are not you concern. I apologise. Perhaps we will meet again under better circumstances."
Castiel turned away and started for the edge of the clearing, his pace slow.
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"Our circumstances are not likely to change. And perhaps our attempts at humanity would not be so difficult if they were attempted...together." Byron moved to stand next to Castiel, the two of them staring out into the cold night--both with energies pulsing-- one to take in the night and the other to cast it away.
"The seasons are changing, and while I don't mind my current arrangement while there is no snow on the ground, I will need lodging soon. I've had my eye on a mansion on Blanche Avenue for about a week. Should you wish it, there is room for you, and it could be a kind of...insurance policy as well. Since we are both hunted." It was bold, and not at all how he was brought up, but Byron knew an opportunity when he saw one. Angels, if the old mythology was accurate, were walking holy barriers, and even his father would have some difficulty with that.
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“You will not be able to protect me,” Castiel said quickly. “You will merely endanger yourself. I cannot allow that.”
He turned back.
“Nor do I require a domicile. I do not eat or sleep, bath or require rest.”
Castiel found this man curious but he had yet to form any attachment to him and there were very few that he ever did. Only three since he had come to earth and two of them were since he arrived here.
The invitation confused him a little. Why would a stranger want him to live with him when those he was meant to stay with pushed him away?
He found this most curious.
“However, you appear to also be asking for my help. Is this so?”
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It was why Byron had talked D into having May, Hugh, and Miska travel with them. There were only so many times he could convince himself into looking the other way.
"I cannot deny that it would be useful to have a friend here." A small smile played across crimson lips, revealing for a split second a set of overly pointed canine teeth. "Although it is not usual for me to impose, yes. I am not sure if my father intends to pursue me here, and while I do not fear facing him, he would certainly weigh his options more carefully were we to stay together. And...forgive me if my mythology is incorrect but Angels are meant to be guardians in some capacity, yes?"
It was a twisted bit of reasoning, but certainly no more twisted than he and D looking after May and Hugh during their journey. First children and now a stray angel...the world of the Noble Ancestor had a strange idea of humor indeed.
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