Beside the Lake, after dark, open to all.

[ash_imperfect]

Asher walks the edge of the darkened lake, brooding and hurt. His room - or at least his furniture, and most particularly his bed - is no more than matchsticks, the victim of rage that had overwhelmed him when Nathaniel had walked out the door. Mania past, Asher was left feeling weak, broken, and unable to think about staying in his room. The

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[ostro_goth]

Teja is working late in the forge tonight, finishing a sword before going inside with a hope of finding Charlie; and now, he has come out to the lake-shore, with wooden buckets on a yoke, to fetch more water. Much water goes into fiery forge-work, if truth be known. It is a warm night, and so he has not bothered putting on his cloak over his forge apron.

When he stands again, having filled his buckets, he sees a figure sitting by the lake, golden hair shimmering in the moonlight, and broad shoulders. His heart misses a beat upon that sight.

This effect shall never become less, Teja suspects as he takes a deep breath.

[ash_imperfect]

Asher hears a familiar gait approaching the lake, watches out of the corner of his eye as Teja fills buckets to carry back to the forge. His heart twists as he watches Teja bend and lift, watches the play of muscles under skin.

He cannot bear to watch for long, turning his face away. He had thought of Milliways as a refuge, a place away from heartache, from the fear of being alone, abandoned by Anita and Jean-Claude. And yet, it seems to happen just as often here.

Part of him knows he overreacts, that he and Nathaniel were...whatever it may be that they were...for only a few days. But he has watched Nathaniel from afar ever since they met, and the loss of his companionship, so soon after Teja, has utterly destroyed what little hope he had of being loved, here.

[ostro_goth]

Teja looks at Asher, wondering whether to go near him.

But Asher had said they would speak again soon, the last time; and there is the shared worry about Jason, poisoned of his drug and unconscious at the infirmary.

Teja has not yet been to see him, leaving precedence to those that are truly close; and Asher might be among them. His present grief -- oh yes, Teja does read the way he holds his shoulders -- might be tied to it.

Perhaps he had died after all?

Teja puts down his buckets, and starts walking over.

[ash_imperfect]

Asher's mouth twists as Teja pauses, then walks towards him. He knew that Teja would not pass by without at least saying hello, but he had hoped that just this once, Teja might be too busy. It seems not.

He glances at Teja as the goth approaches, then looks out over the lake once more.

"Greetings, Teja." He murmurs when Teja is close enough, his voice flat, no trace of the musicality that normally affects people so.

[ostro_goth]

"Greetings, Asher," Teja says, standing still and looking at the vampire.

He hears the difference, very much so.

"Are there ill news, tonight?"

[ash_imperfect]

A sharp, humourless bark of laughter is Teja's only answer at first, one which dies away into a sound that might be somewhere been laughter and a stifled sob.

"None that concerns you, Teja."

[ostro_goth]

"Then it is not Jason having died?" Teja says, starkly.

[ash_imperfect]

"No. As far as I am aware, he still lives." That, at least, is a small mercy. Firstly, he does not want Jason to die - he does like the young wolf, even if he is utterly idiotic. Secondly, he can only imagine what it would do to Nathaniel, if Jason died. His guilt would know no bounds.

[ostro_goth]

"Good," Teja says. "Did any other among those we count as friends die, or leave forever?"

[ash_imperfect]

"No." Asher answers shortly, staring out over the lake.

[ostro_goth]

"Do you wish me to go?" Teja asks, simply.

Sometimes, a man wants to be alone, and does not feel like talking. Indeed, it is one of the things Teja feels women do not understand.-

[ash_imperfect]

Asher shrugs.

"I care not." He is still visibly upset, curled in on himself. And while he has no use to speak of relationships to Teja, he does miss having him as a friend, sharing their respective woes over a cup of tea (and blood, of course) by the fire.

[ostro_goth]

"If you care not for my company, then I would not force it upon you," Teja says. "A man sometimes wishes to be alone, and speak to none: - I know that very well myself. I will not hold it against you."

[ash_imperfect]

Asher wipes his face with the back of his hand discreetly, turning his face away from Teja to do so.

"I wish to be alone," he murmurs, "but I doubt you would say that I should be."

[ostro_goth]

"Asher," Teja says, the name spoken softly, almost like a caress again. "You are mourning something -- it is for you to say what you should be, or should do!"

Pause.

"There is a difference, between binding up a man against his will so he may shake the chains of an addiction" -- the modern word standing out oddly from Teja's old-fashioned way of speech -- "and push one that is sad over something, and might not wish to speak, or have another near, as he needs to clear this thing with his own soul."

[ash_imperfect]

Asher sighs. With Teja, he is required to backtrack - as far as he knows, Teja is not aware of his involvement with Nathaniel, past his comforting of the leopard during the raid of Jason's room.

"Nathaniel, Jason's friend and I, have been comforting each other. He was worried about Jason, and I..." he trails off. "I do not need to explain that, I think." He looks up at Teja.

"He was in my room last night, we left the party early, and he blames himself for Jason's predicament." Asher looks down at his hands. "He feels that if he had not been with me, Jason would not have taken too much of that accursed poison he loves so dearly. And so he has decided that we can no longer comfort each other, for fear Jason will be further hurt."