Affliction, Part 10/13
Title: Affliction, Part 10/13
Author: illyriaone (Thesseli)
Pairing: Colin/Ryan
Rating: R
Summary: I once swore I would never write a vampire story...
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction.
Type of Feedback Desired: Any.
“Colin. *Colin*,” Ryan said, taking him by the shoulders. “Colin, listen to me. It’s OK. What she did -- it was wrong. She shouldn’t have done that.”
“She didn’t know,” he whispered, not really listening. “She didn’t know she’s going to change, so she didn’t know not to come so close.” He stared up at Ryan, shaking his head. “She doesn’t know what I do…”
“You’re right. She *doesn’t* know what you do -- she doesn’t know all the things they taught you, like not to touch anyone who’s with someone else with the disease, because you don’t know if they’re the other person’s donor or not. Maintain a respectful distance until you’re sure. Don’t invade someone else’s territory or touch what’s theirs unless you have permission. And she didn’t have permission, Colin. From either of us.”
Colin still stood there, his face white. “What if something like that happens onstage?”
“It won’t. We won’t be doing any games with audience members. You won’t have to worry about that.”
“I have to go apologize…”
“No, you don’t. What she did was inappropriate. Look, if she was a man and I was a woman, what she did would have been a clear case of sexual harassment.” He looked around; nobody else had been there to see the incident, and no-one was in the hallway now. “It’s all right. The staff here was informed about your medical condition, and they were all briefed on the proper etiquette…she should have known not to behave like that around you anyway.”
Colin looked at him as if he was finally starting to hear what he was saying. “Maybe she’s starting to feel it. The decreased impulse control, and the aggressiveness.”
“Assertiveness. Can you tell when it’s going to happen with her? When she’s going to actually come down with the disease?”
“No,” he replied. His breathing had returned to normal, and he appeared to have regained his composure. “All I can tell is that she’s carrying it. Not when it’s going to come out.”
Ryan pulled Colin closer to him, wrapping him in a bear hug, hoping to soothe him. “All right, then. Meeting time. Boring things like scheduling, and which games we’ll be doing, and which guests to invite. Nothing out of the ordinary, and nothing like what that woman just did. I’m going to have a talk with her higher-ups about her inappropriate behavior, but you can send her some flowers or a fruit basket or something if you really want to apologize to her. Everything’s going to be fine.”
Colin shut his eyes. He really wanted to believe that.
Author: illyriaone (Thesseli)
Pairing: Colin/Ryan
Rating: R
Summary: I once swore I would never write a vampire story...
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction.
Type of Feedback Desired: Any.
“Colin. *Colin*,” Ryan said, taking him by the shoulders. “Colin, listen to me. It’s OK. What she did -- it was wrong. She shouldn’t have done that.”
“She didn’t know,” he whispered, not really listening. “She didn’t know she’s going to change, so she didn’t know not to come so close.” He stared up at Ryan, shaking his head. “She doesn’t know what I do…”
“You’re right. She *doesn’t* know what you do -- she doesn’t know all the things they taught you, like not to touch anyone who’s with someone else with the disease, because you don’t know if they’re the other person’s donor or not. Maintain a respectful distance until you’re sure. Don’t invade someone else’s territory or touch what’s theirs unless you have permission. And she didn’t have permission, Colin. From either of us.”
Colin still stood there, his face white. “What if something like that happens onstage?”
“It won’t. We won’t be doing any games with audience members. You won’t have to worry about that.”
“I have to go apologize…”
“No, you don’t. What she did was inappropriate. Look, if she was a man and I was a woman, what she did would have been a clear case of sexual harassment.” He looked around; nobody else had been there to see the incident, and no-one was in the hallway now. “It’s all right. The staff here was informed about your medical condition, and they were all briefed on the proper etiquette…she should have known not to behave like that around you anyway.”
Colin looked at him as if he was finally starting to hear what he was saying. “Maybe she’s starting to feel it. The decreased impulse control, and the aggressiveness.”
“Assertiveness. Can you tell when it’s going to happen with her? When she’s going to actually come down with the disease?”
“No,” he replied. His breathing had returned to normal, and he appeared to have regained his composure. “All I can tell is that she’s carrying it. Not when it’s going to come out.”
Ryan pulled Colin closer to him, wrapping him in a bear hug, hoping to soothe him. “All right, then. Meeting time. Boring things like scheduling, and which games we’ll be doing, and which guests to invite. Nothing out of the ordinary, and nothing like what that woman just did. I’m going to have a talk with her higher-ups about her inappropriate behavior, but you can send her some flowers or a fruit basket or something if you really want to apologize to her. Everything’s going to be fine.”
Colin shut his eyes. He really wanted to believe that.