Ascension - Book Eight - Man x Man

Chapter 35 ( M)

"Why do you think I did that, Caspian?" Verando exhales, face composed, refusing to escalate. "Obsession is not love, you were willing to crush down every instinct to stand against you at every opportunity. It's not fair to blame you but you certainly didn't help matters. I needed help."

Caspian shakes his head with a heavy scoff. "You know how my father was, it was me or you, and I went easy on you! It wasn't my fault that you weren't willing to fight back, I was just trying to survive as we all were. You were a damn mess, look at you!" Gesturing to the man, Randy takes a step back. "When you weren't knee deep in whores, you were threatening to off yourself over a woman you hardly even knew. I didn't have time for you mommy issues on top of this ungodly obessesion with Kitten!"

The younger version of my husband wraps his arms around himself, with no vices at his disposal, he was forced to deal with this and his world was collapsing.

"Guys." I step in, trying to keep my voice level. I pity the young man, he wasn't ready for this yet.

"Is this why you keep me medicated? So I don't fight back? So I just keep... fucking.. myself up and won't leave you?" Randy demands of Caspian. "Am I that fucked up that I actually am inclined to believe you over my actual self?" With a disgusted laugh he shakes his head at the audacity of his own behavior.

Verando takes a step closer to me, putting up the boundary and taking his stance. "You owe him your life in many instances but not your person, not your happiness, and that is why you chose Nic." 

My poor, battered husband. There was such a sharp disconnect, the young man couldn't even believe his own words because this version had entirely disowned this persona. They were as connected as strangers, refusing to acknowledge the other even existed in the same world. 

Caspian's expression rang clearly enough for all to see. He was hurt, deeply wounded, that he was the reason his own supposed happiness would never come to fruition. It was obvious he had been hoping for some insight, something that would give him an edge, but the truth was the two were toxic together. 

Verando, at his worst, was a heavily depressed and damaged individual with triggers, trauma, with the ability to spiral into deep waves of self-loathing and destructive habits. He needed a rock, someone who understood him, not someone who would happily medicate him into some sort of faux happiness. 

I could only assume when they were separated and the drugs wore off, the reality set in.

The room echoes back the silence, Legardo clears his throat. "Well I think that was more of reality than I had signed up for today."

With the house needing repairs and our position compromised it wasn't safe to remain here much longer. "I think we've all had enough, we need to pack up and move out before any elementals come sniffing around for the source of the magic. We're surrounded by mortals starving for a fix, they're bound to be attracted to the burn off from Darrius."

Trauma demanded patience, despite our time crunch, we could not afford to alter the past. Stefan twiddles his fingers, "Randy and Nic- Err.. Verando.. and Nic. You're welcome to come to my home. I suppose the.. other two.. are as well? Surely I have enough spare rooms.." Trailing off he considers his options but Verando stops him with a firm look. 

"Stefan I need you to take the boys, I'm going to call in on Tiberius and we will take these two to his location. A strigoi is going to be the best camouflage for Darrius's scent, Legardo is becoming to involved, that is the next place they would look for him. I want everyone else to stay here, save for Landon and K, you two will go with Lotta and Marcello and find out where they took our Caspian."

Legardo scoffs. "You want us to stay here to be slaughtered?"

"No, I want you to stay here and stand aside while your girlfriend destroys anyone who gets close to this place. Lotta and Marcello can't keep covering for us, anyone who wants out before this gets messy needs to do so. Leo and Tonic can remain behind as well, anyone who comes sniffing around needs to be interrogated as to their intentions and then dispatched if they work for Caspian. We can not afford to allow him to amass an army in our ranks."