single night*[THEON]

[eleyna]

[style=width: 450px; background-color: dodgerblue; border-bottom:10px solid black; border-top:10px solid black; font-family:century gothic; font-size:25px; color:white; text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:2px; line-height:110%; text-align:Center;]imagine living like a king

The vampire honestly felt that she could talk to him forever. All long through the night and the pair would never get bored of conversation. This very long discussion started with a few small words about books. Now it had span into what to do for lives. Eleyna thought the pair clicked well together, somehow. She didn’t have this quick of a connection with anyone really (and usually if she did she wanted to run the other way in fear of being too close to too many). It amazed her. She wasn’t sure it was just the personality blending or if they somehow felt connected between the hard lives both of them lead. Although Eleyna didn’t know she was about a thousand plus years older than him, she felt the same age. Anything over one hundred was the same no matter if it was a thousand or a billion (a billion not really being a number she thought counted). Old was old. One could have many years and still not have the same experience a mortal might have.

Main requirements. Eleyna thought he was very easy to talk to, but he started out a little shaky. It wasn’t really him talking in a therapy session, would it? She wouldn’t know. ”There’s a rumor one of the therapists in Manuka is a fallen, so I believe that spot is taken.” She teased, once again referring to the fallen settled in the old town with a ghost haunting the walls. ”But there are plenty of jobs for that.” Despite the harsh label that most supernaturals put on humans, there was many caring humans in her lifetime. If they hadn’t been so kind, they wouldn’t have so many jobs that helped others. There was her profession- sure. Helping people didn’t always mean mend them before getting hurt. Others meant stopping something before someone else got her. A police officer. Although Manuka didn’t really count because she was certain most were hunters. Other places, maybe. It could very well be Theon could bring balance… but maybe not that. She wasn’t sure if he was aggressive enough. She did have to remind herself that he was once trained to be a guardian angel. He was probably fierce whenever a charge was threatened. She could see it.

He mentioned her field and she smiled. Seeing Theon walking by her at work brought a smile on her face. ”It is very rewarding. Sometimes very sad, but more good stories than not. You wouldn’t need sleep so you could be on call whenever.” Sometimes, usually in more rural areas, they assigned a doctor there for a week for twenty-four hours. Which was fine since in rural areas, there wasn’t as many people, but who was to say there wasn’t a sudden accident somewhere with more people? That was where she found she was most useful. Unfortunately, in a small town, it had been easy to find her, and she fled as fast as she could.

Eleyna gave a small giggle, ”That’s exactly what I go out for.” Her exploring a new area was honestly like having a new museum open every time she found something different. Sometimes she would entertain herself by chatting with strangers. She was a friendly enough person that she actually met several people. There was a small distance between herself and other vampires or hunters, but other than that, it was pretty open to smile with whoever. ”Alright, I will hold you to that.” Yes, before she left to the next town, she hoped this would happen. Just for friendly fun. Eleyna could say she had never really raced anyone for the fun of it in her memory. Her quick running was mostly for escaping and dodging. To just go out and run for fun almost made her feel light.

Eleyna really didn’t mean to be sexist, but she had never really heard a man talk like that. No- wait, she had heard a man talk like that. But that was different. She had never heard it from someone other than Marcus. Marcus didn’t seem to count seeing as the pair had something special. The talk of wonderful talk of love and finding someone to share it with. One heartbreaking aspect of vampires and most immortals were no children. Being a mother (especially growing up in the time period she did) was one of her life long goals she would never be able to obtain. ”I’m sure that will happen.” Offering for her to be that friend almost escaped her lips, but she kept her mouth shut. She liked Theon, she really did, but she wasn’t sure how far she would be able to go on trusting someone. She trusted the little immortal. She left. While Eleyna wasn’t too hurt, she also knew it must have been some sort of sign that living alone was the best place to go. She wished she could be that friend. But she couldn’t be. She just couldn’t.

Theon was so charming. So sweet. She knew exactly why every man in town wouldn’t want her hand. She was a little too independent for some and the entire leaving at any given notice could cause some real strain on the relationship. Also, nothing had really beat how she felt about Marcus. She was always comparing it, and nothing ever matched up to the plate. But it was nice of him to think that way. He was going to make some lovely woman very lucky someday. Hopefully sooner than later.

After she told her story, he responded without even a couple of thinking moments. It was as if the choice she was supposed to go for was obvious. He wasn’t really blunt about it, but very simple. Like it was the only option she had. Eleyna blinked at him. Yes, she had thought of that, but she felt like it would somehow trigger something. Rejection- honestly- was a fear of hers. It was one thing to assume he felt different about her. It was another thing to hear it. Everything she had been building in her heart would have to be put down, though she was sure he’d do it nice and easy. But Theon had a very valid point. It would also drive her nuts later looking back, knowing she just assumed and didn’t know the truth. She wanted to know things. She was an explorer. ”That’s very true… I just… I’m scared.” She wasn’t really the one to admit something like that. But it was true. She said it in a way that implied she was much more scared than she was even letting on. Eleyna always felt like she was looking over her shoulder. His tone that followed about broke her heart. She felt his comforting hand on hers, ”Thank you… I hope you make someone very happy someday.” She smiled softly, wanting to let him know that he was appreciated. Really. It was as if he understood her. Knew her. Without truly knowing her completely.

WORDS: 1169 | NOTES: THESE TWO <333

[THEON JACOBI ALASTAIR]

Sometimes, he felt so on the 'outs,' so to speak, that he really valued any insight when it was offered. Part of Theon wondered if there weren't a number of reasons why his and Eleyna's paths crossed again. After all, Manuka wasn't exactly small, and there was always that chance that someone you ran into once randomly would be someone you'd never see again. For whatever reason, the remarkably sweet vampire was not only confiding in him, but giving him tidbits of information that would probably be incredibly useful to him down the road, if not immediately. At least she didn't seem completely taken aback by his desires to help others – quite the opposite, she seemed really supportive, which was something Theon needed. If he was to live a life away from the ones he'd loved most deeply, he wanted to surround himself with supportive people who would help him find a path that would give him some sort of purpose, and be there to help boost him up when he started to feel like he'd never get back on track again. ”A therapist? Truly,” Theon asked, obviously curious about this 'rumor' about one of the fallen taking up counseling as a profession. From what he'd always heard about fallen angels, they were the damned – they were brutal, awful creatures who purposefully acted to forsake their home and their other guardian angels. Theon still believed that his falling was a rarity, and perhaps he was even the only one that had fallen as a mistake. Through no fault of his own, he had been damned. But if there was another like him – well, he'd have to debunk this rumor, for sure. ”I might have to do some investigating about this rumor, see if it holds any truth. You could only imagine my shock if you grew up hearing about fallen angels as being just a step above demons in monstrosity.”

As they discussed the possibility of him taking up a career like she had, within the same field, the young fallen was happy to find that he only was met with more support. She was honest with him, which he appreciated, and he figured that there would be some tragedies to deal with. That would be the hardest part for him, but if there were more good stories than bad, as she said, then he would find a way to deal with the losses in stride and focus on the lies he saved. At least, that was his hope, should he choose to go into medicine. ”I can imagine you take the sadness as hard as I would – hypothetically, if I pursued this profession, what advice would you give someone like you or I about coping with the loss?” Eleyna was wise, and even though they'd only known each other a short time, Theon could say that he truly valued her advice and her opinions on just about every subject they'd discussed. Something about age equating to wisdom was something he believed in, because he saw it from his parents, and truly hoped that he would be able to develop and cultivate some wisdom to share with another wandering soul like himself one day in the far future. Maybe, if he was truly fortunate, he would be able to share it with his own child. That was something he would have never been able to do before, unless he was willing to risk nearly everything as his parents had. Now, he had a chance to fall in love without worrying about someone constantly looking over his shoulder and waiting for him to place just a toe over the line. And sometimes, for a guardian angel, that was all it took. A harsh reality, but something they all adjusted to once they learned the rules.

With Eleyna, Theon found himself feeling free enough to disclose information about his future hopes and desires, leaving out the fact that one day he'd want to be an old (but still young looking) and very wise father. Again, she was nothing but supportive and complimentary, and when she spoke confidence for him, the former angel could do nothing else but believe her. ”If you think so, who am I to argue?” There was no way that he would forsake or discount her confidence, because for all he knew, she could see things in him that he couldn't due to being, well, on the inside, so to speak. It was highly possible that a lot of people saw him in a different light than he saw himself, because that was just the way things were on earth. In the heavens, there wasn't a physical body to interact with, so a relationship had to be forged on words. You couldn't see someone's kind eyes as they gave you supportive, or a sarcastic smile that let you know the words were false. Here, it was easier to read people, but still didn't make him any quicker to trust.

His limited experience with interactions made it more difficult for him to give her the same confidence and solid advice when he unearthed some unsettled fears and regrets that she seemed to still have a very tight grip upon. There was the slightest hint of a frown on her lovely face, and that was enough to make Theon want to try, even if he wasn't any good. After he was finished with his impromptu speech, he was pleased to see that she was mulling it over, and eventually even agreed with what he said. ”It's all right to be scared, you know? Quite all right. Normal, even. Look at us, feeling all these very normal things in our horribly abnormal existences,” his little joke would hopefully go over well. The fallen patted her hand and felt a glow wash over him when she didn't move away. ”I'm not blessed with precognition, and I'm certainly not insinuating anything by saying this, but something gives me the sense that this man... your story with him is far from over,” Theon said, then felt a little bit playful. Or, at least, playful enough to tease her. ”Don't worry – since I'll live forever, you can thank me for being right and giving you terribly thoughtful advice when I'm proven correct.”

No matter what happened, Theon hoped that Eleyna would stay in his life in some sense. Really, she was the first person that he could see himself trusting and calling a close friend. It had been so long since he'd started to have faith in the existence of kindred spirits again, and felt that maybe his calling it wrong with Destin had been a hard lesson learned to open his eyes toward the right kind of connection he was looking for. Already, felt safer than knowing Destin for nearly his entire life, and he could say that to himself and know it wasn't coming from a place of complete bitterness. And that was certainly a new development.

”I hope that I can make someone happy, too,” Theon said, sighing a little at the thought. ”Perhaps this isn't the way a modern, masculine man would address his future, but I'm not most men. I truly hope I find my happy ending, and I sincerely hope you do, too.” Feeling strong enough to be himself and confident enough to progress forward past this evening with Eleyna, Theon sat up a little straighter and patted his new friend's hand once more before removing his own and giving her a kind smile. Sometimes, he had faith in the universe and its goodness, and was starting to think that maybe, just maybe, he'd found somewhere he belonged.

[/justify]

[eleyna]

[style=width: 450px; background-color: dodgerblue; border-bottom:10px solid black; border-top:10px solid black; font-family:century gothic; font-size:25px; color:white; text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:2px; line-height:110%; text-align:Center;]imagine living like a king

It didn’t occur to her how Theon thought about other fallen angels. She assumed since he was a fallen himself, he might understand what others felt like. So when she delivered the rumored news, he looked generally surprised. Eleyna was going to ask him what made him so curious, but by the look on his face, it seemed that she was going to get this answer before she even needed to ask it. It wasn’t just reading Theon because it seemed the pair understood each other well. It was a little mix of that and being able to read others well. She was using that to understand him. Not that it was hard to understand Theon. He was a fallen who was betrayed, confused, and unsure of the real world. It was amazing that he had only been on this earth for a short period of time. Maybe it was the fact she had been there for about two hundred life times. Or more.

His reason made her frown. Theon didn’t know any better, of course. The only thing he knew was taught to him for years from the heavens. Eleyna found that she wasn’t able to generalize species. The only reason she generalized hunters and other vampires was because every one of them had a chance of being a part of the group after her. That was just being cautious. However, all the other ones in general (and if that wasn’t impacting her life), she learned not to put all the species into one category. For the simple reason- people tended to remember the worse. Their mind overlooked the kindness and happiness of society and focused on all the bad. When one focused on all the bad, it was easy to think they were surrounded by bad. She would know. She felt like it all the time. The species were only remembered for the ones on the dark side. While she wasn’t on either side of this dawning war, the dark side wasn’t her favorite. ”But those are all generalizing species. I know mine isn’t looked highly upon. It’s a shame they all put you in the same category. Don’t some fall because of love? Surely those can’t be bad people.” When she heard of fallens and the rules they had, that was one of the first thoughts that popped into her head. Since she had once known love and the bliss of it, it was hard to imagine being punished for that.

That was a hard question. Eleyna actually didn’t know how she coped with it until now thinking about it. What was it exactly she did? Not think about it. That wasn’t very good advice to someone who appeared to care more about others than himself. Not thinking about it was a short problem to everything , she guessed. If she didn’t think about that pack following her, for example, perhaps she would live life a little more full. Except if she didn’t watch it, her life would end sooner than she would think. ”As strange as it sounds, it’s…moving on. If you don’t move on, there is a potential you won’t save someone else’s life. It’s also reason. Sometimes you just can’t save someone no matter how hard you try. As long as you did everything you possibly could, it is out of your hands.” She figured that Theon would understand better than anyone else about letting it go. Let the hands of his God. She only said his God because she had grown up with the Romans. Multiple gods. She still had those believes. Even if she wasn’t exactly praising them all the time, she still had the habit of saying ‘oh my gods’. Strange to someone who didn’t know her.

He didn’t look exactly confident. Eleyna knew there was little she was able to say to convince him. It was something he was going to have to discover for himself. She was the same way. She didn’t believe just words from anyone. Those faithful words that were hidden lies had happened too many times. There were few people that she was able to trust every word that came out of their mouth. Theon, strangely, was one of them. From what she knew about him, he was extremely honest and trustworthy. The type that would able to tell his full honest opinion at the expense of feelings. But in the most caring way he could. Even now, the tension she was feeling was released with a couple of small giggles. She honored his thoughts on this. The optimism that she and Marcus could have a future. The future they always wanted. Staying and daydreaming about it for nights on end, sneaking to see each other. Now all open and everything. She laughed, ”No- it’s wonderful advice! I thank you in advanced. Then go find you if things turn out the way I pray they will.” Even if they did end up together, was she supposed to drag him all over the place with her? Won’t he get tired of that? Eventually want to settle down?

Yet, he didn’t have this optimism about himself. Like he was somehow dysfunctional compared to Eleyna. ”In my experience, and I’ve had plenty,” Unfortunately too much, ”Women can only take “most men” for so long. In fact, they get so tired, they spend all their life looking for the one different one.” Or the one different one. Most men changed so that they were able to be the different one. It was a little more different in the past where no one had a choice on whom they married. However, now that soulmates were discovered, everyone wanted one. She knew that feeling, and she understood it, but she also understood logic. The chances of that happening. It happened to her. It was a miracle that he came back. A miracle she wasn’t sure she was able to handle.

WORDS: 988 | NOTES: THESE TWO <333

[THEON JACOBI ALASTAIR]

He felt a little guilty when he realized what he was doing by explaining his surprise about a fallen angel being a force of good and counseling others. Theon supposed that he wasn't the only one who still had a tendency toward the light and toward helping others, but that hadn't been what he was taught. He was taught that most angels that became members of the fallen chose to disobey Heaven's strict rules. His falling had been a mistake – poor judgement, a bad call on his part, and he never would have seen it coming, the judgment upon his own head that separated him from his family. After all, he had trusted and loved Destin, just like a brother. The things Theon had always been told by his parents made other fallen angels out to be bad individuals that he should avoid, but upon hearing a different explanation from Eleyna's mouth, he blushed a little and looked down at the table. Love. He'd forgotten all about that rule – the rule that had almost gotten his own parents ejected from heaven. ”I've not run into members of many other species, if I'm being honest, but I do try my best to treat others on an individual basis. Fallen angels just... I've been warned about them my entire life because we're all damned. And so am I, now. I suppose I should be more sympathetic, as I'm not the monster that so many guardians believe fallens are.”

Theon had to include himself in the greater category now, even though it all but broke his heart to do so. ”My own parents almost lost their wings for falling in love and creating me. I cannot being to know how they managed sympathy from the higher powers, but they avoided falling. And their only son ended up paying the price – the irony was never lost on me.” They weren't disappointed in him, he knew – he had been doing what he felt was right, which was something they had always encouraged. And they had put him in Destin's 'care,' if you could even call it that anymore. Theon sighed, and hoped that Eleyna wasn't cross with him for spouting things that he still didn't completely understand. He still had a lot of learrning to do.

The subject changed to Eleyna's work that Theon was starting to take an interest in, but he did wonder how she dealt with losing patients – both because of something she might have done or natural causes. Theon could only imagine that it was incredibly difficult to sustain care for patients and balance the chances of losing one, but her answer made a lot of sense and made him wonder if he could be that pragmatic and do as she did. ”That does not sound strange to me, Eleyna. Pragmatic. Logical, even, but not strange.” He wondered if this made her feel any better about what she had to do, even though she certainly didn't need his opinion to feel good about herself. She'd been doing this for much longer than he'd been alive, likely. ”I would imagine the number of lives saved balance with the number of lives lost. Everything has a balance in this world.” As emotional as he could be sometimes, Theon also believed in logic, balance, and reason which could be completely nonsensical to his emotional side sometimes, but when reason was weighed with emotion, he found emotions to be entirely unreasonable more often than not, especially when some things were completely out of his control.

There were lots of reasons to like Eleyna, in his opinion – she even took his advice graciously, even though Theon didn't think it was that great. Nothing too insightful, really. He barely had enough experience with interpersonal interactions to understand all the little quirks that people had, let alone give them advice on how to run their lives or how to think. Other people were certainly more qualified, but his 'advice' came from an honest place: he was just trying to be nice and encouraging, because something told him that she needed it. A little boost, or something. ”I didn't mean to be too bold – I think you'll find your happy ending, though. I don't think it's as far away as you think.” Theon shrugged and smiled a little bit shyly. Of all the people in the world, he was certainly no authority on romance, but there was something about Eleyna that told him that she'd be rather easy to love, and given the fact that she likely had a rather lengthy history, there had to be someone in her past to love her. ”I'd appreciate hearing any good news that comes your way, though. Just to know that you're doing well. Happy. I think you deserve to be happy.” Theon believed that most people deserved a shot at happiness, but was certain that he could also find a few exceptions. Destin, for example, but he was really trying not to think about that horrible man.

Eleyna seemed to have a good bit of faith in his own prospects, too, and made him blush a little with her kind words. Really, he wasn't certain what the future had in store for him, and there was a certain bit of anxiety that surrounded such feelings, because he was so certain for so long that he knew with only a little bit of question, exactly how his life was supposed to go. How his eternity was supposed to go. Now, it had all been tossed up in the air and he was extremely nervous about what might or might not cross his path in the far away future or the near future. Both were marked with a giant question mark, and it was unsettling, so it helped to hear Eleyna's faith in him. She was smart, knowledgeable about this world, had her own experiences – triumphs and failures, likely; she would know. Or at least know enough to make an educated guess. ”I'm glad to hear that, really. I wouldn't want to spend all of eternity alone. I suppose one might even go as far as to say I'm a 'hopeless romantic.' Not that it's a bad quality, right?” He hoped not – he couldn't change himself now. Truly, he wouldn't even want to, would that he only could.

[/justify]

[eleyna]

[style=width: 450px; background-color: dodgerblue; border-bottom:10px solid black; border-top:10px solid black; font-family:century gothic; font-size:25px; color:white; text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:2px; line-height:110%; text-align:Center;]imagine living like a king

So much time had passed between Theon and Eleyna since Eleyna first sat down to talk to the fallen angel. She hadn’t realized it was about time for her to go out and hunt. She was usually very good about keeping track of that, but she hadn’t been in a long conversation with someone for a long time. If she had, it certainly hadn’t been this deep. Most of it had been talking about perhaps someone else’s personal issues and leaving out her own. Most people thought that was a strange thing for her to do. For those that didn’t know, they were sharing and spilling their guts out to her, and she had nothing to offer in return. It was a very unfair cycle, she agreed, but it was an unfair world. Survival of the fittest and she planned to survive. It could have been part of the problem. She was surviving and not living, but for Eleyna, there wasn’t another choice. Better to run and hide her whole life and stay alive than to let herself be caught and killed. Something that was switched for some people. Good thing she wasn’t some people.

Eleyna almost felt bad her strong voice and opinion got the best of her to Theon. He looked down, as if he were ashamed of something. No, that’s not what she meant- not what she meant at all. She had been attempting to give a different perspective for him. Showing that it wasn’t all the species in general. The intention wasn’t to make him feel guilty about what he thought previously. He had only been exposed to show much. How else was he supposed to think any differently? He was new to the world and what good or bad things it could bring. ”I find, especially through history, reputation comes from who the worse people are. There are bad fallens, I’m sure,” She didn’t even want to think how dangerous they were, ”I mean, you grew up your entire life in heaven.” A strange expression for anyone else listening, ”Must have been nothing bad up there.” She didn’t know if that would make him feel better or not, as she did know how much he must have missed it. Something she would never experience. Eleyna didn’t know what happened when vampires died.

That was such a cute story. Eleyna gave a soft smile, though he seemed to be a little more down towards the end of it. ”I’m sure no matter what happens, they’ll be proud of you.” Her own father had been a kind man. Her mother died of child birth (from her), but her father hadn’t taken it like most had. His children was the village before Romans took it over, taking the people into slavery. Funny enough, they had left her behind because she was sick again. No good for a slave. That’s when the vampire family found her… her life turned out pretty well. Not as great as some, but… she was generally happy. At the moment, she found herself happier than she had been in a while. Just talking to someone with complete trust again made her feel lighter. Something off of her chest. Eleyna never believed in the power of just talking about it, but at the moment, she was doubting it.

Theon was so incredibly sweet. That was a trait on him she had realized from the first time she met him not too long ago. If he didn’t put off the vibe of completely kind, she probably wouldn’t have offered for him to sit down in the library. Was it closing? It was. Eleyna saw that there were even fewer people walking around and trying to find books. Some of the librarians were taking the last minute books and placing them where they needed to. It didn’t bother her much. She wasn’t one to leave a place just because she saw it was starting to close. If they really wanted her to leave, they would ask them to. Although, she started to smell a little farther. As if her body wanted her to go into a hunting mode. That’s when she started to realize last time she hunted. Animals had to be a little more frequent. She didn’t want to leave, but it was hard. ”I hope it is. I’ve been waiting a long time for this moment. I just… I hope it’s what I’ve been waiting for.” She knew her soulmate was Marcus. She had proved it with the other guys she had tried to move on with. Eleyna hoped that Theon would find that type for him here too. She hoped that his story wasn’t like hers though. That they wouldn’t be separated for a couple of thousand years. She didn’t wish that upon anyone.

Hopeless romantic? Oh, yes, she saw that quality in him. She didn’t have it herself. Perhaps she didn’t have it with anyone else except for Marcus. Weren’t people like that supposed to bring that side out of you? She didn’t’ know. All of it scared her for how powerful it was. Even if they did get together, there wasn’t a chance in anything Eleyna would tell him about the group after her. She’d tell no one about that. It would just endanger them. There was a difference between not getting close to someone because she had to leave them and telling them about this dangerous group watching her. No. She couldn’t get anyone involved in that. That was a problem she had to deal with by herself. ”No, not one at all. It’s actually rather adorable.” She grinned, her eyes glowing brightly as she looked over to the side, taking a deep breath and hearing the heart beats around the room. Built predator, but it helped when you hadn’t had human blood. Ever. If she had, she couldn’t imagine what bat shit crazy stuff she’d be into.

WORDS: 987 | NOTES: THESE TWO <333

[THEON JACOBI ALASTAIR]

The time was starting to slip past them, and both Theon and Eleyna were so involved in their conversation that they likely both lost track of the time. Time was something that had really never been important to Theon; as an angel, he didn't really have anywhere that he had to be, since he had never gotten past his 'training' stage and into the level where he would be given a charge of his very own. There were lessons that he had to go through – weapons training, lessons on rules and the structure of the calling of which he was going to take one day, so he would be prepared when it was time for him to take the Guardians' Oath – but really, there wasn't such an emphasis on time as there was in the modern world. And that, for him, had been one of the most difficult things for him to get used to. Eventually, he would have to find a job or other obligations that required for him to function on a schedule. Theon longed to find some sort of higher purpose, some other calling that would take his attentions from his depressed state of mind and state of longing for all that he'd lost. Talking with Eleyna helped a lot – she had good insights, was intelligent, and really seemed to understand him. For the longest time, Theon had feared that he'd never really be able to connect with anyone in this world like he had been able to connect with his parents and some of the other angels, and even Destin, before he had betrayed him and everything the former angel held dear.

Even now, Eleyna was teaching him things, which led the curly haired man to know that his 'lessons' were far from over. The scenery had changed, and his 'purpose' was not set in stone, but he still had much to learn. Even about his own kind, apparently. Her words were a comfort, and were steeped in a wisdom and logic that he couldn't ignore. Sometimes, she reminded him of his own mother, with her kind words and gentle smile, and the fact that she seemed to really just want the best for him. Although they hadn't known each other long, he just got that sense from her; he was safe here, he knew, and she would likely be able to help him learn much about this new home of his, if she was willing to keep him around and as a fixture in her life. ”It makes sense, what you say – from what I've read of history, it seems that the truly good individuals are skimmed over more often than not, and what a shame.” His brow furrowed a little, and he smiled a little bit sadly; she was right – his upbringing had been different, and even though he had never intended to live in this world, it was the hand he had been dealt, and now he had to change his outlook on a lot of things. Including the balance of good and evil. ”It was peaceful... we didn't have corporeal forms. We were merely functional lights, with the ability to speak to one another and empathize with our charges, and the ability to take form when necessary to intervene. I was trained for all of it, and I was prepared, but I never got to have my own charge... and that doesn't matter now. I have much to learn about this world, since it's to be my home.”

Opening up to the vampire was easy enough, and Theon found a genuine, happy smile come to his face when she mentioned his parents. Of course she didn't know them, but the thought was enough to make him believe her, especially when her words seemed so true and sincere. ”Do you really believe that, Eleyna?” That was all Theon had ever wanted – he wanted to aspire to greatness and carry on a legacy that would make his parents proud, because they had given him so much to be thankful for. When he lost his wings, he had been convinced that all hope was lost, that he'd never be able to follow through with his plans, and his parents would spend eternity mourning the loss of him instead of watching him grow strong into a Guardian that they could be proud to call 'son.'

Even though earth was still a mystery to him, there did seem to be some things that he could look forward to experiencing, should he be fortunate enough. Love was one of those things that he had always known to be forbidden, but since it no longer was, a selfish part of him wanted to know it and experience it – to become part of this thing that seemed to make so many others blissfully happy. Even Eleyna, with all her years and wisdom, spoke so fondly of a person that had been a severe part of her life, but in a positive way. So far, the only people who had really made any lasting impression on Theon had been Destin and his parents, and the negatives that Destin brought were almost good enough to cancel out the goodness of the people who gave him life. Eleyna, he was sure, would become another integral part of his new existence, and he was glad for that. He was glad for her, that she had something to hold onto – something good in her life to keep her happy. ”You must have hope, and... if you have that romantic happy ending, you must tell me all about it. I've so long been curious about love.”

Then, he confessed about being a hopeless romantic himself, and was glad that she didn't judge him or think the qualities were negative. It just seemed so beautiful... as much of a gift as his wings had been. There was a verse he read that spoke of love being patient and kind, and that, to him, seemed like something nobody should fear. ”Nobody has ever considered me adorable. I believe I'm flattered,” the former angel said, and blushed a little, before their conversation fell into a lull, and he noticed his friend looking around, a curious expression on her face. ”Eleyna, are you all right? Have I kept you too long?” To most people, time was important, and he hadn't wanted to overstep his welcome or stay too long, just because she was too kind to tell him to leave.

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[eleyna]

[style=width: 450px; background-color: dodgerblue; border-bottom:10px solid black; border-top:10px solid black; font-family:century gothic; font-size:25px; color:white; text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:2px; line-height:110%; text-align:Center;]imagine living like a king

Why was bad so much more interesting and memorable than the good? The questions of life, even as old as she was, still continued to puzzle her in ways she couldn’t explain. The regular questions that people spent lifetimes trying to figure out and never was able to. It didn’t bother her too much though. What was regular life to her? Lives went there and gone. Empires even came and gone. The fall of Rome had been the biggest shock to her after hearing it from the gossip a couple of years after it happened officially. It wasn’t as if the empire fell over night, but it had indeed taken a downturn for the worse. After that, every other empire failure was nothing to her. All these little border changes to countries and rebellions was nothing new or something to awe about. To those who lived small lives, it must have been large. Some dying far too young and some far too long.

Maybe that was another thing. Those that were bad didn’t die soon enough, so they were able to do even more damage than a good one. There were so many reasons. ”It is a shame, isn’t it?” She asked with a slight frown to her features, ”But hopefully good people aren’t in it to make history or anything.” She never wanted her name to go down in history at any point. She knew how that went. Positive or negative, everyone made judgments for as long as they remember the name. Fake investigations to figure out things that never happened. Skewed information. No thank you. Her face didn’t need to be plastered everywhere around everything. Not even a little bit.

It was interesting to think that angels were nothing but light inside of a form. Eleyna never thought of it that way before. ”You don’t have to be a guardian angel to protect someone. I’m sure if there’s anyone who needs you, you’ll training will come in handy.” A small smile on her face encouragingly. She hoped that he was into that position just for the sake of his sanity. Clearly this had been a huge part of his life. If there was someone like that and he did protect them, he could feel better assured of himself. Not sit there and wonder what it might have been like, but actually knowing it was all into use. If she knew anyone, she might have introduced them, but sadly, it was another negative of not getting to know very many.

Looking at him when he asked that broke Eleyna’s heart. It really did matter to him what his parents thought about him, even now. His big brown eyes staring at her, asking her to confirm what she just said. As smoothly as she could, she gave him a smile and nodded slowly, ”I do. They sound like they care much about you. Something like this might make them upset, but it wouldn’t change how they feel about their child.” That was one little thing about being a vampire. Couldn’t have children. Eleyna had wanted children. She had been surrounded by them all her life. They were just so cute! Their little faces smiling up at her. If she really desperately wanted one, she could have found someone to make a hybrid with, but that almost took the special part out of it. Plus, a child along with her and this group following her would cause more problems than solve.

If this all really did work out, she would make it a point to go to find Theon. Go and thank the man who gave her the final push to do something about it. If it didn’t work out, she was sure she’d still go out and find him. Maybe. Eleyna also didn’t want the image in his head that it didn’t work out, as he seemed already insecure about finding a soulmate out there for him. If he saw the out coming of her and Marcus… she shook her head. No reason to try to think about what ifs anymore. She did that too much. It wasn’t good for her. ”You’ll be the first person I’ll go to.” It’s not like she had anyone else anyone. Even if she did, she was sure that she would still go to Theons. It made sense for her to do that.

She was rather not as subtle as she thought or Theon was much more observant than she imagined. Was she really showing that much? Sometimes people asked her around the hospital when she was running low, but she could always blame it on being tired after so many patients. It was a good enough excuse. It could have just been her behavior, she supposed. Looking around and hearing all the blood running through their veins. ”Yes, I’m fine. It’s just…” Ugh, not something that was pleasant to talk about. Opposite of lady-like, ”I haven’t hunted in a while.” Tugging on her hair, feeling a knot in her stomach. After two thousand years, she was still not comfortable talking about it.

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[THEON JACOBI ALASTAIR]

Good versus evil. It was an age-old battle that continued to wage, even in modern days. Theon knew that his parents, passive peace keepers that they were, desired for there to be balance and some sort of conflict resolution that might help the two sides be able to measure out their differences. But Theon, even though he wished for the same outcome, knew that it was likely not possible. All they could hope for was that, when war did finally occur, the side that he fought for would emerge victorious, for the sake of humanity as they knew it. Of course he understood the plight of supernaturals not wanting to hide, but to enslave the human race? It was unthinkable cruelty, and he didn't want to be a part of that at all, even if it meant he would have to stay hidden. He wondered how Eleyna felt about the war, and decided that it might be something to ask. ”We only wish to preserve the betterment of mankind. Is that... there's a talk of war happening here. Soon. Will you... what side will you fight for?” It was something that he wouldn't ask just anyone, and Theon knew that he was torn – he wanted to fight with the angels, with his parents, but now that he had taken his place as a fallen angel, he wasn't sure whether or not he'd want to continue living on the earth, but in the shadows where he couldn't be free to protect under the guise of his true identity. A former angel, not a fallen.

That was why Eleyna's words about him still having training and the ability to protect people made him feel much better not only about himself, but about the fact that he was intrigued about going into the medical profession. He wanted to be a savior and a champion of the people that needed it, and wanted to continue to save lives, as his training and his birthright had given him leave to do. ”I just have to find the ones who need it, I suppose. Here, I am not given a specific charge – up there, the elder angels decide which humans are worthy of divine protection. But now I suppose it is my duty to act alone with my own judgments.” It was a nerve-wracking thought, because once, he had trusted Destin, and Destin had betrayed him worse than he could have ever imagined prior to the event. She continued to assuage some of his unspoken fears, especially those that concerned his parents and their new opinion of him, now that he was no longer with them, and managed a smile. She really believed her words, and spoke honestly, which was something that pleased Theon more than he could put to words. ”Thank you. I needed... I desperately needed to hear that.” As long as he could make them proud somehow, bring a part of their legacy to earth, then maybe he could continue what they had always wanted for him. But she was right... they loved him, and that would likely be enough to make them pleased. He hoped. There was always that... hope.

Eleyna had already given him so much comfort, so when she spoke about a long-lost love, he had encouraged her to seek it out. He wanted her to be able to find true love and happiness, because it seemed to be one of the best parts about living on earth. Theon hoped to find it for himself, although he knew it was never a guarantee. At least he had the comfort and the knowledge that he would, with any luck, actually get to live out eternity – as long as the world lasted, he would be a part of it unless something stole his life and ended his existence. Therefore, he would likely find some sort of love. Already, he was making friendships and had his eyes on a particular woman that might turn romantic, if he was lucky. But his friendship with Eleyna was something he hoped to cultivate, and likely in a way where they could share good news with each other in the future if they ended up finding their happy endings. She said that he'd be the first person she went to if things took a turn for the positive, and he couldn't help but smile. That was a sign of trust, and he knew it. Theon liked the thought that he could be there for Eleyna in the future, since she had already been so positive and helpful to him now.

Theon was a caring soul, and frequently noticed things about people that caught his attention. Yet, when he cared for someone in particular, he noticed that he paid closer attention, which was why he caught the changing expression on his friend's face and asked about it. Her answer surprised him, but didn't make him upset like he wondered if it should. All creatures had to find nourishment somehow, even vampires, although their method of nourishment was... likely troubling, for another caring soul, like Eleyna. ”Can I help you somehow? I mean... I don't know how I could be of any assistance, but I don't like the idea of you depriving yourself of the nourishment you need.” Theon knew that it was likely because the library was crowded – so many humans, a constant temptation, and yet she remained poised. ”We could go outside?” Maybe a walk, some fresh air to clear her head, that would help. The least he could do was offer.

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[eleyna]

[style=width: 450px; background-color: dodgerblue; border-bottom:10px solid black; border-top:10px solid black; font-family:century gothic; font-size:25px; color:white; text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:2px; line-height:110%; text-align:Center;]imagine living like a king

Eleyna should have been expecting some talk of the brink of the war coming up. It wasn’t something that she liked to bring up. People got the wrong impression when she didn’t take a side. It was as if she didn’t care at all. That wasn’t it. It just didn’t feel like her war. Wars came and went. Empires rising and falling through the years. Plus, it was all about survival. Getting involved and fighting in this war wasn’t surviving very well. What she wanted to do was slink around and hide. She was a caring person, but she wasn’t going to do well under a grave. Even if that was where vampires went. She had no idea, and frankly, she didn’t really want to think about it. Theon also was asking it rather carefully. As if he were unsure. It was wise of him to be careful with that. If she were on the dark (and in truth, if she were to pick a side, she would have gone light), the interaction between them might have changed drastically. ”I plan to stay out of the war. I’ve lived long enough to see wars that seem like the change of mankind come, but it never falls through. One side will win, the other will lose, and a hundred years from now, whichever side that lost will rebel.” She planned to be around to see that. Especially now she thought she might have something to live for. She also didn’t need to ask what side Theon was going to fight for. That one was pretty obvious.

She wasn’t sure if Theon knew this just from his growing up, but in her experience, almost everyone needed help. The guardians appeared to have a system where they picked out those hunted the most. There was even a rumor of a firetamer having a guardian before because it was needed so badly, but who was the final judgment on who needed it more? If that’s all Theon was looking out for, she was sure he wasn’t going to have to look very far. Just meet about ten other people, and surely one of those ten would be. Eleyna didn’t like needing help, and he might have met some of those. She appreciated the help when it came, of course, but she didn’t like the feeling of needing it all the same. ”Someone almost always needs help. It won’t take you long.” At least if she did find herself in a little spot of trouble, she knew exactly who to turn to. One of the negatives of not letting anyone close to her was when she landed in a bad situation, there was no one to turn to. It just gave her more motivation to stay out of things. Sometimes, stuff just happened avoidance or not.

Eleyna almost felt a little guilty. Seeing the relieved look on his face while she was saying things she didn’t completely know. She didn’t know Theon’s parents after all. They might have not seen it the way she would have if she had kids. Hell, hers might have been different as well. Who knew? Still, that seemed to satisfy him although Eleyna didn’t know. She let the guilt hang on her in exchange for seeing him a little happier than he had been before. Oh, who wouldn’t forgive him? It wasn’t as if he went and killed anyone. No, she couldn’t picture him doing that even to protect someone else. Using it as a last resort type of thing. Actually, picturing him turning to that darker side made her heart break. Like he was losing something if he did that. Eleyna pushed that out of her head. No, she didn’t have to worry about that. If it ever got to that point, she hoped he might try to contact her instead. She could become the fierce flower when put in that type of situation. She wouldn’t have lived this long if she wasn’t.

See, there he was wanting to help her with all of that. Eleyna smiled lightly at him. So sweet. There wasn’t much he could do to help except move environments. She had been doing this for a very long time. Practically everyday (skipping a day was dangerous but not undoable). It was just her letting her guard go a little bit and not paying attention to the time around her. Luckily, she was in pretty good control of herself. There had only been once a little bit ago she hunted and ended up spilling blood all over herself. Rather embarrassing. She should be better at it by now. Quick, clean, painless, and without traces to leave. So when she drenched it all over her front… stupid of her. Very stupid. She was planning not to get to that state again, which meant she had to leave soon. But she didn’t want to leave Theon just yet. ”A walk outside sounds perfect.” She told him, standing up as she did so. Her legs didn’t cramp up like a humans after not been used for so long. Walking outside didn’t relive all of the tension she was building up, but not being in a compressed building really helped. She felt like she could breath, though technically speaking, she didn’t need to breath. It just made her feel better. Plus, she was sure that Theon was getting tired of just sitting there.

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[THEON JACOBI ALASTAIR]

The thought of an upcoming war was something that weighed heavily on Theon's mind, and the young angel considered that it would have continued to be a burden, if not for his ability to be able to talk to Eleyna about it. Granted, they had to use veiled words and references at times, because there were likely people within a close proximity who might not understand what they were saying, or understand too much and target them because of it. Either way, he wouldn't want to take unnecessary chances and put either of their lives at risk, but it was comforting that he could speak freely about his innermost, troubling thoughts to someone who gave such good advice, and genuinely seemed to care about his peace of mind. For Theon, that was a somewhat new concept, because ever since he had fallen from the Heavens, he was resigned to a fate of being alone and having to look after himself, since nobody was around to guide him or care for him. Eleyna, however, seemed more than willing to be his friend and his sounding board, to counsel him with logical advice and to care for him, and that was part of why he was growing to trust her, even though he was never quick to trust others after what Destin had done. ”But you could be such an asset to those who choose to protect humanity. The forces of evil always seem daunting until there are a brave few who will stand against an unyielding foe,” Theon said, a little shocked that she wouldn't choose to protect humans, who she seemed to protect every single day with her career and her choice not to feed on them. But, after her words sunk in a little deeper, Theon understood what she was trying to say and gave a solemn nod – Eleyna would be a powerful ally for the 'light siders,' but she was right; war was never truly over. A victor was decided, and then the losing side got to regroup until the next time they decided to stand up once again, and then another war would develop. A vicious cycle.

”I do respect your decision, Eleyna. There is a wisdom in neutrality, and for the longest time, I've wondered if that wasn't the best stance for myself to take. I could fight on the side that my parents have chosen, but not really be considered one of them, or join with Destin and the other evils of the world, which go against everything I believe. Perhaps the best decision is to stay out of it all.”

After the war talk subsided, Eleyna was right back to making him feel like he was special and had a purpose, even if he was considering being completely neutral in the war instead of helping either side. Despite the love he had for his parents and the part of him that wanted to see the dark side fail, Theon wondered if he'd be able to stomach feeling like he was part of a noble cause again for a split second only to be cast aside when the dust settled. There were other ways for him to make a difference without fighting in the trenches, and Eleyna made that clear when she told him that there was always someone in need of help. ”I just need to find my place in the world, and start making a difference. Then I will be able to feel better about... about all of this. And you've already been so helpful with that recovery, so from the bottom of my heart, I thank you.”

Unlike some modern men that he'd seen or been around since he had fallen from grace, Theon wasn't ashamed to show emotions – sadness, fear, vulnerability, gratitude – he didn't think that any of it detracted from his masculinity and his gender, because it was an integral part of his personality. Maybe he was a little sensitive, but he was also compassion and kind, and had been raised to take the feelings of others into account before acting in a rash or selfish way. For a moment, when they had been discussing love and the man that Eleyna hoped to find again, Theon wondered what he was like. He hoped that the man Eleyna loved was gentle, good to her, with a strong heart and an iron will that he could use to protect her and shield her from harm, even when she did not need protection. Theon knew that Eleyna deserved a man with kindness, someone who wouldn't be afraid to tell her how loved she was, or special, and that was the kind of man that Theon hoped to be for the woman he fell in love with some day. He had watched his father with his mother, and even though the man was strong, powerful in his own right, and completely unshakable in his beliefs, he still had a gentle spirit, especially when it came to the woman he loved and their child together. With them, he was softer, with a more flexible will that saw their needs and always put them first. It was unconditional love, plain and simple, and it was something that Theon hoped he would be able to give to someone someday, and hoped that Eleyna would experience from her special someone as well. Good people deserved good things to be returned to them, and even if they had to experience hardship first, the good could be considered a reward for all their tenacity and perseverance.

That was why he suggested that they go outside, when Eleyna appeared to be uncomfortable in a relatively small space that was surrounded by humans. Especially if she was hungry. Theon noticed that she seemed relieved after he offered, and quickly, the two of them collected their books. He left behind the one he had been holding, realizing that she had given him much more valuable advice than the piece of literature could have. Then, they were outdoors, and the cool night air hit his skin and immediately relaxed him. Theon loved being outside. ”Are you feeling any better? Is this helping?” Theon didn't want to ask too many questions, but there was one that he was extremely curious about. ”The discomfort... and please pardon me for asking, but was it because you were... tempted, by the humans?” Theon shoved his hands in his pockets, and really hated to be a nuisance, but he wanted to help her. Even if he couldn't, he still wanted her to be able to talk to him about whatever she needed. He just wanted to be there for her like she had been there for him all evening.

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