Shadows Within

AzureBonds: Thanks. You really need to brush the dust off of Silverpine, yourself. I think it's getting lonely. *hint, hint*

Fawnheart: Yeah, the merciful Mr. Claus dropped Sexy's care package off at, like... 2 in the morning or something. Best thing I got all day.

Kravis31: Thanks for the kind words. I honestly feel I might be over-doing the troll accent more than a few times.

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Blood coursed through his veins. The steady beating of his heart reverberated in his ears, filling the silence with an ominous rhythm.
Irregular.
Unusual.
Unwanted.
That feeling... he didn't want it. Not here. Not now.
The uncomfortable bulge in his pants was the last thing he needed.
Breath came in heaving, unsteady gasps, the air in the room cooling his sweat-layered chest. Images of toned, blue skin writhing in his grasp, his touch-
"Stop it."

Kalderin closed his eyes, willing his mind to shut the images out like he always did... but they would not leave. Burned into his eyelids, they danced at the edges of his vision, teasing, taunting-
"STOP IT."
The human stood, donning his shirt out of habit, and paced the floor with nervous steps.
Why? Why now, of all times... and why her?
What did it mean, if anything at all?
And for fuck's sake, why couldn't he just forget it?
The dream seemed intent on causing grief, for it stayed, fresh and vivid in his mind. Try as he might, the rogue felt the iron grip he had on his mind begin to slip away.

Don't deny it.

Kalderin stopped dead and looked at the faint shadow he cast on the wall.

What? It's obvious.

He moved closer, listening to this new voice.

You WANT her. You NEED her.

He glared at the bemused tone. "Bullshit."

Bwahah! Sure, keep telling yourself that. I know better.

There was something about the growling, plain tone that struck a chord in the human, even as he wished it would just as well go away.

He IS right, you know. Quit struggling with what's laid out right in front of you.

The rogue's glare deepened. He could barely even tell where one of his voices ended and the next began any longer.

Just let her in. She's the only balm you have right now.

You shut the fuck up.

There was a profound silence as Kalderin realized he was being drug into a three-way argument.

... Pardon?

I'm not speaking some alien language, dipshit. Shut your whore mouth.

"BOTH of you put a fucking lid on it!" The human was getting very irate, very fast.

Stuff it and listen, chump. You don't have a damn clue what you're throwing out with her.

And I suppose you have a better idea what the boy needs, then?

Better than you, numbnuts.

Well, what IS best, hmmm? He gets the girl, then what? Fuck her senseless? That hardly seems like-

But Kalderin had heard enough. With a growl, he balled up his fist and planted it square in the head of his shadow.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!"

...

The calm of silence flooded him, a sweet release.

But oh, so fleeting.

----------

Kalderin stood there, his fist throbbing in pain as it rested on the wall, long enough to lose all track of time... and thought.
Quite a feat.
Then the reverie was cut short by several quick, soft knocks on his door.

"'Ey, Kalderin? Choo okay, mon?"
His eyes squeezed shut, as if the simple action would just make her go away.
"... Kal?"
FfffffFFFFUUUCK!
"I'm fine," he managed to eke out.
"Well, choo sure don' sound like it."

There was a long pause before the shaman spoke again.
"Umm... Can Ah come in?"
The human debated for a moment with himself. All he had to do was say the word, and she would leave...
"Sure, one second," he replied.
He wasn't really sure why he was doing this, but he was. The bolt lifted, and he swung the door in just enough for her to get through.
A swath of blue skin, green hair, and earth-tone silk whipped inside and pushed the door shut again. He breathed a faint trace of cactus apples in her wake, which only served to further confuse and irritate him.

Shyla didn't stand on any ceremony, moving over to one of the chairs with purposeful speed. She was trying to remember the details of her dream, but the vivid images had faded considerably in the few moments she had been awake. Still, what little she could cling to was both frightening and enthralling.
"Ah had a dream abou'choo, mon," she said without preamble, trying her hardest to gauge his reaction, "an'... well, Ah'm worried abou'cha, yeah?"
He reacted exactly as expected, which was not at all. Undaunted, she continued. "Ah saw ya, choo was talkin' wit me... Ah don' remember 'bout what, though." The shaman screwed her face up to try and hide her lie. "An' choo got angry, like really angry, an' den dese four chains sprang out an' wrapped me up, mon... de burned, big time."
That did it. The human's face seemed to darken as he gave her a half angry, half worried look.

"Go on," he muttered.
Shyla took a breath of the cool night air to steady herself, trying to will the images to form again.
"Ya changed, Ah t'ink. Ya voice went all low and sinistah, and ya eyes tuned green, de whole hog, mon. Choo was tryin' ta... well, ta keel me, because Ah did sometin' wrong, but... Ah can't remembah what."
Of course, that was a lie; she still had flashed of skin on skin, a peculiar feel of heat pooling between her legs... but she wasn't fool enough to let the human know those little details.
Kalderin watched her for a few seconds, perhaps waiting to see if she had anything else to say, then turned, walking to the window and leaning out into the night.

He had a good guess what she was saying, and what she wasn't saying as well. Shared dreams, while quite rare, did exist, and if his hunch was correct...
Told ya.
The rogue scowled into the thick darkness. The odds of him being right were astronomical.
And since when were you a mathematician?
Kalderin squared his jaw, sighing. It just wasn't possible; there had to be an existing connection between the two recipients for it to work.
Well, in theory, yeah. But since when did anything theoretical happen right around you?
He had to concede that point... but the human refused to accept what this situation held.
Why fight it, Kalderin?
"Shut up," he whispered, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands.

"'Ey, Kalderin..."
The man turned around, his expression neutral.
"Choo min'dif... well, if... Ah stayed here tonite, mon?" Shyla tried to keep a blush from creeping up her cheeks. "Jus ta keep mah nerves down, yeah?"
For a brief moment, a war seemed to rage in the rogue's head, but the trolless was sure she imagined it.
"Well... I suppose so," he replied.
She cracked into a warm smile, slumping back in the chair a bit. "T'anks, mon."
The human's face turned up in a smirk. "Don't mention it. Go on and take the bed, I don't think I'll be using it anyway."

FuckfuckfuckfuckFUCK! For the love of Light, would somebody please, PLEASE tell me why I can't FUCKING SAY NO!!!
Kalderin turned his head more abruptly than he wished to, but there was little other way to hide the murderous visage his face now wore. He knew he didn't want her here, he knew damn well that it was a trick, and he KNEW she was up to something.
Then... why did he agree?
Furious, incomprehensible ranting, whose details would be ill-suited for the ears of small children or the elderly, filled the rogue's brain, as emotions that had been easily repressed years before came surging back to him, dashing reason and control to pieces.
Then, something was shaking him. Was that rage? Wait... no. It was her.
And he couldn't decide which was worse.

"Kal? Choo in deah, mon?" Shyla was growing worried again, and ruffled his shoulder a bit harder.
"Wha- Oh, yeah, sorry," the human said as he turned. A calm, friendly smile lit his face, and the trolless' brain registered his voice as it switched to Common on instinct.
"Okay. Ah was jus'tabout yellin at'cha for a bit, deah," she explained. The shaman felt comfortable enough with the language to at least try and talk to him in it.
Kalderin didn't seem to notice. "Sorry, I just got lost in thought for a bit, there. What's up?"
"Ah don'know," she said, looking out the window with him. It would be dawn in a few hours. "How's ya wound feelin'?"
"Eh, well enough. It hasn't reopened in the last few days."
Shyla's eyebrows twitched. "Not ev'n afta las' night?"
The human shook his head, his tone almost bright. "Nope, not a thing."
Smiling, the shaman leaned against the wall, taking in the sight with him as long as she was able. When sleep began to beckon her once more, she gave him a pat on the shoulder and slid into the still-warm bed, whose frame groaned in protest. Shifting a little under the covers for a comfortable position, Shyla was quite content to fall into a dreamless rest, watching the odd human who had unknowingly captivated her whole being.

------------------

"Ah, Tanui. You found anything, my girl?"
The elf pulled her mask down, adjusting her gaze to see the man's face. Her silver, glowing eyes went into a squint as her lips moved over to one side in a child-like gesture of thought.
"Not much, Mr. Fenton. All he was doing was helping some people out in Darkshire. I guess the only interesting thing he did was get into a fight with a night elf," she told him. Her voice rolled candy-sweet from her lips as she spoke.
Nichol considered this for a moment, rubbing his flame red beard with a plated hand. "Well," he finally offered," he must be trying to cover himself as best as possible. I'm sure he'll do something to give it away, sooner or later."
Looking up, he saw the rogue's hands clasped in front of her pouting, pretty face. He knew that look all too well, and could predict the phrase before it even left her mouth.

"Can I have my shinies now, please?"
She watched in rapt attention as the warrior pulled a plain, small sack from his belt and held it out for her. One of her lithe, black gloved hands reached towards it, taking tentative hold, then yanking it away with a satisfying jingle.
"Yay!" she squeaked. "I gots monies, I gots monies!" the elf hopped from one foot to the other, clearly overjoyed.
"You'll remember to keep an eye on him, won't you?"
Tanui almost didn't hear him, and stopped. "Of course, Mr. Fenton!" She gave a girlish giggle and continued, "He doesn't even know I'm watching!"
The human smiled. "Good girl. Well, I'm sure you have other places to be..."
But Nichol didn't even need to trail off. Halfway through the sentence, Tanui Moonbloom had already sprinted down the hill to the path with a loud "WHEEEEEEEE!", leaping and flipping and laughing the whole way.