speakscanadian | Nom nom nom (for Asher)

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Nom nom nom (for Asher)

What was that saying?

Beggars couldn't be choosers.

India had never been at the top of Ray's list of vacation hotspots but it wasn't like there was a brochure full of options for where they could go that year. He'd heard on the grapevine that it wasn't exactly a luxurious place but after bumping back down to reality after the disappearance of the mist, anywhere that was away was a step up in Ray's book.

With hindsight, maybe two giant suitcases and a bag slung across his chest wasn't the best plan. Especially not when he'd partnered himself with the least helpful or willing man on the planet. Never one to travel light though, there were very noticeable drag marks left in his wake as he ploughed ahead over the causeway and onto the second island.

"Thanks again, by the way," Ray drawled sarcastically for the third or fourth time. "For all of your help. Really."

Had Ray not spent so much time packing and repacking, maybe they would have reached their destination before nightfall.

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"Uh-huh," Asher replied. The more time he spent with him, the easier it became for Asher to ignore Ray's constant complaining.

"What the fuck could you possibly want to risk bringing over there?" Other than his own drinking water, he didn't see the point in any of it. He wasn't sure about Ray, but he planned on sleeping in his own bed, in their own hut that night.

"We're on vacation. This is everything I need to be on vacation." Since Ray was very much under the impression that they would be off the other island for at least a few nights, one of the suitcases was stuffed solely with bedding and hypoallergenic pillows.

"You clearly intend to spend all your time in one outfit but me, I like options."

As if by magic, the tropical island in front of Ray transformed into a new world. The thing that struck him first was the smell, then the noise and when a rickshaw flew past too close for comfort, he finally noticed all the people.

He was silent for a long moment.

"...what're the chances we'll find a Four Seasons around here?"

As Ray moved forward without a second thought, Asher came to an abrupt stop just before the end of the causeway. He'd heard that people got back the abilities that the Island took away from them, and he still wasn't exactly sure what that meant for him.

He couldn't fly and he'd never been psychic; his powers involved ripping peoples' throats out with little effort and even less remorse. Was he going to want to sink his fangs into the first person to cross his path? He was perfectly capable of suppressing all of his urges back home, but that was with five hundred years of practice. At that point, he had the Thirst well under control.

He wasn't sure how six years as a human would changes that. Or if it would change it.

Rather than stand there and wonder all night, he drew in one last, deep breath and took that final stepped off of the causeway. Once both feet were firmly planted on the city on the other side, he immediately doubled over, hands up over his ears as the sounds and smells of his new surroundings made him feel as though he's going to throw up everything he'd eaten that week right before his head exploded.

"Asher?" Ray prompted without tearing his gaze away from the sights in front of him. "Oh my God, that man is decapitating chickens on the street." If that was what a chef looked like over here, then Ray was super glad he'd packed some dinner as well.

"Asher?" He asked again, finally turning around to check on him. "Jeez, are you puking? It's just a chicken."

Like Asher hadn't seen - and probably done - worse. But Ray never liked his thoughts to linger too long on stuff Asher may or may not have done over the years. Denial was bliss.

"I don't care about the fucking chickens," he said through gritted teeth. And, holy shit, Ray's voice even more obnoxious than he was accustomed to.

"The quicker he kills them, the quicker they'll be quiet." Now, if only the rest of the noise around them were as easy to take care of as that. "You didn't happen to pack earplugs along with all of the useless shit in those bags, did you?"

"I did, actually," Ray even sounded kinda proud about that, "but your tone isn't exactly making me wanna share. What's wrong with you?"

Aside from generally feeling like he was going to be mugged for his jewellery or eaten by a rabid dog, Ray hadn't found much to be physically sick over just yet.

"Are you ill?"

Asher's tone really should have been the least of Ray's worries.

"Stop fucking around, Vecchio, and find them," he growled, squeezing his eyes shut and pressing his hands more firmly against his ears. "Now."

Had Ray known Asher was going to start acting like his four year old daughter the second they arrived, he might have reconsidered asking him to come with him.

He half-thought he ought to pretend he couldn't find them, just to push Asher's buttons but for the sake of peace, he shucked off the bag from his shoulder and started to dig around inside. A few moments later, he tugged out a small plastic bag with the foam plugs inside.

"Here." He held them out but didn't move, forcing Asher to come to him instead. "It's my only pair so be careful with them."

Edited 2013-11-17 03:23 (UTC)

Turning his head and squinting over at Ray, Asher quickly straightened up, snatching the bag and turning to walk off in one swift motion. Pulling the plugs out, he disposed of the bag quickly, stuffing the foam pieces into his ears as he weaved his way through the crowed.

With so many people, Asher knew there would be no escaping them altogether, but a small alley tucked out of the way of the major congestion on the main roads would suffice. He just needed a moment to collect himself, for the throbbing in his head to stop and his stomach to stop churning.

Leaning back against the wall, Asher unbuttoned the topmost button of his shirt.

This was fun... They should absolutely do this getaway stuff more often, he thought.

For the most part, Ray thought Asher was a pretty normal guy. He wasn't the kind to overreact, so when he did act strangely, it was usually a sign that something was wrong. Nine times out of ten it was down to island magic.

Ray figured the only way to find out why was to follow, so he dragged himself and his cases down the street, eventually struggling around the corner into the alley. He began to pile them up out of the way, noting the fact that Asher was willingly leaning against a building so crumbly it looked fit to fall down. That wasn't a good sign.

"If you really are feeling sick, we can go home, y'know..." he said, sounding a little concerned.

"I'm not," Asher insisted, scrubbing a hand over his forehead. "Okay, I am, a little. But I'm not actually sick, just... overwhelmed. Really, really overwhelmed."

Brushing his hands off, Ray moved over to him to take a proper look. Maybe they should've gotten shots before coming here...

"You sure? You were acting kinda funny out there." He stuck the back of his hand against Asher's forehead to feel for a temperature, fully prepared for it to get slapped away. "I know this place is a lot to take in b-- Jesus Christ, what's wrong with your eyes? You are sick!"

"Huh...? Oh--" Right. Along with the heightened senses, those probably weren't blue anymore. "The better to see you with?" He replied, pushing Ray's hand away.

"Vampire. I'm not sick. It's sensory overload, I'll be fine."

Ray's face skipped confusion and jumped straight to horror. Asher's eyes practically glowed in the dark, so unnatural that it sent an unwelcome shiver down his spine. He took a deliberate step back, then another, people walking in front and behind seeming oblivious to the new danger.

The idea of Asher gaining his 'powers' back had never crossed his mind, mostly because he'd never considered vampirism to be a power. A curse, more like.

"What are you...planning on doing?" He asked, trying to stay composed.

"What are you planning on doing?" Asher countered, tilting his head curiously as he watched Ray. From the looks of it, it did appear that Ray was poised and ready to run in the opposite direction if Asher so much as blinked at him the wrong way.

Since Asher had rarely spoken about his time as a vampire, Ray didn't have any idea what to expect. How much self-control would there be? Was he about to witness a bloody rampage? Ray was pretty sure his crucifix pendant would be too small to ward off any unwanted advances...

"That really depends on you," he replied warily, keeping his eyes glued on Asher.

"Why'd you move over there?" He asked, feigning ignorance, and pretty badly at that. He knew why, but what he didn't know was whether or not Ray actually expected a two step head start to be of any use if Asher had any real ill intentions in mind for him.

"To give you some space," Ray replied. The rational side of him said that if Asher was going to do something, he might have done it already. The other half was very much keeping his guard up.

"You said you were feeling really overwhelmed, so..."

"I'm slightly less overwhelmed now," Asher insisted. Remembering he didn't have to actually breath as often as a human helped a bit with the smell, and the earplugs were a great help with all the noise.

"Good. I'm glad."

It was an automatic response, his mouth working without much input from his brain. He shifted his weight a little, looking Asher over with an increased level of scrutiny, trying to spot more differences. Something that might tell him how he should be acting around him now.

"So this is you as a vampire, huh? I wouldn't have guessed, you know. Except for the eyes. You look uh, normal."

"Did you expect a cape and a widow's peak?" He asked, pushing away from the wall and adjusting an earplug. "Wouldn't be as easy to get a meal if we looked that different from you average human."

"You've never exactly been forthcoming with the details, so how was I supposed to know?" Ray replied defensively, voice notching up a few notes.

His fingers flexed a little when Asher moved, almost like they were considering their options.

"And don't say 'we'! You're not a 'we', you're a 'you'."

"Really?" The skepticism was more than apparent in his tone. Although, it still probably wasn't as obvious as it appeared in Ray's body language since Asher had said the V-word.

"Because you're not exactly acting like someone who has full confidence in the truth of that statement."

"I don't have full confidence?" Ray asked incredulously. "You're the one who just separated us into predator," he pointed at Asher, "and prey," back at himself, "in a single sentence."

Ray was trying not to make any assumptions but with Asher acting weird and cryptic, it was hard to believe he was still his completely normal self, no matter what he looked like.

"Oh, for the love of-- I'm not going to eat you!" He shouted. He may not have been able to control his senses being heightened, but he could control whether or not he was going to up and bite someone. Especially if that someone was Ray.

"Even if I did feel like I had to feed right now the smell alone around here would ruin my appetite."

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