As she rubbed the ointment into the bruises from where the bastards had tried to tenderize ‘Meat’ Nevin could feel her trembling behind him, her hands shaking on his skin. She was bleeding - he could feel her magic shivering in the air, agitated and upset. The redhead didn't move - but threads slipped from beneath his skin, coiling together and wrapping around her shoulders. She stiffened and shook them off - and Nevin let them fall down slipping back inside as he shook once, holding the sob trapped in his lungs.

As she rubbed the cream in, I could feel the aching pain sliding away, my muscles relaxing, taking away some of the pain in my heart along with it. She was afraid, hurt by something, and she was lashing out. I waited until she had stopped, all of the bruises covered.

“Eteri, can you come around to my front?” His voice was soft. Not commanding, but pleading.

She shifted and pushed the table back a few metres so she could curl up into his lap, her left hand had minor cuts on it. Nevin took it and gently kissed the cuts, then pressed her hand to his chest so she could feel his heart beat. “Can you tell me what's wrong, Eteri?” His voice was soft as he gently wrapped an arm around her waist, careful to make sure she was OK with being held.


“N-nearly lost you…” Eteri mumbled as she pulled her hand away and stared at them. “Eteri knows… you put lots of you inside. Not good. Not good for you.” Nevin frowned down at her - then his eyes widened when he realized what she meant. One hand gently cupped her chin and forced her to look up.

“And I nearly lost you, Eteri. Because I was an idiot and didn't trust you, didn't trust that you loved me like I love you. Yes, I put more of my life force in you, because I was terrified to actually lose you l. I - Eteri. You know I have two souls. I.. Did I tell you why that is?” shows voice trembled slightly.

She shook her head, then mumbled. “No..but Eteri want to ….” She paused as her bloodied hand clasped over the golden locket that hung from her neck. “Want to make it all pretty purple. Little bits at time.”

“As long as you have the strength dear Eteri.” He swallowed, a thick lump in his throat. “And I should tell you. I said it earlier, that the more I use my power, the less human I become. But I didn't say what I was becoming. It's.. Tied to that second soul. I'm.. A long time ago, seven years, I told you bad people shoved me together. They were trying to make an Avatar for their God - a, a vessel, so that their God could walk amongst them. The thing they brought over wasn't a God at all thought, it was a monster that killed them all. I rejected it, but something got left behind. I don't know if it was a part of the monster, or maybe a part of the God they actually wanted - but I'm.. Not right. That you see both my souls and want to stay…” his arms tightened around her.

“It means so much more than you know.”


“Not...understand.” She said, twisting her body to rest her head against the crook of his neck. “Am the sorry...not understand lots but do understand. Nevin think becoming like bad thing inside?” She pressed a finger against his chest. “No think so. Still Nevin. Eteri still be by side. Even if got the bads.”

Hot tears leaked down onto her head as he began to cry, silently. His arms squeezed her tightly against his chest. “Yes, Eteri. I'm afraid I'm becoming the bad. I.. I ripped that bastard apart.” And it had felt right, like exactly what he was supposed to do there. His shoulders shook. “But he hurt you. That was far worse than him trying to hurt me.” He buried his face into the top of her hair.