Guess this makes me the bad guy now

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Subject: Re: Guess this makes me the bad guy now Tue Nov 26, 2019 8:26 pm

Buffy said her goodbyes, or it was more like a see you later. As Baal agreed to go with her, she smiled as he touched her face, however it didn't remove this new worry in her system. "Far from like him, he's always been a little weird, but he's never said one thing and done something else," she said as they moved out in the cold. They walked for a bit before she felt her phone buzz, making her look at the screen, a worried frown on her face. "He's not home," she said, explaining it only briefly as she didn't have the details. She could feel herself setting her pace up, not running, but each step was with a clear goal to get home as fast as she could.

[Messages between Aiden and Buffy]
[Buffy:] We're only a few blocks away

She texted, popping her phone in her pocket before she grabbed Baal's hand. They reached the apartment, and she felt a little breathless, however she practically jumped up the stair to get to the apartment.

Subject: Re: Guess this makes me the bad guy now Tue Nov 26, 2019 11:30 pm

He nodded at her words, he believed she knew her brother far better than anyone. He clenched his jaw a little as she seemed somewhat tense and he didnt like it. He thought she had been through enough with her mother’s death, so inside he hoped that it wasnt anything bad that was going on. He frowned when she said he wasnt home, following her pace that seemed to quicken. When she grabbed his hand, he gave her hand a soft squeeze before they reached her apartment.

Aiden hadnt really known where to place herself so she just sort of stood by the dinnertable. Suddenly she didnt feel so welcome here anymore and it had taken her a lot to not just go. But she kept thinking or maybe just hoping that she was worried for the right reason and not because she was selfish and didnt want to let go that easily. Her cheeks had a faint dampness to them, while the slight red in her eyes revealed that she had been crying. She stepped out into the hallway, biting her lip in worry as she looked down, “Nothing had seemed wrong when he was at my place.... So I dont understand. He told me... that he was seeing someone else and therefore couldnt see me anymore,” she said with a deep frown, shaking her head, “Has he been seeing someone?” She asked with sad eyes. It couldnt be seen in her eyes if she was hurt over losing a friendship or have her heart broken, because she was trying her hardest to not let the last one show. They had just been friends, she kept reminding herself.

Subject: Re: Guess this makes me the bad guy now Wed Nov 27, 2019 10:59 am

Buffy stepped in to the unlocked apartment, and as she saw Aiden she felt her heart drop to her stomach. She let the hybrid explain, but the fenix couldn't make it add up. Xander had been doing nothing than speaking about Aiden, when he wasn't speaking of his newest brew. Buffy shook her head at the hybrid's question. "No .. I actually thought the two of you were a couple, but that you would wait until after your trial to make it official?" Buffy said, frowning a little. Her brother had always wanted to do the right thing, but he had never kept anything a secret from Buffy. And one thing she knew for sure was that her brother was not one to fool around with different girls. She went to the hybrid, wrapping her arms around her and just holding her for a minute or two. It was strange that they were being pulled together by none other than her brother. Buffy pulled out of her hug, looking at Aiden with worried eyes. "When did he call you?" she asked. It couldn't have been too long ago, not by how bloodshot the hybrid's eyes were. "And could you ... Could you tell if something was wrong?" she asked.

Subject: Re: Guess this makes me the bad guy now Wed Nov 27, 2019 11:33 am

Buffy's answer to her question clearly didnt seem to sit quite well with her as she drew in a trembling exhale before she just simply shook her head as a reply. It was like one of those replies that just stung and she lifted her arm to halfway place it around herself for some comfort. She looked down at the ground for a moment while she was trying to think it all through once more. It just didnt make sense no matter how much she thought about it. She felt Buffy's arms around her and she had to clench her jaw and close her eyes for a moment, to not just break down crying.
She looked into the fiery green eyes before she stuttered a little at her answer from the amount of emotion she was holding back, "N..not-t umm that long ago... yeah, no uhh Like an hour... or less..." she said. She nodded and looked away for a moment, "He was just different... sounding devoid and... I dont know, cold," she said, frowning a little. Baal just kept his distance, looking a little down at his hand with the mark before he made a sigh.

Subject: Re: Guess this makes me the bad guy now Wed Nov 27, 2019 11:47 am

Buffy was not a lycan, she couldn't feel other's emotions like that, but she could feel how hurt Aiden was, and it stung. It didn't change the fact that she also worried for her brother, worried what had happened and why he wasn't home. "I've known my brother my whole life, the only time he sounds cold is if he's trying to hide emotions," she said, frowning as she looked at Baal. She could remember how cold he had sounded when he had called Baal and asking him to make up his mind. He had sounded cold because if he had pleaded with Baal nothing would've happened. "But if he's not here, then I don't know where he would be; I mean we could check out his study spot near the Institute, but it's dark and cold out, I doubt he would be there," she said, frowning as she tried wrapping her head around it all. She looked to her daemon, reaching over to take his unmarked hand in hers. "You got any ideas?" she asked. Maybe it was a long shot, but Baal had a knack for noticing small details that Buffy might've overlooked.

Subject: Re: Guess this makes me the bad guy now Wed Nov 27, 2019 11:57 am

Aiden just made a nod at Buffy's words, but it wasnt really more than that. She couldnt think of anything to add or say that would be useful. She just couldnt understand, if it was because she had done something wrong or something else. But again it had just seemed so off. And the way Buffy seemed to think of it, there was something wrong. "I... should probably go home," she mumbled a little tired, feeling like her head was spinning around itself. She wasnt sure if she could handle helping them look for him in case she would see him. For all she knew, he had meant his words, "I just wanted to tell you what I knew," she said in a defeated tone.
Baal gave Buffy's hand a soft squeeze as he made a thoughtful expression for a moment, "It sounds like a peculiar situation," he admitted before he looked at the mark once again, "But if we need to find him, I can help," he said as he looked up at her. It was a risk for himself to use his powers like that, but he felt like it was worth it when it came to someone that meant as much to Buffy as Xander did.

Subject: Re: Guess this makes me the bad guy now Wed Nov 27, 2019 12:05 pm

Buffy could understand if Aiden felt out of place, however she didn't like thinking of her being alone right now. "How about you stay here? You can sleep in mine or Xander's bed; I just don't feel like it would be safe to send you home on your own," she suggested, looking at Aiden with pleading eyes. If Xander was missing and he had only called the hybrid, then Buffy felt like she might be the only life line to her brother. As Baal spoke she turned to look at her daemon, looking at his mark, biting the inside of her cheek a little. Using his powers would be risky, however if Xander was in danger then it was all a question of weighing out the possibilities. "Would you do that?" she asked, feeling a little overwhelmed. If he used his summon, would the rest of his kind know? She didn't know how this worked, and quite frankly the unknown right now was rather scary. She looked at Baal with serious eyes, knowing that if he did this it could put everything at risk. "Please, find my brother," she said in a whisper.

Subject: Re: Guess this makes me the bad guy now Wed Nov 27, 2019 12:30 pm

Her suggestion made Aiden inhale deeply as she frowned a little. She didnt feel like she was up for a confrontation. "I... umm.... I'll just sleep on the couch," she said with a few nods. She looked down for a bit, biting her lip a little. She would have rather gone home but maybe her head was too tired to make out the way home.
Baal made a small smile at her words and nodded at her, lifting his hand to touch her cheek gently, "Of course I would, my love," he said, running his thumb over her cheekbone. He thought he would rather just focus on finding her brother rather than what could or couldnt happen. He nodded at her and leaned in to kiss her forehead, "I'm gonna need something with his scent, the stronger the better. I'll prepare outside," he said, giving her hand a squeeze before he shortly looked at Aiden. He wasnt sure what to think of the hybrid, but since Buffy liked her, he didnt think much about it. Walking outside, he made a clean cut in his palm before he drew his mark, frowning a little.

Subject: Re: Guess this makes me the bad guy now Wed Nov 27, 2019 12:40 pm

Perhaps Buffy was asking a little selfish, but she felt like she needed Aiden there. Besides she couldn't believe her brother wanted nothing to do with the hybrid. He had barely spoken about anyone else but her. Feeling Baal's hand on her cheek, she closed her eyes for a while, taking in the small gesture. He was really willing to do this, and she felt both relieved and terrified at the same time. Who was to say what would happen? "I'll see what I can find," she replied, looking a Baal shortly before letting him go. She wanted to kiss him, but right now they needed to keep their focus. She gave Aiden a fluffy blanket for the couch, and then she went to Xander's room. Something with a strong scent of him? She looked around, finding a worn sweater, but if that wasn't strong enough, she grabbed his pillow as well. Then she went out to join Baal, approaching carefully as she didn't want to interrupt something.

Subject: Re: Guess this makes me the bad guy now Wed Nov 27, 2019 10:05 pm

He had sent her a small nod before he had gone outside to do the whole summoner thing. Drawing his mark on the ground, he took a short glance around to make sure there wouldnt be any daemons around - Or seraphim for that sake. Both were equally dangerous if he was to be spotted. He mumbled a few dark words under his breath as the mark started to turn the ground into something liquefied. He just pushed his hand through to drag out the beast that had had it's slumber in the Abyssus. It whimpered a little as it looked around, thinking that the lycan would be nearby. Baal just ran his hand down it's back with the mark and it instantly seemed to just calm down and await it's command. He rose to his feet before he looked at Buffy, exhaling deeply. "They are only to be feared as long as they're under control," he told her before he reached for the pillow. At any other instance he would have shown her how harmless the beast could be, but the timing wasnt right. He grabbed the sweater and the pillow, before he let the beast sniff away at them. He begged that it would work, but he couldnt see why it wouldnt. These hounds were made for tracking seraphim, which seemed to be a good thing for once. The hound's eyes expanded a little when it seemed to know where to go, running off into the night. Baal just quickly handed Buffy the things before following.

Aiden had thanked her for the blanket before she had sat down on the sofa with it in her embrace. She had sniffled a little in her hardest attempt to hold back her tears, but then she felt like she was choking and soon the waterfall began. She was just crying quietly, hiding her face in the fluffy blanket.

Subject: Re: Guess this makes me the bad guy now Thu Nov 28, 2019 12:40 am

Buffy nodded at Baal's words, looking at the summon as it picked up Xander's scent. Swallowing hard she looked at Baal before he ran off. He was faster than her, so there was really no way that she could catch up to him, or even keep the same pace as him. Besides, it was too cold outside, so they had briefly agreed that he would update her via phone, either through text or a call. She held Xander's pillow a little closer as she walked back up the stairs, feeling a bit defeated as she walked inside. Then she heard the soft sound of Aiden crying, making her frown as she slowly entered the living room. She was silent, however her footsteps could easily be heard, so she didn't startle the hybrid. Sitting down next to Aiden, she wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close as her other arm just hugged the pillow and sweater. "I don't think my brother meant what he said," Buffy said in a hoarse whisper. Other people crying always made her feel like crying. She was very empathetic, sometimes too empathetic if you asked her family, but how else would she have ended up being in a relationship with a daemon? "I've known him my whole life, and he has never cut anyone out of his life like that," she said, shivering a bit from the cold that lingered in her clothes from being outside. "Baal will find him, and he'll bring him home, then we can attack my brother with questions all we want," she said. Buffy had great faith in Baal, she trusted him blindly, and maybe that was what their love was. Unconditional trust in one another, a belief that whatever the other promised, it would happen. If she had been able to she would've went with him, but for now she would have to accept that she was sitting here. At least she wasn't alone. She smiled a bit, chuckled lightly as she shook her head. "He was so excited to see you today; he wouldn't shut up about how you had thought him to cut the mushrooms the other night, and he was trying to explain everything," she said, chuckling again at how silly it had been. "I've never seen my brother in love; He's never been the type to open up to others, and would rather heal others than tend to his own heart," she admitted in a thoughtful voice, stroking Aiden's arm a little. She didn't know if it was helping or making it worse. Buffy just felt like speaking for a bit, and they were after all waiting for an update from Baal. "But you've seemed to just snuck yourself under his skin," she smiled. When she had started seeing Baal more regularly, she feared that a rivalry between the two guys would arise, but it had seemed to level out with the introduction of Aiden. "I can't say what he feels, or what you feel for that matter, but he has never spoken about a girl like that before," she said, looking down at his pillow, fiddling a bit with one of the corners.

Subject: Re: Guess this makes me the bad guy now Thu Nov 28, 2019 1:27 am

She hadnt thought that Buffy would return, so when she had been crying, it was because she had felt alone and safe enough to let it out. She wasnt just heartbroken, but she was also feeling so aloenated once more. Or alinated from those she shared species with, that she could live with. But letting someone in just to be knocked down like this? It was just adding up to it all. And she couldnt do anything but just sit and cry and think what would happen if she had been wrong all along and yet another hurtful confrontation was yet to be made. Hearing the footsteps behind her, made her gasp in the pillow, though it only made her feel more choked up on these emotions that she no longer could hide. He felt the fenix’s arm around her but it was hard to lean in and accept the comfort. Aiden was much like an animal in a shell - Opening up and leaving it when it was safe and closing tight when she was hurt.
She couldnt brint herself to stop her crying to have a concersation with the fenix so she just kept crying quietly as she kept her arms around the blanket. She wouldnt think that Buffy would ever lie to her, she didnt come across as someone who thought lying was a viable option, but it couldnt remove the hurt in her heart. She shook her head as Buffy tried to comfort her with saying they could bombard her brother with questions, Aiden didnt want to. She only had one simple question in her mind that would either make her leave or stay.
Her crying slowly subsided as the emotion had been let out through the stream down her cheeks, though it hadnt relieved her much. There was all the confusion, the annoying confusion that kept making it’s own answers without knowing if that would be the truth.
Aiden wasnt the kind of person to overthink like this, sure she was careful, but that carefulness always let her have the upperhand in reading situations. But in this one, there was nothing she could have predicted or known. Not with a call out of the blue on a seemingly good endnote of a night. She turned her eyes slightly towards the fenix without letting her eyes leave the carpet as she heard her chuckle. She just felt confused as to what was funny as Buffy went on to explain. She felt her eyes well up again as she remembered how they had been standing in the kitchen with her teasing him as he had done it all wrong just to show him how it was done. His curious eyes that she could feel her heart flutter for in that moment, now just seemingly bringing a bitter taste to her mouth.
Maybe she had just hoped for a glimmer of something. Maybe the both of them had hoped for the same glimmer and now they were both being proven terribly wrong. That was what her daemon side was telling her. That it was just their imagination. “You have both been in mourning. It would make sense that feelings like that would be sparked if it was just for the sake of enotional confort,” she mumbled in a quiet tone, trying not to sound too choked up. “Even.... if this is just some cruel joke or something else... I couldnt just forget the heartache and jump straight into his arms,” she said truthfully. She sniffled and rubbed her nose, “I’ll need some time to think,” she mumbled as she placed a hand over her heart. It was beating so normally but she felt like it was so dinstant to her touch, she could barely feel it. “I was in love.. and maybe this is the god’s telling me I was wrong,” she said in almost a whisper, whimpering a little as the tears came back.

Subject: Re: Guess this makes me the bad guy now Thu Nov 28, 2019 12:09 pm

Buffy didn't mind Aiden being quiet. People dealt with situations differently, but the fenix was the type to seek comfort in others. She sighed as Aiden said that they had been in mourning, of course they had, but to her it had only made the bond she had with her brother and Baal that stronger. "Even if it was just the need for emotional comfort, it is still valid feelings, right?" Buffy said, leaning her head a bit to the side. She let go of Aiden, feeling like she might needed the space, and she turned on the couch so she was facing the hybrid. She frowned a little at her next words. A cruel joke. She felt like those words had lost their value at this point. Buffy watched Aiden's hand as it moved to the place where the hybrid's heart was. She knew that it took a lot of courage to speak ones mind, especially when you were wounded and in a situation you would rather avoid. "Honestly, I don't think you should jump in to his arms either, but if you were in love - and to some extent still are - I don't think you should avoid feeling what you are feeling," she said in a thoughtful voice. She fiddled a bit with the oversized sweater that Xander always seemed to wear on cozy evenings in. She had always teased him about it being like a binkie for him, but now that she was sitting with the piece of fabric she felt so nostalgic. "I don't know if you belong to any faith, but if you believe the gods are punishing you, I think you're wrong," she said, smiling a bit to herself. She had faced hardship, perhaps not as many as Aiden, but it wasn't about measuring their pain up against each other. "My mother always said that Verity pushes people to be their better self, that when a thing happens, it is not to tell you that you are on the wrong path, but to push you further, to make you see what truly matters," she said, feeling herself getting a little choked up. She had barely spoken about her mother since her death, but she was always in her thoughts. Like a small guidance from even beyond the grave. "My mother," she said, her voice breaking a bit as she tried to regain her strength to speak. She turned her eyes to Aiden, tears forming in the corner of her eyes. "My mother taught us to be better than what we are, that happiness can come from strange places, and I don't think it was a coincidence that you showed up when Xander needed it the most," she said, tears falling down her cheeks. She looked down at the pillow, sniffling a bit to gather herself. She was grateful for Aiden, in ways she couldn't even begin to describe. "If it weren't for you, my brother would've locked himself in his room, fixated on making potions and ointments; I think I would've lost him," she whispered. She feared what might've happened. "He would've hidden away from me, from our family; blamed himself because he had been a few seconds late," she said, chuckling in a sad voice. She shook her head, it was silly being sad and happy at the same time, but it was how she felt. She looked back at Aiden, the flames in her eyes a little brighter. "Even if you think that the gods are punishing you, I think you are a blessing to my life; without you I don't like to think about how my brother would've turned out," she said truthfully.

Subject: Re: Guess this makes me the bad guy now Thu Nov 28, 2019 3:50 pm

She just looked down at Buffy's question, not really knowing what to say. Yeah, they were valid, Aiden knew that, but it was hard to shake the feeling that she wasnt just a fool in all this. She was let go and it made her frown a little as she realized it had calmed her a little. She was fighting the tears, blinking them away as she didnt want to cry anymore, but how couldnt she in such a conflict between her mind and her heart? Her mind telling her that she should just leave and forget about it, while her heart was begging her to stay and at least tell him how she felt. She looked at Buffy, watching her fiddle with the sweater, frowning a little at her words. She didnt really believe she was trying to avoid her feelings, but maybe she was a poor judge of that and the fenix had seen right through it all. She lifted her hand to scratch her neck as she just kept listening, sniffling a little as she looked at the ground. "Maybe..." she whispered as a reply to Buffy's words of the gods.
When she mentioned her mother, Aiden pushed her lips together as she wasnt sure if the fenix speaking of her mother was a good idea or not. It had been a while, but losses could suddenly recoil all the progress at the wrong memory and it would feel like being back at scratch. She sighed deeply and made a few nods, closing her eyes for a bit. She looked back as Buffy as she thought the fenix would break down, placing a hand on her shoulder as she looked at her. She may have been stuck up in her own emotions, but she could always find it in herself to reach out with comfort for others - Not knowing if it was a blessing or a curse. She looked at Buffy, her eyes sad as she listened to her words. Being called anything but a coincidence made her smile a faint smile, that more so was more in her eyes. She had felt shunned by Xander's sudden farewell and yet here his sister sat and mended that pain by telling her along the lines that it wasnt as black and white as it had seemed.
She carefully placed her arm around Buffy, but it was more for the comfort of the both of them. She listened on as Buffy spoke, feeling her eyes flutter a little as a few tears escaped her eyes. "Thank you Buffy..." she mumbled at her last words, exhaling deeply as she just sat there, thinking it all through for a little while.
"But then I dont understand why he would have called and said what he said. It just seems surreal that someone would make him say something like that," she said with a sad tone as she moved her eyes to the floor again, frowning a little as her attempts to try and make sense of all this seemed to be nothing but fruitless.

Subject: Re: Guess this makes me the bad guy now Thu Nov 28, 2019 4:40 pm

As Aiden wrapped an arm around her, Buffy couldn't help but let a few tears escape, however she was smiling softly. She was grateful for a lot of people, and she was a firm believer in fate. She had met Baal by a fun twist of fate, and it seemed like it had brought more things to her life since then. Though some things had not brought happiness, she needed to keep her spirits up, however the loss of her mother had ben tough. She took a deep breath as Aiden thanked her, smiling as she exhaled. It helped calming her down. Listening to Aiden ponder out loud made her frown a little, looking at the pillow in her arm, hugging it a little closer. "It sounds outlandish that someone would force him to say anything," Buffy said. She hadn't even considered the possibility of there being maybe some kidnapping element to it. And thinking about it it made sense, but it also didn't. Who would want to kidnap her brother? And if it was money the person was after, why hadn't Buffy gotten any calls or messages? She shrugged a bit. "I don't like to even make guesses ... I guess we'll have to wait until they return, then we can get our answers," she said, trying to be rational. Buffy moved the pillow, placing it on the couch beside her, moving to her feet. "I feel like I'm going to need something to warm me up, would you like some tea, coffee? Maybe just some hot chocolate?" she asked, smiling at the hybrid as she walked out to the kitchen. She wiped her tears away with the back of her hand, taking a few seconds to gather herself before going to put some water in the kettle. She felt her phone buzz, and she made a small surprised sound as she smiled. Baal had found him, and she felt herself exited to have her brother home. "Guess what, Baal is bringing him home," Buffy said looking at Aiden.

Subject: Re: Guess this makes me the bad guy now Thu Nov 28, 2019 5:30 pm

"I know," Aiden agreed with her. It was a far fetched thought, but at the same time, the way Xander has spoken, she couldnt shake the thought that someone or something had forced the words from his mouth. She nodded at Buffy's words and decided to leave it, rather than stir further into assumptions. They couldnt be sure what was happening until they returned. She looked a little at the pillow when Buffy placed it before she nodded at her suggestion, "Some tea would be nice. My parents say that nothing bad can come out of a cup of tea," she said with a faint smile before she got up from the couch. She placed the fluffy blanket on the armrest before she followed Buffy to the kitchen, wrapping her arms a little around herself. She couldnt help but smile a little at how Buffy looked at her phone but when she said they were on their way back, she felt nervous with shivers slowly running down her spine.

// to be continueeeeeeed.....

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