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Post by Adrien Baillon on Sept 1, 2009 13:47:01 GMT -5
Adrien tightened his arms with something like a whimper of surprise, slipping gently closer and nestling just slightly. He was tense from worry - fearful of being pushed away - but relaxed enough to show he trusted Adrian and had given himself over to him, metaphorically and otherwise. If Adrian was going to hurt him somehow... it was out of his hands.
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Post by Adrian Veidt on Sept 1, 2009 13:56:20 GMT -5
"I... that's... all right. All right."
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Post by Adrien Baillon on Sept 1, 2009 13:57:14 GMT -5
The most startled and teary sound came from his throat. He pulled only slightly to stare up at him.
"All - all right? All right? But, Adrian, didn't you hear me? I - "
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Post by Adrian Veidt on Sept 1, 2009 13:58:32 GMT -5
Adrian took a deep breath.
"It would be-"
monstrous hypocrisy
"...unkind of me to press the matter any further."
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Post by Adrien Baillon on Sept 1, 2009 13:59:32 GMT -5
"But, but, Adrian..."
It was almost a whimper, but it was winding down into something that was almost relief.
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Post by Adrian Veidt on Sept 1, 2009 14:02:11 GMT -5
"I retired as Ozymandias when I saw that simple costumed heroism was not enough to prevent the spread of evil, Adrien," he said in a measured, even tone. "What you did was merely the symptom of a sickened society that pushed you to that brink."
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Post by Adrien Baillon on Sept 1, 2009 14:05:34 GMT -5
Adrien shook his head and sank against him in despair.
"Oh, Adrian, I wish I could say that. Didn't you hear... the part about... I didn't need the money and... the tie..."
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Post by Adrian Veidt on Sept 1, 2009 15:12:19 GMT -5
"I know."
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Post by Adrien Baillon on Sept 1, 2009 16:35:37 GMT -5
There was a moment of pained silence, although not too pained. It was as though Adrien were struggling against the desire to feel at peace, strong though it was.
"Adrian, do you..." It should have been blasphemous. It wasn't. He would have swayed if he'd not already been holding Veidt. His arms tightened around his neck, and he tilted his head up, eyes wide despite the angle at which he viewed him. His voice was little more than a whisper. "Do you forgive me?"
The fingertips of one hand landed over Adrian's cheekbone, and his fingers curled wistfully, longingly.
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Post by Adrian Veidt on Sept 1, 2009 18:39:48 GMT -5
"Yes, of course," he said, more gently than he had ever spoken to Adrien before.
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Post by Adrien Baillon on Sept 1, 2009 18:46:46 GMT -5
"But how can you?"
He still spoke very softly. He was starting to appear very tired, and, in spite of everything, very young. Even curled up in Adrian's arms, it seemed suddenly as far from sexual as possible.
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Post by Adrian Veidt on Sept 1, 2009 18:55:27 GMT -5
"Because I-"
He stopped short, horrified with himself. He had very nearly blurted everything out to this strange, disarmingly unpretentious boy who offered him everything and expected so little in return.
"I... never mind."
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Post by Adrien Baillon on Sept 1, 2009 19:00:44 GMT -5
"Oh, God, but you really do?"
Instead of sounding panicked and tense and exhausting as he could have, he sounded very quiet and awed. After a moment, he slowly pulled back, sitting up, brushing his hair back. His eyes were lined in red, his eyelashes bright, but he looked extremely lucid as he tilted his head, reached for Veidt's hand, and lifted it to timidly press a kiss to his knuckles, eyes fixed on Adrian's.
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Post by Adrian Veidt on Sept 1, 2009 19:04:20 GMT -5
"I do. I have my own reasons."
He glanced away, not wanting to be looked at with such adoration.
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Post by Adrien Baillon on Sept 1, 2009 19:05:52 GMT -5
He released his hand, looking down at the coverlet. A terrible sense of inevitability came over him, but he wouldn't struggle against what was coming. He'd surrendered that opportunity in telling Adrian of his own free will.
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