fallingbackup | The time of our great undoing

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[fabulae_victoriana]

The time of our great undoing

When Kevin woke up alone for the first time in months, he knew almost immediately that Glen was gone. If he were still human, he'd have looked everywhere for the man until he'd at least tracked down one of his Chains, and gotten confirmation from them that he was no longer in the world with them. But as it was, he could smell that the very spot he was laying on was the spot where Glen's trail had gone cold. The duke had vanished from the bed they shared as the knight slept.

That was well over a week ago now and in his head, Kevin's been lost ever since. He's done the best he can to take over Glen's duties around the house, and the Jabberwock, for whatever reason, has let him do it. But no matter how he tells himself that he's only minding things until Glen returns, and that he will, the atmosphere in the house rankles against him. Young Gilbert doesn't accept him -- not like this. The little Lacie pities him for the depth of his sadness; Lottie scoffs at him for thinking he can even attempt to fill Glen's shoes, even if he knows perfectly well he's only providing a poor substitute. With every day that passes, he feels more and more withdrawn, and so, when he can, Kevin escapes. He can be found wandering the city, now and again, letting the noise of it drown out his own thoughts. Or he can be found patrolling the fences around the farmlands as usual, perhaps in the hopes that the familiar solitude of it will help keep him in his right mind. But the truth is that Kevin hasn't felt this out of place and unsettled in at least a year, since he'd come to live in Glen's house in the first place. He'd thought he was home at last, that he'd found a new family and even a little peace. Now, it seems that all of that peace was in Glen all along, and Kevin has no idea when or if the duke will return.

But the most upsetting part of it all is what he does know. If Glen has really gone home, he's no doubt living through the Tragedy. Right now, somewhere, Kevin's Oswald is staring at the man who's broken his heart, there are swords raised between them, and the duke is maybe just realizing that he's going to die on that blade because Jack Vessalius never did love him enough.

And Kevin can't do anything about it.

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The knight leaves the room with his head held high, stiff-legged and pompous despite his disheveled appearance. He doesn't realize it, but he's engaging in a healthy bit of wolf posturing. If he were in that form at the moment, he'd be fluffed up to make himself look even larger, teeth bared in a snarl. As it is, there's a growl in his throat, and he'd indulge in letting it out a little if he weren't immediately distracted by unicorns.

Peeling himself off the floor, the other Kevin actually looks genuinely happy for once. Snatching up his sword, he waits until the werewolf is well out of earshot before he pauses at Lacie's side, leaning down to murmur into her ear.

"Let me try him on my own at first. I want to see how well I can hold against him."

Lacie smirks, leaning up and brushing her lips against his jaw.

"I'll be there, if it looks like you'll need me." Which, in a roundabout way, is her agreement. Boys must be boys, after all, and she's curious to see how they match up, anyway. (That aside, it'll be useful for her to get a gauge on how the werewolf's fighting style differs from her lover's, where his strengths and weaknesses lie.)

Slipping an arm through his, she smiles up at him.

"And if you beat him without me, I might just let you have first choice about what we do with him."

"Nah, it's more fun when you're bossy," Kevin answers, patting the arm she has looped around his own, for all the world as though they're off for a stroll in the park and not about to have a duel in the backyard by the unicorn paddock in the middle of the night while being serenaded by zombies. Yep, this sure is their life.

They exit the house to find the other Kevin having a staring match from with Ignatius, while the other unicorns pace around behind the stallion. They're unnerved by the presence of the werewolf, but Igantius, of course, is too badass to show his displeasure. No, he's doing the unicorn equivalent of pointing at his own eyes and then pointing at the werewolf's, and said wolf isn't sure whether to be offended or not.

"Ignatius, meet your Uncle Fluffy," Kevin calls from the porch. The werewolf tilts his head and gives him the stinkiest stinkeye to ever stink. Kevin waves at him.

Lacie can't help a laugh, as they watch the unicorn and werewolf posture, and it's only made all the funnier, when Kevin turns his glare on her lover. Chuckling softly, where she's leaning against her own Kevin, she joins him in his waving.

While she is (privately) ever aware and grateful for how vastly improved her life is, here in Nusquamton, there are moments like these, which throw it all into sharp relief. This moment, whether they win or lose, is one of those moments. There is never a dull one, and, to Lacie that makes life worth living.

"Can we get on with it, please?" Kevin snaps, turning away from the paddock. Seeing them looking like that when Oswald is gone is doing nothing for Kevin's mood. "I'd rather not watch you two be disgusting all night."

"What a rude little shit you are," says the other Kevin, sounding so similar to a Break that the werewolf can't help but lift his upper lip in a snarl. He tromps down the steps, nevermind the noise he makes doing so. "If you lose, that's exactly what you're going to be doing all night, assuming you don't keep us busy."

Through some unspoken, instinctive agreement, they move into position there in the backyard, giving each other precisely the requisite amount of space called for in a duel such as this. The swords come out almost in unison, with almost identical gestures, and then -- wordlessly -- the two drop into a knightly salute that's old fashioned even by Lacie's standards. Nobody who isn't a knight would bother with such a thing. Not even Glen, who favors his opponents with a nod of acknowledgement.

Lacie, for her part, takes up a position to the side, from which she can watch the both of them and step in, if need be. She doesn't need to be close, not for the way she and her Kevin fight, together.

The way the two are focused on one another, she's almost innocuous. She does not join the banter, the sharp gleam in her eyes the only indication that she's more than merely a spectator. As ever, in all things, she has her lover's back.

Edited (joing is not a word) 2014-07-17 05:17 (UTC)

As the challenger, Kevin permits the werewolf his first blow, and the other man doesn't hesitate to start them off. He begins just as Kevin would expect him to, and though it's strange to see one of his own moves in reverse, he parries easily. It's almost systematic, the way they trade these first blows, back and forth and back and forth, worldlessly testing one another. What Lacie will wind up seeing is more of a choreographed dance than anything else, something beautiful and elegant, lovely enough to belong on a stage.

But Kevin begins frowning quickly. The knight is matching him well, but because Kevin himself is holding back and testing, it's very clear just how much the wolf is holding back himself. The knight is stronger and faster, clearly. But how much of that can he be inspired to bring out in this battle?

Lacie watches, and it's almost too pretty for her to remember that it's supposed to be a fight. She catches herself quickly, though. It's possible--even likely --that the knight is hoping to lull both her and her lover into just such a feeling. The shadows around her seem to grow deeper, the Rabbit sensing that she may need the assistance of its chains, soon.

Still, she doesn't make any moves yet, as curious as her lover to see how far things can be pushed, between the two of them.

It's true, the werewolf is fighting almost leisurely, marveling at the way his own fighting looks mirror imaged like this. This would have been so useful when he was young, he thinks -- in the other Kevin, he can see every single gesture that he had to force himself to adopt under the watchful eyes of yelling teachers, during years spent having his weak spots and bad habits barked at him over and over. He can tell when his other self deliberately corrects the angle of his foot and when he takes a parry by tilting the blade just so.

Letting loose on him so quickly isn't going to be fun at all, nor will it be a challenge even if Lacie joins in, Kevin decides. So instead of fighting harder, fighting faster, he switches techniques entirely. Now, mixed in with his own standard moves are other tricks that Lacie's own brother has taught him, moves that she'll recognize as belonging to Oswald Baskerville rather than Kevin Regnard. Now it's a proper fight, and the twins move against one another instead of circling around in a strange sort of truce.

Even so, both of them are suddenly sheltering the same nasty grin.

True to his supposition, Lacie recognizes Kevin's new moves instantly, and she tenses, leaning forward a bit. For a moment, just a moment, she forgets that she's meant to be a participant in this, and becomes purely a spectator. It's surreal, like a reflection suddenly taking on a life of its own.

By the same token, she knows what that kind of a grin means, and she pulls herself back out of her entrancement. Something is about to happen, and she means to be ready to move, when it does.

Her own Kevin, by contrast, is delighted -- and oddly flattered, in a way. He knows perfectly well that all his counterpart has to do to defeat him is be too fast for him, and stop holding back his strength. He doesn't believe for an instant that he's turning this into a proper fight for the benefit of them both; it's not like the point of this fight is to entertain anyone other than himself. But the fact that he's bothering at all after putting up such a fuss -- the fact that he's taking him seriously -- pleases Kevin immensely.

They've both forgotten Lacie, too. For several long moments, they indulge in the simple joy of being up against an opponent who actually knows what they're doing, and is strong enough to keep up. At length, however, the werewolf strikes at the other's heel hard enough that Kevin falls, and is obliged to roll away to avoid a proper strike. He's up again seconds later, but the knight doesn't let up, keeping the swordsman firmly on the defensive even as he refuses to put an end to it.

He's playing with him. Brat.

There's the clank of metal, the moment her Kevin goes down, a pair of the Rabbit's spear-headed chains materializing behind Lacie like two scorpion tails. When Kevin rolls out of the way, however, she holds back, waiting for some sign of when she's to join in.

Regardless of who often calls the shots in bed, she has no desire to steal his thunder, here. Particularly not when it's clear Kevin's having so much fun. She circles, as they move, intent on keeping herself at the best vantage point to see what's going on.

Back and forth, back and forth, the two Kevins exchange blows that grow more and more good-natured as the fight progresses. But even though they're fighting to amuse themselves and to let off some steam, sooner or later, someone has to win. Otherwise, the werewolf can't leave, and nobody gets the satisfaction of finishing. Thinking of it in those terms, this fight really is a good lead-in for what's to come next.

When the knight decides it's time to end it, he gives no indication of it until he's actually striking. In a burst of speed that turns him into a white, flashing blur, he has his one-eyed counterpart on the ground and disarmed, genuinely stunned, wondering why his sword is no longer in his hand. In the next half-second, the wolf twists on his heels and darts toward Lacie. If he can knock her down before her lover is back on his feet, taking them one at a time, he has a chance.

With her chains already out, all it takes is a thought for her to block the werewolf. Her feet may not be fast, but her mind is. All it had taken was her seeing him move so quickly against her Kevin for her to be ready. The bladed chains are whipping toward him in the same moment he blurs toward her.

She does not wait to see if they strike home, already summoning more of the things, weaving them into a defensive blur around her. The overall effect is almost beautiful. It's been a long while since she's had an opponent that wasn't a zombie. Lips pulling back in something between a grimace and a feral baring of teeth, she can't help being a little thrilled that it's her turn.

Kevin snarls. If he were human, he realizes, he wouldn't be able to dodge these chains at all. He can barely manage it as it is, reacting instinctively in the split seconds between the sound of the blades slicing the air and the moment when they reach their target. If he stops to bat them aside, more will just take their place. The only option is to dodge them and get close to Lacie.

He knows that he has the ability to move quickly enough to dodge them, that he is capable of the fleetness of foot that will let him change directions too fast for her to notice. But can he actually handle such maneuvers? Of course he's tested out his own abilities; he's Kevin Regnard, and he wouldn't ever let his own skills sit unused and unknown. But he's learned these things about himself by running through the woods and sparring with the Chains, when they give enough of a damn. He's never had to actually use them in a real fight.

As he darts forward and around and attempts to find an opening, the other Kevin pushes himself half upright, staring, trying to figure out just what he's looking at. Things are going so quickly he can scarcely make it out, and so he can't tell if he should be diving in to help or letting Lacie have her way with him. He's sure the other Kevin would never hurt her, but --

Lacie uses the wolf-Kevin's hesitation to her advantage, rounding quickly to the side, keeping herself on the move. The chains move with her, coming at him from different angles with each step she takes. It makes it harder for him to plot a course through her deadly little maze of metal, to get at her. She knows that's probably what he's planning--getting close is really the only thing you can do, against an opponent with a long-range weapon.

While he's focused on the moving Cuisinart she's become, she sends another chain, curving out and around like a scorpion's tail, to come at him from above and behind. She's not so worried about hurting her opponent, when all is said and done. He's as unnatural as she is, after all, and heals accordingly--probably even more quickly than she does. That aside, she's always liked a little blood in her foreplay.

Besides, if he's busy dodging that, he won't be busy finding a way to get at her.

The growl is audible this time, betraying the wolf's frustration. If there ever was a chance, he's already missed it, and he dodges the chain coming up behind him only out of sheer dumb luck. Noticing it as it strikes the ground where he just was, the rumble in his throat only intensifies, and he considers what to do.

He can't snatch one of the chains out of the air and pull her off balance; they're not actually attached to her. If this were a fight to the death he'd just barrel on through and strike and trust in his healing, but if she seriously wounds him, they win -- even if they refrain from having their way with him, he won't be in any shape to leave, and he's sure they'd only bide their time. And the longer he lets Lacie toy with him, the more chances the other Kevin has to get up and strike from behind.

If he has to turn and fight his other self again, Lacie won't back down and let him have another turn. She'll get him in those chains, and it'll be over.

Weighing his options -- it might be worth it to go the wounding route, out of spite if nothing else -- Kevin settles for running circles around her as fast as he can. He's stalling for time and he knows it, and he knows they know it too. Maybe he could run over and bonk the other one on the head real quick and then return to fight Lacie alone. He knows from experience that he's difficult to knock out, but if anyone can do it, surely it's himself.

The moment Lacie realizes what he's doing, more of the chains materialize, swinging out around her in a circle like a buzz saw. Whatever Kevin has planned, she's determined to give him as hard a time as she possibly can. She can already feel herself tiring, somewhat. Her Chain relies on her life-force to sustain himself, and keeping the chains moving so quick and so constantly is sapping at her energy.

She keeps up the moving shield, hoping for an opening to do more than defend herself. With him moving, like this, there's not much she can do. Then, a thought surfaces, and she sends one of the chains sweeping out at just about knee height.

Maybe she can trip him up.

He goes down, but he rolls when he hits, tumbling back up to his feet in a seamless movement. And as he bounces down and up, he realizes that the other Kevin is approaching from behind. He catches a glimpse of him in his peripheral vision, sidling up with his sword ready. It occurs to him that the other one might intend to drive him toward Lacie's Chains, or at least trap him between the two of them.

No.

Darting around, he grabs his doppleganger and hauls him around, essentially using him as a human shield. The other one laughs when he realizes what's happening. It won't work as well as he's hoping, but Lacie will have to slow down now, be a little more careful to avoid striking her own lover. That will help.

Lacie hisses out a curse, when she realizes what he's doing. Going back on the defensive, she edges back a bit, not wanting to take the chance of her Kevin being shoved at her moving shield. This complicates things, but it also puts the Kevins very close together, should her own Kevin have any plans up his sleeve.

Either way she can't very well attack, like this... at least not from the front. Sprinting to the side, she sends a pair of chains arcing at the werewolf's back, one from each direction. It's a trick she's used before, but it may distract him at the very least.

The trick up her own Kevin's sleeve is a trust that Lacie will do exactly what she has just done. The werewolf will have to move if he's going to avoid those chains, and if he moves, he either has to let his counterpart go or drag him along with him. As it happens, he decides on dragging -- and so the one-eyed one deliberately slumps, turning himself into dead weight in his arm. While the werewolf staggers and curses, Kevin drops his own sword and twists, getting his leg around the knight's and knocking him off balance. He doesn't hit the ground completely, shoving the swordsman into the ground instead of hitting it himself, but in this moment, he's vulnerable.

"Ha! Get him, Lacie, get him!"

Her Kevin has barely finished speaking, before the chains that had been arcing at Kevin's back change tactics. Rather than stabbing at him, they wind around the werewolf, like metallic boa constrictors ~~or tentacles in certain Hentai movies~~. With a delicate precision, they wrap him up neatly, without wrapping the other Kevin up with him in the process.

From there, it's a simple matter of thought for her to lift Kevin up off the ground. He can struggle all he likes, but she'll wager that werewolf or not, her abyssal chains are stronger.

Just for fun, she dangles him upside down.

The knight snarls, not a man at all, but an angry beast. Of course he struggles, because he really can't not, but even he can't get them to budge. The noise coming out of his throat is deep and full of thunder, a rolling expression of his anger, one that would probably be a lot more effective if he actually had the teeth to match at the moment.

The other Kevin has never really seen his own temper in action like this. It hurts a little, to essentially watch himself struggling in a way that is so very, very futile. Hits close to home. He'd had a notion that he might taunt the other man now that they've one, but seeing him like this takes all the joy out of it. Tilting his head over his shoulder, he looks to Lacie, letting her take the lead in what's to come next.

Lacie, it would seem, is quite a bit less affected than her lover, at the werewolf's plight. After all, he did just try to use her Kevin as a human shield. She doesn't stoop to taunting--given his obvious displeasure, and the fact that he now has to come share their bed, she suspects that would be rather hitting below the belt. However, she does let him dangle for a beat of silence, simply enjoying the view.

"Well," she says, finally, smiling. "I'd say we've won. Do you concede?"

Because if he really wants to struggle a little more, she'll let him.

Struggle he does, growling up a storm, and he's strong enough that the Rabbit gives an annoyed grunt in Lacie's head despite the fact that the Chains aren't going to budge. The longer the other Kevin watches, the more his pity changes to a disquieting anger. It's embarrassing, seeing this, and recognizing his own struggles, his own losses in the other one's temper.

So this is what he looks like. This is how he shows.

After a long, long several moments, he smiles pleasantly. Then he steps forward and punches his wolf twin right across his face, hard. Not bothering to wait and see his reaction, he turns and walks back into the house, leaving the other one quiet and stunned. That extra eye of his will be black tonight, but it will heal in a few hours.

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And now all I can think of is that one t-shirt...

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