Aerin Thomas: That night, after Alex's time with Tony and Mercy and Bliss's conversation with Tony. Aerin takes a deep sigh and steels himself, getting ready. He comes up to the door and knocks lightly on it. "Tony? It's me."

Antonio Pavlatos: He hesitates, just looking at the door, not responding at the moment.

Aerin Thomas: "Tony? Can I come in?"

Antonio Pavlatos: After a long, long silence, he quietly states, "Your house... ya do what ya want... Sir." He rises very slowly, as if his limbs are leaden, and he unlocks the door, although he knows Aerin could come in anyway if he wanted

Antonio Pavlatos: He then moves quickly back to the corner, away from the door, hugging the lion pillow, head down, face hidden.

Aerin Thomas: "May I come in? It's my house, but it's your room." Nope. Hasn't opened the door yet.

Antonio Pavlatos: He looks at the door and blinks. That obviously surprised him. Another very long silence, then he shrugs, quietly again, but enough to be heard, "Iffen ya want... don't... matter."

Aerin Thomas: "Sure it does." He sighs a little bit, probably not audible through the door. "But if you say it's all right, then thank you." He opens the door slowly and slips inside, offering Tony a little smile. He's dressed simply...white tank top, black jeans. Hair pulled back into a loose ponytail.

Antonio Pavlatos: He is dressed in exactly the same clothing he had on when he came to the house, sitting on a thick sleeping bag in the very corner of the room, closer to the door, away from the window. The window is not only closed draped (or blinds or whatever is on it) but also has a blanket over it. The top section of his hair is braided down his back, the rest left free, but a bit wild now, as if hasn't been combed. He looks disheveled, tired, but he can't see the expression on his face. No question, so no reason to respond. He just sits there. The kitten is asleep in its carrier. A talking book is beside him, but not touched.

Antonio Pavlatos: Oh - and a lion pillow is beside him, the head of it in the crook of his arm.

Aerin Thomas: He shuts the door and moves to sit near Tony, sitting Indian-legged on the floor. He tilts his head, watching Tony for a moment. "How was your day?"

Antonio Pavlatos: He inches just a little further from Aerin when he sits down, pressing his wall against the back. He doesn't answer for a long time, then finally, perhaps scared not to, "nnn... not good."

Antonio Pavlatos: (ah, switch wall and back please)

Aerin Thomas: "Why not?" He stays where he is, neither flinching away nor pushing closer. "What happened?"

Antonio Pavlatos: Eyes again go around the room, licking his lips, then nibbling on his bottom one before he answers. He doesn't raise his head for Aerin to see the rest of his face, although the eyes through the hair, darting around nervously might be seen a moment. "Don't... matter."

Aerin Thomas: "Why doesn't it matter?"

Antonio Pavlatos: A long silence, then his legs curl up under him. "You... kkk... know."

Aerin Thomas: "No," he says calmly. A slight shake of his head. "I really don't. Because I don't know what happened, so I can't know why it doesn't matter, can I?"

Antonio Pavlatos: Also at the head of the sleeping bag are two small beenie baby type stuffed animals, the ones Ethan had given him - one a wolf, one a lion. He shivers abit, then shakes his head, "Ddd.. didn't do nuthin' wrong... maybe ttt... they didn't tell ya." Eyes around the room again.

Aerin Thomas: "Who didn't tell me, Tony?" He withdraws a pack of cigarettes and holds it out to Tony...a silent offer. Up to him. "And what didn't they tell me?"

Antonio Pavlatos: Eyes see the pack of cigarettes through his hair, and he starts to reach for one, hesitates as he remembers what Alex said about cigarettes, but he slowly, very slowly takes one, his hand shaking. "ttt... them... ya know... sss... Sir. Don't play www... with me. Ya got 'em watchin' me..."

Aerin Thomas: "No one's watching you for me, Tony. Visible or not."

Antonio Pavlatos: He blinks, then the eyes through his hair look at Aerin, obvious disbelief in them. "they're hhh... here... but they dont' tell nuthin' but... bbb... bad stuff I might do... never anythin' else... eyes in the walls... the floor... they're everywhere.... they watch me... make me... sss... sick to my stomach." He is holding the cigarette tightly enough to almost crush it.

Antonio Pavlatos: Adds quickly, "nnn.. never know www.. when they here or not...." His head swivels then, checking the room.

Antonio Pavlatos: (no seen cameras or video surveillance, right? Nothing he would at least see, although he thinks they are there)

Aerin Thomas: "The spirits, if they're watching, Tony, report everything, I'm sure." He ndos a little bit, smiling sympathetically as he fishes out a lighter and a cigarette of his own...lighting his smoke, then leaning over to offer to light Tony's. "They can't help it if their information is viewed with a slant." ((Nope, no cameras))

Antonio Pavlatos: His hand shakes as the cigarette gets lite, and he takes a deep enough drag that the ash is seen almost immediately. "I... ccc...can't sss.. stand it.... want them outta here.... I ccc... can't live like this." His tone is low, but an odd firmness to it.

Aerin Thomas: He nods a little bit. "I'll get the spirits gone, Tony."

Antonio Pavlatos: Antonio: d10: Perc/Empathy: 3,1,5,5,4,2,9 ( this figures)
He can't tell if Aerin is lying to him or not, not is the slightest, there seems a wall between them. He shivers again, then takes another drag, "Iffen ya.... ddd.. do... how would I know?"

Aerin Thomas: He takes a deep breath, smiling ruefully. "Well, that's the question, isn't it? I can't...really show you, Tony. I can't take you into the Umbra, and I can't help you see to the other side. What would satisfy you?"

Antonio Pavlatos: "The one that... sss.. skairted me... he said... 'n Merc said... he could do somethin' maybe, but ttt.. they didn't know if anyone let him." He speaks jerkily between deep drags on the cigarette, the ashes falling heedlessly on his lap.

Antonio Pavlatos: (His KIN could do something maybe)

Aerin Thomas: "We can do something yes," he says with a nod. "But I don't know how to let you know ir would be successful, without just telling you. Would you trust me if I did?"

Antonio Pavlatos: He doesn't answer for a long time, a very long time, then murmurs, "You ggg.. get mad iffen I tell the truth?"

Aerin Thomas: "Not at all."

Antonio Pavlatos: "I... ddd.. don' t know... I don't know so much... they talk about me gettin' well... 'n seem to think somethin's wrong with mmm... me.... besides the drugs... I'm.... confused...." He does sound disoriented, scared, confused. "I'm here 'cause Alex said it was sss... safe, 'n best fer me... 'till things calm down... but... they sayin' different... I don't... kkk... know what to... bbb.. believe no more." He curls up a bit, seeming to be expecting to be hurt for speaking out, despite Aerin's statement.

Antonio Pavlatos: And Aerin better grab that cigarette butt, or it might set the sleeping bag on fire, because Tony doesn't seem to realize it is still in his hand.

Aerin Thomas: He sighs. Unbelievable. A slight shake of his head. "Tony...you're here right now because because there were those who tried to take you away...people who could have. They did so not because they wanted to hurt you, but because they wanted to help you. I know they can't. But Alex, Mercury and I stopped that. So you're here with me until we can convince them that everything's okay."

Aerin Thomas: He reaches out gently to take the cigarette.

Antonio Pavlatos: He shivers, but his eyes look out at Aerin, remembering perhaps Alex's words, "Hhh... trusts you... even after ya got mad... he..." He swallows hard, not doing anything but letting go of the cigarette butt. He seems to be trying not to cry, but silent tears slowly stream down his face. "He skairted me ... out in the hall... come outta the shadows... 'n said "Boo!".... dark fur... like them.... he's one of them that hurts... I heard 'bout them... Merc... toldt me about them.... why they say I ain't got the rights Jez 'n Ethan 'n others have? What's www.. wrong with me? What I do www.. wrong? Alex says I kin do anythin' iffen I try hard enough... be anythin'... kin say no to things I don't like.... but... then..." He seems to shake his head. "Others say different. I don't WANNA be this... I wanna be human... I don't wanna be CURSED!"

Antonio Pavlatos: As he is talking, he curls up more, as if something inside him is reacting to his speaking out, his body going almost in a fetal position.

Antonio Pavlatos: (Jez, Ethan and Rei have)

Aerin Thomas: "You're not cursed, Tony." He watches the young man sadly, remaining calm. "You have those same rights. But you've been through a lot more then those people. And you need some help dealing with things. The kinds of help that Alex has been giving...and I'm going to, too."

Antonio Pavlatos: Antonio: d10: WP: 4,3,6,9,
He shivers, but he shakes his head, "No... ya'll don't want him to help me.. he'de stop ya! He tells me I have rights.. the others say I don't. The others say I gotta do whatever just 'cause of something in me... I got Cherokee blood, but he never toldt me... does that mean they gonna come 'n claim me, 'n tell me what to do? Only one that ever toldt me I could be whatever I wanted www... was Alex... but he was the one that said I should know my 'family'. FAMILY? They toldt me about it... they said you was the weaker ones, 'n i know ya gonna torture me for what ya think I know, but I don't know NUTHIN'! He never told me much!" He grips the sleeping bag tightly, seeming almost on edge, then goes quiet, almost too quiet. "Don't... matter... not worth it... he was wrong... don't.... matter." His words are low, as he puts his head down on the sleeping bag.

Antonio Pavlatos: (With the family part - "'N the FAMILY.... they think I'm a creature... that Jez shouldn't even be around me... wolves... they don't like me... they don't WANT me.... they think I'm useless.... I don't wanna be here...."

Aerin Thomas: He sighs sadly, watching him. "Why do you think I'm going to torture you? What have I, personally, done that's ever made you think that?"

Antonio Pavlatos: He keeps his head down, "Yyy... your a wolf... you wanna know secrets about the Bastet... I don't KNOWN NONE! He never toldt me about his business, not really... nothing ya don't already know! But I heard.... I heard.... they know they gonna torture me, I got ears... I kin hear. That's why... why she waited.... she seeemed all nice... yeah, RIGHT! Welcoming us.... but turned to talk to someone else... 'n Merc fixed shit, he toldt me... he DIDN'T or this wouldn't be happenin'! Ain't done nuthin' wrong! Sss she waited until she thought i might know somethiin'..."

Antonio Pavlatos: Antonio: d10: WP: 6,8,3,1,
His words aren't as firm as they were before, he seems to be slipping somehow.

Aerin Thomas: He smiles faintly. "Tony...I don't care about the Bastet. I know everything I could ever wish to know about them. I certainly have no desire to torture you for the information."

Antonio Pavlatos: He doesn't see the smile, "I know.. I heard him.... that's why she let me be with him... to try to get information... to wait until now to just decide to take me... I know how it goes... nice, nice, so nice.... until the price comes!"

Aerin Thomas: "You're wrong." It's said very simply. "But then, of course, I can't prove that correct, can I? I can't prove to you that I mean otherwise. Because if I'm nice, then you're always just waiting until I start to torture you."

Antonio Pavlatos: His tears turn to sobs, but only for a few moment before he seems to collect himself - punishment, gotta remember... he seems to force himself to seem okay, murmuring, "Whatever ya say... sss... Sir."

Aerin Thomas: "Prove me wrong." He shrugs. "Show me that I can prove it.."

Antonio Pavlatos: He murmurs softly, sadly, helplessly, "I don't know hhh... how... What do you want? You want me to be your dead lover? I'll do that, if ya don't hurt me!"

Aerin Thomas: ((Aerin Thomas [PB 3]: d10: Rage: 8,6,6,10. WP spent to avoid Frenzy)) He stiffens visibly, body starting to shake as he clenches down on his jaw. It would be so easy to utterly destroy the helpless kin at the moment...just let that Rage go and rip him to pieces for the remark. Instead, he stmubles backward to the door, tearing his gaze away from Tony as he staggers out the door. Protecting the kin, even as he runs away, out the door to slam shut behind him.

Antonio Pavlatos: He shivers, staying still otherwise, completely innocent of what his remark meant to Aerin until he feels the rage surge through the room. He covers his head, helplessly, but this is somehting that has been brewing in his mind for so long that he couldn't help when it spewed out through his mouth. He figures he is gone now for sure, and just keeps his head down - at least it will be over quickly.

Antonio Pavlatos: The door slamming doesn't help that much, except to let him know Aerin left, and he lays his head down, and alone he lets vent to his tears.

Aerin Thomas: The sound of the door slamming shut is loud, the force enough to to shake the frame. There's the sound of glass shattering...like, not just glass. A window. Say, a front window, perhaps. Wouldn't be the first time. Merc and Bliss are still there. But Aerin sure as fuck isn't. He didn't even wait long enough to open the DOOR.

Antonio Pavlatos: He hears the shattering and curls up on the sleeping bag. Bad... this is bad.... he curses at himself for saying anything, but he wanted honesty... didn't he? Confused more, he curls up and simply starts to sob, not feeling that anyone can help him or understand.. and if he says anything to ALex they would kill Alex.