Snippets and Stories: (WtI) Possessed (2 of ?)

When Neiro returned home later that evening, it was as normal, a jubilant grin and bright eyes.

"Welcome home. How did your outing with Ken go?"

At the familiar voice of his flatmate, the albino turned, smiling.

Until he saw him.

His jaw fell slack as nostalgia gripped him and threw him into a past Time he had no business reaching for. Briefly he opened unseeing eyes and forced them to focus on the smiling face and verdant green jewels that glimmered in mere slits back at him. It was impossible, the aetherical traces that lingered couldn't be, and he gave a low breathy mutter in astonishment, "Muspell..."

Desperately he reached into the aether, searching for something, anything-

-but there was nothing in the vastness of existence, the essence of all that was--except his dear friend.

"Neiro?"

The albino shook his head sharply. Silas was frowning at him, leaning down for a better look.

Neiro waved the large man away, instead reaching out with his own anxious, clumsy, and shaking hands, and pulling Silas towards him.

Silently, he allowed his small flatmate to turn him in a full circle.

Needless to say this was more than unusual, but with all the oddities today, he would permit such. The quiet whisper hadn't escaped his notice, and reluctantly he thought that perhaps the strange blind apparition was to be believed.

After a moment, his flatmate seemed to shake of the shock, "Sorry Sy, I thought for a moment that-ah. My mind's playing tricks on me."

"What is it?"

"Just confused. Thought you were someone else."

"Muspell?"

The hands on his shoulders twitched at the name, "Yeah."

"Who is Muspell?"

The albino shifted, and with much reluctance, met Silas's gaze, "He was--I, that is--" Neiro trailed off, lost in thought. At last he spoke at length, "We were close friends."

The same hesitant answer as Muspell. As if he didn't know either.

It was a rather pathetic cover, and the dubious look threw him told him as much. Neiro had always been an open book, granted it had been of Neiro's own will, and that was what made it so dangerous at Times. Now though he clearly wanted nothing more than to hide.

Never had the other seemed so vulnerable as he did now.

Neiro rubbed at his arm, at last offering, "He had to go, it was his calling I suppose."

"Hm."

A lame explanation, but one he would take for now.

his shorter flatmate excused himself soon after to retire, and in the empty room, he put a hand to his temple, eyes slipping shut, "Why didn't you reveal yourself to him?"

Behind him the blind apparition stepped forward, "For the same reason that I desire a compatible host body."

"And that is?"

"I'm too weak as I am now. In the wake of Neiro's aetherical density, mine own would be as finding a single grain amongst the sandy shore and crashing waves of a beach."

Muspell stepped closer and kneeled before him once more, "Please, you've seen how he suffers so. A last word is all I ask."

Silas grimaces but before he can object, the other quickly adds in, "For all he's done for you, wont you return to him just a little of that kindness?"

Silas jaw clenches, but he remains as is resolute. As did Muspell.

---

Later that night it was the same as it was any other, and he lay awake, tired, but finding little rest in the darkness behind closed lids.

Shifting, he was startled to find the translucent form of Muspell, sitting at Neiro's bedside, hand stroking the hair he could neither touch nor feel.

In the quiet of the night he could hear a faint song, its melody poignant, but not without a faint hopeful trickle.

His brow furrowed. The music seemed to just be there, with no source in sight.

Muspell glanced up, as if sensing his gaze, "You can hear it? This melody?"

Raising himself so that he was sitting, Silas offered a curt nod, "How curious. Humans have not the senses to perceive the Heart's Song. Though I suppose you are anything but normal, devoid as you are."

They left it at that. Silas took a draught of water from his mug and Muspell returned to watching over his oblivious ward.