[Voice]

[deservinghell]

[For Henry, the past month has been rougher than any other in recent memory. Confessing to the only person in this wretched place he is comfortable calling a friend that she'd been keeping intimate company with a vampire was more emotionally trying than he expected. But that paled in comparison to a week spent living--finding himself with a pulse for the first time in four and a quarter centuries--and then having it taken away again.]

Surely I'm not the only one who'd rather our personal timelines never sorted themselves out.

Comments

[deservinghell]

[Harsh, Chloe. To think you once trusted him to take care of your closest and most vulnerable friends.

She can't see it, obviously, but he frowns.]

I trust you to do with the information whatever you feel is right. But for the record, it isn't personal. Cutter and I met long before I knew you were mates.

[totallytrustworthy]

...[Which, for the moment, eases her fuss.] Then believe me, you owe him the truth as well.

But, for what it's worth, I'm glad you're still around. Regardless of the version.

[deservinghell]

I suppose in being your mutual friend, I'm obligated to cut him in. [He's not happy about it. The fewer of these people who know, the easier his life here will be.]

[totallytrustworthy]

Both of them, yeah, if you mean to start associating with my mates.

[deservinghell]

Right. Point out the other for me, would you? If I'm going to start coming out, I'd rather be sure I have the right guy.

[totallytrustworthy]

Nathan Drake.

[A beat]

Why not just get it done with everyone, Henry? There's worse things here than vampires.

[deservinghell]

[That's a matter of opinion.

Some exasperation leaks into his voice, around the edges, and he doesn't make an effort to dam it up.]

Because I don't want the first and most important thing anyone knows about me to be that I'm a monster.

[totallytrustworthy]

[She scoffs, something soft and not entirely without sympathy.]

All right, fair enough. But you seriously need to stop doing this to people you mean to be friends with, yeah?

Because it might not be the first thing they know about you, but it sure as hell will be more important the longer you wait to tell them.

[deservinghell]

[There's a loaded pause, one he has a hard time pushing aside.]

I used to delude myself into thinking I didn't want or need friendship, that the connections I made didn't count. It's a mistake I've repeated, because it's true what they say: old dogs don't learn new tricks.

But that won't keep me from trying in the future.

[totallytrustworthy]

Yeah well it goes without saying, darling, that you're stuck with us. For the moment, anyway.

[Which means yes, she's getting over her anxiety.]

Having lived so long I'd assume adaptability is one of your stronger traits; best put it to good use.

[deservinghell]

[Stuck for the next fifty or sixty years, anyway. An immortal living among mortals is asking for an eternity of pain, and he's always known that. It's only in the last hundred and fifty years that Henry has begun to understand it's worth it.]

I'll keep that in mind.

Thank you, Chloe.

[totallytrustworthy]

[Hey, if this place means to keep them alive, she's holding out hope.]

If it makes you feel any better, they'll both love the fact that you are one. Giant nerds that they are, I'm sure they'll be all over you.

--you know. Figuratively.

Mostly.

[deservinghell]

Believe it or not, there is a difference between enjoying a good monster movie and enjoying the company of one in the flesh. [But he does smile.] Still, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.

[totallytrustworthy]

Yeah, they're much harder to ignore when they're being a bloody pain in the ass. [wink wink nudge nudge]

Trust me, you're gonna be fine.

[deservinghell]

[Remarkable how easy it is for them to shed any hint of seriousness that tries to sneak into one of their conversations.]

Of course. And I'm happy to be a pain in your ass any time you'd like.

[totallytrustworthy]

Oh, you always are.