We Have A Lot To Talk About

[Isabelle Sweet]

It had been awhile, since Lore had last seen Connor.  She felt as though whatever connection had been between them had faded.  He could see again, and she had no idea why, and then there was Capricia's pregnancy...

They needed to talk.

Lore gave a perfunctory knock, then opened the door to Connor's office.  She wasn't often in this area of the guild house anymore, since she was an Onyx trainee, but she knew exactly where it was anyway. 

"Connor?" she called, suddenly hesitant.  Could she really talk to him about this?  Was it any of her business?  After all, she was just the cute young thing he'd needed as a distraction for awhile.  Obviously, his real life had caught up with him...  Stop thinking like that or you'll never get anywhere with this! she chided herself sternly.

"May I come in?  I...  We have a lot to talk about."

[Connor Batten]

Connor was, believe it or not, in a charming little situation that involved him being up to all hours of the night doing things that didn't include work, and so he'd been trying to finish up before he went to bed.  He'd ended up laying his head on his arms for a second to 'rest his eyes' and that had been it.  Now, he suddenly shot awake because there was a knock and the door was suddenly opening.  Connor had never woken up with any level of normalcy, not since he was a young teenager.  When he shot awake, he suddenly had a gun pointed at the intruder.

Who was Lore.

"Jesus, Lore!  You scared the living Hell out of me!" he told her, putting the gun down on the desk just as suddenly so that he could run a hand through his hair and rub at his face.  Sleeping on his arm had made it feel like of numb.  "Sorry, I actually do that a lot, it's nothing personal."

He added a yawn to that, smiled some to hopefully get the message across that he really WAS sorry and that he hadn't meant to point a gun at her, and gestured to the chair opposite him.  "Have a seat, make yourself comfortable.  Do you need anything?  Coffee, water, anything at all?" he asked, getting up to get himself a cup of coffee.  He needed it if he was going to function without falling asleep again, or getting jumpy.  No sleep made him a little paranoid, just because he knew he wasn't nearly as alert, and tried to compensate for it. 

He'd completely forgotten about the hickey from hell sitting on his neck.  It looked better than it had, considering Val had taken a bite out of him the night before and he was healing pretty quickly because of the bond, but it wasn't gone.  It just looked a lot better than it should have.

[Isabelle Sweet]

Lore froze and put her hands up automatically when the gun was leveled at her.  This wasn't really new to her, either, anymore.  Dom pointed a gun at her almost every day she trained.  Still, coming from her ex-babysitter and one-time lover, it did sting just a little.

"Don't worry about it," she assured him when he put the gun back down, moving closer to sit in front of his desk.  "No, thanks, I ate just before I came over."  And now she was starting to think that was a big mistake, the way her stomach was doing gymnastic maneuvers at that moment.

"Connor...  I know we've both been really busy, and haven't had a lot of time together lately," she began, "but... it's more than that, I think.  A lot's been happening with us both.  I noticed you got your sight back, and I don't know how, but I'm happy for you.  And... I'm happy for you, too, because you're going to be a father."  She paused, then added, "Vin told me about Capri.  I guess congratulations are in order, so congrats." 

She managed a wan smile. 

[Connor Batten]

Of course she'd heard about all that, because news traveled like wildfire around the guildhouse.  It had finally leaked that he was blind, but he'd fortunately managed to keep that one contained until he'd already suffered through the process with Aristide to fix them.  They'd taken their sweet time in healing up to normal, but it had eventually worked.  He was frankly amazed, but at what cost had he regained his sight.

"Yeeeah, thanks," he told her, grabbing that cup of coffee so he could have a seat in the other chair in front of his desk, instead of the monster high-backed chair he usually sat in.  With his luck, this would be the one time someone would bust into his office to kill him, and he'd be sitting in the wrong chair, but he didn't really care right then.  It just felt wrong to him to be sitting on the opposite side of that huge desk when talking to a friend.  "Both situations are way too complicated for my liking, but I guess things could be worse."

He was trying to be pretty neutral about all of it, partly because he didn't want to tell her too much and have her freak out, and partly because he was trying to be sensitive to her feelings.  She'd been the only one that really stood by him when he couldn't see, to the point that she'd help him cook, clean and run errands besides just generally keeping him company.  She'd been a lifesaver, she was a good friend, and he didn't think either of them really knew if it had truly been moving further along and would have gotten far more serious if things hadn't so suddenly changed.  Maybe the two of them would have gotten serious, but besides the Val mess, Capri had returned with her big news, and that had essentially finished off any plans Connor had that might have directed him elsewhere.

"Sorry, Lore.  For everything.  I should have told you these things myself, but everything went crazy, and I don't think you want to know most of it, anyway," he told her, burying himself in his coffee mug directly after.  He was going to need caffeine for this.  Of course, it escaped his attention that he really didn't have to tell her some things, because he'd been dumb enough to make them obvious so long as she had EYES.  He could have worn a hoodie and had his neck covered, but noooooo. 

[Isabelle Sweet]

Yeah, you should've told me, Lore thought, but didn't say.  Instead, she shook her head and said, "No, I understand.  It's been a confusing time for both of us, I think.  I mean, Simon got kidnapped, and all this stuff's been happening..."  She grimaced and forced herself not to break down again.  Once was enough, thanks.

And yes, she had noticed the "hickey" on his neck.  It was pretty obvious that it wasn't the normal kind.  "I suppose one of those things I don't want to know about is where you got that mark," she pointed out in a flat tone, reaching over and brushing her fingertips over the bruised flesh.  "I've got a feeling it's not from Capri.  She doesn't have fangs."

[Connor Batten]

He winced at the mention of her cousin, which was actually a sore spot because he HAD been looking.  He'd had every hunter in his Guild listening for any word on a blond new in the Midnight circuit, whether as a human or a shapeshifter, since Lore hadn't known for sure if the kid was a shifter or not.  All he'd gotten was a rumor here and there that only found them at a dead end.  Whoever had nabbed the kid was smart enough to cover his trail, and Connor hadn't known for sure where to look.

He started to ask if there was any news on Simon that he might not have gotten when she mentioned the mark and reached out to touch it.  He jerked back fast enough that he almost spilled his coffee, shot one hand to his neck, and had to put the mug down so he didn't make a mess.  He could feel the marks from Val's teeth there, and he cursed his most violent in his head at himself for forgetting to cover it up.  He'd opted not to go to Capri's to sleep for more than just the fact that he had to finish his paperwork.

"No, it's not from Capri, but she'll put a bullet in me if she ever finds out," he told Lore, actually meaning it.  He wasn't putting much faith in Capricia's open-mindedness where vampires were concerned.  "I don't know, do you want to know?" he asked, watching her cautiously.  He trusted her not to go tell the whole world all of his problems, but he wasn't so sure if he could handle her freaking out on him and leaving.  Of course, that'd only be a fraction of what Capri would do, but Connor had never been the sort of person who functioned well all alone.

[Isabelle Sweet]

From his reaction to that simple touch, it had to be pretty bad.  Lore knew Connor was no vampire fan, but the way he was acting, it was almost like... the mark had been voluntary.  So, a vamp hadn't just taken a nibble out of him on a hunt, then.  Interesting.

"You can tell me anything, Connor," she told him quietly.  "You know that.  I won't tell Capri, either.  I... don't think I could even face her.  She's having your baby and all, and I'm...  I'm just..."  She made a vague, fluttering gesture with her hands that somehow translated to "trash to be thrown away when it's convenient".  "But I'll listen.  I'll always listen."

[Connor Batten]

Funny, the woman who'd either shoot him or leave him at the first sign of trouble was the one he was with, and the one willing to listen to anything even after he'd severely screwed up was the one hurting because he'd screwed something else up.  Wow.  How'd he manage that?

"God, Lore, I don't even know.  If she finds out about the mess I'm in, she might not be having my baby, and you're just the only one who's ever here when my life blows up," he commented dryly, at least able to admit it.  She might still take off, though.  There was always that chance, but he couldn't know unless he told her. 

"That creepy-ass Papa Aristide guy fixed my eyes, but it took awhile to really work.  In the process, he managed some cracked out bond tying me to this vampire that he assaulted for the ritual he used.  Now, I'm stuck dealing with this vampire that pisses me off as much as I piss him off, and the worst part about it is that for some reason, I want to be around him.  It's like something's wrong with the color in the world or something when he's not around, and it makes me crazy," he told her, obviously sounding frustrated as all hell.  There was, of course, more to come, but he had to gauge her reactions first.  She could probably put some of the rest together herself, but if she was going to condemn him for the situation, there was nothing he could do about it and he had no reason to finish explaining.  Capri wouldn't have let him get this far, though.  Of that, he was pretty certain.  She'd have seen the bite and thrown something at his head.

[Isabelle Sweet]

Lore looked startled at Connor's admission.  It made her blush a little, because she didn't really think she was THAT good at being around for her friends.  After all, if she'd been there for Connor, she would've known about this stuff weeks ago.

As for his explanation about the eye thing, that was shocking enough on its own.  She stared at him, wide-eyed and unable to think of anything to say for a moment.  "Papa Aristide...  Mister Vulpes told me about him.  Said something about losing a tooth so they could find Tha-- Mister O'Riley."  She had to correct herself.  Even though he wasn't her teacher anymore, it wasn't right for her to be so familiar with him.  That's how his troubles had started, after all.  But anyway... "So, you went to see him for your eyes?  Is this... bond thing permanent?"

She couldn't imagine how horrible it would be to be bonded to a vampire, but she wasn't going to condemn Connor for it right off the bat.  It had cured his eyes, but at what cost?  "Connor, what have you gotten yourself into?"

[Connor Batten]

"I didn't choose to go to him!  One of my hunters here was helping me out with things here and there, and he brought me there.  I had no idea where I was until it was too late to get out," he told her impatiently, mostly angry at himself for this whole situation.  No, he hadn't had any control over his situation from the start of it, but that didn't mean he hadn't made mistakes.  He shouldn't have trusted someone else with his well-being as he had.

"I don't know what to do about it.  As far as I can tell, it's permanent.  We haven't been able to figure anything out, and Aristide said it can't be undone.  Yeah, he fixed my eyes, but I'd have rather been blind than fight with this!"  Capri had come back.  She'd known he was blind, and she'd come back, so he could have managed.  He could have learned to function without his eyes, but there was no way Capri would accept this.  She hated vampires, and hell, so did he.  He couldn't really even blame her for the reaction he assumed she'd give him, and that was even knowing that he hadn't done it to himself.  Would he even get the chance to tell her that if she found out?

[Isabelle Sweet]

Loreanna worried her lower lip with her teeth.  "I know, you wouldn't have done this intentionally," she assured him.  "I don't know what else to say, though.  I mean, if it's permanent, and the bond can't be broken, there's not much more you can do except learn to live with it, is there?" 

She hated sounding like such a defeatist, though.  "Maybe there is a way, but Aristide doesn't know about it.  Have you tried, uh... asking other vampires?"  The thought made her cringe.  Dealing with vampires was still a distasteful notion at best.

With a shrug, she gave him a helpless little smile.  "Sorry, Connor.  I'm not much help, am I?  Well, you should probably talk to Capri about it anyway.  I mean, if you explain it, and she knows it wasn't really your choice, maybe she won't take it so hard.  I'd think it'd be a lot worse if she found out on her own, or heard it from someone else."

[Connor Batten]

Her more 'defeatist' comments were about what he was worried would be the fact of the matter, that he was going to have to learn to live with this, but that somewhat scared him.  Even if Capricia DID accept it and decide that she was willing to deal with it, there was always the fact that she and their child would grow older without him.  It was not only insane, but incredibly creepy.  He didn't think he could handle that.

"No, Val thinks that letting other vampires know we don't have our shit together is a bad idea," he told her, shaking his head.  "Whatever that voodoo crazy did, I don't know if it's going to be reversible.  It's not a typical bloodbond, so even Val and I don't know all the rules."

Frustrating?  Just a little. 

"I have to tell her, I just don't how to or when to even try.  I don't think she'll take it at all well, even explaining, but you're right.  It'll be worse if she finds out another way, which she eventually will.  She's not dumb, and I'm bound to get my ass kicked at some point.  She'll notice then, for sure."  The healing alone, even if he certainly didn't heal as fast as a vampire.  It was still way too fast for a human, and though that worked in his advantage, he didn't want to consider how Capri would take that.

[Isabelle Sweet]

Lore nodded solemnly.  Connor's problems were pretty harsh.  They almost-- ALMOST-- made her forget about her own for the moment. 

"The longer you put it off, the worse it'll be," she told him.  "If you're gonna do it, better get it over with as soon as you can.  If you put it off, she'll think you were hiding it from her on purpose."  Which was, well, kindasorta true, but he DID plan to tell her eventually.  It was just a matter of when and how.

"Try just taking her aside sometime when she seems to be in a decent mood.  Don't spoil a really really GOOD mood, but don't tell her when she's already pissed or upset about something," Lore advised.  As a fellow woman, it was really the only good advice she could think of concerning Capri at that time.

[Connor Batten]

Well, he kind of WAS hiding it from Capri, but at least he had a reason.  He wasn't doing it just for the hell of it, but Lore had a point.  The problem with that theory was that he wasn't used to seeing Capri in decent moods all the time, considering her Guild affiliation and usual aggressive personality.  He knew that she was trying so hard to be easier to be around, and he didn't want to ruin that for either of them.  This was just a horrible situation.

How did he always manage to attract the weirdest, most annoying vampires?

"I'm sorry, Lore, I didn't mean to unload on you.  It's just a lot of things messing with my head lately, and the vampire bites don't help.  They just make it more confusing," he told her, actually sounding apologetic, and genuinely confused.  Connor could put up a good front when he had to, like when he was keeping a HUGE secret from the entire world, but this wasn't a good time.  Really, he needed to get some rest.

[Isabelle Sweet]

"No, no, I understand," Lore assured him.  "You've got a lot on your plate right now.  A vampire bond, the baby, Capri, the eye thing...  I'm surprised you're handling it as well as you are.  I mean, hell, it really goes to show who the real Hunters are around here, huh?  You're still keeping it together somehow."

She gave him a bitter smile.  "All I'm worried about right now is Simon, and I can't... can't even..."  But she couldn't even finish her sentence, because just like that, she was crying.