The Boy is Mine (Lyric/Emilian)

[Mano Berwyn]

Mano appeared in Hogsmeade and paused to settle his clothes and hair back to rights. He would wait for Eros to show up before searching for Emilian, however much he wanted to just search the man out and perhaps point and laugh a bit before taking him home.

[Eros d'Avonderre]

Eros approached at a leisurely stride, with steps that were as broad as proper, but still gave his usual air of relaxed boredom. It wasn't until he neared that the gleam in his blue-violet eyes was visible, and that his lips were quirked ever-so-slightly.

" I had intended on an evening of the edge-of-your-seat essay readings," he drawled, "but I suppose I could devote an hour or so to whatever mystery adventure you've conjured."

[Mano Berwyn]

"Hopefully it won't even take that long," Mano said. "Of all people, Lyric showed up at my door. And of all things, he proceeded to inform me that he had broken Emilian's d~." He stopped at that, though that was probably the most shocking piece of information, to see Eros' reaction.

[Eros d'Avonderre]

Eros stopped in place, and his head tilted slightly as he tried and failed to make sense of what Mano had just told him. "I would dearly love to believe I have misunderstood you, Mano, but greatly fear that you were serious." After Michael's confession of male pregnancy, Eros had decided that doubt was useless here. "Are you telling me that your skittish young lion has returned... after breaking our Emilian's one true love? Breaking it? Dare I ask how?" With enthusiasm, he would guess, and a bottle or two of good Russian vodka.

[Mano Berwyn]

"He didn't say." Mano smiled, pleased with the reaction. "He only told me that Emilian has apparently been seeing your Jory and hitting him, and so when he learned his name, Lyric langlocked him, threw some hexes, then broke it. I thought you would want to come help me find Emilian, apparently Lyric left him here. Lyric is still at my apartment."

[Eros d'Avonderre]

Eros's brows rose, and though he held back his own sense of proprietary offense, it was only just so. "Oh, yes, I'd be delighted," he said urbanely. "I am quite disappointed in Emilian, I must say. That whole dirty business with the Brooks girl was terrible, but so many had believed he changed, despite common sense. Speaking of which, common behavior, that." He might have gone on, but his mind had shifted to Jory, adding the new information to what he had seen himself over recent weeks. "I have half a mind to hex Jory for being so unutterably stupid. I haven't any proof, but strongly suspect Emilian isn't nearly a good enough lover to pardon such behavior."

[Mano Berwyn]

"Well, he never claimed to be intelligent, did he?" Mano noted. He had no personal knowledge of Emilian's ability in bed, as Emilian had always been too full of himself for Mano to even consider bedding. "I told Lyric I had no intentions of healing Emilian. But I couldn't in good conscience go without knowing if he at least got home. So, shall we hunt?"

[Eros d'Avonderre]

"As you say," Eros replied with a nod. "He's still in Hogsmeade, then?" He continued in the direction he'd been heading, gesturing for Mano to join him. "And his... d~ was broken by an angry suitor. It has a ring of irony about it." He looked idly around as they walked.

[Mano Berwyn]

Mano nodded. "I wonder what surprises are going to be there when we show up, Lyric wasn't very specific about it all." For all he knew Emilian could be laying there with tentacles or blue skin. On second thought, that would be highly amusing. He glanced down alleys between buildings as they passed.

[Eros d'Avonderre]

Eros followed Mano's gaze now and then, though he truly had no interest in looking down filthy alleyways and little interest in helping Emilian out of a metaphorical hole he'd dug himself. "Now and then I reconsider my connections to Emilian," Eros admitted. "His parents, of course, still hold enough status to keep afloat, but I do wonder how long before Emilian has burned all his bridges. You know, of course, that I'm not truly here for him." No, he was here for Mano, and there was no questioning the fact.

[Mano Berwyn]

"Well, of course you're not here for him," Mano said. "He doesn't have long left, this may be the last straw. As of now, he has absolutely nothing except that shop of his and my conscience." And that conscience would be satisfied once Emilian was locked up at home again. "I don't want to be around him more than I have to today."

[Eros d'Avonderre]

Eros nodded lightly, glad to hear it. He'd have written Emiian off years ago, but for his own parents and Emilian's ties to the others. He was rather glad he hadn't found the lot of them sooner, and been pulled into Emilian's shoddily-built web himself. "We're nearly at his shop now," he pointed out. "H eshould be close now, don't you think?"

[Mano Berwyn]

"He should be," Mano agreed. Still, it was another minute or two before he noticed a body laying in an alley, stiff and unmoving. He gestured for Eros to follow as he walked in. "Well, well, look here." He leaned over to read the poorly-spelled word across Emilian's forehead. It brought a grin to his face, as did the crude drawing along Emilian's cheek.

[Emilian Sota]

Emilian glared as best he could when he still couldn't move. Of course Mano showed up, and who was the other person? He heard them, but couldn't see them yet. The pain was still intense, throbbing steadily through his body as he silently seethed. He wanted to scream and yell and rave but there wasn't any outlet for anything.

[Eros d'Avonderre]

Eros laughed, the entire situation too ridiculous to hold back for. The light, ringing sound of it was unfamiliar even to him, but, oh, how fitting this was. "I do believe I'm liking your lion a great deal more," he chuckled. "Not a refined sense of humor, but quite thorough in his work, isn't he?" He held up the remains of Emilian's wand for Mano's entertainment, two pieces not so much snapped in half, but ground entirely through the middle, ruining the contents as much as the wood.