Visitor! (Darius/Cassiel) - Darius and Crew

She frowned.

"Cass lady been hurt? Who? I kill them."

He reached over to put a gentle hand on Elizabeth's knee.

"I suspect the list is long and varied."

Her attention turned to Bethy, her expression softening. "No, oh, honey... No, no, it's alright. I'm still here, aren't I? It's no big thing, really."

She growled softly.

"No one hurts my friends."

"But sometimes the hurt allows a person to grow."

He frowned at that.

"Cassiel, was it? Cassiel, you are a friend to Elizabeth, without needing to be. That means that you're safe here. You will always be safe here."

Yes, tell Daddy Baali what's wrong.

"And that is something I truly appreciate ans will cherish. It's nice to have that ability to have that safety, thank you."

He shook his head.

"Do not thank me until I have a chance to prove such a safety to you. I would love to know what it is that's bothering you. Between your blog posts and what I'm seeing from you here, you're not doing very well. I would love to help if I can, but I also understand if you do not trust me. You don't know me and we are, after all, Kindred."

Her brow rose. She didn't realize it was obvious.

"Oh... It's nothing important."

She smiled.

"You can tell. It's safe here."

He frowned.

"Are you saying it's not important because it's not truly important, because you simply do not want to tell me or because you think that it's you who is unimportant?"

"It's not important because it doesn't affect anyone..." She looked between the two. She really didn't wish to burden anyone.

She shook her head.

"It effects you, so it effects your friends."

"I don't really know what's wrong with me. I know I am upset and have been since my... fiance vanished... But I don't feel right otherwise, either."

She moved to kneel in front of Cass.

"How wrong?"

He seemed to be very interested in what it was Cassiel had to say. He even held out a hand for her to take.

"It's all right. What's happening to you?"

She didn't take his hand-- not because she thought he would bite. The look she gave him was apologetic. But that kind of contact paired with the 'how are you, what's going on' speech always seemed to set her off emotionally.

"I don't know. I've lost passion for things I would normally be passionate about and taken to looking for answers in odd places. I suddenly enjoy the idea of being a hermit."

He didn't seem offended in the least. It had been an offer, not a demand. He tilted his head and looked into her eyes.

"What have you lost interest in?"

"Just about everyone and everything but the duties I take seriously. I've been more inclined to get up in the evening, put in my hours and rounds and go home to be hold up on my computer just... playing games or being on the web. That's never really been my thing before."

He nodded.

"You said that the one you love missing, correct?"

She nodded. The subject was a sore one.

He nodded.

"Then this sounds reasonable to me. You're obviously upset about your loved one missing. So I'm not surprised if you're depressed and want to hide away from the world."

"I suppose that's fair to say," she nodded again.

He nodded.

"Tell me, how long has your fiancé been missing?"

"Just over a month."