“And even when they are not,” Lambda added, a flicker of something deep in his gaze. How many years had he lived in fear? If he was not recovering from the injuries incurred with his battles against Protos Heis, he was fleeing from the humans that would chase him from whatever temporary shelter he had found. Yet here he was, a monster still save in human shape. Monsters still had limits to their lifespans, measured longer than human years but limits nonetheless.
The sound of rustling bush, turned Lambda’s head, stamping feet near imperceptively tensing his form on instinct until the creature emerged to stand by this spirit, dwarfing him with its size. Lack of any hostility allowed Lambda’s defences to lower, to resume as he had been though he’d never shifted at all. He could see the aging colours, the signs of a long life well lived.
“He is a partner to you?” Lambda queried.
Why now of all times did he have to remember that fool? Lambda felt a weight in his chest he could not properly place, a constriction that irritated him. Yet it came each time he was reminded of his own partner, of the memories of final moments and foolish words. Lambda had protested so many times yet Asbel had been far too stubborn to ever listen.
Every life has its limits.
“I see. I once considered it fortunate humans did not live so long.” It limited the damage they could do to the world. Yet he wondered if he still believed that way. “But their lives are almost pitifully short.”
There was a curiosity with which Lambda listened, with which violet eyes took in the tale of his past. It was not so uncommon a tale, not so difficult to believe that if power for it existed a world might be cleaved; that humans would have no regards to the ones hurt in the process. The bitterness, the near resentment in those words; Lambda knew them well. To be used and discarded. Though the change in voice, in the monster Orion’s demeanor; it did not go unnoticed. Lambda thought a moment he sounded like Lambda himself might have, forcing words through his host’s, but it had been many years since he’d had to share a mindspace with another.
“Did you?” Lambda asked. “Or did the humans use you?”
Lambda paused, pondered the other’s words. He was hardly apt in ‘making friends’ as the other so easily put it. Far too often humans were not worth the hassle, they sought only what they could gain from him and would be done with him. Yet again there is a pang in his chest, an odd sense of nostalgia. Why do such words bring all their faces to mind? His partner’s and the entire grouping of idiots around him? Had perhaps for that time… he considered them his own friends as well?
“It’s not so terrible having friends,” Lambda conceded. “No matter the headaches they bring with them.”
what was he to say to that? a simple nod was what he offered in return of the other’s question. fingers gently interlaced between the beasts fur, his smile small, yet endeared towards the creature of his. the companionship between both beast and tamer was obvious, green gaze returning to the other in their own way, the sharp remark of being used by humans flickering anger within his stomach, within his chest. “Humans are not the only ones who seek to benefit themselves and only themselves.” the one whom he had aided had been a half-elf. a small boy stricken with grief over the loss of a loved one who would do anything to have her back.
such comparison towards him and humans were unjustified. his head lowered in orion’s fur for naught a moment, a short, pulled breath before returning back to him. smiling warmly, hand losing it’s touch to him, gliding behind his back, head tipped to the side.
“Actually, I b-believe your first thought is the more correct one.” the glance is shot towards orion, then towards the red-head before him. “Humans live j-just the perfect amount of years. long enough to make meaningful connections, but short enough they cannot be jaded by too many things. It is, in earnest, people like us who live f-far too long.” they who grow distant to nature, to humans, to existing creatures that arise and consciousness touches minds.
it was them that held this problem. humans were not like that. his hands moved, one touching at his chest, wrapping tightly about his scarf. “We grow from them, we learn from them, we even become l-like them, yet we aren’t them.” and that was where so many got it wrong. they all seek after something unattainable. becoming human again was impossible. it’s difficult to find that balance. of being ‘too human’ or ‘too monster’ or even, ‘too spirit’. there was an edge to it, and the knife certainly stung when it stabbed, but they all usually walked away by the end of it.
as it were … sometimes emil still wished it didn’t sting quite as harshly.
“Mhmm!” emil’s smile brightened a tad, moving forward, he slipped his hand away from the scarf about his neck and offered it to the red-head. “So why don’t w-we make it official, hm?” His head tipped to the side, brightened smile near scalding in difference to the cold reception, “Since I think you and I w-would make great friends.”
green hues were bright, alighted and happy, near like a puppy. “I bet even Orion would be your friend too, though watch out,” emil waggled a finger at lambda, like a mother scolding a child, “he’s a real attention hog. Give him an inch, and he’ll take a mile.” there’s a small laugh as the whine was heard again, the big wolf-like creatures tail beginning to wag as he moved forward, nose inching against emil’s back and pressing into him. “See? Loves attention.”
