Drystan Windgrace stepped out of his room, at about the same time Dorian did. He looked over and then looked down, "Hey, brother.." He wasn't dressed for riding so at least he wasn't going to hold him up from that. "Are you busy? Already saw to Irene today?" He closed his doors and wandered down the hall opposite the stairs, running a hand along the banister.
Dorian stepped out of his room at the same time as his brother and for a moment he looked caught, but immediately after he laughed. He laughed because he'd not done anything wrong, and was already shaking his blond head when he began to respond to the low purr of his brother's voice, "I went for a ride this morning, it was magnificent, well you know save for the weather. I have even bathed already, and my schedule is clear. Are you... are you well?"
Drystan Windgrace pulled his hand off the banister and nodded some, smiling at his brother's laugh. "Ah good, you've bathed, thank goodness for the small details." He smirked a little at him. "I am as well as I suppose I can be. I did want to talk to you if you had some time, you know, really, sit and chat. I do have a great deal on my mind and some things I feel that I need to ...say? ...explain? I'm not altogether sure. I hadn't thought this out, to be perfectly honest with you, I just know ..." He shook his head. "Shall we retire downstairs?" He offered, extending his hand over the railing and gesturing to the downstairs area. "Or we could ...well, going for a walk can be dangerous right now. I suppose we could walk the tunnels, but I have yet to meet the new being Dinah summoned, I'm not sure that I am prepared for that just now." He turned and made his way back around towards his room and the stairs downwards, "Oh, let me grab something quickly, and I'll be right down." He paused at his doors and opened one, slipping in quietly, smiling back at his blonde counterpart.
Dorian was enthusiastic for the time to talk together, though he tried to read his brother's face for clues about what the conversation would be. There was a momentary flare of worry though his expression but it relaxed when it seemed like his brother was not cross. Agreeably, he replied, "I would be glad to listen, I am ready to get into some brandy, I will go pour us both one." He'd march down the corridor past Drystan's room to the stairwell then bound down with audible bootfalls. From the sound of it, he took the last several in one bound. Something his parents weren't here to tell him not to do. It was just a little letting off exuberance and exhilaration about what might be coming. In an oft-repeated trajectory he made his way to the cabinet with the spirits and glasses and began to make a drink for each of them.
He'd be singing an old blues song to himself while he did, unabashedly and unapologetically,
"My girl, my girl, don't lie to me
Tell me where did you sleep last night
In the pines, in the pines
Where the sun don't ever shine
I would shiver the whole night through"
Drystan Windgrace followed his brother down the stairs shortly after, a heavy crystal decanter in his hand, filled with a clear liquid. He pushed up at he sleeved as he made his way into the living room, setting the decanter down on the table and then went over to the record player in the corner, and tossed on one of the softer jazzy albums that Dorian seemed to always enjoy, it made for good background sound. He looked over at him as he dug into the spirits, and snuffed a laugh through his nostrils,
"I'll take a brandy, sure...but I'd love to show you what I've got." He eased the music on and then walked over and plopped himself into the couch, swinging one long leg over the other, elbow on the arm of the leather, before he reached with his other hand to push back his hair. He was fully glamoured, which lately had not been the usual for him while he was at home. He secluded himself enough from the staff if he knew he'd be around them, other than Mr. Song, and when he was outside of course, though he usually kept his third eye open and visible. For now, he wanted his brother to see him as he'd always been, the face and skin he'd known his whole life.
Dorian did not miss that his brother brought a bottle with him and he was already very curious about the contents. So it was that the one he'd started to pour got tossed down the hatch, it was before he could pour his brother one. He'd get two fresh cut crystal glasses for this treat, whatever it was and bring them over to plop himself beside his sibling on the couch. He was grinning as he explained, "No, let's see what you have, brandy can wait. Ohhhh this song has the most solid jive, babababadaaaah!" He waggled his eyebrows up and down to show he was anticipating the libation, and also the conversation. His brother wanting to spend time with him always spoke to the boy in him who wanted nothing more than to be like his elder. Even though he was made and then formed differently. Dorian was almost always glamoured, he thought of himself as his mundane self, except in moments of extreme emotion when ferocity took over, or when traversing the magical ways of the rituals he attended.
The middlest Windgrace would hold both glasses out rather than setting them down, as if he didn't want to wait even that long for the pour.
Drystan Windgrace laughed as Dorian came around with the two expectant tumblers, and shook his head "Okay okay, here." He leaned over and picked up the heavy crystal and pulled the top from it, and poured the clear liquid into one glass. just enough for a sip. "Just to taste, okay?" He lifted both brows at him and then held the glass back and rested it upon his knee, waiting for his brother to take the sip. He would be likely very surprised at what he would drink though, Drystan knew full well that it was just tap water from the bathroom. But the trick was all part of the treat that was in store once his brother reacted. He waited, a smile on his lips, leaning forward just a nudge to watch his expression fully. "Tell me what you think of that." He chewed on the inside of one cheek lightly as he watched him.
Dorian wiggled his nose trying to smell it while it was being poured. He got nowhere with that, but when the siplet was poured for him he'd settle the empty one onto the couch between them as he stuck his snoot in the glass' top to try and sniff it again. He was grinning a conspiratory grin at his brother all full of anticipation over what it might be. He followed the merry trail his brother laid out, all of the way to drinking that sip. He let it roll over his tongue and after a moment the mirth drained from his face. He still had water in his mouth, which he swallowed and then just looked at his brother asking a hundred questions with his betrayed and confused expression: brows aloft, gray eyes wide, lips in a wide pressed line. He was sure he was about to get laughed at.
Drystan Windgrace had his brows ALL the way up now, mouth open in a smile. When his brother looked at him, he sat back with a pleased smile on his face. "Forgive my attempt at theatrics, but trust it is worth it. Plain water, yes, ha ha. But I wanted you to see that it was in fact just water. Because...." He straightened the wide smile on his face into a calm line and closed his eyes, raising his hand with the decanter in it, and began a chanting of Latin. Phrases repeated themselves then were altered and that was repeated, so on and so forth. He lifted his other hand and moved it around the bottle and slowly, the clear liquid swirled into a deep amber, and Drystan stopped and opened his eyes, turning them to the bottle and the smile spread across his face again. "Now! Here we go! Both glasses dearest brother, hoist them!" If Dorian did, he'd pour nice evenly full into each and replace the topper and set the now darker fluids aside, "A toast?" He would reach out to take his glass and then tip his head, pleased looking. "To
going back and reading the right passages in old books, to no longer needing to scrimp by for the finer things in life."
Dorian wasn't the butt of the joke, he realized and he dropped the hurt puppy parts of his expression away. As he listened, rapt, to what Drystan had to say, wonder replaced all the betrayal. He was good at keeping his mouth shut while chanting happened by experience, and when it was his turn to take part in the miracle he lifted the glasses for a new pour. This time, he could smell it, and it was good. Not the comparative piss he'd overpaid for by an almost embarrassing amount from some crew just on the wrong side of merchants to be pirates. He acted out his part with enthusiasm, even glee over getting to play with his big brother at all. "Blimey," came his first response, when he exhaled from the deep whiff of the whiskey. "To your brilliant and glorious mind, more like." Then he tossed it back for a few Adam's apple bobbing chugs, and it was good. Rolling his eyes back while his eyelids fluttered good. When he opened them they fixed on the face down the couch from him and he'd exclaim, "Bloody fucking hell. That... that is fantastic. You... you can do this? I could kiss you Drystan! Ha!"
Drystan Windgrace laughed at the response and had taken his own big long drink, savoring the familiar flavor. One of their favorite old, rich whiskeys. "I can! I mean, I knew I could transform things, but I don't know why it took me THIS long to realize I could make...--- pretty much anything if I put my mind to it." He beamed at his little brother and leaned his long torso across the couch and grabbed his brother up around the neck as if he was going to give him a noogie and instead kissed him smack on the lips with a laugh. "MWAAAAH! Ahahaha!" He jostled his brother around a bit, shaking his shoulders and patting him, going to refill his glass, and then a little more to his own. "I was reminded of it the other day, ..when we were dealing with Grace. I've been a fool, not to think of this." He shook his head and exhaled and leaned back into his spot on the couch, smoothing out his shirt and trousers as he did, sipping now on the drink. "I thought you'd really like that." He looked at his brother with an almost wistful smile and easy eyes on Dorian.
Dorian was kissed just in time to have whiskey lips, and through all of it instead of struggling to get away at all or defend himself, he'd aim at all times to protect his drink from losing a precious drop. When the smooch landed, Dorian barely stiffened. He was grinning and blushing afterward, flush from affection and the great gulps he'd just taken. Prodigious quantity was the key for people with their constitution, afterall. Grinning unto showing teeth he'd watch his glass get topped up and listen until it was his turn to answer, "You thought bloody right! How could you call yourself a fool? You are a brilliant fucking genius! Thank you Drystan! This is marvelous, really. Thank you!" He was duly impressed unto having no other words. Not when he could be drinking. His brother had just lit a beacon in the fog, burning off some of the gloom of lack with his better than Jesus miracle.
Drystan Windgrace pulled his hand to his chin, that he had leaned on the arm of the couch, to smile through a couple of his knuckles, finger pushed against his cheek, thumb on jawbone. His eyes glittered as his brothers joy spread to him and he reflected that back to him. "You're quite welcome." He brought his up and had a slow sip, and licked his lips after, shaking his head at his brothers pale skin going pink in the cheeks. He snuffed through his nose and sat there a moment just enjoying the feeling of having done something good, and right. "Whatever you need, so long as it is inanimate, ..transforming living things...gets a little hairy for the individual, but..Food, drink, drug, whatever. " He waved his other hand in the air, gesturing at, whatever. After a while of watching him savor the drink, he cleared his throat a little. "I owe you a great many apologies, Dorian. I can't possibly get to all of them, but..I can start somewhere. I'm sorry for my reaction and shouting at you and your sister, shooing you off and being generally nasty. I wasn't all in my right mind, I'm afraid." He looked down at the glass, swirling the liquid around.
Dorian beamed at the mirrored joy, and the little feedback loop of happy between them, sipping and thinking very little. He listened, attentively though, and was going to answer on that front, but he was too busy enjoying the conjured whiskey up until when things got serious. Almost from the moment Dorian realized he was being apologized to, he shook his head, and from his expression it might be clear that he was going to tell Stan not to worry about it at all. But as it went on and got more earnest, he kept his trap shut. He'd nodded along toward the end and looked from Drystan's glass when it was being swirled to his own. After a heartbeat or two he'd raise his gaze toward his brother and reply, the words falling from his mouth ejected directly from his heart, "You were long since forgiven. You see, I am the one who bungled that one. The news. I forgot you were friends with him too and what it might mean to you. You don't need to apologize. Even if you did, you more than made up for everything with this little spell of yours."
He'd lean over to mock punch his brother's knee in punctuation, venturing a smile that lit up his gray eyes.
Drystan Windgrace kept the placid smile on his face but moved his hand down to rest in his lap. He took another drink and was thoughtful for a moment, "Well, you know that he and I were more than just friends. As much as I know you don't like that fact. There wasn't a label to put on whatever it was. but it was a bit more than just losing a random acquaintance. Nevertheless, I put to question your protection of this family, and made an ass of myself kicking open that trunk. I know you don't understand ...that, or don't care to. But some part of what I said was truth. I've disappeared...many corpses. Likely more than you may realize." He paused and took another drink, and then looked over into the silver coins of Dorian's gaze. "I ...killed Sara Wolf, and set this whole chain of events into motion, no matter if I had intended on killing her or not, which - I did not. I feel ..possessed at times, like I am not the one controlling my body, but I have no answer as to whom or what is doing it." He turned a bit towards him, "Don't get me wrong, I ..very much intend to kill nearly everyone I have, but there have been times..." He shook his head and looked back down. "I can't take back what I've done, And I ..can't stop. So I will always be getting rid of bodies, Dorian. The one in the trunk, he gave himself to me, and with his ..near death, I thought I had a solution to this very issue. He regenerates. I ...used my abilities on his brain, and he's ...compliant. He seems to really only express pleasure, and he's good for that, but I can't kill him. And this feeling," He rubbed the center of his chest, "..this won't just go away."
Dorian was coaxed away from his cup by his brother speaking more. It wasn't just the velvet of his voice and cadence, but also the words. Willfully ignorant as he seemed, he was interested in what his brother had to say. In how he felt and thought. He was curious about the body in the trunk when he saw it, and many times after, but it wasn't his business. It got so deep and earnest that Dorian really was gobsmacked for a moment and he drank down the rest of the glass, looking over at his brother's face while he did. As he exhaled the whiskey dragon breath, he'd lean over to put his hand on Drystan's knee. In place of a lot of words. It meant that he loved his brother, and that he'd always be there for him, no matter what. But he didn't say that. What he said was, "Are you worried? About the loss of control you spoke of? Or about this... ...feeling?"
That he didn't speak to the line items about corpses and Sara owed to there being more urgent business on the front of his mind. He didn't care about the whole chain of events that had been kicked off, damn the rest of the isle, so much as he did about making sure his brother was alright.
Drystan Windgrace looked down at his brother's hand, and back over at him. He didn't have much of a smile left, even if he did feel nice and warm and soft around the edges thanks to the fine whiskey. He blinked in contemplation and then drank down what was left in his glass, and reached forward to place his palm against the back of his brother's hand, curling his fingertips underneath. "I used to worry about just the urge, the urges. I was looking for some sort of remedy, prayed to Nyarlathotep, and he led me to Kiernan...that's the lads name. But then he gifted me with the tentacles. I thought it was some sort of mad blessing from him, but I think that he led Kiernan and I together as a lesson. I'm not meant to stop it. It's how I worship, it's how I speak to a God, how he's able to respond. I'd never want to lose that." He squeezed his brother's hand lightly. "I do worry when control seems to be taken from me. I had it...forced into the essence of who I am to be able to control myself, to regulate." He shook his head and let go of his hand to reach and pour into his glass again, setting the decanter on the table between them again. He exhaled and shook his head and looked over at him. "You can always ask me anything, anything at all."
Dorian pressed his brother's curled fingers for a moment. He listened again with all sort of new information being granted him about the mysteries of his brother. Tall as he was, and long a shadow as he cast, there was plenty of space for mysteries. Learning that this was communion with the sacred, well that meant he didn't need to understand it. No more than he understood his strange dreams that were sometimes vastly sweeping, but other times strange and stranger unto incomprehensible. With the booze free flowing again, he'd be able to get blackout sleep if he timed a good bottle's worth right before bed, no dreams required. While he listened and had his hand held, and held that hand back, his face would show keen interest, not unlike when his brother was pouring the first sip, but also wonder, like when he turned water into whiskey. Maybe the glee was missing, but there was also relief that his elder was not terribly worried. He'd take his brother up on the questions without limit as soon as he emptied the last trickles from his cup. That done, and the glass set down, he'd look from the table to his sibling down the couch and quietly confess, "I had something like that happen to me. I was dreaming about our gods... I think... and... I woke up to two bodies in the warehouse, well... they were mostly ash, and that is how I found the armillary. Di says it's no wonder we feel so close to them when their temple is just below the house. But I hope you would... if you ever needed help... say something to me. Not that I would be worth much in this particular regard..."
(Continued in Discord)