The 'Tates' Will Decide [Angel_Lass]

He shivvered, or perhaps shuddered and looked away. "You must have me mistaken...." he muttered, pushing himself up to stand, crying out before crumbeling to his knees again, hugging himself tightly. It felt liek his insides were being torn apart. "If its my soul your after witch, youll have to get in line." he breathed out, wincing.

It was piqulear seeing in in such torment. It was almost as though he woudlnt even admit to himself his body was in pain, though he clearly knew it.

Strange.

He looked up with cold blue eyes, glaring at the woman. "Well?" he narrowed his eyes. "What do you want with me. I have enough demons in my head, I dont need death hovering over me like-" he grimiced. "Some would be guardian."

Tates pulled his chin free sucking in a quick and shaky breath. "I said your mistaken." he frowned, his icy blue eyes moving to look back at her again. "If I were a god like all of you damned people seem to think then why am I stuck on earth?" he glared. "Get out of my head... you and all the lot like you."

Though he tried to make his voice intimidating it didnt work. notin his dreams. it was easy to see through his front. He was, after all, shaking from head to toe. And apparently she was not the first to mention his past. Seemed he would fight the truth tooth and nail.

"I dont need any more of your worthless goddly gifts." he hissed. "I dont want any powers." he looked up at her with a firce expression. One that was undeniably that of Niivas. "I do NOT want ot be a GOD." he snapped.

Tates swore and grabed two fistfulls of snow, closing his eyes. the snow shifted around him, forming a dimly glowing light blue blade. he stood up- some how clothed now, though still bleeding. "Let her go." tates said, one knee giving way on him.

The dark haired man cried out shortly, wincing, droping the blade to wrap his arms around himself again. Not very intimidating, though his blue eyes were. they shone the same way the womans seemed to glow red. "If you dont..." he grimiced.

He haddnt been the only one unable to see. The pristess coudl now see what was causing the bleeding. arrows alright. bright golden arrows. made of light, or life. Each arros was clinging to the nect, a golden ribben twisting its way tightly aroudn the mans skin, pulling him back to the ground any time he tried to stand.

Oh, he was fighting himself. And at the same time someone else. No wonder it was so hard to convince him.

The ice blade found its way back to his hands, though he used it for a krutch more than weapon in the way he stood, pale skain splattered with a lovely and horrorfing crimson. "You havnt answwered what you want from me."

"People dont talk like that anymore." tates said, his cold eyes falling ont the priestess. This was a dream. All just psychotics playing would with him in his head.

"Bring her to hell and I promise you youll have me knocking at your door ready to slice you in two." he breathed out, the golden chains tugging him down. He winced, nearly hugging the ice he held in his hands. "If I were ungreatful I woudl have no reason to care if she died or not." he pointed out.

For a moment he appered to be translucent, like he was fading. "For the last time... what do you want from me?"

-----

Tates goaned, sturring in his sleep a syalty placed a cool cloth over his forhead and eyes.

Tates froze her voice making the hair on the back of his neck stand up. "Ive been doing that." he said not able to look over his shoulder at the goddess. Some how, he felt too afraid to do so. "Ive beening uisng that sword, staying wheres its cold, What more can I possibly do?"

He pulled free of her and turned around. "I was hoping that she could show me."

And ha. He'd said it. the reason he was so intent on keeping the priestess alive and close to him. She served as a becon really. A light to lead his way. He had no idea where that way woudl take him, why or how. Just that with a direction in sight he woudl be able to keep taking a new step forward.

"If I AM niiva, then SHE-" he thrust one iceie blade in the priestess direction. "_is the only thing that will make me remember!"

-/-

Tates gasped shakily opening his eyes with a start. he grimiced laying his hand over his face, having sucessfully spooked Poor blinka off of him and the priestess- the cat running to hide under Yaltys chair.

"Good morning sleeping beauty." the giant greeted, sounding rather amused by the cats hissing. "Pleasent dreams?"

"Hardly." he said dully, pushing himself up to a sitting possission with a frown and wince. "... How long have I been out?"

"Better part fo 3 hours now. The priestess been out for about one hour."

Tates sighed, pulling the blanket around him with a grimice, tossing his feet over the edge of the cott, watching the priestess for a while in silence.

"So then, why did you send her ahead of you? Rather inconsiderate." Yalty scolded.

"We were being attacked." tates said simply. "And it started to snow... I couldnt let her just freeze to death."

"Why is that?" yalty raised an eyebrow. "I thought you didnt like women. Something about them being a waiste of time and energy?"

"Hn." tates replied uncaringly, shuddering. "Yalty... do you have any tea?" he asked rubbing his hands together.

"... Of course." the giant boomed as he stood, headded to the kitchen.

Tates watched him go before looking down at his chest and arms, legs.... all wounds where he had been hurtin the dream... he couldnt tell what was real and wasnt. yalty coming to his rescue... that he was sure had been real. the rest---.

He put a hand to his head with a frown. "Yalty." he called infor his friend. "What do you think of me...?"

He heard the larger man chukle. "I think your a stuborn man with a firety temper. And a rather large ego." he said comming back, handing him a large mug of hot tea.

Tates sipped it carefully. "Not personality wise..."

"Im sorry, I dont sway that way." yalty raised an eyebrow chukeling when tates glared. "I think your blessed or cursed... either way im safe around you."

"How so?" he blinked looking over.

"The way I see it- the gods either love you too much to hurt you or anyone close to you, obviously not. Or they just love to mess with you. they would never kill their main source of entertainment."

Tates reached forward, running a cool hand over the priestess face, pushing her hair back. "I owe her my life I suppose then...?"

"Well, if you want to." yalty said shifting, crossing one foot over the other. "After all- you would have healed on your own." he reasoned.

".... Maybe." tates said frowning. He sipped his tea before standing, sitting back down nearly imediatly. "How many a-"

"at least 15 arrows." he stated. "You should rest reguardless."

Tates had pulled her into an embrace. One, in hopes of cutting her screams off, and two, to hopefully truly calm her down.

"Shh.." she coaxed softly, his breath tickeling the nape of her neck. "Calm down... It was only a dream." he breathed out, his voice so soft and calming- it was hard not to believe him. he could have told yalty he was a she in that voice and the giant may have bought it.

He had a suprisingly earthy smell. Like pine wood'd smoke. Crisp and fresh, yet that same foresty musty smell that tended to soothe the nerves.

He ran a hand down her back calmingly. It was odd how well their bodies seemed to just fit into eachother. "Yalty- bring the priestess a cup of tea." he said.

Of course the giant didnt argue, having been about to do so anyway himself.

Tates kept his arms around her and allowed her to cry into his chest, repeatedly and silently rubbing her back. slow mathodic movements that helped to calm her, though the storm outside raged on.

"Here..." yalty simply put the tea pot down, as well as a new cup for the priestess since tates already had one.

Blinka watched curiously, creeping into the priestess' lap, snuggeing in between her and ttes.

Yalty blinked, startled to hear tates laugh. That same melody seemingly mixed in with it was sheerly spine tingeling.

"Are you honestly apologizing to me after you saved my life?" he asked offering her a small smirk. it seemed so natural on his face. much more so than his normal stoic expression. "I feel fine.... a little warm perhaps, but thats all." he assured her.

"Easy." tates said ceatching her elbow. with a slight frown, all laughter gone, he helped her lay back down. "You need your rest..." he said, keeping his voice low. it was late. HIs head throbbed and he was sure hers did. He took the tea from her hands and sood, though his legs trembled. yes, the poisen was gone and he was stiched up... but an arrow or 6 made it hard to move none the less. "Yalty- do you have straws?"

"Sit." the bulky man grunted and stood. "Ill get."

Tates nodded, sitting down again- thoughit lacked his usual grace. clearly due to his injuries.

tates looked down at her for a moment stoicly before a grinn spread lightly across his face. "Yalty is a demi god.... well be fine. Now rest." he said, his cold eyes seeming so.... so sure.

When Yalty came back into the den he blinked, suprised, only slightly, to see the high priestess seemingly asleep again, and Tates laying back down as well.