Monday,

January 8, 2012

9: 03 AM

Valli is settled in the basement this morning. Sat in a little nook in the middle of the wall, the wide rounded window he is cozy in provides unneeded natural light. The circular window is perfect for the library in the basement, styled with comfortable pillows on the wooden frames of the glass. The rounded bench connected to the window fits his body smugly, bundled with his knees to his chest and a thin throw blanket thrown over his legs. A book is leaning on his thighs, steadied by one relaxed grasp on the fragile, worn hardcover. The window overlooks the backyard, the rushing river, and the tiny fish shed sits on the edge of the bank. The colors are bright, the sparkling water and the vibrant green of the grass then the dull shades of brown in the muck by the river. He can hear nature outside, calming and comforting even with the view to it.

Breakfast prepared and plated for Kane, a full Irish Breakfast; Irish bacon (back bacon), black bread, and baked beans, with servings of bitter orange marmalade, eggs, and even more. This meal is a favorite of his to cook, mostly due to the large batch he can make. Hunters (both women and men) tend to eat him out of the house and home. They're hungry people; the stops at diners and gas-station food don't compete with a constantly working body, always burned out of their systems by the end of a hunt or a binge drive. He had learned quickly to make one feast of breakfast (and every other meal) to leave out for them to help themselves. It allows Valli to get work and research done, rather than being trapped in the kitchen to prepare more food.

He had eaten by himself this morning, of no fault to Kane. Valli simply woke up earlier to get the meal finished, eager to settle in the basement with a warm kettle of tea and a thick book. He was certain the food would be warm and ready for Kane, leaving a note of where he was and what the food was. Today, he plans on tackling the information Ma requested. Having started the research after the first call, he got distracted for a few days with Kane here and in the market. She assured him to take his own time, that she was just researching a theory and had no creature to hunt as of yet.

The moment Kane gets up and starts moving about is heard, the floors and walls faintly vibrating in the old house under his uncaring, heavy footfalls. Alerting Valli of where the man moves throughout the house, even on the bottom floor. His ears perk at the noise, but he pushes the information to the back of his mind. Keeping vague track of the man while his fingers glide softly on the torn and cracking page in the book, the letters magically rise off the page similar to braille. Addy was more than happy to charm the entire basement, any book entering is spelled to allow Valli to read it — whether with real Braille translated in pages or simply puffing the letter off the page to read.

It's convenient, Valli thinks. He enjoys reading, it was hard for him to comprehend how he would ever research or read a thriller novel without his sight. However, he is a fast learner and he put his soul into learning to translate Braille, to read again by touch. Now, he flies through books. Taking joy in the plots and information being handed to his mind. It takes mere days, if that, for him to finish a book. To find information is slightly harder, needing to go through book after book, digging deep. It's fun for the blind man, occupying his time and feeding on all the details and topics that may come in handy.

Kane's thundering footsteps pace down the creaky stairs, pausing briefly at the doorway to the kitchen, then the pace slows as he steps to the island counter. Valli smiles to himself, the distant clang of silverware and plates announcing his food is not going to waste. He'll probably finish off half of it, I bet myself ten bucks. Even if it could feed twelve. A light huff-laugh escapes his nose, shaking his head as he turns his attention to the book in his hand.

The chapter he is currently reading, speaks of an ancient creature from Greek myth; a Chimera (Chimaera, or Chimæra). The text and pictures (which come alive in his fingers for him to touch) state this creature is one mixed with various animals, namely the head of a lioness, and a goat's body with the tail of a serpent. Every description gives either two heads of the lioness and goat, or three for the lioness, goat, and a firing-breathing dragon. There are indefinite mentions of Ancient Egypt as he tries to dig for more information about weakness, origin, and what weapons to use. The only constant is that this creature is always female, none of the sources state any differently. Daughter of Echidna (half-woman half-snake, mother of other monsters) and Typhon (a gigantic serpent), she is said to be a monstrous hybrid, a fire-breathing creature from Lycia.

While this information is interesting to read, there are no clear-cut details on where she could live, why she was created, or what her purpose is. He doesn't find weapons, spells, or ways to kill. The pages are blank of any useful knowledge to hunters. Valli is disappointed he doesn't read about what a Chimera can do to humans, what type of powers she could have — apart from fire-breathing. The entire chapter is mostly useless details, and repeated words in different sentences. This frustrates him, sighing through his nose irritatedly as he flips back to the start of the chapter, reading slower as if the information he craves will slide onto the page for him.

It's no surprise they don't. The words, sentences, and unusable components are still the same. This merely prompts a scowl to overtake his peaceful features, lips in an upset pout and eyebrows furrowed, the scar running through them wrinkling. Tilting his head back to rest against the wall at his back, his ears track the light creaks of boots landing on the basement stairs like a wolf tracks a prey, sitting patiently and calmly. The footsteps are purposefully loud and heavy, Kane announcing his presence before he even has Valli in his eyesight. The host knows well it's because the man doesn't want to startle him, however low a chance that'd be. Nothing has startled him in years, his senses going into hyper gear twenty-four-seven once his eyesight went missing in action.

However, the gesture doesn't go unappreciated. It's respectful of Kane to try to make him comfortable with a stranger in his home, attempting to alert him whenever the hunter enters the house. He is also aware of the man's wariness of being around a blind person. Kane doesn't know how to act and while it's mostly (slightly, kinda) sad, it's mainly an endearing quality that Valli finds in it. He is stumping that man left and right, being so aware of his surroundings without his eyes functioning properly. It's humorous to prompt an abrupt perplexed silence to something he does or says.

The boots land on the last stair of the walled stairs to the basement, the doorway creaking as the man's weighty shoulder leans on it. Valli feels the gaze of Kane on his form, studying his position with the intensity of a hunter — both of the supernatural and a natural predator. His eyes are closed, hiding the grayish film over the nutmeg pupils. The soft snort from Kane's direction gives him a signal to acknowledge his presence, it's polite to ignore until given a sign; it's creepy (unsettlingly) to stare at them and wait. Lifting his head, turning and needlessly (habitually) blinking as he sets his eyes on the dark, board and tall silhouette surrounded by similar shades of void in vague shapes that give nothing of their identity.

"Good morning! How was breakfast?" He chirpily greets, the book flopping closed with a gentle nudge.

Kane's eyes squint, his mind still processing the admittedly cute scene and reeling from the fact this man used to be a hunter. Now, he's cozied up in his oversized fluffy hoodie, sipping tea by a window with a book he might not even be able to read — how is he reading without those dot things? It's a sudden thought in his mind, distracting himself for a moment as he ponders how, exactly, Valli gets information. He shakes his head, meeting the unseeing gaze of his host trained on his build patiently. The natural light surrounding the retired hunter is bright, the sun rising high and casting rays around the man's head and body. The long strands of burnett hair shine and are vibrant like liquid milk chocolate, draping over his shoulders under the fuzzy hood.

Crossing his arms, his large palms squeeze the biceps of his arms to get his mind back on track. Rasping out a response, his full stomach proving the words correct. "There's a plate left if you haven't eaten, but I ate everything else." Valli smirks, snifting his laugh at how he predicted this. "Was good. Thanks."

His hand rises to wave the hunter off, grinning with a small dimple and allowing a light laugh. "Oh, no problem! If you want that last plate, help yourself. I ate before I came down. The rest is all for you. Thanks for saving a plate though!"

At the simple thanks, Kane's shoulders tense for a short second and he has to consciously relax them as he lets the appreciation slide off him. Don't think about it. It's easier to hear if he merely ignores it. He allows the silence to carry on, simply observing Valli's slim hands caress the book as he opens it back up, thumb holding the page he was on. His eyes follow the single finger that traces the letters, flicking up to notice the man's pale eyes habitually follow the path his touch takes. The large man fights not to shift on his feet, curious, yet uncertain if he should continue a conversation.

The past few days have begun a routine, one Kane is comfortable with and adjusting to. Finding Valli down here rather in the barn, in his garden, or not in the kitchen is new. He wants to learn about patterns and situations he can predict or expect, the hunter's instincts in him demand to know where his vulnerable host is. Clearing his throat sounds like a guttural growl, and he can witness the second Valli hones his senses to return to his presence at the small noise. His head twitches, as if physically indicating his ears jumped like a dog would.

"You opening the market today?" Another soft slip of an accent, however gruff and rough it is, Valli can hear the buried French once again. He wonders if Kane moved here at a young age, as he did. Perhaps his parents had heavy accents and he simply grew with it.

He shakes his head lightly, raising it to provide eye contact, showing he is listening. "No, not today. I thought I'd dig for that information Ma asked for, looks like I'm going to be going through a lot too."

Kane hums, unbothered to hide his eyes straying to the book the other holds. He can't get a good look at the name or theme of it, but he can assume it's filled with monster details. "What are you looking for? She wasn't very open to tell me." He leaves out the part of her being annoyed by him at the time he asked, scoffing at him instead and dropping the last case before his ordered vacation.

"I'm not quite sure, actually," Valli admits sheepishly. Fingers picking at his nails, head lowered. "All she said was to look into creatures similar to Griffins, the lion-bird creature. So that's where I started. She only said she was looking into a theory she has."

This causes the hunter's eyebrow to furrow, confused and suddenly concerned. From what he heard, Griffins and similar animal-mixed monsters didn't exist. It wouldn't make much sense considering he hunts every other monster, but the rumor was they were extinct or hiding incredibly well. Hellhounds are real, dragons are real; why couldn't a giant flying lion with wings be real? Why would Ma be looking into them without a probable reason? Why is she suddenly so interested?

He can barely remember searching for anything close to Griffins, his father casting them off as stupid stories and myths — even when every other scary story and myth came violently to life. With everything coming at him, hunting every day of every month, on the road, and trying to fill his stomach, he forgot they even had stories. Shifting his posture, he uncrosses his arms and stuffs his hands in his jeans pockets. The wood whines under his weight, his unrelenting stare on Valli catching the tilt to the man's lips in a cute shy smile as he continues his reading. Finger still softly gliding over the words and letters, head turned to the book and lowered.

"You find anything?" It's curiosity that pushes the question from his lips, the man tightening his lips in a scowl to himself. What happened to not getting too close? No chatting, just go to work and leave.

At the inquiry, Valli puffs his cheeks out and the cute scowling pout Kane was greeted with returns full force. The man holds his tight expression, shoving the thought to the back of his mind. "Not exactly." His host mumbles, mildly upset in a childish manner. "All I found so far is in this book, only one Griffen-related creature. A Chimera, from Greek Mythology. Depicted as a giant monster with a lioness head, a goat head, and maybe a dragon head with the body of a goat and the tail of a serpent." He explains, shaking his head. "That's it, though. No weakness, no ways to kill or what her purpose is supposed to be — besides being the daughter of two monster parents."

"But there's stories and evidence of it existing?" Kane pushes, eager to either sign this off as a new thing to hunt or simply stupid writings.

Tilting his head, Valli hesitates, teeth chewing his bottom lip. "Well... yes. Considering we know Gods exist, it would be fair to assume that every myth has truth to it. Every religion has myths of Gods and monsters, both of which were found on Earth at some point." He points out, shrugging. "They just don't care enough to help anybody much." This is said in a quiet scoffed murmur. "But, again, yeah. There are sources, poor and not very good, yet sources nevertheless. Some are constant on facts, which suggests they could have been discovered before by multiple people."

"Great," Kane growls out, lips snarling, annoyed the list of monsters just grew in his mind. Now he has to look out for flying lions or goats, or whatever the hell it is snatching his body off the ground in the middle of a hunt. Pushing himself off the wall, he steps closer, prompting the other man to straighten his spine and follow the movement with his head. The question is a demand, "How do you kill them?"

Sighing, Valli rolls his eyes playfully and shrugs again with a chuckle. "That's the problem. I don't know! I don't even know if they're a threat or not! I need more books or my laptop."

Unthinkingly, the hunter grunts and marches towards the shelves of books lined against the walls and through the middle of the room in neat order. Steps louder than meant, create a light wince to contort the other man's expression. Voice a gruff inquire, "Which books?"

In shock, Valli merely blinks at the sudden spark of commotion as the large man thunders through his library. He hadn't expected Kane to want to research, let alone with him. His head follows the pacing steps to the back bookshelves, hearing the tell-tale sounds of rough skin brushing the spines of books. Licking his lips nervously, he raises his voice to be heard across the room. "Um, let's start with Greek Mythology. Those should be on the middle shelves, not on the wall — in the G section. It should be labeled."

His instructions are followed, and the man moves to the standing shelves. Searches for the alphabetical labels hung on the sides, the bold letters having the thick puffed-up dots for Valli to read. It's quick to find the Greek section, books, and tombs lined in topic or size neatly. He grabs an armful, thick worn books bundled in his grasp without much care. Heading back to Valli, the hunter notices he had placed the book he was busy with on the round coffee table holding his kettle and a tea (the size of a bowl) cup. His eyes trace his weighty boots on the floor, interested in what is happening and curious as he leans on his knees.

Kane carefully drops his bulk onto the floor, spreading the books on the table with cautious acknowledgment of the hot kettle. The dull thud of his ass landing on the rugged hardwood floor snaps blank and nearly colorless eyes to him in pure shock. The blanket on the host is gripped, and Valli rushes to get up. "Oh! You don't need to sit on the floor! There's enough—"

He stops his words abruptly with a light squeak, hands wandering slowly to the firm, yet gentle grasp on his knee. A callused, rough hand greets him. Palm wide and oh-so-hot covers the expanse of his bare knee, thick fingers squeezing in a stern, silent, warning to stay put. Kane's voice is husky, softly reassuring in a way that throws the blind man completely off guard. "You're comfortable, stay there. The floor won't hurt me."

Startled by the sudden behavior, Valli nods speechlessly. Consciously blinking to reset his mind, just slightly, to focus once more. He gestures to the tea, uncertain why he feels shy. "... Do you want tea?"

The man's soft chuckle reaches his ears, bringing a flush up his neck from it being so close. Kane is uncharacteristically bold in the last few moments, but the obvious shock and adorable flush on his host is a reward for it. He considers the offer, already well aware he may get a cup anyway. These past few days, Valli has made it clear he won't simply rest and stop the host act. "Sure."

He watches the chirpy smile return to the man's pink lips, his body anticipating the moment he needs to step in, in case Valli accidentally spills the tea. It's unneeded since the cup of tea is poured expertly. The man uses the tip of his finger to measure the liquid, then drops a little honey spoon in it to stir with.

"Don't you wanna work?" It's not a rude question, the words don't make the man tense up. The features he sees when he looks up make it clear it's merely confusion; cocked head, eyes squinting and lips pursed.

He takes the cup, sitting it next to him as he grabs a book. Smirking to himself as his silence receives a nervous shift of the others' hips, Kane tilts his head back and his glinting eyes watch the man sitting on the window bench. It feels good to catch Valli off guard. Shoving out a false grunt is easy, feigning being annoyed comes easy, yet he knows well the man catches on to the subtle tones in his voice. "Gotta make sure I can kill these fuckers."

Grinning delightfully, Valli carefully finds the stack of books and begins researching with the silent hunter. Elated at having someone to bounce theories off of and the company in general. Kane's eyes stray off the page occasionally towards his new roommate, absently allowing himself to take in the endearing cuteness for the first time since he arrived. He won't make moves and doesn't plan on coming back soon. No matter how cute Valli is, he is a monster-lover on some level and that doesn't sit well in Kane's gut.