nexus_crossings | (no subject)

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Many others of his ilk like to cause a scene or enter with a bang - Stolas, however, is not one for dramatics. He's also one for studying a situation before stepping into it.

He doesn't immediately ask any questions - instead, he watches the Nexus-goers like someone would people watch. Perhaps a little more intently than some would like, leaving them feeling like an owl is watching them from somewhere. The custom of asking a question makes itself shown quickly, and people like it when customs or traditions are followed. He might as well.

Stolas' voice is on the deeper end of the scale, but clear and calm, sounding like a college professor. "What constellations have you always been able to find, when the sky allows it? Why do you think it's easy for you to find this particular one?"

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Stolas tilts his head at how startled Josh is. At the question of what are you he raises an eyebrow. "A number of things. But you already seem ill at ease, so perhaps we'll circle back around to that later, hm?"

He isn't covered in gore or blood. Stolas sticks a hand out. "You're free to see if I'm solid." He's had people freak out like this when he's in owl form, but never when he's a normal human being. "He mentioned that as well. I'm sorry that I know so much about you when we've only just met. I am Stolas."

Josh drops his gaze to Stolas' hand as it extends. He swallows the lump in his throat and hesitantly reaches a tan hand out. One that shakes and trembles despite his attempts to calm down. There are crescent moon shaped scars on the palms of his hands visible as he reaches out, withdrawing his fingers when he gets close before finally touching Stolas's hand.

Solid. Skin and bone. Josh sinks his teeth into his lower lip hard enough to hurt but Stolas doesn't go away. This isn't a hallucination. This is real.

"Sh...shit. You're...Who? Who told you about me?"

Edited 2016-12-08 17:50 (UTC)

Stolas has the patience of stars. He doesn't try to rush Josh as the other man reaches out to touch him. Once Josh finally is - his hand is warm, oddly so, like he's been around a fire or a hot stove. Despite this he doesn't seem uncomfortable and isn't sweating. But he is skin and bone and solid, and he doesn't make a grab for Josh.

Josh might notice that Stolas has not blinked recently, but well, certain things are hard for people that are more or less pretending to be human.

"He called himself Han, if that helps at all. As I said, he mistook me for you." He's trying not to be irritated over repeating himself. Sometimes people need to hear something once or twice before accepting it, he has to remember that.

Josh has good days and bad. Touch has helped him develop a way of telling what's real and what isn't when the bad days make it hard to distinguish between the two. Pain keeps him grounded, gives him something to focus on that isn't the whispers in his head or the images his mind swears are real.

Stolas isn't lying. He's solid as Josh is. The young man retracts his hand and runs it through his hair, dislodging a few curls from his slicked back style as he does so. He's glad that Han is the one who ran into this facsimile of himself and not Chris. He's less protective of the pilot than his best friend, so the admission doesn't make Josh tense more or get angry. He just nods along with the explanation.

"Can't imagine why he'd make that mistake." The sarcasm slips out before Josh can stop himself. He coughs awkwardly into his hand. "Sorry, this is just...really messed up."

Stolas rolls his eyes at the sarcasm. He smirks a little. "Well, at least he mistook me for a man as handsome as I am. I'd be disappointed if it turned out you weren't." But joking aside, Stolas shrugs.

"I read something that said that people, during their lifetime, have at least seven dopplegangers, where it used to be assumed there was only one." He's not about to go into the history of dopplegangers and fetches being seen as an omen of death or bad luck, because Josh is freaked out. He's not about to suggest another form he could take, if Josh is too uncomfortable looking at a mirror image.

"Where are you from?"

Josh is watching Stolas carefully. Now that he's forced to believe that this is in fact Real, he needs to start thinking harder about everything that's going on. They don't share the same name or voice. but is he another version of Josh, perhaps form another world? Or just a very convincing look alike.

"I'm from Alberta. Canada. Earth circa 2015. But my family is half Canadian and half Egyptian."

Oh Josh. Oh, Josh.

Stolas raises an eyebrow. So far nobody has actually asked him that question, so he's had no reason to answer. But well, the box is open, and Stolas gives an easy shrug.

"The Earth I know is circa 2016," he begins. "Though I can't truthfully say that I'm from it. My own family is neither Canadian or Egyptian - as the hierarchy of angels was made before Earth was, it seems silly to call ourselves a citizen of any earthly country. To simplify things - I am from Hell. I am Prince Stolas, the head of twenty six legions. I will teach gemology, poisonous herbs, and astronomy to those who summon me, though those are not the only things I know."

An angel should never be proud. A fallen angel knows exactly how magnificent they are, and have no compulsions against pride.

I've met another me today and he's a goddamn fallen angel Prince of Hell. Yeah, that sounds about right.

Monster. Psychopath.

Even people who look like him are monsters. Josh doesn't know what to say, but he certainly doesn't look shocked. If anything, there's an emptiness to his face that is slowly replaced by a self loathing so great that he can barely stop from laughing hysterically.

"Well, that makes sense. Good for you, guy."

Josh hangs his head and wraps his arms around himself. He doesn't want to be like that. Doesn't want to be a monster. They say he's not, but they don't know. They don't know what's inside his head, clawing at his sanity. They don't know that everything else like him is a monster so far as he knows. He can't let Han know. Can't let anyone know. They'll turn on him. As they should.

But Joshua is selfish and he doesn't want to be alone again.

Not again.

"Could you...maybe not tell anyone else that? Especially not...not Han. Really anyone, but."

Stolas cocks another eyebrow.

Human politics are confusing for him, and Stolas doesn't quite understand why looking too close to someone is often a notch against someone. He isn't aware that this is the problem that Josh is having, either, so he just sees his doppleganger looking extremely upset. That is something that Stolas is familiar with, at least.

"I assumed you'd make a joke about the prince and the pauper. Ah, well," Stolas says. "As of yet, you're the only one that's asked me explicitly, if that gives you any comfort." He tilts his head, studying Josh.

The other man doesn't seem to think that Stolas is lying, which isn't odd, if this place is as diverse as they say. Except the usual reaction that he gets upon saying that isn't present here. Curious.

"I...have enough trrrrouble with people without my body double goin' around tellin' folks he's the Prince of hell and all that."

There's a slight slur to Josh's words. An inconsistency in the pacing that doesn't sound right. Josh is trying very hard to be calm. To be normal.

"...No offense."

Edited 2016-12-14 18:16 (UTC)

"A Prince," Stolas corrects idly.

His eyes are softer, inasmuch as a fallen angel's eyes can be soft. Stolas is no stranger to those in the middle of a panic. Sometimes it's a lot of fun to wind someone up, to stoke the flames, but right now he's trying to make a good impression in the Nexus. Besides, this seems like undue cruelty.

"There are other forms I could take, though I'm not sure how someone would react to a five foot owl wearing a crown," Stolas says. "As it is, I won't run around happily telling everyone what and who I am, if that helps you any. And I can at least be sure to state that I am not you, nor any relation to you. We just look alike."

Beat.

"Would you feel more at ease if I were to not look like you, at least for the moment?"

Because watching himself turn into a giant bird monster is going to lead to anything other than more horrific nightmares.

"N-no. I'm fine."

Josh shakes his head quickly. Takes a deep breath and tries to hold it as long as he can before slowly releasing it. That's it, nice and easy.

"You do you, man. I"ll be fine. Just...j-just need a moment to adjust, is all."

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