beastlyadam

[beastlyadam]

There were a million reasons why she needed to leave, a million reasons why he wasn’t good enough for her, Adam could write an entire novel listing just exactly why she couldn’t be around him. But explaining the reason why would do neither of them any good. It wouldn’t change a damn thing, and it would only put Belle in further danger if she knew even a sliver of the truth. And that wasn’t something he was willing to risk. So instead, it seemed he’d have to do the one thing he had always sworn he wouldn’t… He was going to break her heart. “Because I don’t want you here,” he answered simply, the lie coming far easier than it should. “I don’t want to be around you anymore, can you not grasp that simple fact? Must I spell it out for you? Have I not made myself clear enough?” There was an ache forming in the middle of his chest with each word he said, but Adam didn’t let any of it show. This needed to be done, for her own benefit, and he knew if he showed even the slightest amount of weakness Belle would find it and he, in turn, would crack.

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His words stung against her skin like wisps of ash from the fire that spilled from Adam's lips. She didn't know what to say at first as the hurt started to turn to anger. It felt so sudden, the push from his life and making sure to lock the door behind her. "Why?" The brunette pushed since his previous excuses hadn't given her a reason. Whatever had brought upon these actions was something she felt she deserved to know. If it added to his decision to remove her from his life, Belle believed the truth was in order. "I am not leaving until you tell me," she put her foot down and her eyes turned to daggers that stuck right where she was. "One day you're coming for books and we're talking over tea then the next you want nothing to do with me." The female continued to point out the facts, hoping it would get something out of him, no matter how awful it might be. "We're going to do this right here in front of everyone unless you give me an answer, a real one."

[beastlyadam]

“That was an error. You were not invited,” he repeats the sentiment, not bothering to give any answer to the questions she shot his way. There was no point, nothing he had to say was going to satisfy Belle - any excuse would sound half-assed and he knew it. And there was no way in hell he was about to admit anything even near the truth. They’ve gone this long keeping everything from her, leaving her uninvolved in the entire curse affair, and Adam intended to continue that way. Even if it meant cutting her out of his life entirely. It would be worth it, ensuring her safety. Though he knew logically the chances of the curse somehow spreading beyond those already affected by it were slim, he refused to take even the slightest risk of ruining her life beyond what he already has. Belle losing her memories of their time together felt like the universe’s way of directly telling him that she was better off far, far away from his disaster of a life. “Belle, we are not doing this here. Just… just go home. Please.” It was as polite as he could be, though he already knew she would refuse the request and things were likely going to escalate between them both.

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The silence spoke for him, saying what he'd been too cowardice to say himself or that's how Belle saw it. For a man she knew was better than how he'd been acting she struggled to see the reason behind it all. There were secrets that she pushed to know the truth about and since then it had been quiet. Belle was initially surprised to get an invitation to the annual Christmas Eve dinner but compelled to use it as an opportunity to at least get answers to her missed calls. She shouldn't have been surprised he shut her out but the brunette fearfully saw the best in a man who had her wondering if there was any left at all. It hadn't always been like this, though she couldn't recall the memories she searched to find, Belle knew it to be true.

Her night had just begun. The decorations caught her attention as she wandered through the halls she brought on a strange sense of nostalgia for Christmases past. That's where her gaze stayed until one of the garlands led her right to who she'd come in hopes of speaking to. She started towards him with words on her tongue but none of which reached her lips, Adam's disagreement with Belle's presence taking over the silence. "Pardon me?" The brunette immediately coughed back, eyes giving him a once-over as if to make sure he looked to be the same man. "I was given an invitation. Besides, why? Why don't you want me here? Is it the same reason you've been ignoring all my calls?" Belle's jaw tightened staring at the man who had almost convinced her of feeling one way to the exact opposite. Even with that knowledge all of the anger stemmed from the hurt he'd left in his wake because she couldn't stop caring about him. "I'm not going anywhere until you give me some answers."

[beastlyadam]

Of all his friends that have attempted to pull Adam out from his funks, there was only one that was ever even slightly successful. If only because he refused to give up, standing outside the door until the blond would finally crack and swing it open in a rage filled haze. It was practically a whole routine at this point, and as Blaise stepped into the room, acting as if nothing was wrong at all - his anger only spiked further.

“What do you want?” he asks, harsh in his words. He didn’t want to hear anything the other man had to say, but he knew it was necessary to get this all over with. Nothing that would be said was going to change his mind or make any difference, though, Adam forever stuck in his ways and steadfastly refusing to budge in the slightest. Especially not when it came to the topic of Belle and their relationship that no longer existed.

//closed starter @beastlyadam

Blaise stood outside Adam’s door, leaning casually but with a certain stubbornness in his posture. He had a knack for putting his foot in his mouth—this time by casually mentioning the party to Belle. Deep down, he knew it wasn’t entirely accidental. Guilt? Maybe a little. But there was also a fire in his gut telling him he was right about Belle being the key to fixing their curse. He just needed Adam to stop being so... well, Adam.

The muffled sound of grunts and curses from the other side of the door was almost comical. Blaise rolled his eyes, letting out a sharp sigh. “Come on, man. We need to talk,” he called, his knuckles rapping against the wooden door with a rhythm that suggested he wasn’t leaving anytime soon.

He waited, hearing more irritated muttering inside, before pressing his hand against the door. “This thing with you and Belle? Listen, man to man, I highly suggest you face it. Hiding and sulking isn’t gonna do anyone any good.”

Silence. Typical. Adam was stubborn as hell, but so was Blaise. He leaned closer, lowering his voice in mock-seriousness. “I got beer, bread, and a Maxim magazine because you keep choosing to be a pussy. So open up, man.”

For a moment, the only response was stillness, and Blaise smirked to himself. He could almost hear Adam weighing whether to stay in his brooding bubble or give in. “Look, I’m not saying it’s easy,” Blaise added, his tone softening just slightly. “But this thing between you two? It’s not just about you. It’s about all of us. You think I’m doing this for fun?”

Another pause. And then the faint sound of locks turning. Blaise grinned, holding up the beer and bread in one hand as the door creaked open just enough to reveal Adam’s grumpy face. “That’s my guy,” Blaise quipped, stepping inside like he owned the place.

[beastlyadam]

closed starter for @strangcbeauty location: bete christmas eve dinner

As always, just like it was every other year for as long as Adam could even attempt to remember, his father was insisting upon hosting the biggest and fanciest Christmas Eve dinner on the entire island. It was an event that had once held great light and joy, back when his mother was still alive. But after her passing when he was a teen, the head Bete took it over in full and ever since it lacked everything that a night celebrating the holiday should have. Instead it had become just yet another business meeting, disguised as a family dinner with all their closest friends. For the longest time, the only saving grace he had been able to find on this night was that he could indeed be with all of his friends and the woman that he loved. But then the curse came and even that was ripped away from him - leaving the entirety of Christmas as nothing but a bleak reminder of all that he had lost, all the damage he had caused for himself and his friends.

Last year he had made an attempt at bringing back the joy, inviting Belle once more, and it had been one of the best nights of his entire life. But this year, this year Adam had made it explicitly clear with every member of his staff and friend group that she was to be nowhere near the event. The guest list would be clear of her name and if she were to somehow show even without a formal invitation, she was to be turned away. Perhaps he should have known better than to think anyone would listen to him, but foolishly he had indeed believed that to be enough. Yet here he was, standing off to the side with a bourbon in hand as he watched all of the other guests mingle and discuss business amongst each other, expecting the rest of the night to go on exactly like this when suddenly all he could see was the very brunette he had spent months avoiding marching right over towards him.

“Belle?” he questions, frowning at the mere sight of her. She was stunning, as always, and a part of his mind instantly recognized that even as the rest of him was slightly too stunned to speak for a moment. She wasn’t supposed to be here - she was the one person on the entire island that he had barred from this evening’s affairs… yet here she was. “What are you doing here? Who let you in? You were not invited tonight.” It’s rude and seemingly false, likely thanks to one of his meddling friends, but Adam didn’t care. He couldn’t allow himself to be around her again, not with how much was at stake. So despite the screaming desire in his entire being to welcome and embrace her, his arms crossed over his chest as he stared down at her with a blank expression forced upon his face. “You need to leave.”

[beastlyadam]

“I am perfectly aware of that fact,” he points out, not needing to be reminded of just how desperately so many of his friends were to lead a normal life again. Adam was aware of that more than anyone, in all honesty, constantly remembering how all of this was his fault whenever any of their curses were brought up. It was what had finally sparked him to find Arthur in the first place, to give any information at all to the Order in hopes of finding some kind of an answer. But he just simply could not let go of the feeling of dread and paranoia that constantly lived in his head. “And are you certain it is worth getting all of their hopes up? When we have no clue yet if this witch will be able to do a damned thing?” It was just another ploy to try to get Claude to reconsider telling her everything, but he had to make every argument he possibly could. They needed to be prepared for any and every potential outcome.

It was nice that his friend was so worried for him, but nothing that he suggested seemed at all plausible to Adam. And he was going to make that known. “I’m not putting some kind of mystery drug in my system,” he rejects that idea outright, refusing to even begin to consider anything along those lines. Though he had wished before that there was some kind of sedative strong enough to knock him out or even just calm his beast during the nights of his transformation. But he barely trusted Arthur or the Order with the basic information of their curses, no way in hell was he ready yet to accept any sort of injection they tried to give him. “No one’s going out there. That's nonnegotiable. It’s far too dangerous, you know that, Claude. The forest is a monster in and of itself, especially at night. Those nights in particular. I have managed and survived on my own this long, I will be fine.” It wasn’t a sentiment he was completely confident in, but he needed his friend to believe it either way. Because for all Claude had said that he may be practically on the hunter’s hit list, Adam didn’t have it in him to clarify that he wasn’t just on the list - but he was the list. The biggest prize coveted amongst all of the hunters across the island.

"Fine, then, I'll tell them," Claude easily agreed. If that was what it took to get Adam to his side of giving the Order everything they had, then, it had to be done. There was not a worry in his mind whether the information would be used against them--they already knew everything about Adam they could possibly find out, and the rest of them weren't inherently magical themselves. The worst that could happen, in Claude's view, was that their curses simply got worse--even then, he wasn't sure if that was possible. "I don't think a single one of them doesn't want to have our lives back to normal, though."

As much as he hated to admit it, Adam was right: no one could physically be around him during the full moon without risk of getting seriously hurt. There had to be some way to keep himself, or someone else, unseen by neither Adam nor the hunters if they were to hide out; he just had to figure out how. "I don't know--maybe we ask Arthur if there's something that can sedate you, and you can stay indoors. That, or someone will have to be on hideout and hope you don't find them." Neither plan was fully foolproof, but it was better than nothing. At the very least, Claude would feel better if he had eyes on his friend while he was in his most vulnerable state. "Maybe ... perhaps we attach a camera to you, or something of the sort. So, if you're in trouble, someone can be on standby. I just can't have you going out there while knowing you're practically on their hit list, Adam."

[beastlyadam]

Trusting others, even those that he held in the highest of regards and kept close to his heart, had never been Adam’s strong suit. A fact that Claude knew oh so well, which was why it felt like a slap to the face having him insist they need to just blindly agree and hand over all of their cards to the order without any hesitation. “And when that backfires? When they use what you tell them against us - how will you explain that to the others?” he shoots off the questions that had kept him from giving away any of their information in the first place. “You must at least ensure they are okay with what you’re about to do. Their secrets are not ours to give away.” Perhaps he was overthinking things and none of their friends would really care all that much, but Adam simply refused to take that chance. Not after everything he’d already done to them.

It was a nice thought, an almost sweet offer that showed how much Claude cared, but it was implausible. Sending anyone out into the forest on the nights of the full moon was far too dangerous. No one in their lives was even close to strong enough to handle the nightmares he saw within those woods every month. They would only be putting their own lives at risk - from the others that lurked amongst the trees and from Adam himself. “And what am I supposed to do then, Claude? The forest is the only place I am away from innocent people. I have nowhere else to go,” he argues, letting out a frustrated sigh and he drops back down into his chair and buries his head into his hands for a moment. He shouldn’t have said anything about the hunters - it was his problem to deal with and now that he’d gone and opened his mouth, there would be no stopping his friend from worrying. “You know that’s not an option. I won’t put anyone else’s lives at risk out there.”

Claude's jaw agape, he scoffed at the comparison he and Adam had wordlessly sworn they'd never make. For how much worse Adam's curse was, he wanted to make the point that the only reason any of them were cursed because of him, but Claude held his tongue. Spitting back at his friend would only make things worse, despite the temptation. Still, what bothered him more was the feeling that Adam wasn't trying as hard as Claude knew he could to cooperate with the Order. "Then, I'm going to go ahead and tell the Order everything we know. If you really want this fixed as much as you say you do, you'll allow it. If we're supposed to trust them, then that's what we have to do, wholeheartedly," Claude insisted.

"Nothing?" he echoed, raising from his seat to begin to pace at the back of Adam's office. Things were growing more dangerous by the moment--if Adam continued on much longer like this, he was going to get himself killed. Claude let out an exasperated sigh, beginning to spiral as he could picture where they might be this time next month. "It's not nothing, are you--you can't be serious. And, before you say it, I know already: you have it handled, you're taking care of it. But, you can't go out there alone next month when all of this is going on. It's too dangerous," Claude practically demanded, despite having not a clue how to enforce it. The last place he personally wanted to be was next to Adam in his beast mode during a full moon, but the logistics could wait for later. "We'll just have to figure something out, so you're not out there, alone."

[beastlyadam]

At the mention of the hunters, though not having been the threat he originally had in mind, Adam’s eyes snapped up to stare directly into her own. “Belle, no. You can’t get involved in this. It’s not safe,” he reiterates the same argument he’d been making since she first questioned him. And even longer than that, in all honesty. Reminding himself how much of a danger he was to everyone he loved, to the woman standing across from him in particular, was the only thing that kept Adam from breaking and giving in. But that wouldn’t be right nor would it be fair to Belle, to drag her down into his cursed life once more. The enchantress had made it abundantly clear that he was no good for her, her memories being erased giving her a second chance at a decent life - one that he unfortunately could never be a real part of. As she asks once more for information he cannot give, he finally looks away, eyes falling back down to the floor as he shakes his head. “I can’t.” The two simple words nearly break his heart as so much of the anger and fight begins to fade from his body, leaving him with nothing but agony and regret. This wasn’t the way their lives were supposed to be - this wasn’t what he had ever wanted for them… But what other choice did he have? Letting her in, telling her the truth, put too big of a target on her back.

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His abruptness wasn't unexpected but Belle couldn't deny the disappointment that shot up her hand to her heart as he pulled back. She'd continued to put herself out there and suffered the consequences. While this wasn't her first encounter with his argumentative nature, she refused to let him get away with a sharpness without matching the tone, her facial features stiffening. "Is it the hunters?" Her voice went low as if asking a secret, his answer coming with implications of what he might be. "Adam, you know you can tell me anything. You don't have to keep me in the dark, you can trust me," Belle said sternly to affirm her words as the truth. Somehow she felt like there was so much between them but hadn't the words to describe where it had all come from. She didn't want to let her own temper get the best of her and bit back her hurt from the way he had shut down her attempt at closeness. Perhaps it had all been in her head, after all, a connection she'd misconstrued and he now made clear. "Understood. Then as your friend, I hope you can at least trust me enough to know what the hell is going on," she finally spoke while taking a step back to give him the space he desired. "Or is that too much to ask?" Her own sharpness finally hit its peak, the lump in her throat turning into a bite to her words.

[beastlyadam]

As her hand reaches out to squeeze his arm and she questions everything he’s saying, Adam realizes just how much he likely fucked up right now. Taking a step away, moving his arm gently out of her grasp, he shakes his head as if to say he can’t do this, can’t answer anything. It was a harsh move, and he knew it, but he was barely controlling himself and his anger, his self-hatred, and his frustration. He should leave and he knows it, but something keeps him glued to the spot. “You don’t understand,” he argues, voice low and far more quiet than it had been moments before. She didn’t deserve to see him like this, she hadn’t done anything to deserve his anger. This was all his own fault, no one else was to blame - certainly not Belle. “We aren’t safe. I’m not safe - that’s why… that’s why I can’t do this.” He’s all but ready to turn and finally exit the shop when she stops him, demanding in that soft way of hers that she be allowed to control her own life, her own destiny. And as she cups his cheek in her hand, he almost breaks. It’s a move that she’s done so many times before, though she has no memory of any of it, that he’s so close to breaking. But he can’t. He must stay strong. For her sake. Which is why he turns his head away, shrugging off her hand, unable to look at her for what he’s about to say. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” It’s as much of a rejection as he can give, though the fact that he hasn’t walked out the door said far more than his words ever could.

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Belle raced to understand while still listening intently enough to not miss any of the details in what he said. It seemed as though her feeling of separation between them hadn't been imagined in her head but was far more complex. While she wanted more answers, Belle didn't wish to interrupt what seemed deeper than she believed. She had been searching his eyes for what truth they could give her and the uncertainty of where this had all come from. All she had to go off was the things she picked up on between his words like a needle lost in the sewing kit. "What are you talking about? You aren't making any sense," the girl spoke gently while reaching out to squeeze his arm in an attempt to settle the rising stakes. There were things she had thought were being kept from her and this was confirming things she didn't know. Belle couldn't understand how she'd forgotten or what it could've ever had to do with Adam but she worried more for him at the time being. "You don't get to decide who you are good for or if you've ruined my life. Things are pretty good as far as I'm concerned. We all have each other, we're all safe, the shop is doing well." She couldn't find something to complain about: life was good. Except for the fact that their Isle had been under attack and Adam was now pushing her back at full force. "Let me decide what is good for me." Her hand took his cheek into her palm, praying he wouldn't refuse their closeness. "Tell me you don't feel the same and I won't speak of it again. Tell me you don't feel it between us because you're making me feel like I'm crazy for thinking there's something here." What had been a weight in her chest had finally fallen out of her mouth. At least now she could know that and stop feeling like she'd been in another reality where there could've been something more.

[beastlyadam]

“This isn’t about you being able to handle yourself,” he denies, not wanting to make it seem as if she was somehow the problem. There wasn’t anyone that could handle the beast, not even Adam himself. It was wrong and unfair for him to expect anyone, let alone Belle of all people, to put up with everything that comes with his current life. No, he wasn’t going to drag her down with him, not when whoever had cast this curse in the first place made it clear that he was bad for her. Though there was no proof that anything would happen to Belle if he were to try to rekindle their old relationship, he simply couldn’t take the risk of the curse evolving or impacting her any more than it already has. “I already have hurt you! Don’t you get it? I’ve already ruined our lives. And you don’t even remember it. I fucked us all over and I can’t let that happen again… Not to you.” His words likely didn’t make any sense to her, but he refused to elaborate any further, already knowing he’d shared more just now than he ever should have. “Belle… I’m not good for you. For anyone. I – I can’t do this to you again.”

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They had been running in circles for what felt like forever. Belle searched for answers in his eyes, actions, and even the lack thereof. He was cryptic in his replies as usual but this time the brunette urged for more. She'd rolled over when he'd attested before and now she stood her ground in front of him, unafraid of whatever beasts he kept from her. "Why? You don't think I can handle myself?" A feigned attempt at keeping the conversation from turning again. She reached for anything he would give her, grasping at straws for what it could be that kept this distance between them. "You aren't going to hurt me," Belle continued with confidence in her words. "I'm not afraid of you. I know you won't do that." Whatever mood he was in she wasn't afraid to help him navigate, knowing that she was strong enough to weather his storms of anger. They were friends, sure, but she fought against the urge to comfort him in a way she knew she shouldn't. It was a feeling she couldn't deny and settled for somewhere in the middle by reaching out to take the hand that dangled at his side. "Please stay, let me help."

[beastlyadam]

“You can’t live your life like this?” he spits back, standing up from his seat in a rush of anger. Not once has Adam ever wanted to compare his own curse to that of his friends, knowing perfectly well that they all caused great struggle amongst the group and that it was all his fault. He was the one to blame for their suffering over all these years, and he was acutely aware of that fact. However, right now, as Claude stands there and tries to act as if he isn’t doing enough - that he doesn’t want to undo the curse that haunted them all, something inside of him snapped. “I am a monster. I turned into a beast. The love of my life doesn’t remember anything about our relationship. I do nothing but hurt every person that comes into my life. If you think that I of all people do not want this curse lifted, you are highly mistaken. Living with fucked up clocks and a misconstrued sense of time seems quite simple in comparison to being a monster.”

Running a hand over his face he turns to stare at the wall behind his desk, his back facing his friend as he tried to calm himself down. Already he regretted the words that had come out of his mouth - both about their curses and the hunters. He should have known Claude would never take the news of his being hunted easily. It was why he’d never told any of his friends until now. He had known they’d make a bigger deal out of it than it really was - or at least, they wouldn’t be able to face the reality that there is nothing any of them can do to change the situation he was in. All there was to do was accept it and get through each month, each time he turned back into that monster and pray he avoided any encounters. “It’s nothing,” he dismisses the whole notion, waving his hand as he finally turns back to face the other man. “I’m dealing with it. I haven’t seen one in a few months.” At least not that he remembers, his time as the beast always being a blur.

For how anxious Claude tended to be, he had to admit that his friend's paranoia was worse than perhaps he'd ever experienced. Of course, he'd thought through all possible outcomes of situations gone awry, where the information of their condition had gone out of hand, but Claude also knew far more about the Order than maybe Adam did. All this time, regrettably behind his back, he'd been researching just who to get in contact with, and whether they would even be protected under the guise of having magic cursed upon them. It wasn't without extreme caution and care for his friends' wellbeing that he'd determined Arthur to be a trustworthy ally. "Then, at least we tried. You know I'm hardly an optimist, but we're not going to get anywhere without trying, Adam. We cannot live the rest of our lives like this."

Though he knew who the hunters were, it was only because of his research about the Order that Claude recognized the name. He and Adam hadn't ever discussed them before, though, and he certainly hadn't known that they were looking for him. "Sorry, do you mean to tell me they're looking for you? You didn't think this might've been valuable information to include? We need to hurry, Adam; the faster we break this, the sooner there'll be no beast to hunt." He couldn't believe Adam hadn't thought to include this in a rush order to the Order, to put this on such high priority that perhaps they would've been somewhere further by now. "You haven't had any encounters with any of them, have you?"

[beastlyadam]

The feel of her hand on his arm is enough to stop Adam in his tracks, even as the logical side of his brain screams at him to keep going, to push her away and just leave. It’s not safe to be around her, not for either of them, but especially not for her. And it’s selfish and wrong of him to keep pushing the envelope, to keep trying to be near while still maintaining some semblance of distance - but he can’t stop himself. His heart aches for her, to be like the times before the curse, and as his eyes close as he listens to her gentle plea for him to stay, he can’t seem to find it in him to deny her. Turning back to face her again, he slowly reopens his eyes and takes a moment to simply take in the sight of her. She’s just as beautiful and radiant as always, which isn’t a surprise but still makes his heart skip a beat for a moment as she puts the usual space between them that he always insists upon. It’d almost be enough to break his heart, if it weren’t already shattered from the divide between them that the curse had created. “I shouldn’t stay,” he counters, despite the fact that his eyes shine with his desire to remain exactly where he is. “It’s… it’s not safe for you.” It’s a cryptic saying and he realizes as soon as the words leave his mouth that it’s a mistake to admit, but he can’t help it. He needs to give her something to get her to understand that he’s not doing this because he wants to, that he’s only trying to do what’s best.

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They had been running in different directions for as long as she could remember. While Belle would try to reach out to him, he always seemed to retract and she'd respect his space when it was desired. That's why she hadn't reached out once he had never shown, not wanting to push in where she wasn't wanted. She couldn't put her finger on it but whenever Belle tried to think of a life without him, she couldn't. This didn't always prove to be true for Adam until he would show up unannounced after disappearing yet again. The brunette had been reorganizing the new arrivals shelf when the door swung open, catching her so off guard that she jumped before turning to the entrance. Before she could even ask, he'd started to retrace his steps, causing Belle to reach out and halt him. Without thinking she was already trying to keep him from going again as if these moments were fleeting and she had to hold on as tight as she could. "Don't go," the brunette broke the silence with a soft plea. "You don't have to go, I mean," Belle adjusted as she took a step back to maintain the space that always seemed to be between them.

[beastlyadam]

Sam Reid as Lestat de Lioncourt in Interview with the Vampire 2.08 And That's the End of It. There's Nothing Else.

[beastlyadam]

Sam Reid photographed by Erik Tanner for Schon! Magazine.

[beastlyadam]

There was an accustational undertone in Claude’s question, one that had somewhat offended him, in all honesty. “No,” he confirmed, a slight sharpness in the one word, annoyance spiking as he had to defend himself. “And what if we tell him everything and still get nowhere? But then we have who knows how many people now aware of what is happening to us? As of right now, they only know about me. Because I had no right to speak on any of you without your permission. You cannot put that risk on everyone without them knowing.” It was a sentiment that Adam felt strongly about. He had already done enough damage to his friends by getting them cursed in the first place, to further endanger them without any type of forewarning of what was happening would be wrong. And he hadn’t wanted to jinx Arthur’s ability to find any type of cure by telling everyone of his research. Only Claude knew because he had thought that the man would understand, but it appeared that wasn’t exactly the case.

“Perhaps they will,” he argues, annoyance beginning to turn to genuine anger at how simple his friend seemed to think this entire situation was. Not that it was necessarily hard to spike somewhat of a rage out of Adam, even if he’s been seemingly calming down these past few weeks. “We do not know what may happen. Another curse could be set upon us. Our names could be offered to the hunters.” It was only once he mentioned them that he realized there was a very real chance that Claude had no clue about the hunters of this island or what they were attempting to do to any magical being - which they all technically could now be considered. “You do know of the hunters, do you not? The ones that have quite a hefty reward currently out for the beast’s head. You know - the animalistic creature that emerges from the forest three times a month around the full moon. Does that sound familiar to you at all?” It was something Adam had been trying to hide from his friends, the fact that he dealt with hunters nearly every time he transformed and that there was such a bounty out on his head. He hadn’t wanted to frighten them, not when it was something none of them could control, but now he was wondering if perhaps he had done them a disservice in letting them think everything was fine - that the worst of the curse was simply the inconvenience it offered to them all.

  It was rather impressive, how far Adam had gotten on his own into this investigation without completely throwing in the towel like he'd expected him to. Getting close to solving their mystery, Claude had predicted that his friend might have gotten cold feet on getting to the finish line, but it was encouraging to see that this might not be the case, after all. Though they hadn't entirely looped in the rest of their affected friends on their progress, at the very least, he now had someone to lean on while they worked through figuring out exactly how to fix all of this, instead of working alone.

"You didn't tell him about us?" he echoed, finding the decision a rather odd one, considering how much he and Arthur had been in contact over the past few weeks. If there was anyone they could trust, Claude had figured it would be him. "You know, we're not going to be able to get anywhere until he has everything, all the information. We can't leave any stone unturned." If being anxious about telling the other man everything was the issue, Claude would have assumed being part of a reputable organization like the Order was enough to satisfy his uncertainty, but, apparently not. "Well, I'll tell this witch, then, all of it. I don't care how much they know--what are they going to do, make the curse worse? Whatever we can do to get to the bottom of it, we should be doing."

[beastlyadam]

The way Claude so easily accepted the information that not only witches existed but he would be talking to one soon wasn’t all that much of a surprise to Adam. While his friend used to be the one with the higher levels of anxiety and caution over everything, ever since the curse the roles had reversed ever so slightly. Not that Claude’s necessarily chilled out much but rather Adam’s general agitation and aggression has transferred into a lack of trusting absolutely anyone ever. And it’s because of that lack of trust that he didn't want to meet the witch himself, nor did he really even want his friend going either, but he knew it was a necessity if they wanted out of this curse.

“A witch,” he confirms with a nod before opening one of the drawers in his desk to pull out the card that Arthur had given him regarding the woman. Giving it one last look over himself, he set it down on the desktop and slit it towards Claude for him to take and inspect himself. “I’m sure they do. Arthur seems to trust this woman and I suppose that’s the best we’re going to get. She claims herself to be a wild witch and goes by the name of the owl lady.” Which hardly allowed Adam to put any trust into her, but what other option did he really have? It wasn’t as if he could easily just go out and find a better, less seemingly insane witch on his own. “She knows who you are, but not that you are cursed as well. I’ve only shared what happened to me and the general fact that others are affected by it as well. Arthur… he wants to know more about you, about all of you, but I haven’t told him anything. It didn’t seem safe giving out too much information.”

Claude had been admittedly shocked that his friend was actually taking initiative on getting this curse reversed, in the best way possible. It had been an excruciatingly long time since he'd mentioned anything about it, and, arguably, Adam should be the one to reach out for help first, as Claude had deducted that he had been the one cursed primarily. Adam hadn't given him much information the first time he'd brought it up, just that he would have more soon, and Claude had been waiting on bated breath for some sort of update. If it were up to him, he would've just taken everything himself from here now that his friend was apparently in contact with the right people.

As he sat down for their regular weekly meeting, he hadn't been able to tell that something might be off with his friend before he swiftly cut him off to inform him of matters not relating to their work. "A witch?" he repeated, unaware that they even existed, nevermind that he would have the chance to talk to one. Though he hadn't been entirely sure who had cursed them in the firsts place, Claude had assumed it had been someone of the sort. "Alright, then. Do you know anything about this woman, if she's a--do good and bad witches exist? Do you think that's a derogatory thing to say? It probably is, I won't say that to her face. I can't believe they just have someone like that to handle these things."

[beastlyadam]

Accepting the card, he took a few moments to deeply stare at it, memorizing as much of it as he could in just those first seconds before tucking it into his pocket. It would go straight to Claude, rather than be of any use for himself, but he still felt slightly better knowing that he now had some information on the witch. She knew so much about him and what he was dealing with, it only seemed fair that he had the same, for in case he needed it. His mind already wandering off to the worst case scenario where everyone on the island found out about his curse and how he’d need the owl lady’s information to sell her out as well. “That’s it?” he asks as Arthur answers his original question, finally looking back over at the man in bewilderment. “You work with how many magical beings - witches and whatever might exist out there - and your best line of defense is a lock?” It seemed a bit ridiculous to Adam, that his information wasn’t going to be better protected, and he was admittedly put a bit on edge by the realization. “Tell me it’s at least some kind of enchanted lock, only accessible by your specific DNA or essence?”

For all that Adam had seemed reluctant about, Arthur continued to remind himself that this was an isolated problem, not an issue concerning the entire community he was responsible caring for. If he wanted to deny his services, so be it, but Arthur wouldn't give up until he at least had the names of the other people who were affected. Even if Adam himself wanted to stop investigating then and there, his friends might be seeking help without knowing what kind of resources existed for them out there. He slid him the card for Eda's, hoping he wouldn't find it in the hallway in the trash by the time he left later. "Just between the two of us," he confirmed, "I keep the more recent ones here, in my office, in a locked filing cabinet. The ones from years ago are in archives down the hall, also locked." Never before had he dealt with someone who was so skeptical of him after they'd been the one to seek him out, but there was a first time for everything, he supposed. "I promise, no matter what we discuss in here, or anywhere, it's not going to be heard or read anywhere, by anyone, who doesn't have proper clearance."

[beastlyadam]

~ timeskip, the week that he was secluding himself in his room ~

It had been days since he had left the confines of his room, and Adam had no intentions of breaking that streak. Not until the meeting with his father in a few days time, and even that he was trying his hardest to get out of attending. The only person he had allowed into his presence so far had been Fifi, and that was simply because it was her job to check in on each room of the estate every day. No conversation was had, despite her many attempts at starting one. Claude had made a few attempts to get him to open the door, but a strong shout was quick to ward him off each time. The only other one of his friends brave enough to continue trying after that was Zara, and even then all she did was leave a tray outside his room and make borderline snarky comments about how he’d have to come out eventually before walking away.

But today seemed to be where his oldest friend was finally putting his foot down. The incessant banging on his door not letting up no matter how many times Adam shouted out to leave. For about a minute, he had tried to simply ignore it, but the knocking was simply too loud to just tune out. In a rage, he rushed to the door and flung it open, glaring at the man that was revealed to be the source of the noise. “What?” he snaps, knowing that slamming the door back in Blaise’s face would only make the banging start up again. The man wasn’t going to be leaving anytime soon, not until he said whatever it was he came here to say. Best to just get it over with, the sooner Adam pretended to hear him out, the sooner he could go back to his solitude.

Blaise sensed Adam's need for something as the tall, brooding man stood beside him, chewing thoughtfully. It grated on his nerves, but he knew Adam would eventually get to the point. When the first question came, Blaise squinted in disbelief at its apparent stupidity. "What?" he asked incredulously, hoping Adam would realize the flaw in his question. Adam persisted, this time with a more coherent inquiry.

"Well," Blaise pondered, considering the significance of Valentine's Day. He'd had Valentine dates before that didn't mean much to him, serving only to pass the day and perhaps lead to a night of passion. Yet, there was something about that day that felt special to him—or at least, he believed so. "I think if you ask them on that day, it eliminates your other options. She's probably your best bet, which I suppose somehow matters?" It felt like the blind leading the blind that he couldn't help but notice from the uncertainty in his response.

"And if you're asking Belle, it's not something to take lightly," he continued, referring to Adam's potential Valentine's Day plans. Unlike the women Blaise had been with before, who were merely seeking a warm body, Belle was different. She valued her solitude, preferring the company of a good book to a romantic date. Thus, asking her out on that day would hold significant meaning, not just to her but to everyone involved. "And you should, you know? She's great."