What You Wish For | Djirma Fake

The man sat beside the lake, one knee bent and arm resting casually atop it. Blue-grey eyes studied the water.

A faint chill still hung in the air, but it warm enough for long-sleeves and pants. It was a pleasant day, and this small secluded lake was peaceful. His eyes fell shut. Peace...

Karma was wandering around agian. Alone. Where were her friends? Her ministry-assigned care taker? Her newly found brother?

Nowhere.

She wrapped her arms around herself, her eyes on the lake as she walked along it. She was not dressed for the weather again, tank top and pants. She enjoyed the cold against her skin. It wasn't as if she could get sick or anything.

She was having a pretty good day, other than the loneliness thing. Why was it that people always disappeared? Where did they go?

Her thoughts abruptly stopped as her eyes traveled along the beach and landed on him.

Ethon.

"You." she greeted, her voice somewhere between accusing and depressed.

He had inclined his head slightly at the approaching footsteps, even though he didn't actually turn towards the person. Though his senses weren't enhanced, he'd come to rely on them throughout the course of his life, honing them into instruments sharper than that of those who left them largely unused.

A crooked smile pulled at his lips. "Karma Black," he said aloud. "Though, I'm hardly the 'you' you're after. I'll guarantee it." Then, he did turn towards her, a small smile still on his face, pale eyes lit with a trace of mirth.

"Why so sad, dear one?" the man inquired. "I can hear it in your tone, you know."

"Who are you then?" She asked. "If not the man ruining my life?"

Karma, finally able to be in control while alone, watched the man before her warily. Kama was just out of reach, ready to take over if she couldn't handle it, but she was realitively sure she was fine. For now.

"Just a bit lonely, I suppose." She admitted reluctantly, keeping most of what was truly bothering her out of her immediate focus. Kama was hiding it from her. Funny how helpful other parts of you could be once your heart had shattered.

He levered himself up off the ground, pausing to stretch once he'd done so before stuffing his hands in his pockets. The movements were casual, neither practiced nor stilted. They were entirely human.

"If a person is stabbed to death, the knife is not the murderer; the person wielding it is," the man remarked lightly. "Though, I'd hardly refer to Djinn as a person, myself. In answer to your question, I am still called Ethon. I haven't any idea where the demon is."

Ethon studied her a moment, a faint frown pulling at his lips. He moved closer to her. "And what of Arsen Djinnson and the con- the girl? Your sister, right? A... ria? Yes? You've other friends as well, I am sure. A lovely girl like yourself shouldn't be lonely, milady."

Karma studied his movements, noting the human evident in them. She looked up at him with a smile. "Well, I'm sorry that he can just come and go when he wishes." She said sincerely. "It must be terrible for you." She offered him her hand. "Nice to properly meet you, Ethon."

Karma almost recessed, almost, but Kama wouldn't let her. Her eyes flashed with pain that she couldn't hide. She ducked her head and trembled. "I'm sure they're around somewhere." She said softly, struggling to keep her voice steady. "Everyone else just always has someone else to be with, is all." Tyler had Rhys. Roman had his parents. Julian was in France, probably in bed with some poor french girl. Jet and Zess had really hit it off, and were slowly becoming inseparable. Iva had Ian. Ars.... Ari... She took a shuddering breath, wrapping her arms around herself. She was not going to cry. Karma Black did not cry. She didn't need anyone. Not Demonboy. Not her alleged sister. Not anyone. She had Kama.

Just like the old days. Before everyone. Just her and her boggart.

And Pets.

Ethon gave a half-smile, a shadow passing quickly over his eyes.

"Don't feel too sorry for me, daughter of Black. Good men do not make deals with devils." He shook her hand. "And it is not without its advantages. I know much of what Djinn knows. Not all, but a lot of it."

The man frowned as he noted her response. Odd... Her distress caused a small ache to prick at his heart. It didn't surprise him, really. Karma was far too much like her for it to do otherwise.

Reaching out, he pulled her close, wrapping her securely in his embrace. He rested his cheek atop her head, one hand gently stroking her hair.

"Come, now, milady," Ethon murmured soothingly. "It is quite alright to cry when one is sad. Best not to keep such destructive emotions inside. Hm?"

Karma nodded, her eyes still on the ground. "I never feel sorry for good men anyway, they're on the wrong side." She recited, the words taken from some old family tome. She glanced up at him, her eyes curious. "Why did you make a deal with him anyway?"

She made no move to object when he pulled her close, secretly relieved at the human contact. She shook her head at his words, even though tears started welling in her eyes. "I'm not allowed to cry." She whispered hoarsely. "Blacks don't cry." Her lower lip trembled, but she fisted her hands at her sides, refusing to hold him back.

She'd already cheated on.... with Tyler. She wasn't going to make it any worse. He'd be angry anyway, and even if he did it first, and even if it was with her sister, she wasn't going to make it worse. Even if Kama's moral compus was skewed depending on what she wanted, Karma's could be straight. She didn't want to make things worse, because she l... liked him a lot, and nothing was going to change that.

Probably.

Ethon gave a self-deprecating smile. "There were things that I wished to obtain," he answered vaguely.

"Nonsense," he told her, rubbing her arm soothingly. "Even if that had been true for centuries, only you decide what you can and cannot do. Go ahead and cry. If it helps, be only Karma. I will not tell anyone I saw you cry."

He'd noticed that she was not returning the embrace. It was no matter, however. If he could lend her even a little comfort, he would. It was the least that he could do.

Karma shook her head. "You didn't give up your soul did you?" She shook her head again. "You need a soul, don't you? To be okay?" She placed a hand over where his heart would be. She felt the pounding an looked up at him. "Do you have your soul?"

She laughed, a harsh, self depreciating laugh. "But Karma's a bitch." She mumbled, the tears starting to blur her vision. "I don't want to be a bitch anymore."

He put his hand over hers. "Do you know of any deal that requires any other price?" the man asked. "My soul is... I'm not entirely sure where it is, whether it is with me, or elsewhere. Either way, it is no longer mine. I gave it up, long ago."

Ethon pulled away from her, cupping her face in both of his hands.

"You can be whatever you wish to be," he told her firmly. "Furthermore, I disagree with your assessment. I believe that Karma is wonderful. Insecure and eager to be cherished, for certain, but lively and beautiful and charming, nonetheless."

Karma shook her head again. "But you have a heart." She whispered. "That counts for something, doesn't it?"

She looked up at him, her tears almost begging to fall, but she wouldn't let them. Not yet. "You're wrong." She said hoarsely. "I hurt everyone I come in contact with. I don't want to be cherished if it only makes..." Her eyes were starting to sting with the effort not to blink. "I don't want... I don't..."

She blinked.

Tears started to fall, gracelessly, terribly, a wail began in the back of her throat. "I don't want to be this way." She whispered. "I don't."

"Perhaps, it does," Ethon said softly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

He kissed her forehead, the action tender, gentle. "Hush, milady. Cry, now - the rest can be sorted later." He pulled her to him, once more, one arm encircling her shoulders as he caressed one of her cheeks with the other hand. Ethon pressed another kiss against her hair. "That's it. Hm? Everything will be alright. Somehow. You will see."

Karma wrapped her arms around him, her head resting on his chest, tears streaking down her face with no end in sight. "I don't..." She whispered. "I..." She took a deep shuddering breath and fell silent, tightening her hold on him. "You aren't even real." She whispered. "You're probably just Djinn, trying to make me feel worse."

She shook her head again. "It won't get better! I'm alone! They've all gone... they... they all went... for... for her!"

Ethon chuckled despite himself. "You're probably, right," he murmured. "I haven't been real for some time.

"'Her'?" Ethon echoed, tilting his head a bit to peer into her face. "And who is this 'her' who everyone has gone to?"

Karma whimpered. "Why are you so mean to me?" she whined. "What did I do?"

She trembled, her entire body shivering. "A..." She took a deep breath. "Ari..." She broke down again, her hold tightening around him. "My sister. He's going to leave me for my sister..."

"Shh..." Ethon murmured. "It was a joke. A poor one. There are no demons here. I promise."

The man's brow furrowed. The construct? Constructs were known to be tenaciously loyal; they were practically wired to please. If it - she - considered herself Karma's sister... That would mean a lot to the creature. Girl. It would mean a lot to the girl.

Part of him hated doing so, but no answered were got if one didn't ask. "Who?" He gave her a gentle squeeze. "Djinnson? And what makes you believe he will leave you for the - your sister?"

Karma looked up at him, her bright brown eyes wide and trusting. "Promise?"

"Ars..." She broke down again, her hold on him tightening. "I saw it." She whimpered. "I saw..." her voice broke, and the tears wouldn't stop. Why wouldn't they stop? "He... he..." She shook her head again. "He's supposed to be mine!"

"With all my heart," he vowed.

Ethon found himself rather concerned. Truly, the girl was working herself into a state; it was a bit self-destructive. So much hurt... why did people try to keep it inside?

"Tell me, milady," Ethon crooned. "What did you see that made you think anything had changed? Hm?"

Karma dropped her gaze to her hand, which still rested on his beating heart. "All of it?" She asked softly. "That's an aweful lot. Your hearts all you have. You shouldn't be promising it away so easily."

She shook her head, closing her eyes and trying to block the image. "I... he... they.." she shook her head again. "It's not fair! I was careful this time! I didn't bite him, I didn't mark him, because then I wouldn't be a person anymore. I'd be an..." her voice broke on the word "addiction." She took a deep breath, only to have it catch in her throat on a sob. "That's all I am to everyone!"

"If one promises away his heart, why not for one so worthy?" Ethon inquired. "I shall trust you with my heart, milady, that you shall return it to me shall I have need of it."

There were too many factors he could not know; far too much he would need to speculate about. He simply could not properly address something of which he knew so little.

He could address what he did know, however.

Ethon took her by the shoulders, holding her back a bit so he could gaze into her face. "Not I," he said with conviction. He brushed the tears from her cheeks with one hand, caring little that more continued to fall. The man gently caressed her cheek. "You may be that to everything else, milady, but not I. Never."

"Don't you always need it?" She asked. "I don't want it. I'll break it. I'll..." She looked down at the ground, her lower lip trembling. "I don't want to cause anyone any more pain." She whispered.

Karma looked up at him, ignoring the tears now, figuring that they'd stop on their own. She had a whole life to cry over, and she'd never allowed herself to before.

And she'd never let herself again.

"I...I'm not?" She asked, her eyes closing as he touched her. Contact. She'd missed it. "Are... are you going to leave then?" She whimpered. "Everyone leaves..."

He put a finger under her chin, gently drawing her gaze back up to his. "It cannot be in any worse repair than it is, already," he assured her.

"You are not," Ethon confirmed, gently kissing away the tears tracking down her face.

He was treading a dangerous path, allowing himself to be like this with her. Despite his words, he knew that his heart could be wounded further. But he could not stand to see her like this. Even though he had not been in control during his previous encounters with her, they had been his moments, too. In fact, he suspected Djinn had done it intentionally as a means to torment him.

"I cannot always be around," the man murmured reluctantly. His gaze cast about, before he finally stooped and picked a small stone from the ground. Murmuring in a language that had evolved into something else since he'd learned it, Ethon transfigured the rock into a delicate silver band, which he then slid on her index finger.

"I can't always be around," Ethon repeated, "but I will always be there if you need me. You need only call my name, and I will be there as soon as I am able." He brought her hand to his lips to kiss the ring. "I will not leave you," he promised.

Karma gazed up at him, her eyes vulnerable. "Then fix it." She said. "Fix it, Ethon." She shook her head. "No more broken hearts."

Her eyelids fluttered as he kissed away her tears, the flow of them slowing to a stop. She knew she should pull away, that.... he'd be mad if he knew, but she needed someone...

And here was Ethon.

She watched him through tear tired eyes and wavered on her feet until he came back and slipped the ring on her finger. She looked down at it, her eyes following it, even when he kissed it. She should be mad, embarrassed, telling him that he shouldn't do that, that he shouldn't have stepped over the bounds...

But she didn't.

"Ethon... That's..." She stopped, her eyes going to him. She got lost in his eyes for a few moments, and she could have sworn she saw a soul in there somewhere. "Thank you." she whispered, comforted in spite of herself.

"Some things cannot be fixed," Ethon said softly. "It's no matter. I have learned to live with it."

He gave her a gentle smile. "You are quite welcome," he told her.