This Doesn't Look Like Sleeping

[Raize de Sardet]

De Sardet would not called himself a morning person. Of course, he wouldn't call himself a night person either. He was more the sort that could and sometimes would sleep whenever he got the chance, but was never sleepy any time he was awake. It meant pulling a lot of night shifts at work because he was always willing and able to do so. At home, he stuck to a normal schedule, mostly because his parents had forced routine into him enough as a child that at home, it was habit. Or, more aptly put, around mother it was habit.

Tonight was no exception except that he had noticed Aiden de Sardet getting up late the past morning. And while his brother hadn't behaved out of the usual, he was curious if he was sleeping alright. Or, more likely, sleeping at all. He retired to his rooms at the usual time, but instead, absconded from his balcony to the roof to stargaze.

And to keep an eye out for any unusual comings and goings.

[Aiden de Sardet]

Aiden was a night owl. Always had been. Perhaps it was because of his power. Perhaps he was just a horrible insomniac with a need to move. Maybe both. It didn't particularly matter. While his parents were alright with allowing him to sleep in a little later than his other siblings. Perhaps because they believed it kept him out of trouble. Or perhaps because once he was out it was close to impossible for almost anyone to wake him up.

At night though, he was able to be himself. Once everyone was asleep he was able to slip out of the house unnoticed and undisturbed. As everyone else had wandered off to bed so had the youngest de Sardet, though that's not where he intended to stay. When the half moon showed itself past the clouds he felt this familiar tingling in his muscles.

Aiden climbed out of his window and down the side of the manor. The woods seemed to call to him. A primal kind of call he couldn't resist the later it got. Though he could see his breath forming in smoke in front of him he didn't feel very cold. The brunette pulled off his shirt only for some quick movement catch his sensitive eyes.

As the rabbit dashed past him into the woods Aiden bolted after it. Much faster than he was even in the morning. Unaware of his worried brother looking to check on him.

[Raize de Sardet]

It was actually quite enjoyable, stargazing. He imagined it would be more so with someone else, but nevertheless, he always found something...magical about the stars. Whatever they were. Spirits or distant suns...he'd memorized the names of many constellations easily and new enough to be able to navigate in the dark better than he did in the day. Not that he was directionally challenged by any means. Maybe it was something biological, since Aiden had always liked night time.

It wasn't very comfortable, however, and it wasn't a very warm day. His jacket couldn't quite cut it while he wasn't moving and his breath made icy puffs in front of him. He was about to call is outdoor adventure early considering he and the outdoors didn't really get along, when he heard soft footsteps. He shimmied to the end of the roof and peeked over the parapet style. of the wall.

Just one of the dogs. She seemed excited about something though, so he kept quiet and after a moment, was rewarded with a thump, very similar to what he might make if he had dropped from his balcony instead of climbing up.

This time, he was rewarded with a glimpse of his brother in the half moon light and the torches around the exterior of the manor. Considering the temperature, de Sardet was a bit confused to see his brother remove his only layer when he was already wanting for another and then before he could think, Aiden dashed off into the darkness.

De Sardet didn't think either, pushing away the cold and scrambling back down to the balcony and from there dropping to the ground with a grunt. "The fuck does he think he is going?" He grumbled to himself. He knew enough to know he wasn't going to catch up at this rate, but he didn't need to, considering the layer of snow blanketing the estate. His brother was easy enough to track.

[Aiden de Sardet]

While he knew if he sat still enough he would certainly begin to feel the cold Aiden knew if he continued running he'd feel warmer. There'd been winter nights where he'd even broken a sweat in the snow. The air would steam around his warm skin then. Though he'd just started running now. He could hear footsteps behind him and knew it wasn't one of the dogs. The crunch of the snow was different. Still, that didn't catch his attention enough to pull him from his hunt. Worst case scenario he knew he could out run anyone following him.

Aiden let the rabbit run. A sporadic sprint out of fear and adrenaline. It was fun chasing after his prey. It didn't take long for him to leap on the small creature and sink his teeth into the back of its neck. Had the moon been in an earlier phase he may have let the creature go. Though he didn't have time to think of that before his jaw clamped down. There was a soft snapping sound before the creature went limp. He couldn't help the way he shook the little limp creature around in his jaw before turning to see who was following him.

Seeing who it was made his mind run blank for a moment. Aiden dropped the dead rabbit onto the snow as he stood up fully and blinked in surprise. "R-Raize? What uh...what are you doing up?"

[Raize de Sardet]

He hadn't seen what Aiden chased after, could only hear the crunch of snow in front of him. If not for the moonlight being what it was and the clear sky, he likely would have tripped over his own feet in the snow, but thankfully he was surefooted enough.

And then just as suddenly as they had started, the running stopped. There was sounds of a short scuffle which confused him more than anything, and then a tiny peep sort of noise. As he drew nearer, he slowed, only barely able to hear his brother panting over the sounds of his own wheezing breath. He had never been that good at cardio and he was worst in winter.

It was just light enough that he caught the figure of his brother crouched in the snow, some sort of small bundle in his mouth, before he turned and dropped it and stood up. The sudden movement made de Sardet's heart leap out of his chest in a strange fight sort of response before he smothered it. This was his brother still. He knew he had...strange magic, but...this... He held his hands up in a sort of 'you caught me, I give up' expression, almost relieved to hear his brother speak.

"Following you," he said, rather unimaginatively stating the obvious. "What..." Even he could smell the copper scent of blood over the fresh blanket of snow. "Were you...hunting?" He wasn't sure if that was the right word. "Aiden..." He said his name slowly, intending to remind his brother that, while he accepted how strange he was, gallivanting about on some display of just how strange his magic was wouldn't end well for any of them.

[Aiden de Sardet]

Aidens face felt hot as a rush of shame and embarrassment washed over him. Of course his family knew about his magic. It was why he was sure his parents were scared and ashamed of him. Why they tried to keep him locked away like some kind of mistake. Blood dripped around the corners of his mouth and down his chin. A few droplets managed to land on his chest but in the cold it was already starting to dry to his skin. He couldn't imagine how he must look to his brother.

Though the look on Raizes face and the tone in his voice suggested he must look like some feral animal. Following him? "Why...Why were you following me?" He asked with a nervous chuckle. Aiden couldn't quite look at his brother. Instead his eyes darted around the snow, the shadowed trees, anything. "Isn't it a bit cold out here for you?"

The way his brother called his name made him flinch. He'd heard that tone to his name one too many times. Like they were trying to bring back his humanity. "Uh...yeah Raize?" He tried to sound teasing and playful but there was a waver to it.

[Raize de Sardet]

He still hadn't quite got his breath back so he didn't answer right away, just gave him an even more confused look. "Why?" It seemed like a silly question to him. "Because you ran off in the middle of the night. I wanted to make sure you were okay." Having gotten over the shock of seeing his brother standing half naked in the snow with moonlight glinting off the blood on his lips, he felt capable of expressing as much.

"You're the one who needs to put a shirt on," he pointed out, sidestepping. In winter, it was hard to breath in general. In spring and summer and fall, he was always allergic to something. It was never the right temperature out for him, really.

The way Aiden couldn't look at him stayed him from repeating more of the same that his brother probably already knew. It was difficult to tell someone to be careful when there was no direct consequence. Sure, their uncle might have been dragged off by "wardens" but no one really knew. De Sardet imagined it also felt rather uncaring of all of them who lacked magic to tell him not to use it and to expound upon how dangerous it was. None of that was what he really wanted to say anyway. Instead he sighed and took a step closer, wrapping his arms around himself for warmth and inspected what he now could see was a rabbit. He supposed that would explain the chattering of the maids about blood on his brother's pants. And not his shirts. Go figure.

"Do...you just eat it or...?"

[Aiden de Sardet]

Standing still in the snow was making him start to shiver. The suggestion to put a shirt on made him wrap his arms around his bare chest. "You know I'm warm blooded." Aiden had always ran warmer than most of his family and friends. There'd been plenty of times his friends would snuggle close to him in the colder months for some kind of warmth. It was also why he hated trying to sleep in the summer. "You're gonna get sick bein' out here."

The question made him blink in comfusion before he looked down at the dead rabbit at his feet. "Oh gross no!" Well, at least not now. Full moons were a bit of a different story. He couldn't help himself then. "Besides it's all cold now." The first time he'd killed an animal Aiden had felt confused, disgusted, and sad. Now though he'd become so desensitized.

"It's mostly for the cooks. Free fresh meat never hurt anyone." It was more than a little odd talking about hunting in the middle of the woods. Aiden had been prepared for a lecture about playing with his magic. About how if he were caught he could be in deep trouble or even killed. Like their uncle. He was tired of a dead man being lauded over his head. He opened his mouth to speak again before the sound of more movement caught his attention. He whipped around toward the sound before he could think and sniffed at the air. Not a person, just another animal. He grit his teeth to ignore the urge to follow after the sound and forced himself to turn back to his brother.

"I...I know I shouldn't be out here. Shouldn't be toying with my magic." He stated if just to get the words out of the way. Certain his brother would start lecturing him any moment now. "It's just...its hard. Ignoring everything my body keeps telling me to do."

[Raize de Sardet]

De Sardet snorted. Warm-blooded was one way to put it. Aiden was quite cozy in the winter, and his older brother did like to cuddle, just not where anyone else could see. He shrugged off the not about him getting sick. He was used to it. He'd been rather good so far this season.

"Good. Gross," he agreed, but he did let his gaze drift back up to his brother. He didn't know how his magic worked all that much, but he did know night time had something to do with it. "That's...practical," he noted. He could approve of that at least. "You don't go off estate?" He asked, though he was more or less assured his brother wasn't that stupid. Though...he wasn't so sure about trusting the staff's discretion.

He was a bit slower on the take compared to his brother's sense's, but he turned to look at the noise just the same. He wanted to ask what it was but Aiden spoke before he could manage. "I just want you to be safe. Whatever you do," he said quietly. "Uh, what was that?" Unlike his brother, he couldn't tell from smell.

[Aiden de Sardet]

Their parents didn't seem to care about the pracicality of Aiden hunting down game for them. Hearing someone acknowledge that there was something good to come out of his magic made him smile. It was at least better than being lectured and guilt tripped into staying inside all night. "I don't go off the estate grounds. I know my territory and I know I'm not the only person who likes hunting these woods at night." Keeping other mystics away from their home had been something he'd been practicing at for a while now as well.

There weren't many who openly tried to come onto someone elses property but for the few there were he wanted to keep them at bay. "I am safe. I've been running around at night for nine years." Aiden knew the estate and the woods around it like the back of his hand. Even on new moon nights he could walk them in total darkness. Though those were nights he tended to stay inside. The question about what kind of animal it was made him blink in surprise. "Smelled like a raccoon. Probably just looking for some food."

A mischievous grin crossed his lips as he stepped closer to his brother. "What's wrong Raize? Scared a big, bad wolf will come and gobble you up?" He teased with a playful growl.

[Raize de Sardet]

He frowned. "Not the only person?" Whatever did his brother mean by that? Poachers or other trespassers? Regardless, none of it was good and it wasn't helping his case of showing off outside.

"I have been running around during the day for longer," de Sardet noted dryly. He underdtood what Aiden meant. He also was suggesting he didn't care. And that he was better and more experienced than his little brother, perhaps. Not that he could see half so well in the dark of course but that wasn't what Aiden had said and de Sardet very much preferred people to say what they meant.

Raccoon. Not a per- "No," he said, looking at his brother in confusion, not at all understanding his brother might teasingly mean himself. He missed the bait, as it were. "More worried about people," he added with a shiver, glancing in the direction of the house.

[Aiden de Sardet]

Of course he could have told his brother it was other Mystics but that might have made the situation worse. Aiden also wasn't very comfortable using that word outloud. Over the years it'd started leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. Given the fact that the term was used for abominations. Like himself. He didn't like that train of thought. It was one he'd been down before and it never led anywhere good or productive.

"You haven't been running around outside here much since you and Raina left." He grumbled to himself with a frown. How he felt about his siblings leaving wasn't something he'd ever talked to them about. He'd never really talked to anyone about it. Sure, he was happy for them. They were following their passions and got out from under their parents grip. But Aiden felt lost, lonely, and abandoned. Of course he was always happy when they came home to visit but the visits always seemed so short and it felt like an eternity in between them.

When his brother didn't take the bait to wrestle Aiden sighed. "You're no fun." He huffed with a mock pout. Still, it seemed like Raize wasn't doing as well outside and he was starting to feel the sharp nip of cold now as well. Still, that didn't stop the woods from calling to him. He looked back at the dark treeline and swallowed a whine. "Lets...get you inside. I need to bring this rabbit to the kitchen anyway before something takes my game." There wasn't as much mirth in his voice as there was a moment ago. He picked up the limp creature by its ears and reluctantly forced himself back towards the house.

[Raize de Sardet]

Ah. That the young noble could understand, oddly enough. But since Aiden didn't directly call attention to his hurt feelings and loneliness, de Sardet didn't approach it directly either. "Mother might be...open to letting you stay with us. Provided these nighttime outings never happened," he said slowly, partly due to how cold it was and partly to attenpt to be meaningful. He offered his brother a smile. As long as Mother didn't hear about them happening, and as long as Aiden stayed safe, his older brother was happy to cover for him.

Maybe setting the young mystic free in the city was a bad idea but he didn't like seeing his brother left behind.

"I am told that a lot." He didn't intend not to be fun he just...struggled sometimes. "Get me inside?" He repeated. "I think I know the way. Just don't run into any 'other wolves' out here." He gestured for Aiden to give him the rabbit so he could return himself. He knee there was no stopping his brother. "Maybe tomorrow you let me come with you? If you're allowed to stay with Raina and I, one of us should know how everything works? Not much hunting space in the city..." He shoved his brother lightly back toward the woods.

[Aiden de Sardet]

Aiden knew his brother didn't mean to be 'no fun' and much of the time his little brother found him plenty of fun to be around. That may also have to do with being raised together and him understanding Raize a bit more than other people did. When he reached out for the rabbit he was confused for a moment before looking down at the animal. He handed his brother the rabbit a bit hesitantly. There was a part of him that doubted that his parents would ever let him live in the city with his siblings. Though he was still hopeful. For a chance to get away from home. To be himself without their parents breathing down the back of his neck every single day. "You know I'd have to bring my dogs with me." He wasn't sure how they'd all fit comfortably in the little house together but he wouldn't really care.

The offer for Raize to follow him around the next night when he ran about made him smile. If anything it was an excuse to spend some time with his brother. "You'll have to keep up." He teased with a snicker as he was shoved back towards the woods.

"Don't run into any wolves on the way back home." He winked playfully at the older de Sardet before darting back into the woods. Being swallowed up by the dark. While he knew Raize wouldn't be able to see him Aiden could still hear him. Just in case.

[Raize de Sardet]

De Sardet's expression lit up at the mention of dogs. He should get one of his own. He'd grown up with them, but the city was different than the country and he had been busy the last year or so with training and trying to prove to himself and their father that being a soldier wasn't pointless. Now though...while the town house wasn't very large and didn't have much green space to speak of, he felt there was room for a dog or two. "Long as they are well behaved," he said with a shrug. His tone didn't sound as excited as he meant it to so he added, "I look forward to it."

Well, he was assuming mother and father would allow it. He would rather think positively. Not to mention he cared for his brother a lot and would go rather far to ensure he got the chance to leave home and prove himself like he and Raina did.

He smiled. "Don't worry about me. See you in the morning, Aiden." He made the walk back to the manor in silence, stumbling a little in the snow and the dark, but the house itself could still be seen. He left the rabbit in the kitchens and made his way back upstairs and to bed, shrugging off some sniffle on the way.