Aragorn orders a simple black coffee with about 4 packets of sugar and creamer. He then looks at Vaughn. “Would you like anything to eat?” He takes out his wallet, smiling. “I’ll pay.” They start pulling out a one hundred dollar bill. He seemed persistent on paying for both of their drinks, or at least his own. It looked like he had done this before. Get taken out somewhere, then asked to pay for everything.
To be honest…he had. There has been several occasions where someone would ask him out, order the most expensive things on the menu, then make Aragorn pay for all of it. So now…he’s gotten into the habit of pulling out his wallet and instantly paying for whatever it was they wanted.
Vaughn arched his brow when Aragorn took out his wallet. He had been taught manners by not only his mother, but by adults that worked in the foster care system. They insisted it was important that he had manners and that it would make a huge difference in getting a lifelong home. That clearly never happened, but he felt comfortable using those old habits. Not for the sake of the foster care system, but for his mother.
He took out his own wallet, holding his hand up to Aragorn. "I invited you out, you don't have to do that," he counteracted. He was a stubborn individual and had learned of many ways to pursued people into going along with the things that he said. He slipped a couple of smaller bills from his wallet before speaking in a more persistent tone. "You can put that away, it's my treat."
Aragorn stares at this man for what seemed like forever. What? He wasn’t used to this. This had never happened before. He blinked slightly after a while and slowly put his money back into the wallet. “A-are you sure? I have no problem with paying. I’ve got plenty of cash.” He insisted, still looking absolutely dumbfounded. “It wouldn’t be a problem at all.” They said softly.
“I insist on paying. I’d probably be asking you a bunch of questions anyways and I’d rather repay that time now then later…” They looked at Vaughn, still looking confused.
As Aragorn put the money back into his wallet, Vaughn took that moment to turn to the barista and hand her the bills that he had in hand. he was given his change bu the waitress, and a moment afterwards they were handed their cups of coffee. He took a small step away over to a side counter where he was able to dump a couple of packers of cream and sugar into his coffee. He mixed it with a small wooded stirring stick before taking a sip, the slightly bitter taste being exactly what felt like he needed at the time. “Don’t worry about it. Like I said, I was the one who extends the invitation to come here so it’s only fair if I pay the bill.”
Aragorn blinks once again, then clears his throat and bows his head slightly. “Well…thank you. I appreciate it.” He murmurs. “I’ll try not to ask you too many questions then.” He looks back up, quiet. Once he retrieved his coffee, he softly thanked the waitress and fixed his coffee to his liking. Four sugars, four creamers. The packets were small just like he planned, so he was able to dump them all into his coffee.
Once they were situated, they took a seat in a cozy looking corner and took a sip of his coffee. He looked at Vaughn with a thankful look in his eyes. “I really appreciate this. Thank you.” They smile.
Vaughn’s head to the side at Aragorn’s comment about not asking him many questions. “Were you planning on doing so?” he asked. He wondered what they would have asked him. Would they have been questions about him and his personal life or maybe more things about the murders? Either way, he didn’t want to answer too many of either of those types of questions, so he wouldn’t complain too much.
They took a seat in a more quiet corner of the café, and he took a small sip of his coffee. He didn’t drink too much coffee, so it was a rare treat that he indulged in. “You’re welcome. While I do owe you more than a coffee for letting me crash at your place while drunk and for fixing my stitches, this is a start.”
Aragorn laughs softly. “Well I like helping people in need. So it’s no problem.” He reassured. They took another sip of their coffee, relaxing slightly. “So…where are you from? I’m from Ireland.” He chuckles. “As you can probably tell.” He grins playfully.
They honestly missed Ireland. It was so beautiful. Especially in olden times. They wished they could go back…but sadly, they couldn’t. The cult they had ran from had their main settlement there…so Aragorn could never go back to his home.
When Vaughn was asked where he was from, he considered lying. He didn’t need to tell Aragorn everything about him. Doing so would be practically handing over a profile to identify him with. A vague answer wouldn’t hurt, though. “I was born in Colorado, in a pretty small suburban town,” he answered. He had picked up on Aragorn’s accent, as it was hard to miss.
Aragorn coos softly in interest, “Nice…I heard its beautiful there. Full of beautiful mountains, yeah?” They tilt their head, smiling warmly. “Oh I wish I could visit there…I’ve heard of all these amazing places to go…it’d be nice…” He sighs heavily, looking down at their coffee. Aragorn knew damn well he wouldn’t be able to visit…he didn’t want to bring the cult there. It was already a risk here. He’d have to book it if he didn’t want those people destroying anything.
Vaughn nodded his head. “Yeah, lots of pretty nature out there. It was always really quiet, which I loved,” he said, having begun to ramble briefly. He hadn’t meant to, but his guard that he had placed had slipped a bit. He collected himself momentarily, gripping his cup of coffee tighter. His head tilted a bit in thought as he sipped his coffee. “Why wouldn’t you be able to go there? Well, if there is a reason besides staying here for the case you’re following.”
Aragorn pauses, his smile fading. “Um…I uh…” He sighs heavily as he sets his cup down. He debated on whether or not to just tell this man everything. But what if he used it against them? What if…what if he wanted to avoid him afterwards? Aragorn shook his head. Oh who was he kidding? Not like he should get close to anyone else anyways. Just tell him. You probably wont see him ever again once they moved.
“Um…” He sighs. “There was a cult I had once joined…” He mumbled, looking down into his coffee. “I thought they were good. That’s what I was told. They wanted to help the earth. But…they slowly showed their true colors the longer I stayed. They took all of my past memories. All of them. All that was left was the life I knew in the cult.” He stirs his coffee with a wooden stick.
“One day…” He went on, “I realized that they were what they said they were. And I wanted out. But the only problem is…if you wanted to leave the cult, they’d kill you. And I wanted to live…so I ran. I’ve been on the run ever since…just trying to protect the people I still remember…” Aragorn looked uncomfortable now, his long hair had somehow slipped into his face, hiding his guilty and morn-filled expression.
Vaughn’s jaw could have dropped when Aragorn began speaking about his past. A cult? He had never met someone who was an ex cult member before. It was surprising. He didn’t pet Aragorn as the type to get in to that sort of thing. He guessed he didn’t know Aragorn that well, but he didn’t think his intuition would be that off.
“That’s fucked, man,” he said, not sure of how to comfort Aragorn in the situation. “There’s some crazy people out there, huh?” Including himself, he couldn’t forget about that.
Aragorn laughs softly and nods. “yeah…it’s been a challenge to even survive. I’ve been doing everything I can to keep myself and others alive. I just…wish I didn’t have to deal with all of it. I’m sure you probably get it.” He sighs heavily. “I…I just thought they wanted to help people…I didn’t think it would turn out this way.” they whisper softly, “It should have been the first red flag that they wanted my memories…”
They shake their head as they take a long sip of their coffee, closing their eyes. They then set the mug down and stare down at the table. He looked so guilty. Like he was the reason bad things happen.
Vaughn definitely did get it. He killed to keep others alive. He didn’t have too much self perseverance, but when it came to those he helped, he would travel to the moon and back to make sure they were safe. His fingers twitched around the coffee cup he was gripping onto. The cult was clearly some serious shit. He could see how desperate Aragorn was, and it solidified that he could not let Aragorn know who he really was. Aragorn would clearly do anything to get away from the cult, including catching him.
“Cults tend to do the whole brainwashing thing. No way you could have known what was going on,” he said, flicking his gaze to Aragorn’s face to pick out the emotions on it.
(wave hey! Just checking in on you to make sure you’re ok. If you ever need a pause let me know ^^)
Aragorn seemed to only have remorse, guilt, fear…all of which swirled in those bright blue eyes of his. He almost seemed as if they would cry at any moment. “Still…as…my species…I should have caught those dark warning signs. And yet my eyes only settled into the light.” He shook his head, wiping his eyes quickly before any tears could escape them. “I feel so foolish having only seen the good. My species are always supposed to know when darkness lies. I have no idea why I’m so different.”
The man sighed heavily as he stared deeply into his mug. “I guess that’s why I’m having so much trouble on this mission. I see only good in others. Hell…it was probably why I was seen as an outcast.”
(LMAO did you send that around right when I replied? Also sorry for the short reply, at work)
“That’s the thing about cults, they do that shit. It’s not too hard to fall victim to them. I wouldn’t beat yourself up too much over it,” Vaughn said. He wasn’t exactly sure what species Aragorn is, but he guessed some sort of elf, if his ears were anything to go off of. He thought for a moment longer, though. Aragorn was having trouble with this because he had trouble seeing good from evil. His curiosities got the better of him. “Do you see good in the killer you’re trying to catch?”
(XD yup. And its ok ^^)
Aragorn nods. “Only good. I see how he has so much reason…so much intention behind his actions. From the energy that lingers where he was before…I can tell he’s got a soft side. I…every time I look at pictures…I see this- aura. Only people with strong will have it. It’s…amazing.” They sigh. “Please don’t tell anyone I said that…I’m fearful of getting fired for those opinions.”
It was true. But Aragorn was also fearful of their death. If he lost this job…it was the end. He wasn’t prepared for the fight they’d need to put up if the cult caught up. They couldn’t handle it.
As Aragorn looked up, something…clicked when he looked into this mans eyes. That familiarity…that…aura. Somehow, Aragorn was able to use their ability of master hiding to keep that look of realization hidden. It would stay hidden under those icy blue eyes until he knew for sure…but…what if the man right in front of him was the one he’d been looking for. He wouldn’t be able to match the negative intentions…since he didn’t have that ability…but the positives were all there. That same light…
Eventually, Aragorn sighed. “I’m so sorry you have to put up with me like this…I’m probably annoying you.” he laughs softly, his eyes softening as he looked into Vaughn’s eyes. This man…he was something else. That look of iron will…that light of hidden kindness. It seemed even stronger now he was sitting right in front of him. If anything…Aragorn just hoped that Vaughn wasn’t the one. Hopefully he was right.
(LOL awesome timing)
Aragorn thought Vaughn was only good. Vaughn could have broken out into cheers that someone finally understood, but he instead kept his composure steady and his expression blank. “That’s an interesting take. I have no one to tell, the secret is safe with me,” he said, taking a sip of his coffee to keep himself from saying anything more. He wouldn’t want to get too carried away with the excitement he tried so hard to bury away. Aragorn was still trying to find him despite that, and seemed desperate to do so. He couldn’t say a word or give off any hint that the man he was looking for was right in front of him.
“Ah, no worries. It’s interesting,” he replied to Aragorn’s swift apologies. He had been the one to pry in the first place after all. The reassurance was genuine that time.
Aragorn chuckles softly. “Oh is it now? Well I’m glad I could be entertaining.” He jokes as he finishes the rest of their coffee. Once they were done, he sets his cup to the side and takes a slow, deep breath. “I must ask…” he murmurs.
“Do you think…this killer could have a soft spot? Like…say for animals or children. I once interviewed this little girl…she was around 4 maybe. Her father was imprisoned for abuse and sexual assault on her and her mother. But he was let out early due to good behavior. Heavens knows why…” He shakes his head. “The man was of course later found dead strung by his neck at a light post with signs of other injuries. Slit wrists and neck…stab wounds…yeah. But anyways…the little girl claimed she interacted with a ‘man in black’. She said he ‘helped her’.”
Aragorn sighs. “Course she was still so little…and her vocabulary wasn’t too great…but she drew a picture of what she meant.” he pulls out a child’s drawing of a dark stick figure holding another stick figure and sets it in front of Vaughn. “That was one of two reports of the same issue over the entire span of this…” He murmurs. “Only two interactions with the killer…but it showed common in younger children.”
There was a moment of silence before Aragorn spoke again. “The other instance was this 3 year old boy in a park. His father had abandoned him and was soon found dead. There were charges of abuse, drug use around the child and so on…but the man was never arrested.” He hums. “I still remember talking to that boy. He told me, ‘shadow man was nice’.” He chuckles, smiling softly. “The purity of children…” He whispers.
(sigh idk how my brain came up with that-)
(I’m just taking the second account you talked about and changing it to father instead of mother since Vaughn doesn’t kill women, just men. He’s got a soft spot for mothers and children)
Vaughn was content with the conversation until Aragorn spoke about his killings again. He had no idea why Aragorn kept asking him about it. He had said he didn’t know anything, so why keep going? He looked at the pictures he was passed as Aragorn spoke. He remembered both of those cases. He did have a soft spot for children. He tried his best to comfort them and keep them out of what he did as much as possible. When he would meet up with the mother and her children, he would often give the kids some sort of treat or new toy to keep them occupied while he spoke to the mother about the kill. Many of the kids had not wanted him to leave them, a couple calling him dad.
“Seems like it, if the kids like him so much,” he replied with a shrug.
(Ffffff frick I’m so sorry I messed up- I’ll change that-)
Aragorn hums, looking at Vaughn. There was something there. He just couldn’t tell. But he had already assumed Vaughn was the culprit…but he would try to figure that out slowly. Keep this going. He needed solid evidence. Otherwise…who would believe him if he just said the auras matched? Wouldn’t work…
He sighs softly and nods, putting the pictures back into the folder and setting the folder aside. “Sorry. I’m just…I really wanna get this case. I guess I’m just hoping you would know even a little…maybe have just forgotten some information.” They fidget, looking down.
(It’s ok!!)
Vaughn wouldn’t budge. He was stubborn, almost to a fault. He had grown up learning how to lie through the foster care system. Lying was the only thing that could keep him out of trouble most of the times and hide his mental health issues that he didn’t want to be addressed.
“I understand why you would want to. I’m sorry I’m not much help,” Vaughn said, feigning a bit of disappointment. As bad as he felt about Aragorn’s situation, he had to think of himself. Doing what he did was his livelihood. It was what he lived for, and he couldn’t imagine not killing. He was saving people when he did that, and that was the best feeling he could ever have. It was a high, knowing people were safe because of him.
Aragorn sighs heavily, then smiles. “It’s ok. I completely understand.” It was true…he did…but they also just wanted to catch something. Something that would give him that proof. But just as he was starting to get somewhere…he questioned himself. Did they even want to catch this man? He was actually doing good…he wasn’t causing any unnecessary pain…so what was the point? Aragorn felt so confused.
Soon, they shake their head. “Anyways. Would you like to walk with me?” He offers. “It’s such a nice day.” He smiles warmly, looking at Vaughn.
Vaughn was beginning to grow suspicious of Aragorn's pressing comments. He wondered if Aragorn had any sort of inkling that he was the man he was looking for, or if he really was just asking him questions in the hope that something helpful would come up. He had just started to not mind Aragorn's presence and sympathized with him quite a bit considering his situation. It would be a shame if that was ruined by Aragorn suddenly grabbing him and putting him in cuffs.
When Aragorn invited him to spend more time with him, he weighed his options. Try to be social, or let his paranoia get the better of him? This could be good for him, he could finally make an attempt to be social and could possibly earn some sort of ally. He made his decision, a small and genuine smile forming on his lips. "Yeah, that sounds really nice, actually. Let's do it."
Aragorn smiled back, his eyes soft and inviting. “Alright…let me clean my mess here and we can go.” He stands, taking his trash and cup and puts them away. He then murmurs a thank you to the barista before going back to Vaughn with a warm, genuine smile. They then grab their things, setting all their files into his bag.
“If you don’t mind though…I need to drop these off at my apartment…I’ll be super quick though. You don’t even need to follow me in.” They grip their bag, still keeping that smile on his face.
Vaughn stood up, downing the last bit of his own coffee and throwing the cup away. He stood with his hands in his pockets, waiting for Aragorn to collect his things. He wondered what other things were in that bag. Surely more information about him and what Aragorn knew. Maybe he could find the opportunity to dig through it at some point in the future, just to satisfy his own curiosities.
“That’s ok, I don’t mind the stop,” he replied with a small nod. He thought back to his drunken first stay at Aragorn’s place. He had made quite the fool of himself when he drunkenly asked Aragorn to sleep with him. His ears felt hot at the embarrassing memory, and he did his best to not pay the thoughts any mind.
(So sorry for the wait ;-; I forgot about this T^T)
