The changeling, and the changed one

The cold hard part of Flynt didn't like this, didn't like the stirring emotions in his chest, the feeling of deep wistfulness and wont. It made him feel weak, not in control, and that was something he struggled with. But this time he couldn't just suppress it, not this, this he had to let sit "Yeah...yeah that sounds about right." He replied, voice shaky as he turned his head to look over at Daniel "Was it painless?"

"Yeah... I think so anyway... the... draining is slow, but I don't think it hurts, and the way they were done in was quick, dad was a doctor so they knew how to make it fast." Daniel said obviously uncomfortable about the question, he offered a bit more of his story to take both their minds off it "After they died, it didn't take long for me to noticed I was doing the same to others near me, and I put two and two together, and went off on my own so I wouldn't do it to anyone else. I traveled around for years, through everything from abandoned subways, to forests, and I learned that there were a lot of crazy things out there, and that I could do things that weren't normal I attributed it to the curse at the time, but it kept me alive..." He held up his right arm and offered a faint smile "I've lost this one arm, twice."

Flynt smirked at that and rolled back his sleeves to reveal many long pale scars etched along his skin " Some of us aren't lucky enough to have regeneration...but how'd you lose the arm in the first place?"

"First time when I was fourteen I had a bit of trouble in Shenandoah with a goat man." He said with an oddly fond look on his face as he recalled  the event, the lack of trauma betraying his inhuman nature "Thing took my arm, ripped out my throat, pulled out my intestines and gauged out my eye" Daniel chuckled "The look on its face when I got back up... Second time was to a garage door malfunction and a poor choice of where to sleep." He added embarrased

FLynt's brow rose slightly, but then he remembered he was speaking with a fae after all and simply smiled in response. Regardless of his birth of species, Daniel seemed a good type, honest, friendly. "A goatman you say? I've yet to encounter one of those, and I've cut down many a monster." He replied, slurping up the last of his chili with a warrior's grin, this felt...good.

"They're probably the second most disturbing shapeshifter I've encountered, right behind Fleshgaits." Daniel actually looked a bit disturbed at the mention of the latter "Goatmen like to take the form of various people in the woods and torment solitary travelers or groups of people, sometimes they just want to illicit fear, other times they bring death, they can somehow blend into crowds despite the fact that they rarely talk, and when they do their voice lacks all human cadence. Also they smell of burnt copper, and do weird things like laugh without making any sound." Daniel seemed fairly casual in regards to them, as he made friendly conversation and ate chili with his brother "Fleshgaits on the other hand, they can't shapeshift at will, they are humanoid, but malformed in every conceivable way from their long bent fingers to their twisted face, they crave human skin and when they kill a human they crawl inside it to take their form, and lure more humans to other fleshgaits... they can act human enough, but they are prone to long silences and hateful stares, and are dangerously antisocial in the since that they can't pick up on human social cues that well, but they are very good at mimicking someone if given time, and they are fast learners."

"Hmmn, and you've survived encounters with both...well you are my brother" He replied with a nod, he had not known of these creatures but he'd keep an eye out "Are they spirits? Or something else?" He questioned as he set down his chili cup, posture loosening.

"Definitely not like ghost or anything..." Daniel said with a small grin at the first bit, although it was clear he didn't know much about spirits or things he had not seen with his own eyes, his posture was already relaxed. "I don't think so anyway, the only additional information aside from my encounter I could find on them after sneaking onto some library computers a couple years ago were online stories, and those are obviously rather unreliable, and most of them are probably just imitating a story from someone they heard or read online."

Flynt nodded slowly "How long have you been living like this? I know this may be a bit sudden and all, we just met but...I have a place where you can stay....And you are family after all." The offer was more than a bit awkward in tone, but sincere, and it was clear in Flynt's eyes that like Daniel he'd been alone for quite a long time.

"It's been at least seven years." Daniel admitted after a bit of thought, and added "I don't have much in the way of a job history or training, but I bet I could make a hell of a magician..." It was more a general plan than an answer, he took a second to think about the offer "Yeah I'd appreciate staying a few weeks while I get on my feet so to speak thank you..."

Flynt nodded "I walked here though, I live not to far away, renting out an apartment." He explained "You need help carrying your stuff?"

"Nah I got it..." He assured flynt as he began to pack his bag and put out the fire.

"Oh uh...nice to meet you I guess." Flynt remarked with a sheepish smile as he stood up, taking a moment to dust off his black chinos "Thanks for the chili."

"Great to meet you, thanks for the information, and the place to sleep" Daniel said with a chuckle

"Don't mention it...little brother."

"Who says I'm the little one?" Daniel laughed as he followed after him.

"A mirror." He quipped back, joining in the laughter as the strangers, now brothers walked off into the night (The End)