He felt a lingering unease at Ilarion's dark words and glanced down, distracted for a moment by the tattoo on his chest, which had an eerie sort of resonance to it, as if it were watching him circumspectly. Perhaps it was more disturbing to him because he had just been thinking about Oleksei's blind eye watching him as well.
Kassian would not have figured a Ministry major to be marked up like a criminal, but it was not exactly like the crude, faded line drawings that adorned Oleksei's thick arms.
It was jet black and crisp, and as sigils went, for a Ministry major, for an Isaev, it seemed somehow appropriate. A watchful eye. An evil eye.
He averted his gaze, before Lasha caught him staring.
"Major Liadov - " he started, hesitating as Isaev lifted his head to stare narrowly at him.
Invoking the name Nikanor Liadov in Ilarion's presence was no casual matter.
"Major Liadov," he said again, "suggested to me once that I become a MENT."
He took a slow sip of vodka.
"I have to think he's a good judge of character. That's what comes to mind first, but I'm sure there are other things. Legitimate, or otherwise."
Kassian leaned forward, and grasped Lasha's arm. He thought the sudden contact might have surprised them both.
"Major Isaev...please. I need you to know I'm not being cavalier. And I'm not being naive. I know what it means to love an Isaev. I told Andrei once that I'd sail between a rock and whirlpool for him, that I'd walk through Hades without looking back. I meant it. That's why I'm here. That's why I came to you, and not anyone else."
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He felt a lingering unease at Ilarion's dark words and glanced down, distracted for a moment by the tattoo on his chest, which had an eerie sort of resonance to it, as if it were watching him circumspectly. Perhaps it was more disturbing to him because he had just been thinking about Oleksei's blind eye watching him as well.
Kassian would not have figured a Ministry major to be marked up like a criminal, but it was not exactly like the crude, faded line drawings that adorned Oleksei's thick arms.
It was jet black and crisp, and as sigils went, for a Ministry major, for an Isaev, it seemed somehow appropriate. A watchful eye. An evil eye.
He averted his gaze, before Lasha caught him staring.
"Major Liadov - " he started, hesitating as Isaev lifted his head to stare narrowly at him.
Invoking the name Nikanor Liadov in Ilarion's presence was no casual matter.
"Major Liadov," he said again, "suggested to me once that I become a MENT."
He took a slow sip of vodka.
"I have to think he's a good judge of character. That's what comes to mind first, but I'm sure there are other things. Legitimate, or otherwise."
Kassian leaned forward, and grasped Lasha's arm. He thought the sudden contact might have surprised them both.
"Major Isaev...please. I need you to know I'm not being cavalier. And I'm not being naive. I know what it means to love an Isaev. I told Andrei once that I'd sail between a rock and whirlpool for him, that I'd walk through Hades without looking back. I meant it. That's why I'm here. That's why I came to you, and not anyone else."