He could feel the anger rolling off of Deimos, the loss and rage, the coiled muscles tense as springs and the snarling darkness in his eyes. He raised his chin as the larger man glared at him as though his gaze alone could flense the bard's skin from his bones in retaliation for losing his guildmates - and the sister of his heart - but Jigano did not back down. No words the Reaper could throw at him had been left unsaid, no blame left unaccepted. He would not have fought back if his one-time baking partner had thrown a punch, but neither would he have been cowed by the violence.
He had fought worse than Deimos, and won.
He had befriended worse than Deimos, and still lived.
No, fierce and dark though the other man was he did not inspire fear, but his control in the face of his desire to lash out was admirable, and made him a valuable ally. Not friend. Jigano knew they would not be friends now. Perhaps would never rebuild that tentative bridge that had now been shattered. But if Deimos would help him in common cause...
"I have already begun to gather help," Jigano agreed, nodding to Deimos himself as proof of that, in addition to those he had already mentioned. "Information is next. I'll track down that reference to the Fae. And see if I can't find one willing to talk. Ianto..." He hesitated, and then swallowed his pride, nodding slowly to the big man. "Is yours. He ran with the rest of us. It might not have been intentional, but he did nothing to help us, and little to warn us. You weren't there... you may be able to approach him with a clearer head," he admitted. "Either way, he's currently our best hope of navigating the woods, and since he seemed to know what was happening, he might know where they were taken." At least they had not been killed out of hand. He clung to that truth with everything he had, holding to hope that they would survive long enough to be found again.
He had fought worse than Deimos, and won.
He had befriended worse than Deimos, and still lived.
No, fierce and dark though the other man was he did not inspire fear, but his control in the face of his desire to lash out was admirable, and made him a valuable ally. Not friend. Jigano knew they would not be friends now. Perhaps would never rebuild that tentative bridge that had now been shattered. But if Deimos would help him in common cause...
"I have already begun to gather help," Jigano agreed, nodding to Deimos himself as proof of that, in addition to those he had already mentioned. "Information is next. I'll track down that reference to the Fae. And see if I can't find one willing to talk. Ianto..." He hesitated, and then swallowed his pride, nodding slowly to the big man. "Is yours. He ran with the rest of us. It might not have been intentional, but he did nothing to help us, and little to warn us. You weren't there... you may be able to approach him with a clearer head," he admitted. "Either way, he's currently our best hope of navigating the woods, and since he seemed to know what was happening, he might know where they were taken." At least they had not been killed out of hand. He clung to that truth with everything he had, holding to hope that they would survive long enough to be found again.
