Kiss from a Rose

The crack that sounded from Jigano's jaw when he struck it caused Bastien to cringe - if the man ever returned to himself, he hoped that this incident would either be forgotten or forgiven. Not that he thought it likely Jigano would go back to his usual self, not after this; he had only seen the kind of wild glint in his eyes once elsewhere and that had not been a hopeful time. A jump and attempt to grab his hips caught him by surprise; he did tumble backwards but managed to keep his arm up with the rose clutched in his fingers. He had been concerned before that the prick of the thorns could harm him, as an Ascended, but now in the moment he had no time to worry, clasping it tight in his fist and not feeling the pain, clear fluid coating his fingers. Before Jigano could begin to claw at him (and he knew if that happened he would be hopeless, even as an Ascended and even as the larger man) he did two things: first he activated his aura, hoping to use it to soothe the parts of the bard that could still respond to it, then he brought the rose down and across, scraping the thorns over Jigano's jaw and cheek. Bastien I must say, it’s nice This pageant of vice For life’s just the rice But sin is the flavour