ic inbox (kenos)

[gravings]

I will definitely put something here this time

Comments

[epiprocta]

'Interesting.' [ The vampire laughs gently at her answer. ] The work of a novice, perhaps? I feel most are able to earn a better review than just 'interesting.'

[ Ah, but he is a gentleman. As tempting as he finds her blood, the clients of this fine establishment know better than to misbehave -- Mistress Marie runs a tight ship, after all, and both rough-housing and hypnosis are banned on the premises. If Gray truly isn't interested in being shown a whole new world of fun (???) this time, he'll just have to try his luck again next time ...

Anyway, rest assured, Gray! She won't have to see Gen getting erotically blood-bagged tonight. She'll only have to see Gen almost getting erotically blood-bagged.

As in -- the next booth that comes into her view as she continues down the aisle is occupied by Gen lounging across a plush couch, manspreading like his life depends on it as he sinks into the cushions, with a beautiful vampiress plastered against his side. They both seem to be having a good enough time as they talk in low murmurs, the vampiress letting one hand playing through his hair and the other tracing little circles over his throat, right over the carotid. And just as she's leaning in, whispering something into his ear and earning a smug little grin, Gen happens to look over --

and jerks back so abruptly that the poor vampiress ends up faceplanting across his leg. ]

-- Gray?! [ Added proof of how startled he is by Gray's appearance: that protest comes a little squeaky and higher-pitched from the shock. Because for as much as he's a mean bully that likes teasing her, actually getting caught by Gray in this situation doesn't feel, uh, right. ] The hell're you doing here?!

[gravings]

[ Maybe Liem could be classified as a novice, as it sounded like he didn't make a habit of drawing blood from people... but Gray is also pretty sure he was trying to be as much of a gentleman about it as possible. If he really wanted to, maybe he could be a parlor dhampir as much as any of these vampires — but that's not a thought Gray has any care to linger on.

As much as she came looking for Gen, Gray is awfully shocked to have actually found him. Forgetting her exceedinly helpful guide, she recoils hard enough at the sight of Gen in intimate recline that even her hood seems to jump on her head. ]

Gen!

[ Now they are both squeaky. More than ever, she doesn't know where to look — not at her guide, not at the vampiress, especially not at rumpled-looking Gen. She stares at a spot in a corner instead and automatically sidles along until only her upper half is visible around the frame of the booth. But even without her properly studying the scene, it's clear what's going on here. ]

Sorry, I didn't mean to... [get in the way of your sexy suck session.] Um. Should I come back later?

[ This isn't explaining what she's doing here... ]

[epiprocta]

[ Her very helpful guide, of course, takes the chance to gently support Gray from behind when she recoils, resting a hand upon her shoulder to make sure she doesn't go staggering back into one of the waiters passing by. Best to make a good impression upon her if he wants to stand a chance at getting a sippy from her sometime in the future, if she should return to the bar!

-- which isn't something Gen's about to let slide. His companion's just straightened up with a whine of complaint, papping a hand against Gen's shoulder to make her displeasure clear as she says something about 'you can't just move like that!' when Gen bolts to his feet ... dumping her directly on the floor. ]

Hey, you get your hands off her!

[ Said as he points (extremely rudely) straight at Gray's helpful guide, ignoring the way his vampiress companion's very loud (but very reasonable) complaint of 'what the hell!' Followed by a hard huff as he addresses Gray next: ]

Did that guy talk you into coming here? What did he tell you?

[ Because, like. There's no way she came here of her own volition to get her blood sucked, right? U-unless she's actually pretty kinky and he just never knew??? ... there is a non-zero possibility of that, huh. ]

[gravings]

[ As mortified as Gray is, she has to feel sorry for the vampiress and her poor dignity. She's terribly aware of her vampire guide's hand on her back, but she doesn't have the presence of mind to politely extricate herself while Gen is out here pointing and shouting for the entire parlor to hear.

With both hands, Gray tries to gently but urgently lower Gen's pointing arm like his (extremely rude) finger is a brandished knife. ]

H-He let me in because he saw me at the entrance. I'd come because a bird told me you might be here...

[ Literally, not metaphorically, an actual bird. A tinge of embarrassment enters her voice. ]

He's just been explaining everything to me. That is... how the establishment works.

[epiprocta]

Haa? What -- who's this 'bird'? [ Gen, of course, only assumes that 'a bird' is some sort of weird codename for someone or something? Has someone been watching him come here? ] And why the hell're you learning about --

[ Anyway, Gray doesn't need to feel too bad for the vampiress! Clearly unhappy with the turn of events and (very reasonably) running out of patience, she interrupts Gen by giving him a hard slap across the face. It's enough to have Gen stumbling a step sideways, and he just looks at her -- a little wide-eyed from the natural shock of it -- as she huffs, 'See if I ever invite you over again, you rude ass!'

She stomps off the next moment with the swish of her long robes, leaving Gen with one cheek still red. Despite his initial surprise, he actually seems pretty used to this sequence of events. He only rolls his eyes as she exits the scene before returning his attention to what really matters: Gray. ]

-- why the hell're you learning about how this place works? [ At least the slap had halted the momentum of his flustered anger, and he's looking a little calmer as he speaks again. A little. His gaze is still suspicious when it flicks from Gray, up to her guide, then back. ] You're interested in this place?

[gravings]

[ Gray jumps with the hard clap of the vampiress's hand across Gen's cheek. She begins to step forward to intervene, but before there's anything to be done, the woman is already stomping away. Gray looks quickly to Gen to see if he's upset, but thankfully he doesn't seem bothered. Which does beg the question of how much this sort of thing happens to him...

A small sigh loosens Gray's shoulders until Gen begins asking questions. She blinks up at him, a bit of worry bending her brow as she notices him still casting suspicious looks at the vampire who showed her in. Without thinking of how it might sound, she answers his questions honestly. ]

I've been meeting more vampires [dhampirs actually], so I was a little curious about what their world is like.

[ Though that's a secondary mission to her. She shakes her head as if to clear it. ]

But I've been meaning to give you something, so I was looking for you too. I, um, just wasn't sure what kind of business this was when I came in. Otherwise, I would have looked for you another time...

[epiprocta]

[ Given everything she's seen of Gen's, well, everything, is she really surprised that Gen is accustomed to getting harshly rejected ... Gen had largely been shrewd about picking and choosing his targets back home when it came to accosting them and hassling them for a roll in the hay, but a 100% batting rate is a hard thing to attain. And getting slapped in the face doesn't sting that much after the first two or three times, as it turns out.

Anyway, Gen has much better things to worry about at the moment than the lingering sting in his cheek. ]

...

[ Though he says nothing for a moment, the way he shoots Gray's kindly vampire guide a rancid stink-eye is hardly subtle. And after seeming to think for a moment, lips pressed thinly together, Gen steps forward to smack the vampire's hand off Gray's shoulder. ]

Whatever. I'm done for the night. Let's get outta here.

[ With that, he starts bodily shoving Gray before him to guide them out of the establishment. Gray's guide offers her a genial 'We hope to see you again' as she's hustled away, which Gen responds to with a supremely shitty, 'Fuck off.' And by the time the vampire attempts one last 'I was speaking to the young lady, not you ...' they're already most of the way towards the door.

The moment he's finished shoving Gray back out onto the streets and let the door swing shut behind him, Gen spins her around so he can say to her face: ] Dunno what kinds of vampires you're hanging out with, but don't come here again. It's only for freaks and weirdos.

[ Rich coming from a regular! ]

[gravings]

[ Gray can't say she's ungrateful that Gen smacked the man's hand off her, though she might have chosen a more tactful way to do it. Before she can even think of begging pardon from the vampire with her eyes, Gen is bulldozing her all the way out the front door.

After she's wholesale spun around to face him, Gray blinks up at Gen. She grapples with him apparently admitting that he's a freak and/or weirdo, and then promptly ejects all related thoughts out the proverbial airlock. She already knew that he was comfortable with the physical pleasures in life, but she doesn't want that living in her head even a little. ]

I'll stay away.

[ She states that firmly for the record. Because it's true, and also so that Gen knows he can come back safely without fear of another Gray jumpscare.

Normally when Gray walks into a brand new world, she asks all sorts of questions to try to understand and find her place in it. In this case, she's happy to move the topic along. ]

I'll go in a moment, but first... I wanted to give you this.

[ She reaches around in her cloak, and then her gloved hand brings forth a metal cigarette case with generically classy scrollwork engraved on its face. If he were so inclined, he might be able to detect enchantments contained within. ]

[uproared]

... Ha! Yeah, I did say somethin' like that, didn't I? [ Less "like that" and more "exactly that", but details. ] You know, it's rude to use people's words against them. You've been hangin' around too many bad influences.

[ Despite her jocular tone, she's clearly taken Gray's (well, her own) words to heart. She rolls onto her back and grins at her, holding up her fist. ]

We'll do it together, then. Just remember to follow my orders like a good squire... no, like a good Master should. [ hm ]

1/2

[gravings]

[ Imagine being a worse influence than Mordred...

Mordred's use of the capital-M word is unexpected, and feels a bit wrong in that Gray thinks no one should be calling her that even if it's a Term... but as with all things Mordred, she has to look at the sentiment rather than the execution. With a small smile, she leans to gently bump Mordred's fist. ]

[gravings]

[ This nice moment of camaraderie is chattered by Add's cackling voice, none suppressed by the thick fabric of Gray's cloak. ]

Ihihihi! Master, huh?! I've been with this idiot a lot longer, so you'd better have a good name lined up for me too!

[uproared]

Huh? That voice...

[ Mordred sits up so suddenly that Norangie scatters in fright, her jovial expression replaced by a scowl. ]

You heard it too, right? Where are you hiding, you bastard? [ She sticks a hand under the couch and starts furiously sweeping it from side to side, as if a whole-ass knight could possibly fit in the tiny space. ]

[epiprocta]

[ Attagirl, Gray. Gen acknowledges the fact that he's a freak (derogatory), but it is absolutely not something that you need to worry about.

At Gray's prompt acquiescence Gen just gives a low grunt and a little huff. Good. He's still not entirely happy that she even came here in the first place, but he knows Bloody Marie's has a bunch of fussy rules; the vampires there probably won't just go trying to pursue Gray lest they get banned from the premises. Good enough.

And while he's digging through his pocket for a cigarette, distractedly wondering if he should maybe walk Gray to the nearest cornerstone or not, given she's a Meridian in Highstorm -- ]

Ah?

[ Oh, right. She'd said something about having something to hand over. Gen frowns as he accepts the cigarette case; he narrows his eyes in scrutiny as he looks over the front, then the back, then flips open the lid. ]

What is this. It looks expensive. [ A quick sniff at the cigarettes; there's a much deeper smell to them than his usual smokes. ] Smells expensive, too. Did someone give'em to you?

[ He's just, like, assuming she ended up with these so she's handing them over to him because he's the only smoker she knows. ]

[gravings]

[ Gray sighs quietly. She knew they'd have to meet properly sooner or later, but there's no way this won't be a handful of an encounter. ]

I have him here.

[ She unhooks Add's cage, withdraws it from the depths of her cloak, and sets it carefully on the coffee table in front of them. It's her way of telling him, "You're on your own."

Add hops around to face Gray, a splash of alarm on his fragmented face. ]

Oi, Gray! You're just gonna abandon me like this?!

[gravings]

Rin made them.

[ Gray knows Rin and Gen know each other, even if they might not always get along... She figures that if Gen likes the cigarettes, he can always ask Rin to prepare more.

He'll find that there's an incantation engraved in the interior of the case. Gray tiptoes so she can see and point as she explains. ]

This is an enchantment that protects against impacts... though the effective area is small, and it only works once before it needs to recharge. It takes about a day.

[ He'll find that it's about as strong as a bulletproof vest, and its working area is the size of pool inner tube. Next, she points to the cigarettes inside, ten in number. ]

These five will create a calming effect on people who breathe its smoke in. And these five will disrupt magic and create a veil of privacy.

[uproared]

[ She looks at Gray in confusion, and at the cage she draws out with even more skepticism. Only when Add finally, foolishly speaks up does Mordred narrow her eyes and turn her attention fully onto him. ]

I knew it! Kay, you lout! I'd recognize that obnoxious voice anywhere! [ It's the sort of thing one might say about an old friend... but there isn't any trace of fondness in her voice. Instead: ] Hey, is it okay if I kill him? It is? Cool.

[ REACHING FOR THE CAGE, though she's only going to furiously rattle him around if she gets ahold of it. At this point, Gray can probably tell the difference between her "killing intent", and her Killing Intent, even if one can swiftly turn into the other. ]

[gravings]

[ Gray abandons Add to this fate. He's nigh indestructible anyway, and it really is his own fault for speaking up. Thus she watches as Add gets rung like a cowbell, his wailing voice punctuated by the violent rattling of his cage. Maybe it's best to let Mordred get this out of her system. ]

His name is Add. His personality is based on Sir Kay, but it isn't actually him. Mostly.

[ There's the small matter of Add being able to project Kay's spirit, but hopefully it'll never come to that again. ]

Add isn't as... eloquent as Sir Kay, but he does say a bit too much sometimes. Sorry about that.

[uproared]

Add...? The hell kind of name is that? If you ask me [ nobody did ], you should be callin' him subtract!

[ Said while still ringing that bell box, though she eventually stops in favour of holding him up to her face to better glare at. ]

So, what? You've been cheatin' on me with another Round Table idiot this whole time? Exactly which one of us is the traitor here?

[gravings]

Well... he and I have been together for twelve years, so I'd be cheating on him with you.

[ Not that any kind of cheating is going on here, but maybe putting it that way will placate Mordred.

Add's little eyes swirl around dizzily, and despite being a metal cube, he somehow manages to emulate a sick slump. He groans, but otherwise doesn't try to speak up. Say one thing for Add, he learns when to shut up. Even though he should absolutely be ripping into Mordred for the "subtract" bit. ]

"Add" comes from Rhongomyniad. He's the weapon I've been using this whole time.

[epiprocta]

[ Gen is generally an inconsiderate and rude piece of shit, but he's also very much used to being one of the tallest people around. So almost by reflex, he holds the cigarette case lower so Gray can point out the two batches without having to get up on tippy toe for it. ]

Hmmmm.

[ Good thing he did, too, because the explanation is interesting enough. It earns a thoughtful little hum, and Gen idly picks one out -- the privacy type -- to hold up to his nose and give a sniff. Is magic is supposed to have a smell? It just smells like an expensive cigarette. Is Rin used to handling smokes? She didn't seem the type, but it sure looks and smells legit. ]

I don't really smoke anything this fancy ... [ He says, rudely. But it's just an idle observation, not a complaint. He returns the cigarette to the case and snaps it shut afterward, knowing something this nice should be handled properly. ] I'll take'em, though. See if I ever need'em.

[ A pause. Then -- ]

What're they for, though? You need me to do something for you?

[ Is this a bribe. ]

[uproared]

Ha! When you put it that way, suddenly I'm fine with it!

[ When Gray says the Rhongo-word, she scowls again, and pokes at Add like it's his fault. ]

... You really are shameless, bringin' that lance out in front of me again. Lemme guess — he's some sort of seal?

[gravings]

... Yes, actually.

[ It figures that Mordred would understand right away. ]

But I don't really think of him as the lance. I think of him as a childhood friend.

[ Add side-eyes Mordred, his already pointy features taking on a tinge of prickly irritation. If Mordred doesn't withdraw her finger immediately, he'll suddenly turn and give it a metallic chomp. ]

[gravings]

[ Rin did indeed pick out the tobacco (nice but not too nice because she knows Gen likes the cheap stuff) and roll it up herself. Just one of the many miscellaneous talents of Tohsaka Rin. Maybe there's a pile of less-than-perfect practice cigarettes lying around somewhere — or maybe not, since that would be a waste of money.

Gray is satisfied to see that Gen is satisfied, though she sobers at the insinuation that she'd only give him something nice in pursuit of a favor. ]

Gen...

[ Please!! She pauses briefly, picking through her thoughts. ]

I'm not in a position to protect you anymore, and you never wanted to let me before anyway. So this is my compromise.

[ If she can't protect him, then she wants to give him more tools to protect himself. Especially if he's going to get into public spats with Silco. ]

Please... keep this with you, even if it's just the case.

[uproared]

Childhood friend? Sure you don't mean pet?

[ Karma is real, because midway through the word "pet" is when Add chomps down on her finger, and Mordred pulls her hand back with a yelp. ]

All right, I really am going to kill him this time. Is there a hammer around here?

[gravings]

[ Just as Add deserved his rattling, Mordred deserved that chomp. Add and Mordred deserve each other, actually. ]

I mean childhood friend.

[ Even though she. keeps him in a birdcage. Which she finally picks up, settling it (and Add) on her lap before Mordred can really feel that temptation to hammer it. Add hops around to give Mordred a disgruntled look, but blessedly he knows not to push his luck. ]

I won't ask you both to get along [because that's hopeless] but it would be easier on me if you could at least try not to fight. I'm sure there were times you and Sir Kay managed to work together.

[ Even though this isn't Sir Kay. ]