[ 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.
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?
[ 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...
[ 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.
[ 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. ]
[ 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. ]
[ 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.
[ 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?
[ 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.
[ It's nothing personal? Gen wouldn't even think poorly of Gray if she were to be offering that gift to set up for a request. They might be akin to something like friends, but Gen still knows most relationships are transactional -- give and take. Debts and repayments. So what she says next earns a blink. ]
...
[ His first instinct is to laugh, honestly. Yes, Gray is a superpowered fantasy freak, but still. How much of a laughingstock would he be if he needed to be protected by anyone, like some weak little damsel, let alone by some little girl half his height? Ridiculous. (The fact that she wants to protect him at all is ludicrous.)
The only thing that gives him pause, really, is her sincerity. The fact that she's saying this so seriously. There's something sobering about it.
He'd simply been looking at her for a moment, but Gen gives a quiet sigh the next moment. Then raises his free hand -- to poff onto the top of her hooded head. He doesn't even rustle it this time, just pushes a little to get her to duck her head a touch. A little gentle bullying, mostly, but also so she'll be distracted away from the slight stiffness in his delivery.
He's always had a harder time lying about shit like this. ]
Alright. [ His compromise will be that he'll pretend her desire is a valid one. ] I'll carry it around. Right in my inner pocket and everything, promise. So you won't have to worry 'bout me, yeah?
[ As he planned, she ducks a little under his heavy hand. She recognizes it at least partially for what it is: a physical action to make up for a mental hesitation. She's found it to be a common tactic among a certain type of person. It isn't so different from her own tendency to withdraw into her hood when she's uncertain; in Gen's case, he is just bullying instead of retreating. In any case, she doesn't mind too much. She'll take it as an awkward show of appreciation. ]
... Alright. You promised.
[ She isn't completely sold that he'll keep the case on him as much as she'd like, but if he'll at least do it when he's headed into danger, she'll count that as enough. Though she'll disagree that she won't have to worry about him just because of this. There are so many ways for him to get into trouble, many of them bloodless and self-inflicted.
With her mission complete, Gray takes a last glance at Bloody Marie's. A fascinating establishment, even if it's not for her. ]
I should probably head back now.
[ The fight for the next Oracle is coming up, and a Meri in Highstorm will be viewed with more suspicion than usual — on both sides, even. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2023-11-22 04:56 am (UTC)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.
no subject
Date: 2023-11-23 04:55 am (UTC)[ 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?
no subject
Date: 2023-11-25 06:24 am (UTC)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...
no subject
Date: 2023-11-27 02:47 am (UTC)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! ]
no subject
Date: 2023-11-28 09:08 am (UTC)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. ]
no subject
Date: 2023-11-29 06:06 am (UTC)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. ]
no subject
Date: 2023-11-30 01:47 am (UTC)[ 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.
no subject
Date: 2023-11-30 06:00 am (UTC)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. ]
no subject
Date: 2023-12-01 05:13 am (UTC)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.
no subject
Date: 2023-12-02 06:20 am (UTC)...
[ His first instinct is to laugh, honestly. Yes, Gray is a superpowered fantasy freak, but still. How much of a laughingstock would he be if he needed to be protected by anyone, like some weak little damsel, let alone by some little girl half his height? Ridiculous. (The fact that she wants to protect him at all is ludicrous.)
The only thing that gives him pause, really, is her sincerity. The fact that she's saying this so seriously. There's something sobering about it.
He'd simply been looking at her for a moment, but Gen gives a quiet sigh the next moment. Then raises his free hand -- to poff onto the top of her hooded head. He doesn't even rustle it this time, just pushes a little to get her to duck her head a touch. A little gentle bullying, mostly, but also so she'll be distracted away from the slight stiffness in his delivery.
He's always had a harder time lying about shit like this. ]
Alright. [ His compromise will be that he'll pretend her desire is a valid one. ] I'll carry it around. Right in my inner pocket and everything, promise. So you won't have to worry 'bout me, yeah?
no subject
Date: 2023-12-03 08:37 am (UTC)... Alright. You promised.
[ She isn't completely sold that he'll keep the case on him as much as she'd like, but if he'll at least do it when he's headed into danger, she'll count that as enough. Though she'll disagree that she won't have to worry about him just because of this. There are so many ways for him to get into trouble, many of them bloodless and self-inflicted.
With her mission complete, Gray takes a last glance at Bloody Marie's. A fascinating establishment, even if it's not for her. ]
I should probably head back now.
[ The fight for the next Oracle is coming up, and a Meri in Highstorm will be viewed with more suspicion than usual — on both sides, even. ]