Day 41: Sun Room

[feartehreaper.livejournal.com]

Haseo's steps were heavy with the weight of righteous anger as he was escorted into the Sun Room, his posture so sullen and reluctant you could almost hear the nostalgic cry of an electric guitar. He was seething, and though perhaps it was a bit harder to be intimidating while wearing the uniform of an insane asylum and flanked by a bored-looking orderly, it was not for lack of trying.

Unfortunately, his nurse seemed unaffected by the act, and even with the cloud of failing to keep "Kai" away from "Peyton" hanging over her, remained determinedly cheerful. She merely said something about receiving a lecture later on, ignored his retorts, and assured him that it would be alright even though his internet stalker was in the same building. For the most part, Haseo tuned her babbling out after that, dismissing it as hopeless.

"...and usually this would be the time children would be taking showers, but you don't have to worry about that right now. Now then, le--"

"Wait. What?"

"Oh, all the children seventeen or under are separated right now while the adults go to the courtyard..."

"Hey, I'm not a kid you old--!"

"Oh of course you aren't dear, but you're not eighteen yet either, now are you?"

Haseo resisted the urge to do something rash, literally biting his tongue to keep quiet. But upon having the bulletin board pointed out to him, he shrugged off his anger for the most part and headed that way, fully intending to get more answers than he'd had time to receive during breakfast.

Well... at least Endrance is in another shower group, he thought, Thank god.

[Closed to Tsukasa, for now!]

Comments

[windstwilight.livejournal.com]

She gave a short laugh. "That's cool," she replied, still eying the locks. They looked soft. Probably were. But pretty-boy probably would not be cool about her reaching out to check that fact. Maybe later on.

...And probably hair wasn't the best of things to talk about. Kid was a guy, after all, not like when Shion and her chatted about the subject for a whole shift. Aidou probably was not really interested in all of that. Even if he was the princely type and probably conditioned more than she did. Senna smiled again. "Well, it's really cute."

She sighed, leaning back a little. "So I was wondering. Are you part of some upper class society where you're from? It sorta seems that way."

[idolism]

Was it cool? He didn’t know. His hair was always cute and always perfect, even when he didn’t get a chance to bathe regularly like a civilized person, but it wasn’t as though many people cared to notice in Landel’s, least of all one of the Arts and Crafts groupies, the “shinigami.” They had enough pompousness calling themselves that, he didn’t see how they had room to compliment others, but objectively speaking, he wouldn’t write their group off simply for that reason. All the same, he didn’t hold them in high regard, either, especially when they weren’t being useful.

This is was not… particularly useful in the conventional sense. It was chitchat. This time, at least, she had the right time of day. Or the wrong time of day, depending on what his biological clock had to say on the matter.

He blinked. “I know,” he said, as though she’d told him vampires had fangs. A fact. It was beyond him to consider whether his response answered her question for him. He still told the truth, a little calculatingly. Now what exactly did she want? “I suppose it should. It’s hard to hide one’s roots. Yes, I happen to be from very distinguished society. Why do you ask?”

Maybe he did have to give her more credit than her other shinigami counterparts. They’d often showed no acknowledgment that he could be anything but an equal, if they’d even seen true nobility in their entire lives.

[windstwilight.livejournal.com]

She gave a 'heh', and tilted her head. He didn't say much more than he had to, and that made him hard to get to know. Or even to judge. She wasn't quite sure what would have a bad reaction and what would be okay. She supposed... If he was from high society, he'd be like that. Not like she had very much experience with it. Granted, some of her memories had that kind of life, but it wasn't like she retained the lifestyles. Senna'd have to ask Falis about nobility if she was going to continue bothering talking to Aidou.

She blinked once, pursing her lips. "Why?" she repeated, moderately confused. "I was just wondering. You seem like... Huh, how to put this? Like you're used to better things. And you carry yourself like you're someone important." She shrugged, partially self-conscious. "The other night was sorta awkward, and I thought if I understood about that, that I'd have a better time trying to be friends with you."

Senna looked up, a bit more serious than normal. "I don't want to offend you and I think I might have did that." They had both started out on the wrong foot--at least, that's what she thought.

[idolism]

We’ll, he’d been waiting for the punch line, and he supposed that was it. Friendship… huh. Almost everyone who wasn’t an enemy had leaned in that direction from the get-go, if they hadn‘t lost his regard right away for whatever reason. He was missing an entire category of males and females here. Except for Sheena, who’d been lukewarm (or way too warm, that was debatable), and Anise, who was interested in something else instead of his incredible appearance.

The vampire still hadn’t found a satisfactory way to deal with these people. Friendship wasn’t odd to him, it was just odd in this context. With these… non-vampires.

He let out a long, soundless breath, shifting from side-to-side slightly before sitting a little straighter. If he had to get up and walk away, was she going to pull a Wolfram and try to knock him to the floor? “Oh, I thought you were asking for a reason. About Landel’s,” Aidou explained, a little reluctantly, though he kept his tone even. His gaze flicked to the side, then back at her. No, this had the potential to be awkward, not to mention tedious. Just because he was lowered to the same level… wearing the same uniform, suffering the same indignities… it didn’t mean he was any more understandable then if he’d had the same cool, elegant distance of a Night Class noble. At least not in his opinion, and that was the one that mattered, wasn’t it?

That she’d translated that night’s demeanour to mean a provoked one wasn’t that hard to understand, at least. If she had insulted him, he could appreciate her more if she’d still be willing to learn what she’d done then. Aidou could reassure her that his thoughts about her weren’t so grave as that in reality; despite a perceived hiccup in the beginning, thanks to her blasé approach, physically she had managed to keep up and had seemed to focus a little by the end.

“No… no, you didn’t offend me,” he mused slowly. “For an impromptu partnership, you preformed fine. But it seems we have different ideas on how to wisely spend our time. I don’t like idle things interfering with my nights, and being paired with you was a way to fulfill a debt. I wouldn’t let a nonchalant outlook get in the way of something like that.” In not so many words, fun was an unacceptable distraction. He didn’t have to say it, but he added, “That’s part of nobility. Not going back on a commitment.” And then there was Aidou’s personality to take into account, where he would absolutely not lose his focus.

[windstwilight.livejournal.com]

...Note to self: awkward pretty boy is very cute like that. End note.

So she hadn't.... That was good, at least. Senna visibly sighed in relief. "I'm glad," she said, smiling. Sure, Senna could be sharp and hostile when she wanted, but with someone she had just meant, who didn't really deserve it... She was glad she had been wrong in that. Other than that....

She slid her hands behind her neck in thought. "I don't go back on things either. I just... This place is a little better than where I'm from in some ways. I guess sometimes it makes things not bother me so much. But it's not like I'm just playing around. Sorry if it seemed that way."

[idolism]

Whether she was glad she’d hadn’t unimpressed someone she shouldn’t, or something less imperative than that, he didn’t need to know. He shifted again, clasping his hands, and the moment was over; the explanation of things that were, to him, intrinsic ended with that. Well enough if she now had a better understanding of what he expected from himself and others when it came to cooperating with others at night. Anything more than that… was largely unimportant in the here and now.

His tempered face reasserted itself now that he had a better of understanding of just what she’d been after in the first place. The noble didn’t have a personal stake in the conversation, but it had potential enough for him to remain attentive enough to keep a bridge from catching spark and burning. As volatile as Aidou could be to anyone and everyone, every smart aristocrat raised in the right society new how to use his head when dealing with the sticky threads of acquaintances and alliances. He could be polite and keep usable contacts. It was both easier and harder in Landel’s--easier, because he wasn’t in a position to waste opportunities and so had to watch his step with others, and harder, because Landel’s made everything harder, including keeping one’s composure.

He blinked, observing her from behind a dark veil of lashes. “So you said,” he replied smoothly. He hadn’t forgotten. “The night wasn’t a waste, so no need to dwell on that.” Repeating himself wasn’t really necessary--he’d already told her what he thought about this place.

[windstwilight.livejournal.com]

Ah, babbling. Such was her curse. Idiot Senna, you had said that before. Man, this guy was unflappable. A change of tactics then. Maybe. A frown crossed her features for a second before she lit up with one of her bright grins. "Sounds good," she replied.

"Can I ask about you?" she went on, offering by way of explanation: "I'm curious. I haven't been around many high class people in general. Were you a prince or something? What was your life like?" Aware that she was still rambling even with a subject change, she raised a hand to the back of her neck, smiling sheepishly. "Or you could tell me to shut up."

[idolism]

He watched her frown, lingering outside of the two moods he’d already shown her--the distantly charming approach he’d originally shown her, and the intent focus he’d turned outward like the glint of a knife during the rest of their time together. Unconsciously or not, Aidou supposed that could be part of the interest that drove her. It certainly didn’t seem to be because she was simply enamoured with him or his lifestyle. Ah well.

Aidou had never hated talking about himself before, but around others besides vampires, he had to be mindful, and around others besides vampires in Landel’s, he felt a little less inclined to divulge on the spot with strangers. Even the harmless ones. The questions, though, were innocuous enough… except for perhaps the last. He could lie--and he did lie, so very often--but he wished this conversation to be as simple as possible. He had more important things to worry about; potentially putting up with lies at a later date would be tiring.

But surely she knew she’d deflected questions aimed at her, so even if he refused to answer, it did, in a way, balance. Telling her to shut up was hardly beyond him, either, but it wouldn’t be necessary.

“Not many people are on a regular basis,” said the vampire, a way of assenting to the queries. He then shook his head, enough to make his hair dance. “Not something so grand, either.” Or… obsolete. Even in vampire society, which was so much more ancient than the humans’, the monarchy had been disestablished, and the royal family… Kaname-sama… Aidou definitely wasn’t a prince, not when that title rightfully belonged to someone else. A B level couldn’t aspire to take a pureblood’s position. “I’m a member of a noble household, that’s all.”