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Kenos Inbox
voice / text / communion
D's mind is a cacophony of things.
The landscape is shadow and darkness, and it is chilly and reserved where D sits in it; he feels like a simple young man. Quiet, soft, human. But behind the stoicism is a warm, sensual, and elegant sliver of something primordial and powerful. Embracing it is hypnotic, arousing, yet also a little horrifying.
Amidst all of this is something else, too: a craggled and old presence which can be heard on occasion cackling or chattering separately, the crusty voice belonging neither to D or the peculiar entity in the space.
The landscape is shadow and darkness, and it is chilly and reserved where D sits in it; he feels like a simple young man. Quiet, soft, human. But behind the stoicism is a warm, sensual, and elegant sliver of something primordial and powerful. Embracing it is hypnotic, arousing, yet also a little horrifying.
Amidst all of this is something else, too: a craggled and old presence which can be heard on occasion cackling or chattering separately, the crusty voice belonging neither to D or the peculiar entity in the space.
early november; 🧃
A perfect symbiosis (no).
But with the passage of time comes familiarity, and if Eustace isn't necessarily any friendlier with D he is at least more tolerant of the other man's presence in the household. He might not initiate lengthy conversations still but he's at least begun to include D in his personal calculations. Like today, for example, as he stands in the kitchen taking tally of their groceries. He should probably check and see if there's anything D needs from the market.
He knocks on the guestroom door (no answer), then peers around the backyard (only the chickens are there). Hm. Maybe the stable...? Time for him to head over and peer inside.
Whatcha doin' in there, bud.... ]
not the juice box
If it hadn't been obvious the black, horned steed was a cyborg, the faint noises coming from the stable might be taken as D sharpening a nice, vampire hunting weapons. But as Eustace peers in, he'll see D sitting on a very low stool at the horse's flank without any of the grandiose additions to his outfit. (Just the "onesie"...) He's even missing the hat.
The closest horse's leg is bent up on the top of D's knee, and the calf panel lies open for D's long fingers and screwdriver to dig inside the wiry innards. Eustace's arrival earns a light huff through the horse's nose; the red eyes are already watching the man. D could hear Eustace's footfall from the house, but he finishes what he's doing before he slowly lifts his head. At first, he doesn't glance back. He watches Eustace's reflection in the gleaming black of the horse's metal leg plates.
And then slowly, D turns his head just enough toward his shoulder he can cut his eyes at Eustace. The red, fuzzy dotted glow on the horse's leg makes more sense now: there's a subtle carnelian hue to D's eyes, easy to spot surrounded by his thick, dark lashes.]
Do you need something?
[The tone of his voice hasn't changed--low, deep--but the sound hold a strange and alluring sensuality now.]
okay how about this 💋🩸
And not just because of the horse. He hasn't forgotten his unfortunate first meeting with D, and while they've gotten over the awkwardness of that forced kiss, something about the atmosphere now harkens back to that time. The good news is that he's entirely sober this time around and possessed of his own faculties. There will not be further kissing. (Unless...?) The bad news is: it still feels fucking gay in here, fellas.
Because he isn't blind and stupid like SOME other members of this household, he can sense that something is slightly off about this whole situation. His head tilts to one side, ears flattening ever so slightly as a tinge of concern creeps into his voice. ]
Are you alright?
[ Ignores D's question in favor of one of his own. ]
NO I'LL TAKE THE JUICE BOX
Eustace is wary, but D doesn't blame the man. A pause lingers between him where D tries to decide whether he wants to say anything, or simply tell Eustace to leave him be. For Eustace's sake, of course.]
You don't have to worry.
[He thinks Eustace likely won't take a simple reassurance, and that's fine. The glowing scarlet eyes lift, looking from somewhere by Eustace's feet to Eustace's face. The depth of them even from this angle is warm and hypnotic. The gaze charmingly bids Eustace to approach, like meeting a handsome and charismatic stranger for the first time.]
It's just better if I'm not in the house.
[Until he can figure out how to make his damn pills again, or can find some other sort of arrangement suited to his stupid, knightly ethnics. He's not really a feral, mindless attacker, but the same exuberant aura stretching out to Eustace now is always difficult to subdue when... hungry.]
i'm sorry it's been more than ten minutes, please don't drop me
Though with the way the atmosphere in the stable is heating up fast, he thinks he can take a guess. This was definitely not what things felt like at dinner. If it had been, he never would have agreed to let D move in. (Sorry, D.)
It's with some difficulty that he peels himself from the doorframe and takes a careful step forward, caught between trying to avoid that hypnotic gaze if at all possible and trying to figure out what the hell is going on. His whole body is tense, ears flattened towards the back of his head, a grim frown set deep on his face. It's clear that he doesn't want to be here, but he keeps moving forward nonetheless. If something is going to happen, better him than either of the other two in the house. ]
Why's that?
[ Please enlighten him on this matter. ]
how dare you take longer than ten minutes to reply
Eustace warily approaches, and D turns back to his work on the horse's leg as to not spook the other man more than necessary. The bizarre sensual aura doesn't really dissipate, and the closer Eustace gets, the more a light red haze has surrounded D's form.
His fingers pluck at a few of the wires embedded in the leg below the hock, moving them aside. He has no real interest in divulging anything about himself to Eustace. Not because it's Eustace, but because he doesn't want to do that with anyone.
But he's aware Eustace may try to fight him unnecessarily if he isn't honest.]
I can smell and hear everyone.
[Around the curtain of his long hair, Eustace can see the glowing eyes better. Powerful, tantalizing gems blazing very differently than the soft, forlorn eyes of a young man at the dinner table.
His teeth, too. Two long canines not present before.
Eustace may have stable faculties, but looking upon D now might make him remember how Eustace had felt the day he accosted D while in love: warm, invited, swept away, and giddy.
D, on the other hand, does not acknowledge whatever power may be.]
I don't have the capsules I usually carry with me on the Frontier.
well actually it's because i lost interest and forgot
The sensual vibes quickly ramping up in intensity? Also deeply distressing. Eustace is not and will not ever consider being a filthy cheater, but he's only (mostly) human, lacking any sort of OP magical and mental defense against provocative temptations like this one. Which really leaves him with only one viable solution, which is to shut down whatever's happening right now as soon as possible.
He stops his approach about four feet away, arms lifting to cross tightly over his chest. It's a stiff, closed off gesture; the more walls he puts up right now, the better. ]
For your [ hm ] condition? Is there a substitute for them in the meantime?
[ He thinks he probably knows, because it's not like he's never seen a vampire before in his life, but it never hurts to get confirmation. ]
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Sometimes, Dad just makes you a sexy vampire, and you hate that part deeply.]
No, not one I have found to be equivalent. I don't know if this place has the correct technology for making them yet. It's something I'm looking into.
[He pauses to glance at Eustace. Not to woo Eustace, but to politely give Eustace his attention.]
I can leave if you'd like.
[The household. He didn't come with anything, and he still has nothing to his name as he prefer, so riding off on the horse is the least bothersome thing he could do.]
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Besides, it's not as though D's done anything wrong. As far as housemates go, he's actually an extermely resepectful one. Keeps to himself, doesn't trash the place, doesn't eat all their food like certain basement dwellers who will not be named. No, D staying in the house is not the problem here, the problem is that D can't stay in the house while he is currently like this. ]
You don't need to leave.
[ Leaving would just make Dokja sad, and that is the last thing he wants to do. ]
But you need to find a way to take care of this soon.
[ He doesn't really sound like he's willing to bend on this either, voice curt and hard. Eustace may not be the head of the house and in charge of making the rules, but he is the protector of this tiny little family as far as he's concerned and he refuses to tolerate any potential danger, unintentional or otherwise. ]
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D's aware of the implications, and Eustace isn't wrong. D is cautious, but he really thinks he can keep the urge in check... He trusts his centuries worth if restraint. What the hell is he half-vampire for if he lets himself go off the rails? It's a lingering, increasing concern.
As much as he doesn't want to offer personal information, D realizes this conversation won't go anywhere good if he's not forthcoming to Eustace. And so far, Eustace hasn't given him any cause for distrust. (Not counting what this place can force you to do.)]
The only option is consuming real blood, something I'm not thrilled with doing. Feeding from others makes me no different from the vampires I hunted. However, I may consider an exception for those who may have more resilience to the bite.
Bites from the Nobility often kill, but if the vampire is powerful, there are only two outcomes: a thrall, or a vampire.
[Which is why he's so hesitant to bite simply anyone.]
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In any other situation, Eustace would be more than content to leave well enough alone. D's private life and habits are honestly none of his concern, and from an objective standpoint, he can understand the desire to hold true to a particular set of beliefs in order to be seen as less than human. Unfortunately, this isn't just any old place but his house, filled with the people he loves, and quite frankly he would rather die than potentially let anything happen to them.
Which maybe he'll have to do? Stay tuned.
Neither option sounds particularly appealingbut still moreso than the thought of either Dokja or Gray undergoing the same fate. (Why not just grab a third party to suffer through a little bit of juice boxing instead of himself? Because that feels wrong, and if anyone should be undergoing anything risky it should be him.)
He grits his teeth a little more but stands his ground. ]
Try me.
[ How does D feel about furry blood.... ]
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It feels very like Eustace to be belligerently determined on behalf of the people in this household. It's also not a surprise. When Eustace was cursed to be infatuated with him, he could see the whispers of this then.]
Do you have any resilience to diseases?
[Might as well briefly open a conversation about it... Like Eustace, D does not jump to do anything without a lot of forethought.]
Are you sure you're willing to chance the probability of becoming a mindless husk waiting for the next Kiss?
[D doesn't think this will happen. If even Doris could power through Count Magnus Lee's bite, then Eustace is probably fine. Maybe.]
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--Is not what Eustace is thinking, because I refuse to IC/OOC blur. Rather, he appreciates the gravity with which D is approaching this situation, and the continued patient demeanor he presents in spite of having a stranger barge in on his business. It seems that Dokja hasn't chosen poorly in inviting D to live with them. If only he hadn't been a vampire.
But, well, he's traveled with vampires before in the past. None of them have ever given him any reason to dislike the species as a whole.
The possible future of him wandering around as a mindless husk isn't appealing, by any means, but he's faced worse fates than a potential vampiric seduction. It gives him pause to think, but ultimately his answer remains the same. ]
I'm stronger than I look.
[ Maybe not physically because unfortunately he was designed as a gacha twunk, but surely mentally. He's spent too much time hardening his heart and his mind for it all to be worth nothing now. If nothing else, he can hope that his Shard will offer him some measure of protection. It's not like he's all that human anymore, able to withstand death, able to change his form into another when he couldn't before. He's a different person, now. It only makes sense to take different risks than before. ]
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Eustace isn't going to be dissuaded, he realizes. D thinks he could just leave, and Eustace would maybe accept that as a rejection if only to harbor reluctance because of Dokja. (His own reluctance about this is for the same reason. What if he hurts someone they care about?)
If D is honest, he'd rather it be Eustace, of anyone in this household. He does not want it to be Gray, and he's already seen how fool-hardy Dokja can be after Alenroux. It being Eustace is a mercy.
After a very long moment, D closes the plate of the horse's hock, and he lowers the tool to the top of the stool as he fluidly draws himself to stand. The red haze draped around him follows.
When he faces Eustace with those blazing eyes, a sudden and warm heat draws up through Eustace's stomach from the thighs. The shadows of the stable are thicker somehow, almost concealing D completely. Just two carnelian gems hover in the shade, boring through Eustace, down into the depths. D's long fingers unfurl, palm up; Eustace can't be sure when D had even extending his arm.
No command is issued, but Eustace can feel the urge bubbling up from within, tickling his mind at the nape: Come. From behind, the darkness of the stable pushes Eustace forward; and from the front, the most convincing and beautiful man he's ever seen stands before him.]
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But at least an A-level one, because those special effects are pretty sick. Eustace, already stiff as a board, doesn't have much room to turn even more statue-like but his gaze does follow each of D's movements as he rises from his seat and stretches out one long arm.
He'd thought it was suffocating inside the stable before, but he realizes now that back then was nothing compared to this. It's as though control of his body is slowly being wrested away from him, and a filter being placed over his mind to toss out any thought that doesn't align with his growing need to step forward and immerse himself in the company of the most beautiful man in Kenos—and perhaps all of existence.
And yet not the man he actually wants, he reminds himself, even as he follows the urges of both his mind and body and takes that first - and then second - step forward. It's alarming how quickly his pulse speeds up in anticipation of what's to come, and how quickly heat spreads through his veins, enough so that he grits out a few muttered words even as he closes the distance between them. ]
If it doesn't work [ read: if he gets struck down into the clutches of a thrall ] do me a favor and kill me.
[ But like, for real. Not a joke. ]
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With how D continues to act like his taciturn self, it's clear this aura is a sort of instinctual overlay which D cannot completely control. He supposes he has his father to thank for that.
He slips his fingers around one of Eustace's wrists when the man is in reach, drawing the arm behind himself so Eustace is pulled closer.]
I will.
[Before Dokja comes to hopefully eviscerate him.
The fingers of his other hand pass through the hair at the base of Eustace's neck, skin surprisingly warm for a man so pale. The punctures are sure going to be a thing Eustace carries back to normalcy, and maybe Dokja would have been better off walking in here and seeing them like this from the start.
The only thing he can do is to bite lower than the pulsing section of Eustace's neck. The craving suddenly comes on a little stronger than he thought it would, and D feels baser for it. He's become a lesser version of his former self.
The fingers swing down beneath Eustace's collar to pull the clothing out of the way, and he drops his lips onto the slope where the neck meets the shoulder. He bites with no preamble, with two long canine which hadn't been there when Eustace found him. The blood swelling into his mouth is ambrosia to his senses, and he has to double down on his focus.
On the other hand, Eustace feels nothing. Whatever pinch had been expected doesn't come. An overwhelming surge of arousal arrives instead, pouring from the top of Eustace's head down between the knees. It's the euphoric haze earned after wonderful sex, leaving Eustace in a brief daze.
A terrible, dark power sweeps into Eustace's mind, trying to overpower it, but it isn't quite able to force itself in the nooks. The image of a tall, imposing, and beautiful man who resembles D flashes in Eustace's mind. The man's eyes burn perpetually as red as D's had, but his presence is weighted with an age unfathomable. As old as a planet, as old as time.
His rich, deep voice says, "Cut them apart."
Then the man is gone, and Eustace is instead restrained in a thick chair welded into the floor of a wide and industrial room. Monitors beep and buzz, and pads have been stuck to his pale, nude form. Across from him, he sees D, shorn haired, who looks not much older than ten. D is similarly restrained in an indentical chair, the legs, the arms, the chest, the head. Putrid colored liquid slowly begins to descend the IV into D's arm, and Eustace realizes at an icy sting, the same is happening to him.
Almost immediately, he can feel the fiery burn of hell split his veins. A thousand ants crawling beneath his skin, the sun is inside of him. He thrashes against the binds convulsively, but laughter comes out of his mouth instead of the scream he expects. Just laughter. Wild, unhinged laughter.
But then Eustace understands it isn't him laughing, but D across from him. Through thr similar shaking and twisting, clawing, D is laughing maniacally, and Eustace has one thought, he does not want to be like his brother.
When Eustace opens his eyes, D is holding him upright in the stable. The inner rim of D's lips are red, but there is no other sign he's had a taste of Eustace's blood. He's watching Eustace's face, eyes dimmer and ringed by the embers of the bright red from before. Eustace can feel the strange hum of life force from D, as if they are intertwined and synchronized. He knows where D exists and can feel D know him as well.]
Do you remember your name?
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The fingers at the nape of his neck, the lips brushing lightly against his skin, the heady scent of anise and leather that fill his nostrils and his mind....together they form a scene so startlingly intimate that it takes everything in him to remember that this is nothing more than an impersonal transaction agreed upon by two men no more than acquaintences. It feels like sinking into a bed of silk sheets, a prelude to tangled limbs and whispered words intended for the ear of only a single recipient.
He has just enough time to whisper a sincere apology in the most sacred, tucked away corners of his heart before it hits him, the sensual fantasy eclipsed by a euphoric reality, every nerve ending awash in such pleasure that it's a miracle his knees don't give way. (Or maybe they do and D has just been kindly supporting him this entire time, what a gentleman.) It's enough of a blindside that he doesn't fight the man who sweeps into his mind nor the scene that unfolds afterwards, terrible and all-encompassing. There's a part of him that recognizes it for what it is - not a memory of his own, an elaborate occurrence unfolding only in the confines of his mind - even while the larger part of him can't help but react appropriately, as if every single tube attached to him and every single noise assaulting his ears is real and true. Discomfort radiates off him, mingling with fear and anxiety, and every muscle in his body - in both reality and this memory - tenses.
It's so many things that leave him exhausted by the time the last of the laughter fades and enough of his own consciousness returns to him for him to groggily open his eyes. How long has it been? Surely no more than a handful of minutes, and yet it feels like it's been an eternity. He can still feel his heartbeat pounding too loud in his ears and the lingering caress of unequaled bliss heavy in his limbs. Maybe it should be a little concerning that he doesn't answer right away, still too preoccupied with steadying his breathing and trying to make sense of the flashback seared into his mind.
Does he remember his own name? A good question. It's really unfortunate he doesn't answer it, countering instead with a haggard question of his own. ]
What was that?
[ But maybe the question is reassuring in its own way, a reflection of the personality he's solidified over the last twenty years of a man preferring to forge his own path ahead without regard to the consideration of others. At least the core of who he is is still there, intact and whole despite the mental onslaught he'd just taken. ]
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D continues to hold Eustace until Eustace can stand unassisted. It's the polite thing he can do after juicing the guy. A bit worrying Eustace didn't confirm the name knowledge; however, at least Eustace seems in control of most faculties. A decent sign. Eustace is also thankfully not bleeding out.
NICE!
D's dim eyes look again over Eustace's face. He's impressed Eustace even came to consciousness again. Thralling happens easily, and it means becoming a zombie laid out wherever, dazed and waiting for the vampire to return.]
What did you see?
[Whatever it had been, D had not witnessed it himself But he is curious. His DNA means all kinds of whacky shit can occur.
Nothing would surprise him so much as intrigued him.]
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Also sorry to make D wait even longer as Eustace continues to scrape up his scrambled brain bits, sorting out which thoughts are his, which thoughts seem a little too discordant to be his, and whether or not he is actually back in reality or if what he's experiencing now is just a continuation of the vision before. (After all, he doesn't usually get to be held in the arms of an ethereally beautiful man......or does he? Looks at Dokja.)
The information comes out in bits and pieces, his voice still haggard and his breaths uneven. ]
A man....a boy in a chair. [ Both alarmingly beautiful in the same way D is. ] Tubes and fluids. Laughter.
[ This really just sounds like a insane man spouting out a series of unrelated words, but hopefully D's familiar enough with the events of his own life to put those pieces together. ]
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He doesn't have to see any memory, or dream, or vision to knkw exactly what man Eustace saw.
An old god, a ruler of the industrious revolution of vampires when there was once a prominent major city of them, the one interconnected with other cities through expansive superhighways.
He still does not care for offering Eustace any explanation, but after what he has done, Eustace deserves at least some answer.]
It was a laboratory. A place Nobles ran experiments in an attempt to create the perfect being. The man you saw was their king, the highest leader of their council.
[He does not say anything about the boy, but he does have another question:]
Who did the boy look like?
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Even if he still has no idea who the hell these Nobles are supposed to be.
By now his breathing is a little more even, and a little more color's returned to his cheeks. He doesn't feel the hypnotic pull from before, though somehow D's presence in the stable feels more highlighted than before. Straightening, he turns to gaze at D's (still ethereally) beautiful face, comparing the delicate features there with the ones he'd seen in his mind. ]
He looked like you, actually.
[ And with that said! ]
How are you feeling?
[ Does he still feel the urge to (yuul voice) suck people off? ]
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D returns Eustace's autonomy with standing, but doesn't let go of full support, too worried Eustace will end up on the stable ground from the wooziness of blood loss. For what it's worth, D did not drink as much as he could because he a) imposes strict self control on himself, and b) has a nagging, ugly old voice in his mind yelling at him to not be stupid.]
Level. I owe you a debt for your help.
[Help Eustace didn't have to extend to him because Eustace is already a little wary of him suddenly taking up space in their household.]
Thank you. It should be a while before it happens again.
[He's hoping he will have pills for artificial blood by then, but maybe luck will be shitty to him.]
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The words are so unexpected that Eustace is caught off-guard, eyes widening even as he rights himself fully to his usual stick-straight upright position. Now that he's (somewhat) clearheaded again and no longer in danger of succumbing to D's sexy vampire aura, he's actually starting to feel a little bad about steamrolling his way through. It's clear that there's a lot of shit going on behind that handsome face, a lot more than he would have expected. What's that saying again, don't judge a book by its cover? You'd think he would learn that after working in a literal bookstore for so long, and yet.
He shakes his head slightly, almost in a rejection of D's words. ]
You don't owe me anything. I was the one that [ selfishly ] asked you to do this.
[ And it had been selfish, because he'd been more worried about Dokja and Gray than he had about D's feelings in all of this. But weirdly enough, he feels like he has a better grasp on D now despite having offered himself up as a juice box. Nothing like getting to know a person's true nature underneath a normally polite facade.
D may be more of a threat in general, but Eustace feels slightly less threatened by his presence now. ]
What do you need for your alternative to...this?
[ Maybe they can work Together..... Truly this is bonding at its finest. ]
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I could have refused.
[If he had been a stronger man............
And now Eustace is already trying to help him more. SEE? This is why there is a debt.]
Technology Kenos likely doesn't have. But I would rather make the attempt than not even if it ends in failure. Liem mentioned someone in Kowloon, the owner of the Cache. I had intended to speak to vampires in Kowloon already, so it's worth visiting.
[...........]
Let me take you back to the house. You should eat something and rest.
[After the snack.]
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A snack for a snack sounds nice though, Eustace drooping once again as the aftereffects of blood loss start hitting him. Good thing he's not Dokja, malnourished and skinny. His health has always been good, which leaves him a little more stable in situations like these.
It's a little bit of a relief to know that D has others he's working with on this matter, and Eustace nods once in acknowledgment. ]
If there's anything I can do, let me know.
[ Probably not, since he doesn't have many connections in Springstar or anywhere else, but it feels right to make the offer anyway, just in case. With that out of the way, he straightens again with the intent to return to the house and grab himself a snack. A juice box for a juice box? 🥺
Before he can take that first step though, another thought hits him and he turns back to D. ]
Does Dokja know? [ Wait, why is he asking this when he knows for a fact that Dokja is one of the stupidest men on the planet? Eustace makes a slight face at the belated realization, then he corrects his phrasing. ] You should tell him.
[ Because otherwise Eustace will tell him and that just feels like a breach of the other man's privacy. ]
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finally frees anna from my nefarious clutches
STOP now i have to go annoy yuul bc dokja is stupid