[ He almost wants to throw up his hands in the air, to do something that shows his level of confusion. For a moment it's stronger than his anger, the crease in his face turning to that insteady of fury. Adam Parrish isn't wantable. He's not desirable. ]
I'm not interesting. I'm not funny. I'm not anyone.
[ Rafa hisses as though in pain, and holds up his hand. ]
Adam, please. I can feel the chip on your shoulder from here. I did not come to help you pity yourself.
[ He scoots forward on the bed, crossing his legs beneath him and smiling. ]
You are amusing. You are angry. You have so much stress under your skin that your heart will most likely give out before you turn thirty. You have fourteen freckles on that cheek. [ Pointing. ] And sixteen on that one, and another on your neck, and it is cute, and you do not know it.
And you have magic in your blood, yet you think you are nothing at all. [ His head tilts along with his smile, and his fangs show themselves again. Just a little. ] Does it make more sense to you now?
[ He can feel the heat in his face before he's able to do anything about it. It floods to the surface of his skin in a horrible and inappropriate blush. ]
I told you, the magic isn't me. [ It's the easiest thing to deal with in the face of all the rest. While he should refute the stress claim he knows he can't. He's so serious, so driven. But he thinks if anything's going to kill him it won't be something as mundane as that. And being called cute. Well, that's never happened before. ]
I'm just ... the storage box. [ He shrugs a little. He won't tell Rafa about Cabeswater, but he doesn't want him getting the wrong idea that Adam can do anything. ]
[ Oh, now that’s a much better effect. Adam flushes, and Rafa’s
eyes light on his cheeks. He smiles, amused, and leans forward. Adam’s
scent is almost overpowering now – and yes, that description of his
magic makes sense, given the way he smells. It’s why magic is more
like a taint on him than something inborn. It’s what makes Rafa think
he could feed on the boy, which is pleasing. ]
The storage box. [ His voice is soft, though he rolls his
eyes. ] And I suppose you imagine that is accidental, and
nothing that you have for any reason at all. These things are rarely
without purpose. Do you think me as new to all of it as you are? No
wonder the fae are interested in you.
[ He will have to keep watch on this boy. His own interest
aside, he cannot allow them to get their hands on whatever it is that
Adam is storing. They don’t need more power on their side. Rafa needs
to ensure that his family are the ones holding all the cards.
]
[ It only proceeds to make his cheeks an even darker kind of red, the way Rafa looks at him with such interest. Inwardly Adam searches for just the smallest thread of dignity, his whole body the image of irritation and stress. ] It wasn't an accident.
[ He offered himself up, sacrificed himself because there was nothing else and he was the weakest link. His loss wouldn't have been felt quite so much. But instead it made him strong and angry and magic. ] Look, if these ... faeries turn up, I can defend myself. Fire, right? Deodorant and a lighter. Car oil. I can look out for myself.
[ Because he wouldn't let anyone take Cabeswater. ]
[ Rafa looks pleased about that first part. He'd known it couldn't have been an accident. Adam was foolish to even suggest that.
On the rest, though, he sighs. He drops his chin into the cupped palm of one hand, regarding the boy with an air of gentle judgement. ]
Yes, perhaps that might hold them off. For a time. It is unlikely to kill them, and may only make them angrier with you. I pinned that one with your car before I set it on fire.
But the sure way, if you want to know, is to remove the heart. No faerie can survive without that.
[ He doesn't move nor does he blink. It's not the first horrifying thing he's had to do. It's not the first being he's seen dead. He can do it and he will. He doesn't need anyone. ]
[ Rafa lifts an eyebrow at him. Adam is so defensive, it's amusing
in itself. Rafa's hand moves along the edge of the mattress, running it
over his fingertips. ]
It matters little anyway. I am here to herd them back where they belong. If
I am successful, you need never see them.
Contrary to popular belief, people just go around cutting out the hearts of things that threaten them. [ But Adam's resourceful. He's sure he'll manage. He helped Ronan with the nightmare creature, he can do this. ]
And you? You're going to go off in search of the rest, right? Leave Henrietta? [ Because he's not sure he enjoys the idea of a vampire roaming the streets. Not when there's the safety of his friends to consider. And definitely not where Cabeswater is concerned. ]
[ Rafa's face doesn't change at that first statement, but it does
resonate with him. People don't just go around killing things that threaten
them. That is all Rafa has ever done, all his life, even when he was human.
He was raised to do exactly that. The instinct has never gone away.
It is part of why he considers himself to have never been human, even
though he had once been mortal. He had never subscribed to human standards
of morality. He had been raised to something much different.
The question makes him look up, his eyes quick and sharp as they take Adam
in. ]
My Empire does not extend so far west. [ His head tilts to the side,
thoughtful. ] Not yet. When my work is finished here I plan
to return to my family. I do not know when that will be.
[ So much for getting rid of the other boy ... man, whatever he is. Adam's not even sure how old he is, all he knows is he looks like a teenager. A nice, safe, smiling teenager. ]
Right. [ He wonders if Rafa replacing his piece of shit car will be the last he sees of him. After everything he's mentioned about Adam and his magic, he highly doubts it. He's going to be a thorn in his side until he snaps and tries to murder him.
Actually, that might be enough to push him away. ] So, I'm guessing it's the same for you? Your heart, right? Cut that out. [ He leans back a little, looking at Rafa with a blank expression. ] Or am I going to have to ask them that.
[ Rafa gazes at Adam. His eyebrow ticks up, full of skepticism, because he doesn't believe that. It's not as though vampire mythology is not widely known in the human world. It does not all ring true, but the causes of death are alarmingly uniform.
Regardless, he shrugs, apparently unfazed by the implied threat. ]
It would not be enough. Removing the heart. Not for us.
[ He could have it on the table in front of him, and he still wouldn't die. He turns a smile up at Adam. ]
Faeries use their magic to harm us. It is like poison. I can smell it even in you. [ He nods, but there's a hunger to his eyes. ] But it is tiny. I think perhaps I could stand the taste, but of course. There is only one way to be sure.
You're my first. [ A pause and then awkwardly. ] Vampire. First vampire.
[ It would be really great if he could remain calm and collected. Really great. But no, if he's not raging away he's putting his foot in his mouth over and over again. ]
You're not drinking from me. [ No matter how much he'd like a replacement car. ]
[ Rafa’s smile is probably expected, but he can’t help it. This boy is amusing when he’s angry, but even more so when he’s flustered. Rafa likes that effect. ]
I have been many people’s first vampire. Everyone starts somewhere.
[ He’ll leave you to decide what he means by that. On the question of drinking, he again seems unfazed. A refusal doesn’t really matter to him. At present, he’s fairly confident in his ability to make others want him, even if they’re determined not to do so. ]
Don’t worry about your neck. If I planned to attack you, I would have already. You are easily agitated, you know. The car was unfortunate, and I am sorry, but I have replaced it. You know why I had no choice. Since then, I have not treated you badly, or harmed you in any way. Why then are you still so angry?
[ It makes the blush go a deeper red than before and Adam hates himself for it. ] Or, you know, they live great and long lives without vampires. Just saying. [ Adam's pretty sure he's the one who ran in to Rafa simply because it's his luck. He's always been hurtling headlong into danger - his father's fists, Cabeswater, what's a vampire to add to that. ]
Does it matter? [ He's angry. He can't help it. He's always angry. He has been since the moment he realised that emotions exist. It's a gift from his father. Anger issues. One he can't return no matter what. ] Look, I'm sorry. I just --. [ He's tired and his car's a wreck and he can't take something as beautiful as the one Rafa's offering. ] I'm not good with this. With ... talking. Plus, you're pretty much a criminal. [ Ronan was too. And yet Adam spent most of his time with him. It's a flimsy excuse. ]
No one lives longer than those favoured by vampires.
[ That’s not exactly a lie, but it’s not exactly true, either. Most vampires would be will to turn those they favour, but that requires turning, which means that the person favoured would no longer actually be human. Nor would they strictly be alive, although dying would be a much more difficult prospect.
Rafa shrugs, waving his hand. ]
A criminal by human laws, and as you point out, I am not one. My people have laws, and I follow them diligently. I always have.
[ Even in taking his father’s throne, Rafa had been convinced that he was acting rightfully. They had taught him that the strongest should survive. If his father had been stronger, he would have survived their battle. But for the sake of vengeance, too, he had been justified. His father had taken much from him. The throne had been small recompense for that. ]
It remains that I have not harmed you. If the old car is so beloved to you, I will have it rebuilt.
[ He shrugs, finding this an easy offering. Money means little to him, especially these days. ]
Not what I meant and you know it. [ He knows all about vampires and the lure of eternal life. Thousands of books and movies are made yearly about that kind of thing. Some people find it romantic. Adam can't imagine how stressful living forever would be. ]
Do you have a vampire court? [ It sounds a little snotty, a little like he doesn't believe in anything of the sort. ]
You said it couldn't be rebuilt. [ Adam's the mechanic, he told him that. But maybe fixing a car from scratch would have been way beyond his pay grade. ] I just need something to get me from a to b. I don't want people seeing me behind the wheel of that and wonder what I did to get it, I don't want them to look at that and feel like someone took pity on me.
Of course. [ Rafa spreads his hands in a shrug, and then frowns as he considers that question afresh. Court could have more than one meaning. Especially to a human who lived in a republic. His eyes narrow. ] Unless you mean a judicial court. We have no judges. We have Kings to fill that role.
[ That was all they needed. Rafa had never understood why the humans needed to make such a complicated system just to rule themselves. He found the vampires' way much easier. But then, he had never known anything else; even when mortal, this system had still been all he had known. ]
I said that it could not be fixed. Not that it could not be rebuilt. [ He stands up very quickly and comes close to Adam. He meets his eyes quite seriously, wiping any trace of humour from his face. ] I will leave the blue one. I will get the one from Craig. I will have the old one rebuilt. [ A slight pause, very brief. ] Whichever pleases you. Tell me.
[ Kings. Christ, if Gansey were here he'd be talking Rafa's ear off, vampire or not. ( Have you heard about Welsh Kings? ) Maybe that's why Adam hasn't mentioned this to him yet. He knows Gansey would come to protect him. Ronan too. And then it would spill out of control. ]
A royalist in America. [ Eyebrow twitching upwards. ] Contrary.
[ And then Rafa's moving closer again and Adam's discomfort inches up a little, a frown knitting between his brows. ] Take the blue one back. Or keep it for yourself, I don't care. I don't want it. [ Mulling over what he's being told about his car. He could get it rebuilt. It could be the same. He wouldn't have to explain to his friend's why he's driving something new. It would be simple. ]
Rebuild it. [ It sounds too much like a command and Adam seems unhappy about it but it's easy to shrug it off. ] If you can.
[ A royalist. Rafa's lips twitch at that description. That's not what he would call himself; it implies there is some other way, and for Rafa there never has been. It's a funny thing to think of; Nadia and Ilario had established their monarchies to mimic the human monarchs of their day, and yet their legacy was longer-lasting than the humans who preceded them. ]
America is not my home.
[ Unless he expands here. It's possible. Right now, though, no decision has been taken on that. ]
I cannot rebuild it. I will find someone who can.
[ He turns away, but then narrows his eyes at Adam. ]
[ Adam's not looking at him, picking at one cuticle in a nervous fashion. He isn't quite sure what to make of all of this. Rafa's someone who may very well be a danger to Adam and yet all he does is talk and try to wheedle information out of him. Benign stuff too. He doesn't get why. ]
[ He glances down. The tips of his fingers lightly brush Adam's hands. ]
Do not do that. You will make it bleed.
[ With that, he's gone, vanishing as quickly as he'd come. Adam will hear the sound of the blue car starting outside and it drives away, taking Rafa with it. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
[ He almost wants to throw up his hands in the air, to do something that shows his level of confusion. For a moment it's stronger than his anger, the crease in his face turning to that insteady of fury. Adam Parrish isn't wantable. He's not desirable. ]
I'm not interesting. I'm not funny. I'm not anyone.
no subject
Adam, please. I can feel the chip on your shoulder from here. I did not come to help you pity yourself.
[ He scoots forward on the bed, crossing his legs beneath him and smiling. ]
You are amusing. You are angry. You have so much stress under your skin that your heart will most likely give out before you turn thirty. You have fourteen freckles on that cheek. [ Pointing. ] And sixteen on that one, and another on your neck, and it is cute, and you do not know it.
And you have magic in your blood, yet you think you are nothing at all. [ His head tilts along with his smile, and his fangs show themselves again. Just a little. ] Does it make more sense to you now?
no subject
I told you, the magic isn't me. [ It's the easiest thing to deal with in the face of all the rest. While he should refute the stress claim he knows he can't. He's so serious, so driven. But he thinks if anything's going to kill him it won't be something as mundane as that. And being called cute. Well, that's never happened before. ]
I'm just ... the storage box. [ He shrugs a little. He won't tell Rafa about Cabeswater, but he doesn't want him getting the wrong idea that Adam can do anything. ]
no subject
[ Oh, now that’s a much better effect. Adam flushes, and Rafa’s eyes light on his cheeks. He smiles, amused, and leans forward. Adam’s scent is almost overpowering now – and yes, that description of his magic makes sense, given the way he smells. It’s why magic is more like a taint on him than something inborn. It’s what makes Rafa think he could feed on the boy, which is pleasing. ]
The storage box. [ His voice is soft, though he rolls his eyes. ] And I suppose you imagine that is accidental, and nothing that you have for any reason at all. These things are rarely without purpose. Do you think me as new to all of it as you are? No wonder the fae are interested in you.
[ He will have to keep watch on this boy. His own interest aside, he cannot allow them to get their hands on whatever it is that Adam is storing. They don’t need more power on their side. Rafa needs to ensure that his family are the ones holding all the cards. ]
no subject
[ He offered himself up, sacrificed himself because there was nothing else and he was the weakest link. His loss wouldn't have been felt quite so much. But instead it made him strong and angry and magic. ] Look, if these ... faeries turn up, I can defend myself. Fire, right? Deodorant and a lighter. Car oil. I can look out for myself.
[ Because he wouldn't let anyone take Cabeswater. ]
no subject
[ Rafa looks pleased about that first part. He'd known it couldn't have been an accident. Adam was foolish to even suggest that.
On the rest, though, he sighs. He drops his chin into the cupped palm of one hand, regarding the boy with an air of gentle judgement. ]
Yes, perhaps that might hold them off. For a time. It is unlikely to kill them, and may only make them angrier with you. I pinned that one with your car before I set it on fire.
But the sure way, if you want to know, is to remove the heart. No faerie can survive without that.
no subject
[ He doesn't move nor does he blink. It's not the first horrifying thing he's had to do. It's not the first being he's seen dead. He can do it and he will. He doesn't need anyone. ]
Cut out the heart, got it, class dismissed.
no subject
You are not pleased to know?
[ Rafa lifts an eyebrow at him. Adam is so defensive, it's amusing in itself. Rafa's hand moves along the edge of the mattress, running it over his fingertips. ]
It matters little anyway. I am here to herd them back where they belong. If I am successful, you need never see them.
no subject
And you? You're going to go off in search of the rest, right? Leave Henrietta? [ Because he's not sure he enjoys the idea of a vampire roaming the streets. Not when there's the safety of his friends to consider. And definitely not where Cabeswater is concerned. ]
no subject
[ Rafa's face doesn't change at that first statement, but it does resonate with him. People don't just go around killing things that threaten them. That is all Rafa has ever done, all his life, even when he was human. He was raised to do exactly that. The instinct has never gone away.
It is part of why he considers himself to have never been human, even though he had once been mortal. He had never subscribed to human standards of morality. He had been raised to something much different.
The question makes him look up, his eyes quick and sharp as they take Adam in. ]
My Empire does not extend so far west. [ His head tilts to the side, thoughtful. ] Not yet. When my work is finished here I plan to return to my family. I do not know when that will be.
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Right. [ He wonders if Rafa replacing his piece of shit car will be the last he sees of him. After everything he's mentioned about Adam and his magic, he highly doubts it. He's going to be a thorn in his side until he snaps and tries to murder him.
Actually, that might be enough to push him away. ] So, I'm guessing it's the same for you? Your heart, right? Cut that out. [ He leans back a little, looking at Rafa with a blank expression. ] Or am I going to have to ask them that.
no subject
[ Rafa gazes at Adam. His eyebrow ticks up, full of skepticism, because he doesn't believe that. It's not as though vampire mythology is not widely known in the human world. It does not all ring true, but the causes of death are alarmingly uniform.
Regardless, he shrugs, apparently unfazed by the implied threat. ]
It would not be enough. Removing the heart. Not for us.
[ He could have it on the table in front of him, and he still wouldn't die. He turns a smile up at Adam. ]
Faeries use their magic to harm us. It is like poison. I can smell it even in you. [ He nods, but there's a hunger to his eyes. ] But it is tiny. I think perhaps I could stand the taste, but of course. There is only one way to be sure.
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[ It would be really great if he could remain calm and collected. Really great. But no, if he's not raging away he's putting his foot in his mouth over and over again. ]
You're not drinking from me. [ No matter how much he'd like a replacement car. ]
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I have been many people’s first vampire. Everyone starts somewhere.
[ He’ll leave you to decide what he means by that. On the question of drinking, he again seems unfazed. A refusal doesn’t really matter to him. At present, he’s fairly confident in his ability to make others want him, even if they’re determined not to do so. ]
Don’t worry about your neck. If I planned to attack you, I would have already. You are easily agitated, you know. The car was unfortunate, and I am sorry, but I have replaced it. You know why I had no choice. Since then, I have not treated you badly, or harmed you in any way. Why then are you still so angry?
no subject
Does it matter? [ He's angry. He can't help it. He's always angry. He has been since the moment he realised that emotions exist. It's a gift from his father. Anger issues. One he can't return no matter what. ] Look, I'm sorry. I just --. [ He's tired and his car's a wreck and he can't take something as beautiful as the one Rafa's offering. ] I'm not good with this. With ... talking. Plus, you're pretty much a criminal. [ Ronan was too. And yet Adam spent most of his time with him. It's a flimsy excuse. ]
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[ That’s not exactly a lie, but it’s not exactly true, either. Most vampires would be will to turn those they favour, but that requires turning, which means that the person favoured would no longer actually be human. Nor would they strictly be alive, although dying would be a much more difficult prospect.
Rafa shrugs, waving his hand. ]
A criminal by human laws, and as you point out, I am not one. My people have laws, and I follow them diligently. I always have.
[ Even in taking his father’s throne, Rafa had been convinced that he was acting rightfully. They had taught him that the strongest should survive. If his father had been stronger, he would have survived their battle. But for the sake of vengeance, too, he had been justified. His father had taken much from him. The throne had been small recompense for that. ]
It remains that I have not harmed you. If the old car is so beloved to you, I will have it rebuilt.
[ He shrugs, finding this an easy offering. Money means little to him, especially these days. ]
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Do you have a vampire court? [ It sounds a little snotty, a little like he doesn't believe in anything of the sort. ]
You said it couldn't be rebuilt. [ Adam's the mechanic, he told him that. But maybe fixing a car from scratch would have been way beyond his pay grade. ] I just need something to get me from a to b. I don't want people seeing me behind the wheel of that and wonder what I did to get it, I don't want them to look at that and feel like someone took pity on me.
no subject
[ That was all they needed. Rafa had never understood why the humans needed to make such a complicated system just to rule themselves. He found the vampires' way much easier. But then, he had never known anything else; even when mortal, this system had still been all he had known. ]
I said that it could not be fixed. Not that it could not be rebuilt. [ He stands up very quickly and comes close to Adam. He meets his eyes quite seriously, wiping any trace of humour from his face. ] I will leave the blue one. I will get the one from Craig. I will have the old one rebuilt. [ A slight pause, very brief. ] Whichever pleases you. Tell me.
no subject
A royalist in America. [ Eyebrow twitching upwards. ] Contrary.
[ And then Rafa's moving closer again and Adam's discomfort inches up a little, a frown knitting between his brows. ] Take the blue one back. Or keep it for yourself, I don't care. I don't want it. [ Mulling over what he's being told about his car. He could get it rebuilt. It could be the same. He wouldn't have to explain to his friend's why he's driving something new. It would be simple. ]
Rebuild it. [ It sounds too much like a command and Adam seems unhappy about it but it's easy to shrug it off. ] If you can.
no subject
America is not my home.
[ Unless he expands here. It's possible. Right now, though, no decision has been taken on that. ]
I cannot rebuild it. I will find someone who can.
[ He turns away, but then narrows his eyes at Adam. ]
And then your grudge will end?
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[ Adam's not looking at him, picking at one cuticle in a nervous fashion. He isn't quite sure what to make of all of this. Rafa's someone who may very well be a danger to Adam and yet all he does is talk and try to wheedle information out of him. Benign stuff too. He doesn't get why. ]
Give me my car back and we'll see.
no subject
[ Rafa's lips tick up in a little smile. ]
Very well.
[ He glances down. The tips of his fingers lightly brush Adam's hands. ]
Do not do that. You will make it bleed.
[ With that, he's gone, vanishing as quickly as he'd come. Adam will hear the sound of the blue car starting outside and it drives away, taking Rafa with it. ]