Path of the Vampire forum

Ooh woo, I'm a rebel just for kicks, now
━ "Feel It Still" by Portugal. The Man

(OOC: I prob will make mistakes, correct me pls - I am but a smol noob pancake. Promise my posts aren't always this long.)
Wearing: http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q166 ... ev15-1.jpg

Darn pop music and how infectious their tunes were to the ears. He knew it was going to be stuck in his head for the rest of the day as evident by the fact his head rolled on his neck from side to side - mohawk pulled up into a ponytail swaying along with him. White headphones cords, it's contrast on his black blazer oblivious to him but the occasional touch and drag on his shoulder or shirt reminding him of their presence.

He ran his tongue over his teeth, the iron after taste still fresh and actually becoming one of his rather bittersweet loves of turning, echoing the nostalgia for the once unappreciated coffee counterpart. Who knew that would be a thing - wanting the lingering stench of morning coffee? Guess it was all part of the process... Was it weird for so much time to pass and yet feel like it all happened yesterday? Geez had a month already past? Actually, it was probably almost two and he was still wasting it sleeping around and 'adjusting' to the life changes. At least one had a new purpose and helped with the feeding, the other was lingering like this phase he wasn't sure he could ever get out of - the differences from the daily need and ability to eat regular food to his 'path' not having a shadow like how was that even possible? Either there was a glitch in matrix or his very existence was breaking the law of physics, or thermodynamics or just science. Science is broke yo.

He reconsidering his surroundings, leaning against a building, some storefront in some part of some city. People passing by, inclining his subtle desire to crawl out of his solitude for a while and mingle. He recalled his sire Eva, his 'interesting' friend or acquaintance with Azreath and Blair, fling turned childer who actually made this vampire thing a little bit easier. A very small circle of those he was willing to call friends, at least of their shared kind. Even with talk of vampires and cures breaking news around the same time of his turning it was kinda a surreal experience for him to think about let alone be a part of. Needless to say he was conflicted on many things including if and who to befriend and with how much caution. Still, it'd be great just to feel social again.

Talking to whatever strangers came his way this time didn't seem so bad after meeting Az. It probably would've gone great too, as the tall male pushed himself off the brick wall, seeming ready to depart the area, except for the smallest inconvenience throwing the night off to a bad start. He had dug the music player out of his pocket and just glanced at it when someone passed by too close, their jacket catching the cord or maybe the edge of the it enough momentum to shift the small device to slide - his dual attempt to both look at what bumped into it or it was still caught onto it and raise his hand up vertically too much and adding on to the reason of why it slipped, was just a mess for him to process in the split second. He had looked down, something bumped into him, he looked up, suddenly the device was slipping and in the unnecessary panic he overcorrected his attempt to grab the device. It was honestly wild fumbling from an outside view, clutching at the base of the headphone jack - the jolt from the pull on the cord was enough to disconnect it, resulted in escaping his grasp yet again. But of course not without absurd consequences, as he realized it continued to play the music. oh. OH.

"♪ OOH WOO- ♫"

noO.

"♪ I'M - ♫"

sTOP.

"♪ A REBEL JUST FOR KICKS NOW ♫" ━ "Feel It Still" by Portugal. The Man

internal yelling.


Last but certainly not least, gravity existed and the music player - seemingly telling it's life story - did not break any laws of science and it certainly applied to it. The edge of it struck the sidewalk before clattering noisily and settling face-side up, the music even ceased. What was that about it not ending there? Oh yes, the impact apparently registered to the music device as a command to shuffle and resumed it's little preformance with whatever could possibly be chosen next -

"♪ 'CAUSE BABY NOW WE GOT BAD BLOOD ♫" ━ "Bad Blood" by Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar

internal screaming.
The betrayal. TRAITOR.

How had they eaten all of the icecream in two days? Kaspar's partners had developed an uncanny ability to not only inhale trash but watch it for hours on end, any quiet moment that wasn't spent sleeping seemed to find the exhausted pair slumped on the couch gossiping over reality tv shows and eating anything that involved chocolate. He'd made some quip about no longer needing to eat for more than one and been subsequently kicked out to go get more food as an apology. Not exactly the average night for a vampire, but Kas had made his choice to continue life as he had wanted to regardless, passing as human and not taking it for granted.

The time out of the house had been good for him, fresh air and the calm quiet of the night. Why rush? He knew that there were plenty of hands at home to help at that no doubt Grey and Sig would be passed out when he returned. Strolling through the city he let his mind wander, pulling out his phone as if he was going to call someone. Who? He could call Aaron, try to organise a jam session since they'd not caught up in a while, or maybe Adley and Indigo to arrange a time to come meet the new additions to the family. Could harass Skoll, the little brother he never wanted and rarely tolerated. He'd shoot him a text, find out if he was keeping out of trouble. It was thinking of the often distant Skoll that brought him to his final conclusion. What about Eva? Yeah, he was always happy to talk to Eva. They hadn't had enough time together lately and he could feel the strain of it on him, the strange connection that had formed at his turning and kept him tied to her. Kas didn't genuinely care for too many people, loved even less and had an obsessive need for... Well, almost no one. Almost. The way he needed to know that Eva wasn't too far was a compulsion, it drove him back to her every time.

That's what had distracted him, the tall vampire mistakenly relying on his natural grace to guide him as he stared at the screen, brushing just a little too close to a fellow pedestrian. The next few seconds seemed to stretch out, and yet it all happened so quickly. Kaspar turned back to see the man fumbling for his device, shoving his own into his back pocket to try and help. It was too late, the pair of them failing and instead staring down at the thing blaring pop music. "Well..." The blonde tilted his head, gaze lifting to look at the man he'd bumped into. "I am sorry. That is... Embarrassing, ja?" He ducked to collect it, making quick work of silencing the music and presenting the device as if it were some kind of peace offering.

"Embarrassing?" he echoed, "Which: the betrayal of an inanimate yet sentient object or the flailing idiocy of not being able to catch said object?" Sinister sighed, the words flowed out without much thought. The slight twitch to one of his lower eyelids adding onto the slight furrow of his brows as his expression displayed both great annoyance with himself and restraint to smack himself with an open facepalm. Despite dominating his thoughts for a few moments, Sin managed to refocused on the blonde man next to him, nice enough to stop and even retrieve the 'traitorous' device for him... even if he might have kinda caused it. And here he was, still not thanking him, probably thanks to his time in New York making him forget common decency existed too - c'mon now, time to get over yourself.

"Thanks." Sin finally spoke up, dismissing his former demeanor. Then it came. That familiar feeling. That feel-y feel, a feel-y feel that feels like ... a feeling. OooOooh. It was that 'spidey sense' er - 'vampire sense'. Did that mean...?

"Are you - ?" Nopenopenope wait even he knew that was dumb. Even if vampires weren't an exclusive secret, that didn't make it any less stupid for him to go around 'aRe YoU a VaMpIrE?' like he was about to do. God he had to get better at this coded talk to other vampires, honestly how he got this far was surprising enough and made more sense why he still didn't have many vampire friends or attempt to expand his social circle of them for that matter.

"Hmmmm..... Does Eva or Azreath mean anything to you?" He tried thinking of other names, for all he knew those two weren't as big of names as he thought but they were the only two he knew had been around for a 'while' and it was kinda all he had to go on so ... '\_(ツ)_/`Perhaps there was better 'coded talk' he could say or imply but **** if he knew what that could be.

The guy didn't seem offended by his statement, which was good, going along with it in a manner that had Kas chuckling. He shrugged, making a weighing it motion with his hands, "Let's call it both?" The man suggested, shooting him a lazily charming smile. "And you're welcome." Technically it had been his fault, in part at the very least, but he wasn't going to argue with gratitude even if it was tossed out as an afterthought. The interaction as far as he was concerned was concluded, no reason to stick around and so he was making to turn, to walk away when the stranger started asking a question.

People usually ended the "Are you..." question with his name, a shy or excited exclamation. Sometimes it was because they'd recognised him for his own merit, other times based on his father's. The latter made him cringe, Kaspar usually managing a forced polite smile and nod of his head. Neither were what the guy presented him with, he seemed to think better of his question at first and then...

"Excuse me?" He stared openly at the stranger, getting a better look at him now, that blue gaze shifting from head to toe as if looking for some sign of recognition. Then it hit him, like a wave. A familiar sensation, starting at the base of his spine and slowly creeping outwards, causing him to shiver. Vampire. He was rarely recognised as one himself due to his ability to disguise his true nature, in fact, the only ones who seemed able to pick him were those that were within his lineage. Was this another one? A new West? He didn't want to assume, didn't want to commit too heavily to anything.

"I know an Eva very well, Eva West. Azraeth? I believe I met him at a party once." The man was less rememberable, there had been masks involved and he wasn't particularly interested or interesting to Kaspar. Eva, though, the name was what had caught his attention and held it. His beloved sire. "Who are you?"

Oh, how interesting. He was answering and found a common ground twice, even if the latter was less that was fine too. Surprisingly, he still hadn't yet conversed with those in connection with Eva and this so called lineage he was a part of. Maybe it was just his personal issues keeping him from being around her long enough to find out more or just strange luck he hadn't run into anyone else that knew her - that he knew. What if half the people he talked to in this town knew her and he just didn't know? These things seemed like the kinda of stuff he could get out of this guy maybe. Or he could be another Azraeth and just be another vampire and have no additional info for him. Pick and choose, and he choose to take his chances. Honestly, one of these days Eva wasn't going to be busy and he was just to have to suck it up and be around her as nervous as she made him.

"Oh, well..." he straighten up from his slightly slouch posture and turned to face the other male. Taking the music player back and cramming it in his jean's front pocket, earbuds and tangled wire haphazardly sticking out.

"Sin, a friend of them I guess." he finally said even holding a hand for a handshake if that was even worth doing - honestly they hadn't yet established whether they were going to talk about it more or become acquainted but... at least he wasn't being rude? Yeah.

"Well, I don't know if they consider me a friend necessarily, but I mean we're acquainted so?..." he kinda shrugged not being able to speak for the others and just gave his own interpretation of the relationships. Still no guarantee that this guy was going to consider that friend-worthy news or worth discussed about any further.

His mind was working overtime as the man presented a hand and gave his name. Sin, how unlikely. The explanation wasn't enough to soothe his concerns, it only made him ponder further how this young vampire had picked him out as one. It had to be blood, they had to be connected and he tried to pretend for just a few moments longer that he had no idea of just who might have turned the man. It was a lie, and a bitter pill to swallow. Once again his sire had turned another without thinking to inform them, to make them known to the others who she'd claimed. He cared for Eva, against his better instincts he felt a strong draw and loyalty to her that when apart from her left him feeling the absence. That had to be why he knew what Kaspar was, and it made him twitchy, nervous. When he took the man's hand his other tucked behind the elbow, using the firm grasp to pull him closer as stepped towards Sin, studying his face. "Sin? Ja, ok, but WHO are you? Who turned you? You know what I am, and no one knows what I am who I do not want to." Kas studied his face, stormy blue gaze flicking over the other's features as if they might give something away. "Secrecy may have blown up, but I keep it. I have a family and career to protect." It was then that he released the man from his grip, gesturing to the wall across from them beside a music shop.

There were posters adorning the space, some older than others and many repeated, layered over each other. The one he pointed at was black and white, announcing an album release and tour dates, the star of the poster in the throes of performance. His blonde hair was dampened with what one could assume was sweat, his torso bare and the rocker perched up on a railing above a crowd. It was Kaspar, a version quite different to the one standing in front of Sin but the profile was still recognizably the same man. He turned to look at it, frowning slightly as his manners seemed to come back to him. "Sorry. I'm Kaspar, Kaspar Grube but many call me Hel.
Look, we should not have this conversation here. Eva... Should have told us." He felt that flash of anger, of being let down. He hated not knowing, to be blindsided by such things. If he did indeed belong to the same line, then Kaspar decided he should make at the very least some effort to be polite. His hand had slid to the back of his neck, accompanied by a coy dip of his head and half-cocked smile that was pleasantly sheepish, almost artfully so. "Can you drink?"

The pause was getting to be longer than expected, and something about his stare made Sin feel like maybe he was making a mistake somehow. Yet, before he could dismiss the handshake or rethink the scenario, the other took his hand. Sin looked down to that- oh, good. Or at least it was, until he saw and felt the other man's hand grip his elbow and have a hold on him, pulling him in. Oh, no. There was a slight alarm in his eyes as he accommodated his balance for the pull, and met the other man's intense gaze. Who he was? As in like a nobod-? The questions happened faster than his thoughts and he just froze as he heard them all out. Geez, he didn't get this kind of reaction before - perhaps he should've been more careful about this whole 'addressing other vampires' thing. Keeping others from knowing who he was? Secrecy? Actually, that's right - he kinda knew about that but where Sin may have been teetering between carelessness and caution on the topic this guy took the secrecy thing to max and he just accidentally threatened that.

Released from his hold, he took a small back glancing to his arm for a moment and running his other hand over the area like he had to be sure he didn't just painlessly break his elbow or something. Still catching the man's gesture but hesitating on it - uneasy and convinced as soon as he looked away or redirected his attention he might try to pull something. Luckily, before he could get too paranoid, he did half-turn to the direction - glancing back at Kasper just to make sure - and scanning the posters around the point of focus confused as to why he was looking at them. And then finally the blonde hair, the facial features, the build, he found him looking back and forth between the poster and Kasper a few times.
"Wait, really? No way ..." he mumbled during his double takes. "Could you take of your shirt for verification?" it was between sarcastic joking and semi-serious questioning, either way he forgot about it as he the other guy finally introduced himself and he had a name to go with a face ... and some actions. Kas, Hel - he might flip between those two before settling on one when - or still if they did get acquainted.

"Should've told you what? That someone didn't die?" he was a bit confused on that part as he was now studying Kasper and trying to piece things together in his head. "At least she's being humble and not bragging about saving lives?" Sin added looking at the poster once more with thought, not that he needed to be making any excuses for her. 'Though to be fair, the thought would've been nice' he thought to himself, only mildly hurt he didn't get this apparently important mention, but also slightly okay with not being known - maybe it was just old habits of caution that gave comfort in being unknown but hey, at some point he decided he could throw caution to the wind and live a little. Then again that was also before he kinda 'died' and needed caution for a whole new reason.

"Anyways, I can't really do the whole eating thing yet..." he undid his half turn from before and fully faced Kasper. "I mean I could try, I'm sure if I shove enough pancakes down my throat it'll eventually learn to digest them again." he put a hand on hip and said that almost a bit too proudly, almost as if he tried before and was still determined to reach success even if that wasn't how it worked - or how any of this worked. "Or I could just huff maple syrup for the rest of my existence, honestly I could take it or leave it at this point." He ended on a smaller note of disregard for food, but an appreciation for it's various aromas.

The comment of brief disbelief and the multiple double takes the man take between Kaspar and the poster were more than just a touch amusing, he had to admit. It softened his chagrin, and his attitude towards the stranger somewhat. He even considered that perhaps he didn't want them to be strangers, after all, he did need to discuss this with the man so why not make some attempt to get to know him? If he was, in a way, kin then Kas had a sort of duty or responsibility to support him in the early stages of his vampiric development. While Kaspar at times struggled to care deeply, truly for people beyond superficial amusement or enjoyment of company, there were certain people he was fond enough or considered to be one of his own in a way that bypassed this. Eva, of course, fell into this category of people he claimed as his own, as family and so did Skoll who Hel had come to claim as a younger brother. He annoyed him badly enough, that was for sure. Would this Sin be the same? Would he be an obligation for them or an ally?

Only time would tell, but Kas, reluctantly was willing to try and give him time. That much was owed.

Then came the shirt off remark and Kas was openly smirking, giving a short, deep rumble of laughter. "You know, you are not the first person to ask this of me." The German rocker admitted, shrugging as if this was no big deal. Not like he minded the attention, you didn't get into that line of work and commit to a music career in front of crowds if you didn't appreciate the attention. Hel got to be the sun, and the fans who craved it revolved around him, just wanting to bathe in the glory. He pandered to them enough to keep them on side, presented them with what they wanted to see while still managing to keep things for himself. It was a constant balancing act, and Kaspar was a master juggler.

Sin's talking about food earned a cringe and eventually, another quirk of lips, a smile. "Ok.We can go to a cafe, with pancakes. Do not try to eat if you are not able to naturally, it is... It is messy. I saw someone try it once, it was very unpleasant." A shudder ran down his spine, face screwing up at the memory. "Kommen." He nodded his head in the direction of the cafe, turning to walk towards it with hands slipping into his pockets to protect them from the cool night air.

The reaction was a nice one this time to the point the the air was no longer heavy with the same hostility - that made Sin naturally smile. However, it slowly dissolved away as the man's previous actions still lingered fresh in his mind and left him unsure if he was suppose to trust him now. The kinder demeanor left him wishing he could read his mind to figure out what was going on in the other's - seemingly conflicting - head. People can be so confusing sometimes, and unfortunately he couldn't help but be a cynist. Luckily, for him or others, he was also a risk taker.

He stopped his wonder gaze and proved to still be listened and he took on the slightest tilt to his head in question.
"Oh, wait - I really can't? I mean I tried in.. very small scale like sipping water," he shrugged with a stray recalled memory of that instance. "But I really did wanted to just know what would happen if I just ate it bunch. Is that not how it works? Can we not like train ourselves? What's the secret here, I need to know or we will both find out in a few minutes and I will ruin some poor cafe worker- workers' day." Sin continued on, whether that was a promise or a threat to the cafe at least remained undetermined - he seemed to have the impression he would perhaps projectile vomit the formerly edibles back up or maybe just suffer a really bad stomach ache?

"Seriously, what's the worst that can happen - I explode? Oh wait, it'll go straight to my thighs, then I explode right?" Sinister said more dryly, following Kasper to the cafe without thinking. He did hear the 'Kommen' and assumed it to be the name of the place and look around for the matching business name.

The man liked to chatter, that much was clear in the way he responded, pondering aloud the possibilities of eating. Some vampires could, like Kaspar, and others could learn he'd heard but they couldn't taste the food or drink they tried to imbibe. That sounded kind of miserable, sure you could better play human but what was the point if you couldn't enjoy it? Kas glanced over his shoulder, studying the man a moment. "Ja, definitely explode." The response was equally dry, but a small smile curved his lips shortly after, one that spoke of teasing. "Mmm, I believe you can LEARN. Somehow. I do not know how these things work, but your body can be trained to accept food but can not taste it. There are those like me who can still eat it, taste it. It depends on what abilities you were... Reborn with." There was surely a better word but he couldn't grasp it, it seemed to elude him. He shrugged it off, it was not important. The cafe really wasn't far and their inane chatter kept it from growing to awkward silence while they approached.

"You don't know much, do you?" It wasn't an accusation, in fact there was a touch of concern that seemed out of place in the rocker's tone, a frown appearing over the question of the man's vampiric education. Kas had been a voracious student and had been lucky to learn from friends and lovers. Eva and Lyonel had taught him some, especially in the early days of his turning, but as he strayed back into the real world he found that learning through experience was most beneficial. Without those interactions with other young vampires who had been and were struggling to find their way in this new world, things might have been quite different for him. Hel had struggled at moments, mostly with the loss of mortality and what that meant, what he might have to give up. Eventually, he realised that with simple adjustments he didn't have to give them up, that he would find ways to have what he wanted, to continue on his career path because damn he'd worked hard and he deserved it.

When they reached the cafe he pushed the door open for Sin, allowing him entry, "Now I feel like pancakes." He grumbled, head nodding towards a booth in the back corner, furthest from the lingering patrons and the counter.