veinilla | open rp post

And quite literally a dog. Tch. Aurora.

Francis hums and shrugs it off, shifting to rest one arm against the edge of Ethan's table.

"I should be used to it by now. Such is my lot in life. Do you not have a coven?"

Yeah, well. That happened somehow, and now he's a weird dogman with half vampire blood. Stop being so judgey, God.

"No. I don't."

He doesn't elaborate, but..he feels some sort of camaraderie with Francis, so he'd elaborate if asked.

Hm. Interesting.

"But you're quite young, am I right?"

An orphan perhaps. It does happen. He's had his fair, fair share of vampire drama.

"Forty three," he says, glancing up with a small smile. "Wouldn't call that young..."

Though.

He pauses, and scrunches up his face.

"Well. I guess it could be considered young."

Francis laughs, he can't help it. How sweet.

"Yes, quite young. How long have you been forty three?"

He snorts.

“Well. My birthday was in February. It’s December now. So. Ten months. This..” he pauses and gestures to himself.

“Happed not long after. I was here for an antiques convention.”

You are really a baby then. Goodness.

And alone.

Definitely an orphan then. He has to be.

"Please take my words in the spirit in which they are intended, but you are remarkably well behaved for a fledgling. Especially one alone."

He snorts, laughing a little as he looks up.

"I had...a firm teacher. We spent a lot of time on 'behavior,'" he uses finger quotes here, "before he died."

"I'm sorry to hear that." He hopes. Not all sires are good.

"I was for a time married to a vampire. I do understand your plight. Quite intimately."

"He wasn't my sire, if that's what you're thinking. I don't know where my sire is, or if he's alive. He was a friend."

He...thinks...

"Oh? Well. It's nice to meet someone who understands." Probably, anyway. Though..."You aren't one, though. I'm...untrained, but I can smell...I don't know. You smell like paper, honestly."q

Ah. Perhaps that's more sad. Though being attacked and abandoned is more common than you'd think. People do terrible things in the heat of the moment.

Still, Francis can't help but laugh.

"I'm not surprised. Books are my life's work. I spend a great deal of time restoring them."

"Sorry. I mean...Marcus was a friend. Not my sire." He's not being clear, because Francis is a little distracting. So is the piece he's working on.

"Really? That's really amazing." He looks up, a little sheepish. "I didn't mean to insult you. It's a nice smell." But it isn't human, and it isn't vampire, and it isn't wolf. It's not fae, he doesn't think, but he only knows one and she wears a lot of perfume to cover her scent.

"No insult taken, it's quite true," Francis answers blithely and waves it off, watching Ethan carefully dismantle his relic.

"Just there, the slave gear on the back has cracked. Can you make a new one? It could use a general service as well."

dismantle a priceless relic, no biggie.

"I see that," he murmurs, leaning in to examine it closely. "I can make a new one. Not in one night, though. You'd have to leave it with me, if you're comfortable with that."

"Oh, no I know it will take time. I should tell you I've had it enchanted. You won't be able to tell a soul you have it and you won't be able to bring it outside these walls."

Amongst some other things. A dragon does have to protect himself.

That makes him straighten, a brow lifted high.

"I wasn't planning on telling anyone...but wow. That's intense."

"Is it? Considering the subject?"

"Well..." He thinks on it, leaning on the table a little. "Neither of us are...human. That's clear. We probably run in similar circles. So you having this isn't...all that abnormal, all things considered."

Ethan flashes him a small smile.

"But I wasn't going to mention it anyway. It's safe here. But if you want to, you can ward the house."

He nods. "I appreciate your discretion but I just might."

A beat.

"You do have appalling security, anyone could come traipsing in here."

He laughs, shocked a little at the audacity, but Francis isn't wrong.

"Well. You aren't entirely wrong."

"No. I am not. Consider it a gift in thanks for your advance help. I will still pay you of course, but it would keep me up to know such a talented horologist was so bare to the world."

He looks pleased at the praise. He knows he's good, but he didn't realize he had a reputation.

"Well. Thanks, man. We can just knock the price down?"

"If that satisfies you."

A beat.

"Did you have any questions?" Or should he leave you to it.

"I think I'm good. But you might want to leave your number."

He pauses, then chuckles.

"So I can let you know when it's finished, I mean."

"Of course," but he can do one better and pulls out his card. Raised gold ink on a heavy linen stock. Very luxurious.

He doesn't care what the cost is, apparently. And truthfully he doesn't. So why even discuss it.

"Very well then," as he pulls himself up.

"I look forward to your call Ethan. Don't get up, I'll let myself out."

Gives him a chance to ward the place anyway.

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veinilla - 2020-12-13 20:33 (UTC) - Expand