[Thankfully the suturing of the wound doesn't take him long, deft as he is with the needle and thread. He nods a bit, smiling slightly.]
Tools of the trade play a large part in getting by, it's true. I myself have to make up for my lack of strength and speed with my mind.
[Meaning he has to be slicker than his opponents. Though the mention of Luna has him freezing up in the middle of putting everything away. His expression falls, becoming sadder and more forlorn.]
...Noé is my partner. We met not that long ago, really, but I trust him with my life. ....Luna was... a parental figure. Another vampire. They took me in after rescuing me from a bad situation. I owe my life to them. They were the original Vanitas, who I took my name from.
[ She watches as his expression falls at the mention of that name. Noé sounds like a person that's still present, but the way he talks about Luna is the way she talks about a certain someone, tonally. And if he took their name, then... ]
I think I understand a little more, now, why you were holding on so tightly. It makes me glad I didn't wake you up, after all. If all you have are memories of Luna, then it's important to hold onto them as best as you can.
[ She goes quiet for a moment, and looks over her newly dressed wound. He really did her a favor with all of this. She may have needed medical intervention far more severe than this if things continued to progress poorly. ]
Was that 'bad situation' what you were referring to, when you talked about trading stories?
[Normally he's not so easy to read, but the combination of alcohol and inadequate rest has left him more vulnerable than usual. He remains quiet again for a few moments, debating on how much to admit and how much to deny. If he really was clutching hard, there's no point in trying to deny it.]
I... Yeah. I guess you're right. Nothing is straightforward where they're concerned, but... I can't simply pretend they were never a part of my life. They made too much of an impact for that.
[Both for better and worse. For now, though, he merely hums quietly in the affirmative.]
If you want. We don't have to talk about uncomfortable things if you don't want, but... [He rolls up his left sleeve, revealing a large, ugly scar.] ...I feel that we're not so different, you and I.
That's a fair way to look at it. Things with parents and parental figures are rarely ever straightforward, huh?
[ Her experience is vastly different from Vanitas', but complex nevertheless. She shrugs and gives a wry smile with that statement, feeling the hollowness from her own strained relationship with her family for a moment. It's immediately dispelled when she sees that large scar, though, on his arm. Her eyes get wider. She found Vanitas strikingly handsome when she walked into the hotel room earlier, so something about seeing it makes him feel more approachable. ]
Oh, um, no, it's not that I feel uncomfortable talking about it. [ Which is saying something in itself. ] It's more that I feel like I'm being nosy by asking you this stuff, so it's okay if you don't want to tell me anything, but I really don't mind if you do. I asked, after all. [ ... ] And I get the impression that you're probably right.
[He knows that his own relationship with Luna was convoluted in a way few parental relationships could be, given the nature as a vampire, but... that doesn't stop children and parents from not seeing eye-to-eye or having dilemmas between them. Thankfully it appears that showing her his own injury might have been the way to go, to let her know it's not just herself who is disfigured and having had a hard time in their admittedly short lives. Smiling wanly, he lets his arm drop into his lap.]
It's not something I usually bring up, but in light of what you've been through, and the fact we're married-- [He laughs a bit, shaking his head.] --I don't mind sharing it with you.
[He pauses then, before continuing.]
My mother died bringing me into this world, and my father and her traveling performers were killed in a vampire attack...
[ That gets a little chuckle out of her, because admittedly, she hadn't been thinking too hard about that part. But if he opted out of sharing, she'd accept it. It makes her happy, admittedly, that he's choosing not to do that.
She brings her knees up to her chest, like she's getting comfortable for this conversation, and her expression drops when Vanitas talks about his parents. ]
That's terrible. [ She assumes so, anyway. It's hard to know that one's mother passed giving birth to them, she imagines, and to lose your father on top of that... ] I'm sorry to hear that. Did your father die when you were younger, or was this relatively recent?
[He seems flustered by the word "wife", but doesn't stop with telling part of his story for her. It sometimes feels freeing to let others know of his pain, but rarely does he even indulge in such a luxury. He almost never trusts anyone enough to do so. Yet with her... He feels a kind of kinship.
Though he isn't one for pity, even if he knows his story is sad and tragic. So like any good idiot, he tries to brush it off.]
It was a long time ago, when I was much younger. Probably close to ten years or so now. [He grows silent, thinking back on that day as his expression clouds over.] After that I was taken in by the Chasseurs, the church's vampire hunters. I wanted revenge for what happened, so they began training me. ...at least until a rogue one of their number kidnapped me. Dr. Moreau.
[ Mm. Ten years is a while ago, but it doesn't make it hurt any less, she thinks. At least, that's how it'd feel if she were in his shoes. She has a tendency to assume, but he's continuing with his story, so she follows along. ]
That explains how you learned how to fight. You were training to take those out, who took something from you...
[ Revenge isn't quite her style, but then again, she feels aggression towards the undead, for the one she loved turning into one and making her kill him with her own two hands, for putting her in this position. And it was never truly their fault, either.
The words "rogue" and "doctor" in the same sentence, though, don't mean something good. She has Words about some of the doctors she's been working with recently. ]
[He nods, eyes not meeting hers. It's easier to act as a dispassionate storyteller when he can't see the emotion in another person's eyes. He doesn't need or want the pity of people, no matter who they are.]
Exactly. They taught me the tricks and methods used by professional vampire hunters. All so I could avenge my family.
[He hesitates only briefly before continuing, voice becoming even more detached and distant. His eyes take on a faraway look, like he's staring into the distance despite only looking at the wall beside her.]
Moreau was researching vampires. How to become one. He used us children for his experiments, trying to create pseudo-vampires. These are the result of his testing.
[He covers the wound on his arm with his other hand, eyes narrowing into dangerous slits.]
[ She was expecting something bad, what with the mention of research, but bringing children into this, trying to turn them into a different creature entirely? Coupled with that very deep scar Vanitas just showed her – it's enough to set off something in her brain.
Vengeance may very well be her style, after all, because she holds out her good (better) arm, away from Vanitas, and with a flick of her wrist, something materializes in it. A white baseball bat, to be exact, something that might not even exist in this era but it looks like a weapon nevertheless. It starts glowing a shade of bright blue – one that looks like the color of his eyes, ironically. ]
You know, if you wanna bash this guy's skull in or something, say the word, because I wanna be there when it happens.
[ Then, with a disgruntled sigh, the bat de-materializes and she places her hands back in her lap. ]
I can't stand people who mess with kids like that. [ And it certainly doesn't help that she is talking to a victim of said experimentation right now. ] I've undergone a handful of those myself, but not as a kid. ... I can't stand to look at my body these days because of it. That's why I was so afraid to let you examine my arm.
[Most folks are protective of children, but few more so than those who suffered as kids themselves. So perhaps it's not entirely surprising that Vanitas finds himself facing a woman armed with... a bat, of some kind? A glowing, blue one at that. Seems blue is in vogue for supernatural powers. It's enough to make him chuckle a bit, even if it's wryly.
He appreciates her enthusiasm and desire to right the wrongs that were brought down upon him. Even if he'd have a hard time saying so. He traces a gloved finger along the edge of her weapon, smiling serenely.]
I would love nothing more, honestly. Personally, I'd like to gouge his eyes out like he wanted to do to mine, but beating him senseless would work too.
[He laughs again, though it's humorless and bitter.]
Nor can I. [Though his gaze does fall back to her as she admits to having been in a similar position.] We truly are a lot alike. I'm sorry for that. But you don't have to worry, I won't judge you or think any less of you for being injured or marked because of what you've gone through.
You can take his eyes first, and then we can beat the shit out of him. You should bring your vampire friend, too.
[ There's a whole story behind the bat, but one that she'll tell him later, at a better time.
Kara cracks a smile, because it's true that they are pretty similar in different ways. Different experiences, but the same sort of trauma. It's interesting how she stumbled across someone like him on a night of poor decisions, but it's making her start to regret her decision much less. ]
Thanks. ... It means a lot. [ Her overall demeanor is less guarded now, too, than it was earlier. Progress! ] The same goes to you, too, Vanitas. I'm not happy that we have so much in common, but it's nice to feel understood.
Heh, sounds like a plan. I think Noé would like to remind him not to refer to people as numbers again.
[Her ability to smile in the face of such information helps him to as well. These things are always easier to handle when there's someone else there to support you, after all. It's no different for Vanitas, despite what he might claim. Besides, if he was going to be stuck married to someone, he'd rather it be a person who can sympathize with and understand his struggles.]
Mmm. I won't show you them all, but... my body is a compendium of injuries from everything I've been through. You don't need to feel self-conscious around me. I won't ever judge you for something so trivial and beyond your control. [Carefully, he takes one her hands in his own gloved one, holding it lightly.]
[ Kara may not have as many scars as Vanitas, but the principle is the same. They've both been through so much that their bodies are no longer the same. His understanding is noted and she feels glad, actually, that they both made the decisions they did the other night.
When he takes her hand, pink immediately rises to her cheeks. It's a simple gesture, but it is quite sweet. ]
Y-yeah. I appreciate that. Seriously. You won't hear a vile word from me about yours, either.
[ And she finally gets a cheeky grin on her face, a big smile that unmistakably shows her gratitude as she then lightly holds his hand in return. It's a silent display of solidarity. ]
[Perhaps this is fate, or merely some odd coincidence, but Vanitas isn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. He's grateful to have found someone who understands his pain somewhat, even if it was through questionable means. They can always annul their supposed marriage later, after all, and keep remaining friends.
It's a side of himself he doesn't often show, but he's in performance mode, trying to ease her worries.]
Thanks. It's a relief to know there's someone out there who I can rely on to help me change my dressing if I ever get injured, heh.
[Mutual wound-licking, as it were. Something they can do for each other as friends, because that's what they are by now, he feels. Even if it came about quickly and from strange circumstances. So he squeezes her hand just that bit tighter, letting her know they have each other's backs.]
Oh, about that? Yeah, uh, you're gonna have to show me how to do it properly, because I did a pretty bad job back there...
[ Whoops! She's willing to learn, though. Because when she ends up going back home, she'll have to know how to properly dress her wounds (and others') for their survival. Her free arm reaches out to lightly pat his shoulder, and she grins more playfully, lifting her spirits again. Shoving the pain, both emotional and physical, down as far as she can in favor of having fun. ]
Sooo...you ready to go shopping? I'll find some stylish 'fits for you, too, I promise! Hehe!
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Tools of the trade play a large part in getting by, it's true. I myself have to make up for my lack of strength and speed with my mind.
[Meaning he has to be slicker than his opponents. Though the mention of Luna has him freezing up in the middle of putting everything away. His expression falls, becoming sadder and more forlorn.]
...Noé is my partner. We met not that long ago, really, but I trust him with my life. ....Luna was... a parental figure. Another vampire. They took me in after rescuing me from a bad situation. I owe my life to them. They were the original Vanitas, who I took my name from.
no subject
[ She watches as his expression falls at the mention of that name. Noé sounds like a person that's still present, but the way he talks about Luna is the way she talks about a certain someone, tonally. And if he took their name, then... ]
I think I understand a little more, now, why you were holding on so tightly. It makes me glad I didn't wake you up, after all. If all you have are memories of Luna, then it's important to hold onto them as best as you can.
[ She goes quiet for a moment, and looks over her newly dressed wound. He really did her a favor with all of this. She may have needed medical intervention far more severe than this if things continued to progress poorly. ]
Was that 'bad situation' what you were referring to, when you talked about trading stories?
no subject
I... Yeah. I guess you're right. Nothing is straightforward where they're concerned, but... I can't simply pretend they were never a part of my life. They made too much of an impact for that.
[Both for better and worse. For now, though, he merely hums quietly in the affirmative.]
If you want. We don't have to talk about uncomfortable things if you don't want, but... [He rolls up his left sleeve, revealing a large, ugly scar.] ...I feel that we're not so different, you and I.
no subject
[ Her experience is vastly different from Vanitas', but complex nevertheless. She shrugs and gives a wry smile with that statement, feeling the hollowness from her own strained relationship with her family for a moment. It's immediately dispelled when she sees that large scar, though, on his arm. Her eyes get wider. She found Vanitas strikingly handsome when she walked into the hotel room earlier, so something about seeing it makes him feel more approachable. ]
Oh, um, no, it's not that I feel uncomfortable talking about it. [ Which is saying something in itself. ] It's more that I feel like I'm being nosy by asking you this stuff, so it's okay if you don't want to tell me anything, but I really don't mind if you do. I asked, after all. [ ... ] And I get the impression that you're probably right.
no subject
[He knows that his own relationship with Luna was convoluted in a way few parental relationships could be, given the nature as a vampire, but... that doesn't stop children and parents from not seeing eye-to-eye or having dilemmas between them. Thankfully it appears that showing her his own injury might have been the way to go, to let her know it's not just herself who is disfigured and having had a hard time in their admittedly short lives. Smiling wanly, he lets his arm drop into his lap.]
It's not something I usually bring up, but in light of what you've been through, and the fact we're married-- [He laughs a bit, shaking his head.] --I don't mind sharing it with you.
[He pauses then, before continuing.]
My mother died bringing me into this world, and my father and her traveling performers were killed in a vampire attack...
no subject
[ That gets a little chuckle out of her, because admittedly, she hadn't been thinking too hard about that part. But if he opted out of sharing, she'd accept it. It makes her happy, admittedly, that he's choosing not to do that.
She brings her knees up to her chest, like she's getting comfortable for this conversation, and her expression drops when Vanitas talks about his parents. ]
That's terrible. [ She assumes so, anyway. It's hard to know that one's mother passed giving birth to them, she imagines, and to lose your father on top of that... ] I'm sorry to hear that. Did your father die when you were younger, or was this relatively recent?
no subject
[He seems flustered by the word "wife", but doesn't stop with telling part of his story for her. It sometimes feels freeing to let others know of his pain, but rarely does he even indulge in such a luxury. He almost never trusts anyone enough to do so. Yet with her... He feels a kind of kinship.
Though he isn't one for pity, even if he knows his story is sad and tragic. So like any good idiot, he tries to brush it off.]
It was a long time ago, when I was much younger. Probably close to ten years or so now. [He grows silent, thinking back on that day as his expression clouds over.] After that I was taken in by the Chasseurs, the church's vampire hunters. I wanted revenge for what happened, so they began training me. ...at least until a rogue one of their number kidnapped me. Dr. Moreau.
no subject
That explains how you learned how to fight. You were training to take those out, who took something from you...
[ Revenge isn't quite her style, but then again, she feels aggression towards the undead, for the one she loved turning into one and making her kill him with her own two hands, for putting her in this position. And it was never truly their fault, either.
The words "rogue" and "doctor" in the same sentence, though, don't mean something good. She has Words about some of the doctors she's been working with recently. ]
Go on.
no subject
Exactly. They taught me the tricks and methods used by professional vampire hunters. All so I could avenge my family.
[He hesitates only briefly before continuing, voice becoming even more detached and distant. His eyes take on a faraway look, like he's staring into the distance despite only looking at the wall beside her.]
Moreau was researching vampires. How to become one. He used us children for his experiments, trying to create pseudo-vampires. These are the result of his testing.
[He covers the wound on his arm with his other hand, eyes narrowing into dangerous slits.]
no subject
Vengeance may very well be her style, after all, because she holds out her good (better) arm, away from Vanitas, and with a flick of her wrist, something materializes in it. A white baseball bat, to be exact, something that might not even exist in this era but it looks like a weapon nevertheless. It starts glowing a shade of bright blue – one that looks like the color of his eyes, ironically. ]
You know, if you wanna bash this guy's skull in or something, say the word, because I wanna be there when it happens.
[ Then, with a disgruntled sigh, the bat de-materializes and she places her hands back in her lap. ]
I can't stand people who mess with kids like that. [ And it certainly doesn't help that she is talking to a victim of said experimentation right now. ] I've undergone a handful of those myself, but not as a kid. ... I can't stand to look at my body these days because of it. That's why I was so afraid to let you examine my arm.
no subject
He appreciates her enthusiasm and desire to right the wrongs that were brought down upon him. Even if he'd have a hard time saying so. He traces a gloved finger along the edge of her weapon, smiling serenely.]
I would love nothing more, honestly. Personally, I'd like to gouge his eyes out like he wanted to do to mine, but beating him senseless would work too.
[He laughs again, though it's humorless and bitter.]
Nor can I. [Though his gaze does fall back to her as she admits to having been in a similar position.] We truly are a lot alike. I'm sorry for that. But you don't have to worry, I won't judge you or think any less of you for being injured or marked because of what you've gone through.
no subject
[ There's a whole story behind the bat, but one that she'll tell him later, at a better time.
Kara cracks a smile, because it's true that they are pretty similar in different ways. Different experiences, but the same sort of trauma. It's interesting how she stumbled across someone like him on a night of poor decisions, but it's making her start to regret her decision much less. ]
Thanks. ... It means a lot. [ Her overall demeanor is less guarded now, too, than it was earlier. Progress! ] The same goes to you, too, Vanitas. I'm not happy that we have so much in common, but it's nice to feel understood.
no subject
[Her ability to smile in the face of such information helps him to as well. These things are always easier to handle when there's someone else there to support you, after all. It's no different for Vanitas, despite what he might claim. Besides, if he was going to be stuck married to someone, he'd rather it be a person who can sympathize with and understand his struggles.]
Mmm. I won't show you them all, but... my body is a compendium of injuries from everything I've been through. You don't need to feel self-conscious around me. I won't ever judge you for something so trivial and beyond your control. [Carefully, he takes one her hands in his own gloved one, holding it lightly.]
no subject
When he takes her hand, pink immediately rises to her cheeks. It's a simple gesture, but it is quite sweet. ]
Y-yeah. I appreciate that. Seriously. You won't hear a vile word from me about yours, either.
[ And she finally gets a cheeky grin on her face, a big smile that unmistakably shows her gratitude as she then lightly holds his hand in return. It's a silent display of solidarity. ]
no subject
It's a side of himself he doesn't often show, but he's in performance mode, trying to ease her worries.]
Thanks. It's a relief to know there's someone out there who I can rely on to help me change my dressing if I ever get injured, heh.
[Mutual wound-licking, as it were. Something they can do for each other as friends, because that's what they are by now, he feels. Even if it came about quickly and from strange circumstances. So he squeezes her hand just that bit tighter, letting her know they have each other's backs.]
no subject
[ Whoops! She's willing to learn, though. Because when she ends up going back home, she'll have to know how to properly dress her wounds (and others') for their survival. Her free arm reaches out to lightly pat his shoulder, and she grins more playfully, lifting her spirits again. Shoving the pain, both emotional and physical, down as far as she can in favor of having fun. ]
Sooo...you ready to go shopping? I'll find some stylish 'fits for you, too, I promise! Hehe!