[Introduction: Jack Benjamin] Escape from the living death

[true_n_the_dark]

[Spoiler (click to open)]He'd done it. Jack had asked his own father to kill him, to order his execution. Thomasina had said, "Your father wants for you a living death, to brick you into a wall with someone who loves you - who you can't stand the sight of... until you produce an heir, which Silas will take, and raise right this time

Comments

As promised!

[blackjewelmale]

Some night, perhaps when he's on a liquor run into the kitchen, he might hear an uneven set of footsteps in the shadows, coming into the kitchen. "Hope you don't mind the company: I was on my way in here," says a rich, mellow voice, clearly belonging to an older man. And if he turns, he might find a tallish, dark man, his black hair silvered at the temples and his face that of a well-preserved man in his early sixties, his black vest unbuttoned and his grey silk shirt sleeves rolled above his wrists. He'll stand paused in the doorway, his weight shifted to one foot.

[true_n_the_dark]

For just a very split second, Jack startles, almost expecting Silas. Of course, it's a split second's mistake, born of his own obsession.

"It's a public place," he replies on a neutral tone.

He's not imbibed yet - in fact, he's just opening his very fist beer.

[OOC: I just realized that finding out Saetan's name might lead to some drama - also be warned that being associated with Silas is not the best thing ever. At least he's sober - it'd be worse if Jack were already drunk. >.<]

[blackjewelmale]

A Silas+Saetan cagefight is something this typist would love to see, but it would probably be the world's shortest bout ever.

"True, though I did not wish to seem as though I were sneaking up on you," he says. Then eying the young landen's beer, he adds, "I was seeling a drink myself: would you mind having the company of an old man?"

No worries: Saetan's used people having strange reactions to his name.

[true_n_the_dark]

Jack is so not used to having this kind of respect from his elders (he was a source of shame, a pawn, a plan B, but never a son or a nephew, not really), that he just stares back at Saetan.

"... what do you want?"

Because he can't just possibly be offering friendly company. It's just not done.

[blackjewelmale]

"Merely a drink after a long evening rummaging about in the library; it does get dusty in there and it dries ones throat," he says. With a glance to the refrigerator, he adds, "You wouldn't have happened to have seen an ornate glass bottle in there, containing a very dark red wine?"

[true_n_the_dark]

"I haven't touched the fridge since last night," Jack replies. He shrugs. "Is it porto?"

[blackjewelmale]

"We call it yarbarah where I come from," he replies, entering the room, favoring one leg, and approaching the "cold box" before opening it.

[true_n_the_dark]

"Never heard of it," Jack replies. "I think I'll stick to beer for now."

Preemptively refusing a taste: he's being grumpy.

[blackjewelmale]

"To each their own, and I would be the first to admit that it isn't for everyone's tastes," he says, rummaging among the bottles in the fridge and taking out first a can of beer, then a bottle made of very dark blue glass. He'll hold up the former. "Looking for this?"

[true_n_the_dark]

"Yes, thank you," he replies with a tone that might seem a little exaggeratedly polite.

Jack opens it, takes a swig.

Decides to start talking.

"Is it a thing, here, people not minding their own business?"

[blackjewelmale]

He smirks at this, amused by Jack's petulance. "We're all castaways on this island, so we either work together or we pull each other down to lift ourselves up. Or we drift along without a purpose," he notes. "We have a few troublemakers, and some who slide into the third option. Most folk seem to go with the first, though."

[true_n_the_dark]

"I just want to do my thing. Not going to bother anyone, don't want to be bothered either," he informs the patriarchal figure.

Pause.

Petulant stare indeed.

"Is that clear, grandpa?"

[blackjewelmale]

He'll meet the stare, unfazed, even a little... not bored, but clearly familiar with petulance far more intense than this. "I'm not in the habit of bothering people, unless you count polite conversation as bothering," he says, with a hint of a playful lilt. "But if you rather that I left you to your own devices, I can do that."

[true_n_the_dark]

All things considered, Saetan has treated Jack quite correctly - it takes him a moment and another swig of beer to gather himself.

"It's a public kitchen," he replies, not quite saying you can stay, not quite saying please go.

[blackjewelmale]

"And one through which many people come and go," he replies, lightly, even amused by the landen's grumpiness. "On which note," he adds, glancing to the bottle in hand. "I'll enact the latter, though I don't think that we got each other's names.

"Saetan SaDiablo, at your service," he replies, with a bow.

[true_n_the_dark]

Weird name, but the devil has no name where Jack comes from, so he takes the strangeness in stride.

"Jack Benjamin," he replies, simply.

He hesitates, but something about Saetan compels him to salute.

"Sir."

This is a very old thread, so maybe we can wrap it up on yours?