[ic] [hector] Birthday

[lacroix_styles]

For the better part of the week Lacroix had been carrying own his own plans amid the usual background buzz of tasks around Castle Styles, as some things just couldn't be done under the watchful eye of his mentor. Thankfully that had been made easier by the fact that Hector had been hiding away in his room even more so than usual, sneaking around

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[lacroix_styles]

Glad to see that Hector was finally eating, since for the past few days he hadn't seen him even leave his bedroom and that made Lacroix seriously wonder about the state of Hector's well being, right about then he was borderline thrilled just to watch his mentor making his way through a full meal.
Now it was probably questionable if he was going to be able to convince Hector that sugary cake was also a good idea, but Lacroix planned to give it a good try.

"Oh, I doubt you lament that too much, your resturant addiction is close to my chain smoking issues," Lacroix teased cheerfully; he was happy with the effort Hector did put forth to encourage in most everything really. And it was true that Hector didn't go out to eat as much but that just meant he got the chance instead to think up more interesting reasons for Hector to leave the apartment, and he generally did. "I'm glad you're finally eating though, if it wasn't purple right now I'd be able to claim you've given me a few gray hairs hiding away in your room this last week."

Lacroix did have some ability to eat and talk in the same span of time, not both exactly at once of course, but he did tend to chatter on during a meal if he could convince Hector into being social while they were eating. "You go back to your bad habits, I'll still be cooking on vacation, I plan to anyway."
It was just as much part of that vacation for him; cooking wasn't a chore. Now Lacroix really didn't mind not cleaning and reading about strange old spells for a few weeks though.

Once he was finished eating as well Lacroix pointed out the obvious, "Think you can survive a mild sugar coma?"
Because what was a birthday without cake, right?

[hector_styles]

It wasn’t an addiction... was it? Hector had never really thought of it like that, exactly. Having the luxury of dining at whatever expensive restaurant he chose on any given day was a symbol of his status; he really did look at himself as superior to the general population. But he dropped that thought when Lacroix gave that ‘gray hair’ comment; Hector immediately insisted, “I do remembering telling you that you needn’t worry.” It didn’t exactly make him happy knowing that Lacroix was stressing out over his well-being; after all, it was his job to stress out about Lacroix’s well-being, something he’d be doing a lot of the next two weeks.

“And I wouldn’t dream of letting your effort go to waste,” he replied of that request for cake, placing his knife and fork parallel beside each other on his plate, typical table etiquette for conveying silently that he was finished with this particular plate of food -- though his plate was empty, so that gesture was likely redundant. Yes, this was probably more than he’d eat normally, and clearly he’d be eating an awful lot of leftover cake, too. But after dining so sparingly lately, the extra calories probably wouldn’t hurt him too much, no.

Hector did not want Lacroix to feel like a servant, though, so he offered to help clear away this set of plates in favor of dessert plates instead. “Would you like assistance clearing the table?”

[lacroix_styles]

"Doesn't work that way, told you that before too; you're my friend, it's my job to worry when you're acting weird or not feeling well." Lacroix felt very firm in that idea, as it was true; one of the things that made people civil was the ability for compassion and that extended to friends.
While it was true that Hector got into that whole superior to even him role more often than not, and wasn't hesitant to act the part of instructor Lacroix still viewed the situation as common ground and friendship. He respected and enjoyed Hector's company, even though he didn't always understand Hector's interests or motives, but not very many people actually did see much of anything the same way.

It wasn't so much the effort that Lacroix worried about being nudged aside, it was that he wanted to be certain Hector was at least starting to pull out of that sick state before he could even consider the idea of going on that trip; it just wasn't right to leave somebody alone all sick.
Hector being agreeable made him think the man was at least on the road to recovery even if he did look rather...unhealthy still.

"I got it," Lacroix shrugged and slipped out of his seat; Hector looked tired and he didn't want him to waste energy on something that was very easy for him to do instead. "It's getting a little scary how domestic I'm getting." It was a humored statement, but true, and it wasn't something Lacroix attributed to Hector's demands, no, he volunteered to clean and cook because the normality was comforting.

"Besides," he pointed out, "I'm pretty sure part of birthdays are not having to do much but enjoy yourself."

In a few moments Lacroix had the table cleared off and dishes bound for the sink for later, Hector had sets of dishes for practically everything so finding plates was never an issue. It had however taken Lacroix some time to learn what sort of plates were supposed to be for what, he had learned over time though and returned very shortly with plates in one hand and a knife in another; the later of which he handed to Hector while he set the plates down.

Admittedly, he was very curious to see how the cake had turned out, he had spent time researching recipes online with a very set idea in mind. That chocolate cake had a thin layer of raspberry sauce concealed inside it, to make the cake itself 'bleed' when it was cut. However, since he hadn't tested the idea beforehand Lacroix wasn't entirely certain it would work but at the very worst he was at least convinced the dark chocolate and raspberry would taste good.

[hector_styles]

It didn’t make him altogether comfortable that Lacroix was doing all of the cleaning now, but it certainly wasn’t worth protesting. Forcing Lacroix to clean or cook all the time wasn’t something he would have done; he requested so much of Lacroix's time already with reading and practice that it would have been rather cruel to foist domestic chores on atop of all of that. Hector was perfectly capable of cleaning up plates himself, but he let it slide this once because he didn’t want to insult Lacroix for his hospitality.

“I’m afraid I have not celebrated my birthday in quite a few years, so I’m uncertain as to the proper etiquette,” Hector confessed, though he was obviously using his best judgment based on past experiences; even though he could be a little emotionless at times, he was quite good with manners and etiquette when he needed to be. Besides, he really did appreciate all the effort Lacroix had put out for him today. In a way, it made him feel like he was doing right by Lacroix; while it was true that he was proud of the work Lacroix had put into his studies up until now, it was especially obvious in this moment that Lacroix in turn appreciated Hector for teaching -- otherwise he might not have been so eager to gift a present or make a cake.

And that cake was quite impressive; it wasn’t often at all that Hector actually saw a cake in its entirety. If he ordered a dessert in a restaurant, it came out to him in a small single serving -- certainly nothing this large. The detail that Lacroix had put into its construction was obvious; Hector was almost regretful to mar the cake by cutting into it. He did so anyway, cutting a generous slice, but his eyebrows lifted in interest when the knife came out stained red with that raspberry sauce. “Quite curious.” A slow seep of that sauce followed when he plated the first piece of cake, and he commented, “It’s quite obvious you spent a great deal of your time on its construction.” It looked pretty complicated, and the fact that Lacriox had put out this much effort for him... well, he still wasn’t quite sure what to say about it. Expressing gratitude was difficult, apparently.

[lacroix_styles]

"I don't know if there's much etiquette to the idea, you're just supposed to enjoy yourself," Lacroix was happy to remind Hector as to how the idea of birthdays and the like were meant to work.
Not that he had quite the same grasp of all the little rules of etiquette that Hector did, but Lacroix had picked up a few things here and there while living in Castle Styles.
It didn't stop him from sprawling on the couch with a box of Pop-Tarts watching Glee reruns at early morning hours, but hey, it was a work in progress.

"Alright, I wasn't sure if that would work or not; the wonders of the internet again." Lacroix laughed, finding it comical that the 'bloody' knife was that effective. Though in retrospect it was also just a little creepy; Hector with that red knife. "See, baking can be..uh...yeah, okay, maybe scary is a stretch. But at least it's sort of disturbing."
That worked, right?
And he didn't mind that Hector was still struggling with some things, apparently all those years being a social recluse had an effect on people; not hard to imagine why, eh?
But Lacroix was used to Hector's version of most things, it was something else that he had learned along the way living with Hector; and probably about as useful as some of those lessons about death.

[hector_styles]

“I’m afraid any attempt at baking I underwent would turn out quite grotesque,” Hector admitted, slicing and then serving another piece of the cake for Lacroix; this made him feel as if he were doing something useful at least. His words were true, though; while he could manage to cook a steak fine, he had no confidence in his ability to cook desserts; it was much safer to go to restaurants for that, or else defer to Lacroix’s expertise. ...then again, with all the Chips Ahoy cookies and Pop Tarts around the apartment, it was clear that convenience was easier for Lacroix than making sweets from scratch.

But the fact that Lacroix didn’t bake as often made this cake all the more meaningful. “I wasn’t aware you were well-versed in cake preparation,” Hector mused, ignoring that bit about the internet -- even if Hector read up on cake techniques online, he was certain he’d still botch the attempt. Clearly Lacroix had some natural ability.

Hector took a conservative bite of his cake, as if to gauge its flavor slowly instead of just consuming it immediately. And it was good; even if he didn’t come right out and say those words exactly, hopefully Lacroix would get the gist of what he meant anyway. “Perhaps you should take up the hobby more frequently,” he commented; it was easier to say that than ‘this is good; make it again sometime.’

[lacroix_styles]

Convince was a wonderful vice at times; as Lacroix had a healthy metabolism to cater too and if he didn't keep it well satisfied he ran the risk of losing what fleeting muscle he was still working on building; pale and scrawny was entirely not going to happen if he had anything to say about it. Then he would have spent even more time tripping over his clumsy long legs than he already did, and the last time had been a nose dive over the edge of the couch; not something Lacroix wanted to exercise too often.

"I'm tell you man, you can learn anything online, it's amazing." Lacroix noted shortly after downing a bite of cake, a bit baffled by the comment encouraging him to continue what Hector usually wrote off as a distraction more than as worthwhile. But it was the good sort of baffled though, he grinned, a little. "Yeah? Hmn, I'll remember that."

For the moment most everything was right with the world, and there was chocolate too; Lacroix was rather happy, and chatty. "That's what I was going to do," he mused in an offhand sort of way, "I was going to culinary school, or I wanted to. Then I figured out...yeah, I was too broke and my grades in high school were too awful. Eh, I guess things weren't supposed to end up that way; I probably would have still been in school now instead of working at the pawn shop."
Life clearly had other plans for him, and lately it hadn't really seemed like such a bad thing.

"Let me guess, you knew from the start that this was exactly what you were going to do, huh?" Lacroix waved his fork in a general way, 'this' clearly meant to encompass their surroundings and life within the walls of the apartment.

[hector_styles]

“On the contrary, Lacroix Styles has an exemplary school record,” Hector commented after taking another bite of cake. He’d had some help to completely make new records for Lacroix, from a social security number to a high school diploma to an ID; it would have been impossible to get by without such documentation on file. Completely remaking Lacroix’s life was necessary; he didn’t want anyone to find out about Lacroix’s real name.

Culinary classes were hardly harmful, and so long as Lacroix didn’t completely slack on his obligations to learn within the cabal, Hector didn’t see it as an impossible option for the future. Not right now, of course; Hector wasn’t comfortable leaving Lacroix out of his sight long enough for Lacroix to attend classes because Lacroix didn’t yet know any spells that might protect him from an attack. “Perhaps after I’ve taught you a decent number of defensive spells, I will be comfortable with you attending classes if you so desire.” Besides, culinary school would only be a few years; if Hector had his way, that would only be a blip in the potential amount of years for Lacroix’s lifespan.

Hector didn’t precisely like to talk about his own past often, but because it related in a way to his current life, he indulged Lacroix this once. “As for myself, before I joined this cabal, I was a professional ‘ghost hunter,’ if you will,” he explained, though unbeknownst to him, Lacroix already knew more about this than Hector was aware; on those video tapes that Lacroix possessed, Hector had talked about his opinions on why he believed his ghost hunting technology would be far more accurate than any spell-casting. “I spoke on late-night radio programs on the uses of electromagnetic field meters and various haunted locations within the city. Obviously I have moved on from relying on such faulty technology.”

[lacroix_styles]

"Yeah, the problem is he's not entirely real," Lacroix countered; unlike Hector he might have accepted that he couldn't go back to his past but he didn't intend to simply forget the life he had once lived. It was what had shaped him into the person he was, for better or for worse, and there was no way to just walk away from that without losing a part of yourself.

While he was curious at the prospects of life outside the apartment, and having one, Lacroix approached the idea with a hint of humor. "Because there are a lot of man-eating blenders?" He chuckled softly and shrugged, maybe Hector was right to worry so much, maybe not, Lacroix really didn't have the answer to that question. What was appealing though was the fact that it might just have been possible to carry out some manager of almost normal life, even if it might not have been for a while.

"Ghost-hunting, huh?" Lacroix did know more than he let on, yeah, but that was even more of a reason to keep his mouth shut about what he did know, since Hector was entertaining the conversation he didn't want to say something that might bring an abrupt end to it. "But see, that's my point; all of this must have been exciting for you since you were already chasing ghosts. I spent my time trying to avoid them and the weird feelings, I've basically accepted that I can't change it now but it's still hard for me sometimes. Can somebody just be...really badly suited to being what they are?"

That question had crossed Lacroix's mind so many times, what must have come easy for Hector was such a struggle for him; not so much the arcane side of it because he was learning that fairly well if he put some concentration into it, but the flat acceptance and even favorable opinion of death and the morbid side of the world was more of a conflict.

[hector_styles]

It was unfortunate that Lacroix was hesitant around ghosts, but Hector was certain that would change in time. The more Lacroix practiced, the more he would grow used to the dead being around him; even if it took a while, Hector didn’t mind. He was well aware that not every student of magic learned at the same pace, and besides, Lacroix was making exceptional progress thus far.

“You’ve only been living in this cabal a few months; that’s hardly a sufficient amount of time to determine whether you are badly suited to it. At at rate...” Hector gave a little dismissive wave of his hand; he didn’t want Lacroix feeling bad about himself in any way. “...in that short time, you’ve learned to speak with the dead, to view the world around you with the grim sight, to discover the function of obscure objects, as well as having practice with determining the cause of death in vampires and discerning the presence of various materials in the vicinity.” True, Lacroix wasn’t perfect at all of that yet, but it was still impressive for just a few months.

After taking another bite of that cake, Hector added the obvious, “In my opinion, your progress hardly makes you ill-suited to this life.” The nervousness would go away in time; Hector was confident he would make Lacroix comfortable around ghosts eventually.

[lacroix_styles]

Lacroix's uncertainty over his own position in that macabre world was based less on what he could do and more on what he felt comfortable doing, and none of those lessons had been very comfortable thus far; he had to fight with himself almost every step of the way and he couldn't help but wonder if it was that difficult for Hector in the past.
It was something to think about, no doubt. "Ask me again a year from now and I'll let you know if you're right or if I'm still trying not to trip over my own feet around here."

It was mentioned in good humor, since it really wasn't a time to sit and debate anything very heavy topic-wise; Lacroix was just content really to have Hector out of his bedroom and talking to him at all again after his mentor had been absent for several days.
Hector might not have realized it but he was a large part of Lacroix's social and personal life himself; even if he didn't always know what to think of those uneasy powers he was trying to learn to harness he felt more at ease with Hector pointing him the right direction when he was lost. It made it easier to pick himself up after a fall if he knew he wasn't going to mocked for it; that had been a thin line in his past that had lead to more than a little self doubt.

"I guess I do okay though," Lacroix mused while he finished working on his own version of a sugar coma with that cake, "I know I'm a lot better off now than I used to be, that's for sure."

Then, while he dropped his fork back on his plate he added, "And you know you're so going to miss me while I'm gone the next few weeks. You sure you're up to staying here alone though?"

[hector_styles]

"I'm certain in a year’s time your confidence will have grown substantially." It wasn’t an instantaneous process; Hector knew it would take more time to completely adjust to this life, and that was why he wasn’t forcing ideas on Lacroix that he knew his apprentice wasn’t ready for. Beginning with the very basics was key; more complex concepts and spells would come later.

As soon as he finished with his piece of cake, he placed his fork back onto his plate and leaned back into his chair comfortably. Yeah, he was definitely full now. “I suppose I’ll be eating cake for every meal for a while,” he commented calmly; after all, Lacroix was going to be gone soon and he wouldn’t have anyone else to eat the leftovers with -- after all, it wasn’t as if Corbin could eat cake. But it really was good, so he wouldn’t mind over-indulging on sugar for a while. “We should perhaps store the extra,” he suggested; it likely wasn’t a good idea to leave the cake sitting out for too long, nor did he want Lacroix to have to put it away all himself. Lacroix had certainly done enough for Hector today, after all.

[lacroix_styles]

"Frankly you could probably stand to eat the entire thing yourself, you're looking a little paler than is normal even for you," Lacroix pointed out evenly, as Hector was likely very aware of that fact. "You're not going to keel over while I'm gone, right?"
He actually was just a bit worried over that possibility, but checking in with Hector every day would at least help ease some of that worry.

At the mention of clearing the table Lacroix nodded, as he did intend to, but first he wanted to finish while there was still a hint of that festive air to the conversation. "I'll get everything cleaned up, but you have to open your present first."
Oh yes, that was very important; as trying to decide what to give Hector really hadn't been an easy task. That was one of the most important parts of the idea of a birthday though, and it was just downright depressing that Hector hadn't celebrated his in years apparently.

[hector_styles]

“I assure you, I’ll be fine, Lacroix,” Hector insisted, just as he had multiple times before now; clearly it wasn’t so easy to reassure Lacroix about this. Yeah, he did look... rather bad, yes, but by time Lacroix arrived back home, he would be back to normal.

“And you really needn’t have gone through the trouble of getting a gift,” Hector continued, sitting up again so that he could turn his focus to that box; he really wasn’t used to getting presents from people, and he wasn’t quite sure how to react. For now, he just shifted his plate and fork aside in favor of drawing that package closer. He was curious about its contents, but had to ask, “I don’t suppose you’re expecting me to shake it first to guess its contents?” Wasn’t that typical present etiquette? He wasn’t certain.

[lacroix_styles]

"I know, I'm trying to listen; but I'm a little paranoid since the good people tend to die on me and leave me with the worst of what's left," he was a little wary of death in that respect; and illness made him even more wary.

At the notion of shaking that box Lacroix shook his head, "No, you don't want to do that, no shaking." He had faith in Zander's abilities but he didn't want to risk it either; how utterly lame would it have been if Hector ended up breaking his gift before he even had a chance to open it?
A flat travesty, that, so he quickly corrected Hector on the notion; damage control, as it was.

[hector_styles]

“I’m afraid it will take more than this to kill me,” Hector mused idly as he unwrapped that package, careful not to jostle the box too much in the process -- after all, Lacroix had said not to shake it. He didn’t want Lacroix to worry about him dying; he had escaped death these many years, and while he knew he certainly was not incapable of dying, he was experienced enough to have a greater chance of preventing it from happening.

Hector was equally careful about opening the box; if whatever was inside really was fragile, he didn’t want to risk ruining it. And when he did see the clock that was inside, he stared down at it a moment, marveling; he really hadn’t been expecting something like this. The outside of the clock was an intricate ring of raven bones, braided densely together to form a strong outer circle, some bleached white and others dyed black. Four raven skulls adorned the clock at 12, 3, 6, and 9 o’clock, and where numbers usually were on normal clocks, faceted gemstones took their places: opaque black jet and pale gray smoky quartz. The hour hand was white and the minute hand was black; clearly Zander had tried very hard to match the clock with the decor in the living room.

“Quite exquisite,” he said finally, gently removing the clock from the box. “Wherever did you find it?” He assumed Lacroix must have ordered it online; Hector never thought twice about fetching Lacroix’s packages, assuming they were clothes or video games or supplies for the pets, or something else equally mundane. He’d never thought Lacroix would order anything like this.

While it looked solid enough, Hector didn’t want to take any chances; he took a moment to focus on the clock, holding it in his hands to increase its durability with magic. It was a subtle spell, nothing that could be seen with the naked eye; yes, he had planned on not using any more magic, but he felt like he had to now; he didn’t want to accidentally break such a thoughtful gift.