lapetitmauvais's castle full of Valentines...

[lambwolfandman]

Oh Valentine's Day! It's one of those days Alistair is perfectly suited to. Nearly everyone is cheerful. From the sappy couples to the jeering singles. Even the children are happy. There are extra treats around the castle, after all. With the fading sun the mood only becomes more intense.

The children scavenge inside for any forgotten boxes of

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[lapetitmauvais]

Sebastien is quite snug here in his windowless room. With no worries about the sun, or of intruders, he is sleeping better. Better rest means he needs even less than would be usual back in his own world. Thus he is awake at dusk, rather than an hour or two after.

He has been awake long enough to dress in clean clothes and arrange his hair into something approaching neatness. At Alistair's cheerful call, he goes to the door and opens it. When you've been around as long as Sebastien has, the days tend to blend into one another. He tends to think more in terms of seasons rather than months of the year. He knows it's winter, for instance, and he's aware that Christmas was sometime in the recent past. Beyond that, though, he's completely oblivious.

Alistair's comment about mademoiselles on the prowl leaves him baffled and somewhat alarmed

[lambwolfandman]

"Valentine's Day," Alistair replies. Nearly dazed himself at Sebastien's forgetfulness. Or maybe it's just too hard to keep track of holidays with such little social interaction. Lichtenstein should really have mentioned it to the poor vampire.

A flick of the wrist reveals a handful of envelopes. One or two heavily scented with their own perfumes. "I was asked to give these to you if I saw you. They didn't trust me with any chocolate though."

[lapetitmauvais]

"Valentine's Day?"

Oh merde.

He reaches out and grabs Alistair's arm, hauling him inside, perfumed envelopes and all. The door is closed soundly behind them and locked. Sebastien leans against it, groaning.

"They don't know where I am, do they?" he asks, mildly panicked. Heaven help him if they ever find out! He looks down at the envelopes in Alistair's hand, pink and lavender and white, his own name written in loopy, girlish letters. The scent of rose and gardenia and hyacinth drifting up, inescapable. He looks at Alistair helplessly. "What do I do about them?"

Whether he means the Valentines or the girls, it's not exactly clear.

[lambwolfandman]

"I think you open them. Maybe even read them." Alistair lifts the envelopes closer to his face and shrugs. "Maybe they want you to smell them. Maybe they scent coded them. So you can sniff every girl until you find the right one."

The healer laughs and hands him the letters. "It will be alright. I know someone who survived today every year by declaring that his heart was promised to justice and only justice. Be happy, Sebastien. You're one of the most loved guys in the castle right now."

[lapetitmauvais]

"Alistaiiiiiir."

Sebastien groans again, flopping down on the bed. He sorts through the handful of letters, the scent of each girl's hope drifting up, making his eyes water.

"How can I be happy when...ah-CHOO!" He sneezes violently, rising up on one hip to dig in his pocket for a handkerchief. He wipes his nose, then looks up at Alistair morosely. "They can't possibly think I...I mean, there's nothing wrong with them. They're perfectly serviceable girls. I...I mean..." He stutters, looking for the word. "Not serviceable, but you know what I mean. Pretty. They're pretty enough. I just don't..."

He sighs.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

[lambwolfandman]

"Good sir! What kind of a man do you think I am?" He feigns shock and offense. Then returns to being somewhat serious. Still with that persistent smile. "I'm not. I just think it's lovely. Apart from hearing that my students are 'serviceable'. I think this is all lovely."

Alistair walks over to the bed and sits next to Sebastien. "The people who wrote those cards are going to have their hearts hurt one day. Some day. Even I get cards. Granted, it's from girls too young to realise having a crush on a teacher is an uncool thing, but..." He shrugs. "If it's true love it will prevail. And you should at least be flattered. And possibly charmed. They must think very highly of you to use up paper. Enjoy the moment before they find their new crush."

[lapetitmauvais]

Alistair's gentle words have found their mark. Sebastien sighs again, guilty at his own callousness. He looks down at the envelopes. The fanciful colors, the careful writing, the little hearts drawn in the corners.

The people who wrote those cards are going to have their hearts hurt one day...

He looks up at Alistair, his gaze softening.

"I have become old and cynical, Alistair." He looks down at the handful of cards again, young girls' dreams picked out in pink and purple and white. He traces his name with a finger, smiles a little at the thought of it. Such innocence. If only they knew. "I am flattered. Truly. And grateful. For the thoughts, as well as the special delivery."

He smiles, looking at Alistair earnestly.

"What do I do? I don't want to hurt them, any of them. They are so innocent, so sweet. But I can't give them false hope. It would be cruel."

[lambwolfandman]

"Selik is old and cynical. And I'm working on that. You just think you are," he corrects with a friendly nudge.

At the question Alistair sighs and shrugs. "I'm not the best guy to ask. A lot of them will hopefully have gone to sleep by now. Maybe given up after not seeing you during the day. If you do see them you can always say Selik had you doing things. He's a popular villain here, you know."

He thinks for a bit. "You could tell them you have to patrol with me. But that you'll keep their card on your desk? You're the French vampire. You're the better one at words."

[lapetitmauvais]

Sebastien ducks his head and grins.

"You think so?" He looks at Alistair, realizing yet another thing he's been lacking, spending all these years alone: the wonder of seeing oneself through another's eyes. "Perhaps," he allows, nudging the healer back.

He thinks about what Alistair said. He glances over at his desk, remembering the writing paper he tucked into the drawer, never really expecting to have occasion to use it.

"Do you think perhaps I should write each a short note in return? You could slip them under their doors before you retire for the night. If it's no trouble, of course."

[lambwolfandman]

"I think so," Alistair confirms with a nod and a smile.

"Just as long as you don't commit to any of them. They might compare notes," he warns. Then tilts his head at Sebastien. "Are you sure you don't want to meet up with one of them for the night? It's only one night. It might be nice to have some gentler company than Selik or I."

[lapetitmauvais]

Sebastien blinks.

"For...for the night?" He stares at Alistair. He can't possibly have meant that the way it sounded. "No. Uh...no. I don't...I'm not..."

He coughs, his face slowly turning fuschia.

"I don't think it's such a good idea."

For far, far too many reasons.

He sits down at the desk and opens the drawer. He takes out the writing paper, then rummages for his fountain pen and ink. He begins opening the Valentine's notes from the girls, glancing over his shoulder at Alistair.

"I shall try to be quick. I do hope you're not bored, watching me write."

He takes a clean sheet of paper and dips his pen, trying to think of what to say.

Dearest...

He glances down at the note and blinks again. Huh. He takes up his pen and begins to write again, in his very best penmanship.

Dearest Artemis,

I thank you most sincerely for your heartfelt Valentine's Day wishes and return the same to you. I hope you had a lovely day.

With fondest regards,
S.He reads it aloud to Alistair, turning to observe the expression on the healer'

[lambwolfandman]

"Don't make that sound bad. I'm a teacher. I meant it in the most benevolent way possible." He rolls his shoulders to ensure they didn't get tense sitting up without anything to lean against. "It's not my fault your days are my nights. Just thought you might like some normality."

"I spend my days watching people write, Sebastien. It's nothing new," he assures him. Letting his mind wander as he waits. Wondering where Sebastien got the pen and paper. Wondering what his world must be like. Jerking back into reality as Sebastien speaks.

Alistair laughs, "I think you should read it to them. They'd swoon hearing it with that accent of yours."

[lapetitmauvais]

"Of course," Sebastien says. "I didn't mean anything by it." He nods, then blinks, confused. "But...if my days are your nights, wouldn't all the girls be asleep?"

He ducks his head a little, flushing red again.

"I don't...I'm not really interested in the girls here. I'm not interested in girls anywhere."

Flushing deeper red now. He puts his pen down, trying to find the right words to explain.

"I don't think I should get too close to them. They are children. And I...I will be busy with my training and helping Professor Lichtenstein. I don't want to encourage them. I'm just..." He picks up his pen again, scratching out another note. Identical to the first, this one addressed to Athena. "I'm just doing this to be polite."

[lambwolfandman]

"Not all of them."

There's silence. It's an unusual thing to have around Alistair. But it's there for a time.

"Try and make them a little different from each other. Give them something to argue over," he suggests quietly with the smallest breath of a laugh. Trying to keep smiling through Sebastien's dislike of all this.

The healer runs it through his head once. Twice. Thrice. Silence once again as he considers. "So you're interested in guys? Or are you just not into mortals?"

[lapetitmauvais]

Sebastien looks down at the notes. Alistair's right. Make them all identical and he'll look like the world's biggest cad. He sets to writing again, altering the wording just enough to make each girl feel special. While keeping that slightly reserved, formal tone that will hopefully keep them from viewing his replies as a declaration of his undying love

[lambwolfandman]

It doesn't bother Alistair at all. Not when he's grown up with this strange merging of old and new that is his world. Even Sebastien's obvious embarrassment is observed with ease. Though Alistair doesn't plan on pointing it out and embarrassing Sebastien further if he can help it.

"You do a very good job of making it look as if you like women. I guess we're just not as polite in this place as we'd like to think."

"I think it's good that you haven't been in love yet," Alistair tells him. Giving in and leaning on a short bed post. "Not that it's good to never fall in love. Just... It's not something to rush. Especially with you. Being immortal. You've got plenty of time. One of the big mistakes from panicking students and graduates is to find someone, anyone and cling to them."