Dragon Fruit #7
Author: Lumelle
Title: The Cruelty of Adrian
'Verse: Dragons
Challenge: Dragon Fruit #7: I guess it doesn't matter now
Toppings/Extras: -
Word Count: 1,582
Rating: PG (for some mild language)
Summary: Adrian is mad at Raymond for forgetting his promise. Of course, as this is Adrian, Raymond will pay in the most cruel of ways. And the rats still need a goodnight story, too.
Notes: It's been ages since I wrote anything original, and then these two pretty much jumped out of my head. >_> Meet Raymond, a bookworm vampire, and Adrian, a drama queen with ninja rats. Has absolutely nothing to do with my teenage dragon, except it's in the same verse. Oh, and it totally will have everything to do with him. Some day in the future.
"Raymond." Even without looking he knew Adrian was annoyed with him. There was no mistaking that sharp tone. "Care to tell me what the time is now?"
"Half an hour since sundown, give or take." He kept on reading, fingertips fiddling with the edge of the next page. He was just about at the climax of the book, and as long as Adrian wasn't outraged, he still had some wiggle room.
"So I see your timing still works. Most fantastic." Why, but if it was so fantastic, why did ze sound more displeased than anything? "So why, pray tell, have you not given my little ones their treats?"
Oh. Right. Raymond sighed, placing his finger between the pages before closing the book. It was probably the best not to try hir patience any further. "Do forgive me," he said, looking up at Adrian at last. He was met with several angry gazes as both Adrian and hir pets appeared to be doing their best to glare holes in his head. "I was reading. It slipped my mind entirely."
"Oh, but of course." Adrian huffed, brushing a dark lock of hair over hir shoulder. "You never forget about taking out the trash whether it's my turn or yours, but starving my darlings comes all too easily for you."
"Please, Adrian. They aren't going to starve if their treat is a bit late. They could survive on dry pellets for quite a while if you weren't pampering them all the time. And unlike their stomachs, trash happens to smell."
"How could I forget? Things are only important when they cause you some personal discomfort. Do forgive me for being so unreasonable as to expect you to keep your word. It's not like I am high enough on your list of priorities that you would even remember your promises to me." Lovely. Time for the dramatics again.
"Well, perhaps you should just take care of your own pets so we wouldn't have to deal with situations like this." His tone was perhaps a bit more snippy than he intended it to be, but then, Adrian was making a mountain out of a molehill. Again. "It seems clear I cannot be trusted to jump at their every whim and whine, not to the degree you would want me to."
"This isn't about that. This is about you promising me you would do something, and then breaking that promise." Adrian turned around in indignation, inky strands of hair twirling about hir. Sometimes Raymond had to wonder if ze practised such theatrics in front of a mirror when he wasn't around to see.
"No, Adrian, it's not." He reached for the bookmark he had laid down on an end table earlier, slipping it between the pages and settling the book down. So much for getting to the end right now. Still, he knew better than to let Adrian stew for too long. Taking off his reading glasses, he set them on top of the book as he stood up from his armchair. "This is about the fact that you are likely to be the only person alive foolish enough to argue with a vampire over pet care of all things."
There was a pause. Then, Adrian turned hir head just enough to look at him over hir shoulder. "Are you threatening me, darling?" Hir tone was a fine mixture of disbelief and wry amusement.
"Goodness mine, no. I know better than that." Raymond's lips twitched a bit. The mere idea of himself threatening Adrian was absurd at best, enough so to amuse him even in his annoyance. He had lived a long life, but not long enough to be tired of it yet. "I was only referring to the fact that we are not known for being well-loved by animals."
"That might be a proper excuse if we were talking about kittens or bunnies," Adrian pointed out. "Considering that my rats happen to love you, it rather fails to explain your failure." One of said rats looked at Raymond from atop hir head, inclining its head as though to agree.
"Well, what do you want me to say?" Of course, he knew better than to expect a proper answer. "I forgot. I was too immersed in my book; it happens. You should know as much by now, considering all the times you've had to remind me to feed even myself, never mind what must already be the best-fed pet rats in the Western world."
"Indeed." The amusement was away again. "I should know better than to trust any promise of yours when there is a book within reach. Which reminds me," another sharp glance, "I was under the impression we agreed there would be no new books this week."
"There weren't." Never mind the fact that such a demand was just about inhuman to make of an honest librarian. "This is one of yours."
"And then you get all offended when I dare touch one of your books and leave it wherever." Adrian twirled around on hir heels again, glancing at the book Raymond had laid by. "Hmph. You're lucky I've read that one already."
"I know you have. Trust me, I would not be so rude as to read any book of yours before you have a chance to." Raymond sighed. "I've explained myself. I've apologized. Now what else do I have to do before you're satisfied?"
"Nothing." Oh, right? Somehow, Raymond doubted that. The case wasn't helped much by the small smirk on Adrian's lips. That smirk never promised anything good for whoever it was directed at. "It seems clear you are determined not to see my side of the issue. Why would I argue further? It's not like I'm going to get through to you anyway."
"Right." Which was why he felt his claws itching to get out. Adrian was scheming something, he knew as much.
"Well, I already took care of the rats, so I suppose you can get back to your reading now. Since the book is so important to you, I must let you enjoy it, now mustn't I? After all, it would be just utmost cruelty to deprive you of the ending. I do recall the mystery was absolutely riveting. I was on the edge of my seat until the very last page, myself."
In retrospect, Raymond should have known better. Perhaps he did, even, and some subconscious part of him was convinced he deserved it. Whatever the reason, he found himself unable to do anything but stand still as Adrian stepped closer, a smirk still on hir lips. One of the rats ran up the slender arm and hopped to Raymond's shoulder as ze lifted a hand to brush against the side of his face, then leant in to press a small kiss on the corner of his lips.
"Raymond?" murmured Adrian, one hand still in his hair.
Raymond swallowed. "Yes?"
A low sound of amusement escaped Adrian's throat, something between a chuckle and an almost psychotic snicker. "The nurse did it." Then, the hand in his hair was gone, as were the soft lips that had been hovering so close to his just moments before, and with a swish of dark hair, Adrian was walking away.
Raymond stared after hir for a moment, then sank back to his armchair with a heavy sigh. He was supposed to be the monster in this household, damn it. Where did Adrian get off being so unimaginably cruel to him?
"Say, little one," he murmured to the rat still sitting on his shoulder, "you have any idea why I still love hir?"
The rat snorted at his ridiculous question, a tiny paw coming up to scratch its tiny black mask. Then, it ran down his arm and hopped over to the table, sitting on top of the book. It gave him an expectant gaze. Raymond could almost hear the 'Well, get on with it.'
"There's no point," he argued. "Adrian ruined the ending already."
The rat gave him an annoyed snort and started nudging his glasses towards him, half an inch at a time. He grasped them before the rat pushed them off the table, unfolding them and setting them on his nose. This did not satisfy the little creature, who kept tapping its paw on the cover of the book.
"Right, right. Just because Adrian had hir revenge doesn't mean you're satisfied, hmm?" He picked the rat up in one hand, taking the book in the other even as the rodent ran back up to his shoulder, getting comfortable. "Fine, fine, I'll read you a bedtime story. But no complaining if you get nightmares, okay? This is a murder mystery, after all."
The rat gave him an incredulous gaze. Of course. Like ninja rats would get squeamish at a little murdering. Shaking his head just a bit, not quite enough to disturb the little thing, Raymond opened the book at the marked page and started to read again, this time aloud.
By the time he came to the last page, five more rats had made their way to him, taking residence on various parts of his body. Raymond could only hope this would have him forgiven for the lateness of their evening threat.
On the last page, it turned out the actual culprit was the gardener.
Gathering the now sleeping rats in his arms to return them to their nest, Raymond wasn't sure if this made Adrian more cruel or less so.
Title: The Cruelty of Adrian
'Verse: Dragons
Challenge: Dragon Fruit #7: I guess it doesn't matter now
Toppings/Extras: -
Word Count: 1,582
Rating: PG (for some mild language)
Summary: Adrian is mad at Raymond for forgetting his promise. Of course, as this is Adrian, Raymond will pay in the most cruel of ways. And the rats still need a goodnight story, too.
Notes: It's been ages since I wrote anything original, and then these two pretty much jumped out of my head. >_> Meet Raymond, a bookworm vampire, and Adrian, a drama queen with ninja rats. Has absolutely nothing to do with my teenage dragon, except it's in the same verse. Oh, and it totally will have everything to do with him. Some day in the future.
"Raymond." Even without looking he knew Adrian was annoyed with him. There was no mistaking that sharp tone. "Care to tell me what the time is now?"
"Half an hour since sundown, give or take." He kept on reading, fingertips fiddling with the edge of the next page. He was just about at the climax of the book, and as long as Adrian wasn't outraged, he still had some wiggle room.
"So I see your timing still works. Most fantastic." Why, but if it was so fantastic, why did ze sound more displeased than anything? "So why, pray tell, have you not given my little ones their treats?"
Oh. Right. Raymond sighed, placing his finger between the pages before closing the book. It was probably the best not to try hir patience any further. "Do forgive me," he said, looking up at Adrian at last. He was met with several angry gazes as both Adrian and hir pets appeared to be doing their best to glare holes in his head. "I was reading. It slipped my mind entirely."
"Oh, but of course." Adrian huffed, brushing a dark lock of hair over hir shoulder. "You never forget about taking out the trash whether it's my turn or yours, but starving my darlings comes all too easily for you."
"Please, Adrian. They aren't going to starve if their treat is a bit late. They could survive on dry pellets for quite a while if you weren't pampering them all the time. And unlike their stomachs, trash happens to smell."
"How could I forget? Things are only important when they cause you some personal discomfort. Do forgive me for being so unreasonable as to expect you to keep your word. It's not like I am high enough on your list of priorities that you would even remember your promises to me." Lovely. Time for the dramatics again.
"Well, perhaps you should just take care of your own pets so we wouldn't have to deal with situations like this." His tone was perhaps a bit more snippy than he intended it to be, but then, Adrian was making a mountain out of a molehill. Again. "It seems clear I cannot be trusted to jump at their every whim and whine, not to the degree you would want me to."
"This isn't about that. This is about you promising me you would do something, and then breaking that promise." Adrian turned around in indignation, inky strands of hair twirling about hir. Sometimes Raymond had to wonder if ze practised such theatrics in front of a mirror when he wasn't around to see.
"No, Adrian, it's not." He reached for the bookmark he had laid down on an end table earlier, slipping it between the pages and settling the book down. So much for getting to the end right now. Still, he knew better than to let Adrian stew for too long. Taking off his reading glasses, he set them on top of the book as he stood up from his armchair. "This is about the fact that you are likely to be the only person alive foolish enough to argue with a vampire over pet care of all things."
There was a pause. Then, Adrian turned hir head just enough to look at him over hir shoulder. "Are you threatening me, darling?" Hir tone was a fine mixture of disbelief and wry amusement.
"Goodness mine, no. I know better than that." Raymond's lips twitched a bit. The mere idea of himself threatening Adrian was absurd at best, enough so to amuse him even in his annoyance. He had lived a long life, but not long enough to be tired of it yet. "I was only referring to the fact that we are not known for being well-loved by animals."
"That might be a proper excuse if we were talking about kittens or bunnies," Adrian pointed out. "Considering that my rats happen to love you, it rather fails to explain your failure." One of said rats looked at Raymond from atop hir head, inclining its head as though to agree.
"Well, what do you want me to say?" Of course, he knew better than to expect a proper answer. "I forgot. I was too immersed in my book; it happens. You should know as much by now, considering all the times you've had to remind me to feed even myself, never mind what must already be the best-fed pet rats in the Western world."
"Indeed." The amusement was away again. "I should know better than to trust any promise of yours when there is a book within reach. Which reminds me," another sharp glance, "I was under the impression we agreed there would be no new books this week."
"There weren't." Never mind the fact that such a demand was just about inhuman to make of an honest librarian. "This is one of yours."
"And then you get all offended when I dare touch one of your books and leave it wherever." Adrian twirled around on hir heels again, glancing at the book Raymond had laid by. "Hmph. You're lucky I've read that one already."
"I know you have. Trust me, I would not be so rude as to read any book of yours before you have a chance to." Raymond sighed. "I've explained myself. I've apologized. Now what else do I have to do before you're satisfied?"
"Nothing." Oh, right? Somehow, Raymond doubted that. The case wasn't helped much by the small smirk on Adrian's lips. That smirk never promised anything good for whoever it was directed at. "It seems clear you are determined not to see my side of the issue. Why would I argue further? It's not like I'm going to get through to you anyway."
"Right." Which was why he felt his claws itching to get out. Adrian was scheming something, he knew as much.
"Well, I already took care of the rats, so I suppose you can get back to your reading now. Since the book is so important to you, I must let you enjoy it, now mustn't I? After all, it would be just utmost cruelty to deprive you of the ending. I do recall the mystery was absolutely riveting. I was on the edge of my seat until the very last page, myself."
In retrospect, Raymond should have known better. Perhaps he did, even, and some subconscious part of him was convinced he deserved it. Whatever the reason, he found himself unable to do anything but stand still as Adrian stepped closer, a smirk still on hir lips. One of the rats ran up the slender arm and hopped to Raymond's shoulder as ze lifted a hand to brush against the side of his face, then leant in to press a small kiss on the corner of his lips.
"Raymond?" murmured Adrian, one hand still in his hair.
Raymond swallowed. "Yes?"
A low sound of amusement escaped Adrian's throat, something between a chuckle and an almost psychotic snicker. "The nurse did it." Then, the hand in his hair was gone, as were the soft lips that had been hovering so close to his just moments before, and with a swish of dark hair, Adrian was walking away.
Raymond stared after hir for a moment, then sank back to his armchair with a heavy sigh. He was supposed to be the monster in this household, damn it. Where did Adrian get off being so unimaginably cruel to him?
"Say, little one," he murmured to the rat still sitting on his shoulder, "you have any idea why I still love hir?"
The rat snorted at his ridiculous question, a tiny paw coming up to scratch its tiny black mask. Then, it ran down his arm and hopped over to the table, sitting on top of the book. It gave him an expectant gaze. Raymond could almost hear the 'Well, get on with it.'
"There's no point," he argued. "Adrian ruined the ending already."
The rat gave him an annoyed snort and started nudging his glasses towards him, half an inch at a time. He grasped them before the rat pushed them off the table, unfolding them and setting them on his nose. This did not satisfy the little creature, who kept tapping its paw on the cover of the book.
"Right, right. Just because Adrian had hir revenge doesn't mean you're satisfied, hmm?" He picked the rat up in one hand, taking the book in the other even as the rodent ran back up to his shoulder, getting comfortable. "Fine, fine, I'll read you a bedtime story. But no complaining if you get nightmares, okay? This is a murder mystery, after all."
The rat gave him an incredulous gaze. Of course. Like ninja rats would get squeamish at a little murdering. Shaking his head just a bit, not quite enough to disturb the little thing, Raymond opened the book at the marked page and started to read again, this time aloud.
By the time he came to the last page, five more rats had made their way to him, taking residence on various parts of his body. Raymond could only hope this would have him forgiven for the lateness of their evening threat.
On the last page, it turned out the actual culprit was the gardener.
Gathering the now sleeping rats in his arms to return them to their nest, Raymond wasn't sure if this made Adrian more cruel or less so.