Out and About--A Day In The Life

[feels_no_love]

Who: Vladislaus Dracula and anyone
What: Vampire-sitting, gardening, deep thoughts and scheming
When: All day
Where: All over the Barge.
Warnings: possible violence, vampire bro-fisting, nibbly vampire on the make

Comments

After Lunch--Garden

[feels_no_love]

Dracula had asked to spend some extra time in the garden today. His purpose was threefold; one was to take some extra time to calm himself, two was because he was expecting at least one friend to come by, and three--to try out these strange new trousers he was now wearing for garden labor. They were made of rough-woven cotton, black of course, and he had grown used to them from the Breach. Terribly comfortable, especially for bending and stretching. Yes...Dracula was wearing jeans.

[feels_no_love]

"Hmmmmm." He nodded slowly, stroking his chin. One hand darted out, crushing an apple moth as it tried to land on one of the branches. "If he redeems himself for his actions....

"I admit, I am somewhat biased. I saw the Marquis this morning and was...surprised...afresh by the extent of his injuries. But because I am not in a position to mete out justice, I chose instead to provide company and perhaps someone to dictate to when he is too tired to write. In such a way I come down on his side with action and not words, even if it seems a bit...small right now."

[congratulating]

"All men are capable of redemption." He smiled as he gestured lightly with his free hand around the Barge. Was that not why they were here? Because it was possible for them to find their own here, after all.

"It is hardly small." Treize sighed just a little as he heard more. Marquis too tired to be unable to write was hardly acceptable behavior. "Everyone needs someone in times of weakness or else they will lose their way completely. You did well, Vladislaus, for being kind to that man."

[feels_no_love]

"We shall see." It was not Sexby but himself that he wondered about on that score; Sexby could take his self-righteous brutality straight to Hell as far as Dracula was concerned. But as for himself...what would it even entail...?

"Thank you for your words. I admit it is somewhat selfish on my part--he is the only writer we have, and as I delve deeper into the Library I will eventually run out of reading. And his work is terribly brilliant, if one is not easily scandalized. I never mind putting in a bit of work toward such ends."

[congratulating]

"I suppose that we shall." Perhaps, he would bring the matter up to his own Warden, but even as he thought that, he was already deciding what must be done that would leave a far greater impact upon such rude behavior.

"A writer is he? I would love to meet him." He finally finished his apple and stared at the core for a time. Supposed he would have to carry it until he left, least he dirty the garden that was being created. "You must introduce us when you have the chance."

[feels_no_love]

"I believe he would appreciate more congenial company. I will gladly do so. He is still in the Infirmary, and apparently it gets quite boring for him."

He pointed out the mulchpile around the back side of the greenhouse. "Your leavings will feed the garden once it is properly decomposed. The whole process, I admit, is a little fascinating to me. I do not know what your acquaintance with philosophy as a field is, but reading up on it has become one of my pursuits here. Philosophy, and gardening."

[congratulating]

"Well, then, we should do our part to liven his stay there." A soft laugh. "Idle time for a writer's mind must be its own form of torture."

He nodded just so as he walked over to toss the core into the mulchpile first before returning to comment on what was said. "I do have quite a love for philosophy. It can be applied to anything done or will be done." Treize hummed once. "Fascinating in the sense that which was once used to help feed one will be used to feed the masses? Even if those masses are but greenery?"

[feels_no_love]

"Oh indeed. The look on his face when I came in was...well." A soft chuckle. "When fanged near-strangers are welcome at one's bedside one must truly be bored."

He nods. "My reading list of late has been most varied. From The Art of War to The Tao of Pooh. The library is becoming a favored haunt. Have you spoken to Charlie Crews at all? He is a font of philosophy.

He looked around at the greenery in question. "It is like something Charlie tried to tell me. There is a cycle. In this case...I tend the plants to feed the people, and in small amounts, their blood feeds me. I have...become, through this work, part of a cycle I merely parasitized before."

[congratulating]

"Poor man." He shook his head slightly as he remembered such boredom when he was under house arrest. The kind that could breed a sort of madness. But thankfully, it did not.

"Ah, those books are quite of interest to me." A slight pause. "Swift as the wind, quiet as the forest, conquer like the fire, steady as the mountain." Something that people could learn to live by, as it could work just as well as life lessons.

"I do know dear Charlie. He is quite an interesting person to speak to." Treize did enjoy the drink that they had with one another, and felt that he had grown to understand him a little. Just as he felt that he was growing to understand the vampire before him. "It is always better to be part of a circle than to be that which breaks it."

[feels_no_love]

"Indeed. I am still absorbing the meaning of many of them, but...it gives me something with which to pass the time." He nodded approval. "Good. I am making something of a tradition of these discussions with him."

"I was a breaker of circles for most of my existence. Now I have no people of my own, and I tire of it."

[congratulating]

Treize went quiet for a time as he listened. He had nothing to say on the first part, beyond praise that the other was making such a tradition. Something, he felt, did not need to be said as it was obvious that it was a good one. But for the latter, he did have an opinion finally.

"We are your people, Vladislaus." He reached out to pat the other's shoulder. "And now you are part of the circle so that makes you part of us."

[feels_no_love]

He was very still under Treize's hand, like a clothed statue, but then his head turned and he nodded. "The larger Barge community is indeed my home and hearth now, it seems, even if it has a tendency to bicker and fight. If I did not have some view of this the larger questions of justice would not concern me. But...I admit that it is an idea which is still germinating."

[congratulating]

"Hopefully, what will come will be as beautiful as this garden." Treize patted his shoulder once more for measure, before turning to leave. There was much that he had to think about and plan. "Thank you for showing me around. I shall be sure to come to visit, again. I hope that we are able to talk on more matters, then."

[feels_no_love]

"It was my pleasure! Do come by again, I am generally here from late morning to early evening unless someone has need of me." He raised a hand in goodbye.

[feels_no_love]

Dracula straightened and flipped his bangs out of his eyes with a little shake of his head, and smiled faintly. "Hullo, Edward." He looked down at himself as he slapped dirt off his hands: one of his black linen dress shirts was paired with the jeans, but with the sleeves rolled up, and he wore low boots beneath the jean-cuffs. "No, no, go to Franklin for fabulous boots, I have my old military pair and these." He looked up. "How do you fare?"