Routines

[Noctambule]

"We can\'t keep a horse in the house," Echa explained as Oliver gave him a confused look. "I was thinking...about getting one but there\'s not enough space. So then I considered a pony but..."

Alright, now he just seemed insane. Shaking his head bemusedly, Echa combed fingers through his dark hair. "Anyway...Risk is a club. A vampire club. Where...vampires go."

Oliver could\'ve figured that out on his own. "There are mortals who go there who know about vampires and are willing to be drunk from. I believe one of the higher ups in the ruling system owns it...or so I\'ve heard. I don\'t frequent the place."

In fact, Echa had probably been there about twice. He disliked the atmosphere of it in general...but he supposed Oliver needed to go at some point and better if he wasn\'t alone. It could be...overwhelming.

"We could go if you want. Just for you to see...I suppose it is rather central to being a vampire in this city."

[pinkroses]

Oliver gave a small laugh as Echa explained what he had been thinking about. A horse in the house? He couldn’t help wondering if all vampires got such crazy idea when they got older, maybe it was all just part of getting older…or staying immature forever. Either way, at least he wasn’t a crazy madman.

A club? Like…with loud music and lots of people? Oli asked with a small frown. He had never been much into the clubbing scene and one of the only times he had actually gone out all this had happened and he had become a murderer. Not the best end to a night. But with Echa there it might be better. No crazy loons would try to ruin his life, well, they might try but Echa would be there as well to stop anything bad from happening. He blinked suddenly in surprise as what Echa had said registered.

People, willing to be drunk from? Why would they want that? I don’t understand why they would want that, he thought, the confused look returning to his face. He had only been drunk from once and that hadn’t been at all pleasant and even if he hadn’t been killed it wouldn’t have been an experience he would have wanted to re-live. It had been painful and frightening. Did people really like that?

[Noctambule]

Echa nodded. "With loud music and lots of people." Lots of very touchy feely drunken people. It still alarmed Echa a bit, coming from an era where vampires had been few and far between and even when several lived in a city there had never been something so blatant. Kind of similar to the brothels of old but those mortals hadn\'t ever been allowed back on the streets after they were claimed.

The vampire was surprised the club hadn\'t been shut down but he assumed that whatever went on in Risk was known only to those who were present at the time and hardly ever spread beyond that.

"They\'re willing because...it doesn\'t always have to be bad. It can feel good sometimes. A lot of the time very good..." Well this was always a treat to explain. "If you don\'t just blank them you can still manipulate their minds so it feels good."

Basic enough. "Some people get addicted. Some just want the momentary...but all of them go to Risk because that\'s the only place you can get it short of being a pet."

[pinkroses]

Oliver gave a half smile as Echa repeated his thoughts out loud, then stood up as he went on, pacing in front of the sofas as he listened. Right, yeah, ok, feeding not always bad, Oliver though, half to himself as though he was making mental notes. He had read somewhere about pets, how some vampires kept humans with them, but it never really went into the feelings of the mortals. They were usually deemed very important in the most useful books about vampires.

I’m not too good with clubs, and I get the feeling you don’t like them much, but I’d like to have a look, he thought, pausing his walking and looking towards Echa. I guess, I could go alone if you really don’t want to go, he added somewhat hesitantly and with a worried look on his face. Truth be told he really didn’t think he would be alright alone out there, not yet. But he didn’t want to make Echa go if the older vampire didn’t like it.

[Noctambule]

"It can be dangerous for the mortal. If they like it too much and run across a vampire who isn\'t cautious...if they\'ve been fed on too much it could kill them. And if they freely offered it well would the vampire still be at fault? What if he was young or inexperienced and didn\'t know?" Of course that came with a whole series of ethical questions that he didn\'t want to burden Oliver with. Maybe when they both had the notion to have a philisophical conversation.

"I\'m not a fan of modern clubs either. I\'m surprised any vampires of my time are but I guess they may have adjusted better than I did." Echa grinned. He still jumped at loud electronic noises of any type. He liked to think age would improve that...or it would send him off to be a hermit in a cave.

Rising to his feet, Echa compulsively checked to make sure his clothes were acceptable. Obsessive, slightly. "I\'ll go with you. I wouldn\'t want to be alone there so I doubt you would. Things can get...unusual rather quickly in places where vampires congregate."

[pinkroses]

Oliver watched him silently as Echa posed several questions that Oliver didn’t think sounded like they needed answers, but they definitely made it sound like Echa still didn’t trust him out there alone and for that Oliver was grateful. At least it meant that he wasn’t about to leave him to fend for himself too soon.

He gave a small smile as Echa said that he wasn’t a fan of modern clubs, it sounded like Oliver would have been better suited to living in his time as well, although if he had become a vampire then he still would have had to live through all this. He just might have been better prepared for it.

Thank you, I just want to look around a bit, see what’s there, he thought with a smile at him before glancing down at his clothes as well when Echa did. I should change, I’ll be quick, he sent the thought as he headed into the spare room and quickly pulled a shirt out of the wardrobe, a dark blue one which highlighted the colour of his bright blue eyes well. He stripped off his soft T-shirt and pulled on the crisp, clean shirt, feeling slightly uncomfortable in the shirt, but he needed to dress up a bit. He decided the jeans and sneakers would be alright, after all it wasn’t like he was trying to impress anyone tonight. He doubted he would even drink from anyone in the club, it seemed too strange, but they could always find someone on the way home.

He returned to the living room, giving Echa a grin. Will I do? he asked. He was never sure if he was wearing the right thing going to places like this, he’d only been a couple of times and never with anyone else so he hadn’t been able to ask anyone’s approval before (hearing that you looked lovely from your mum really didn’t count).

[Noctambule]

Echa was debating changing clothes. On one hand, he didn\'t truly feel like altering his selection for the night. He also didn\'t truly have anything that would fit in better at Risk. As it was...dark slacks and lighter shirt...he looked like a businessman out for some fun after work. He\'d spared the tie and jacket and didn\'t have all the buttons done...so he guessed it was alright. Didn\'t people there pay attention to other things besides wardrobe, anyway?

Too lazy to change, he decided. He was ready to go and indeed rarely wore clothes that couldn\'t be seen publically, even when he was home with no intention of going out.

As Oliver wandered to the bedroom, Echa made sure everything was in order. Security system set for when the front door locked. He had money in his wallet. Was anything forgotten?

Oliver re-emerged from the bedroom with the query and the brunette turned to survey him. Not...outlandish like most of the stuff he saw at Risk but the fledgling would fit in far better than Echa himself. Sign of the times...but he was glad.

"You\'ll do perfectly," Echa answered with a nod of approval. "Ready to go?"

He tried not to have a the sooner they got there the sooner they could leave attitude. Maybe it wouldn\'t be so bad this time since he wasn\'t simply wandering in alone to look around.

[pinkroses]

Oliver didn’t dress outlandishly. He’d never been to Risk and didn’t know what to expect, but even if he had been there he didn’t have any other clothing that would fit in with the wild outfits of the vampire club and wouldn’t have known what to wear even if he had known what to expect. The young vampire glanced around, checking to see if there was anything he needed then gave a small nod. Yeah, I’m ready, let’s go, he thought, watching Echa with a smile. He knew the older vampire wasn’t too keen on this idea, but Oliver wanted to find out more about other vampires in the city. Although there was a slight worry in the back of his mind that the vampire who had sired him would be there, Oliver wasn’t convinced that he would be able to recognise him even if he did see him. His mind had been messed with a lot that night, his memories of what had happened before he was sired could be fairly different from the truth.

Once they had left the house Oliver waited patiently for Echa to finish setting up the security system then let him lead the way towards the club, staying close to his side as usual and keeping fairly silent as he wondered what Risk would be like. He’d only met two vampires in his life (that he knew of) and the idea of suddenly seeing a lot of them all together was a little daunting.

[Noctambule]

Echa was feeling oddly protective. Alright, so he was constantly protective of whoever happened to be in his care at the time. But this was quickly becoming stronger. Maybe it was that he still couldn\'t quite grasp the way Oliver had been sired.

It was one thing to do it against the mortal\'s will...or without their knowledge. When you were lonely and desperate...it was understandable though still deplorable. And at least with such an act of desperation the sire stayed around to reap the benefits of companionship before the relationship inevitably turned bad. Usually years into it, once the fledgling realized what had been done.

This however...turning Oliver and leaving him? Echa couldn\'t think of a purpose it served except to get them all in trouble, most of all Oliver. He\'d already killed but that really hadn\'t exploded yet...what if he\'d done it outside and in front of witnesses?

And because of that, Echa felt somehow that he should protect Oliver from whatever he could because no one had protected him in the beginning. It was foolish, the older vampire knew, but he couldn\'t help it.

"Have you even ever heard of Risk?" Echa asked, curious to know since his companion had only recently been mortal and he wondered what it passed as in mortal circles.

Realizing they would once again be walking with only one speaking out loud and that the streets were crowded enough for someone to notice, Echa switched over. It seems almost too blatant to be missed for long...but somehow it always is.

[pinkroses]

Oliver walked with a small spring in his step, the youngster was happy to be out of the house with the prospect of feeding soon and experiencing something knew which might, for once, actually be something good. Previously clubs had always scared the shit out of him, he couldn’t imagine going in there, dancing and trying to pick up someone to spend the night with. It just seemed impossible, for this geek anyway. But he didn’t need to try to pick up anyone tonight. Echa was with him and although there was a little worry that no one would want to be fed from him, but Echa could help.

No, I hadn’t, he thought as he glanced across at Echa with a smile. During that year when everything went a bit crazy I heard that there were places where vampires went, but I was never big on clubs so never went to see, and didn’t especially want to. But then they said it had just been a gas leak so I forgot about it. Just like everyone had, they just accepted what they had been told and moved on with their lives. Now he couldn’t believe how stupid it was that they had all been taken in. It was so obvious, but what people didn’t want to believe they just ignored.

Have you been there a lot? he asked, his bright eyes glancing around at the people on the streets. It was still early enough that there were lots of people on the streets, but Oliver was working hard on not getting distracted by wanting to feed until they got to Risk and had had a good look around.

[Noctambule]

Children, mortal or vampire, often behaved the same. Oliver still hadn\'t lost the mortal age and probably wouldn\'t for a long time. It was unusual for Echa to see and at the same time he enjoyed it. Oliver was adjusting. There was more than enough hope that this fledgling didn\'t have to be a victim of another vampire or of the Oligarchy or of anyone really.

He considered Oliver\'s explanation. A gas leak? Clever. Then no one would want to explore for fear of being blown to smithereens or otherwise damaged and would write off the stories anyone told as a hallucination.

But, Echa supposed, vampires were nothing if not clever in such situations. Otherwise they would have died off pretty quickly. Maybe vampires were the best kept secret ever. Though that was done through killing people who found out the truth...

I don\'t go a lot. I\'ve been...a few times. To look around or when I want something different but it usually doesn\'t appeal to me. I don\'t like the noise or being around that many people.
 
Well gee, that just showed his age, didn\'t it? I suppose it\'s a good place to know of, however.

[pinkroses]

Grandpa, Oliver thought with a teasing edge to the word as he glanced at Echa with a grin, but really he was glad that Echa was so similar to him in that respect. He wouldn’t have liked it if his tutor had been a real party animal who would just abandon him to go off and have a good time in the club. At least we’re not alone this time, he added; for him that made it better anyway. Echa had said he didn’t like to be around a lot of people, but surely it was better to be surrounded by all those people with someone you wanted to be with rather than alone in that sea.

Is it…easier… to find someone to drink from there? He thought after a moment, glancing down at the sidewalk as they strolled along. He had at first thought it might be, but as he mulled it over it occurred to him that it might be more like trying to find a date in a club. In the street you could feed and leave the person clueless, in Risk they would be aware. They would have to consent. They might turn you down and look at you the way Oliver had been looked at his whole life. Shit, he might have to talk. He hadn’t tried communicating mentally with anyone other than Echa and didn’t know whether it would work with a human, or a vampire who wasn’t as mentally powerful as Echa. He felt his stomach drop slightly with worry but tried to hide the feeling by giving Echa another smile as he waited for a reply. He wasn\'t sure whether to hope it was still a long way to go to Risk so that Echa could reassure him further or that it was just around the next corner so that they could get this whole experience out of the way.