Alpha Male

[Black Philip]

Jake’s face ossulated between shock, joy, confusion and finally pleased. He seemed surprised that Ben accepted his offer. He tilted his head to its side, like he’d just seen an eclipse. A silence filled the car, this time because Jake’s mind entertained multiple replies.

Wow! Really that’s great! Thanks Ben!
Of course you’d accept. I suggested it.
How about... fencing club?

After realizing how infinite and ridiculous all of those replies were he settled on something a bit more grounded.

“Thank you for listening to my offer,” he started. “I understand you have funding but my pockets are deep so any additional money, space, or personal you need the resources of my district are at your disposal.”

He even gave Ben the first real smile he’d ever seen from Jake, or at least that Ben has been the cause of. It was unprepared and Ben would see for a moment a goofy teen. Then it was gone and the Black Prince once again sat in the teen’s place.

[Trillian]

He could tell he'd said the right thing, but even as Jake relaxed and smiled at him, Ben didn't feel the same way. It didn't stop him from answering that smile with a small one of his own but it mostly due to his relief and wanting Jake to stay in a good mood. The threat of being thrown out of the car was recent enough to hang in the air between them, he felt.

"I don't have - "

He stopped himself. He'd been about to tell Jake that he didn't have funding for it had all come out of his personal wealth, but the Sacramentum had offered him the property in Meadowcrest so he hadn't had to buy it, and they'd offered him an account for Academy use. It had been a healthy size and so far he hadn't touched it, relying on his initial 'donation' to the cause, but that was running out and so yes, he would be funded.

"Uh, thank you. I'll take you up on that." He paused, thinking. "Did you still want the Academy to remain at Haven Crest alongside the Ward?"

And because he'd spoken about the Ward, his thoughts went to his friend.

"Do you know what happened to Conner?"

[Black Philip]

Jake’s face communicated pain as Ben brought up Conner. He didn’t look angry but it was his turn to look out the window at nothing. Conner had run away with Bryant, and Jake suspected it was so that he could escape a messy break up with Scott. The fact that he’d slunk out in the night, so to speak, had made it all the more crushing. He didn’t even leave a card.

“The first question,” he said in a disconnected fashion, eyes still out the window, face clearly trapped in a bad memory. He started again. “The first question is up to you. You’re in charge here. My opinion is that you should get a brand new facility all your own, but I defer to your judgement.”

“Conner fell in love with his child Bryant. He was tired of following me into battle. He- promised to watch over the city while I and his lover were away. He... lied.”

He seemed almost in tears. “He was my best friend and he didn’t even say goodbye. Can you imagine that?”

[Trillian]

There were pros and cons to moving away from Haven Crest and right now he was already overwhelmed by the Meadowcrest campus. He decided to shelve that decision for later.

When Jake spoke about Conner, Ben's brows twitched a frown at the explanation. It didn't feel right, it didn't sound right, it wasn't a Conner thing to do.

He promised to watch over the city
He never said goodbye

Conner didn't hand out promises lightly. In that, Ben and he were the same. Their friendship was very new, but it had been good. Neither of them said much to one another, but everything that had been said was meaningful. Ben had admired and grown fond of Conner very quickly. And then he'd just... disappeared. Jake's reaction motivated Ben to confess to him.

"I don't think he left. I think he was taken," he blurted. Conner had mentioned just the once that there were powerful Tremere vampires after him.

Ben hadn't shared this fear out loud to anybody before now, for fear his words might make it true.

[Black Philip]

Jake quickly snapped to attention. He looked at Ben with hunger. Conner has been taken? He didn’t abandon them? He didn’t abandon Jake! It was strange but as concerned as Jake was that Conner might be held captive he couldn’t help but feel a touch of joy and was that hope? Jake tried to not to show his excitement too much but his initial look would give away this was not a theory he’d heard before.

“If the director of the ward and his child were taken then I need to find them. What information do you have?”

It was mostly earnest but there was a touch of forcefulness Jake hadn’t intended. “Please,” he added, tone softening.

[Trillian]

Ben felt foolish at Jake's demand. What information? Why, none at all. Just a bunch of assumptions strung together.

"Um. Stuff was still on his desk in his office. Half a report was typed up. His weapons were in a drawer. People saw him come in but nobody saw him leave. I, um, I broke into his place and his stuff is there. Nothing got packed."

He realised now, whilst telling Jake all of this, that he should've reported it.

"You were away on that... cleansing war with the, uh, Black Sabbath?"

Ben had no idea he'd named a rock band instead of a feral vampire clan.

[Black Philip]

Scott had told Jake that Conner left his stuff at their place. He’d forget to mention to Scott that Ben had broken in. After all, the boy had been being a good citizen. Ben was crafty and all of those were good steps to take. Then it dawned on him. When had Bryant missed his first shift at work? He reached inside his jacket and pulled out a smart phone, shoring Lisa-Joe and Sam a quick text.

“If I can cross reference the date of the typed report with the day Bryant went missing I think we can confirm your theory.” Bryant also lived with them. Maybe his stuff was still there too. He’d only not searched because Scott said the apartment was a dead end.

Ben’s statement was so wrong it was humerus and he suppressed a laugh and turned into a smile.

“Number one. It was not a cleansing war. It was more like stamping out a terrorist cell. Second, while I’m a fan of their music Black Sabath is not a cult of feral vampires who wish to destroy the world. The Sabbat, however, are.”

He said all this in a lighthearted tone, actually seeing Ben’s age for once. He reminded Jake of Sam.

[Trillian]

Ben nodded at Jake's comment, though it sounded more like he was telling himself than Ben. Then the smirk came and the correction shortly after.

Because he'd already been feeling stupid and because Jake had dared to make a joke at his expense, Ben immediately had his hackles up. If Kerr was in the car with them, he would've recognised this formula and started working to temper it, lest Ben say or do something he regretted. But Kerr wasn't here. He was at home waiting for Ben to arrive in his newly serviced car. Thoughts of Kerr didn't even enter his head.

Yeah, make fun of me after being so dense you thought Conner had gone without saying anything.

Even though his mental block had been in place, even though he hadn't wanted to send this thought, he kind of did, so off it went.

[Black Philip]

Jake looked dazed. It bordered on spooked. His eyes were like saucers and he instinctively reached for his blade, before realizing the mistake. His mouth twisted and twitched as a wash of anger, embarrassment, and sheer dumbfoundedness overtook the district leader.

“Stop the car,” he yelled, the driver pulling up to a side street in the Brazilian Quarter. “Get out,” he said, eyes becoming horrid and fearful to look at.

[Trillian]

The reaction was instant and Ben knew he'd burnt his bridge completely with Jake. There would be no reprise, it was done.

The yell had him blinking from the force of it. At least the car was going to be stopped before he was shoved out of it. Still, it decided Ben against leaving the Academy in the city district. He knew he'd pushed a big button with Jake, bringing up Conner and throwing it in the other vampire's face. Ben had always known how to successfully push other's buttons; his on-again-off-again relationship with Kerr had been the result of his spontaneous, hurtful comments.

Ben scoffed breath when the car stopped at the curb. Jake turned that dazzling rage towards him and Ben drew himself up protectively, every instinct yelling at him to just do as asked. He defied it, but only a little. Ben slung his backpack fully onto his back, picked up his phone and reached for the car door. He stepped out; once one foot was on the ground, he took his parting shot.

"You don't like me because I told you what I really thought," and then from the curb, through the open door, "Good luck with your yes-men."

He was pissed that he'd have to catch a cab back to his car, and was in a shitty neighbourhood. He was also scared, but wouldn't admit it.

[Black Philip]

Jake said and did nothing as Ben took his parting shot. He was wrong though. Conner never agreed with him. Lisa and he defined themselves by fighting. The first few years he and Sam had done nothing but disagree. He could handle an honest opinion. Ben was something else. Jake didn’t dislike him because he told him what he really thinks. He didn’t like him because he was cruel. Then he saw it. His frown turned to a soft smile. Ben’s face was replaced by Lazarus, and he saw what the ancient meant now.

Hes like us, love.

It was the cruelty they shared and Ben had done him a favor by reminding him of his own. Ben was shallow, insecure and common, but he had a knack for hurting people.Jake could relate to the that. It was time he showed Ben exactly what cruelty really looked like. He pulled out his phone and texted his faithful harpy.

“We need to talk about Ben.”