InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "SHANNARO!!!"

Max Jordan | Mr. Hyde (tooth_breaker) wrote in bellumlogs,
@ 2010-06-01 12:59:00

Entry tags:

dracula, mr. hyde

Who: Vlad and Max
What: Old friends reuniting
Where: Juke Joint
When: Monday at 10 PM
Warnings: Casual discussions of terrible things, alcohol, and Max.

After agreeing to meet Vlad at ten, Max had had a bit of worry. After all, he didn't make plans for a reason - he never knew exactly when he would be around. But Brian was fairly predictable, falling asleep by nine o'clock most nights, and so Max was fairly confident that he would be out and about with plenty of time to meet his old friend.

He had to admit, as he rummaged through Brian's wardrobe, that he was a bit anxious. Sometimes seeing people from the past took the rose-tinted glasses off, and that old friend was just a worn-out has-been. What if the man that had taught him so much with so little was really just a fruity bat with nothing of interest to say or do? What if he would feel the same about Max? What if they both hated each other? The questions kept coming as he pulled on a casual T-shirt and pair of jeans.

Though Max enjoyed his existence for the most part, he always regretted not being able to make friends. Things were more fun in groups, and though he had cycled through a few half-friends in his day, there had never been anybody that he could really stick with. Hookers left after their time was up, drunk people eventually went home, and his victims died. He hoped that in this strange building - Brian was already beginning to have second thoughts, which boded well for Max - he would be able to cement just one friendship.

Locking apartment 302 behind him, Max jogged down the stairs. He had considered wearing a hat, but realized that doing so would just make him look suspicious. People didn't trust people that wore hats. They assumed they had something to hide. So Max did his best to look open. Friendly. Like Brian, only with less sad puppyface. Brian was nice, but even Max knew that he always looked like he had a weight on his shoulders. Max took that stooped, droopy body and straightened it out. Livened it up. Made it better in every way.

He left the lobby and glanced down the street, spotting the blue mailbox he had mentioned to Vlad. It seemed that he was the first one there. Glancing casually over his shoulder into the lobby, he strolled up to the mailbox, leaning against it and looking out over the street. His posture was relaxed, casual. Stifling a yawn, he cracked his neck and resigned himself to the waiting game. Hopefully it wouldn't last long.

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nobleblood
2010-06-13 04:25 am UTC (link)

Did he? Max could have easily told someone between the time of the murder and now, but to his knowledge he hadn't told a soul. Suspicion was something he could handle, but actually being investigated was something that had never happened and he would definitely prefer if it never did. Vlad supposed that, considering the evidence, he was as trustworthy as anyone could get. "Good. I knew I could count on you."

He regarded his glass for a moment before setting it down, and his eyebrows rose at Max's claims. "I have faith in you," he said with a laugh. "I doubt I will be disappointed."

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tooth_breaker
2010-06-13 04:41 am UTC (link)

Grinning, Max pushed his glass away as Vlad mentioned having faith. "Faith is dangerous, my friend. But I'm glad you have it anyway." He winked, looking across the room for the waitress. It was getting late, and two drinks was his limit. For now. He didn't need to get drunk in front of Vlad, not like this. "And you won't be. Promise."

He waved the woman over, reaching into his pocket for Brian's wallet. "But I think for now we should head back." He grinned. "Got some things to do, you know. How about you? Staying up later, or do you have someone to go home to?"

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nobleblood
2010-06-13 05:40 am UTC (link)

Truthfully faith was something he had very little of, but he was fairly certain Max knew he was being sarcastic and therefore there was no real need to point it out. He leaned back slightly as the waitress approached, her expression stating very clearly that she didn't want to spend any more time at their table than necessary.

Vlad leaned forward with an uncharacteristically lazy grin, sliding a few bills towards the reluctant waitress. He returned his attention to Max, smile flickering slightly at his question. "I think I will end up calling it a night this time around, and..." He shrugged, deciding to opt for vagueness. "There may be someone."

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tooth_breaker
2010-06-13 04:04 pm UTC (link)

Max paid his portion of the bill with Brian's cash and stood as the waitress grumpily collected the payment. Pushing his chair in towards the table, he walked to the door with Vlad, grinning. "Oh yeah?" He raised a brow. "Usually that means there is." He looked happy, but inwardly was not. Women just got in the damn way. He remembered Gloria, the sway she had over Brian. She turned him into a puppy, and her constant presence made sneaking out exceptionally hard. When she had caught him, well.

She had deserved that for trying to ruin a good thing.

And now with the possibility of Vlad being under the spell of a woman, Max was beginning to wonder why they couldn't all just be sent out to sea. "Well, don't worry. I'll make sure your tie is never rumpled and I won't get any suspect stains on your lapel." His voice was light and teasing, all jest. Perhaps Vlad was just lying and there wasn't an annoying woman around. Or maybe it didn't matter at all.

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nobleblood
2010-06-13 04:40 pm UTC (link)

Helena was not a topic he felt like discussing, but luckily Max didn't push the subject so it wasn't too difficult to shrug it off. "It's nothing that serious," he said dismissively. A lie, but he didn't have to know that. Not yet, at least. There were a number of things Vlad could talk to his friend about, but he wasn't quite sure if women was one of them.

He pushed open the door with a laugh, shaking his head. "How thoughtful of you. Still, I think I could come up with a decent excuse even if anyone did ask about rumpled ties or suspicious stains." Sometimes murder was messy, and he'd learned how to deal with that long ago.

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tooth_breaker
2010-06-17 06:52 pm UTC (link)

(( OOC: OMG LEESHA I AM SO SORRY. I didn't get the alert for this! DX))

As they left the bar, Max raised a brow. "Oh yeah? How do you explain that, then? I'm all ears. I mean, I don't really need the help, but points are always good to take into account. Especially from people more experienced than yourself." He grinned, smoothing a hand through his hair as their feet played a gentle rhythm on the sidewalk leading back to Bellum.

"Though I guess the simple answer would be to never wear a tie, right?"

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nobleblood
2010-06-18 07:17 am UTC (link)

(( OOC: No problem! XD ))

He turned thoughtful for a moment, although the easiest answer would be to hide said stains or rumpled ties so they never had to be explained in the first place. "The simple answer would be to hide it. A suspicious stain or rumpled tie can be explained away by a scuffle or attempted mugging - especially in a city like this - or just spilling something on your shirt. Still, changing before anyone can see and start to ask questions would be the easiest route."

Vlad never usually paid much attention to the people who lurked in dark alleys, and tonight was no exception. He knew he had nothing to fear, so he barely paid them a second glance as he walked towards Bellum.

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tooth_breaker
2010-06-18 06:27 pm UTC (link)

((OOC: I swear IJ only does this when it'll be the most inconvenient. *headdesk*))

It was all very practical. But in Vlad's case, he was in control of what happened to his clothes. Max, on the other hand, didn't do laundry. Brian did it. So he had to be extra special careful because there were no laundry secrets in his life. However, he pretended to agree with this, as if he, too, were a normal man.

"This is true. When in doubt, blame somebody else." He laughed, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "That's the American way, after all." He raised a brow. "Look at you, you can do the accent, now you're thinking like us. Pretty soon you won't be quite so creepy." With another jovial laugh, he turned the corner, glancing up to see Bellum Letale in the near distance.

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nobleblood
2010-06-19 01:02 am UTC (link)

(( OOC: It's to evil like that. -___- ))

Max's blunt way of speaking was always entertaining, but and it was a welcome change from the way most other people talked, full of lies and false flattery. "I think I would rather remain creepy than become completely Americanized." Vlad meant it, even though he kept his tone towards the joking side of things.

Ah, Bellum. Lately he'd been feeling nothing but a tired sense of reluctance every time he saw it. He raised his eyebrows questioningly, since Max hadn't wanted to meet inside or even outside the building when they left. "Will you be accompanying me inside?" He was mostly joking, but there was a hint of seriousness within his voice.

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tooth_breaker
2010-06-19 01:12 am UTC (link)

((OOC: It's. So. True. IT'S ALMOST MORE EVIL THAN MAX. ))

As Vlad expressed a preference for creepy over American, Max laughed. "Wouldn't we all?" he asked rhetorically, taking a sliding step to the side as they reached the building.

And this was where it got tricky. He couldn't get off on Brian's floor, because Vlad would know that he lived on third and might ask questions. But if he got off on a random floor, then maybe Vlad would shop around there and ask even more questions. It was quite the predicament, one that Max hadn't thought about before. Damnit.

"Of course!" he said, holding the door open for his friend. "After you," he said, sweeping him inside with a broad gesture. He had to play his cards right, but he had a plan. And it wasn't too shabby if he could say so himself.

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nobleblood
2010-06-19 01:22 am UTC (link)

(( OOC: LOL. Almost. XD Oh Max. ))

Vlad probably wouldn't have pushed it if Max said no, and lingered outside, but instead he simply shrugged and went inside. For a moment he considered taking the stairs, but he didn't quite feel like putting in the effort and instead headed towards the elevator.

"What floor are you on?" He asked over his shoulder, pressing the button and waiting as the familiar sound of mechanical grinding grew louder and the elevator descended.

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tooth_breaker
2010-06-19 01:26 am UTC (link)

(( OOC: He is ridiculously fun for me to write. :/ That probably says bad things about me. ))

Max followed him into the lobby, but paused halfway through. As Vlad approached the elevator, he slid towards the laundry room. "Actually, I left a load of stuff in one of the machines," he said, jerking a thumb towards the rooms. "So I'll just take care of that now while I'm down here." He grins, giving the other man a wave. "But it was great meeting up with you, Vlad. Really. We gotta do this again sometime."

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nobleblood
2010-06-19 01:36 am UTC (link)

(( I love writing the evil characters, so don't worry, you're not alone. :D ))

Vlad could have pursued the matter, but at that moment the elevator arrived, and it was a miracle that the machine even decided to come in the first place. He nodded, casting a glance in the direction Max was gesturing in before getting on the elevator.

"Indeed we do. Have fun with your laundry, Max." He chuckled to himself as the elevator doors slid shut.

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