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Gulliver Mills ([info]jejeune) wrote in [info]inshadowfalls,
@ 2010-06-03 08:36:00

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Entry tags:cici ciramen, gulliver mills

Who ? Gulliver Mills and Open
Where ? Shadow Falls Mall
When ? Afternoon
What ? Shopping for a new pet, trying not to be ridiculously obvious, and shopping for humans.
Rating? Low



With the new proclamation about the humans in the town being entered into a drawing to be forced into pregnancy Gulliver Mills had never been more embarrassed to be a vampire. He wasn't usually so, what was the word? Sparkly? He wasn't sure. The point was he generally believed in the idea that vampires were, not exactly superior to humans but definitely different from them. They were the predators and humans were the prey and that line should definitely be kept. But this, this forcing humans to get pregnant to keep up the birth rate was a little much. He'd never say anything against the Council, he had respect for the rules, but it seemed like such a horrible idea he found himself meeker than normal.

When he stepped into the mall that day, intent on going to the bookstore to get some information on keeping various types of pets, he felt like people were watching him. He felt like they were all looking at him and glaring, hate and injustice seething in their eyes. He was one of them, one of the vampires forcing their women to get pregnant. He felt like the enemy.

Gulliver tried to be nonchalant as he went through the book store but from the way the clerk at the checkout kept looking at him and asked if he was alright assured him that he just looked sick instead. He had a tendency to look queasy when he was trying to look confident.

To settle his nerves he decided on a cinnamon and sugar pretzel and a lemonade. Since it was summer, the mall was pretty crowded. He managed to find one of the few empty tables left and as he sat down to eat he couldn't help but survey the crowd. His first foray into claiming had been a horrible train wreck but that didn't mean he was so defeated that he wasn't going to try again.


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[info]jejeune
2010-06-03 11:00 pm UTC (link)
"Just like the book," he admitted and believe it or not, he didn't get that as often as Cilas had thought! Gulliver was, in fact, surprised that he did know the literary reference. He had thought the American education system had written that particular store out of their curriculum a long time ago but maybe it was more timeless than he thought.

Finding that he could no longer eat his pretzel without it making him want to wash it down with a big mouthful of warm, salty blood, he pulled his lemonade closer to himself instead, bending the straw so he could take a drink. The question of what he did for a living was met with a crestfallen expression he couldn't control anymore than he knew he was actually making it. "I teach at the university." He hadn't always done that. In fact he'd only been doing that for a few weeks. "Creative writing in the summer and then...Children's literature in the fall." School. Yes, school was a good topic. It let him focus on something else other than the veins he could see through Cici's flesh.

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[info]cilas
2010-06-03 11:24 pm UTC (link)
CiCi was happy the man hadn't simply rolled his eyes at the mention of the book. He reached for his lemonade as well and nodded taking a small sip before his eyes widened at the other.

"A teacher! That's fantastic. I'm telling you some of the best people I've ever known in life were teachers. It truly is a gift... being able to shape impressionable minds and everything" His smile was bright, his teeth immaculately white against his soft pink lips as he did.

"Children's literature is a great field you can learn everything you ever need to from children's books. How to play nicely with each other, how to share, how to care...They are written with such wit and wisdom" He chuckled, "Sorry...I'm a bit chatty today I think it's to avoid going back to work really. Busy long days" Shrugging as he spun more stir fry on his fork popping it into his mouth and chewing lightly slow delicate bites so that he was getting the most out of it. The clef in his chin dancing side to side as he ate.

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[info]jejeune
2010-06-03 11:34 pm UTC (link)
The more Cici went on, and on, and on, the more Gulliver just wanted to shove his hands over his eyes or plug his nose or something! There definitely was a different quality to his blood than normal humans and he wasn't sure why he was suddenly realizing that. It wasn't something he'd been able to tell from other humans before but now, all of a sudden! He sat perfectly still though, his hands on his cup of lemonade resting on the table, concentrating on not surging over the table and sinking his fangs into the human's neck.

The human. Really? Had he just thought that? Cici, he reminded himself. This human had a name.

"I don't mind," he assured him, not entirely sure if that was the truth or not. "I didn't want to be a teacher at first. It's just the sort of thing people do when they fail at their real dreams."

Wow. That was really depressing when he said it out loud. He probably should have kept that to himself.

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[info]cilas
2010-06-03 11:45 pm UTC (link)
He smiled shaking his head back and forth the wavy brown locks swinging as he did. "I don't see it as failure at all. A lot of people rely on teachers and the knowledge they have to offer. The next generation of writers needs to know what you do, they need you to broaden their outlooks and teach them to reach outside of their comfort zones, outside of the box. Without that we'd all be reading Twilight novels... which quite frankly nobody needs that uneducated drivel"

CiCi smiled sipping his lemonade accidentally slurping on the last drop. He'd really needed that between the sugar rush it gave and the refreshing quality. Sometimes you just needed something to quench your thirst, this hit the spot directly.

Tilting his head again, "Did you publish before teaching?" wondering if that's maybe why the man felt slightly downtrodden about teaching. He shouldn't though even as a teacher you could still do that. Eating a little more from his plate and reaching up to wipe his lips with a paper napkin.

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[info]jejeune
2010-06-03 11:51 pm UTC (link)
He nodded sharply, releasing his grip on his drink that had become vice like in the last few moments and he held up his thumb and fore finger up about an inch apart to demonstrate how much. "A little bit. Some children's books. They weren't very popular." He had a small but loyal following. Apparently it was enough for him to publish under his real name and then again under his pen name. "About a girl who makes friends and has adventures with the Boogie Man."

He smiled a little bit at the memory, it was a fond one, and seemed so far in the past even though he'd only been dropped from his author a few months ago. "They're kind of macabre."

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[info]cilas
2010-06-03 11:58 pm UTC (link)
CiCi nodded. "Maybe they just needed time to grow an audience. I think that sounds awesome actually. I could totally see picking up that to read. I think today's kids like that edge though. I mean I did when I was growing up. But kids now even more so are drawn to the darker side of things and if your able to weave a story about this strange friendship again.. like I said makes people think outside the box." pointing with his fork before setting it down and wiping his lips again.

He put his arms under the table and pinched a nerve at his wrist slightly. He could usually tell by his own pulse if he was at least closer to his proper levels it wasn't as accurate as his glucose monitor but he didn't want to do that at the table anyways. He nodded letting go of the pinched skin and smiled at him. "What's the series called? I'd love to read it some time" He was kind of a big kid himself at times. He had a dinosaur fetish and collection that could rival a young boy's any day.

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[info]jejeune
2010-06-05 12:29 am UTC (link)
"They were as popular as they were ever going to be." Gulliver explained, playing with the edge of his straw, bending it one way or the other absently without even realizing what he was doing. "There are twenty of them. Billie and the Boogeyman, they're called. They're not like Harry Potter or anything, the target audience was much younger. Like six. Maybe Seven."

Realizing the action of his hands and that he was fidgeting he stopped immediately, lowering his hands into his lap and pressing his fingers between his thighs to keep from doing anything more like that. "They're in the Shadow Falls library if you really want to read them. "And he knew they were there because he'd smuggled them into the building himself.

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[info]cilas
2010-06-05 12:39 am UTC (link)
His eyes followed the straw as it bent this way, then that, then the other way, than back. He smirked a little and blushed he didn't want to stare in case it was a nervous quirk or something. But in a way it was slightly amusing in an adorable way. Blinking he lifted his eyes back to the man. "Billie and the Boogeyman... I like that. Kind reminds me of the character Boo from Monster's Inc, she was a cute kid. Oh I don't mind if they skew young, I enjoy reading things like that just as much as sitting down with a heavy classic. Twenty of them wow... How did you come up with so many different tales to tell?"

CiCi grinned, "Oh I most definitely will check them out, Might have to even see if I can find one online or something that way I can get it autographed, you never know could be worth a mint someday"

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[info]jejeune
2010-06-05 12:53 am UTC (link)
CiCi, Gulliver decided, was very nice. He wasn't sure if the human was genuinely interested in his books or what he'd done for a living or if he was just making idle conversation. He'd like to believe it was the former and he smiled again. His hands made a reappearance on the table top although the ends were white from how tightly he gripped the surface. "I don't know where all that inspiration came from. There are always important things to teach children since they don't know anything, but it's still more difficult than it looks.

At the mention of getting an autographed copy, Gulliver couldn't help but flush and couldn't help but laugh. It was flattering. Really flattering. "Well, you know, maybe you should read them first before you get all excited. You could hate them."

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[info]cilas
2010-06-05 01:03 am UTC (link)
"True I suppose even the most mundane things to adults like tying a shoe can be whipped into a fun learning experience for a child" CiCi nodded, "It's a shame we lose that part of ourselves as adults sometimes. Imagination, creativity, daydreaming. It really is such a wonderful time in your life when that is at the forefront of everyday" He pointed out as he took one last bite of Stir fry for good measure.

"Oh I don't doubt it" He said of it being more difficult than it looked. "I most definitely could never do it. But that's exactly like I said see... teaching you will be able to share that with others that gift and joy for writing. Maybe open eyes to it"

CiCi was enjoying the other man's company and the conversation so much he wasn't looking at time at all. Though he didn't want to think about going back to the overbooked blood bank at the moment anyways. He really should have thought things through before blasting out that memo like he did. CiCi smirked, "No, I think I would. I already know I'll enjoy them. Only thing that would put it over the top is if any of them involved a dinosaur too"

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[info]jejeune
2010-06-05 01:16 am UTC (link)
If CiCi was worried about being late or getting in trouble, Gulliver could always give him an excuse. In Shadow Falls "a vampire needed me" was always a good excuse for just about everything. "Sorry," Gulliver admitted, "I never wrote anything with a dinosaur in it." Not in his children's books or even his failed attempt at a novel for adults. "But they are illustrated." Everyone liked pictures, right?

"I hope you like them." He always wanted people to enjoy what he'd put so much of himself into. "Have you always wanted to be a nurse?"

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[info]cilas
2010-06-05 01:24 am UTC (link)
"Pictures are always good, pop ups are great too" the young man noted. He really would track down these Billie and the Boogeyman series to check out he hadn't been lying about that.

CiCi began to laugh, "No, I didn't always want to be a Murse" and oh how he got ridiculed when he did finally choose that route. Male nurses were more popular now but they still had the same stigma that women taking on a traditional male role would.

"Mean as a kid don't you always want to be a million different things? I wanted to be an astronaut, a moviestar, an athlete, a giraffe not someone who worked with them but an actual one" Smiling and shaking his head, "But nursing seemed to find me in my mid teens, I just sort of fell into it and didn't really look back. It's been rewarding" He truly did take great care in what he did.

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[info]jejeune
2010-06-05 01:31 am UTC (link)
Gulliver just smiled again at the long list of things that CiCi had wanted to be when he grew up. "I wanted to be a fireman and a sumo wrestler and a rock star." All of which were funny since Gulliver was tall and very lanky and even if he wasn't the bumbling shy man he was when he'd first come to Shadow Falls, it was still doubtful he could do anything other than blush and stutter in front of a crowd.

"Would you ever want to change your profession?" He was getting used to it, slowly, the smell of blood. It was getting easier to put it out of his head and focus on other things.

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[info]cilas
2010-06-05 01:48 am UTC (link)
"Still could be, they make those Sumo suits now, pop on a firehat and slap a guitar in your hands you could be all three at once" CiCi winked and chuckled. The image was beyond funny.

He shrugged, "I suppose if I was forced to but not really. I've been comfortable around needles my entire life used to administering and whatnot it seems like a waste of a talent if I did something else. I almost went through for vet training but the thought of poking some poor little pet with a needle made me squeamish. Funny I can stick it in humans but little furry animals no way... though I do think I need to at least get a pet now that I'm settled. Just can't decide what"

CiCi was unaware of the blood making the man uncomfortable at all, actually he was slightly unaware that he was a vampire even. Not that it would have mattered much, CiCi was scared of them slightly but more so the nightly deliveries than every day run ins with them.

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[info]jejeune
2010-06-06 12:35 am UTC (link)
"Really?" Gulliver sat up a little straighter in his seat, his previous meek smile growing considerably at the knowledge that CiCi was looking for a pet. "It's funny you'd say that because that's exactly what I'm doing here. I'm researching companion animals." He was half tempted to drag his bag over onto the table and take out the books to show him in case CiCi needed proof.

"I mean, I can't decide. Do I want a dog or a bird or fish. I like dogs, taking them on walks and playing games and teaching tricks but a bird would be cool too, like a parrot, because I'd have someone to talk to that could talk back and they're so pretty. But fish, fish require the least amount of upkeep and they're really pretty too. Anyway, I'm sort of stuck." He'd prefer a human pet but he wasn't sure if that was a good idea after the last debacle.

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[info]cilas
2010-06-06 12:42 am UTC (link)
CiCi nodded and chuckled, "I know it's like how do you decide right? For me since I work long hours I'm not sure a dog would be good because it would constantly be lonely but I was thinking a cat or something like a sugar glider or chinchilla even. I'm afraid I'd teach a bird a bad word that it wouldn't ever stop repeating" Grinning as he shook his head.

"You could always get one of each if you have room for them. Then you wouldn't have to decide at all. My apartment is a little cramped to do that, plus I think my neighbors would have a fit" Smiling at the other man tucking a strand of his floppy brown hair to his ear. "But I understand completely. It's a little like choosing a companion isn't it? It's someone who's going to see you daily for the good or bad"

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[info]jejeune
2010-06-06 10:19 pm UTC (link)
"I live in an apartment too." Well, it was a condo but pretty much apartment size and he had neighbors. "I'll probably read all the books and then just end up going to the shelter and picking out someone who looks sad." He was the type of person that couldn't ignore a whimpering animal, vampire or no.

"I didn't think about rodents, a hamster actually sounds like a good idea. They're cute and they run around in those balls." The corners of his mouth twitched up with a smile. He was actually liking this idea the more he thought about it. A hamster.

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[info]cilas
2010-06-06 10:24 pm UTC (link)
Smiling at that, "Those little balls are amazing. Also the little houses you can get with the extending tubes. I could totally watch the them scurry around in it all day long" actually now that they were discussing it CiCi was also leaning toward a smaller creature as well.

"My heart breaks anytime I go near somewhere with the little animal faces all sad like... don't even get me started about how I can't watch those commercials" He chuckled. Especially the ones with the Sarah McLachlin music playing over them with wounded puppies and such.

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[info]jejeune
2010-06-06 10:53 pm UTC (link)
Gulliver's eyes widened a little bit and he grinned down at his pretzel, pushing it around wot his fingers before lifting blue eyes towards him again. "I was just talking about this with Misha and he said the exact same thing. Well, I said the exact same thing. He said it made him glad he was blind."

The blond watched him, a small smile curling up the corners of his mouth. CiCi was nice, attractive, and young. All qualities that made if flattering that he'd sat this long to talk to him. He was probably one of those overly friendly types but it was nice for him to think that it was something different. It was one heck of a coincidence that CiCi had shown up at the same time he'd been window shopping for claimless humans.

"I'm a vampire." He announced suddenly and awkwardly as if it were a secret he'd been concealing from the human for longer than the half hour or so that they'd been talking.

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[info]cilas
2010-06-06 11:08 pm UTC (link)
"Times like that with those videos I'd say he's lucky, though even the narrative is sad enough" CiCi blushed a little with the way the other man was looking at him just now. Batting his hair from his cheek again and re-tucking it to his ear looking down at the table. When he said those words he blinked looking up at him a little surprised.

"Oh..." it actually had never occurred to him that he might be, not that it wasn't common especially in shadow falls, just the way he carried himself seemed very human. Though CiCi normally was a little fearful of them in general Gulliver seemed sweet and not at all like he was going to harm him so he didn't feel that normal tug that told him to be wary.

Smiling he simply said just as awkwardly, "I'm a human" not sure if it was to put the other at ease or simply because it seemed like it made sense to answer back with it.

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[info]jejeune
2010-06-06 11:35 pm UTC (link)
Gulliver was already nodding in agreement to what CiCi was already saying. "I know. You're a human." All sorts of things were suddenly zipping through his head. Over all, he was awkward, extremely awkward, when it came to being a vampire and saying and doing the things a vampire ought to. He was trying to get better at that, he was watching others, the way they handled themselves and their humans, and now worked hard to piece together bits of what he'd learned to come up with something to say now. Something that would inspire awe and maybe even a little fear. Respect and maybe even desire.

"I can smell the blood in your veins from here. You smell like you taste really good." The line he'd come up with felt wooden on his tongue and instantly after he'd said it, Gulliver wished that he hadn't. Seriously? Had he just said that CiCi smelled like he tasted good? There wasn't a hole deep enough that he could crawl in to make up for that.

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[info]cilas
2010-06-06 11:43 pm UTC (link)
Quirking a brow a little, though vampire's did have extraordinary senses the statement still took CiCi back a moment. "Umm.. are you sure you're not smelling the lab on me?" slightly more nervous now after he stated that.

CiCi looked around them there were humans everywhere as well as vampires was he sure he was smelling his. Chewing his lip slightly as he leaned back in his chair, maybe to create a gap but also to check his scrubs for any signs of blood or something.

He shook his head a little and decided to make a joke to cut the tension, "4 out of five vampire's would disagree" Possibly more actually. CiCi's blood didn't taste like others exactly, what not with the insulin he needed to inject daily though the doses varied depending on his levels. The lovely perk of being a type one diabetic all his life.

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[info]jejeune
2010-06-07 12:27 am UTC (link)
"I can smell the clinic too. At first that was all I could smell but now, you know, I can pick it apart." And he could tell what was CiCi and what belonged to the people he'd been sticking and collecting from all day.

It was tempting to ask why four out of five vampires would have a problem with his blood but in the end Gulliver didn't. It seemed more like a subtle way of saying he didn't taste good, like those brightly colored frogs in the Amazon. He knew he definitely didn't agree. He thought CiCi's blood smelled great. Of course, Gulliver also thought everyone's blood smelled good.

He glanced up at him for the first time since they started talking about blood and not wanting to risk saying anything else stupid, he stood up suddenly. "I hope you give an animal a good home soon."

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[info]cilas
2010-06-07 12:38 am UTC (link)
CiCi nodded. Of course he could, he could probably tell the humans shampoo had aloe in it or that he wore unisex Bvlgari black cologne that smelt of black tea, mossy and woody scents. Still he was tempted to ask how he even knew what his blood smelt like, it seemed still strange to CiCi. He'd only been there nine months so though he had gotten used to the fact they existed and even that he'd been bit it still had that surreal feel to it all.

Shifting in his seat uncomfortably when the silence fell upon them. Looking over when he spoke of pets again he smiled, "I hope to. I think our conversation has me set on a sugar glider but I fear getting one is the problem. Would have to send for it in the next town over and I wouldn't want to cause someone to get stuck here or something so I might have to change my mind"

He shrugged and smiled more, "I hope you finally find what you want as well Gulliver" his voice was sincere and sweet. "What better home for a pet right? You could even read them your stories"

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[info]jejeune
2010-06-07 01:02 am UTC (link)
As Gulliver gathered up his garbage and his books he kept glancing back up at CiCi over and over, his smile much more subdued. You smell like you taste really good, he was telling himself in his mind. He was going to go home and stay away from decent, civilized people. "Don't worry about ordering things," he assured him. "Shadow Falls has been here for a long time. They have worked it out so things can be brought in without trapping humans here." Honestly, Gulliver didn't even know what a sugar glider was. He was picturing a squirrel.

"I'll try that. Reading to them. It was nice to meet you, CiCi." He didn't want to say he'd see him later, there was no need to frighten the kid.

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[info]cilas
2010-06-07 01:07 am UTC (link)
Watching the vampire get up to clear his things CiCi almost felt sad that their conversation was coming to an end. He was already late for getting back to work but that didn't bother him anymore. "I suppose that's true I just don't like being a bother" He smiled slightly.

"You should come by the bank if you need anything. Or if it's after hours I'm usually the one that delivers anyways..." not sure why he was randomly throwing that out there but he had. CiCi smiled "It was very nice to meet you too Gulliver. I'll be sure to head to the library and check out those books as well" looking down at the rest of the stir fry he wasn't going to eat and beginning to clear his things as well.

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[info]jejeune
2010-06-07 11:58 pm UTC (link)
It was definitely interesting to be propositioned like that, an offer to see him again, after hours even. He wasn't sure going to the Bank was a good idea, though. He may have been eighty years old but control was something he lacked. He'd lacked it in life and now, as a vampire, it was even worse. Smelling all of that blood was likely to send him into a panic.

"Maybe." He didn't want to commit to anything in case CiCi was being polite. He'd talk to him through the notebooks the next time he could and take things from there. "Have fun at work."

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