InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Yes, Master!"

Der Tod (touto_kaka) wrote in labyrinth_rpg,
@ 2009-05-10 19:37:00

Entry tags:

armand, arrival, complete, day nine, der tod

Day 9 Arrival
WHO: Der Tod & Armand
WHEN: Day 9 Predawn
WHAT: Der Tod does not approve of this strange place
WHERE: On the empty streets of the City
RATING: PG-13 to be safe
STATUS: Complete

It made no sense. Finally, finally she wanted to die. Asked him to take her even. And he'd refused. Why, how could she keep resisting him? Everything he'd done had been to show her how much better off she'd be with him, and it still hadn't worked! Foolish, blind, stubborn, infuriating woman.

He loved her all the more for it.

So he couldn't take her, not until she returned his love. Instead he pushed her away, and stalked off, leaving the Empress to sob on the floor of her son's tomb. He couldn't help smirking a bit at the irony of that. Rudolf had been such a useful tool, so earnest and trusting.

Der Tod closed his eyes briefly to make the mental twist that would transfer him back to the lands of the dead. When he opened them again, instead of his mist and shadow cloaked realm, he was in a strange alleyway that looked out on a strange fair-type place. He held perfectly still for a long moment, taking the measure of his surroundings. This was not the lands of the dead, and more worrisome, he couldn't sense his realm. He made the mental twist again, but found himself still standing in the same place. A low hiss of annoyance escaped unbidden from his lips. Something was very, very wrong here.

Four long strides took him out of the alley and onto a wider street. It was still dark wherever he was, but predawn dark, not night dark. Not exactly a time when many humans were out, but he could sense them nearby, mostly sleeping. There were several odd presences that piqued his interest, however there were significantly fewer people than he would have expected from the apparent size of this place. His lip curled back in a snarl as he looked around. This place was almost sickeningly alive.

He could feel someone approaching, so he schooled his expression into one of more innocent confusion, and started heading towards the person. 'Accidentally' running into someone would be the easiest way to figure out what was going on after all.

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vagabond_child
2009-05-10 11:54 pm UTC (link)

The vampire hunted.

Oh, he knew he probably shouldn't be. He didn't need to, not yet. His skin had healed, after all. He was as pale and beautiful as a statue of an angel, just as he had always been. And he was old, relatively speaking. He didn't need to feed so much anymore. But his mind was unsettled. Speaking with Pandora, Claudia, and Juniper had put him off his stride.

Not to mention, of course, his lover. That was the most complicated situation of all, in its very simplicity.

So he sought to loose himself in the blood once more. He would abide by his promise, and not go after Juniper, though he was slightly miffed at her. But he'd promised her, and more importantly, he'd promised Schuldig. So he looked for someone new, someone exciting, and intended to feed. But all night, after leaving Schuldig, he'd wandered aimlessly, not finding anyone. It seemed everyone slept, denying him his victim.

But then, suddenly, out of nowhere, there was a mental presence. He smiled briefly, his fangs showing wickedly in the moonlight off the snow, but it quickly faded. This being wasn't human. Nor was it vampire, elf, nor any of the species of aliens that he'd felt. This, well, this felt like something entirely different. The thoughts were so strange, he couldn't quite get a grasp on it.

He was only sort of prepared for this being to turn and look toward him, start walking. Armand stood completely still, eyes wide, wondering, and locked on the unlikely figure. Such grace was rare. Thoughts of blood slipped briefly into his thoughts, but just as quickly were banished. Instead, he just looked. Tentatively, he reached out a tendril of thought, sending it toward the newcomer.

What are you? His words would echo in the heads of most beings, but he found himself in the odd position of having no idea how this one would respond, or if they would hear him at all.

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touto_kaka
2009-05-11 06:06 am UTC (link)

Still feigning unawareness, Der Tod took two more steps towards the person and then stopped. This was one of the strange presences, and one that disturbed him more than anything else he'd encountered so far. The man (that Der Tod was sure of), was not dead and yet... not alive either. He started to snarl, but stopped himself and schooled his face into a more neutral expression of polite interest.

He did not hear the mental question. Or, perhaps he heard it and dismissed it, even he wouldn't know. For all that this... man was strange, he was still mostly human, and that put him below Der Tod's level of true concern. Instead, he took an (unnecessary) breath and closed the distance between himself and the other man.

"Good morning sir" he said, with a slight bow. His voice was purposefully deep and smooth, a practiced tone to sound unconsciously seductive. "Might I trouble you for some direction?" It grated on his sensibilities to even pretend to ask for help, but it gave him an excuse to observe this strange man. Not alive, most certainly not. And yet, not one of his either. Was he caught somehow? Had he died and not been welcomed into the lands of the dead? Der Tod quickly dismissed that notion. It had happened, sure, but rarely, and never accidentally. He was a responsible, thorough ruler, and he'd never forget someone.

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vagabond_child
2009-05-11 01:12 pm UTC (link)

Armand normally would have been a little surprised at the reaction he could feel, though he felt it only for a second. After all, he looked simply like an impossibly beautiful teenager, and most people were affected by that. For his seeming youth, he got underestimated, and for his beauty, adored. But he would swear for a second that this being, whatever he was, was surprised by him.

There was no response to his mental query, which frustrated him. In fact, his face was drawn into a pout as the being approached, and his arms raised to cross over his chest petulantly. He stood still, though, and waited for his approach.

"I'm not a sir, you know." He smiled slightly. "I never have been a noble, even while I was mortal." He pretty much hadn't hidden what he was, even in the beginning. Of course, since he'd arrived so burned that he shouldn't have survived, wouldn't have if he had been mortal in the first place. "And you don't have to pretend that you aren't special. I know you are, I can tell, and yet, you're not as I am. What are you?"

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touto_kaka
2009-05-11 01:31 pm UTC (link)

The corner of Der Tod's mouth quirked up into a slight smirk. This man was observant at least, however strange he might be. "A term of respect" he said smoothly, though there was a very slight hint of sarcasm on the word 'respect'. Especially since the man was behaving quite like a spoiled child. Childish or no, the man was interesting to say the least, and Der Tod took a step closing the last bit of distance between them, staring intently at the other man's face.

"You were mortal, and now are not?" he asked, the words barely more than a breath as he lifted a hand to brush the other man's cheek. "And yet you are not mine. Fascinating" And disturbing, though he was loath to admit that.

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vagabond_child
2009-05-11 01:48 pm UTC (link)

Armand, being nothing if not changeable, suddenly dropped his arms to his side, smiled brightly, and basically seemed to warm up to this strange being. Anyone who claimed to have respect for him, even with a slight hint of sarcasm, was someone he liked. All hints of the petulant child fell away, and he took the chance to really, actually, look him over.

To say this being was interesting was a definite understatement. Armand had seen many interesting things while here, but nothing quite like this new arrival. He tilted his head to the side, and the look in his eyes was closer to awe now than petulance.

"Not yours? No, of course not." He shook his head slightly, but continued to gaze raptly. "I am Armand, and you, well, I can't quite seem to read your mind. It bothers me. Who are you?"

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touto_kaka
2009-05-11 02:06 pm UTC (link)

Der Tod's hand stayed a precise millimeter away from the other man's skin as he slowly traced the man's jawline. His eyes took on a far more speculative as Armand introduced himself and dropped the child act. He was used to rapt attention, and even awe. In a way it was comforting to get such reactions from this man - it served to push Elisabeth's continued refusal into something closer to proper perspective.

There seemed to be little need to conceal who he was, and it would at least be amusing to see the reaction. "I am Der Tod" he said with a smile and half a step backwards so he could offer a very slight yet proper bow. "All belong to me eventually"

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vagabond_child
2009-05-11 02:34 pm UTC (link)

Armand didn't know Der Tod's thoughts, he couldn't read them, but he did catch just the slightest hint of satisfaction. Narrowing his eyes, he concentrated, tried to break into his mind, compel him. But it seemed to be all for nothing. A hint of a frown touched his full lips, but then he shook it off.

"Belong to you? No, I belong to one person, one being in this world or any other, and it is not you." He smiled slightly, and when Der Tod stepped back, he followed. Greatly daring, he raised his hand and softly, very, very softly, let his fingers brush over pale skin.

Something was nagging at him, but the name Der Tod meant nothing to him. Still, he felt like he should know this one, like he had met him before... twice, actually. Lost in thought, he just stood there for awhile, hand on Der Tod's face, trying to figure this out. "Why do I know you?" It was said softly, almost too softly for a mortal to hear.

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touto_kaka
2009-05-11 04:24 pm UTC (link)

Oh now Der Tod was very amused. He allowed the touch, just to see what Armand would do. The confusion on the other man's face was a familiar expression. In fact, almost everything about this exchange was becoming exceedingly familiar, except for one very important fact. They weren't in the lands of the dead.

He heard the whisper of course, and caught the other man's hand with his own. "All belong to me eventually" he said with equal softness. "For I am Death"

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vagabond_child
2009-05-11 05:04 pm UTC (link)

The touch was gentle, really, exploring, testing. Greatly wondering at the fear he felt, since he was really scared of remarkably little, his fingers traced the pale, smooth skin, nose, cheekbones, even ghosting lightly over his lips. Like a blind person, somehow able to see through touch, he brushed his fingertips over all the skin of Der Tod's face.

He felt the emotions of this being, but not clearly, and this alternately infuriated him and intruiged him. But that was nothing to the shot of pure emotion that went through him as he identified himself.

Lestat wouldn't have believed him, but Armand was slightly more trusting... one might almost say gullible. It didn't occur to him for even a second not to believe he was just what he said. He felt a moment of pure terror, followed my exaltation. "Oh, Death! But you have no power over me, my beautiful God!"

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touto_kaka
2009-05-11 08:22 pm UTC (link)

Der Tod held perfectly still - unnaturally so - as Armand's fingers traced gently over his face. His eyes danced with amusement and he gently brushed back a lock of Armand's hair as he watched the emotions play over the other man's face.

He raised a single arched eyebrow at being called a god and shook his head slightly. "I am no god." he said, though it was obvious he enjoyed the comparison. He ran the back of his fingers down Armand's face and neck very lightly, almost teasingly. "I never claimed I had power over you. But what is it that makes you so sure?"

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vagabond_child
2009-05-11 08:34 pm UTC (link)

Armand's fingers had stopped moving, but they didn't drop away. As he slowly came back to himself, he shook his head a little, allowed the man to brush his hair back, and decided that he was glad he hadn't tried to drink from him. But as a vampire, he'd had an inherent lack of desire to do that, like something inside him had realized that it would be a bad idea.

"What else is Death, my darling, if not a Dark God?" He looked thoughtful for a moment, and shifted his fingers from Der Tod's face to his hair, delighting in the sensual pleasure of feeling the strands slip through his fingers. "A Dark God to those who meet you, to those whom you greet. Death is no friend of mine."

And yet, he didn't move away. He stayed right where he was, his eyes large and thoughtful, wary, but no longer scared. "But I need never die, you know. That's why you have no power over me. Five centuries ago, I almost came into your embrace because of the handsome English lord. But Marius saved me, and unless I am very stupid, I can live forever. Even the sun couldn't kill me."

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touto_kaka
2009-05-12 06:04 am UTC (link)

Der Tod laughed at Armand's confidence. "I am rarely anyone's friend" he said, still stroking the other man's hair. This man was so sure he'd never die, so assured in his own fragile mortality it was amusing.

"I am a patient lord" he said, sliding his hand around and down to the base of Armand's neck. "And death can be very... appealing" He closed the last breath of distance between them and oh-so-gently pressed his lips to Armand's, again attempting to make the mental twist to pull them both into the lands of the dead.

Nothing happened.

Der Tod noticed immediately of course, and jerked backwards, shoving Armand away. His lip curled off his teeth as his eyes shone with bright, overwhelming anger. "What are you?" he hissed. "What is this place?"

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vagabond_child
2009-05-12 01:14 pm UTC (link)

The vampire shook his head. He knew deep down that he was right on this, that since he'd made it past his first 500 years, chances were very, very good that he would be one of the ancients, like Marius, Pandora, Mael, and the rest of them. There was no reason for him to die, and as time went on, it would become more and more nearly impossible to kill him.

He pulled back suddenly once he realized that Der Tod intended to kiss him, but it was too late. Their lips met, and Armand felt a wrench deep inside him. Painful, yet somehow bittersweet, he gasped, pulled away strongly enough that it very easily could have broken the hand that held him, were he a mortal, and then he glared at him.

"How dare you! To think, you just tried to... kill me, didn't you? I told you, I need not ever die! What nerve!" He stepped closer, his hands clenching with his anger. "Was that what you tried to do, kill me with a kiss? I am immortal! If the fiery sun couldn't kill me, what makes you think you can? You have no dominion over me, Death!"