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Der Tod ([info]touto_kaka) wrote in [info]labyrinth_rpg,
@ 2009-05-15 15:53:00

Previous Entry  Add to memories!  Tell a Friend!  Next Entry
Entry tags:complete, day nine, der tod, rudolf habsburg

Who: Der Tod & Rudolf
What: Reuniting
Where: F dorm second floor hallway
When: Day nine, evening
Rating: PG-13 for suggestivness
Status: Complete


He had felt it this morning, while he'd been settling into his (far too sparse) room. At first, he'd figured he was mistaken. After all, he'd been there when that particular life had ended, had given the boy the gun, had caught him as he fell. Had welcomed him into the lands of the dead. And yet... No, he must be mistaken. It was probably someone who was similar to the late Crown Prince. Such things had happened before, so Der Tod put it out of his mind as he went out to explore the limits of this cage.

The presence was a constant irritant throughout the day however and kept him from focusing as much attention as he'd wanted to on testing the boundaries of this place. Finally, he'd given up and returned to his room, only to realize not only was said presence in the same building, it was apparently in the very next room.

And at that close a distance there was no mistaking it. The presence in the next room was none other than the Crown Prince Rudolf, somehow alive. This was an outrage, a complete violation of the natural order. Der Tod snarled and raged a bit before forcibly bringing himself back under control. There was quite literally nothing he could do about it right now. He might as well see the boy, confirm it was indeed him.

He knocked twice on the door, mentally seething that he couldn't just walk right in.


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[info]rudorufu
2009-05-15 08:36 pm UTC (link)
Rudolf had spent most of his first day sitting on the bed in his new room. He hadn't yet slipped out for a meal. After the shock of finding himself in these strange surroundings, he'd decided the best thing to do was to try and make sense of it all before taking in the rest of the "underground", as Gabrielle had called it.

Of course, thinking about his new quarters led him to think of the people he'd left behind, and the circumstances at home. Which led him to worry again. Here, there really was no way to help his friends, or even discover if they were well or not. No way to see his mother or father. Would they notice his absence? What would his guard tell them? Perhaps this was his punishment. It was an exile, of sorts, and not one from which he could easily return.

The knock at his door startled Rudolf from his thoughts. He blinked and glanced at the odd electric clock on the dresser. When had it grown so late? The second knock had him on his feet. "One moment!" he called. He smoothed down his jacket as he crossed the few steps to his door. Who on earth would be calling on him here? The only soul he'd met was Gabrielle. The thought of seeing the kind lady cheered him as he turned the handle, and a smile was already forming on his face.

Then, he pulled the door open and froze. It couldn't be. He blinked. "You," he breathed. The half smile broke into a relieved grin as he determined that yes, the man standing outside his door was whom he thought it was. "It really is you!" he exclaimed, reaching forward to grab his old friend's hands. He didn't think on how or why the other man was here, but just reveled in the fact that someone familiar, someone he trusted, was standing before him. The person he wanted to see most, aside from his mother, was here.

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[info]touto_kaka
2009-05-15 09:02 pm UTC (link)
Der Tod spread his arms in a welcoming gesture as he watched the grin break over Rudolf's face. So painfully easy to please the boy was. Had been. He was supposed to be dead. And yet he was rather painfully alive, and standing in the doorway. It made him want to grind his teeth in frustration, but he let nothing other than a kind smile show on his face as he let Rudolf take his hands.

"Yes it is. I always promised to be there if you wanted me" he said, reclaiming his hands after a brief moment.

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[info]rudorufu
2009-05-15 09:09 pm UTC (link)
Just as warm and welcoming as always. Rudolf's grin widened as his dear, dear friend greeted him. "I'm so glad to see you," he said, letting the other man pull away from him. "This place is very odd, isn't it? I'm not quite sure what to make of it."

Then, his expression darkened. "But, that means you're trapped here too. Forgive me." His selfish longing had done his friend a great disservice. Truly, Rudolf wouldn't knowingly wish forced exile on anyone. But this king had somehow learned of his desire to see his friend, and conjured the man up. Could this king see thoughts? He'd have to school his mind not to think about his mother, or else he'd trap her here as well.

Shaking his head, Rudolf looked back to his friend. "Have you been here long?" he asked. "I arrived this morning."

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[info]touto_kaka
2009-05-15 09:22 pm UTC (link)
The familiarity of the response was a comfort in this strange place. Here at least was a known quantity, even if the boy was alive. For that, he was grateful in a way. He'd never admit it, but his encounter with Armand this morning had disconcerted him greatly. Beyond discovering that he could not take life here, the very idea that Armand had come from a world where there were those who could cheat death? It was something he would have to look into.

"It is a coincidence" he said, noting Rudlof's darkening expression. "A fortunate one though don't you think?" He ignored the question of his arrival. Best to appear more experienced and at home in this strange place.

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[info]rudorufu
2009-05-15 09:27 pm UTC (link)
Rudolf nodded, taking the other man's remarks at face value, as he always did. If he said it was a coincidence, then it must be so. Rudolf's imagination was just running away with him again. "At least neither of us has to face such a place alone," he agreed.

Rudolf stepped out and to the side of his door, gesturing to the other man. "Please, come in," he said. "There's no reason we should stand in the middle of the hallway, is there?" There were things he wanted to speak of that he'd rather keep private, even in a place like this.

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[info]touto_kaka
2009-05-15 09:34 pm UTC (link)
Der Tod took the invitation, slipping around Rudolf with a very conscious grace. He knew Rudolf had more than a friends interest in him, even if the boy didn't realize it himself. It was always amusing to play with, knowing the draw was there. He shrugged out of his over jacket as he entered, laying the garment on a convenient chair, and leaned on the dresser.
"Indeed. While I wish this place on no one, at least we are here... together." A deliberate and slightly suggestive pause.

"Still, how did you come to be here?" Though he feigned only polite interest, this was the important question.

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[info]rudorufu
2009-05-15 09:45 pm UTC (link)
Rudolf stepped in behind the other man and pulled the door tightly shut behind him. He glanced around, feeling slightly out of place in his own room suddenly. It was nothing like his rooms in Vienna, or even at his hunting lodge, and there was precious little space to sit and entertain a guest. He didn't even have drinks to offer, and had no servant to fetch them if he could. However, the reassuring words from his friend's lips bolstered his spirits, and he nodded.

His friend seemed in no rush to sit, even though there was space. Rudolf grabbed the simple chair and dragged it a little ways away from the dresser, taking a seat on it himself, unconsciously leaving the softer seat of the mattress open. "It was very strange," he said, resting his arms on his thighs and leaning forward slightly. "One moment I was in my carriage, and as I stepped outside, I found myself in the streets of this odd town." His brow furrowed as he remembered the morning. "Things at home have not been going well, as I'm sure you can imagine." His friend had been at the cafe the night his father's men had stormed the little shop, and Rudolf didn't see him among those captured that evening, so he assumed the man had managed to escape at the time. "My father won't speak with me, won't allow anyone to tell me what's being done, and I'm so worried it's making me ill." He looked up at the other man with wide eyes. "Do you know if any of the others are safe?" he asked.

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[info]touto_kaka
2009-05-15 09:56 pm UTC (link)
A carriage. Things not going well with the Emperor. Worry. Asking if the others were safe. Der Tod nodded slightly to himself as he filed the information away. He was quickly getting an idea what was going on here. Time was often a fluid thing in the lands of the dead, and it seemed the same was true here. The difference of course being that he was being affected. Yet another indignity this so-called 'King' had to answer for.

"I believe Elmer was shot" he said carefully. It was something that could easily be explained away if he was wrong about Rudolf's present. He doubted it though. He was seldom wrong.

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[info]rudorufu
2009-05-15 10:03 pm UTC (link)
Rudolf's eyes widened and his mouth fell open in shock. "Shot," he repeated, his voice flat. He clenched his hands into fists as he tried to keep hold on his emotions. He felt a pain in his chest and shut his eyes, shaking his head as he felt his throat constrict as well. "My father's doing?" he managed to ask. He couldn't look up, not just yet. His friend had seen him at his best and at his absolute worst, but Rudolf still felt a need to try to appear strong in front of the man.

He took several deep breaths, then looked up at the other man again, concern still showing on his face. "Zeps? Stefan? Jura?" he asked, not sure he wanted to know, but compelled to ask anyway.

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[info]touto_kaka
2009-05-15 10:12 pm UTC (link)
Der Tod nodded with all apparent sympathy. "His soldiers yes." He moved over to put a comforting hand on Rudolf's shoulder. "It was only a leg wound though. I believe I saw Zeps helping him but beyond that..." He knew what had happened of course. All had been hunted down and executed, the better to cover up the Crown Prince's involvement. Not that he was going to tell Rudolf any of that of course.

"Don't worry about that right now" he said soothingly, gently stroking the back of Rudolf's hair. And then, casually, as if it made little difference he asked, "Where were you heading?"

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[info]rudorufu
2009-05-15 10:21 pm UTC (link)
Zeps helping Elmer.... Rudolf remembered seeing that himself, at the cafe. He'd told them to run, and held off the soldiers as best he could before he was dragged back to the palace. So his friend knew little more than he did about what had happened to the rest of their group.

"They must have gone a different way than you when you all ran," Rudolf said. He took another deep breath as he felt a comforting hand on his shoulder, and unconsciously leaned into the touch. It was a familiar enough gesture. "I hope they're all safe," he said, letting his eyes fall shut as he felt his friend's fingers against his neck and scalp. "If you were able to escape, I'm sure they were too."

When asked where he was heading, Rudolf sighed. "My hunting lodge, Mayerling. You remember it, don't you? You helped convince me to buy it." A slight smile played at his lips. "I needed to get out of Vienna and clear my head. Father seemed happy to let me go, under guard, of course." He tilted his head back, again leaning into the touch. "He wouldn't let me see anyone before I left, or I would have asked one of my servants to try and take you a message."

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[info]touto_kaka
2009-05-15 10:28 pm UTC (link)
Der Tod continued stroking Rudolf's hair and neck, smiling to himself both at the boy's reaction and his innocent assumption that the others were safe. He had to choke back a laugh at Rudolf's wording regarding his reasons for going to Mayerling. Clear his head indeed. Rather permanently in fact.

"Don't worry about it," he repeated. "I doubt your servants would have found me anyway"

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[info]rudorufu
2009-05-15 10:36 pm UTC (link)
"I would have at least asked them to try," Rudolf insisted. "But Father was adamant about keeping me hidden away. He said something about 'keeping things quiet'." He scowled. His father never understood, never tried to understand his reasons for wanting a change. Nothing as drastic as what Zeps had implied, of course, but change had to happen, or they'd suffocate on the resentment of the citizens and be overtaken by the new Germany and its more severe worldview.

"What about you?" he asked, tilting his head back farther to look up at his friend. "You escaped, clearly. How did you come to be here?"

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[info]touto_kaka
2009-05-16 07:54 am UTC (link)
Der Tod shook his head slightly, an amused smile playing on his face. Poor little too-focused Rudolf. He gave the boy's shoulder a reassuring squeeze and walked over to lounge on the bed. He arranged himself carefully on the rather uncomfortable mattress, slightly alluring, but not lewd. The boy wasn't that blind.

He debated redirecting the question, reluctant to give away any information, but he decided a tiny bit of truth couldn't hurt. "I am not exactly sure." he said, "I had been... talking with... an old friend, left to go outside and found myself here." True, as far as it went. He gave a slight shrug. "The question of course becomes what are you going to do now?"

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[info]rudorufu
2009-05-16 08:55 am UTC (link)
Rudolf turned in his chair, following his friend's movement when he felt the man's hand leave his shoulder, and watched him settle down on the bed. He listened carefully to what had happened and nodded. "Walked through a door into a strange new world," he said.

When asked what he was going to do now, Rudolf sighed. "I'm not sure. This place still doesn't make much sense to me. The woman who helped me this morning, Gabrielle, she said if you went through a type of maze, you could speak with the king of this place." He tried to remember her exact words, but found for some reason he could not, and he frowned. "I suppose I'll try to gain an audience, and ask that he send me home. I'm useless to anyone here." He looked up at his friend and smiled. "At least you're here with me. Together, I'm sure we can come up with something."

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[info]touto_kaka
2009-05-16 05:05 pm UTC (link)
"You're not useless" Der Tod said with an indulgent smile. No use letting the boy get into one of his cycles of self-pity. "But I agree. I wish an audience with this... King." He wasn't quite sure he wanted Rudolf tagging along to take on the Labyrinth though. He could move fast and deal with whatever the king threw easier if he wasn't playing the devoted friend. And yet, it could be interesting...

"Perhaps tomorrow I can show you around?" He'd already explored most of the area, but he highly doubted Rudolf had.

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[info]rudorufu
2009-05-16 05:20 pm UTC (link)
"Then perhaps after we've taken a few days to acclimate to this strange place, we can make our way through this maze and speak with the king," Rudolf said, his spirits lifting. His friend always made him feel better, always knew just the right thing to say. He smiled at the other man, reveling in the fact that he wasn't alone in this odd place.

Rudolf perked even more at the offer of a tour. "Would you? I haven't looked around much at all. I've just seen the large building where I got my key, and a few streets. Gabrielle told me a little about this place, but not much." A thought struck him, widening his smile and making his eyes light up. "I should introduce you to her. She was so helpful this morning. She's very kind."

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[info]touto_kaka
2009-05-16 07:49 pm UTC (link)
The last thing Der Tod really wanted to do was have to interact with more people than strictly necessary. So he just shrugged and nodded slightly. He'd meet this woman eventually of course, and it couldn't hurt to do so here.

"It is a very interesting place" he said, sitting up a bit and leaning forward to rest one elbow on a propped knee. "There are many booths with some of the most interesting foods..." Somehow he doubted Rudolf had eaten since arriving.

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[info]rudorufu
2009-05-16 08:25 pm UTC (link)
Rudolf leaned forward when his friend did, unconsciously mirroring the other man's actions as best he could. At the mention of food, his stomach growled audibly. He glanced down at the floor for a moment in mild embarrassment. "I haven't thought much about food today," he said, glancing back up at his friend. He tilted his head to one side very slightly. "Perhaps you could show me tonight? Just a quick walk, if you don't think it's too late." Would vendors have food this late at night? At home, there were taverns and cafes open until the wee hours of the morning, but Rudolf had no idea how things worked in this place.

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[info]touto_kaka
2009-05-16 10:11 pm UTC (link)
Der Tod smiled as Rudolf's stomach growled, and he stood in a single fluid motion. "Come then" he said, offering his hand. "I'm sure we can find you something"

They walked, mostly in silence out of the building and onto one of the snow lined streets. Many of the booths were dark, but there were still some lit up, and a variety of food smells wafted up from several of them. "I doubt any of it is quite what you're used to" he said, gesturing for Rudolf to find something that appealed. "But feel free to enjoy"

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[info]rudorufu
2009-05-16 10:26 pm UTC (link)
Rudolf rose as his friend did, and took his hand without hesitation. A slight chill passed through him as he did so, which was not unusual. His friend's hands were often slightly chilled. He smiled in thanks and allowed himself to be led out of the building and down into the little town.

The smells coming from the booths that were still lit only served to make Rudolf realize exactly how hungry he was. He hadn't eaten since...breakfast? Yes, breakfast, before departing for Mayerling. And it had been just beyond his normal luncheon hour when he'd stopped for his breath of fresh air, except he'd found himself on these same streets during the morning. He let go of his friend's hand and wandered toward the booth nearest to him that was illuminated.

"Erm, good evening," he said to the person behind the little wall of the booth. "Might I have a bit of...." He trailed off, looking down at the plates of food being offered and raising an eyebrow. He wasn't quite sure what it was. It looked vaguely like bread, only stretched very thin and twisted into knots. What looked like honey and sugar coated it thickly, dripping off of various twisted pieces of dough. He'd never seen anything like it.

The pain in his stomach, however, prompted Rudolf to take the plate being offered to him. Finding no fork or knife, he took hold of a bit of dough in his fingers and broke it free of the massive knot of bread. He took a hesitant bite. Sweet. Very sweet. Probably not nourishing in the slightest, but it was food, and that was all that mattered at the moment. Rudolf quickly bolted the bite he'd pulled free, then tore another piece, then another, any sense of manners lost temporarily to his hunger.

After he'd devoured a good three quarters of the confection, he came to his senses. Chagrined, he turned back to his friend and held out the plate. "I'm sorry, would you like some?" he asked, a sheepish smile on his face and a slight flush to his cheeks.

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[info]touto_kaka
2009-05-17 08:06 am UTC (link)
Der Tod laughed and shook his head as Rudolf offered him the food. "No, no, I'm fine." It was quite amusing to see the boy abandon manners quite so completely over one plate of food. He had no need to eat himself, and usually he had little interest in watching others do so. It was one of those minor mundanities humans undertook to avoid him that much longer. But there was something amusing about Rudolf's complete abandonment of propriety over a simple confection.

Still, it wasn't something that held his attention for long, and he looked around, taking in the narrow street of booths, the riot of conflicting food smells, and the ever present sense of too few lives around him. A slight breeze ruffled his hair, and he smoothed it back almost unconsciously. "It is a beautiful night," he commented, staring down the street with a thoughtful look. "Shall we walk a bit?"

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[info]rudorufu
2009-05-17 09:14 am UTC (link)
Of course, his friend was far more sensible than he, and had probably eaten something far more nourishing earlier in the evening. Rudolf finished the last of his plate with a bit more restraint, then tipped the thin, grease-covered paper into a bin next to the booth, which the stall-manager was kind enough to point out to him. He retrieved a paper napkin and cleaned his hands as best he could without a wash basin, then put that too in the bin.

"Yes, let's walk a bit," Rudolf agreed. It was still a bit cold, but no more so than it had been in Vienna when he'd set out. He allowed his friend to lead the way, and looked all around at the various booths they passed. Some looked like they offered more than just food, and he thought he'd like to come back during the daylight and see exactly what they entailed. "This is so strange," he remarked. "Not at all like Vienna, or even Budapest."

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[info]touto_kaka
2009-05-18 06:02 am UTC (link)
Der Tod watched, amused as Rudolf looked around at everything. "No, it's not quite like anywhere I've ever been" he said, which was true, and he'd been far more places than Rudolf. "Though it bears a passing resemblance to some." Granted, the neighborhoods it reminded him of were the type that would probably scandalize Rudolf.

He paused a moment and held out his hand to the boy. "Fascinating, though, isn't it? Look," He gestured towards the ferris wheel that could just be seen though a break in the buildings. "In the morning, that will move again. We can ride on it and look over this whole area." He'd ridden it earlier, swallowing a good deal of dignity in order to get a better look at the layout of the place. But it seemed like the kind of whimsy that Rudolf would love.

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[info]rudorufu
2009-05-18 06:36 pm UTC (link)
Rudolf glanced at his friend, eyes wide and curious. What sorts of places had he been that resembled this odd town, even in passing?

He followed his friend's gesture, eyes widening further at the odd contraption being shown to him. "It moves?" he said. Surely not! He took a step forward, as if that would help him see better the structure through the darkness. It was a giant wheel-shaped thing. At the mention of riding it, a smile tugged at Rudolf's lips. "That would be interesting," he said, taking another step down the road. "I bet you could see the whole of this place from that high up." He turned to his friend. "Perhaps we could see into the maze and get an idea of what we'd need to do to get through it." That idea excited him.

"What other sorts of things are in this place?" he asked. Giant wheels were fascinating enough, but Rudolf was sure there must be other interesting contraptions besides.

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[info]touto_kaka
2009-05-19 07:03 am UTC (link)
Der Tod merely nodded at Rudolf's disbelief. "Indeed, you can look down on this maze, though I didn't that good a look. Perhaps two sets of eyes..." He still didn't particularly want the boy along as he took on this challenge, but it might end up being unavoidable. Especially if he wished to continue being the trusted friend. He sighed very slightly to himself, and continued walking, pointing out some of the strange amusements he'd noticed earlier in the day.

"I believe most of these contraptions are for amusement only" he said with mild interest. Personally he cared little how this King conducted his (tiny) kingdom, but even he was slightly off put by the seeming lack of industry.

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[info]rudorufu
2009-05-19 05:28 pm UTC (link)
Rudolf nodded eagerly. He wasn't sure he'd be able to see much detail from so high up or so far away, but he'd do what he could. When they did decide to go and seek an audience with the king, it would be helpful to know what they'd be facing, so perhaps they could prepare accordingly. "We can write notes down in those little journals about what we see," he said. "You did get one as well, didn't you? They seem quite fascinating. Gabrielle was explaining them to me."

At the mention of amusement only, Rudolf's smile faltered. "What about education, or industry? Surely there have to be people here doing things?" How could one run a country without reasons to run it? Trade with other kingdoms, money to pay for goods and services, goods and services themselves. There had to be something going on here. Unless the the only industry was amusement? But that made no sense at all to Rudolf's mind. "My father would be appalled," he remarked. In Rudolf's mind, his father didn't understand any sort of fun or amusement, the same way he didn't understand the importance of a commonwealth. It just wasn't in his capacity.

Thinking of his father brought other concerns to Rudolf's mind. He turned to his friend. "Do you think people at home have noticed we're missing? They'll worry about us." And of course, by they, Rudolf meant mother. "I wouldn't want her to worry on my account." He didn't even notice the pronoun change in his speech.

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[info]touto_kaka
2009-05-20 06:20 am UTC (link)
Der Tod preferred not to comment on the journals. Why the King of this place thought anyone needed those pointless little books was beyond him.

"Perhaps education and such happens at the palace." he ventured. Personally he doubted it, considering the very small number of people he could sense. If they were indeed all kidnapees, there wouldn't be a need to provided education. Or industry really. The strange goblin things probably handled most of it. Or perhaps this was like his realm where such things were just... unnecessary.

He stopped when Rudolf turned to him. It was all too easy to know who the boy was referring to, even before he switched pronouns and he felt his heart clench rather painfully. Elisabeth... No, she wouldn't worry, not about him at least. And from when he came from, Rudolf was already dead. This King had a lot to answer for. Still, he was hardly going to let Rudolf know any of this. Instead, he offered a comforting smile and slipped an arm around the boy's shoulders. "You've only been here a day," he said soothingly. "Let's not worry about that just yet"

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[info]rudorufu
2009-05-21 05:00 am UTC (link)
"Perhaps," Rudolf said, his voice sounding unsure. "We'll see when we've finished traversing that maze of the king's. He hadn't seen any children as of yet, or any real evidence that there were children. If one looked around the town, there wasn't much evidence of life at all, really. None of the smells or little mundane sights that let one know people actually lived here. It was more than a little disconcerting.

Rudolf relaxed as his friend's arm slid around him, and he smiled at the other man. "You're right," he said, shifting closer to him as they walked without really realizing he'd done so. "Perhaps we'll be able to get home before anyone truly notices." He wasn't quite sure he believed that, but his friend was trying so hard to keep him in good spirits, so he played along as best he could. He wanted to believe that so badly, it wasn't hard to pretend.

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[info]touto_kaka
2009-05-21 06:49 am UTC (link)
Der Tod felt Rudolf shift closer to him and tightened his grip on the boy's shoulder very slightly. It could be interpreted as a comforting squeeze. Or a possessive one. The boy was not his mother, not remotely, but for now he would do.

"Perhaps" he said, rather offhandedly to Rudolf's comment about returning before anyone missed them. He was thinking about the effect his own absence would be having if he didn't return soon. Yes, the angels could handle the routine duties, but there was an entire realm of souls without their lord. And there were always at least a few people who needed a... personal touch when they died. People were always dying.

He pushed those worries from his mind and returned Rudolf's smile. "We can worry about such things later. It is a beautiful night, why don't we enjoy the walk?

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[info]rudorufu
2009-05-21 04:00 pm UTC (link)
Rudolf felt the squeeze at his shoulder even through the thickness of his jacket and smiled. Always, his friend knew just what he needed to be cheered up. That little gesture was a show of support, and it meant worlds to Rudolf. He nodded when his friend suggested they put aside worries for a later time, determined to put on a brave face and not make the other man worry about him too much.

"You're right," he said, glancing at the man walking beside him. "If we can't leave just yet, we might as well make the best of things and enjoy this place for what it is." It really was a beautiful night. The air was cold, but not uncomfortably so for Rudolf. He was used to colder in Vienna, and his wool jacket kept him warm enough. And even though many of the little booths were dark, there were enough lit up to make the streets seem friendly.

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[info]touto_kaka
2009-05-22 10:50 am UTC (link)
Der Tod was quite willing to walk in silence for a bit. The cold didn't bother him of course, and nighttime was always when the living world felt closest too his own. Even here.

He watched Rudolf out of the corner of his eye as they walked, trying to measure the boy's true mental state. It was obvious he was trying to put on a brave face, but beyond that was what Der Tod was interested in. He shifted his hand on Rudolf's shoulder slightly so his thumb could gently and subtly stroke the boy's neck. They made almost a touching picture as they walked.

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[info]rudorufu
2009-05-22 07:46 pm UTC (link)
At least here, there weren't any people to influence his thoughts, Rudolf realized as he walked, hands clasped behind his back. He'd been going out to Mayerling in weather much like this in order to just think, to make sense of everything that had happened. He'd wanted to shut himself away from the rest of the world for a few days. Well, wouldn't this place do just as well? The only person here who'd been a part of events was the one person he'd have wanted with him at Mayerling.

A faint smile crossed his lips as he felt the other man's fingers brush against the back of his neck lightly. It was comforting. Rudolf closed his eyes, trusting his friend not to steer him into any walls or booths, and breathed deeply. "Has this king pulled you away from any pressing business?" he asked, his voice sounding a bit distant. He really hoped the king hadn't inconvenienced his friend, even as he was, deep down, very grateful to the unknown man for doing so.

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[info]touto_kaka
2009-05-23 09:05 am UTC (link)
Oh yes, this was going very well. Der Tod watched as Rudolf's eyes slid shut and his breathing get heavier. Anyone watching them might have been frightened at the blatantly predatory look that pasted over Der Tod's face, but they were alone on the streets.

He slowed his pace, and kept up his gentle caressing of the boy's neck. He dropped his voice into a quieter, more intimate tone to answer the question. "Nothing that others can't handle for now." Which was true, as far as it went. "But why worry about that? We are here together, right?"

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[info]rudorufu
2009-05-23 09:11 am UTC (link)
Rudolf nodded. Even if his friend hadn't seen much of Zeps or Elmer, he'd surely been in contact with some of the others in the group. They'd amassed a decent-sized following before things had gone downhill. Surely a day or two away wouldn't waylay any plans now set in motion to regroup and determine the next steps. It would just be assumed that they were "laying low" until the soldiers lost interest.

"I always worry," Rudolf said, his voice still sounding distant. He had leaned into the touch without realizing it. "It's a Habsburg trait, worrying. Passed down through generations." It just manifested itself in different ways, and was acknowledged to greater or lesser degrees.

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[info]touto_kaka
2009-05-23 09:22 am UTC (link)
Der Tod stifled a growl. Why did the boy have to so pointedly remind him of his mother? It snapped him rather forcefully out of the rather pleasant mood he'd created, forcing acknowledgement of all the indignanties of this place.

"It's getting cold" he said, a bit sharper than he'd meant. The mood was gone, and it would be best to put further seductions off for another time. For now, just a quick walk back to the dorms, and an oh-so-polite good night.

There would be other opportunities, other times. Rudolf was already his after all, the boy just didn't know it.

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