Julian Blackwood (synapticstatic) wrote in nybynightic, @ 2020-09-20 23:47:00 |
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Entry tags: | activity type: log/thread, character: julian blackwood, character: tristian mayfair |
This one actually liked Rusty.
My darling Rusty.
Just hearing them in his mind again caused Julian to shudder as he stepped into the club. Unlike Devan, Julian didn’t think this one would be okay with their sire’s fate. Which was why he had to make sure this one didn’t find out.
Which was also why it would have been smarter to have just avoided his baby brother all together instead of agreeing to meet with him after Julian had a chance to spend a couple nights getting his head together. Of course he had been so distressed that he hadn’t asked for an actual name. He just had a general idea of what he looked like and that he worked at the Blue Velvet. He also knew it wouldn’t be a problem and sure enough it wasn’t. As soon as he entered the club the whispers pushed him towards him.
That one.
Well—fuck. It was a thought that Julian couldn’t help but think as he laid eyes upon the pale goth and started making his way through the club towards him.
By contrast, Tristian had been incredibly eager to finally meet his sibling. Ever since Julian's name had been whispered to him through the cobweb he'd wondered about this stranger. What was he like? How old was he? Did he really think Rusty was an asshole? Questions and questions and questions. If he'd wanted to he could have fished out those answers on his own, but with only a few nights before their first encounter Tristian didn't have the time to sit idly babbling about nothing to himself, not when there was an outfit to pick out.
He was waiting at the bar when Julian walked in, looking very much like he was trying to embody the idea of being powerful, beautiful and without regret. Most of his long hair was tied back with a black ribbon, heavy rings cluttered his hands and a long, sweeping coat with a thick fur collar cascaded over the back of his bar stool as he nursed a nearly-empty glass in one hand. Tristian felt his sibling before he saw him, his essence like a string made of catgut in a sea of mostly twine and cotton thread.
His drink was abandoned at the bar as he stood, coat swirling and his tall, lace-up boots giving him an extra few inches of height. Julian was already heading his way, but rather than wait, Tristian bounded towards the figure with the enthusiasm of a labrador retriever, wrapping Julian in a tight hug as if they were longtime friends.
"Jules! I'm so glad to see you! Of course I always knew there were others but it's quite different meeting you in person," he gushed. "Let me look at you." Tristian pulled away and took a step back, drinking in his fellow Kindred's appearance. "Such sharp cheekbones, they could cut glass. And your eyes are so pretty. And your hair." He brushed his pale fingers through a few of Julian's curls. "You're simply stunning. Even if I didn't know we were brothers your face gives everything away." By this point he was grinning. "Oh, I'm Tristian, by the way."
For a moment Julian could only stand there as if shell shocked. He had been expecting—well he had been expecting a lot and yet he was still completely unprepared for the way Tristian not only hugged him but started gushing over him as well. His face gave everything away? He thought for a moment of pointing out that’s not how this worked but then thought better of it.
While Tristian had known there were others Julian had not. Not until Devan and even then he hadn’t considered how many others might be out there that Rusty had sired and abandoned. Not sired and abandoned the way that he had Julian, of course given what he actually knew about Rusty—which was admittedly not much and that was fine with Julian—it wouldn’t have surprised him if he had.
Julian’s mouth opened but then closed again as he thought better about what he was going to say. A second later he tried again. “Rusty told you about me?” Or was it that connection they all had working against him again?
“Oh no, no, definitely not. I haven’t seen Rusty in 18 years!” Tristan was beaming by this point, finding it very difficult not to pet and fuss over the Kindred in front of him. “You know I’ve never had a brother before, not even when I was alive. I always wondered what it would be like.”
Julian had information he needed, information that could lead him to their sire and the reason why he’d been so quiet lately. That, however, had been momentarily put to one side. “I just love the colour of your hair, is it natural?” His pale and pointed fingernails continued combing through the older Malkavian’s hair as he looked at him with adoration. “I know you didn’t get much of a choice, but I’m so glad Rusty made you. I always fretted about finding others like us in case they weren’t of the same pedigree, but clearly our sire has excellent taste. And now we get to be siblings!” Tristian gave Julian another quick squeeze. “Isn’t that exciting?!”
It was in fact not exciting. At least not to Julian. “Maybe we should go grab a seat.” Because maybe if they sat down then Tristian would stop touching him. For someone who had been as touch starved as Julian had been lately, there was just something unsettling about the way Tristain kept fussing over him.
“I’m going to have to burst your bubble and point out that Rusty didn’t so much choose me for my looks,” the older of the two Malkaivans pointed out as he tried to detach himself from the other and head for a table off to the side. There were pros and cons to having met at the Blue Velvet and one of those cons was that Kindred ears were always listening. He was just thankful there was a table open and not a booth because he wasn’t sure he’d survive Tristian scooting in close. “I think we may have differing options on Rusty’s—good taste.”
“Yes, we should sit down,” the younger Kindred nodded eagerly, tethering himself to Julian’s sleeve as they looked for a free table. Tristan would have preferred a booth so that they could sit together, but those were always the first to go. Predictably none were free, but Julian managed to find them another table to sit at anyway. “Perhaps not, but he still walked the path that led to making you, didn’t he? Indirectly or not, he made the decisions that resulted in being your sire. That’s not not a choice.”
He took the chair across from Julian, sweeping the tail of his coat to one side so that he wouldn’t sit on it. “You think so?” His gaze turned slightly pitying. “But you’re such a doll, and I’m sure you have other good qualities aside from your looks. I mean compared to most Kindred your dress sense is-” What was a polite way of saying okay? “-very tailored. I’m sure you tried your best.”
Tristian patted Julian’s hand sympathetically and smiled. “Anyway, we have forever to talk about Rusty. What I want to know about right now is you. Tell me everything about yourself, darling brother.”
Oh Rusty had certainly made some choices in life that lead to him becoming Julian’s sire alright. He had never found out just what those choices were though. He hadn’t been all that concerned about finding out what kind of debt that Rusty could have owed to have caused him to just turn Julian the way he had. One didn’t really want to find out if their life had been destroyed just because someone might owe another for something as simple as a dry cleaning bill that was picked up for them.
So Julian was more than happy to not talk about Rusty. But Tristian’s choice of topic had the other Malkaivian looking at him almost confused. It was clear that Julian was not used to someone bothering to ask him about himself. He wasn’t sure what to say or even where to begin. Among the Kindred most knew his story, not because he himself was so important in it, but because of the other players in it.
“I—honestly would not know where to start. What do you want to know? Aside from everything.”
Tristan leaned in, his eyes bright and eager as he clasped his hands together. “Ever since I found out about you I’ve been hearing all sorts of whispers and rumours about who you are and aren’t connected with. It sounds terribly salacious, but I can’t really delve too far without certain debilitating effects ruining my investigations.” He gave a little shrug. “So apart from our connection I know very little. I rarely spend time with other Kindred, you know. Most of them are incredibly flaky.”
A number of them, he was sure, realised that he was a Malkavian and began backing away from there, often not very slowly. It was ridiculous of course; the madness-insight balance within his clan was a sliding scale and he happened to be at the lower end of both of those. Couldn’t they tell? Not that there was anything wrong with Malkavians being...well, Malkavian, but it could be difficult to get through a conversation with some of the more affected individuals. “I’d love to know what you’ve been doing all these years, where you’ve been. Imagine if we’d almost crossed paths somewhere before!”
That threw Julian even more. Did Tristian not work at the Blue Velvet which also served as Elysium and thus was gossip central for the Kindred of New York? How could Tristian not know who he was or what he had been doing all these years? It certainly felt like everyone knew his business. Of course it was easy to see why other Kindred might suddenly shut up in the presence of the other Malkavian lest they give him the idea that they wanted to include them in their conversation.
It was easier to just pick up what you wanted to know from the minds and whispers swirling around them. Even now Julian was listening in.
“It’s unlikely we would have unless you spent time in Chicago. I was born there, became a ghoul there, and was Embraced there. And you guessed it, been living out my unlife there as well until recently. I haven’t seen a whole lot of travel except for a nearby business trip of two.” Including one that hadn’t ended well for a certain sire. He gave Tristian a wry smile. “I’m afraid in the grand scheme of things I’m just not that interesting.”
“I haven’t been to Chicago. You know it’s funny, when I was ready to move on from New Orleans I considered going there, but in the end I opted for San Francisco instead. It’s such a shame that we missed out on the opportunity to know each other sooner! But I did get to go Bats Day at Disneyland several times, and I visited Santa Cruz which of course I had to do. I nearly lost an earring on the Giant Dipper but it just got stuck in my hair. Have you ever been to Santa Cruz?”
If only Julian had grown up in California instead of Illinois, they could have met up much earlier. How nice it would have been to spend the last ten years bashing around a big city with a sibling, having someone to hunt with and club with and solve Rusty’s riddles, and everything in between. What a life they could have led together already; who knew if they’d even need to come to New York.
“And if you’re not that interesting why is there so much talk about you? And weren’t you involved with someone important?” The younger Malkavian paused, trying to hunt down the name. Florian? Delorean? “Dorian! You don’t hear that name often. I almost called myself Dorian, after the novel of course; imagine how confusing that would have been for you!” Tristian grinned and patted his brother’s hand. “Did you ever see the most recent adaptation? It was terrible, and Ben Barnes without a beard...you just can’t help but notice his cleft chin. What brings you to New York anyway?”
Julian's chest rose and fell in what appeared to be a sigh though he didn’t waste the blood needed to actually produce one. When you existed on a diet the way that he did one couldn’t be too wasteful with what they had. Really, right now the mention of Dorian wasn’t any better than the mention of Rusty. Both were not topics he was very keen on.
Not that Tristian stayed on that topic for very long. Soon he was going on about other things and Julian was finding that it was an effort to follow along. Was this what it was like to try and follow his own thoughts when he started going off? He didn’t think so since he tended to slip into metaphors when his mind was spinning not actually have his thoughts spinning off on top a million topics.
“Beard or no beard, I’d still let him fuck me. And I came to New York to do something for Dorian but that’s over now. I decided I like it here well enough to stay.” Which wasn’t a lie. He was done doing anything for Dorian and New York wasn’t Chicago.
“Oh no, for me it would have to be with the beard. Unless I couldn’t see his chin...or maybe if he still had long hair? I’d accept no beard if he had longer hair.” Not that the actor was at the top of his list, but he wasn’t bad. And he did have the accent; so many things could be forgiven for a British accent. “And I’m so glad to hear someone say that; most Kindred I speak to tell me that it’s a terrible city and that I should leave as soon as I can, but there’s so much going on here. So much nightlife. And it’s a very different feel from California.”
Tristian felt his phone buzz and retrieved it from his pocket. Ugh, just another useless text from Maddie. He ignored the message and checked over his appearance instead, first in the camera and then in the dark reflection of his screen. Of course he was always perfect but it never hurt to make sure, did it? Satisfied, Tris pocketed the device and turned his attention back to Julian.
“So! What do you do here? Obviously you don’t work here, so how are you keeping busy? Are you living nearby? I’m based in Brooklyn at the moment which, I know, very cliche, but living in Manhattan and maintaining the lifestyle I’m accustomed to simply wasn’t going to happen.”
There was so much going on here but Julian was thinking of it in a completely different way than Tristian was. The city was thick with what was happening within the Camarilla. There was a reason that Julian came to the clubs, the Blue Velvet especially, and it wasn’t for the nightlife. It was for the rumors. More importantly it was for the information that flowed all around them whether the other Kindred around them noticed or not. Not just in loose lips but loose minds as well.
“Actually I don’t work at all.” Julian had never worked a day in his life or unlife, not in that sense. “I had money before I was turned and well, I made sure my accounts were wiped out and transferred before my untimely death.” Of course his family had easily believed that there was nothing there after his death—that he had blown it all on the partying and the drugs.
His brows knit together slightly. “Oh.” Whoever had coined the phrase about the only sure things in life being death and taxes had clearly never been a vampire trying to enjoy a comfortable existence in New York City. Rent, bills and subway fares all added up, and with fewer and fewer kine carrying cash it wasn’t as if you could empty out the pockets of your last meal to catch the next train home. “Well aren’t you lucky? A Kindred of leisure, it must be so nice to have that freedom,” he sighed wistfully; everyone was lucky but him. “I suppose you’re going to tell me that you live in a penthouse with a view of the city and spend three months worth of my rent on clothes.” Tristian wasn’t bitter; jealous maybe, but not bitter. “Why is every Kindred so much better off than me?”
“I used to. Right now my living situation since coming to New York has been interesting to say the least. I should look into getting a place but I haven’t yet.” And Tristian wasn’t wrong but calling Julian a Kindred of leisure. It wasn’t just due to his own money but there had been benefits to being a kept Kindred even as there had been drawbacks as well.
Julian’s eyes roamed over Tristian for a moment taking in his clothing and appearance in general. “I get the feeling that you spend three months worth of rent on clothes.” he said pointedly. Clearly neither one of them was shopping at Wal-Mart for clothing. And while Julian spent his fair share in hair products, he had a feeling that Tristian spent more and that wasn’t counting the makeup.
“Oh, please let me come over when you do,” he was patting Julian’s hand excitedly now. “I love being able to look out and see the night skyline, and it’s even better if we’re indoors. The wind does terrible things to my hair.” Even if he couldn’t afford somewhere fancy, there was no reason he couldn’t live vicariously through others. Plus it would be interesting to see what kind of pad Julian would take for himself; his style clearly indicated that he liked the finer things, but it wasn’t very adventurous. Hmm.
Despite Julian’s accusation he grinned, a bubble of laughter escaping him. “How can I spend that much on clothes when I have bills to pay?” Which was true enough. “I’ll have you know that I haven’t bought any quite some time.” Mostly because Tristian had been spending his earnings on new furnishings for his apartment and a few more silver rings. But those totally weren’t clothes so he was still technically correct. “I am rather desperate for a new pair of boots though. When the nights get longer we should go shopping together!”
“I only did so recently because I didn’t feel like getting my things back from Chicago. And also we had a house guest who was raiding my closet and decided that the heels of my boots made good hammers. Taking in strays is not always a good idea,” Julian pointed out even though it wasn’t as if he was the only who had taken in the strays. Or that he wasn’t one of those strays himself. Still, it was probably advice to stick with when the thin-blood in question had seemed more Malkavian than an actual Malk.
Julian leaned over and looked at boots that Tristian had on. “I’m not sure we shop in the same places but it can’t be any worse than being dragged to Costo.” He shuddered at the memory. Kindred did not need to shop at Costco. It was unnatural. Not to mention the lighting did not help the paleness of his complexation. No, any place but there. Not that he was actually agreeing to such a shopping trip though.
Raiding closets? Using boots as hammers? Taking in strays?! It was evident from the face Tristian made that none of that sounded even the slightest bit appealing to him.”I don’t even let my ghoul touch my closet. What kind of house guest thinks they have the right to abuse your footwear?!” Clearly not the kind who wanted to continue being a house guest.
“Jules,” he stressed his sibling’s name. How on earth could he compare the places where Tris shopped to Costco? “I happen to be very selective on what I purchase. Do you really think I walk into the first macabre little bargain mart I find and take one of everything they have in black?” He shook his head. “You should come with me. We could even find something for you! Something in crushed velvet would really work on you, I think.”
Crushed velvet? That sounded simply horrible. Julian couldn’t think of one time in his life or unlife when he had worn something crushed velvet. Or with ruffles. Or anything else that Tristian was likely to have in his closet. The whole goth thing had never really been his thing and the whole Lestat aesthetic was not about to happen. “How about we skip the crushed velvet. Most of my clothes may be black, but I’d prefer them to not require a lint roller.”
Julian wasn’t even sure that he wanted to touch the fact that Tristian had a ghoul. In a lot of ways Julian had preferred his own life as a ghoul, short as it was, to his existence now. Of course tied to Dorian as he had been, life had still pretty much stayed the same except for all the joys that came with being a Malkavian.
At least that was all behind him now. “So I guess this means you’re planning on sticking around New York then?”
It looked like there were some things they’d have to agree to disagree on. “Fine, but this look is so corporate, you know? It could use a little more flair.” Where had he even developed such a reserved style anyway? Had this been who he was as a kine? What was the point in employing good tailoring if you weren’t going to make a statement?
Well, Tris could work on that.
“It would be a waste if I didn’t make the most of my lease; living here is expensive. I might as well see everything the city has to offer.” He gave a little shrug. Besides the nightlife New York City had an exhaustive list of other delights to sample and there didn’t seem to be any point in leaving before he’d had his fill. Tristian was sure Rusty could wait a little longer. “Including some of the local talent. Such a pity the sheriff is taken. He can give me a stern reprimand any night of the week.”
Julian wasn’t surprised at all that Tristian found his look more on the corporate side of things. After all, he may have been a Malkavian but he had been groomed into what he was by a Ventrue. For a moment his lips quirked up in amusement as he imagined what Dorian’s reaction would have been if he had ever dressed half way the way that his blood sibling did.
Though Julian had gone through the rebellion stage of what was expected of him as a kine. It hadn’t gotten him to great places had it?
Then Tristian was moving on and it took Julian a moment to realize what he meant by talent until he went on about the Sheriff being taken. “Hmm. There’s options around. One just has to keep looking.” Stern reprimands and all. “Probably safer options as well. I’ve met the Sheriff’s lover. The Gangrel has teeth and I’m pretty sure he would not hesitate to bite the hand that touches things it shouldn't.”
One of those options had Julian looking down at his phone and causing the Malk to smirk. “I’m afraid I’m being summoned. If I’m lucky I’ll be getting reprimand.”
“Oh I imagine so,” he replied with a dreamy sigh. New York was a big city, after all, filled with all manner of Kindred. “But he’s still quite something to look at, even with a Hound snapping at his heels.” It was no surprise that such a prize catch was already taken; disappointing perhaps, but not surprising in the least. His choice of lover was an interesting one though - Gangrels were hardly known for being house pets - but considering this was the Sheriff...perhaps he’d found a high calibre specimen?
The younger Kindred’s brows knitted together. “Oh, does that mean you’re going? So soon?” It felt like they’d barely spent any time together, and yet Julian was already going. Tris thought about grabbing his brother’s wrist; maybe he could cause a scene and make him stay a little longer? But then he might not come back. And wouldn’t that be upsetting? They hadn’t discussed Rusty at all, and he was still getting to know the city and its quirks. Moving to a new place could be so lonely…
He waited until Julian stood, then gave him another all encompassing hug. “It’s been so lovely to finally meet you. We should do this again soon. Very soon. Promise?”
“I’m afraid I am.” Julian wiggled his phone before he put it away in his pocket. “There’s some people that when they summon you, you go.” At least being summoned by Micah would end up a lot more pleasurable for him than it had been with Dorian over the last few years.
Then he was being hugged by Tristian again. It was just because it was Tris that had Julian stiffening up before he relaxed and patted the other Malkavian on the back. Julian wasn’t much of a hugger. “I have some stuff going on, but yeah, you’ll see me again soon.”
As long everything didn’t go sideways for him anyway. He was playing a dangerous game and he knew it.