Nico Majors (soverystiled) wrote in tiberiusswann, @ 2011-08-07 17:53:00 |
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Entry tags: | lyle, nico |
Tuesday - January 6th, 2009
Who: Nico and Lyle
When: Afternoon
Where: Student Art Gallery then Lyle's Apartment
What: Deals are made
Deciding that he needed to get out of the apartment more, because Nox lived two doors down and he was probably going to be banging down the door unless Lyle made some kind of effort to socialize, the young vampire was wandering himself around campus to the various places he had never been. Some places, he hadn't gone to for good reason- they were boring as fuck. But some were okay, like the pump house in back (apparently teenagers thought this was an awesome makeout place) and the weird little art gallery that was stuck down a random hallway in the educational building. Some of the stuff was crap, really flowery and overly perfect and obviously done by amateurs. But one thing in particular, a very odd house on a spoon, caught Lyle's eye. It was weird. Really weird. And he liked weird these days.
~~~
Nico had just arrived back on campus after visiting with his therapist who was not at all pleased with his progress. He accused him of not making an effort, and he was right. He barely left his room when people were around. He had spent a lot of time in the commons over the break but that was only because no one was around. And now that they were back, it had been his intention to hide himself in his room once more but he had decided against it after the man had eluded to institutionalizing him once more. "Perhaps you aren't ready yet," he had suggested. And Nico knew what that meant. So instead of going back to his room, he had decided to wander around a bit on the grounds, making an effort to say "hello" to a few people along the way. Eventually he ended up in the educational building though, and since he was down this way, he decided to stop by and visit his painting which was proudly on display in the small gallery. But the painting wasn't alone, to his surprise, and he hovered near the door for a moment before he spoke up, "That's mine."
~~~
Lyle hadn't been listening for someone, though he had heard footsteps he was ignoring. Probably someone passing through, a teacher or whatever. But then he heard a voice, and he looked back over his shoulder, surprised by what he saw. A young man, thin, hesitant, and obviously from a broken home. It was like radar, Lyle could just tell from looking at him. He had been around enough kids like Nico to spot one a mile away. And, looking back at the painting briefly, he smirked a bit, as though the kid had (without a word) confirmed his assumption.
Looking back at Nico for a brief second, before his attention went back to the painting, Lyle gave him a thumbs up.
~~~
Well that was odd. A brow quirked slightly as the man's attention moved back to the painting and he hesitated for a moment before he saw himself into the room, briefly wandering around to look at the other paintings on the wall. Most of them were atrocious but there were a few that had something to say. "Are you an artist?" He asked after his wanderings had put him just to the left of the man. And then he remembered his manners. "Oh, I'm Nicodemus Stiles, by the way. Most people just call me Nico though."
~~~
For the most part, Lyle ignored the other guy, taking his time in admiring the artwork. He liked its depth, how it could say a hundred and one different things, but maybe all it was supposed to say was 'here's a house on a spoon'. Art was funny like that.
Shaking his head at the question, Lyle too remembered his manners and turned to face Nico, holding out his hand to shake the other's, then pulling out his worn out notepad and jotting something down. [I'm Lyle. I like your work. What's it mean?]
~~~
So he was just a wandered. That was cool. Nico could appreciate a person who appreciated art. He always had even before he had started to produce it for himself. He glanced at the other man's hand for a moment before reaching out to shake it quickly and pull his hand away. He didn't like touch, not even a handshake really. He furrowed his brow a bit as the notepad was produced but when the man showed him what he had written, it started to make sense. Either he couldn't talk or he chose not to. He had met a few people like the latter when he had been institutionalized. He looked at the painting like he was trying to figure that out for himself though really he was debating whether or not he wanted to tell him what it meant. Finally he decided and replied, "Heroin." He paused before he elaborated. "Holly, my adopted mother, is an addict."
~~~
Boy, could Lyle peg them or what. He smiled softly at the explanation, not ecause of what Nico said, but because Lyle had known he'd been right about the guy. Already he knew a paragraph's worth about Nico- adopted, drug addict mother, heroin was her drug. Nico was shy, antisocial, and judging from the hasty handshake, he wasn't keen on touching. Lyle guessed maybe germaphobe, though if that were the case he wouldn't have touched at all. Maybe abused, that was another explanation.
Because Nico had shared something personal with a complete stranger, Lyle did the same, a sign of good faith. [My brother was an addict. Six years. Heroin. He just got out of rehab for the second time.]
~~~
Reading the paper, Nico nodded his head knowingly. "Holly went to rehab a few times. It never worked out." He glanced back at the picture and then added, "She's in prison now." And he wasn't sure if he was keen on admitting this or not, but he added in spite of his better judgment, "I miss her." And he frowned, though the expression was short lived. Looking at Lyle he eyed him curiously before he asked, "Zelda?" He thought he remembered the name, Lyle. There surely weren't that many of those around.
~~~
As a professional listener, Lyle kept his face neutral, nodding when appropriate. The best thing to say was nothing when someone was talking about something so obviously personal. Because the way that Nico spoke, his voice soft and not laced with layers of bitterness but with soft sadness, he loved his mom very much, despite everything.
Though when Nico mentioned Zelda, Lyle grinned, chuckling a little. It wasn't often that he grinned, his fangs making him self conscious now more than ever, but there was something about Nico he liked. Maybe just because Nico was the kind of person he was used to. [That's me] he wrote messily. [Nice to finally see you face to face.]
~~~
Of course he missed Holly. He loved her. He wanted nothing more than to see her again in spite of all the heartache she had put him through during his life. It wasn't all her fault, after all. He was... well he was what he was and that was something not easy to control without knowing how, and he hadn't known until recent years. The smile made him smile too though, and he chuckled at the response. "You too. Even if you do prefer Ocarina." He made a face as though he'd smelled something dirty and then fell silent for a moment, clearly thinking about something. He debated it for a moment inside his head before curiosity got the better of him and he had to ask, "Can you not speak or do you just.. not want to?"
~~~
Nico's question didn't bother Lyle much. All the kids he'd worked with always asked him something uncomfortable eventually, though thankfully Nico wasn't curious about the "funny looking bruise on his neck" like everyone had wanted to know that one time. That had been embarrassing.
Still... it wasn't an easy question to answer. He didn't talk about this with Fisher, though honestly talking about it to a stranger was weirdly mroe appealing. After a moment's debate, Lyle decided on a satisfactory answer. [I don't know if I can or not. I haven't tried in awhile.]
~~~
Nico nodded his head. "I understand." He was the same way when it came to being intimate with people. He was sure he was probably capable of it, but it had been so long since he had tried that he couldn't really know for sure. Most people would find it odd, but most people didn't live inside Nico's head. The same could be said for Lyle, he was sure.
~~~
Obviously, this wasn't the response Lyle was expecting. Brow furrowed, he studied Nico a moment, as though trying to figure him out. Most people wanted, or demanded, a better explaination. Like they deserved it because they cared about Lyle.
Finally, the vampire's expression softened, and he scribbled out another note, flipping the page over for space. [Other than Zelda, what kind of stuff are you into?]
~~~
Nico didn't know him so he didn't think he deserved one. And why should he have to explain even to those who did? He had his reasons. That was clear and that should be enough. It was for him anyway. He focused on the painting as he waited for the awkwardness to pass and only looked back to Lyle when another note was presented. He frowned, as though he had just been asked a difficult question, then finally answered, "Horticulture." He usually got an odd response when he told people about that particular hobby.
~~~
It was a really weird response, though it didn't pahse Lyle any. A lot of neglected kids sought comfort in things that depended on them, or things that could not emotionally hurt them. Things like plants, for instance. Nodding, Lyle accepted the answer as though it was nothing, but then a sudden brightness flashed on his features as brilliance struck. Looking at Nico, a slow smile spread over his lips.
[How strict is your moral code?]
~~~
That smile followed by that scribbled question made Nico arch a brow somewhat suspciously. He wasn't sure how to answer that question. Honestly perhaps? But if this was a trick... "Morals are simply society's way of keeping us under their thumb." That wasn't an entirely direct answer but.. It would do.
~~~
That was the most perfect answer Lyle could have hoped to receive, and obviously it pleased him a great deal. Oh, there was genius brewing, he could feel it. Nico had been direct and honest with him from the very first minute, so Lyle felt he could do the same.
[I need to grow pot. Lots of it. Is that something you'd be able to do?]
~~~
That question was enough to make the other man laugh, a smirk that could be considered slightly devious tugging at the corner's of his lips. "A better question would be would I?" Oh, he could. He most definitely could. He could not only grow it, but he could breed new strains that would blow people's mind. He just needed the place and the means with which to do it.
~~~
That was indeed a good question. There was no reason for Nico to agree to this, since Lyle was a total stranger and what he was proposing was completely illegal, even in a place like this. But Lyle had an answer that most people were keen to hear- money.
[I'll give you space, equipment, and $500 a week.] Hey, he had a buttload of money, and his grandfather had told him to use it.
~~~
Money spoke volumes, especially to a guy like Nico who was about as poor as they came. He thought about it for a moment, looking at the painting just to have a place to fixate his gaze. What were the chances that a vampire would be working for the DEA or something? Slim to none. And if he had money then... "Okay," he replied after a moment. "I'll make a list of what I need to start." He glanced at him and added, "Do you have a particular location in mind?"
~~~
Just watching Nico's eyes as he read the figure, Lyle knew he'd agree to it. Chances were, if his mom was in prison and he was adopted, that he didn't have a shitload of money just lying about. If he did, his mom would be at a "spa".
When it was officially decided, Lyle nodded, pleased. He had a perfect location in mind. With a wave of his hand, he started off, indicating that Nico should follow.
~~~
He didn't expect to be shown the place right away, but supposed that now was as good a time as any. So he shoved his hands in his pockets and sort of shrank down into his jacket as he followed the vampire out of the art gallery. "You do know it could take a while before you actually see a profit, right?" If the guy knew nothing about the business, he could be getting in over his head, so he wanted to be sure that he understood that a venture like this would take a little time before it actually earned him a bit of cash.
~~~
With an exaggerated shrug, Lyle kept walking. Well, strolling was more like it, since he walked with no sense of hurry or concern. He wasn't really going into this for profit, because he didn't need money. Writing awkwardly as he walked, Lyle passed his notebook back over his shoulder, waiting for Nico to take it. [Money I have, business I know. I need a project to occupy myself. Pot brownies seems as good a plan as any.]
~~~
So money wasn't the object. Okay. Odd, but fine. He frowned a little as he walked behind him, noticing him scrawling on the paper and then reaching to take it once he had. There. That made sense. "Odd choice of profession considering what your brother's gone through." Then again, the same could be said for Nico. "Not that I'm trying to talk you out of it or anything." He wanted to make sure that that part of it was clear.
~~~
Lyle was not unfamiliar with the irony of the situation. Weed was a lot different than heroin, however. Despite what the anti-drug campaigns said, pot was definitely not a "gateway" drug. It was more of a "who gives a crap?" drug. And Nico couldn't talk Lyle out of this even if he had wanted to. He could do this without Nico... it would just be a lot easier with him.
It didn't take too long before they were at Lyle's apartment. Letting Nico enter, Lyle couldn't supress the smirk on his face as he showed his new business partner the work space- Fisher's empty bedroom. Irony indeed.
~~~
Nico didn't view weed as a gateway drug either. People that got into hard drugs got into them because they were weak, because they had a void they were trying to fill, not because they got stoned and laughed at ridiculous movies now and then. So he had no ethical problems with this. And he wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth for any reason at all.
The on campus family apartments. Was that seriously where he was taking him? He wouldn't believe it for sure until they were there and he was shown into a room that was mostly empty. "You wanna do it here? On campus?" He looked at him incredulously and then moved a hand up to run fingers back through his hair. There were a lot of reasons why this would be a bad idea and yet...
Nico walked over to the window to peer out of it, a hand touching the pane to check for any sort of air leaks before glancing around for the vents that filtered in the central air. He then walked over toward the center of the room and crouched down, studying his surroundings for a moment before he made a decision. "It'll work." He stood up and looked back over at Lyle. It wasn't entirely idea, but it was doable.
~~~
It was completely crazy. Lyle knew that it was. Especially since Nox was two doors down, and especially since they were on campus, and especially since people were all worried about him constantly and never left him to his own devices. But he wasn't worried about it. What would they do, arrest him? Send a vampire to jail, that would really do the school well. Worst that would happen would be Nox might literally lecture him to death. Well, second death.
With a smirk, Lyle nodded, motioning for his notepad so he could say something. [Good. I'm getting the place worked on with magic and junk. I know some people. Just let me know what you need. Anything you want.]
~~~
"Centralized climate," he said first thing. "Which shouldn't be too difficult, really. The place has a good seal considering how old these buildings are. And the humidity seems decent but we may need to work on that too, make sure we're able to regulate that as well." Those were the things he would need to have worked on here by these "people" that he'd mentioned. "I'll compile a list of basic supplies and see if I can find a dealer we can get some seeds from. Unless you already know somebody, that is."
~~~
This was making Lyle feel like his old self again. It had been a long time since he'd done anything like this, something productive and thought provoking. He was solving a puzzle, using the resources on hand to make it happen. He never would have thought about climate control or anything like that. But he had thought about a lot of other things, less practical but equally important.
[I've got someone] he assured Nico, looking around the room himself. [I'll supply, you just grow.] Lyle knew where he could acquire product, and the less Nico knew about the ins and outs, the better. That way he could have some kind of deniability later on.
~~~
A smirk formed upon the other man's lips as he replied, "That's what I do best." The idea of this project was making Nico feel more like himself again as well, though that may or may not have been a good thing. He had always loved digging his hands in dirt, planting a seed and watching it grow, creating. It made him feel like he had some sort of power, some sort of control. He craved it. He'd missed that feeling.
"When do you want the list?" He asked as he headed back toward the door where Lyle stood. And then a thought struck him that he'd not actually thought of until now, though it was strange that he wouldn't have considered it sooner.
For three long years, or part of those three years at least, Nico had had a roommate in the asylum where he had been housed. The roommate had been a deaf mute who lacked much in the way of education. And since they were stuck together, and reading lips only went so far, Nico had made an effort to learn a better way to communicate with the other man, sign language, as he was the only real company he had there. It was perhaps a long shot since Lyle wasn't deaf and quite possibly not really mute, but it was worth asking.
In fluid gestures, Nico asked the question, "Do you sign?"
~~~
Waving his hand, Lyle leaned himself casually againt the doorframe. Whenever Nico got around to it was fine, there was no huge rush on anything. It really depended on how soon he wanted to start growing, and getting paid.
The moment Nico's hands started moving, Lyle recognized what he was doing, and his eyes widened in surprise. This was certainly unexpected. Unexpected, but absolutely awesome. "Yes," he said back, his form not as practiced as Nico's but still clear. "Fisher got me a book for..." Pausing, his nose wrinkled, lost on the word. He didn't know how to say 'Christmas'. So instead, he tried another route. "I have a book."
~~~
"A book?" Nico repeated with a smirk and then shook his head. "Thoughtful, but pretty useless. I mean a book can give you the basics but..." He stopped speaking and instead signed the words, "I will teach you more." It seemed like a fair enough trade. And they would be spending a fair amount of time together now that they were in business together. He'd need something to occupy his time while waiting on the plants to grow.
~~~
"Thank you." That was one Lyle knew very well, and his smile was genuine. Learning from someone who actually knew would be a lot more successful than a book. Lyle felt like he could kiss Nico right now, he was so damn pleased that everything was falling into place. This was going to be an extremely beneficial relationship.
Brow furrowed, another thought came to Lyle. Maybe he could kill every bird with this one, socially inept stone. "Are you looking..." No, that one wasn't the right one. Pausing, he thought a moment, trying to recall. Oh yes, that was it. "Are you seeing anyone?" he signed.
~~~
Nico was starting to feel like this could be the beginning of something pretty good as well. He had never had many friends growing up, but perhaps he and this guy could eventually make it to that point. It would please his therapist, at the very least. Of course if he knew about their whole venture, that would be a different story all together, but he wouldn't tell him that, of course. And then Lyle asked him that question.
A brow shot up sharply and the man laughed, a sound that came out so terse it sounded almost like a scoff. "I'm not..." He paused and then reworded himself. "No offense, but you aren't my type."
~~~
The response was pretty much what Lyle had expected, because if Nico had asked him the same thing, that's exactly what he would have said. Chuckling, he shook his head, waving both hands reassuringly. He knew he couldn't sign all he needed to say, so he began writing, holding up his hand once or twice, asking Nico for a little patience.
[I'm not gay. But I need people to leave me the hell alone, and you need an excuse to be in my apartment all the time. So let me propose this: I'll give you another $200 every week you let me tell people we're dating.]
~~~
It was a good thing he gestured for it, because Nico was on the verge of losing his patience once or twice while the other man was writing. He wasn't sure what kind of weird shit this guy was into but it was starting to seem like this may not be a good idea. And then Lyle handed him the paper.
Reading it over twice, Nico exhaled a sigh. He had a question before he'd agree to anything even remotely like this. "Why?" He looked at Lyle, his expression showing that he expected an honest answer to this question. "Why do you need people to leave you alone?"
~~~
Lyle made a face. It was a 'I'm seriously thinking of lying to you' face, though even in the expression, he knew that he was going to have to be honest. Nico would find out one way or another if he was hanging around. Finally, he sighed, writing again. [My last relationship ended badly. I stopped talking. Now people are watching until I start seeing people again so they can breathe a sigh of relief that I'm not completely fucked up from it. It's easier to lie to them.]
~~~
Nico waited for the answer, taking the paper and reading over it with an expressionless face. Then he frowned, sighed, and looked at Lyle. "You think people will actually buy it?" Was he considering it? Yes. Mostly because then he wouldn't have to worry about being the freak who didn't date and didn't fuck. Granted, he wouldn't be doing either of those things STILL but... If he told his therapist he was dating someone, even if it was a man, he was likely to lay off of him a bit.
~~~
Lyle gave Nico a professional smirk, his next note written with a certain amount of cocky flair. [I can sell it.] Lyle could keep a poker face through almost anything, which made him a damn good liar. Sometimes, Fisher couldn't even tell when he was being fucked with, and Fisher could always read his brother.
~~~
Nico watched him for a moment and then he exhaled a breath and shook his head. "Fuck it. Fine. Deal." He held out his hand for him to shake. He would have to get used to at least touching him a little if they were going to be "dating" as far as the general public was concerned. People would expect a little bit of public contact every now and then though Nico was known to be shy and that would help minimize any need for actual PDA."We should work out some details," he suggested, moving by where Lyle stood to head into the living room and have a seat. "How we met, how we got together, how far things have... gone." This was not how he had pictured his day going at all but... Money was money. And at least he would be able to see Holly again soon if all went well.
~~~
With a nod, Lyle shook Nico's hand and started heading into the living room, assuming that Nico would follow. His mind was already working out details, deciding what was important to know, what wasn't. Sometimes the best lies needed great detail, and some needed vagueness. This one needed a perfect mix of both. [We don't need sex details.] That part made Lyle frown a little, just imagining it. Ugh, no thanks on the dick. [I'm not sleeping with anyone and I have no interest in it. People will understand why we're not touchy-feely.] He didn't really want to go into detail of it, but those who knew him would get it. And Nico wouldn't need to explain a lot of detail.
~~~
Nico shook his head and waved a hand. "No. No, I understand that just... Which type are we?" He asked, glancing over at Lyle. "Are we the type who met, had too much to drink, ended up in bed together and then decided to try to make this crazy thing work or are we more the type to... take it slow?" It was weird trying to figure out this fake relationship, but he saw them more as the latter. And he let this be known by saying, "I think we should work up to it. You could elude to your friends that you've met someone you like and... We'll let it progress from there." He paused and then added, "If you've always been straight, that's really the only way I think it could logically work."
~~~
It was definitely something to think about, and Lyle did so a moment, chewing his inner lip with his fangs. Finally, he made a decision. [We tell the truth. I've been telling people I'm into guys now anyway. We just say we met in the gallery, we've already talked on the journals, and we get along.] It was true, and if they just left out the part about going into the pot business together, it was a very cute story.
~~~
"Okay," Nico agreed. He was quiet for a moment before he glanced toward the television, and Lyle's massive game console, then he asked, "Do you have Mortal Kombat?" He could be up for some video games if Lyle was. He was in no rush to head back to the dorms right now.
~~~
Oh, the look Lyle gave in response. Did he have Mortal Kombat. What a ridiculous question! Scoffing, Lyle stepped out of his shoes and went over to the tv, kneeling down to rifle in the game cabinet. After a moment, games started piling up on the floor as Lyle dropped them, fighting games of all sorts. After a moment, he had a nice plethora of choices for Nico to pick from.
~~~
Oh yes, he was definitely going to like spending his spare time here. Crouching down to rifle through the games as they were placed out for him to choose from, he had to laugh. Video games with the new "boyfriend"... He'd definitely had worse dates before.