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[Rowan tilts their head, but then accepts that with a nod.]

Do you want them to be identical, if we're wearing dresses? Or complimentary? And what do you want if they're wearing trousers? [Their mind is buzzing - something they need help taking on and off, well, that probably means some sort of corset and they can find that. Or maybe knee high boots - no, Max ruled feet out.]

There's men's corsets, too. [So that would work for the help with taking things on and off.] Or you could maybe find laced butlers' vests. [That feels like something a good fetish store should have.]

And corresponding, I think - something very short, at least. Perhaps coupled with sock garters? [Feet may be out, but legs...]

Or see if they'll accept kilts. [Don't tell him you don't want to see Max is a kilt, Rowan.]

And if you all wear dresses, complimentary probably works better. You all look very different, after all.

[Rowan's eyes flash at the idea of sock garters on either Max or Lucas. Even if that isn't an option they take this time... it's definitely something to think about at some point.]

If I manage to get either of them in a kilt and sock garters, you'll have to scrape me off the floor. [See look, this is just lust and absolutely not anything else beginning with l what are you talking about.]

I'll talk to them and see what they want, and then get back to you. [They still want to play with them first before they add Jackie into the mix anyway, as much as they're taken with this idea.]

"Yeah... the differences in our worlds are really something. Makes me wish I'd payed more attention in school because I feel like I'd need a better understanding of...physics or something to really wrap my head around it."

He shrugs. Alas, he is no scientist, only a vampire's butler.

"I think the bottom line here is that even if Lucas does know, he isn't going to be a problem. He's with IOPSA and IOPSA respects vampires' autonomy. That doesn't mean I'm not going to do everything I can to keep him from finding out. I respect your decision too."

[He has to laugh at that.] I'll bring a spatula.

And no problem. We have all the time in the world on our hands here, don't we?

Yeah, exactly. No rush. And we’ve got stuff ourselves to try until then anyway, right? [Hopefully fairly soon, Rowan has plenty of steam to wear off after dealing with those lists.]

We do, we do.

First of all, we should go shopping, I think. When are you free?

During the day, mostly. Anytime in the afternoon is good by me. But just say a time and day and I’ll be there. I can wake early for that.

[Picking out something to play with Jackie with is worth waking up early for.]

Afternoon is fine by me.

[He works nights, and he's gotten used to daylight hours being safe and awake hours to the degree that he doesn't prefer them, but has no qualms about using them.]

Tomorrow, then? Or the day after? I can meet you at the gates, say mid afternoon?

"Even if Lucas is fine with it, if he knows he will tell others. And we don't know how they will react.

Not because he can't keep his mouth shut," but he wouldn't discount that; Lucas doesn't strike him as a person who won't discuss things with people close to him or chatter away when he gets nervous, "but because the more people know, the more likely it is that even more people hear." And he'd prefer to tell others on his own terms. If he does at all.

Sounds good.

[And with that, he gets up, picks up the list, and with one last glance at the sketches on the wall heads towards the door.]

I'll see you then.

[And with that, he's gone.]

"Yeah... good point." He trusts Lucas, but he does also know that the more people in on a secret, the more potential there is for mistakes.

"All the more reason for me to try to be a lookout for you, right?"

"Yes."

As simple as that.

And with that, he feels, they're done here.

"I will see you around, then."

"Yes. Thank you. I'll see you around." Max drops at the waist in a shallow bow then makes a quick retreat to the door.

It's a relief, actually, to be going now. He's done enough to satisfy Jackie without giving away anything about Lucas he isn't sure the Medium would want known. The perfect balance. No reasons to stay and try his luck further.

Well. This is going to be awkward.

Max has a few things to tell Jackie. He's been distant lately, distracted by the new levels his romances with Rowan and Lucas have reached and by all the interesting (and also terrifying) events that have transpired. He probably should have shown up at Jackie's door much sooner. But he'd put it off... And put it off. And now...

He knocks lightly on his Master's door. "Jackie? May I come in? I have something I need to tell you."

A lot of somethings, actually. Where to begin?

Jackie is, as so very often since they got their business, not home. Interior decoration is pure agony, who knew? So many choices! So many limitations! So many - what is a poor little Pander to do? Teal blue or pale blue? More glitter or rather large flat comic-like colours?

Choices, choices. You can absolutely get lost in them.

Which they kind of did. They barely remembered to eat. Luckily, these days, they have a snack at hand, so that wasn't as much of an issue as it could have become, but - right. Snack. Who's outside the door.

They get up to head over to the front door, spot Max, and immediately take his arm and pull him inside, gesturing at the chairs at the basins for washing hair. "Now as you can see, this black is atrocious. But should I go for a red or rather a green hue to replace it? Any thoughts?"

Something to tell them in a moment. They need to get his input on this one thing first.

"Huh?"

Max had psyched himself up so hard for this and now Jackie has thrown him for a loop with this question. He takes a moment to ponder it, hoping he won't lose his nerve now like he's done all the times before when he'd reported for 'snack' duty without confessing what he's been getting up to. But delaying it any longer will only mean Jackie gets more pissed.

"Oh. Mm. I'm not sure red is the right color for that. Some people might find it intimidating." Red being the color of blood and all. "You want people relaxed when they sit down for it, right?"

"That's true. Green is supposed to be soothing..." They eye the chairs critically, nod, and then give Max their full attention. "So, what did you come to tell me?"

Oh boy. His heart flutters in his chest. Here goes.

"Um. I'm really sorry. I know I should have told you abut this sooner. It's just... some things happened. And kept happening and I." His voice drops to barely audible, though for Jackie that won't stop him hearing it just fine. "I've let some other vampires drink from me recently...."

Jackie goes perfectly still at that - the kind of stillness that's perfectly inhuman, the lack of breathing and batting their eyelashes, but more important that lack of all the small things, all the miniscule movements that humans do every moment without thinking much about them.

"You what." And then they stop, abruptly turn their head as if they heard something and then swivel around and walk towards the stairs. "Come."

They're not having this conversation down here where someone might walk in at any moment, at least in theory. And, more importantly, where Max could just run away without any psychological hindrances in the way. Two flights of stairs might dissuade him without ever realistically trapping him.

Max's stomach does a flip-flop in terror. Yeah. He's definitely in trouble. Fuck.

Despite himself, he does glance back at the door. He's still only human. But then he hangs his head and obediently follows Jackie up the stairs. He'll stay quiet (except for the pounding of his pulse) the whole way up, and remain so when they get to the top. Until Jackie prompts him to speak again.

Once they've arrived on the top floor - which has gotten yet another new wallpaper since Max was here last, it's just so hard to decide - Jackie sits down in one of the chair but doesn't ask Max to sit as well. He's still perfectly still, only breathing enough to talk when he does so.

"Now tell me in more detail.

What did you do."

Max, for his part, is also keeping as still as a human can. And his own breathing has gone shallow, almost mimicking Jackie's, as well as a human ever can.

"I didn't tell any of them about you," he feels this is the most important thing to stress, right away. "All I've told any of them is that I have a master at home.

"The first one, Daia, was at the Halloween ball at the end of the night. I'd met him before, but I didn't know he was a vampire. He could eat cake and he wasn't cold. I completely missed it. But that night, I found him on the verge of collapsing from hunger. When he confessed what he was I... I couldn't let him die.

"But, he didn't bite me. Apparently, his venom turns you into a vampire at first bite. I cut my arm open and filled a glass for him. I saved his life. But he doesn't want anyone to know." Which should be good news for secrecy sake.

"The second one was... still an emergency but less dire. His name is Astarion. He says he's a vampire spawn. He told me he had a master who only ever let him eat from dead rats. And who... tortured him for disobedience. I felt bad for him. I offered to help but he turned me down at first. He said he'd keep hunting in the forest.

"Then I got a call from him. He told me he accidentally bit someone and almost killed him. He begged me to show him how to not accidentally do that again. He didn't know how to feed from humans. I didn't want him to hurt anybody else. So I let him feed from me. I think... I might want to keep doing that until he's really got a handle on it?" Max hazards a glance up at Jackie to see if there's a reaction to that.

"Then, well... the last one wasn't my fault, I swear. That feral vampire attacked me out of nowhere in the middle of the street. Edgar and...someone else I didn't recognize was there. They helped chase it off and got me to a healer. I'm fully recovered now."

That's all the vampires that have fed on him. But not exactly all the ones he's encountered yet.

"There's... one more thing. Lord Akeldama. He's new. He's... you might like him. I really like him. And I'd... I think I'd like to let him bite me too. If... you'd let me."

Max takes a big breath, finally, after spitting out all of that. Now, he stands in front of his Master, fidgeting nervously with his lower lip sucked between his teeth. How much trouble is he going to be in for all of that?

...that sure is a lot. Jackie just.

Isn't entirely sure how to respond for a moment. They need to process this first. So they buy a little bit of time. By leaning back in their chair, raising one hand so they can tap their chin with a finger, and raise one eyebrow. They make very sure that their face doesn't show any specific emotion.

"Is there anything else that you need to tell me or is that all, then?"

Edited 2020-12-06 09:46 (UTC)

ic inbox.

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Absolutely didn't typo love instead of lust absolutely not

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done!

Action

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