Voicemail (IC Contact Post) NEW

[abrightboy]

This is Bright. Leave a message.

Comments

Re: audio;

[malicieux]

The library seems a good choice.

{ Neutral ground and all that. }

Re: audio;

[abrightboy]

I can meet you there in about half an hour?

Re: audio;

[malicieux]

Yes, that shouldn't be a problem.

{ ... }

Thank you.

Re: audio;

[abrightboy]

No, i’m… I’m glad you called.

[malicieux]

Of course.

{ Lestat thinks they can wait until they talk before they decide if either of them are glad, exactly.

He does, however, make his way up to the library to meet Malcolm, feeling uncharacteristically nervous which is absolutely annoying, but he's doing a reasonable job of squashing that down. }

[abrightboy]

[Malcolm arrives shortly after he does and offers him a book. It’s an early edition of the Three Musketeers in the original French, from his own collection.]

I brought this for you.

[malicieux]

{ He's about to say hello, but stops as Malcolm speaks first, holding out the book. He glances down at it, and, after a moment of hesitation, takes it. }

Thank you. That was ... Unnecessary.

[abrightboy]

Maybe. But I wanted to. Consider it an apology. We got off on several wrong feet.

[malicieux]

A fault that can be equally shared by both of us. Shall we find a place to sit?

[abrightboy]

Yeah. There's a table just down the first stack that's private without being enclosed.

[malicieux]

{ Lestat finds it and takes one of the seats, crossing his legs and folding his hands in his lap. }

I've decided I'd like to try and pursue my graduation. I appreciate the chance to put things to rest, if not attempt to mend some of the bridge.

[abrightboy]

Neal set me straight on some stuff. I didn’t listen to him at first; I thought he was suffering from something we call Stockholm Syndrome after he was… in your care that first time. But he wasn’t. He considers you a friend. So I’m sorry. For assuming things about you based on that false premise.

[malicieux]

Neal and some others have been ... Remarkably kind and understanding. I doubt it would surprise you to learn that I'm a man who doesn't generally deal in friendships. The notion of it has grown foreign to me over the decades.

[abrightboy]

I can see how that would become… an instinct, when every interpersonal relationship that doesn’t implode is subsequently destined to end with them dying and you living, no matter how long that takes.

[malicieux]

One of the burdens of the vampiric condition. Though I came to learn quite quickly that people, regardless of mortality or immortality, will almost always let you down. So why bother placing myself in the situation to let it happen?

[abrightboy]

I didn't think living forever could sound any worse, but that did it. Is there an upside?

[malicieux]

I'm sure it's no different than the ups and downs of human life, just ... Longer. Myself, I enjoy witnessing the way culture changes over time and knowing I can see the world. The only time it's ever felt overbearing, I buried myself in the sands and slept for some years.

[abrightboy]

Can you just... sleep for decades if you want?

[malicieux]

Of course. I don't require oxygen to live, and my kind can't starve to death. There's some weakness upon waking, which is to be expected, but the experience is otherwise returning to a death-like state.

[abrightboy]

How do you wake yourself up?

[malicieux]

I imagine it just happens. There are lulls, where you're partially awake and know your surroundings. I was woken up by another, so I'm afraid I have no real answer.

[abrightboy]

A friend of yours?

[malicieux]

{ That gives him some pause while he considers it. }

He would probably say so. I'd be more inclined to call him acquaintance.

[abrightboy]

How did you meet him? I take it he knew what you were?

[malicieux]

We met when he awoke me. A vampire, as well.