maskormenacelogs | Stranger, if such disquietude be thine, / Fall on thy knees and sue for help divine.

Entry tags:

Stranger, if such disquietude be thine, / Fall on thy knees and sue for help divine.

WHO: Toby and Abduxel.
WHERE: To Be Determined.
WHEN: Aug 10-ish.
WHAT: Toby summons Abduxel to ask for some feeding times.
WARNINGS: Toby is a vampire, Abduxel is a demon. Toby is summoning Abduxel, which is guaranteed to get weird and possibly involve nudity. Also, death. Will update as necessary.

Once again, Toby stares into a mirror and doesn't see a reflection staring right back; instead, his own blood smears the mirror in scrawled out letters that spell a name: Abduxel.

He doesn't know how long he's been staring, thinking about whether or not he really wants to do this. The first and last summoning so far hadn't exactly gone well, but since paying up and getting drinks with the demon, Toby's wanted to think they finally are starting to get on.

Finally, he decides to just do it, since he's already come this far. "Abduxel."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The process is, for Toby, familiar. The blood bakes and burns to black, and the reflection of an apparently empty room clouds over with roiling dark gray smoke. Abduxel's face, when it emerges, is decorated with all his little demonic flares: black eyes, curled ram horns, and that toothy smile.

As always, he greets his summoner by name.

"Tobias," he practically purrs, fondly. "What can I do for you? Or did you just miss my handsome face?"

Toby offers a quick frown in response but quickly schools his expression to something more neutral.

"Maybe I missed it a little bit," he tries to muse. "But I guess I was wondering about the 'different magic' that's supposed to be payment for indulging in a meal."

While he's at it, he's also wondering about whether he's going about this the right way. Does payment for a trade have to happen only on Abduxel's terms, or can Toby just ask to get things over with now?

"Mm, I was wondering when you'd ask," he says with a warm tone. "But it isn't supposed to be payment; it will be payment."

He places a hand on the inside of the glass, sinking his fingertips through. "Shall I come over? I can only assume that now is a good time."

Quickly checking if his door is locked again—and it is locked, for the record—he replies, "So long as we're quiet, it should be fine. One of my housemates is a soldier and uses long-range weapons; she almost put an arrow through my knee. Best not to rouse her."

His gaze goes to where Abduxel's fingers are coming through the glass, where the demon grips at the mirror's edge to aid in climbing out. Although he recalls the last time, when Abduxel had extended his hand to shake on the deal, that doesn't make the sight any less strange or disturbing.

Abduxel begins to pull himself through, a process that really could stand to be faster, although it only takes a minute or too all-in-all. But it looks frustrating, like dreams in which you run through invisible molasses, as he slowly drags his limbs free. First are his hands, which grip whatever handle they can find purchase on. Once he's got his forearms out, he tilts his head to push his horns through; shoulders, chest, hips... He's completely naked, of course, and his eyes are pitch black and beady, his ram horns in full view. His skin is fairly pristine besides the dozens of huge white stab-and-slash scars across his chest, abdomen, sides and back. He's got a slender, narrow build, but he looks strong and fit enough, when it's all bared like this.

He doesn't pay that much attention to Toby while he does this, until he's twisted so that his bare bottom is sitting on the sink counter for better leverage, and he's still in the mirror up to high on his thighs.

"You can help me out, if you want," he offers then. "It'll make this a little faster."

Toby puts in good effort to hide it but is legitimately creeped out. Even if Abduxel's body is something to look at, the process of him crawling out of the mirror is... bizarre seems like an understatement.

"Yeah. Sure." His answer is sort of weak and resigned. Then again, this is stunningly weird.

Before stepping forward to assist the demon, Toby first gives him a once over and probably inwardly approves. Naturally, it's not something he'll mention aloud, but he does try to school his movement and expression.

"Just pull me out," he says plainly, waiting for Toby to grab a hold of him somehow. Actually, he's curious how the vampire will choose to do this: grab him by the shoulders, or under the arms, or bear-hug him? Only time will tell. Since the mirror itself is blackened over with smoke, no longer reflective, Toby can't see the little evil grin on Abduxel's face - although, let's be real, it's there so often it would hardly set off any more alarm bells than usual, probably.

Feeling awkward about all this, Toby... decides to go the bear-hug route if only because it seems the most efficient. So he wraps his arms around the demon, his grip tight but not vice-like, and bodily yanks him out from the mirror.

Abduxel, in turn, grips Toby's forearms as the man wraps around him, unable to suppress the small laugh it causes. He's pulled out quickly when helped this way, although Toby will feel the resistance second-hand, like he's passing through some strange membrane that faintly tries to suck him back in. Freed from the mirror, he pushes away from the sink with his feet so that he can stand.

"Thank you, Toby," he laughs.

Assuming Toby lets go of him, he turns to face the vampire and leans casually against the counter, with absolutely zero effort to cover up or be remotely modest. It just isn't a concern for him.

"I don't have my knives," he starts, and indicates his horns. "But these are pretty sharp."

He's getting right to the chase, lifting a wrist to one horn - but there is time for Toby to interrupt, if he wants to know what it is he'll be facing.

Once he'd managed to drag Abduxel out, Toby releases the demon and manages to look him in the eye rather than give him another once-over.

"Wh—wait. Wait," he says, stopping Abduxel from getting right to it. "Okay, normally I'd want to cut to the chase, but this time, I don't know exactly what the chase is. So... what exactly is supposed to be happening?"

He pauses, regarding Toby evenly, and then drops his hand back down, crossing his arms.

"You didn't include information in the deal," he quips, lightly, just to be an ass. "But I guess I can tell you. I've been wanting to try something. I can reach into your mind and take things, sure, but I can also put things there. Feelings, maybe, to start with. I want to see if I can make you happy."

He smirks, then, as he didn't mean it to sound like that. "I mean, to experience the feeling of it, prompted only by my magic."

Toby knows better than to expect Abduxel to mean it like that, but to prompt the emotion of joy or happiness with magic alone? In theory, that sounds nice; perhaps a little too nice for the demon. And that's why Toby very obviously looks guarded and wary.

"Really...? That somehow seems too good to be true." What's the catch? There must be a catch, but there's no point in asking. Abduxel probably would dismiss his question or maybe outright lie or... something. It's not like Toby would know.

"And all you'll have to do is start with blood, say an incantation, and it'll work out from there?"

The look he gives Toby is nearly chastising, but warmly.

"Giving people the illusion of happiness is not really a good way to be nice," he explains, with a little laugh. "I mean, the drugs that I sell do that too, and few people would argue that I'm doing the world a favour."

"But yes," he continues. "That's how it will work."

It's one thing when Abduxel is an asshole, another when he's somewhat decent. But it's absolutely frustrating and confusing when Abduxel is equal parts asshole and decent. Look at that strangely-caring chastising expression; what does it even mean?

"Not like anything beats true happiness and joy, but still. If they can't have it, people need to buy or rent... or pretend sometimes." Toby sounds confident enough saying this, but inwardly he doesn't feel nearly as sure about telling himself that maybe this is one of those times. "But I guess that just about covers it, yeah? Carry on, then."

He smiles and shrugs. "I don't see the problem with it, myself, naturally," he quips. "I love drugs. Loved them, I guess. What would life have been without them!"

He laughs, raising his hand up towards his horn again.

"But apparently I'm not considered to be a guru of morality," he says, even as he drags his wrist across the tip of his horn. Unlike the blade, it doesn't slice cleanly, as it's not nearly so thin and sharp; but it does the trick, and blood is flowing.

He mutters some words, looking Toby in the eye carefully as the blood cooks and burns.

The first moment might feel similar to when he pulls a memory. A sensation of heat, maybe, or a rush.

And then...?

The horn makes more of a gouge than a cut, and then Toby catches the metallic tang of blood. When he looks at Abduxel, Toby initially wears an expression of alarm before he suddenly seems to grow calm... or something.

Is it possible that Toby seems relaxed and confused? He isn't quite dazed or high, but he also isn't all there because of the strange and sudden disconnect in his emotions and his actual surroundings. His eyes are half-lidded like he's growing sleepy, but inwardly he's excited and elated.

He laughs dumbly, and it's indescribably off in that there's a stiffness or weight to his... joy, for lack of a better word. It's like watching a deflating balloon sputter into the sky, only in slow motion, and Toby isn't so much the balloon rising as much as the air propelling it.

"Have. You. Done... This... Off-tenn?"

Why can't his thoughts quite reach his mouth? What is going on?

Although Abduxel tries to school his expression, it's wide-eyed with intent curiosity, the eyes of a scientist finally measuring their last result; and when Toby reacts, it changes so minutely, eyes widening further, lips parting slightly.

It's got a touch of concern, a touch of uncertainty. This isn't quite the right result.

He responds delayed, with a distant tone despite his extremely intent look.

"No," he says, slowly. "This is my first try. How do you feel? Toby?"

Logically, Toby thinks that he'd like to feel concerned, but he instead lets out a gross series of tittering giggles in response. His emotions are taking off without him, reaching unparalleled heights of euphoria, leaving the rest of him to simply exist in complete detachment.

Or, almost complete detachment, anyway. His eyes seem to lock onto something that probably doesn't exist in the corporeal sense, and then seem to brighten. Normally, there's a something behind Toby's eyes—deadness, as Dorian had once described it—but that is now replaced by a kind of exhilaration. Gradually the rest of his expression seems to follow suit; he. is. happy.

"I. Don't. Know!" Despite the unbridled mirth in his voice, there's an indescribable something else that clearly indicates things are going terribly wrong. Toby is laughing and laughing, tears suddenly springing up in his eyes and trailing rivulets down his face, and then it's like he's choking—correction, he actually is choking or otherwise can't seem to get enough air. Whatever's going on in his mind doesn't make it to the rest of him, because he's far too enthralled for someone who is dying.

Abduxel is frozen there, arm slightly raised and marred by a large black crust of baked blood, staring at Toby dumbly. His mouth works like he's going to say something, but he doesn't. The giggles and uncontrollable elation are disturbing, although, he thinks to himself, at least it's in the right family of emotion.

"Maybe it was too much," he says, as if Toby's not listening, just before the choking noises begin.

"Toby," he says, loudly and firmly, trying to focus his attention, as if that will help. He claps a hand on the vampire's arm, in case that will ground him. "Toby."

Somehow, he manages to answer, "Yes... Matth...ew...?" during his choking fit, his mouth turned up in a dreamlike smile as he pats a hand over Abduxel's in reassurance.

Then he topples over, all the while looking smug and amused and disconnected. His body soon convulses, and the constricted choking noises seem to die down in his throat. His eyes are open, frozen in what could be a cheerful expression if the life hadn't gone out of them, and they still seem to be watering. Blood trickles out from his nose, coming out in a stream, but he doesn't seem to be breathing. His body is limp and heavy dead weight.

He grips uselessly at Toby's hand as the Vampire touches his own and then slips away, and Toby hits the floor with a thud.

"God fucking damn it," he curses, which is maybe a little ironic.

"Toby, really? Really?" he sighs, exasperated and just a touch frantic. He drops to one knee and, without thinking, puts a hand to where Toby's pulse should be, before he immediately realizes his mistake. "Fucking--" How do you tell if a Vampire is dead? He holds his hand in front of Toby's mouth, but... Did Toby ever have breath? He tries to think. It's not a thing he usually makes note of. He starts to slap Toby's face lightly.

"Come on," he says, slapping him with each word. "Come on."

Normally, Toby can demonstrate vampire equivalents of various human aspects. For example, he has the faintest something like a heartbeat that, on occasion, accelerate to the point he feels as if his heart's racing. He also has that limited ability to blush, and that other one to get a nervous lump in his throat whenever he's anxious, stressed, or overwhelmed. But one of his most notable aspects is that his breath, much like his skin, is strangely cool and sometimes slow, rather than as warm as its human counterpart.

But he doesn't have any of those things right now. No, he seems to have died grossly happy, for all intents and purposes.

"Shit," he whispers, and that's the last English word out of his mouth. Several minutes of blood and demonic chanting has him and Toby cloaked in layers of glamour, strenuous and difficult for him as he hoists the vampire awkwardly, and starts invisibly bumping his way out of Toby's residence, leaving quite a trail of upturned end-tables and knocked-about lamps, not to mention some minor blood-stains in the bathroom.

What the hell is he going to do with the body?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Stranger, if such disquietude be thine, / Fall on thy knees and sue for help divine.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

sorry i totally lost this tag somehow

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject