OOM post: Urquhart and Moist talking vampires

[scots_wolf]

It's no longer as warm outside as it used to be, so Urquhart has settled back into his room. He's slouching on the divan, only half-dressed, slowly inhaling a large mug of hot spiced coffee, and chatting to Moist about all the things that have happened in the bar in his absence.

It rather feels like catching him up on the plot of a soap opera.

"... and he's totally smitten with the man," he concludes his tale about Orpheus, Steve Rogers and all the rest (the part with all the schadenfreude about Teja came first, of course). "I have no idea how much he knows about what Orpheus is up to. I mean, there's even this vampire. So I try and say nothing. I really don't want anything to do with the inevitable drama when it happens."

Ugh. People and all their feelings.

Comments

[morethanprops]

"A vampire and a man connected to gods, that will end badly. They both have strange ideas of how power works,"

The discussion reminds Moist of how he really should avoid Orpheus and Steve Rogers, they both seem powerful and as if complications follow them. He's also uncomfortable with how Urquhart feels so at ease talking about the world of the Bar this way.

This isn't a talk about who might be of interest or dangerous, its like the kind of gossip that people who live in the same place have all the time. Only really of interest if you're living in the midst of it, much less if you pass through, but Moist is good at listening.

[scots_wolf]

Oh, interest and danger do enter into it.

"I think Orpheus is the kind of man who grabs any opportunity he can see, follows every passing fancy," Urquhart says. "Oh, this exists as well -- let's try it! That sort of thing. He's not really useful for anything, but quite fun to be with. The vampire's probably just another thing he tried."

[morethanprops]

"Have you caught his interest yet?"

It sounds as if they would provide each other with a good time.

[scots_wolf]

"Oh yes," Urquhart says. "It was raining very hard, and I came in with the dog; we were soaked through, and the kilt I was wearing almost fell off me with the weight of the water, and Orpheus sort of saved me. Next time, I was outside roasting trout over a campfire, and he came and joined me. He's worth spending time with."

Beat.

"I don't know much about music, but he's really really good at what he does. When he played for me, I felt homesick."

Which is, of course, unheard-of in several ways.

[morethanprops]

"That sounds almost magical, but if he's connected with the gods, there probably is something like that involved."

[scots_wolf]

"Yes, something like that," Urquhart says. "He's supposedly got his instrument from the god Apollo."

Beat.

"His musical instrument, I mean. It used to be a lyre, but now it's apparently a guitar."

[morethanprops]

"Ah, that would do it,"

Definitely someone to be wary of and not get mixed up in as gods bring large and complicated troubles, worse than wizards.

[scots_wolf]

"But he's not just his instrument," Urquhart says. "He's just easy to be with. Nobody except that Goth could possibly take exception at him. You'll see when you meet him."

[morethanprops]

"Sounds like fine company,"

Moist is going to stay neutral, Urquhart is free to be with whoever he wants.

[scots_wolf]

"Oh, he is," Urquhart says. "Still, I wouldn't recommend anybody to get smitten with him, the way Steve Rogers is. It's something of a cognitive dissonance, I think. You could almost pity him."

He shrugs. He doesn't, personally. Just hopes to keep clear of the fall-out.

"Mind you, Eric the vampire is quite fun as well, but I know you don't like that sort of thing."

[morethanprops]

"That makes me sound like a fussy old man. Oh Uncle Alfred, he doesn't like that sort of thing. I prefer to not be looked at as prey by predators who have centuries to perfect what they do and see us as toys. Also I've met Eric, he's rather like the vampires from Uberwald, elegant and a clear predator."

[scots_wolf]

"You're nobody's Uncle Alfred, that much is for certain," Urquhart laughs. "And yes, Eric is like that, with a touch of the primitive and wild. He used to be a Viking, as far as I can tell. Some sort of Norse, in any case. Quite the experience."

[morethanprops]

"All vampires have that wild in them, some just hide it better than others. Well, you can't die again and don't have that much power for him to use, I'm sure he finds you a nice snack."

[scots_wolf]

"Oh yes, he does," Urquhart says. "And it's very pleasurable to be drunk from, actually. The danger actually makes it even more exciting."

He grins, daring Moist to disapprove even a little bit.

[morethanprops]

Moist raises an eyebrow at that, he dislikes being treated as a way for Urquhart to feel dangerous for doing something stupid,

"How exciting for you."

[scots_wolf]

"It is," Urquhart says. "No reason to get ironic, Uncle Alfred."

[morethanprops]

That keeps the eyebrow in place, he's a manipulator, he doesn't like when someone tries to play his emotions,

"No, of course not."

[scots_wolf]

Urquhart leans over to kiss him, amused.

"You're cute when you look like that," he says.

[morethanprops]

Moist returns the kiss but isn't terribly amused. He doesn't like being used as a way for Urquhart to get reactions.

Its also unnerving that Urquhart feels he knows him well enough to predict how he'll react.

[scots_wolf]

Urquhart still is amused, though. "Uncle Alfred," he says again. "Some people give themselves strange nicknames."

[morethanprops]

After the kiss, Moist looks at Urquhart to make sure he heard that right, apparently he's going to be the joke tonight,

"Am I meant to laugh?"

[scots_wolf]

"Sorry," Urquhart says. "I just found it funny at the time."

For one thing, Moist's name isn't Alfred. Coming back to the same place time and again, however, have made it so much his name for everybody's use, he seems to think of himself as 'Alfred'.

But then, Urquhart wants him to come back to this selfsame place, because that's the place he himself is more or less stuck at.

Urquhart reaches out to stroke Moist's neck. "Sorry," he says again. "I guess I'm just in an overly boisterous and reckless mood from all the hijinks recently."

And feeling a bit bubbly and elated about the fact that Moist is back. Could he possibly be a bit happy about it? Maybe Posner is right, and he does care after all?

[morethanprops]

"You seem to be, well I'll do my best to keep out of the way of your fun with the vampire,"

This is odd, Urquhart is really acting like he's soothing and making sure nothing changes. Clearly he has stayed too long.

[scots_wolf]

"Never mind him, actually, or Orpheus," Urquhart says. "They'll still be here when you're gone back to your world."

Moist definitely takes precedence.

[morethanprops]

And now apparently Urquhart cares when he goes back, yes, this has become too regular by far. Tonight he will be leaving before morning,

"They're of interest to you."

[scots_wolf]

"Well, they have been occurring here quite a lot lately," Urquhart says, "and Orpheus deserves a medal for the entire shenanigans with the Goth. You really should meet him -- Orpheus, I mean."

[morethanprops]

"I'll keep an eye out for him."

[scots_wolf]

"Do that," Urquhart says, leaning over again for another kiss, as this has probably been too much talking.

With Moist, it is sometimes advisable to not say more and let your body speak for you.

[morethanprops]

Moist does enjoy being physical with Urquhart and he'll have a good time. It's just that even that is becoming routine.

[scots_wolf]

Urquhart is very skilful to begin with, and knows well what Moist likes best, so he does his utmost to turn his bones to putty in what follows.

[morethanprops]

Which he manages and much later, in the quiet reaches of the night, Moist leaves to a less domestic setting.

[scots_wolf]

Urquhart is a bit astonished to not find him there in the morning, but then tells himself he doesn't really care, after all, and gets Franz for a morning walk.

Moist will be back. Eventually.-