With a good criminal heart, hinting at things best left unknown.

[underachiever]

Who: Shikamaru and Seras
When: night of Saturday, January 28
Where: Fangtasia
Summary: Shikamaru takes an old friend out for dinner. (And you thought he was lying about feeding vampires...)
Warnings: Blood, I guess. Unpleasant conversation, maybe?


[He told her he'd meet her here. It isn't as if he's got a car, after all, and he'd only slow her down by foot. But he arrives at the club early, arranging a more private booth for the two of them that'll put some distance between them and the loud dancefloor. It's not difficult. He's practically an employee, if under-the-table.

He orders his usual (vodka tonic) and waits for her to arrive, keeping an eye on the front entrance.]

Comments

[bloodthirsts]

[There's an immediate return of that smile, warm and friendly as ever. She sits down opposite him and nods.]

It's fine. It's sort of, what I imagined but not. A vampire bar. [she laughs a little] Weird vampires being so open about themselves.

[underachiever]

Considering the variety of citizens here, sanguinarians are relatively normal by comparison.

[He passes the menu over, sliding it across the table.]

They've got all kinds of blood types, if you have a preference. Or if you want mine, I can just have them bring a glass over.

[bloodthirsts]

I'd guess so.

[She looked down at it, amazed because she never thought to be able to go out to a bar and have a drink like a normal human again.]

A glass of yours would be nice, please. How long has this been open?

[underachiever]

Not too long. Not a year yet, I don't think.

[Shikamaru gestures to the nearest server, and when the glass is brought over, he rolls up his left sleeve. He uses a knife of his own to slice his wrist open. He's a pro at this by now, so he keeps talking while he bleeds into the glass:]

The owner's a Newcomer, too. He's probably lurking somewhere around here... I can't tell if you'd love him or hate him. He's a weird, dramatic kind of guy. And really tall.

[bloodthirsts]

Have you been giving blood that whole time? You're not doing it more than is recommended for blood donation, right?

[Is that the sound of her fussing over you already, Shika?]

I guess I'll have to wait and see until I meet him. He can't be any weirder than my Master.

[underachiever]

'course I have. I was even donating to vampires before this place opened. Everyone was so suspicious about it though, like I was trying to trick them. But I'm good about it, don't worry. I take lots of vitamins.

[He pulls something from his coat - a vial of some kind. When the glass is full, he dabs the vial onto his wrist, then wraps a bandage around his arm. The whole process is very quick. He manages not to spill a drop of blood.]

[bloodthirsts]

[She nods, chuckling about the suspicion, watching as he takes the vial out. Curiously she wonders what it is for a moment, then assumes it's some kind of antiseptic to keep the wound clean.]

Thank you. [She reaches for the glass and takes a small sip, the taste is warm and familiar, bringing back memories of all the months Shikamaru helped her in Neo Genesis.] How long have you been here, exactly?

[underachiever]

Well, I showed up in late May of 2010. But I've died a few times since then. Some people say they go home when they die here. That didn't happen to me. Far as I can tell, I didn't go anywhere. But I was missing for a whole month when I died last summer and it made people think I was gone for good, 'til I turned up outta nowhere with all my memories still intact.

[He fusses with the bandage a little, then rolls his sleeve down over it.]

[bloodthirsts]

You've... died? [She puts the glass down for a moment, fang pressing into her lower lip for a moment.] That must have been horrible. Was it those darkness monsters?

[underachiever]

Nah, it wasn't them. And it wasn't so bad. Actually, as far as bad experiences go in this place, dying is one of the least painful. By the time it comes, I'm usually wishing for it.

[bloodthirsts]

[She's just looking at you, Shika, how casually you talk about it.] ... did you get yourself into trouble?

[underachiever]

Why's that how everyone always puts it, as if trouble's something I go looking for?

[bloodthirsts]

[Seras shakes her head.] I didn't mean it like that, Shika. I just... you know if you are I'll help you, now that I'm here. I can't help worrying about you.

[underachiever]

[He nods.]

Yeah, thanks. I know I can count on you. Though I think... most of my problems are taken care of now. You don't really have to worry.

[bloodthirsts]

I'll try my best not to. [She relaxes again, taking another sip of blood.] If you ever need me I can be there in a flash. [She touches his arm, just lightly and quickly, respectful of his boundaries.]

[underachiever]

[He looks up with a smile.]

I know you can. You're good at that.

[bloodthirsts]

[She grins at that, looking a little sheepish.] I -- yes. It was so odd when I arrived, that sudden rush of memories of my home. You must have had the same.

[underachiever]

Yeah. It was pretty overwhelming.

Was it nice, the stuff you remembered?

[bloodthirsts]

Not all of it. Things were in pretty bad shape back there... there were some good things to remember though.

[underachiever]

Did you forget a lot about NeoGenesis, too? All of us had trouble remembering specific people when we got here.

[bloodthirsts]

[At that she nods, glad she's not the only one.] Names and faces, it's like they became blurred. When I tried to remember details it's, um, fuzzy.

[underachiever]

[He nods.]

Don't worry too much about it. Whenever someone from that place turns up, it seems to jog our memories. I don't think we have to worry about something nasty sneaking up on us.

[bloodthirsts]

That's a relief at least. [Since she's sure there's at least a couple she'd want to know to rip to pieces if they appeared.] How many of us from Neo Genesis are there, here?

[underachiever]

For a while it's been just me and Nill. Yosuke's here, but he died last summer and forgot everything about us when he came back. Naruto just got back and he seems to remember everything. Itachi-sensei didn't know me when I first arrived, then he disappeared for a while and remembered when he returned, but he's gone again now. And my brother's been here a few times, but... well, it's complicated.

[bloodthirsts]

Yosuke... [She recognises Naruto and Nill's, feels like she should know the others. Seras nods.] I remember he was a little difficult to get along with sometimes.

Do you live with them?