Just making conversation. It's all relative here, isn't it?
[ It's not a proper interrogation. Carver doesn't have enough information to start one of those, or a hard objective. This is just a talk between strangers. He asks questions and he processes what he's given. Makes use of it. A country called The Dusk. The Factory. Class divides.
He takes it, processes it, tucks it away. ]
I was a soldier.
[ He doesn't touch his drink. Just holds it loosely in his hands. ]
[ Larus doesn't give any sort of answer to that first question. Of course it's relative, but there could be something there if someone digs hard enough. Little details that give away pieces of a person. He doesn't have anything to hide, though he does pause at the inquiry behind his occupation. It's not like he had much of one in life and certainly nothing had followed after he'd been turned. ]
I guess you learned to adapt. [ An idle comment, especially seeing as how Carver's world had been a different sort of undead. ] I didn't really have a job, but I spent a lot of time tracking and killing vampires.
[ For revenge, mainly, but he isn't going to offer that particular reasoning immediately. ]
[ Larus levels a particularly neutral look in the other man's direction. ]
It is when you can't hear their heartbeat. But they're also sloppy since they don't think anything can touch them.
[ Except for the sun, of course, but Larus has ripped out enough hearts and cut off enough heads to know that isn't true whatsoever. It only takes some determination. ]
[ There's the slightest nod in response to both questions. ]
It hasn't changed since you joined me. [ Larus pauses for a moment. ] I can hear everyone inside that has one too. I doubt either of us want to know what some of them are doing in those private rooms.
[ Carver snorts at that. He imagines most of what goes on in the private rooms is, to put it bluntly, extremely pornographic. It's just the way of things around here and anyone who balks or questions it is seen as strange. But this, now, this is different. Larus can hear heartbeats.
That's a very useful skill. That makes him a dangerous enemy by default. It would have made so very useful back home. And here, that's one of those interesting details that Frost will want to know.
Carver considers Larus thoughtfully. His heart rate doesn't change overly much at the confirmation. He's been trained to remain steady. ]
That's useful, though. I'm guessing that makes you a vampire too?
[ Just covering his bases. There might be all sorts of things that lead a person to being able to hear heartbeats where Larus is from. ]
[ At least it's some sort of response out of him besides more questions. Larus idly takes note of that, slowly sliding to the edge of his seat like he's considering something other than this conversation they're having. It's still early enough that he doesn't need to worry about the sunrise surprising him, but he hadn't wanted to spend the rest of his night in there either.
Larus looks Carver over once. If he'd been a soldier, maybe he'd been trained to keep himself steady in stressful situations. Not that this is one, but sometimes, he could make people nervous. ]
What would you do if I said yes?
[ It's not a secret. He's willingly told people what he is for the sake of having them know and letting them draw their own conclusions from it. ]
[ Hmm. Carver shrugs again, a casual gesture. He's got no need to make threats here. ]
I'd satisfy my curiosity. Never met a vampire before.
[ That he knows of. And it's true, more or less. Or at least for the moment. Grayson paid him for information, not for a direct confrontation or outright violence. That would have cost more. ]
[ But he says it like it's not something Carver should be happy about, though there really isn't much disdain in the words either. He is what he is, and for the most part, he's accepted that. Perhaps it would have been different if he hadn't, but Larus hadn't had time to question much of anything once he'd recovered enough to move. ]
And I don't know what it is you believe about vampires, but I'm not going to hurt you.
[ Unless he's put in a position where he has to. ]
[ It isn’t a surprise, given the topic of their conversation and the things Larus has said, or implied. It ain’t even all that surprising on the whole. Magic is certainly a factor now, and that’s just something Carver has to accept and find a way to maneuver around, or forever find himself at a disadvantage.
Carver just watches Larus, his gaze steady. His heart rate doesn’t change overly much. ]
You got any particular reason to hurt me I need to be worried about?
[ He's not so much interested in meeting Carver's eyes now, only doing so briefly before glancing to the side as a couple wanders by and continues on their way. Larus can hear part of their conversation, but it isn't of any interest to him since it's almost always about sex. ]
I didn't say there was a reason. I was just trying to reassure you.
[ He's not particularly concerned. Yet. That might change in the future. He's never had to go up against a vampire, doesn't know their tricks except from the books he's read and that shit might not apply at all. Larus can hear heartbeats, assuming he hasn't been spinning bullshit this whole time. Means he'll be able to tell if Carver's adrenaline spikes, track him in the dark. There are ways to compensate for that, but it's a new sort of fight, with different rules.
That just makes it interesting, doesn't it? ]
I'm not worried. Haven't given you a reason to do anything, have I?
Most vampires don't need a reason. Your heart beats, which means your blood is still good. [ larus sighs, reaching for his drink to idly move it to a different spot on the table. ] I'd rather not if I don't have to.
[ which doesn't mean he can't or won't, but right now, all they're doing is having a conversation. never mind that conversation is mostly one-sided, something larus has noticed. yet, it's not concerning since he had brought up the whole vampire ordeal. ]
[ Carver process that information silently. It doesn't feel like a threat so much as a statement of fact, which is more worrying. He doesn't know what a vampire could do one on one. Increased strength and speed, probably, if the books he's read have any basis in truth. Briefly, he wonders if the whole turning into mist thing is real.
Maybe. Maybe not. There's too much he doesn't know.
Larus hasn't knocked his drink back once since they got here. Neither has Carver, but he thinks that's for a different reason.
Details upon details. Carver smiles. This time, he drinks. Lets it burn on the way down. ]
I'll keep that in mind. Then again, nothing surprises me anymore. And I've had people try to kill me for less.
[ He shrugs. Sets his glass aside. ]
Appreciate the candor, though. You learn something new every day.
[ larus only watches him, taking in the smile and the way he finally drinks from his glass. like he's satisfied, maybe. like he'd gotten some sort of answer he'd been seeking. perhaps there's more to this than larus realizes, but so far, nothing has seemed too out of the ordinary. two people talking, exchanging information.
but it doesn't help that larus is certain carver can keep himself calm in situations like this.
more things to mull over once he leaves. ]
If your world is the way you've said, I can imagine. [ but anyway. ] I think there's plenty to learn in a place like this though.
[ It's as much a dismissal as any, which he doesn't mind because he's been ready to leave since Carver asked if he could sit. But Larus takes a moment to look him over, hesitating before he settles on something. ]
If you want to talk again, you know how to find me.
[ Meaning the usual methods of using the network since this isn't a normal haunt. He doesn't have any of those and probably won't. ]
Have this. [ Larus slides his untouched glass towards him. ] At least it won't go to waste.
[ And with a quiet 'good night', he leaves him sitting there alone. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
[ It's not a proper interrogation. Carver doesn't have enough information to start one of those, or a hard objective. This is just a talk between strangers. He asks questions and he processes what he's given. Makes use of it. A country called The Dusk. The Factory. Class divides.
He takes it, processes it, tucks it away. ]
I was a soldier.
[ He doesn't touch his drink. Just holds it loosely in his hands. ]
And then I was a contractor. You?
no subject
I guess you learned to adapt. [ An idle comment, especially seeing as how Carver's world had been a different sort of undead. ] I didn't really have a job, but I spent a lot of time tracking and killing vampires.
[ For revenge, mainly, but he isn't going to offer that particular reasoning immediately. ]
no subject
[ Human nature. You adapt to what's in front of you. He wonders if it's the same for someone who isn't human.
Probably. Carver figures some things just are. But the line about hunting vampires, that's interesting.
He cants his head. ]
That's a new one for me. Harder than tracking and killing a man?
no subject
It is when you can't hear their heartbeat. But they're also sloppy since they don't think anything can touch them.
[ Except for the sun, of course, but Larus has ripped out enough hearts and cut off enough heads to know that isn't true whatsoever. It only takes some determination. ]
no subject
That something you can do, hear heartbeats?
[ That's a new one. That's very interesting. ]
Can you hear mine?
no subject
It hasn't changed since you joined me. [ Larus pauses for a moment. ] I can hear everyone inside that has one too. I doubt either of us want to know what some of them are doing in those private rooms.
no subject
That's a very useful skill. That makes him a dangerous enemy by default. It would have made so very useful back home. And here, that's one of those interesting details that Frost will want to know.
Carver considers Larus thoughtfully. His heart rate doesn't change overly much at the confirmation. He's been trained to remain steady. ]
That's useful, though. I'm guessing that makes you a vampire too?
[ Just covering his bases. There might be all sorts of things that lead a person to being able to hear heartbeats where Larus is from. ]
no subject
Larus looks Carver over once. If he'd been a soldier, maybe he'd been trained to keep himself steady in stressful situations. Not that this is one, but sometimes, he could make people nervous. ]
What would you do if I said yes?
[ It's not a secret. He's willingly told people what he is for the sake of having them know and letting them draw their own conclusions from it. ]
no subject
I'd satisfy my curiosity. Never met a vampire before.
[ That he knows of. And it's true, more or less. Or at least for the moment. Grayson paid him for information, not for a direct confrontation or outright violence. That would have cost more. ]
no subject
[ But he says it like it's not something Carver should be happy about, though there really isn't much disdain in the words either. He is what he is, and for the most part, he's accepted that. Perhaps it would have been different if he hadn't, but Larus hadn't had time to question much of anything once he'd recovered enough to move. ]
And I don't know what it is you believe about vampires, but I'm not going to hurt you.
[ Unless he's put in a position where he has to. ]
no subject
Carver just watches Larus, his gaze steady. His heart rate doesn’t change overly much. ]
You got any particular reason to hurt me I need to be worried about?
no subject
I didn't say there was a reason. I was just trying to reassure you.
[ If he even needs that. He can't tell yet. ]
no subject
[ He's not particularly concerned. Yet. That might change in the future. He's never had to go up against a vampire, doesn't know their tricks except from the books he's read and that shit might not apply at all. Larus can hear heartbeats, assuming he hasn't been spinning bullshit this whole time. Means he'll be able to tell if Carver's adrenaline spikes, track him in the dark. There are ways to compensate for that, but it's a new sort of fight, with different rules.
That just makes it interesting, doesn't it? ]
I'm not worried. Haven't given you a reason to do anything, have I?
no subject
Most vampires don't need a reason. Your heart beats, which means your blood is still good. [ larus sighs, reaching for his drink to idly move it to a different spot on the table. ] I'd rather not if I don't have to.
[ which doesn't mean he can't or won't, but right now, all they're doing is having a conversation. never mind that conversation is mostly one-sided, something larus has noticed. yet, it's not concerning since he had brought up the whole vampire ordeal. ]
no subject
Maybe. Maybe not. There's too much he doesn't know.
Larus hasn't knocked his drink back once since they got here. Neither has Carver, but he thinks that's for a different reason.
Details upon details. Carver smiles. This time, he drinks. Lets it burn on the way down. ]
I'll keep that in mind. Then again, nothing surprises me anymore. And I've had people try to kill me for less.
[ He shrugs. Sets his glass aside. ]
Appreciate the candor, though. You learn something new every day.
no subject
but it doesn't help that larus is certain carver can keep himself calm in situations like this.
more things to mull over once he leaves. ]
If your world is the way you've said, I can imagine. [ but anyway. ] I think there's plenty to learn in a place like this though.
no subject
[ The case in point is sitting right across from him. Carver shrugs. A casual gesture. ]
I won’t keep you any longer. Always good to find enlightening conversation. Thanks for that.
no subject
If you want to talk again, you know how to find me.
[ Meaning the usual methods of using the network since this isn't a normal haunt. He doesn't have any of those and probably won't. ]
Have this. [ Larus slides his untouched glass towards him. ] At least it won't go to waste.
[ And with a quiet 'good night', he leaves him sitting there alone. ]