[open-ish] pain is supposed to heal with time

[eaudevamp]

Who: Reign Fear (eaudevamp) & Friends/Anyone
What: Hostage/rescue aftermath
When: 24th onwards
Where: His home, the Institute, Thesa Station, Shades Darker
Warning(s): Sad vampire, mentions of death, self-inflicted pain/BDSM, possible smut?

[ It had been a few days since the hostages were rescued, but Reign didn't feel like he'd achieved much despite managing to save them with the help of other rescuers. It was a combined effort that should have been a success, but the group Reign was in didn't quite manage so. They had guessed the wrong location, and thus lost precious time to find the correct place. But that was done now, and the extremists either escaped or were killed/apprehended, Reign didn't care.

No, he truly did care, but he found it hard to actually do so when some of his friends had ended up as hostages. That, he could deal with, but not death. It was a strange and unfamiliar situation for him to face, and thus it hit him harder than he expected.

For the next few days, Reign lived his life almost like a literally zombie, looking like an undead (though he really wasn't). He mostly shut himself up in his home, spending a bit of time with his pet giraffe, Scorch, or dabbling in his perfume research and creation in an attempt to get his mind off the pain eating into him. Sometimes he replied to messages sent to him, other times they went ignored. And yet life still must go on, so Reign returned to the Institute to work, sometimes stopping by to look into a particular office in the hopes of seeing a certain demon. But it wasn't enough.

So when travelling up to Thesa Station was finally available, Reign headed straight for the pods, standing or sitting in front of one pod containing a blond man. Anyone who noticed would either see him crying, whether silently or wailing his heart out, or mumbling and telling his friend about the events that had occurred. However, the pain didn't lessen, and so at night, Reign would go to Shades Darker for a special event, a night meant for patrons to partake in some BDSM play in one of the backrooms decorated in a dungeon setting. He allowed himself to be blindfolded, his wrists bounded to chains hanging from the ceiling, shirtless and displaying strips of red welts from an earlier session. At least this kind of pain would numb him, even if only for a while. Who's next? ]

[[ OOC : If you would like a specific starter, hit me up at miershyk ]]

Comments

[notsolomon]

[A year or so ago, he'd have called you a lying liar who lies Reign.]

Hmmm, I see. So you metabolize blood better then...

[Nothing so romantic as that Reign. It's science. Though he would take him to dinner for science/to stuff his own face.]

Do you just bit people, or use a more elegant method?

[eaudevamp]

[ Reign was mostly speaking the truth, though. Only recently was he able to consume some human food. He still had to rely on human blood, and while normal food occasionally didn't agree with him, it wasn't as if he couldn't sample some.

For example, Atsushi's blood-infused mochi was somewhat manageable. ]

That's right.

[ And human flesh as well, though Reign made sure to exclude that fact. Besides, it was usually the Blood Lords who were allowed to consume human flesh, and even if Reign were to inherit that title from his father, he couldn't fathom ever eating it.

Whatever William decided to treat Reign for would be fine with him. ]

I tend to prefer drinking from a proper glass. Biting people is just so unrefined, but I know how some like it. It's the easiest way if there isn't any tools for blood-letting.

[ Reign glanced towards the pod containing his best friend, wondering what would Shell think about this new world and its rules. ]

I rather not bite if I can help it, not unless it's offered.

[notsolomon]

[He can accept such things now, truth be told, especially if he thinks there's actual logic behind it. And it seems like there probably is.]

A very limited diet though. I suppose animal blood isn't enough...

[He'll figure out something for them. Maybe even find out if there is a way to get them to cater to his friend's dietary restriction. It's no fun if only one of them is indulging.]

You mean you would just let blood right there? They do not do transfusions where you are from? Granted, I hadn't thought about whether or not they do that here or not. Though you have manners about it at least. Not like the ones in the stories.

[He followed Reign's glance.]

You and him are both the same huh? Drinking blood like that.

[eaudevamp]

[ Reign wrinkled his nose at the mention of animal blood, shaking his head. ]

I can't really stomach it, though if I force myself to...

[ Funny how he managed to take a few sips of dragons blood previously during that whole ritual thing from a prior mission. He knew how much Shell had suffered trying to change his diet to animal blood instead. It hadn't been pretty. ]

Oh, we do have them back in my world. Humans donate their blood, and the grade of it determines the quality of their life. [ Though it didn't make much difference, merely more food rations, etc. Reign also didn't want to bring up the part on how most vampires just straight up bite humans instead. Or eat them. ]

Shell... Well... He has a reputation to uphold, so... But yes, we're quite the same, though not many knows what he truly is.

[ Reign didn't dare imagine if the other vampires from their world woke and found out that Shell was an "abnormal" like him. That could spell disaster. ]

But he's a really nice person, and I'm sure you'll like him.

[notsolomon]

[Reign's reaction to animal blood was totally unvampiric. It was charming, though William shouldn't have been surprised. Back home, he had learned that demons grieved and loved just as strongly as any human. Perhaps the idea of humanity as a state of emotional and moral being was mistaken.]

The quality of life? Dare I even ask? [Because he suspected the answer might appall him a little.]

He's a person of rank then, but too soft for where you are from? [He frowned. He could understand to an extent, having been among the privileged himself. You learned what you had to hide of yourself early on.]

Well if you speak so highly of him, he must be. Like company keeps like. Usually.

[eaudevamp]

[ Did William know about Reign being an Abnormal? That was even less unvampiric. Would William judge him on that? Make him less of a vampire?

Reign winced at the question, and decided he might as well be truthful about certain matters. ]

In terms of... their food rations, for example. If some humans are deemed to have high quality blood, they're bred and raised as an Art, receiving better privilege than other humans.

[ Don't hate him!!! ]

He doesn't show it outwardly, though. Nobody knows about his true nature except for a select few, including me. It's... not easy for our kind. [ His lips quirked, almost sad as he reached out and touched the glass of the pod containing Shell. ] I hope he wakes soon.

[notsolomon]

[If William knew exactly what being an Abnormal entailed, he probably would be a little shocked, but at the same time, it's not like he's not encountered such people back home]

That sounds like a rather grim situation. [He sighed, not sure how to react for a moment.] I suppose the powerful throw their weight around in all worlds.

[He doesn't!]

I can imagine so. It's never easy when you don't conform. [William glanced at the young man in the tube, too handsome looking to be a vampire. Much like Reign honestly. Though he did look gentle.] I hope he does too. More for your sake than his though.

[eaudevamp]

[ Since coming to Nysa, Reign found that being an Abnormal wasn't so strange. They were people with such preferences, and they could usually be found in the red light district. Though perhaps it was uncommon amongst his vampire kind, that's all.

He shrugged at William's observation, not denying it. ]

That's one similarity.

[ The strong rule the weak, dictating laws and how the minority should live. Reign would have continued living blissfully in obliviousness if Shell hadn't discovered the horrible truth about the pact between Blood Lords. They had One to thank for telling Shell. ]

Thank you, William. [ He took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly in a sigh. ] I've stayed here long enough, and I doubt Shell would be pleased if I disregarded my well-being.

[notsolomon]

[Being a vampire sounded hard and kind of depressing. If your people can't accept that simple debauchery of that sort exists, then they're already lost.]

Has it always been like that? Or was it a more recent development? Because where I am from, the old order of supernaturals is likely going to fall before simple progress.

[He nodded though.] Yes, dwelling here over long would be an ill thing I think. Nostalgia is good, but a man needs to live.

[eaudevamp]

[ Sometimes Reign wondered if vampires were any different from humans, or other living beings. Uphold the majority, reject the minority. That seemed to be the norm. ]

Indeed it has, at least ever since our vampire kind emerged since the apocalypse that plunged the world to darkness. I'm not certain myself how it all began, but the vampires started to rule humans. It's not so different amongst vampires too. Many of the weaker ones or those who fell from grace are exiled to the slums.

[ Reign was just lucky he wasn't subjected to the same fate, being an Abnormal and all.

He tried to muster a smile, then doing another attempt, this time more natural. ] You're right. I wouldn't want Shell to see me in this state if he wakes. [ He began to walk towards the exit, inviting William to join him. ] What about you? Have you been well?

[notsolomon]

Sounds like a problem just waiting to happen all of that. Though I suppose I know too little of your world to otherwise form an opinion.

[Curious though, that people would let themselves just be servile under people who drank their blood.]

I am sure if he is a good enough friend, he would just be concerned. [William said as he followed along.] But I am fine enough. As well as anyone can be in this place. It's just... very far from everything else I've known.

[eaudevamp]

[ Would anyone ever truly understood each other's world. Perhaps this was something all of them as refugees had to learn, as well as teach the natives. More so if the recent events had taught them anything.

As for the humans in Reign's world, it was more due to the vampires using their pheromones to strike fear in them, enabling the humans to be easily manipulated and control. Reign didn't know if he should let William know about his ability.

For now, they made their way out of the stasis room. ]

I'm sure it's the same for all of us. Now then, is there some place you would like to head to? [ Reign wouldn't mind tagging along. He didn't really have much to do now, though he would also like to return home, return to Scorch. His pet giraffe probably missed him. ]

[notsolomon]

[Understanding came with time, as did all things. Honestly, man didn't even understand his own neighbors sometimes. But they had to try, especially here, in this place.

And pheromones, that would be an interesting concept for him. He's used to the notion that people do fairly sketchy things.

But it's a relief to be out of that silent tomb for the living.]

Why not the lounge? It's as relaxing as any other place here. [In this artificial construct, no where was truly relaxing, even though this place was safer than down below.]

[eaudevamp]

[ Perhaps one day Reign would tell William more about himself. But now was not the time, not when he was still grieving for the death of his friends. If only he knew the Natha would bring them back. ]

All right. Sounds good to me.

[ By now, Reign was slightly in a better mood as they headed for the lounge. Diva's words came back to haunt him, reminding him that he still had friends who were alive and needed him, console him, be his companion.

It was better than being alone. ]