He brings his hands together, to wring them a little guiltily at her question. "No... uh, not yet. It's upstairs and I'm not allowed to take you up there yet."
The door to their basement apartment is locked, and while Max has the combination and can come and go freely, he's been specifically told by Erik not to let her into any other parts of the house.
"I'm sorry. I'm sure that will change soon." As soon as the vampire has some assurances that she won't blast him away with her gift. "In the mean-time, I'll have to bring everything down here to you."
"Mm." It takes a lot to keep her from saying Great in a sarcastic tone, but she's already been kind of a jerk about his name so she's doing her best to be nice to the only person who can relate to her right now.
"Well, in that case, what am I supposed to do with my day?" Does Erik have some stupid schedule she's supposed to follow too?
He can kind of still hear it in her tone. But he not taking it personally.
"Now that you mention it, that's something I'm supposed to be helping you figure out. Normally, Erik and his second in command Josiah would lay out some expectations for you, but since they can't really...interact with you, I have to be the go-between." Lucky her, she doesn't have to be food for them either.
"I do have a fitness center down here, and a pool. It's small, but it's one of those with the current you can swim against. Do you like swimming?
"And, like I said, we can buy more entertainment. Books? Movies? Craft supplies? If you have any hobbies you want to try, now might be the time." He shrugs. It's not great but it's the best he can do.
"Obviously cooking is mine. But, I like to sketch sometimes too. I also really like audiobooks for when I'm working out."
"I guess swimming's fine, but I could do with a dance board. I like the black, round ones. And I'd need pointe shoes but that's a bit more difficult. Normally you gotta be fitted for those but, y'know. So I guess just a pair off the rack. Size 9."
If she's stuck here, she may as well get back into ballet.
He stands up straight and looks at her with a mixture of surprise and delight.
"Wow. You do pointe? I've always been so impressed with that."
He'll be fascinated to watch her practice. If she wants, she may even be able to coach him on how to execute a few lifts for her.
"I'll pull up an order for them right away. Consider it done. I can add leotards to the list of clothes we need to buy you as well. Speaking of, I'll need your measurements for that. I'm sure you don't want to have to wear my oversized clothes for too long."
Max takes to it with such enthusiasm that it nearly makes her laugh. Most men aren't interested in dance or what's needed to make it all happen. And those who do enjoy dance are mostly into hip hop and street dances anyway.
"Yeah, if you get me some paper, I'll write it all down. Shopping for women's clothes isn't easy, y'know. No two places seem to treat a size as the same measurements." Christine is going to have to write him a freaking chart about how a size 6 at this store is a size 8 at this one. And an XL at this overseas place is really closer to a small over here.
It helped her case a lot that Max, as part of his training to better serve his Master, had been instilled with an appreciation for older schools of dance and music. But, even failing that, Max likes to encourage a person's passions regardless of his own taste, maybe because he'd wished so hard for others to do that same for him when he was growing up in a smaller and definitively more conservative town.
"I've got a pad in my office. I'll get it and measuring tape for you shortly. But uh..." He looks a little embarrassed again. "The shopping will go differently than you think. A lot of your clothes are going to be bespoke."
"For real?" That's... pretty surprising. Why it should be at this point is a question she should be asking herself, really. It's clear that the two of them are meant to be happy little pets with only the finest things so they don't get too disgruntled about their situation. Having a wardrobe make specifically for her just fits right in with all that.
"Okay, well, whatever. It wouldn't hurt to get my measurements. I haven't done it in awhile."
"Master considers the way his Pets look to be a reflection on himself. I spend a lot of time on my appearance because, well, he wants me to look as good as possible when I'm out with him."
It doesn't escape Max's notice that this is creepy. Erik treats him like a prized poodle out for a walk whenever they attend events together. Sometimes complete with a real leash and collar. It should probably bother him more than it does, but he's come to like the attention.
"I can go fetch the measuring tape now?" That would at least be something productive for him to do.
His cheeks burn pink. Will it help her to see that he still has the capacity for some shame about this? It's disquieting to him how her reactions call to question just how complacent he's become in his own subjugation. Oh, how far he's fallen. He'll be contemplating that internal crisis all the way to the office and back.
When he returns it's with a clipboard, paper, a pen, and the measuring tape. He will start to unroll the last and then step in closer to her.
"Um. Would you let me do you, or do you want to do it yourself?" Phrasing Max...
Christine isn't a cruel person by nature, and she can see how some of what she's said already has affected him. It's honestly not because she feels some need to take her situation out on him — since he's here in it with her — but she feels she's reacting normally to what she's hearing and it's just not the same for him anymore. He's grown used to this life and everything that goes along with it, so her questioning his stupid name or the way he says "Master" is making him re-examine that, isn't it?
When he returns she gives him a look, unsure if he said it on purpose or just doesn't realize what he's said.
"I'll do it, thanks." A hand extends for the tape. "I'm gonna do it in the bedroom." Because she won't get an accurate measurement if she does it over her clothes.
He's having to take a hard look, right this moment, at what he's been party to. It's so easy to lose the sense of what's normal when his world has been shifted for so long. And now here she comes to try and set it back on its right angle and he isn't confident he knows which way is up anymore. This is probably not what Erik had in mind when he put the two down here together. He wasn't counting on her will being stronger than Max's, but he should have.
"Uh. No problem. Take your time. Just, um. Promise me you won't look in any of the bedside drawers. It's private."
The comment was made innocently enough, this time. But she might start to have some doubts if she gets curious and peeks into those drawers. What can he say? He's a man with needs and he lives mostly alone in the basement...
Christine doesn't answer as she enters the bedroom, but she turns at the door to give him her best annoyed look.
"Believe me, I don't want to go snooping." She can only imagine. Well, scratch that. She doesn't want to imagine. So instead she closes the door and removes her shirt and pants to get an accurate measurement. When she returns clothed once more — and having avoided the bedside drawers completely — she hands him the rolled up tape.
"36-30-37," she tells him. "Inseam is 30." Don't be judging her waistline, Max. She can't help she's built like a column.
He, in turn, looks genuinely apologetic. Note to self, take a little time to clean the space up and make some room for her. He's going to have to adjust to sharing. Not as much as she is, obviously, but he'll have to get used to a few things. Maybe he should invest in one of those standing screens people used to dress behind. And some more sleeping shorts while he's at it. No more sleeping nude.
He's drafted himself up a tidy little list of new purchases by the time she returns with her measurements. Those, he quickly jots down on the tail end of the paper.
"Great! Thank you. It'll help a lot, I promise."
There's no judgment here, truly. He thinks nothing of it. Though, if she asked him he'd tell her he finds her genuinely attractive. Situation being what it is, he's keeping any and all thoughts like that to himself unless solicited. Locked in with a strange guy who wants your measurements when there's only one bedroom is awkward enough already.
"Well. I think that's most of the... getting settled stuff figured out?" If it isn't, they have time to handle the rest.
"Do you mind telling me a little more about your, uh, unique gift? I know you can hurt vampires and that's why I have to handle everything, but I don't know the specifics."
Now that that's all settled, Christine isn't quite sure what to do with herself. She's had the tour of the only place she's allowed to be right now, discovered a shared love of baking, and has done what she can to ensure she has more to wear than what she currently has on. So when he asks about what she can do, it's at least something to talk about, even if the subject is far from her favorite.
"It's just sunlight," she says with an awkward shrug. "There's light and heat and I can sort of control it. Or at least I think I can. It doesn't just happen. I have to decide to use it." That's a lot of vagueness on her part, she knows. "The first time it happened, I didn't mean for it to, but it did and all those vampires got roasted so... yeah. It works."
Just sunlight? But it must be more than that. She can take out vampire's eyes with it, so it must be intense or... something? It's tempting to ask her to show it off. But he's a little afraid of it too.
And there's something else he wants to ask first. He thinks he already knows the answer, but he still needs to ask it.
"If my master were to come down here right now, would you use it on him?"
Christine settles back on one leg, crossing her arms and giving it some thought.
"I'm not sure. If I did, then I'd be leaving without knowing what's between me and the front door." Though — she supposes — if what's in between her are all vampires, she could just do the same to them. In theory, it would make sense to cut and run. But what if there are doors locked with keys that she needs first?
"Depends if he's coming to kill me. I'd defend myself."
Max crosses his arms over his chest, mirroring her. The vexing thing is that he knows what lies between her and and the exit. He could tell her, if he chose. But he won't. Can't. Because if she vaporizes his master then he's left defenseless.
Unless.
No. He shouldn't even be considering something this traitorous. But, it does stand to reason that if she can kill vampires, then she could keep him safe. It would mean trading one bodyguard for another. How would she feel about it? Surely she wouldn't want the burden of dragging Max around like dead weight attached to her for the rest of all time. No. No way. It's unthinkable.
"I can understand that. But, if he was going to kill you he would have while you were unconscious, don't you think? He wouldn't go through the trouble of settling you in here with me if that was his intention."
"You never know. He could be waiting for more info first." She sighs and looks away. Kept like a rat in a cage who might just be waiting to be experimented on, or worse. It's impossible to say.
"I can safely say I have no idea what goes on in the heads of vampires. I always tend to assume the worst."
"He could be..." He lifts a hand to the back of his neck, scratching at the raised skin there.
"I know it doesn't mean a lot coming from me, but Erik isn't evil. He doesn't hate humans and he doesn't take any pleasure in killing. He's not unnecessarily cruel."
His hands drop to his lap as he takes a seat beside her.
"He didn't have to keep me. He didn't have to spare me. I killed his sister. He could have killed me for that. Or, he could have let the others kill me for it. God knows a lot of them wanted to. He went out of his way to save me. He still goes out of his way to protect me and keep me happy. I'm sure it's very inconvenient for him sometimes.
"I'm not saying that instantly makes him a good person. I'm not that naïve. I just think... there are worse vampires in the world we could have been captured by. Maybe his intentions aren't noble, but they don't have to be bad either. Vampires are complicated."
"Complicated, but not like us." Christine looks him over seriously before turning her chair towards him, staring at him head on.
"Did he ask you if you wanted to be saved by being stuck in a basement the rest of your life? If he's so rich and powerful he probably could've taken you anywhere in the world and set you up in a new life where no one would know who you were or what you did." At least that's what would make sense to Christine. She can't help but think there's more to why Max is here living "safe and protected" but not free.
"Believe me, all I've ever wanted in life was to feel secure. In my job, where I live — all of it. I don't feel safe here."
Did he ask? No. Because vampires don't have to ask. They view themselves as above. They are not and never will be equals. And, though it's never been stated out loud, there's always been that subtle implication that Max owes something back. Erik isn't doing this for charity alone.
"Maybe he could have. And, maybe I'd have survived for a while. But the vampires that want to kill me have resources too. And motivation. So, maybe it wouldn't have worked, either. And I'd still be living my life away from my friends and family while always looking over my shoulder wondering if today would be the day."
For Max, this place is security. He's not built for a life of constantly dreading each shadow that falls behind him. But she's not him. She's not the same. And, he doesn't know what to do about it.
"I'm sorry." It's all he can think to say. "I truly don't think my master intends to hurt you but... You have every right to feel the way you do."
He stands away from her, no looking her in the eyes anymore. He's suddenly so tired. The excitement of her being here is now eclipsed by how drained he feels.
"I need to go upstairs for a little while. Will you please excuse me?"
"Sure." His explanation isn't really something she can easily refute, so she'll chew on what he's said for awhile. And it's not a bad thing that he's leaving her alone either. She can already tell that despite their similarities, they might butt heads on a few things.
Max makes his retreat up the stairs and through the locked door. His mind is swirling with all the possibilities ahead, both good and bad.
Erik wants him to report how the first awakening went, so Max goes to find him. Max doesn't hold back any details. He will recount everything as best he can remember it.
And so it will go for a few days. Max will do his best to make Christine comfortable and engage in conversations. Sometimes they'll make him a little less comfortable, but he soldiers through. And then Erik hears a report at the end of the night. In this next report, however, Max has a request as well. Christine can't stay locked in the basement forever. Erik grudgingly agrees.
So, that next morning when Max wakes, he doesn't go about the usual routine. Instead, he sits at the bar and waits for Christine to wake. When she does, he tells her, "Good news. We're doing something different for breakfast today."
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2021-02-02 10:42 pm (UTC)The door to their basement apartment is locked, and while Max has the combination and can come and go freely, he's been specifically told by Erik not to let her into any other parts of the house.
"I'm sorry. I'm sure that will change soon." As soon as the vampire has some assurances that she won't blast him away with her gift. "In the mean-time, I'll have to bring everything down here to you."
(no subject)
Date: 2021-02-04 10:43 pm (UTC)"Well, in that case, what am I supposed to do with my day?" Does Erik have some stupid schedule she's supposed to follow too?
(no subject)
Date: 2021-02-08 03:15 am (UTC)"Now that you mention it, that's something I'm supposed to be helping you figure out. Normally, Erik and his second in command Josiah would lay out some expectations for you, but since they can't really...interact with you, I have to be the go-between." Lucky her, she doesn't have to be food for them either.
"I do have a fitness center down here, and a pool. It's small, but it's one of those with the current you can swim against. Do you like swimming?
"And, like I said, we can buy more entertainment. Books? Movies? Craft supplies? If you have any hobbies you want to try, now might be the time." He shrugs. It's not great but it's the best he can do.
"Obviously cooking is mine. But, I like to sketch sometimes too. I also really like audiobooks for when I'm working out."
(no subject)
Date: 2021-02-09 01:30 am (UTC)If she's stuck here, she may as well get back into ballet.
(no subject)
Date: 2021-02-15 03:15 am (UTC)"Wow. You do pointe? I've always been so impressed with that."
He'll be fascinated to watch her practice. If she wants, she may even be able to coach him on how to execute a few lifts for her.
"I'll pull up an order for them right away. Consider it done. I can add leotards to the list of clothes we need to buy you as well. Speaking of, I'll need your measurements for that. I'm sure you don't want to have to wear my oversized clothes for too long."
(no subject)
Date: 2021-02-16 11:15 pm (UTC)"Yeah, if you get me some paper, I'll write it all down. Shopping for women's clothes isn't easy, y'know. No two places seem to treat a size as the same measurements." Christine is going to have to write him a freaking chart about how a size 6 at this store is a size 8 at this one. And an XL at this overseas place is really closer to a small over here.
(no subject)
Date: 2021-02-22 01:35 am (UTC)"I've got a pad in my office. I'll get it and measuring tape for you shortly. But uh..." He looks a little embarrassed again. "The shopping will go differently than you think. A lot of your clothes are going to be bespoke."
(no subject)
Date: 2021-02-22 03:57 am (UTC)"Okay, well, whatever. It wouldn't hurt to get my measurements. I haven't done it in awhile."
(no subject)
Date: 2021-02-23 09:13 pm (UTC)It doesn't escape Max's notice that this is creepy. Erik treats him like a prized poodle out for a walk whenever they attend events together. Sometimes complete with a real leash and collar. It should probably bother him more than it does, but he's come to like the attention.
"I can go fetch the measuring tape now?" That would at least be something productive for him to do.
(no subject)
Date: 2021-02-25 12:17 am (UTC)"Please don't ever say that again. I may throw up."
She doesn't ever want to get to a point where words like that seriously exit her mouth. Sarcastically? Mockingly? Sure. But not in an accepting way.
Waving a hand in the air, she adds, "Fine; I'll be here." Not like she can go anywhere else, except back to the bedroom.
(no subject)
Date: 2021-02-28 09:41 pm (UTC)His cheeks burn pink. Will it help her to see that he still has the capacity for some shame about this? It's disquieting to him how her reactions call to question just how complacent he's become in his own subjugation. Oh, how far he's fallen. He'll be contemplating that internal crisis all the way to the office and back.
When he returns it's with a clipboard, paper, a pen, and the measuring tape. He will start to unroll the last and then step in closer to her.
"Um. Would you let me do you, or do you want to do it yourself?" Phrasing Max...
(no subject)
Date: 2021-03-01 08:42 pm (UTC)When he returns she gives him a look, unsure if he said it on purpose or just doesn't realize what he's said.
"I'll do it, thanks." A hand extends for the tape. "I'm gonna do it in the bedroom." Because she won't get an accurate measurement if she does it over her clothes.
sorry for the delay, time got away from me
Date: 2021-03-05 07:04 pm (UTC)"Uh. No problem. Take your time. Just, um. Promise me you won't look in any of the bedside drawers. It's private."
The comment was made innocently enough, this time. But she might start to have some doubts if she gets curious and peeks into those drawers. What can he say? He's a man with needs and he lives mostly alone in the basement...
no worries! i've been slow too
Date: 2021-03-12 07:53 pm (UTC)"Believe me, I don't want to go snooping." She can only imagine. Well, scratch that. She doesn't want to imagine. So instead she closes the door and removes her shirt and pants to get an accurate measurement. When she returns clothed once more — and having avoided the bedside drawers completely — she hands him the rolled up tape.
"36-30-37," she tells him. "Inseam is 30." Don't be judging her waistline, Max. She can't help she's built like a column.
i don't mind, busy month for me
Date: 2021-03-18 12:16 am (UTC)He's drafted himself up a tidy little list of new purchases by the time she returns with her measurements. Those, he quickly jots down on the tail end of the paper.
"Great! Thank you. It'll help a lot, I promise."
There's no judgment here, truly. He thinks nothing of it. Though, if she asked him he'd tell her he finds her genuinely attractive. Situation being what it is, he's keeping any and all thoughts like that to himself unless solicited. Locked in with a strange guy who wants your measurements when there's only one bedroom is awkward enough already.
"Well. I think that's most of the... getting settled stuff figured out?" If it isn't, they have time to handle the rest.
"Do you mind telling me a little more about your, uh, unique gift? I know you can hurt vampires and that's why I have to handle everything, but I don't know the specifics."
(no subject)
Date: 2021-03-19 06:05 pm (UTC)"It's just sunlight," she says with an awkward shrug. "There's light and heat and I can sort of control it. Or at least I think I can. It doesn't just happen. I have to decide to use it." That's a lot of vagueness on her part, she knows. "The first time it happened, I didn't mean for it to, but it did and all those vampires got roasted so... yeah. It works."
(no subject)
Date: 2021-03-25 05:26 pm (UTC)And there's something else he wants to ask first. He thinks he already knows the answer, but he still needs to ask it.
"If my master were to come down here right now, would you use it on him?"
(no subject)
Date: 2021-03-29 08:22 pm (UTC)"I'm not sure. If I did, then I'd be leaving without knowing what's between me and the front door." Though — she supposes — if what's in between her are all vampires, she could just do the same to them. In theory, it would make sense to cut and run. But what if there are doors locked with keys that she needs first?
"Depends if he's coming to kill me. I'd defend myself."
(no subject)
Date: 2021-04-07 02:46 pm (UTC)Unless.
No. He shouldn't even be considering something this traitorous. But, it does stand to reason that if she can kill vampires, then she could keep him safe. It would mean trading one bodyguard for another. How would she feel about it? Surely she wouldn't want the burden of dragging Max around like dead weight attached to her for the rest of all time. No. No way. It's unthinkable.
"I can understand that. But, if he was going to kill you he would have while you were unconscious, don't you think? He wouldn't go through the trouble of settling you in here with me if that was his intention."
(no subject)
Date: 2021-04-09 08:18 pm (UTC)"I can safely say I have no idea what goes on in the heads of vampires. I always tend to assume the worst."
(no subject)
Date: 2021-04-14 03:20 pm (UTC)"I know it doesn't mean a lot coming from me, but Erik isn't evil. He doesn't hate humans and he doesn't take any pleasure in killing. He's not unnecessarily cruel."
His hands drop to his lap as he takes a seat beside her.
"He didn't have to keep me. He didn't have to spare me. I killed his sister. He could have killed me for that. Or, he could have let the others kill me for it. God knows a lot of them wanted to. He went out of his way to save me. He still goes out of his way to protect me and keep me happy. I'm sure it's very inconvenient for him sometimes.
"I'm not saying that instantly makes him a good person. I'm not that naïve. I just think... there are worse vampires in the world we could have been captured by. Maybe his intentions aren't noble, but they don't have to be bad either. Vampires are complicated."
(no subject)
Date: 2021-04-16 06:35 pm (UTC)"Did he ask you if you wanted to be saved by being stuck in a basement the rest of your life? If he's so rich and powerful he probably could've taken you anywhere in the world and set you up in a new life where no one would know who you were or what you did." At least that's what would make sense to Christine. She can't help but think there's more to why Max is here living "safe and protected" but not free.
"Believe me, all I've ever wanted in life was to feel secure. In my job, where I live — all of it. I don't feel safe here."
(no subject)
Date: 2021-04-23 02:21 am (UTC)"Maybe he could have. And, maybe I'd have survived for a while. But the vampires that want to kill me have resources too. And motivation. So, maybe it wouldn't have worked, either. And I'd still be living my life away from my friends and family while always looking over my shoulder wondering if today would be the day."
For Max, this place is security. He's not built for a life of constantly dreading each shadow that falls behind him. But she's not him. She's not the same. And, he doesn't know what to do about it.
"I'm sorry." It's all he can think to say. "I truly don't think my master intends to hurt you but... You have every right to feel the way you do."
He stands away from her, no looking her in the eyes anymore. He's suddenly so tired. The excitement of her being here is now eclipsed by how drained he feels.
"I need to go upstairs for a little while. Will you please excuse me?"
(no subject)
Date: 2021-04-26 12:04 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2021-05-01 10:35 am (UTC)Erik wants him to report how the first awakening went, so Max goes to find him. Max doesn't hold back any details. He will recount everything as best he can remember it.
And so it will go for a few days. Max will do his best to make Christine comfortable and engage in conversations. Sometimes they'll make him a little less comfortable, but he soldiers through. And then Erik hears a report at the end of the night. In this next report, however, Max has a request as well. Christine can't stay locked in the basement forever. Erik grudgingly agrees.
So, that next morning when Max wakes, he doesn't go about the usual routine. Instead, he sits at the bar and waits for Christine to wake. When she does, he tells her, "Good news. We're doing something different for breakfast today."
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