deercountry | February Catch-all

Ekko is good at making friends. Or maybe he's good at becoming friends with people who want what he wants. So far, he hasn't really made many friends since he arrived in Trench. Not among the Sleepers. He's got some good bonds growing among the workers in Darcmouth. Maybe it's because they remind him so much of Zaun.

"Me? None right now," he says, because it's true. "I've mainly been helping out at the docks, seeing what the folks around Darcmouth need. I don't need much myself." He then holds a hand out to motion to Mayerling. "What about you? You got everything you need?"

Mayerling nods, a familiar way of life.

"Should that change, and I may be of assistance, please feel free to reach out to me," he says. "I would like to help others, but as a vampire, it has nearly never been accepted."

It's hard to build friendship the way Ekko defined when people will not accept it. Asking and accepting Mayerling's help will help him as much in return.

"My primary need is blood, spun down as pills. Right now, I have a reliable source. However, if it were to disappear, I would... need another one urgently. A backup would reassure me," Mayerling says. "More the technology to spin down the blood than blood itself. Blood is... readily traded for here."

"I'll keep that in mind, thanks."

He means it. Mayerling may be a strange guy, even by Ekko's standards, with him being a "vampire," but that's not any stranger than a lot of things going on back in Zaun. He got over that part pretty easily. Really, it's the fact he comes across more like a Piltie than anything. But from what that dream showed him, Mayerling cared about protecting people, even from himself. That was enough in Ekko's book.

"Some people like to see someone and know one thing about them and think that means they know everything," Ekko says. "They think that one thing defines all of you. Guess that doesn't change no matter where you are. And if you don't mind showing me how the pills are made, I might be able to help you make something."

And maybe he's curious as to how you spin down blood into pills considering coldblood and darkblood aren't even liquids.

"You're welcome," Mayerling replies with good manners.

The worlds are many and varied. Many here, most even, do not have vampires known living among them. Their own issues along other lines shapes their societies and colors their experiences. His situation is hardly unique thematically.

"I will have to reach out to Viktor at Sanctuary to show you. He had already set up and mastered the task before I arrived here for someone else. I have gratefully able to benefit from the completed work. However, I will do so for both my sake and that of any other vampires that may come ashore. The better we can live together and coexist..." Well, the better off they'll all be.

"Viktor? Yeah, I can hit him up myself," Ekko says. "We're from the same place." In more ways than one, with both of them coming from Zaun.

"If you want a back-up station you can use if something happens to the one in Sanctuary, we could set something up in a different location that you can work yourself."

Mayerling smiles and lights up at the common background. "Oh! I didn't realize that," he says. People hardly walk around with name tags saying what universe they are from, even if for events like this they have profiles providing some information.

"I would be pleased with it being in another common location accessible to others beyond myself," Mayerling says, "though, if possible, not Lumenwood." There's too much blood there. He'd rather avoid temptation.

"Perhaps Outpost Haven. It's more likely to be safe should something hit Trench as a whole."

"Hm...sounds like a good idea," he nods. This is what he needs, really. A project to help someone--anyone. Like how he's been helping out on the docks. Something to do more.

"I'll hit Viktor up and talk to him about it. We're not friends, but we've been talkin'. I don't think he'd be against putting it somewhere more people can use it if they need it."

This is probably not the point of these "speed dates," but Ekko feels like they got a lot more accomplished.

His amazement and joy continue to radiate off Mayerling's face. Ekko, helping him! Anyone else who needs it too, but Ekko asked about help he needed. It means a lot, given how few times he's received help in so many years.

"I gather plants and hunt some fauna around Trench," Mayerling says, "I trade them for goods as I need them. I'm willing to contribute what I can to help finance the project." He was poor back home and is poor here. At least his needs are few.

Honestly, these speed dates are working out wonderfully.

"I've been helping at the docks," Ekko says. "So I get it. It's hard to know what to do when everything is a barter system, but we'll figuring it out. If anyone's looking for special plants that might work out for us."

He sits forward, looking pretty pleased to have another project for him to start on.

"Now answer me this: what's one thing you like about Trench?"

"I can also travel a ways outside Trench for more dangerous plants," Mayerling notes. "As long as the plants can be gathered at night. I'm... hard to kill."

He considers the question, but the answer's easy.

"I get to live among other people again," Mayerling says, "It's been thousands of years. That's... a long time to live alone. For nearly all of it, and among humans. That's never really been heard of, even in my family's sector."

Oh right. The whole vampire thing. He nods in understanding, because if he and Viktor can work it out, Mayerling getting the supplies they need is a fair enough exchange.

"You've really spent thousands of years alone?" he says it with a bit of awe and horror. He couldn't imagine it. He's been alone before, had everything taken away from him, but he picked himself back up and he found new people, new friends. He's never been that completely isolated in his life and has no idea what it would be like. All he knows it is sounds like hell.

Mayerling sighs.

"Interrupted by attempts to kill me," Mayerling says, "a handful of trades with the desperate who then threaten to kill me. Otherwise, yes. Millennia. Easily centuries and centuries without a word."

He gives a large exaggerated shrug because even such a motion cannot contain the emotions of such solitude or the number of conversations, debates, etc he's had with himself (or with the passages of books). "Before I came here, it had been six years since I saw another person," he says.

"That's fucked up, bruh." He says it easily, and maybe he should have more tact, but he's not always known for that.

"For real, that shit is fucked. Explains a lot about the dream, but at least it's not the same around here."

Mayerling smiles and almost laughs. He appreciates the honesty, true to Ekko.

"It is, yes. Sometimes, something incredible happens." He motions around them. "Like Trench. For all its flaws, it's wonderful to be here."

With that Ekko gives a bit of a shrug. "It's got it's ups and downs, I'd say. More ups if you work for it."

Like getting to reconnect with Vi and Jinx, helping at the docks and getting to know the lives of all the fishermen. Good's been happening. Some crazy shit too, but...more good than not, he thinks.

Mayerling nods. "I agree. More ups. I'm still working for them."

He does not want to press unwarranted on the young man's time. Yet. "My dreams may not be easy, but you are welcome to return if you wish."

His head tilts, eyebrows raised.

"You're the first person to give be a standing invite," he says. "But I guess I hadn't done a lot of helping until I started figuring things out with you. I'm still figuring out how to make the changes stick."

Mayerling has seen him at work--sort of--and so he isn't afraid to be honest with him about it. But he also feels...grateful, in a way, for the offer. Maybe it's a sign he's not failing at this as much as he thinks. He usually isn't someone who looks for validation, doing things on his own, by his own will, telling himself he's doing what he can as best he can. But...

"And I haven't tried to go into a dream without being pulled in," he admits. "I might be able to feel you out, but it might mean you keep having shit dreams so I can find you."

"Personal progress in your dreamer might be necessary," Mayerling suggests. It might also keep Ekko out of their dreams. If that's the reason, everyone might be able to live with that. A good reason to be forcibly kept out.

Mayerling shrugs slightly. After so many thousands of years, he's not concerned about the continuation of poor dreams. They're part of his life. Part of life as a vampire who does not wish to embrace their bloodlust. The struggle never disappears entirely.

"Remember, I sleep during the day. If you search for my dreams at night, you will never find me."

It still feels like an intrusion. The fact Mayerling was inviting him in was different. It did feel like they got each other, last time around, or came to some kind of understanding. He hasn't really talked to many people about this, outside of the people whose dreams he's walked into. Maybe the fact Mayerling is a lot more chill than he expected about this helps.

"Yeah I remember," he agrees. "But most of the people around here sleep at night. You sleeping during the day will make it easier to find you. Less dreams to avoid."

Those sleeping habits keep him from getting to know many people, but perhaps those that are Palebloods, those that walk dreams like Ekko, might some of them... walk dreams during the day? Another way to get to know people? Besides that more broadly, Ekko is someone Mayerling trusts more in his dreams than whoever else may wander through.

"Our advantage both," Mayerling notes, "They are often yet not always of blood. It is my curse that I will always long for it, no matter how well managed. However, it should not always rule my dreams." Even surrounded by blood as he is when he sleeps.

February Catch-all

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