deercountry | [Open] Long and Weary

Entry tags:

[Open] Long and Weary

Who: D, his Left Hand, and anyone
What: D arrives and wanders around and behaves strangely.
When: Early May
Where: Various places.

Content Warnings:: None in the prompts, will be added to subject lines as needed

Just after arriving in town for the first time

Outwardly, D was perfectly calm and collected despite having just washed up on a beach as a squid. He was dressed in his familiar hat and heavily patched great coat, his sword on his back and his blue pendant around his neck.

There was no sign that this was anything other than an ordinary day for him, except perhaps the fact that he was carrying a saddle and attached saddlebag over his left shoulder. That, and every now and then the fingers of his left hand would twitch.

While looking for somewhere suitable to store the saddle for which he had no use and to claim as a place to stay, a strange noise came from the vicinity of his hand and the saddle slipped from his grasp. Rather than immediately pick up the saddle, D flexed the ungloved fingers of his left hand and squeezed his hand into a tight fist a few times.

Watching the rain around town, a couple days after arriving

D had been around the city, but mostly kept out of plain view, visible often only as a dark figure blending in with the shadow of whatever was near. He wore his normal dark clothing, but now the robe he'd been given when he arrived was worn outside the heavy coat, and still wearing a glove only on his right hand.

Reassured of his self control, D ventured into areas with more people. He found unobtrusive places around more populated areas of the city to stand and observe, seemingly paying attention only to the rain. None of myriad of insects present throughout the city would come within a few feet of him. When they drew too close, they would suddenly decide to fly very quickly away from him.

When the rain was finished, D would move on to find another location to observe, but his steps caused not even a slight ripple when he stepped on a puddle.

Practice makes perfect, in a deserted, previously quiet alleyway

Even the slight changes in this existence were enough to have D test out his abilities and test the thousands of years he'd honed his skill and precision. D was still cautious and alert; he wasn't going to practice while anyone was watching. His senses were acute enough to catch the faint sounds of footsteps, or breathing, or even a heartbeat approaching over the soft sound of fracturing stone that echoed through the evening air.

D wasn't going to let people stop, but he also wasn't going to flee, either. Anyone who followed the sound of stone breaking, sharp but not too loud, would find D still in the location he'd chosen for his practice. He was calm and unmoving, his attention on a large block of quarried stone which had once likely been part of a larger structure.

The surface of the stone was no longer even, rough-hewn wooden needles protruding at various lengths and with cracks radiating out. They formed a grid pattern so unnervingly precise from center to center of each needle that they could have been used for measurement.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Reaper was slowly venturing out from under the care of Darth Maul into the city, though the insects were something. He was back to his own observation from the shadows, and the rain meant that he had to actually put effort into remaining obscure rather than relying on any of his powers. He thankfully was back into his normal garb of thick trench coat and armour with skull mask adorned to cover his features.

It wasn't odd to find other beings lurking in the shadows, given how many that Trench actually had. However, most beings were there for nefarious purposes or illegal trade, not usually general recon of the population. So him finding another being just watching piqued his interest. That hat didn't hurt either.

"What are you doing in my prime real estate?" His voice was a growl thanks to scarring, but he eased out of a shadow as the newcomer arrived in a new spot.

D was untouched by the insects as he arrived. In fact, none of them would come within three feet of him, leaving D unbothered by the ever-present pests. He turned his head slowly towards the growling voice, and gave no sign if he was surprised to find this shadow occupied or not.

His eyes lingered on the mask, the stylistic skull design was longer than but very similar to the small decoration adorning the cross piece of D's sword.

"It looked like a good place to wait out the rain. Was I mistaken?" D's voice was smooth and calm, lacking in any emotion. He didn't reach for the slightly curving longsword on his back or any other weaponry.

Reaper still wasn't in much condition to be picking active fights thus far, since it would force him to rely on his powers and that... could be problematic. So he would keep things casual, use intimidation if necessary, but mostly he was curious of this odd pale male with the big hat and sword.

"Inside would be a better place to wait out rain," he pointed out dryly. "Are you allergic to small confined spaces with limited escape routes?" Maybe this guy needed to be invited inside or something. An amusing thought on his part.

"Or perhaps you like the wide open spaces nearby to pull a sword?"

The stranger's remarks were a little on point at least in so far as D was particular about keeping his sword hand free, if not necessarily avoiding small spaces.

"Watching the rain from inside is less pleasant. You seem like you might be suffering from an allergy or two of your own?" There was just a faint hint of humor in D's words. He'd certainly faced his fair share of men who thought to wear skulls, and had been far more committed to the entire skeleton aesthetic.

Would the sun bother this man as it would a Dhampir? Or was the head to toe covering due to some other preference. It wasn't something he ever saw without a reason, and rarely was it a simple matter of intimidation or anonymity.

"Hardly. I was just recently inside, but I needed some fresh air and found a giant hat in one of my favourite lurking spots," he said airily, waving a clawed hand in the air to dismiss the claim he had any allergy. He had noted the spurs as well, but there didn't seem to be a mount to go with it so far. That wasn't unusual in Trench.

"Are you recently tossed from the sea? I believe I would recall such a dramatic looking outfit if it's been around," he said. And he would. Dramatic outfits were something he had to assess as good, bad, or modify.

D remained unbothered about the comment concerning his hat. The wide brim was purely a practical measure in his mind, and black just made it easier for him when he needed to blend into the shadows either literally or figuratively.

"I am. I don't believe I've heard anyone admit to having favorite lurking spots before. Should I be concerned for anyone who meets you in a dark deserted alley?"

Whatever this man was, D could hear a slow heartbeat in his chest, which meant that he wasn't D's problem. That could change, as he would likely need some other job aside from 'Vampire Hunter' but at the moment D wasn't inclined to take on any extra conflict.

"Most people should be concerned about me no matter where they meet me," he said simply because it was true. He was dangerous when he wanted to be, but he so no point in rocking the boat and waving around his shotguns unless it was strategically advantageous for him to do so or someone he met in said dark deserted alley annoyed him.

"I have several favourite lurking spots, but you'll discover them on your own, I imagine. Those of us that keep to the shadows discover the best areas for observation and remaining hidden." This one didn't seem particularly willing to say or do something stupid, and he was fine with that. He was still shaking off corruption, and he wasn't inclined to go looking for a fight.

So he'd just be his normal Reaper self. "You have a name?"

"I don't usually get this much company in dark, quiet corners." For all that humanity had overthrown vampire rule, night time did not belong to them just yet.

Many people were quick to make themselves seem more or less dangerous than they were, but D found the stranger's words sounded simply honest. D understood, as he was never any less dangerous himself regardless of where he was, and there was no point in hiding that fact.

"Yes. I'm D." It was the answer he always gave, and there was no reason to stop here just because his reputation was unknown.

"Perhaps where you come from, but here there are plenty of things that lurk in the darkness and shadows," he remarked. That was just going with the gothic theme of this place, and plenty of sleepers knew their way around the shadows. Reaper simply liked to claim that he was the best at it so far.

He was extremely dangerous when he wanted to be, and the fact that they hadn't pulled weapons on each other spoke of how much they didn't need them to be certain and intimidating at the same time. What a curious Sleeper this one was. Emotionally stunted or something else?

"D as in the letter or D-E-E," he asked. There was a dick joke coming, but he had to be certain it was smartly placed.

Perhaps there would be work for D to do here after all, if there were so many creatures of the night lurking around.

The question about his name went unacknowledged at first, D turning his head to look out at the light rain rather than answer. "Are you worried you'll forget if you don't write it down? Just D is fine." D's question was delivered with his usual even tone, giving no hint as to if he meant it as a joke or a genuine question.

Blood corruption in this place meant that there was always plenty of beasts that needed to be put down. They could be dangerous. So could Sleepers experiencing advanced stages of corruption. For any kind of hunter or mercenary, it was a good trade to get into.

"I am an old man, so the memory is the first thing to go," he remarked, though he definitely wouldn't be admitting how old. "But good to meet you, Big D," he added as he crossed his arms over his chest and observed the goings on beyond the shadows he resided in with the new stranger.

The joke went ignored by D, but there was a quiet snort of amusement that came from near D's left hip, where his ungloved left hand rested by his side. D's only reaction to that sound was to lightly curl his hand into a loose fist.

"As I said, just D is fine."

Which brought more snickering from the same location at his left hip, quickly muffled and cut off when D curled his left hand into a fist.

The mask allowed Reaper to keep his head still even as his eyes dropped to peer the way down to the ungloved hand. He had thought the one glove thing was a teenage goth phase aesthetic, but perhaps not. He might have thought he had heard something that didn't exist except for D's reaction to it.

Now that was interesting. What it was, he had no idea, but it was bound to satisfy curiosity.

"I was using big to denote capitalization. You don't want a little d; it's not very satisfying."

The comment about a little d being unsatisfying drew more snickering from the area around D's left hand and a small, hoarse voice spoke up. "And it would be a real tragedy if people thought you were the kind to leave someone unsatisfied, D." Unlike D's emotionless voice this one was fully expressive and apparently delighted at the jokes at D's expense.

D apparently didn't find Reaper's remark worth any acknowledgement at all, and likewise ignored the voice coming from his hand.

And the hand talks. It almost caused Reaper to laugh because it was so absurd and yet in this place, it seemed perfectly acceptable of a thing to have happen. Now was it just a mouth or a whole face down there? It might be rude to ask, but he had to say... this guy made trolling with sexual innuendo or even overt jokes so easy.

"I see you have a partner," he remarked. "Do I get to meet this addition to your person?"

"Actually, I'm a ventriloquist." The hoarse voice said, apparently not expecting D to actually hold up his hand and turn it around so the stranger could see the ugly little face with a pair of dark eyes and a mouth of mismatched and missing teeth peeking out of an equally ugly lump in his palm.

"Spoilsport, but this is almost worth it. You're even worse than D! Is there a competition for 'worst dressed creature of the night'? You've got D beat but he could be a strong contender for second place."

Aside from lifting and moving his left hand, D seemed to be giving no attention to the conversation his left hand was holding.

Edited 2022-05-17 01:55 (UTC)

Reaper looked at the face on the palm of D's hand, and that would have been a 'first' for him except for his corruption had given him similar and he had also read Japanese horror that loved that stuff. What an ugly little face, and yet, apparently far more talkative than D himself. That wasn't a surprise.

"No competition necessary because I always win," he replied with amusement in his voice. He had an aesthetic and he was living the life he wanted within it. He lifted a hand and gave a waffling twisting gesture with it. "He might be third, but he has moody teenager down to a fine art."

Now that the pokes to D were done, he leaned closer to the hand. "You're obviously a separate entity? Do you have a name?"

Calling D a moody teenager had the young man in question glance over at the strange conversation partner, even as the ugly little face smiled and laughed. "He's got your number, D." The hand agreed with evident amusement.

"Separate is a tricky word, but yes I am my own person. My name is Left Hand. Mr. Left Hand to you. Capital L lowercase e-f-t capital H lowercase a-n-d. Write that down too." Obviously the small face took his name and job as Left Hand very seriously.

The aloofness of D just meant that he was going to invest more time needling the shadow-dweller. The little ugly face was quite the character, and it would be interesting to see how those two got on long-term.

"Why are you in this one's hand and not just wandering around on fingers all around?" He had seen the Addam's Family. "Left Hand might be too long for me to remember; I'm a simpleton. I think Handsy will work for my old memory."

"Eh, this job has its perks. And I'm not handsy at all, stuck on this unromantic lump. He won't make a move even when-" The little face cut off in a muffled cry of pain as D curled his hand into a tight fist.

"You're even worse than he is." D noted emotionlessly without looking at Reaper or his hand and giving no indication which of them was 'you' and which one was 'he'. D lowered his hand back to his side, apparently done indulging Left Hand's desire to have a face to face conversation, and after a moment relaxed his grip.

"You know your way around shady places here. How much will information cost me?"

Reaper made a soft t'sking sound and put D into the 'no fun' category, which meant that the guy would remain a prime candidate for teasing and trolling. There was just something about seeing what kind of feathers could be ruffled over time. At least he'd have Handsy to talk to.

"That can't possibly be true; I'm not situated in your flesh like he is," he pointed out simply. That was a commentary that couldn't be escaped after all, even with finger clenching. "But not even any self-care? You're a real prude."

He tilted his head at the question of cost. That was rich. "Depends what information you want to know. I deal in favours, not blood or currency."

"He's proven how useful he is." For all that they sometimes bickering or D squeezed his hand when it was too mouthy, they were partners of a sort. They worked well together.

"My time and effort are expensive and I don't do unspecified favors." But he could still say what he was looking for and decide if the price was worth it or not. "A Sleeper with medical or pharmaceutical background."

"Sounds like he offers brilliant commentary," he said, though there were far more other things a face on someone's hand that could happen. Most wouldn't expect it being there. "At least you're never alone even when you're not with other company."

"So is mine," he remarked with a shrug of his shoulders. "I call in favours for combat or to retrieve objects for me. Is that satisfactory enough terms?"

He tilted his head. "How much medical you talking? GP, surgeon, homeopath."

The hand was a useful surprise, even for people who already knew it was there. D gave the stranger a long, steady look, staring at him as though he could see right through the mask.

He was silent for quite some time before he answered.

"Either of the first two." D said, pausing for just a moment before he continued with a disinterested tone. Either the stranger would find what he had to say acceptable, or he wouldn't, and D wasn't too concerned with which way this went. "I don't take orders well. If you call in a favor for combat, it's with the understanding that I'll end it how I wish. I don't do retrievals of any kind. It would only leave all three of us unhappy."

D's usual work had a very loose set of goals he had to accomplish. In fact, there was usually only one; kill the Vampire. No specifications on when, how, or where, and that was how he worked best. His track record for other things like keeping people alive or not destroying places and objects in the process of carrying out his job was not great.

Reaper wasn't too concerned when it came to calling in favours. It was rare that he even bothered to, but he liked to get people thinking if their information was worth owing someone. It was good to have people to call in if there was a time when he was in a pinch and needed some moody wanker to show up and steal the scene.

"Don't take orders well? My, never saw that coming." The sarcasm was dripping from his rough tone, though Reaper liked to think he could probably whip this one into shape when it came to orders with enough time and motivation. Too bother people tended to get offended by such tactics. "As long as combat situations end where both of us walk away. You can do whatever you want with the enemy."

Now he was curious to see this one in action though.

[Open] Long and Weary

Watching Around Town

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