2019-07: The lay of the land

[Duncan Ackerley]

When Vid suddenly turns towards him and steps into his personal space, he can't do anything but respond, almost unable to keep his instincts at bay, but he manages. He stops in his tracks, looking Vid up and down, now for once not trying to look away all the time. No, Duncan's sharp ocean-blue eyes stare right back at Vid's.

"I don' fokkin' know!" he snaps back, not daunted by the other man. "If you have any reason to be angry then bloody tell me- because I don' see any reason." His jaws are clenched, making his tone of voice sound a little more angry than he's meaning to.

Whether Vid is indeed angry, or just testing him, he doesn't know. He doesn't really care either, it shows, when he adds: "All I can say is tha' not a blood of drop was spilled and that's not wha' I can say for any of you's- so give me a fokkin break, a'right?"

[Vid]

All the perceived aggression bleeds out of Vid as his shoulders relax and he comes to stand still. No anger. No evasions. Now his face is visible in the lantern light, there's only a slightly sad smile left.

After just the right amount of time for Duncan to register that he's not going to get punched, the traveller speaks again, but softly, kindly, this time. "Thank you, for not breaking my nose there."

He exhales visibly. "I had rather you punch me, than Fleur. But to answer you, I'm glad you two found each other." Now something warm shines through, something welcoming. Hoping that the monster will prove lesser than the man, and that love can win.

"Do you.. know, that I'm also her lover?" Now it's his turn to look aside, never before having said that out loud.

[Duncan Ackerley]

Duncan blinks a little sheepishly when he realizes Vid isn't angry at all. Then he scowls at the other man. Could've fucking guessed.
He tries to recover and relax a little now that he knows everything's okay, at least, that's what he thinks. He listens closely when Vid speaks, his eyes wondering off again but trying to keep looking back to Vid to make sure the other man knows he's listening. A frown appears on his forehead when the other man mentions punching Fleur- he'd never do that outside of sparring sessions- but he forgets about that comment immediately when Vid mentions that he's also her lover.

After a moment of awkward silence, he nods. "Yeah, she told me. 'Tis somethin' that I don' know what to think of. But it's not my business anyway." Vid can see that he's not used to the concept of sharing a partner at all, but that he's done his best to acclimatize to the idea that Fleur, and apparently also Vid, does. Awkwardly, Duncan adds: "Is tha' common for a Sire and a Childe to do?"

[Vid]

Vid grins at the scowl. Still better than a punch in the face.

He relaxes when the other relaxes, ever the mirror.

What's that frown about? Vid's head turns sideways, giving the impression of a curious bird.

He's just about to mention that he's not a dad, that he's too young to be a parent. That that sounds just so.. When of course the brujah makes it worse.

Vid's turn the scowl, wordless for a moment, except for words in his mother tongue that one should not speak to friends. "I.. have no clue," he formulates finally, accent thicker than usual because of the effort. "You do realise that she's older than I am, right?" Duncan's awkwardness is not mirrored; this is all Vid's.

[Duncan Ackerley]

Duncan lifts an eyebrow at the way Vid reacts. He's never quite seen the man caught so off guard before. It reminds him of how he can respond sometimes and he can't help it when the corners of his mouth quirk upwards a little.

The answer isn't helpful, but he shrugs. "Me either." Whatever he implies with that he leaves between them, but he then continues: "No, but I thought it was impolite to ask kindred their age. So I never did. Isn' important anyway, to me. I'm almost seventy years old, for tha' matter."

[Vid]

Vid's eyes widen incredulously, one hand coming up to cover his mouth. A smirk forms. Biting his lip not to call the other 'grandpa'. Eyebrows go up. And then, he just laughs.

The laugh is catching, for it's the release of tension, the acceptance of things that are, and a simple love of sharing. If Duncan allows, Vid's arm catches his shoulder, so they can laugh away their foolishness together...

[Duncan Ackerley]

"Wha' are you fokkin' laughin' at, mate?" Duncan says, feigning anger, but being too bad an actor to keep a grin from spreading on his face when Vid continues to laugh. It is indeed infectious, that's for sure, because at some point he's just grinning, shamelessly. He allows the other man to wrap an arm around his shoulders.

After a short moment he says, a little more serious: "Thanks for not being difficult about Fleur. I know it's no' common to date as a kindred. But I would feel worse if I didn' give it a try."

[Vid]

Wiping a tiny bit of red from the corner of an eye, Vid's laugh remains on his face quietly as he listens, then nods. "Sometimes that's the only thing we can do: try. Try to stay human. Try to help others. Try to find love."

He sighs, something between happily and wistfully, then looks aside at his new pal.

"Thank you, for trying."

[Duncan Ackerley]

Duncan nods in agreement. "Yeah," with a serious expression and a faint smile.

He doesn't really know what to answer when Vid thanks him in return. It doesn't feel like he deserves that comment.

"You're also doing the dating thing, righ'? I've seen you and Sinclair- you know," he shrugs awkwardly, not because a lack of experience, no doubt, but something about men loving each other still weirds him out. It's like a really old habit he can't shake off. "You guys a thing?"

[Vid]

Vid's face does a close approximation of a computer having a meltdown; expression screwing up as he lets his face fall forward comically. "Er," is the only comment that passes his lips.

A look up at the night sky next, then back to Duncan, eyebrows raised, "We're really sharing, huh?"

Then he looks forward for a moment. "Yes. No. I don't know. We used to be. And then I killed him."