( closed )

[passe]

CHARACTERS: hal & josie
LOCATION: josie's room!
WARNINGS: vampire ego
SUMMARY: hal tries to woo josie into donating blood.
NOTES: probably backdated a few weeks?? maybe.


[ hal hadn't bothered to check in on josias since the incident on the network. it had been clear there was nothing he could contribute, given the nature of the problem - and he'd been preoccupied with his own. whatever effort he'd put into them had failed, of course, and now that he's finally paying josias a concerned visit, it's less about concern and more about business.

hal pauses outside of his door to listen; for the heartbeat, the tell-tale sign he's here, though it's not as though he'd be anywhere else these days. there's a moment of quiet observation, then he leans lightly against the frame, voice just strong enough to carry through the door. ]

Knock, knock.

Comments

[stimulations]

[The sound of knocking on his door is something Josias has grown quite familiar with over the past couple of months - mostly because it kept coming, where he refused to answer. His system of avoidance had been carefully constructed, and he's attempted to be out of his room and somewhere hidden in the gardens at the times people most often seemed to come and try, but it was hardly flawless. And it had failed, in the end.

It's a slow reintegration into the society of the ship, and while he could blame that on lingering reluctance, he knows it's also best not to push and overwhelm himself. But he's spending more time out of his room with people again, responding to messages on his comms, speaking to people on the network. It's not much, but it's progress, starting to pull something that feels more human out of the ruins of where he'd sunk.

It means his instant reaction to the knock on the door isn't to stare at it with dread - just mild surprise, because he wasn't expecting anyone, and maybe a little apprehension, because he still doesn't feel entirely himself. But it doesn't go ignored, Josias coming to answer after only a moment to straighten his shirt and-- well, his hair was a lost cause.

Finding Hal on the other side of the door is another surprise, and for a moment Josias realises he'd completely lost track of certain people in his avoidance of what was happening on the network. Not that he would have considered himself close to Hal, but he was certainly interesting, and if he'd disappeared off the ship in the time since Josias last saw him then it would have been a loss. Not that Josias can express any of that. All he can do is give a small smile and nod in greeting, something of a questioning expression on his face for why Hal was there.]

[passe]

[ hal offers a smile when the door opens - more of a grin, really - and it's probably not quite sympathetic enough to be polite, given josias' somewhat recent and very public plight. pity isn't something he does well at the best of times; now isn't his best time. ]

Can you speak?

[ he'd probably know the answer if he'd bothered to check up on him on the network, or at all. as is, he's obviously clueless, and the question's more just to get the basics clear before he continues. ]

[stimulations]

[Josias shakes his head once, neatly. It isn't like it's information he expects everyone to have. His attempt at seclusion had been about hiding away from people - coming out of it only to find everyone was fully aware of every second of his situation would have rather defeated the point. He gives another gesture, a low, open palm. Meaningless, really, or vague, but trying to find out if Hal wants something, or is there for a specific reason.]

[passe]

[ i'd like to drink your blood isn't really a standard opener, even if it's more or less the point of this visit. at the gesture from josias, hal tips his head politely, nodding slightly to the room beyond. ]

May I?

[ the rate of success tends to be a bit better in more intimate settings; standing in the hallway doesn't quite suit. ]

[stimulations]

[There's a brief moment of hesitation. It's more because of the state of his room than any feelings regarding Hal himself - Josias didn't know him especially well, but he didn't know a lot of people on the ship especially well, and he was well-mannered and seemed relatively harmless. Josias was used to having guests in his room under rather more controlled circumstances, with the room itself dressed better (as better as possible, considering the standards available), even if it wasn't a matter of the guest being a client. He glances back briefly, but he isn't in a position to ask Hal to wait for a moment, and so instead has to just reluctantly step aside with an apologetic smile and dip of his chin.

There's a spread of machine parts over one of the beds, clearly at various stages of some kind of tinkering, and the other bed - the one Josias sleeps in - is unmade. Josias moves to pull the sheets into better place as Hal enters, then turns to throw a blanket over the makeshift worktable. There isn't an air of rushing about him as he does it, but it's certainly a little hasty.]

[passe]

Guilty pleasure?

[ said lightly, because it's just an offhand way of noting his interest in the gadgets josias is intent on covering up. hal couldn't really care less about technology, even now that he relies on it so very thoroughly - but again, manners. it's something else to ease into conversation with, and theoretically less abrupt than the alternative. ]

[stimulations]

[The look Hal gets for that is amused, teamed with a small shake of his head. Did he really think Josias would ever have something he would call a guilty pleasure? Covering the mechanics over was simply for tidiness, to keep curious hands away from rearranging the work he was doing. But he gestures at it, an open palm, clearly offering to show him, if Hal really wanted to look.]

[passe]

[ yeah actually, how about not. or at least - no, he's not interested in tech in any way shape or form, but as far as casually getting round to the real purpose of the visit - it'll have to do. ]

Something to do with your predicament, I assume?

[stimulations]

[That gets a bigger shake of his head, and he lifts one hand to tap at the side of his skull. Everything to do with that was all internal. There was the connecting adaptor that was using to access his implant via the technology available on the ship, but that had been built and finished several months before the incident - if it hadn't, it wouldn't have happened at all.

He shrugs, holding his hands up over the blanket and wiggling his fingers a bit. Just something to do, to kill time. To keep his mind active, because being locked inside it like he often felt like he was, now - well, it was maddening.]

[passe]

[ hal knows a bit about maddening. it takes a second for him to follow the improvised sign language, but then he offers a slight smile in sympathy. it's partly for show, but it seems genuine enough.

he steps over to the bed, casually lifting the blanket to peek under it himself without bothering to ask, but it's just a temporary distraction. he glances towards josias a moment later, tone casual. ]

I imagine it gets quite dull. [ being stuck in your head, unable to speak - he doesn't elaborate, probably doesn't need to. ] And work? Surely that helps to pass the time.

[ super smooth, yes. ]

[stimulations]

[Dull isn't really the word for it. Josias' mind had rebelled on him, over the period of silence - not just in the literal of his implant not allowing him to communicate. His sleep patterns had fallen into the extremes of insomnia and constant fatigue, either never managing to sleep at all or sleeping for far too long. His mind had span circles with no outlet, churning thoughts over and over with no outcome, turning frustration into rage into exhausted apathy and something he maybe wouldn't like to admit was close to despair. There were times when he would have killed for activity, and times when he wanted nothing but quiet.

It was growing steadier now, evening out. But that didn't mean he'd picked up all of the matters he'd dropped. And his work had been one - the first, and most likely one he will wait the longest to reclaim. He'd almost answer Hal directly on that (as directly as is possible in his limited communication), but the question of why he was here was still unanswered. Josias' mouth curves into a smile, quietly amused, chin tilting and eyebrows raised, questioning and curious. Was that what he'd come for?]

might as well proposition him at this point tbh

[passe]

[ it's getting easier to read the silent signals. probably helps that hal's got some experience with body language - heartbeats, those subtle cues that mean everything, the kind that he thrives on when he's not so concerned about restraint. which he is, now, and that's a bit of a pain; there's nothing stopping him from taking what he wants outside of the vague threat of torches and airlocks, but as far as vague threats go, that one's fairly convincing.

he meets josias' eyes easily, and his own expression is slightly amused. ]

Not quite. But if I may ask - your clients. Strictly human, or has the ship expanded your horizons?

yup

[stimulations]

[Josias' smiles spreads wider for a moment, but then he turns away - just to grab his comms up from where he'd left it on the bureau. He types into the notes application, a slower process than he really likes, but each letter takes a degree of concentration to come through cleanly. Done, he holds it up for Hal to read.]

My horizons were already quite expanded. A variety in species was just a pleasant addition.

[It's easy to assume from the question that Hal is not quite human himself, but it would be rather rude to ask that so quickly, wouldn't it.]

[passe]

[ hal looks briefly amused at the revelation of a more effective method of communication, and it shifts to looking casually impressed when he reads the response.

he knows what josias probably wants to ask. lucky for josias, he's become kind of a fan of boasting about it here, so there's no hesitation in filling in the gaps. ]

Vampire.

[ said lightly and with no shame; he doubts josias would expect any, anyway. ] And unfortunately, while the medbay has been very accommodating - their standards of quality leave something to be desired.

[ more like bagged blood doesn't quite do the trick for vampires like him, but that's unnecessary detail unless josias asks for it. ]

[stimulations]

[Vampire. It pulls the pieces into place fairly quickly, that answer. The way Hal had said he was older than he looked - or sounded, seeing as Josias hadn't met him face-to-face at the time - and his distaste for technology, the way he spoke about advancements. It makes Josias curious, for how old he is, for what things he may have witnessed, been a part of. The opportunity to speak to someone who may have experienced history that others could only read about - but that was a tangent, and they weren't things Josias could quite afford any more. His words took too long to type for those kinds of conversations, left him needing to pare down, to keep to the necessary. Though the last part of what Hal said almost has him laugh.]

I think that's the first time someone's complimented me on my blood.

[Indirectly and probably unintentionally, considering Hal hasn't actually had any yet. But still. He'd ever had the quality noted, unlike a lot of other things.]

Not the first time I've let a vampire have some, though. Are you just making plans, or is this an immediate?

[passe]

[ fresher is better, yo. but hal offers a grin at the comment, and there's a slightly mischievous edge this time. ]

Plans. [ he says it easily, and it's mostly true. he wasn't expecting an immediate offer. that said, he's hardly going to pass one up - just can't look too desperate. so a moment later, nonchalantly: ]

Unless you're offering, of course.

[stimulations]

[One of the first things you learn in the trade is that pre-scheduled appointments offer more security than spur-of-the-moment arrangements. Not that this is quite the same service as Josias would be offering at home - but then, that only added a new level of danger to it. They were alone in his room, no one knew Hal was here, and Josias wasn't exactly physically capable of protecting himself. Not against a vampire. Hal didn't seem like a threat, and there was the thought that any vampire killing someone on board was only going to cause trouble for themselves, but it doesn't shake the caution entirely.

None of these thoughts show in Josias' expression, though. He keeps the same humour as before, neutral, just curiosity and maybe some concern in asking,]

Do you need it?

[passe]

[ this is a game he played with irene. she'd been willing, but he'd gone the extra mile to make a show of control; over himself, and of letting her believe it was firmly in her hands. it was a frustrating step, but it was essential if these arrangements were to continue without any risk of fear and second thoughts - which could, of course, lead to people doing stupid things.

hal seems to consider the offer a moment, but then he shakes his head gently, offering josias a polite and appreciative smile. ]

I'd better not. But thank you, of course.

[ it's a small show of restraint, but that's the point. there's nothing to be gained from looking desperate and unstable, and that would hardly be the most reassuring of impressions to make. ]

I won't, however, say no to future plans.

[stimulations]

[It's a reasonable response, and soothes Josias' lingering worries. He nods, offering a smile of his own as he holds up another message.]

Then I would be happy to arrange some.