Be what you are

Sheriff's Estate - Upstairs


Reaching the top of the stairs, a short hallway bears four doors. One leads to the private quarter's of Erica, a spartan room with an ensuite bath and a reasonable office. Two of the others are merely guest bedrooms. The white, clinical theme continues throughout the house, the rooms all en suite with enough space for a double bed, a small desk area with computer terminal and a couple of comfortable chairs. The final door leads into a kitchen, with black and white slab gloss doors covering a variety of appliances and space. A bank of units across one wall contains various modern extravagances, including a coffee machine, wine cooler and oddly enough, what appears to be an ice dispenser.


~~

Late nights means not everything gets done before the sun rises. As a result, there is the game of 'catch up' before the day truly begins for vampires, or rather more to the point, Marius. Newly showered, blonde hair is still pasted on his head but for spots where he ran it through with fingers, he's currently in the kitchen, placing the contents of a bag onto the table; flour, sugar.. all in spanish language containers.
Having dug through the laws of the state of Texas, the veteran now carries a pistol at the back of his hip, right side. It's an 'old' model of .45, a Colt 1911 in a worn leather holster.

~~

Moody beyond words is the best way to describe Sue's state of mind as she has to endure yet another day at the estate, now followed everywhere in the building by Clarence. That's sure to brighten her spirit - not. With no place safe anymore, she chooses to get her mail from the smaller kitchen upstairs today, just a short walk outside before she'll spend the rest of the day back in her room. Should it come as a surprise that she halts at the entrance of the kitchen when she sees who's working there? Already her eyes calculate how much room she has when passing him on her way to the fridge. On seond thought, against the door frame,

Knock - knock.

~~

Coffee.. a box of tea..
The previous owners of said food won't be needing it.
Bringing his crystal blue eyes up to stare at the door, Marius pauses a moment.. he'd have heard if it was a breather a mile away, and looking down again, utters the word quietly and distinctly, "Enter."
Finishing up the unpacking, Marius leaves the food-stuffs on the table and puts the garbage in the can under the sink. Why Valentinus insists upon children living amongst them…

~~

Susan does, enter. With a growing puzzled frown slightly replacing the moodiness, the wariness of him. She takes the note block from her pocket and writes quickly, in letters too large, too sloppy. /And you commented on tea…/ Pointedly she looks at his pile of groceries.

~~

Marius ignores the entrance, his back is turned. Rising from throwing the garbage away, it is now that he studies the girl for any new cuts or bruises since last he'd laid eyes on her. His expression is a natural neutral, and watching her scrawl in the book, the corners of his lips quirk ever so slightly.
"Those who possessed these items have no more need of them." Call them the spoils of war? He's not leaving them for the scavengers, though at second thought, it might be a good lure. Humans always scurry in to find the remains.. looting.

~~

The ice blue eyes stare at him, growing larger first with understanding, then darker with a sliver of envy. The tiny woman shrugs widely and takes the few syeps past him to open the fridge, making sure there's not the slightest risk of touching him - wide berth. It's synthetics for her.

~~

Taking a step away, and it's a casual one at that, Marius' gaze follows the actions of the girl. Finding a spot at the wall, he studies her, his arms raising to cross his chest while he leans. "A remarkable invention, that bottle. Something that can sustain, yet not truly satiate. Vile, and yet necessary.
"I believe it is yet another way in which we are bending to 'fit' into a mold."
The notebook is nodded towards, and the scrawl upon it. "Your letters are formed with an untrained hand. Taught to you in later years, would be my guess." His voice remains the soft neutral, "Which would suggest to me lower class.. and a kind mistress."
Shaking his head, his visage turns cold. "Cruel torment. To turn a slip of a thing like you. Why aren't you with her still, I wonder."

~~

At first when Susan looks over her shoulder at him to fetch two bottles, at random, there's quiet approval of what she takes to be a metaphore for her current situation, if not existence. But the sentiment changes when he deems to comment on her skills and starts to deduct from it. The flicker of appreciation dies a lonely death and an angry flame starts, though she tries her damndest to keep it down. Best to look at her hands uncapping the bottles and placing them in the microwave. She simply shrugs in answer. Her maker never was a woman, but he probably doesn't know that.

~~

"No? A man, then."
Marius studies the girl. "I haven't yet gone to find information on you, but when I do, will I find a long list of infractions that will scream for me to give you peace?" He doesn't care about human law, no. "Is your behavior such because of the Lady?" His tones lower to a rumble, "You are no better nor worse than any other in this territory, kind. You receive simply what others will, given the same circumstances, and I will continue to rest at ease for my troubles."

~~

Another glance shot in his direction, the wariness returned, folding her arms stiffly before her. Then again, not, at she takes a small step to the table to retrieve the note block and pen. /You've made that QUITE clear already/ She holds it up for him to read.

~~

The veteran has had centuries to hone his skill of observation. Even within this bastion, Marius watches the comings and goings and notes them. He watches reactions, knowing that at any time, there is the potential of small revelations.
Case in point, the handwriting.. and the note of apology.
A quirk of his lips give the tips rise once more, though dead cold eyes still regard her. "As long as you understand."
Of course, what he doesn't say is that should she find herself in an altercation with a breather and she is in the right, blood will flow, and it will not be the vampire's own.
"If you were a maidservant, you've forgotten your place. If you were not, you should have been. Everyone needs a place."
Dropping his arms, Marius stands straight once again in preparation to depart.

~~

Maybe stalled by her frantic writing, the woman actually swallowing, making sure he has no view of her eyes and the tears forming in the corners, her only way to vent her frustration - but one she loathes to let anyone see. So in the end she holds up the block, narrowed eyes firmly planted halfway down his chest. /You're just waiting for a reason. If you're so damn eager, just do it, else stop humiliating me/ And on a line below that, /Please/

~~

"There is no shame in serving."
Marius turns and departs the room, his steps taking him down the hall and eventually to the stairs.. and out the front door. Things to do, places to go.. and a new business in which he has every intention of using to its fullest potential.

~~

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