After Hours {tag Connor}

[Stormy Quattrone]

Connor's cheerful response to a near-death experience just might end in Val murdering him instead.

"No," Val agreed, annoyed, "they expect us to resist. Live prey that thinks its got a sporting chance is far more entertaining to hunt and kill." Despite knowing that this was just Connor's way of dealing with nerves, Val wished he could at least pretend to take the situation seriously. Sarcasm didn't help as much as, say, making useful suggestions on how to not die. "Adele, I remember, could spend months taunting her prey." It hadn't seemed so bad then as it did now, probably because Val hadn't been the target. Of course, the times had also changed, and it was getting harder and harder for a vampire to hide his or her kills. Roch and Val had, between the two of them, cleaned out entire manors of aristocrats and left the peasants to speculate on the deaths before burning the place to the ground and declaring it a manifest of devilry or witchcraft. That was before science and technology had come along and inventing things like DNA testing and hidden camera surveillence. Fledglings of this century were enchanted by their own powers and their mysterious thrall over mortals, but their sires remembered days past when bloodsucking had been a private joke played on hapless locals.

Val had preferred those days. It had been easier to get lost in the crowd.

The mud in his hair no longer felt as wet, though that didn't change the fact that Val desperately needed a shower. Connor was also a mess, covered in scratches that leaked blood, and discheveled from a number of activities, the least of which being his hand continuously destroying the shapeliness of his hair. Val itched to attack that messy mop with a comb. "Unless we find solid proof, however, I would prefer not to pin the blame on friends I have not seen in a century and will take offence to being accused of attempted murder."

[Connor Batten]

"Damn.  No wonder I'm so popular with the homicidal types," he murmured, thinking back on the number of times he'd been attacked.  He never made it known that he was aware that he didn't have a sporting chance, but that confidence hadn't let him down much in the past.  The few times that it had, he was still glad that he'd fought like he had.  He wasn't going to just lay down and take anything.

"Well," he started, also beginning the effort to get up off the ground.  His leg was sore from the injury as well as from pushing his muscles to their limits so that he didn't die.  "I hope it's someone who wants to take months hunting us, because it gives us more time to figure out who it is and how best to kill them.  They'll get their resistance."

The way he looked at Val, his tone may have been light enough to suggest he wasn't taking it seriously, but the look in his pale blue eyes should have stated otherwise.  Connor was a hunter, a Guild Leader, and he was NOT a vampire's prey.  He fully intended to kill whoever had decided their time was up, and Val would be best to go along without a fight on that one.

[Stormy Quattrone]

"If you flip off all your opponents, than I am not surprised by your popularity, either." A target's confidence was more appealing when it appeared honest. Arrogant prey was irritating and dealt with accordingly to teach it a lesson, unless it would be more of an insult to deem it too unimportant to kill. Val hadn't begun to differentiate among prey like that until he met Adele, and later Roch. Angus had possessed the necessary sadistic streak, to be sure, but not the patience.

Val noticed how gingerly Connor put weight on the injured leg. It was a testament to the Hunter's determination and willpower that he had run for so long on it. Val also noticed the look in Connor's eyes. Now that was an expression he could respect. It conveyed Connor's years as a Hunter and a Guild leader, as it was supposed to, and showed that his light-hearted attitude was only surface deep. The vampire still doubted that Connor understood the full implications of their situation, but he could tell that Connor did understand that the situation had two options: us, or them. It was a relief, at least, that even if Connor didn't understand - or conform to - vampire politics half the time, he could deal with a life or death situation involving the night's creatures without batting an eye.

Speaking of which... It would probably be prudent to get out of the parking lot and indoors. Connor needed to go home and bandage himself up, and Val needed to go home and take that shower. And then do something that didn't involve Connor or his own kind or anything remotely related to the last few hours. "We should be safe for the night. Which is fortunate, as you are somewhat... shredded." He took a second to assess his own strength. Again, thanks to Connor and despite the earlier brawling, he had plenty of power left. "I have strength enough to transport you to a desired location and still make it back to my car. Where do you want to go?"

[Connor Batten]

Naturally, Connor had thought that his problem might have been that he made too tempting of a target, but he couldn't help himself.  Rolling over just wasn't his style.  He certainly wasn't arrogant, though.  Just...disrespectful at times.  Especially around vampires.

When Val mentioned being safe for the night, and him being shredded, his eyes shot back up to the vampire.  For a second, he was still thinking like a hunter, but it changed just as fast, and he pulled a smile, though it still wasn't his usual, genuinely amused expression.  "Shredded?  You haven't seen what I call shredded, yet."

As for where he wanted to go, that much was obvious.  "How about you just drop me off at my place?  I could probably walk there from here, but it'd take a little while longer than usual tonight.  Mitchell would want to know what the hell happened if I showed up at the Guildhouse, and he knows I was at that party.  Being chewed up by leeches after that thing was supposed to be safe isn't good for inter-species relations, or so I hear," he remarked.  Yeah, it was supposed to be safe, but they HAD been outside the 'safe-zone', where the hunters had been guarding.  Capri might be irritated that he hadn't shown back up to talk to her, but he didn't have a lot of options.  If he went back to the party all bloody and unable to walk right, it'd be worse. 

"I'm still sleeping with a gun, and I'd suggest you stay aware of what's going on around you, too.  Just because we think they're done tonight doesn't mean they are."  He wasn't getting jumped again, if he could help it.

[Stormy Quattrone]

In Val's opinion, Connor probably didn't want to know how the vampire had applied the term "shredded" to live people during the weeks following his abandonment by his sire. It wouldn't make for a solid foundation for trust.

Funny, Connor's other choice of words. There was only one vampire who had actually 'chewed' on him tonight, and it hadn't been the attackers. Val nodded. "Where, exactly, is your place?" Having to ask the question made him realize that he had seen Connor at his place of work, but not his acutal home. It was strange that he would potentially get to see it now. Connor having a real home made him more a real person, somehow.

And again with the reminder that they were in danger. Val wasn't as used to his life being in peril the way Connor was, and it put him on edge to think that about it. Even if the Hunter's advice was seasoned and reasonable, it still irked Val to hear it. "I'm always aware of what's going on around me." It was how he had stayed OUT of trouble for so long, until a certain Hunter had gotten tangled up in his life.

[Connor Batten]

"You don't know where I live?" he asked, somewhat surprised.  With someone else, he'd have probably made a joke about the first date or something, but not with Val.  There was just too much going on with their mess to make those kinds of jokes.  He shot off an address, watching for comprehension, and shrugged. 

No, Connor wouldn't have wanted to know about the term 'shredded' in Val's early immortality, but he'd also been 'shredded' far worse than now many times before.  He was injury-prone, some might say.  He just thought that those people neglected to notice how well most of his hunts went.  What was the fun in talking about the smooth hunts, when the ones that went wrong were so much more interesting?  Assholes.

Naturally, he hadn't meant that the others had literally chewed on him, considering they hadn't, but he was thinking more along the lines just being attacked.  'Chewed up' as in like a woodchipper, which just caused lots of damage.  He meant it in an exaggerated sense, of course.  Val just liked to worry, he was thinking.

The hunter appraised the vampire for a moment, something which usually would have happened before a very different scenario, and finally nodded.  "Okay.  They might attack you at home."  And how would he know this, as a good guy?

"I certainly would."

[Stormy Quattrone]

Val would have given Connor a withering look had he made the first date comment. More for Connor's benefit, though, since they'd already established that Val wasn't actually bothered by getting up close and personal the way Connor was. It was just easier not to remind the Hunter at every turn that the guy he was stuck with didn't mind being in his personal space (as long as it involved blood).

"Okay.  They might attack you at home."

Really, Connor could shut up about that at any time. Val hadn't been on anyone's shit list like this in ages, which was saying a lot for a vampire, and after the night he'd had - both the awkward bond conversation and the being smacked around part - he was good and ready to drop the subject. And even if Val was attacked in his home tonight, he would have at least preferred not having been reminded of the possibility beforehand.

"Then by all means, do, get rid of me before my friends do," he said bad-temperedly. Val-fear translated into bad moods. "Although hopefully they'll go for you first, since you seem to be dearly looking forward to it." He held up an irritated hand for Connor to take. "Am I taking you to your home or not?"

[Connor Batten]

No, reminding Connor that he didn't mind being up close and personal wasn't for the best, since Connor hated it and any implications it might have held.  He didn't care if those implications involved him being food for a vampire or the object of a man's affection, since he hated both a LOT.  He could deal with the former better than the latter, though.

See, this was part of where they differed, besides the obvious points.  Connor would prefer to know what was possibly a threat well beforehand.  Val didn't want to know, and was getting cranky.  So, he'd be honest.  Honesty was always best.

"I didn't say I WANTED to, even if you make it tempting sometimes," he returned, shaking his head and accepting the hand.  "Yes, take me home, and hopefully they'll stop by sometime tomorrow.  I want to sleep tonight."

Really, he would prefer it if the vamps came after him than Val, since he would be armed at home and better trained in dealing with them.  Val would probably be taken off-guard, and that was bad.  Besides, they'd attacked him specifically before, so he could only assume they'd do it again if they got the chance.  That was alright, since he was ready for them. 

He hoped.  After he fixed his leg.

[Stormy Quattrone]

Val ignored Connor's sarcasm - at least, it sounded that way to him - and teleported them to a shaded alley near the address described. He just wanted Connor gone right now. Bond-related breakthroughs notwithstanding, it hadn't been the best of nights. Val was ready to get back on his own turf and be alone. What he really wanted was to go spend a weekend with Hiroshi; it was what he usually did when life got annoying, difficult or complicated. But he'd tried that once, and Connor had gotten on his ass about it, not to mention simply being away from Connor had made Val's experience less than pleasant, as well. It defeated the purpose of a relaxing vacation when he spent the whole time feeling like he was about to die.

He had dropped Connor's hand as soon as they appeared, though not in a disgusted manner, just letting the other man go. He wasn't in the mood to keep holding on just to freak Connor out. It was too late and Val was feeling too gross. Damn, but he wanted that shower.

[Connor Batten]

Connor wasn't complaining about anything just then, even Val assuming he was being sarcastic when he REALLY wasn't (Connor was a very honest guy when he could get away with it).  He'd take it, and deal with letting Val know that he wasn't kidding later.  Right then, getting home was a good thing.  He was going to go pass out on his couch and ignore injuries, the necessity for cleaning, or anything else like that.  He just wanted to sleep, really. 

He DEFINITELY wasn't going to complain about Val letting go of his hand.  He wasn't into hand holding, and with guys, it was a NO NO.  Somehow, Val had gotten away with it long enough to zap them to the hunter's house, but that didn't mean Connor hadn't minded.  He still didn't feel comfortable with what was required of them, even if it didn't involve anything super obscene.  Just biting.  He wasn't going to volunteer for anything like hand holding.

"You can come in if you want.  You've got a little..." he paused, gesturing to the back of his own head without stating what it was.  He knew Val had to have noticed, so he offered to let him in if he wanted.  Or not.  He really didn't care, because he was passing out.  Val could do what he wanted.  "I have a sink, and a shower.  You know, all those cleaning things you like.  Soap."

Yeah, he was being an ass.

[Stormy Quattrone]

Hm, mayhap some of that vampire mind reading had rubbed off on Connor. Or maybe Connor was getting to know his vampire counterpart too well, which right then Val couldn't tell if it was a good thing or not. HE certainly wasn't amused. Personal hygiene was serious business. He might even have taken Connor up on that offer, had he not been made fun of.

"I have a shower - AND soap - at my own place. I don't need yours." He was grouchy, he knew. Val got kinda... bitchy... when people got between him and his domestic comforts. Especially when those comforts were going to help him forget this crappy night. He stopped himself just short of making a crack at Connor needing a shower as well. Instead, he nodded curtly. "Goodnight, Connor."


((ahhh, short, but I'm running to a class that's at 2:30))

[Connor Batten]

"Fine, suit yourself," he said with a shrug, sounding like Val was making a mistake in not accepting his offer of a shower.  Just to be annoying.  Val deserved it for many, many things that he'd already done and had yet to do.  Connor was going to give him a hard time as often as he could get away with it.

"Goodnight.  Thanks for the looooovely evening.  We should go get attacked again sometime soon.  It's always a blast," he returned with that same false cheer.  It annoyed Val.  That was enough reason. 

[Stormy Quattrone]

Val was close, THIS CLOSE, to snapping back something along the lines of, "Very well, I WILL," but at this point it would have done him more harm than good. Getting into a catfight with Connor was all well and good when Val had the upper hand, but with Connor in this mood, Val would just get madder and madder until Connor gave it up and laughed. And then Val would have to bite him again.

It was that or leave, and he would be too angry at that point to find running away a viable option.

"You're welcome," he replied sarcastically. "Now go inside." For reasons he totally wasn't going to vocalize, he planned on waiting until Connor was safely inside before leaving. Why? Maybe his pride wouldn't be able to handle his bloodbond getting attacked on his own doorstep. He'd have to smack his head against a wall, daily, for the rest of his life, if Connor died that way.

[Connor Batten]

In a strange way, Connor had the power in this situation, and he liked it.  Val disliked fighting and danger.  Connor didn't.  It gave the hunter an edge over the vampire, or actually, it gave the human an edge over the vampire, since he wasn't much of a hunter were Val was concerned.  If he was, he'd have killed Val a few times over for all the trouble he'd been already.

He was almost tempted to argue, considering he just didn't like doing anything Val told him to, but he actually didn't.  He knew just as well as Val did how bad it would be if he was attacked on his own doorstep, but he also knew that it was just as likely that he'd be attacked inside his own home.  Vampires could get in, and they could hide until he wasn't paying attention.  He'd fight back, but it wouldn't really make that much of a difference at that point.  Maybe he could at least get to a weapon.  Val didn't seem to understand, but that was alright.  Connor would take care of business as only he knew how.

"Alright, whatever.  See you later," he said by way of dismissal as he popped his door open, not wanting to accept too easily that order.  "Night."

[Stormy Quattrone]

Val didn't answer verbally, only nodded, and waited until Connor had shut the door and locked it before teleporting back to Mayhem. Once inside his home, he stood in the doorway, leaning against the solid wood and taking that much-needed moment to wish this all away. It wouldn't go away, but he wanted it to. His life had taken crazy turns at times, but not for a long time, and he had gotten used to the peace just as Connor had barged in and changed everything. Now they were deep in it, and there was no going back. Val was well and truly stuck with more conflict than he ever could have wanted.

The shower helped a little. It didn't soothe his problems away, although it did get rid of the dirt, and feeling clean at least made him feel like he could handle the situation without screaming. And... it gave him time to think about the other things that had happened tonight, the things he had talked about with Connor and the agreements they had come to. He thought about how full he was, how much power had coursed through him from this feeding alone. Given that, he would miss Connor's blood if the Hunter had decided he couldn't handle the bite. Val wondered if regular 'donations' from Connor could result in a feeling like this all the time, if by feeding on Connor he could raise his natural power level.

It was a heady consideration, and wonderfully tempting. What would it be like to have real power, the kind he had seen others posess but given up on having for his own long ago?

Sleep came surprisingly easy that night.