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Post by Satra on Aug 19, 2009 16:18:17 GMT -5
Victor stretched and shook his tired head. It was probably time to go to sle-- HOLY CRAP IS THAT THE TIME?! Victor's jaw dropped. The last time he'd looked at the clock it was midnight. He'd been reading since... wow no wonder his head and eyes hurt. He rubbed his eyes and looked outside. Yeah, it was time for breakfast. There was no getting around it. Making up for the sleep now would just ruin his sleep cycle. He made a small grunt as he got up. A small shooting pain came from the rot on his stomach. He took a few breathes to prepare himself, then stretched his muscles. The sketching pulled as his exposed skin and caused it to ooze slightly. He groomed himself and went to gargle some mouthwash after to remove the flavor of rot from his mouth. Ah breakfast. It was the most important meal of the day, according to most. Being one of the two meals he regularly ate daily, he regarded it as really no more or less important than dinner. Still, it amused him to remember the little things from his childhood. They made him feel.... oh damn. Victor's happy feeling dropped a little as he stared into the empty icebox. There was some half-melted ice at the bottom and that was it. Well... time to go out again. He grabbed his bag and scrounged around the house. The Sofa Fund was spent. He put the cushions back and fought back other distracting thoughts that were getting in the way of what else he kept his money in. Okay. Hmm. He checked his other bag's pockets and found a few coppers. Excellent! Let's see... He poked his head around in the pillows on the floor that sufficed as his bed. One copper. Alrighty then. Herm. That wasn't going to be much for the day-- "OH!" he exclaimed suddenly to himself, "Wallet!" he dug around in the bag he was carrying and found a small cloth wallet that was more patchwork than it was of the original fabric and pulled out three silver pieces. That was definitely enough to get him food for a while! He added the coppers to the wallet, put the wallet back in the bag and went out. At the market he found a few things he wanted. He kept in mind how big the icebox back in his apartment was. He couldn't take a lot. Still, he didn't eat very much, so it would be enough for four meals. That was two days of food! He liked knowing he was going to eat the next day. Gave him good feelings. He looked between two tiny, wilted heads of lettuce, trying to figure out which of them would be a less miserable experience to eat. |
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Post by Nako on Aug 19, 2009 17:11:18 GMT -5
 Intense... driven. He was an animal amongst prey. They didn't stand a chance with his epic powers of persuasion and epic hunting abilities. Oh yes, these claws were lethal, and tuned to the most delicate change in density of muscle and bone... And melons. Rap. Rap tap tap. Ah yes, this was a good one, nice and ripe. Oh yes, Merlin enjoyed a good honeydew... but as a man, even a refined one... Merlin required MEAT. MEAT IS MANLY. And so, alongside a ripe honeydew, some fresh tomatoes and a few other delicate little nice foods, sat two massive cow heads in his buggy, wrapped in that lovely Corvistownian invention called.... plastic. Yes, lovely stuff. He'd gotten some prime heads, quite likely with plenty of brain if their hugeness counted for anything, with all the neckmeat still very much attached. Oh yes. It would make a DELICIOUS, MANLY MEAL. And then there was a most... pathetic sight, and not just because the creature was a Lowlander. There he was, manhandling some cabbages. Some... wilted cabbages. Now.... Merlin wasn't a Lowlander sympathizer, but then again, the hatred and aversion to them hadn't really been firmly instilled before he'd.... moved away from Avington and out on his own. Yes, it was quite disgusting, but this creature looked outright like it should be dead. How was it even moving around without being in horrid, insufferable pain? Fascinating. Moving toward him, his head cocked to the side curiously as he watched the Lowlander a few feet away, sidling carefully over as he looked over the quadruped's shoulder. "A vegan cat? A depressing life, indeed."((He's disguised with a 7 of hearts)) |
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Post by Satra on Aug 19, 2009 17:56:05 GMT -5
Victor sighed and looked over at the fresh greens right next to the bin he had to go through. These were heavily discounted because they were going to be thrown out that night, but... should I binge? I mean. I should save the money being in between jobs but... "Ung," he moaned quietly, craving some fresh food. It took him a moment to realize that someone was actually speaking to him in a civilized manner. He did a small double take at the voice behind him then looked around him for any other Felines he may have been referring to. What an incredibly unique-looking man. Avingtons. Those were always fascinating. He always wanted to figure out the exact mechanism, magical, of course, behind their tree and secrets.
Oh, right! He was being talked to.
"Oh, not at all, this is just the beginning of my shopping. I don't really like walking around with meat. It makes me too hungry and rushes the rest of my shopping," he answered in a chipper voice. He really hoped this man wasn't pretending to be kind and actually setting him up for something terrible. That would really be quite inconvenient. His stomach twisted and growled as the smell from the man's large, wrapped meat came wafting toward him from the buggy he was pushing. Subconsciously, he licked his lips as he began to salivate. The meat was quite enticing. It was a good thing it was wrapped. Seeing it just out in the open would have made him all the more hungry for it.
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Post by Nako on Aug 19, 2009 18:05:39 GMT -5
Huh. Chipper. He hadn't expected that. He ran a clawed hand absently through the fur on his chest, a nervous habit that he could never quite shake. He'd been drawn to this horrid sight for a reason he really couldn't explain. He was rapidly realizing why he was so curious as his mind wandered to those gaping, seeping wounds. How interesting it would be, to study them. Eyes dilating, he licked his lips as well. What on earth about Lowlander physiology gave them such a disposition as to quite literally.. fall apart? Just how bad was this creature's rot.
He managed a smile, though it was one filled with an awkward amount of jackal teeth that probably came off more creepy than genuine. Smiling.. didn't come natural to Merlin. His face was better suited to the subtle twitches of emotion that normally gave his feelings away. No, this was a purely social reflex.
Then, he realized he'd just been standing there, staring at the cat. Not in horror, but in an odd, intense way in how an owl would stare at a mouse. "On a budget?" Merlin asked softly, extending a claw towards the wilting head of lettuce.
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Post by Satra on Aug 19, 2009 18:33:14 GMT -5
Victor's own smile twitched and faltered into an expression of uncertainty. That smile unnerved him a little and he didn't much like the way hew as being looked at. It reminded him of when he was being marked by Josiggies to jump him. It was an experience he didn't much care for. The next thing the man said made his ears lean back in slight embarrassment. He was a Lowlander and he'd never been rich. Most people held that stereotype about them. Still, his financial situation was something that tended to be a good mood killer, but only when other people brought it up.
"Uh, yeah. Heh. Usually am," he tried joking, but a tone of bitterness edged in, "Just this market tends to have better discounted wilted stuff than the one closer to where I live." That came off more successfully as a self-effacing joke. Less bitterness that time.
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Post by Nako on Aug 19, 2009 19:14:55 GMT -5
Hm. Whoops. that uncertain expression that went across the rotting face did not go unnoticed. As convincing as he could be in a full guise, he felt most socially awkward in his own form... even if it had the mark of a card on it.
"Oh.. my apologies. I didn't quite mean it that way. Ah.. I came over here and didn't consider tact at all." Skirting around the buggy, he inclined himself toward the quadruped and extended a clawed hand, oblivious to the stares in the market; oblivious to everything but the rotting, strange creature before him. "The name is Merlin. I hope I haven't offended you. I believe we've all been in a situation where the belt has to be tightened a bit." Would his flesh... give way in his hand? How solid was he? Was it just particular spots that were rotting? He was so curious to know.
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Post by Satra on Aug 19, 2009 20:52:06 GMT -5
Victor blinked in disbelief at the hand in front of him. This man was not only allowing Victor to touch him, but he went out of his way, going around his buggy, looked him in the eye, and gave him a polite greeting with undivided attention. That made the world around him seem to stop and blur out of view. The people grimacing at the man reaching out to touch the Lowlander didn't matter. The disgusted glares shot his way as people looked at him and his rot didn't matter either. There was just this man, extending a piece of kindness. Victor smiled, his green eyes widening slightly with hope. Maybe they could be friends! Victor didn't have many of those. He liked that thought. His tail began to twitch then flop two and fro.
As soon as his paw came in contact with the other man's hand, a shiver ran down his spine and his suddenly found himself wondering if their relationship will ever go past 'just friends'. Somewhere in the back of his mind he cursed himself and his loneliness. He was so desperate for affection that he overreacted in situations like this and knew it.
"That's... that's no problem at all," he said, catching his breath. He kept his paw in the man's hand for as long as he allowed. The contact felt unbearably good in its unfamiliarity. "My name is Victor."
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Post by Nako on Aug 19, 2009 21:05:35 GMT -5
Dextrously, gracefully, Merlin took the Lowlander's hand, running a thumb gently over each digit, feeling the automatic flexion of the feline joints within the paw that allowed the claws to extend. He made an appreciative noise in his throat, making note of the... normalcy of the skin and fur in that area. So his rot was centralized.
And he was forgiven. So much better. A small smile that was much more befitting to his face than the previous one curled his lips gently. "Victor. A lovely name. I am Merlin... Ah.. I've said that already."A cool laugh.
As if loathe to do so, he finally let go of the feline digit.
"I hope this does not seem too odd... but... would you mind.. keeping in touch?" And letting me poke at your sores and test your oozing wounds? But no, he must keep that to himself. Yes. Tact. That would be important right now. Even a Lowlander would find being a test subject... off putting, and he didn't want to chase him off. He was so... -delightful- for a Lowlander. Not ill tempered at all as he'd heard of them from rumors.
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Post by Satra on Aug 19, 2009 22:57:13 GMT -5
Victor choked down a whimper as the man dragged his thumb across each of the digits on his paw. Reflexively, he extended his claws, but only slightly, as if he were kneading. Purring suddenly took over and he couldn't bring himself to stop it. He bite the inside of his lip to stop himself from melting. Touch. Why did he have to touch him like that? As if it wasn't bad enough that lust was invoked in his from as little as a handshake. He felt thoroughly pathetic.
Victor. A lovely name.
Victor thought so, too, considering he'd picked it out for himself only a few years ago.
"Merlin," he repeated in a whisper, barely noticing the man had introduced himself twice, then in more audible voice: "It's a pleasure." Just as he was getting over the initial touch and able to act and think normally, Merlin let go of his paw. "I'd love to," he gulped, not believing what he just heard. Keep in touch? More thoughts than he could process before he spoke flashed through his mind: joy, excitement, fears, anxieties.
"I-- would-- I mean," he cleared his throat. This was all so overwhelming. So overwhelming, in fact, that he slipped into his nervous habit: useless bantering, "Would you like to grab a cup of coffee or tea or.. uh, whatever you drink sometime today? I-- I mean, the sooner the better, right? But except the meat shouldn't be left out. Due to health code, the place can't keep the meat unchilled for more than four hours, because that's roughly the time when bacteria starts becoming dangerous and a health concern -- it's not right on the dot, but yanno, it's close enough to the average and it fits within our invented measurement of time -- so even though they keep the meat for their maximum time, once someone buys it, it's out of their hands, so the bacteria keeps growing regardless of who is in control of the meat. So if you bought it right as they're about to throw it out, it's the worse time unless you get it home and in an ice box immediately. I would hate to see you get sick, especially on account of me. I'm not really worth it. I... er..." he trailed off suddenly, realized he'd just made a right fool of himself. The skin under his eye that never grew fur his entire life, but never actually gave way to rot, went red from his blush. He was no longer purring.
[XD My first thread with this guy and we've already found someone to make him act like an idiot. Nice]
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Post by Nako on Aug 20, 2009 8:41:02 GMT -5
Merlin tolerated the blabbering most easily; he was not quick to become offended or annoyed by people who let their mouth run off with them. In fact, it was quite endearing, how he went on about health codes and other cute little nonsenses. How unfortunate for the man, that he was dealt a most unkind hand by fate to give him such... progressed rot. Did he have much time to live? He'd heard that some people with fatal diseases would make the best out of life. Oh dear... that was a rather sad thought indeed.
With a kind nod, he retracted back to his buggy. "How kind, and health conscious of you, Victor, to worry about the spoilage of my food." The corner of his mouth twitched into that small smile for a moment. "Coffee would be good." He ran a claw along the edge of the buggy thoughtfully, "Perhaps for lunch? Around noon at the little cafe on Second Avenue?"
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