(Rabbit)
When the stranger brought out a pouch of coins, opened it and set it on the table, Rabbit picked up a few and examined them. He was a little surprised that many seemed to be actual gold or silver, but the images and writing on them were, once again, nothing he recognized. If there were numbers on them, he couldn't distinguish them from the other strange characters.? Putting them back into the pouch, he looked back to the stranger uncertainly.? It was a good guess that the man was wanting to pay for something, perhaps as a gesture of gratitude for the help he'd been given.? The man's subsequent miming however suggested that he was wanting some services that the club might be able to provide him with.? Trying to explain the finer points of how the club handled such things was clearly beyond their currently limited form of communication however, so Rabbit motioned with his hands and trying to indicate what he hoped the man would understand as wait or not-yet.? "D-don' worry 'bout that for now, mister.? L-later, okay?"
The stranger was able to communicate the nature of what he wanted though, in fairly clear terms.? First, he wanted to get cleaned up, then get his clothes cleaned and repaired, and after that, some sleep.? Rabbit nodded.? "Okay.? N-no problem. We can do that."
It took Rabbit by surprise when the stranger took his hand and shook it, just when he was resisting an impulse to touch the man's face.? But the man was smiling, so at least he wasn't offended by the half-made attempt.? Then the man was clearly trying to tell Rabbit who he was, or at least what he was called.? "R-row-oooh?" the little vampire ventured, biting his lip.? "Rue?? Roo?"? Uncertain if he was getting it right, he pointed to himself.? "I'm, uhm, R-rabbit." He took a moment to collect himself, then tried again.? "Raa-bit.? Like in, you know, rabbit.? Okay?"
"Let's see about gettin' you cleaned up and stuff, sir," the little vampire said, remembering what the stranger had indicated he wanted.? He gestured for the man to stand, then studied him for a moment, trying to assess what size of clothes the man would need while his were being cleaned and repaired.? "I think I can f-find some stuff for you to wear.? Just w-wait here, okay?"? Rabbit mimed for the man to sit and wait, then picked up the tray and now-empty dishes and slipped out of the room, the noise from the main room intruding during the brief time the door was open and then subsiding back into a distant hum once again.
A short time later Rabbit returned, this time bearing a set of clothing that he hoped would fit the stranger.? "I kn-know it's not like the fancy stuff you're wearin', but it'll probably do you for n-now."? He gestured towards the door, motioning for the man to follow him.
Rabbit stayed close as he led the stranger around the fringes of the crowd until they reached a quieter section that was separate from the main room.? "Folks usually like to use this for, uhm, you know, p-parties 'n stuff," he said, opening a door that was one of several along the short hallway.? "But you can use it to clean up in."? The room was a miniature Roman bath, styled like a small grotto, with a section of wall dotted with niches that held towels and toiletries.? He closed the door and flipped the sign to indicate 'occupied', then set the clothes he'd brought on a nearby shelf. ?
"If you'll just, uhm, give me your clothes, sir, I'll take them to where they can be, you know, cl-cleaned and fixed up. And you can get yourself cleaned up while I'm gone."? Rabbit hesitated, fidgeting awkwardly.? "But if'n you, uhm, you know, n-need any help gettin' cleaned up, I can stay and, you know, h-help," he offered, trying not to sound hopeful.? He could feel himself blushing furiously even as he said it, dropping his eyes to keep from openly staring at the stranger, cursing himself.? He was usually more professional than this.? But something about the man was just drawing the little vampire to him.? He was beautiful in an exotic way. And he smelled so damn good.? Especially his blood.? "No, dammit," Rabbit muttered, feeling his fangs starting to emerge. "Not now!" ? It took an effort of will to force them back to normal.? When he felt in control of himself again, he looked back to the stranger.? "If you'll just, uhm, g-give me your clothes 'n stuff, sir, I'll take care of them," he said, miming that the man should undress and give him his clothes.? He then quickly turned his back, keeping his eyes averted as he waited.
[Roue]
Roue, letting go of other's hand, watched intently as Rabbit examined the coins, waiting on baited breath as his eyes followed Rabbit's every moment, feeling a sense of pride at the size of compensation that he was offering.? However his look of satisfaction was quickly replaced by confusion when the other boy put the gold back, gesturing in a way like he didn't like it or perhaps didn't want any of it.? How come, he questioned, looking back at his host, was this amount just not enough?? Perhaps the quality of the coinage was deemedsubpar or maybe metals such as these held no value in this place?? But all of Rune Midgard accepted zeny, with some even killing for less than what he had on the table.? Perhaps he was being too hasty in his own judgement, he reasoned.? Maybe services are rendered first and then a bill produced at the end.? But not knowing how much he had to pay made anxiousness rise like bile in his throat and so nervously chewed on his finger.? His stormy thoughts were broken by Rabbit, however, who made an honest attempt at pronouncing his charge's name.
"<Oh, you almost got it!? Row, just like that.? Try it again!? Row, row!? I am Roue," he repeated excitedly, leaning forward as his ears perked up, listening intently to Rabbit's voice.? It really was a strange accent and again he wondered how come no one in this place spoke the same common tongue that he did?? However, it seemed now it was his turn to try when the other gestured to himself and produced a pattern of sounds that he repeated a couple of times.? He cleared his throat, coughing a bit, as he took a breath and gave it his all.
"Raa-raa..bitte.? Raabiit.? Raa raa raa.? Bitte...bitte...bitt...Raabbiiiitt," he kept saying it over and over, as if he was carefully tasting each syllable like a bite of food, taking a moment to swallow and digest it.? He attempted to draw it out, letting it roll off his tongue until it seemed like maybe this Rabbit person had enough and then gestured for him to stand.? His eyes traveled over Roue's form, seeming like he was sizing him up, but then gestured for him to sit and wait.? So he dutifully sat and waited as Rabbit picked up all the dishware and utensils, then disappeared behind the door.? The peace that the room contained was briefly disturbed as distant notes of very lively music seemed to reach his ears and was just as quickly extinguished once the door shut.? He dutifully waited for his host to come back, looking around the room and marveling at its design when Rabbit reappeared within the room but this time his arms were filled with a pile of clothing rather than another round of dishware, indicating for Roue to get back up and follow him.
The wizard obediently followed on his heels, his head becoming like a non-stop swivel as he tried to take in the places they were passing.? They left one hallway, skirting around quite an energetic crowd, then entered another when they finally reached a door that Rabbit opened and motioned for Roue to step inside.? He thanked him for letting him go in first, but once he did, he froze at the sight that greeted him.? The room was a tiny oasis, with a statue spilling water into a pool of muted water at the farthest end and columns surrounding the rest of it on the edges.? Various alcoves seemed to hold all kind of soaps and liquids, probably shampoos and such, and towels to help one dry off.? As small as it may have been, this was still twice the size of the baths he was used to taking at home.? A distance memory at this point.? Roue couldn't remember the last time he's been able to take a bath, much less a hot one, which made him so eager that he even forgot that Rabbit was still in the room or even talking to him.? He started by deftly unbuttoning his vest, shrugging it off as he tossed it to the side, then loosened and wiggled out of his pants, glad to be temporarily rid of the constricting fabric.? Then he pulled off his underwear and socks, leaving himself clad in nothing but the cool air, causing goosebumps to appear on his otherwise smooth skin.? Reaching the edge of the water, he dipped one foot in, hissing at the heat the bit at his toes.? He hesitated a bit, letting the pain subside until it was replaced with pure glee.
"<Well, there's no time like tomorrow!>" he exclaimed, launching himself towards the deeper end of the pool.? Upon surfacing, he threw his head back, flipping his hair back and off his face as it clung to him every which way, revealing the toned contours of his body.? The water, though very hot and nipping at his skin, felt extremely wonderful.? He could not believe that this is what he's been missing all these years, this much welcome warmth.? He stood there for a little bit, running his hands to the back of his neck, tilting his head, elbows up as he stood waist deep the water, relishing the way the steam wrapped around him like a veil.
Tag - Rabbit.
Luukasama