porphyriac-blog

[porphyriac-blog]

malchikgrey:

Oh good. Exactly what he needed right now. Something to further his aggravation tonight. Between his normal disposition and the lack of fucks he gave in his current condition, Sergei had absolutely no resolve to keep himself from rolling his eyes as slow and obviously as possible. He slid the cup closer to his body and almost growled at the woman across from him.

“Get your own, bitch,” he spat out in a comically muffled tone, almost losing a wad of gauze as he spoke.

He didn’t give a shit who she was or what she was capable of. He didn’t want anyone to see him like this. Even he wasn’t completely sure what was going on with his body because of this stupid, Western season. His pride was more delicate than he’d like to admit.

Hazel swallowed thickly, blinked, resisted the urge to press the heels of her hands into her burning eyes. Up close, the smell was almost unbearable. It was only common decency, the last threads of her civility, that kept her from reaching across the table and snatching away the cup. Now that she was so close to it, the thought of tearing herself away to go and find her own rations was almost painful.

A muscle in her jaw twitched as, uncontrollably, her fangs slid forward and her mouth filled with saliva. She swallowed again, fingers tapping on the underside of the table, and said hoarsely, “This... unpleasant season isn’t an excuse to be uncouth, sir.” Even in her state of agitated hunger, there was something so irksome about unnecessary foul language - really, were people so incapable of keeping a civil tongue? Unbidden, and before she could stop herself, she added, “If I were to be as rude as you, I’d ask you what was wrong with your mouth.” 

Late Night Snack

[porphyriac-blog]

razorbrained:

“Look, sugar, that’s mighty kind, but I think that such things are far more acceptable in your circles. Goin’ to the grocery store in a wool coat when it’s blazin’ out is gonna get me some questions no matter what.” People tended to associate oddities with danger, and covering up serial murder was far more difficult with suspicions placed on you. Perhaps he’d take her up on the offer anyway - he had been looking into some wardrobe upgrades. The Earl Grey was extracted from the box, placed into an empty mug shaped like an owl, and quickly covered in steaming water. Rhett slid the cream and sugar, still out on the desk from his own drink preparation, towards Hazel. 

“Well, y’know, I forgot to check the clock. Your exact timin’ is helpful, but I got a bit too busy to make sure an’ wait for-” he paused to check his watch, a soft smirk on his face. “3:02 on the dot.” Ah, but this was a very pleasant visit indeed. Book club had become an increasing presence in his life - it was not the reading of the month’s book, of course, but the preparation. Each month, there were tens of books shuffled between Hazel and himself, each of them reading or rereading it as they made the necessary decisions. His job was quite helpful in the matter, though it tended to take time to convince the library heads to buy the books they needed. His eyes glimmered as he took the tome from Hazel’s hands, skimming the description. Oh, this was going to make him cry, wasn’t it? His tea was retrieved again, the warm mug beginning to burn color back into his fingertips the longer he held onto it. Rhett nodded once, twice, as he finished, setting the book to his right and looking back to his friend. “It looks lovely, darlin’. And by lovely, I do mean that I think we’re gonna have a room fulla weeping students at the end a’ the month, including me,” he smiled, taking a sip of his drink before continuing. “I think it’s an excellent choice.”

Masking a smile at the choice of mug, Hazel let the tea stew as she tipped one hand up in a gesture of acquiescence. “I suppose it is different for you, yes. It is so much more pleasant to be settled somewhere secluded, but you and your sister are such social creatures, dear.” As she often was, the vampire was grateful that she’d been born into a family with such large amounts of disposable income, and such good tastes. The family home, hidden away as it was, had allowed many generations of Delaneys to experience a life of solitude and safety - only a handful of times had Hazel ever been required to seek and subdue her own prey for consumption. “I certainly couldn’t bare to live so much of my life in human company.” 

“Oh, yes, I’m sure it will be a tearjerker, as they say. It came highly recommended.” Enjoying the praise, the vampire took the opportunity to hide her pleased expression by dipping her head to add cream and sugar to her tea. It was unbecoming to appear overly dependent on the opinions of others - over the centuries, her own siblings had developed faces of stone that Hazel had yet to master. Tapping the spoon lightly on the rim of the mug before taking a sip of the tea - a lovely brew, and the warmth that spread through her chest as she sipped was not unwelcome either - she tilted her head questioningly. “Did you have any suggestions? I wouldn’t like to act hastily before you’ve had your input. Moreover, I wouldn’t like to lose the opportunity to read a book of your suggesting - you do always have such impeccable taste.”

do not pass go

[porphyriac-blog]

marinosc:

Behind her dorm and Geoff’s, the Steam Room was easily Cora’s most frequented haunt. And Geoff’s only took the lead because she worked odd hours there. If she ever switched jobs to being a cafe barista, she’d easily be spending a solid half of her week tucked away in corners of the little shop.

It was just so damn cozy; the best place to both focus and unwind.

But today she had Hazel in her company. Cora doubted she could make an impression here that was less impressive than groggy mailbox kid. All the same, she felt slightly obligated to act like living in the cafe wasn’t something she’d more than once considered while sleep deprived. That was basic manners or something, right?

Cora stared down at her coffee aimlessly; the stir stick poking out of it at an odd angle. It was black this time– dark roast so it would at least have flavor. All the milk and chocolate in mochas had been doing her in. She loved them, but after about the third consecutive day she’d woken up and gone to bed sick on her stomach, Cora had started cutting her body some slack. This cup was much less likely to knock her out. But the four packets of sugar she’d impulsively added to it while waiting for Hazel to join her at the table… were probably negating that particular effect.

Oh well. She’d stocked up on meat at the start of the month and would eat properly later. That would balance it out, right? For now she had a tasty handwarmer and a new acquaintance.

“Are you in any clubs?” She asked amiably as Hazel drew close to the table.

Hazel tended to avoid large gatherings of students, if she was truly honest. It was not above her means to simply purchase any books she required instead of going to the library to borrow them, and if she ever desired nourishment other than blood, Rhett tended to have baked goods and caffeinated beverages squirrelled away in his room. It wasn’t that she disliked her fellow Llynhurst students - on the contrary, she enjoyed the diversity of the campus. It was just... so much more pleasant to be in her own room, surrounded by her belongings. 

Nonetheless, even she had visited the Steam Room at least once, and the vampire always enjoyed the warmth that blossomed in her icy hands when she entered the establishment. With that in mind, she ordered herself a pot of Earl Grey, giving a customary polite smile, and clasped the teapot tightly as the heat spread through her palms. Delightful. Mouth twitching up into a genuine smile, Hazel crossed the coffee shop to sit opposite Cora, letting the steam from her tea warm the underside of her chin.

“Clubs? Oh, well, I prefer to take a more secretarial role, as opposed to... something more active. I do run the Book Club with a dear friend of mine, though. I suppose that is my favourite activity... However, I don’t suppose that it’s particularly exciting, I’m afraid.” With an apologetic expression, Hazel poured herself a cup of tea, carefully stirring in milk. She often wondered if other students found her boring - it was hardly the stereotypical college experience. “Do you partake in any of the college’s extracurricular activities?”

coffee kick

[porphyriac-blog]

A cool glaze set over the vampire’s features as she watched the couple interact. Intimacy had never particularly pleased her, and she found it even less appealing in the aftermath of her own ill-fated forays into romance. She could not help but be displeased by her evening’s interruption, and its swift resolution. If she was ever unfortunate enough to have a partner so... hasty, she hoped she would surely work to prevent them unsettling other people’s evenings. Nonetheless, Hazel was not willing to let her displeasure show, and she regained her expression of polite neutrality as the prince’s rather unfitting behaviour ceased.

“Of course. A move to a new place can be highly unsettling, and one can be expected to feel a little out of sorts. I am sure I behaved much the same way when I arrived here.” A little generous, perhaps, but it would suffice. For a fleeting moment, she felt a thrill at the notion of making some remark - perhaps that apologies were worth little when one was coerced into making them - but she schooled this thought quickly. Truly, she was more than ready for her leisure time to be returned to her. “My name is Hazel Delaney,” she said lightly, fairly certain that her name must have been on several documents in the college welcome packets, “and I believe my father had the chair made. By whom, I cannot be sure - it has been in the family for several centuries. I am very fond of it.” Hazel had brought it with her from the main residence, along with most of the furnishings in her room. What she had not shipped over, she had acquired from her older siblings as they gradually moved away from the college. After all, it did no harm to retain the charm of one’s home.

two by two

[porphyriac-blog]

More than any other emotion, limited though they were, Hazel felt a distinct and fleeting sense of loss for her carefully planned evening of relaxation. It was immediately clear that these would not be swift strangers, and nor would they be dear friends. These brief thoughts aside, the vampire was struck by how acutely the prince reminded her of several of her father’s business acquaintances. It was something in the posture, she mused, that certain people just seemed to exude. No matter. Her upbringing had prepared her for these situations, and she had no intention of losing any more of her evening than she had to.

Still keeping her patient, steady gaze trained on the smaller of the pair, a polite smile playing around her fangs, the vampire moved to her desk and walked bloodless fingers over the alphabetised files until she found the students she was looking for. She did remember these two, as she remembered the majority of those who passed under her scrutiny. The request had been an unusual one - although couples did occasionally share a living space, this was typically requested after a relationship on campus, and was rarely established prior to application. Returning to her bed, she ran her eyes over the necessary forms, before looking up to meet the gaze of the prince. It had become clear quite early on in the exchange that his partner would do little to ease the situation.

“I must say, sirs, that I cannot particularly see how the college has failed to meet your requests. It is true, as you say, that we cater to all supernatural species, and I do believe we have fulfilled that to the best of our abilities.” Hazel cocked her head, the body beneath eerily still and poised. The prince’s rank meant little to her; their upbringings were surely similar enough. “Whilst I would be willing to tackle the issue of your accommodation’s climate, as you require cooler climes, your partner has indicated that your room’s temperature controls are indeed sufficient. If you still feel this is not the case after a period of time, you may open a request which will be dealt with swiftly. The rest, to my eyes, is not a prerequisite of your species, and thus does not fall under college parameters. I’m certain that many of our students would enjoy more space if they could have it, and I’m more than certain that you are not the only student who is accustomed to a more privileged lifestyle. However, we cannot all have our every desire catered for, as this is a learning environment first and foremost. If you have difficulty conducting your education within the college’s sphere, feel free to request the information forms regarding off-campus accommodation. I will certainly be pleased to oblige you.” With a bat of her lashes, Hazel found the relevant brochure and held it out delicately. She was always pleased to oblige.

two by two

[porphyriac-blog]

two by two

Hazel had decided to branch out a little from her usual leisure activities. Setting aside her copy of Ulysses - well-loved, though still immaculate - she had taken it upon herself to begin a foray into podcasts. Many of the younger students were fond of them, and it would give her eyes a rest after long hours spent poring over lecture notes and request forms. The recent influx of new students had produced a sheer mountain of paperwork - bizarre requests, class options, and more besides - and she’d had little time to herself these past few days. Thus, the vampire had cleared a few hours of her evening to spend time alone and away from her work. It would be... bliss.

She had drawn a bath, revelling in the warm steam that filled her bathroom, and had just begun to unlace her brogues to begin the process of removing her day’s attire when there was a knock at the door. Hazel’s stomach sank, and she allowed herself an internal sigh before composing herself and re-tying the lace. In a light tone, she called out, “Feel free to enter!” She could only hope that this intrusion would be a swift stranger, or a dear friend. Her bath would be most unpleasant if it was allowed to cool down.

[porphyriac-blog]

“Snuggies.” The tone was somewhere between question and statement, with just a hint of the distaste that the vampire reserved for human creations - corndogs were most frequently the victims of this scorn. “Those are the... loungewear garments, are they not?” They seemed to be the sort of item advertised on television - often, if she had visited Beatriz at a late hour, the werewolf was watching the shopping channel, and this was exactly the variety of garment that would interest those loud humans. 

“Personally, I favour overcoats and gloves.” Hazel extended her hands to demonstrate. “Extremities suffer the cold badly, and I have known several relatives who have lost their fingers through carelessness in the winter. Terrible, really.” 

Politely, the vampire smiled, only her fangs on show. “How fascinating... Certain states here do have a tendency to be awfully cold, and snowy too, but it always appears that the humans are surprised by the weather. I cannot remember a winter where they did not panic at the sight of the regular snowfall.” Foolish creatures, in all aspects of life. Alas, Hazel was more concerned with the nature of the creature before her. Dwelling in a mausoleum... but spending most of her life in Greece? It was not something she could easily place, and nor was it something she could enquire about in a polite enough manner. She could only hope that Cora would divulge more information in due course. “I can’t say that I’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting Greece, but I believe many students here have their origins there. It’s something of a supernatural hub, is it not?”

With a light laugh, Hazel followed after the girl, allowing a little pride to seep into her tone, “If I make the suggestion, it’ll surely come to pass soon enough. If I’m lucky, I’ll even be the one to approve it.” Her administrative role was, to an extent, worth more to her than her role as a student. “But, indeed, for now, only coffee will be on offer. I only hope the Steam Room isn’t too busy at this hour.”

a key encounter

Cora nodded vigorously; feeling her hair physically tangling at the back of her neck in the process, but too enthusiastic in her agreement to care. “It’s horrible! I can’t keep any warmth at all. I just have to leech it out of other people! Honestly, I just get cuddly in the winter? But I couldn’t interact with the humans I lived near so i just took to wearing multiple snuggies? Actually it was a rip-off brand. Cuddlies. What a horrific, wonderful creation that was.”

Her hands – which had come up to gesticulate wildly with her words – settled again. They wrapped around her torso in what was almost a hug, as if just mentioning the cold had made her so.

“I’ve only seen frostbite since moving here, actually. Just once. I lived in Greece and, like, the surrounding areas for a while. It’s not very cold there. Certainly enough to be unpleasant, but not enough to bite. Or at least, not that I experienced. But I was living in a mausoleum at the time, so maybe I’m not the best judge of the general experience? Then I moved to the US and the first year I was here, it snowed. More than I’d ever seen! Though… I’d never seen snow. But I sort of got the feeling that it was a lot for a winter here as well?”

Cora huffed softly; willing the sudden energy behind her words to ease out on her breath. Excitable as she was, unleashing her tendency to rush and wave and bubble on a near stranger in the early hours was maybe not… a wise decision. She didn’t want to scare Hazel off, after all.

Pulling her jacket tighter, Cora turned towards the door. “Let me know if you see any progress on that suggestion? Until then, we can just cuddle the espresso. It hasn’t let me down yet. I don’t see why it should now.”

[porphyriac-blog]

She had been released from her duties until November. It stung, still, several hours after the silence-laden meeting she’d attended; Hazel did not think that the shame would stop needling her until she was allowed to return to her administrative role when October was finally over. Since this new season of supernatural tension had begun, they told her, she had been unable to fulfil her duties to the best of her abilities, and her current temperament was not lending itself well to the situation. If she’d had enough blood in her body, she would have blushed with shame.

Thus, she had begun to take late night walks. With plenty of hours to fill, plenty of silence to be wrapped in, the vampire had taken to spending the long nights out on the campus, trying to drown out the constant clamouring headache with repetitive pacing. She walked with her mouth slightly open, sucking cold air in over her still-fevered gums, and her tongue prickled when she scented the blood on the air. Constantly hungry, never warm or full enough, the mere hint of a feed was a compelling force for the vampire, and her walk gained purpose as she turned towards the Steam Room. Inside, Hazel followed her nose, and soon tracked down the source of the scent - seemingly, from within a somewhat undignified cup that she’d personally have avoided for public use. With little concern for how she might appear, the vampire slid neatly into the chair across from the blood-drinker and tilted her head, eyes fixed hungrily on the cup.

Late Night Snack

It was 1:04 a.m. and he couldn’t fucking stand it anymore. 

Sergei sat alone at a small table for two in the corner of The Steam Room. He held a steaming cup locked behind his long, cold fingers. A white straw stained inside it’s translucent plastic with streaks of red and clogged with the occasional black clump poked out of the sipping hole of the cup’s lid. He was bundled up a little too heavily for the autumn season and his cheeks puffed out from the gauze stuffed between his teeth. This miserable season leading up to All Hallows’ Eve could kiss his undead ass.

He was already on edge but against his own advice he’d forced himself to finally go out and try to get something into his stomach. The only thing that could worsen his evening would be if anyone that was equally irritable tonight decided to waltz in right now.

[porphyriac-blog]

At first, Hazel told herself that the headache was simply an unpleasant aftereffect of the near-constant texts and emails she had been receiving for the past few hours. Goodness - even her pager, stored away neatly in her desk, had chirped to life as staff and students alike relayed accounts of increased supernatural activity and species side-effects throughout the day. Although she was a little concerned, it was really nothing unusual; with Hallowe’en came the thinning of veils and the hum of magic in the air, and it was to be expected that some students and staff would experience unusual phenomena. To be surprised at this was akin to being surprised at every full moon - and Hazel had once been in a relationship with a werewolf.

It was, therefore, easy enough to wave away the headache, the cold cramps that followed, and the gradual slowing of her thoughts, as the usual effects of stress on her system; after all, she was a hardworking vampire. However, any pretences were lost when she reached up to soothe the hot ache in her upper gums - the gums felt swollen to the touch, and her jaw was hot with fever. The muscles that pulled her large fangs back were sore from strain, and Hazel’s trembling hand could feel the way her teeth were bared, permanently slid forwards in preparation to feed. For a vampire of her breeding, this was unusual - it had not been since her adolescence that she had felt a feeding urge so sharply. And once she had acknowledged it, it seemed to worsen quite rapidly, her mouth hanging open to let cool air circulate around her aching gums, her hands tapping incessantly to drive away the tingling numbness in her fingers and palms. All at once, the vampire stood up, sending stacks of paper cascading to the floor. She needed to feed - desperately, and urgently, and this was the only thought she could hold in her mind. Clipboard and phone discarded, barely noticing her lack of shoes and coat, Hazel slipped out of her room and began to softly pace down the hall.

[porphyriac-blog]

It was always a pleasure to visit Rhett - somehow, his Southern sensibilities reminded her quite vividly of many aspects of her own upbringing, and it was always rather good to spend time amongst one’s own species, even with the few differences in heritage. With a sweet smile, Hazel took the offered seat and said lightly, “How kind of you, Rhett. Thank you.” She cast one eye over the selection of teas, wondering how she had so quickly become involved in this wrongdoing, before tapping an Earl Grey decisively. “I’ve found that my fashion decisions tend to deflect onlookers from asking certain questions - even in summer, a well-tailored overcoat is rarely questioned, and nor are leather gloves. Perhaps I could put you in contact with one of my father’s tailors.” This last remark was said wryly, one ginger eyebrow almost arching and the corner of her mouth threatening to twitch up into a smirk. An ill-dressed vampire was rare to see; arguably, Rhett’s own sister could fall into that category, but Hazel supposed she dressed to suit her interests, and that was difficult to criticise.

Rhett’s own wry remark did not go unnoticed, and she gave a fleeting smile, shaking her head in light disapproval before opening her satchel. “I will admit, it was a little redundant of me to schedule my arrival - it appears as thought I somehow took you by surprise. Regardless, I thought I should show you my newest purchase as soon as it arrived. I intend to suggest it as December’s book for the group.” Naturally, Hazel had purchased a second copy for Rhett - it would have been embarrassing to be so poorly organised, after all - and she offered it to him. “I’m sure we could suggest that the library purchases several copies - that is, if you share my opinion of the novel.”

do not pass go

[porphyriac-blog]

Frowning ever so slightly, the vampire shook her head and said pertly, “That’s beside the point - I’ve wasted your money and time, and I’m sure that’s not something that either of us want. Moreover, a hot beverage is never pleasant on skin or clothing, is it?” This was, of course, a rhetorical question - it took only a few visits to the Steam Room for one to be splashed with some caffeine-laden concoction, and Hazel had lost several lovely blouses to such accidents.

With this in mind, she trotted briskly over to the nearby stand to collect a handful of napkins and to order a fresh pot of tea, paying with one of several glossy black cards in her equally glossy black wallet. It was hardly an inconvenience for her, but for some students at the college, a pot of tea was something of a luxury. Returning to the unfortunate student whose afternoon she had so clumsily disturbed, the vampire gave a thin-lipped smile and extended one hand, “I should imagine an introduction is a little overdue, considering my entrance. I’m Hazel Delaney, and I believe your replacement tea is on its way. I do hope you can forgive me.”

((porphyriac)) "I'm sorry! I really should watch where I'm walking..."

On moment, there was a light bump against the cafe patio’s table, the next steaming hot tea was dripping down the sides in a small waterfall. Unfortunately, Elijah’s poor, soaked pant cuffs and shoes fell victim of the spilled drink before he was able to hop back in his seat. He could feel the remnants burn his skin lightly through his soggy pants. It was times like this that he thanked his monochrome wardrobe.“Ah, don’t worry yourself! It’s just tea, it won’t stain or anything like that.” He reassured. Despite his minor disappointment, he faced the  delicate girl in front of him with a small, assuring upturn of his lips. She was so petite and angelic, it was hard to get angry at her, especially for such a small mistake.

[porphyriac-blog]

porphyriac:

marinosc:

porphyriac:

Ah, polite! Always a good sign, in Hazel’s opinion. It was always a little disheartening to meet unpleasant freshman; of course, when attending fraternity parties and living as the “house mom” for Lamba, she’d encountered many undesirable characters, but the majority of these tended to only rear their ugly heads at dimly lit parties - presumably, they did not make a habit of attending classes. “Of course, of course. I must admit it has been a little while since I was a new student here, but I have not quickly forgotten the trepidation I felt when I first arrived.” When she had first arrived at Llynhurst, two of her elder siblings and several cousins were still attending the college, which had helped more than a little, but this did not need to be passed onto her new acquaintance. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Cora - I’m sure you will have an excellent experience here.” “Oh, most definitely! I have found that it gets harder to leave for class when the semester gets nearer to winter, however. There is something quite unpleasant about awaking to a dark sky, isn’t there?” Though summer had its perils and unpleasantries - as a redhead, sunburn was one of the vampire’s worst enemies - it was far nicer to be able to bask beneath the sun on a walk to class, instead of hurrying through a wintry mist. Eyeing the mailbox, Hazel pondered the question. She could, perhaps, purchase another beverage to take with her… and it would certainly be a good deed to offer this freshman some sort of reconciliation coffee. It would help her feel more welcome, perhaps. “It’s less of a caffeine addiction and more of an expensive handwarmer for me,” the vampire admitted, “but I’ll gladly pay a visit to the Steam Room. Would you allow me to make up for this confusion by paying for your beverage?”

It was certainly a warmer welcome than she’d received from anyone previously. Or at least, a better expressed one. Though it wasn’t her intention to imply anything less of those others, she made a note of this particular moment for safe keeping – half to pull from in future greetings, and half to simply remember. “Ah, thank you. So far, so good!” And it was. It really was. Tossing herself into any sort of established society had been a leap, but one she was firmly able to say she was glad she’d made.

For the ghoul however, the dropping temperatures were the real misfortune to the seasons changing. With very little meat on her bones, winter winds had a tendency to cut through every layer of cloth she wore – biting straight down to her core. Soaking up sunlight when she could on cooler days was fast becoming a habit. But dark skies had been greeting Cora into consciousness for almost as long as she could remember, and they remained like a familiar embrace. A small, fond kick to start off the cold days on a good note.

“I can’t say I mind the sky so much. I’m waiting for it to snow and really kick my ass, you know?” She huffed a laugh. “I’ve gotten stuck in snow drifts taller than I am before. Hopefully that won’t happen here.”

Her home in Greece had barely seen snow. What fell never stuck, and was hesitant to fall in the first place. Moving the the US had really been a shocker in that sense, even if she was slightly exaggerating the encounter.

“Coffee sounds wonderful! As do handwarmers, actually. Though, I don’t think I could let you pay for it. The company would be more than enough, thank you.”

At the mention of snow, the vampire pressed her lips together for a split second, nostrils flaring, before her face regained its usual cultivated composure. “My goodness, I can’t say I find even the thought of snow particularly pleasant. I’ve got little in the way of circulation, you see, and it takes rather a few layers to prevent me from… well, I suppose it would be similar to frostbite - if you’ve seen that before, that is.”

Still a little shaken from pre-winter thoughts of snow, Hazel blinked at the girl’s statement - goodness, really? How terrible. “Did you live somewhere particularly cold, or were you simply rather unlucky?” She sorely hoped it was not the kind of incident that would ever befall her; indeed, that would render her an icicle within only a few minutes. When she was many years younger, her family home in England had endured several deep snowfalls, but it had seemed to her that there was much less snow to be found this side of the 1950s - a blessing, really, although humans were so very concerned about the phenomenon of “global warming”.

Truly, she should have tried to insist that she paid - it was not as though she was particularly financially challenged, and she held the responsibility as the older student… or at least, as the more experienced student - one should never attempt to judge the age of one’s peers, especially in such a diverse environment as Llynhurst. Regardless, her new acquaintance’s charming turn of phrase had left the vampire particularly pleased, and far more willing to acquiesce. “I’m not sure that I can muster an objection so early in the morning, Ms. Marinos, so I suppose I’ll agree.” Resting one hand lightly on her satchel, she added as an afterthought, “I should consider requesting handwarmers for the more temperature-challenged students, though. That may help us both with the coming winter.”

a key encounter

[porphyriac-blog]

Headcanon Meme Time!

⌆ a nervous tic or habit they do

⏀ describe their usual smile

⇅ do they look up or down while thinking?

❧ describe their usual sleeping position

✑ describe something they like without naming it

✜ what’s their posture like in a normal situation?

❖ describe their hands

❞ write a quote they would find themselves saying

§ how would their hair gray? or would they lose their hair first?

❤ describe how they show affection.

✭ what is one of their favorite items?

[porphyriac-blog]

Ah, polite! Always a good sign, in Hazel’s opinion. It was always a little disheartening to meet unpleasant freshman; of course, when attending fraternity parties and living as the “house mom” for Lamba, she’d encountered many undesirable characters, but the majority of these tended to only rear their ugly heads at dimly lit parties - presumably, they did not make a habit of attending classes. “Of course, of course. I must admit it has been a little while since I was a new student here, but I have not quickly forgotten the trepidation I felt when I first arrived.” When she had first arrived at Llynhurst, two of her elder siblings and several cousins were still attending the college, which had helped more than a little, but this did not need to be passed onto her new acquaintance. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Cora - I’m sure you will have an excellent experience here.”

“Oh, most definitely! I have found that it gets harder to leave for class when the semester gets nearer to winter, however. There is something quite unpleasant about awaking to a dark sky, isn’t there?” Though summer had its perils and unpleasantries - as a redhead, sunburn was one of the vampire’s worst enemies - it was far nicer to be able to bask beneath the sun on a walk to class, instead of hurrying through a wintry mist. Eyeing the mailbox, Hazel pondered the question. She could, perhaps, purchase another beverage to take with her... and it would certainly be a good deed to offer this freshman some sort of reconciliation coffee. It would help her feel more welcome, perhaps. “It’s less of a caffeine addiction and more of an expensive handwarmer for me,” the vampire admitted, “but I’ll gladly pay a visit to the Steam Room. Would you allow me to make up for this confusion by paying for your beverage?”

a key encounter

Her only real affirmation was a slight nod after the statement. Cora had already bypassed the stage of wondering if she reeked freshman. Now she simply assumed she did. Even by her own scrutiny, she had quite a few mannerisms that betrayed how jumpy and new to living openly amongst others she was. Those as well as the generic signs could probably be easily translated into new kid nerves by someone who wasn’t expecting otherwise. Part of her was sure they came off to plenty of the other students as exactly what they were, though. Which was unsettling itself.  But it had to be easy to find those similarly wary in a place where humans never went.

“No more difficult than I was expecting, really.” The words came off on an exhale. And when the breath bottomed out, Cora replaced its presence with a small grin. It was nothing like Hazel’s wide smile; less teeth and mostly visible in the way it made the ghoul’s eyes crinkle. But it was the closest to a genuine expression she could muster through the brain-fog. “It’s nice to meet you, though. I’m, um, Cora Marinos.”

For a long moment she debated holding out a hand, but settled on keeping it firmly in place. Once she’d instinctively offered a shake to someone who – as it turned out – didn’t effectively have hands. The embarrassment had formed a hesitance that now overrode most visual reassurances of physicality and-or custom.

“I shouldn’t, but I will! It does seem to help a bit. Though it honestly hasn’t been so bad this morning. I’m just slow to wake up, you know? I’ll get used to it the longer I have class, I’m sure.”

Cora shifted out of the way of the mailbox, realizing belatedly that she was probably still blocking Hazel’s access. “Are you on your way to a caffeine addiction too, or?”

[porphyriac-blog]

“Oh, goodness me, I don’t doubt that you’re relatively youthful! I’ve always found that the younger students are the ones to gravitate towards sports and the like.” She gave a light laugh, having carefully adopted her dinner party mannerisms, and wondered what he considered old for his species. Surely they had a lifespan far longer than vampires..? She doubted that her own age would be impressive to him - as it was, it was hardly impressive in comparison to the many centuries accrued by her close relatives. Finding it easier to drop the train of thought and amiably agree with her large companion, Hazel nodded, “That does seem to be the case! It’s certainly an informal environment here - very friendly. Have you been here very long?”

How sweet! Giving him a bright smile, the vampire slid the strap from her shoulder and held it out, realising a little too late that the oni might not necessarily be... hygienic enough to be allowed such an offer. “Here!” It was difficult to ignore the... insect life apparently inhabiting his hair, but she bolstered herself and persevered, “You can feel it if you like. My father had it made for me some years ago.” As was the case with many of her clothes, unfortunately. Unlike her siblings, she had yet to discover her own sense of fashion, and was still largely dressed in a similar manner to the family’s assistants. It was no matter - at the very least, it seemed that Akio was pleased by it... although he seemed to be pleased by many things. “Ah! I was only crossing the campus to the registrar’s office but I’d be glad of the company! I do hope I’m not keeping you from anything important, though. Were you busy?”

crash course

Akio beamed under the praise - it was a common sentiment, but never stopped making him feel all warm and fuzzy inside. “You can drop the mithter. I’m not that old!” He almost felt like he should be squatting to talk to Hazel. Didn’t this hurt her neck? “Bethides, it thould be ‘Aoyama-than.’ But that’th only for really old people… People with jobth.” Okay, so having a job didn’t mean you were really old. Still! Any kind of honorific made him feel a bit stiff, like there were suddenly new expectations on his shoulders. Icky. “You can jutht call me Akio! Given nameth are better here, right?”

His gaze followed Hazel’s hands as she checked her notification - oh, that was a pretty purse. “I like your bag!” he exclaimed, never having been one for verbal filters. “It looks soft.” Akio lifted a large hand to scratch at the base of his scalp, letting off a flurry of dirt and what might have been a bug or two. He wasn’t quite perceptive enough to catch Hazel’s displeased reaction, far too distracted with the pleasure of the itch disappearing. He’d never claim to be bred for manners. Suddenly, he managed to remember the full situation, hopping slightly in place and focusing back on the tiny woman. “Were you going thomewhere before I knocked you over? I can walk you! I’m thure you’re fine alone, but what are friendth for?” 

[porphyriac-blog]

No matter how many sights she’d seen in her century of living, there was little more pleasing to see than a new book; it did not even need to be a new copy, so long as it was new to her. Thus, it was with some great delight that she’d acquired several copies of Grief is the Thing with Feathers, delivered to her personally, and it was with even more delight that she decided to suggest the book for the Book Club’s monthly read. The best course of action was to suggest this to Rhett immediately, and Hazel had pencilled in an urgent meeting with her fellow vampire to discuss the novel, even bringing a copy for him in her satchel. 

It was a little disconcerting, therefore, to sense faint warmth emanating from under the door as she waited for him to respond to her knock. Perhaps he’d forgotten, and invited another student over..? Hazel felt a little embarrassed, and was in the process of weighing up the decision to leave when he called out, and she abandoned her ruminations on the threshold, clicking the door open and neatly stepping into the room. Ah. With the visual evidence, it was far easier to explain the warmth she had briefly felt - some sort of portable stove, she presumed, or a hot plate - and she hid a smile with one pale hand. “Rhett,” she said lightly, “how gracious of you to prepare hot beverages. I fear we both need a little more warmth than others, do we not?” How could she not let her companion have this little indulgence? There was little risk of any accident - except, it appeared, for Rhett’s sleeve. “I’m certainly glad I brought several overcoats with me from home this semester, as autumn has caught us quite suddenly.” 

do not pass go

​Tea was so relaxing after a long day of classes and work. Perhaps the illegal hot plate made it a bit less relieving, but how else was he supposed to make a hot drink? The microwave, like some kinda low class ingrate? Rhett had been raised better than that. He was just stirring sugar into his mug when a knock at the door startled him, making him jump and spill hot liquid up his sleeve. Ouch!

He’d forgotten Hazel had planned a visit. Shoot. How could he forget? She planned everything! She lived three doors down and she’d called yesterday to make sure he’d be in his room when she had a break! The plate itself could be hidden quickly, but the steaming copper kettle was an obvious marker of what’d been happening, this blatant rule smashing. Boy, was he going to get the clipboard beating of his life when that door opened.

Rhett let out a resigned breath, grabbing another mug from his drawer before calling out to his visitor. “C'mon in, sugar!” Maybe he’d avoid the worst of it if he gave Hazel a cup of tea too… Ah, boy. “Door’s unlocked.”

[porphyriac-blog]

Spring... Well, she supposed that made sense, somehow. Athletics had never held any true appeal for her, and she could not understand how they kept inventing new games and disciplines. “Ah, I believe I understand now - thank you for explaining, Mr. Aoyama.” Goodness - he certainly was thtrong. Hazel gave him a polite smile, a little concerned for the welfare of his clothing. Perhaps he should invest in some tank tops - many athletic students seemed to enjoy wearing them. “That is very impressive! I’m sure the baseball team is fortunate to have you.”

In her monogrammed leather satchel, her phone buzzed, and she knew that it was the dean of the faculty, predictably cancelling their upcoming meeting. He was often unsettled around her, for reasons she had yet to fathom - although it may have stemmed from her recent decision to organise his office whilst he was at lunch. Odd; she had assumed he would be thankful. At the oni’s question, Hazel smiled again, showing her teeth this time. “Quite right! I am Hazel Delaney, and I’m very pleased to have this chance to converse with you properly.”

crash course

Akio watched patiently as the tiny woman cleaned herself up, hands still held to his chest. It’s not like it was the first time he’d knocked someone over - not even close - but that didn’t mean he didn’t feel bad every time. It wasn’t his fault he was so big! It was his fault that he never looked down while he was walking, or running, or jumping, or doing any kind of movement, but maybe short people had some responsibility here too. He wasn’t the only one with eyes!

“Oh, batheball theathon doethn’t thtart back up until thpring! February, to be prethithe.” Oof, maybe not his best choice of words if he was going for intelligible. Ah, well, she seemed to not have a problem with understanding him so far. “We train all year, though. Gotta thtay thtrong!” The sentence was punctuated with a wide, toothy grin and a flashy flex of his arms; t-shirt sleeves threatening to tear around his biceps. Akio looked down at the girl, settling his hands on his hips. “Hey, uh. What’th your name? You know me already. Can’t be friendth without tharing names!”