Dream at My Doorstep (Sigr and Octo P)

[OctopusPrince]

Tsoka had had enough that evening of his work load. It was easy enough to get all of his clients attend to, to fix their websites and refine their programming, to give them advice on how to market themselves, but like always there came a lull in the night where he found himself bored. The world had changed so much in his time of being alive and there was in his opinion, no better time to be a vampire than this. With the internet, there was no real need to leave one's home, especially when the dark dealings of the world had only become more covert with the growth of technology. He had a supplier for blood at a local hospital, a few hackers that could make certain his identity was never discovered, and friendships with other vampires that he'd never even seen in person. He had gotten used to this life style, and when his body did not age or wilt, there was no reason for him to do regular human activities like exercising, grocery shopping, or socializing.

He had been turned at the age of 28, and for the last two hundred years he had been 28, lean and well muscled, pale, with hair that was long and brown and eyes that were an alluring shade of green. He had attempted to cut his hair a few years back-- it wasn't in fashion anymore for men to have such long hair, but it had grown back instantly and he'd realized that changing was futile. That's when he'd really started to shut himself away from the world, and rely entirely on his access to the internet. After all, even though humans had long lost their instincts for hunting or survival, they still had a keen tingle for when a predator was near, and with his long hair and pale skin, he had always felt he drew too much attention. A man had even joking suggested he was a vampire one evening when he'd bothered to venture out on the town, and that had put him completely on edge.

The job he'd taken on also aided in him never having to leave his disheveled apartment, and he preferred that way, at least, most of the time. When he grew bored like this, there was little to quell his boredom, even with the world at his fingertips. He opened his email again and frowned as a foreign address had sent him an email proclaiming 'try our new product!' in bold letters. He had made his email address impervious to junk mail, so upon clicking it he was relieved to see it was a client asking him to sample their new website. No problem, he supposed, even though he didn't feel like doing work any longer. He couldn't deny that when these requests came along he was always curious-- he'd reviewed and modified pages for everything from online Dungeons and Dragons forums to online sex shops. This would be no different, he supposed, and as he clicked on it and was taken to a strange, strikingly pink web page, he frowned. Definitely curious.

There were two buttons at first on the side of a large, curved edge box, where he guessed an image was meant to appear. In the two option buttons were a male symbol and a female symbol. Was this some sort of dating simulator? He clicked the male symbol, given that he was a man but he also preferred men, and next there came a variety of options for skin color. He frowned, but indulged in the process. Olive skin. Hazel eyes. Blond hair. Full lips. Tall, taller than him at least. Lean. Friendly, charismatic. Out going. Tsoka's eyes widened at some of the options available to him, how loyal should he be? Loyal, Tsoka supposed, but it was okay if he was flirty. Talents? Tsoka always thought that guys who could surf were cool, so he chose that, as well as cooking. He enjoyed human food, even though he rarely indulged in it. Good qualities? Tsoka considered all of the options, and supposed he valued most hard working, intelligent, and despite himself he selected optimistic. He went through the rest of the simulation, and by the time he was done, an avatar of the man he'd made up was perfectly rendered. Very handsome, smiling brightly. Tsoka sighed, and submitted the 'profile'. A large, obnoxious heart appeared across his screen proclaiming 'He's On His Way!' with budding heart emojis blossoming all around the text. He's on his way? What on earth did that mean?

Tsoka closed the page and sent his client an email back, explaining that it ran smoothly and he was sure other clients would appreciate the variety of options. He mentioned that the ending page was strange though, and sent the email before moving to get up and head for bed. He figured if he couldn't think of anything interesting to do, he might as well sleep, so he laid out on his bed and sighed, curling his arms around his pillow and for a moment indulging in imagining the man he'd made up in the simulation. He'd never end up with someone like that, human or vampire, and with that last, pessimistic thought, he dozed off to sleep.

 

[Sigr]

Before that moment, he wasn't. Or maybe he was, but couldn't remember. There was a distinct notion of being, and yet, it seemed like it didn't matter anymore, that he had a second chance. And then, all of a sudden, he was. At first it was just a wrapping around his conscience, like a warm blanket on a cold night, something that made him feel safe, floating in a well of darkness that despite offering no information of his surroundings, it somehow illuminated him. Marveled at his own naked form and yet feeling comfortable, familiar with it, he moved arms and legs without a second thought. Out of the darkness and into the light, his environment went from black to white, blinding all the same, but now he stepped on firm smooth ground, able to look at the pond of liquid he had gotten out from. Kneeling by the pond he saw a reflection that he instantly recognized as his own returned a full lipped smile, and he could see his own features, even if the dark liquid made them look less bright than they should. The white room flared, if it was a room after all since he couldn't discern walls or a ceiling, engulfing his world in a pure light, one with a purpose.

Lorenzo, as that was his name, there was no doubt about it, found himself on the streets of a city, afternoon's setting sun shining gold on his olive skin. His lean and tall physique was admirable, although the impact of it was diminished by strange fashion choices as flip flops, cargo shorts and a Hawaiian shirt. The fingers of his right hand brushed past some disheveled blonde locks that gave him a weirdly enticing look of being just out of bed, even if it was clear that he was wide awake, his hazel eyes scouting the horizon. Lorenzo picked up his meager possessions next to him, tucking a somewhat battered surfboard under one arm and a small trolley suitcase with the other, clattering on his way. He knew where he was going, and he knew who he had to meet, and even if he didn't really know much else, he didn't feel worried or unsafe.

It was dark when he arrived to where he had to be, and then he felt somewhat nervous, wondering if things were going to go fine. What if Tsoka rejected him? No, it was not possible, he was all he wanted, right? How could he reject his own dreams and wishes? Bah, it would be fine, things always sorted out for the best, right? Leaning his surfboard next to the entrance and leaving the suitcase aside, Lorenzo took a deep breath, naturally smiled wide and knocked on the door. He hoped that even if it was already getting dark as the night started, Tsoka wouldn't be already in bed, he wouldn't like to disturb him, but Lorenzo didn't want to wait more to find him. Just in case he knocked again, waiting eagerly as he shifted his weight from one feet to another, curious about how Tsoka would be as he knew nothing more than his name and where he lived.

 

[OctopusPrince]

Tsoka frowned as he heard a knock, and then another at his door. He hadn't ordered anything, and he was in the middle of working, who could be at his door? He got up, and smoothed his hands over his clothes a little, pushing his dark hair over his shoulder before taking off his reading glasses, leaving the coding he'd been working on to go to the door and peek through the eye hole. What he saw baffled him beyond reason, and he stood there, staring for several moments, trying to process what must be a dream. It was the man he'd made up in his client's simulation-- but there, real, standing at his door step. He opened the door cautiously, hoping this wasn't some sort of prank, that he wasn't going to have to use his out of practice strength to over power an intruder, and he frowned at the man at the door, looking him over and finding that despite his suspicion, he was just as attractive as Tsoka had imagined he'd be.

"Um..." He began, "Can I help you?" Perhaps this was some sort of candy gram service, he'd say some cute thing, hand him a rose and be on his way. Perhaps it was a prank and he'd be black listing his client so hard he'd never work again. Perhaps he was at his desk, dreaming after having dozed off. No matter what, this couldn't have been real, he couldn't have made a person on a website only for him to appear at his door, especially when that website had been meant to build one's ideal lover. After all, the website hadn't asked anything about him except his name and address... how could this handsome beach babe of a man want anything to do with him, someone he knew nothing about?

 

[Sigr]

"Hello?" Lorenzo asked, wondering if maybe he wouldn't be there, something that would ruin any plans, even if he wasn't much of a planner and went with instinct. He didn't have nowhere else to go, but he had the certainty, or maybe just a gut feeling, that the one he was looking for was right there. He had to be. Lorenzo was about to knock on the door again when it opened slowly, revealing the man he was looking for just behind, almost protectively. His long brown hair looked like the deepest chocolate in the relative darkness of the lobby, but even there the little pale skin he showed seemed to hold its own light, as those mesmerizing green eyes lured Lorenzo closer. Keeping his wits, Lorenzo didn't step closer or invaded Tsoka's personal space, given how wary he looked. Lorenzo's hazel eyes gleamed with an amber shine all the same, transparently happy to see the man he was looking for, his smile widening bright across his face.

"Help me? Maybe-" Lorenzo kind of answered, even if poorly, tapping his chin with a finger. "But I'm the one who's here to help you!" he said enthused, using that same finger to point at his beaming face. "I'm Lorenzo, and I have been sent here for you, Tsoka" he said, gentle. "Wait, did I say that right? Tso-ka. Or is it more like Ts-okaa. It's weird, but I like it" Lorenzo smiled again, clumsily trying to do his best with Tsoka's name. "I hope you weren't like super busy, or didn't interrupt your dinner..." he said, using his height to peek over Tsoka into the house to no avail, as it was quite dark in there. "So..." Lorenzo scratched his golden locks, "Can I go in? I don't have many things with me, so I won't be much of a bother" he guessed, eyeing his small trolley suitcase and his surf board. "I mean, I can't be of much help from out here, can I?" he asked, once again gentle and smiling.

 

[OctopusPrince]

Tsoka stared at Lorenzo, dumb founded as he spoke, and for whatever reason he stepped back, opening the door to let the other man in. "... You were sent here? To help me? With what?" He asked, incredulous and completely confused by the idea of that. His apartment wasn't a terrible mess, but he honestly was too perplexed by the beautiful man who had claimed to be sent there for him to care about the state of his home. He flicked on a light, flinching at the change in atmosphere, and rubbed one of his eyes for a moment, and then both, as though Lorenzo was some figment of his imagination he could dust away from his retinas. Nope. Lorenzo was still there, blonde and tall and real.

"There has to be some sort of... mistake," It was the only word he could think of to describe this. "Who sent you? And um--" He suddenly hesitated to mention that Lorenzo painfully met the specifications of his dream man, down to the surfer aesthetic. "... How--... How do you... look the way you do?" He asked, awkwardly, reaching behind his long hair to rub the back of his neck in a show of discomfort and anxiousness. He closed the door once Lorenzo was inside, and kept his distance from the other man, hoping still that this wasn't some sort of trap or assassination attempt. He hadn't been in a proper fight in a while, but he was still quite a bit stronger than any human. That being said, how could this man be human? What was he? Tsoka had no idea, so he kept a safe amount of space between them.

 

[Sigr]

Happy that without word but with gesture Tsoka let him in, Lorenzo soon grabbed his little luggage and the surf table and walked in his house, leaving them at the entrance. As a light was turned on, he could see how comfortable the place looked, not a complete chaos but neither an artificially overtly tidy house. It looked natural, comfortable and lived in, more of a home than a house. "I like it here" he mused, nodding happily before returning his attention to the questions Tsoka seemed to have, even if he struggled voicing them as he looked with an expression of disbelief. "To help you with anything. Or everything" he answered, like that clarified anything, before taking a small walk around, peeking into the nearest rooms to check them out. "I don't mind a bit of mess" Lorenzo said, gentle. "But I could help with that, although it looks like you need to get out more" he nodded to himself, his golden locks bouncing a bit. "I can cook too, so that's a plus" Lorenzo added, peeking into the kitchen.

"Mistake?" Lorenzo looked at Tsoka, a slight worry clouding his expression that had been jolly so far. "I look like this because you wanted it so" he shrugged, but his smile didn't return yet. "I'm not what you wanted? Is something wrong with me?" he asked, clearly worried. "If you have a stiff neck I can massage it for y-" he said, stepping closer but soon stopping, noticing that Tsoka kept distance between them and didn't want him anywhere close. "I don't want to be a bother, I'm not supposed to be a bother..." Lorenzo sounded clearly conflicted. "You were supposed to like me, did I do something wrong?" he said, clearly as lost in the situation as Tsoka was, if not more. The tall man fidgeted, looking conflicted as he shifted his weight from one feet to another, almost shuffling around like a nervous puppy.

 

[OctopusPrince]

Tsoka watched Lorenzo move around his apartment and explain all the things he could do and that was exactly what Tsoka was reminded of; a puppy. And he was even more so like a puppy when he was eager to please and unsure how to. Tsoka immediately felt bad, because he was perfect-- he was handsome, gorgeous, so far incredibly nice, and he wanted to help. When had been the last time anyone wanted to help Tsoka? The vampire reached to rub the back of his neck, noticing the stiffness that Lorenzo mentioned, and he blushed, uncomfortable and wanting to assure Lorenzo even though he was unsure himself.

" You-- You didn't do anything wrong... I... Suppose I could use some help. I need to send an email to the creator of that website and find out what's going on, but... until then, you can stay here. Do I um... Do I pay you, for being here?" He asked, wondering if this was perhaps some sort of prostitution arrangement. God he hoped not, that was the last thing he wanted, but it was the next thing that made the most sense in his mind despite Lorenzo meeting his desired specifications to a T. "And um..." He wanted to make Lorenzo feel a little better, so he awkwardly mumbled, " It's good that you can cook... I uh... I think that's great." It was a small praise, but he had a feeling that it would bring Lorenzo back to his chipper, eager self, which was far preferable to the other man being distressed over Tsoka's suspicions.

 

[Sigr]

Lorenzo's face illuminated a bit when Tsoka said he didn't do anything wrong, but his hazel eyes still shone wary as his host wasn't done talking. He could sense some kind of trouble coming, but nothing happened at the end, so his stance relaxed a bit. "Oh no, no no no..." Lorenzo raised up his hands, when Tsoka talked about payment. "That would be weird" he said, thinking that maybe that needed further clarification. "Just being here with you is enough, it's what I'm here to do anyways" he said, naively thinking that such a sentence settled it, when it really didn't explain a thing. Tsoka seemed to have something to add, so he waited for him to awkwardly go through his thoughts and finally word what he wanted to say. "And I'm not bad at it" Lorenzo added with a smile, scratching his cheek, a bit embarrassed but transparent about liking the praise.

"If you want me to make the meals I'll need an assignment though, for the shopping and all that" he commented when he remembered it, as it was a non important afterthought for him. "I guess that you had dinner already, so the first step for a better lifestyle is to not dawdle so much and go to bed soon" Lorenzo commented, clapping his hands once and looking around for the bedroom. "That way we can start the day with energy to tackle any challenges, to ride any wave" he added, unaware yet of Tsoka's facial expression. Taking a peek he saw the computer turned on, shaking his head a bit. "Being in front of the computer so late will make sleeping harder" he noted, as goofy as it could be having such a party going looking hunk talking as if he was a babysitter.

Finally noticing in Tsoka's face that something was off, Lorenzo paused. "What?" he asked. "Am I missing something? You should know that such nightly habits aren't healthy" he said, still keeping his distance. Whoever he was and wherever he had come from, it was pretty clear that he wasn't aware of Tsoka's true nature.

 

[OctopusPrince]

Tsoka was more than relieved when Lorenzo started prattling on about health and sleep-- so he didn't know, this wasn't a trap from some client to out him as a vampire. And yet, panic set in as he realized that if this man intended to live with him, take care of him like he'd said, he'd end up finding out very quickly. How long had it been since someone had discovered he was a vampire? He couldn't remember the last human who had known, had seen him for what he was. He clenched jaw a little and made a split second decision-- no one would believe this man if he ran from there to tell everyone Tsoka was a vampire, and Tsoka could pretend not to know Lorenzo if it came to that, and it wouldn't require much pretending at all. So he took a deep breath before trying to explain.

"Lorenzo, I'd prefer it if you didn't panic, or laugh-- both of those reactions seem feasible-- but I don't need to go to sleep right now, or eat a healthy meal. I'm a vampire. I sleep during the day, for the most part, and I only need blood to sustain me." He was surprised by his own frankness, but now that he'd started, he couldn't quite stop. " I have the job I do because it allows me to stay inside during the day without appearing suspicious, and I get my blood from a blood bank so I don't have to hurt people to live. I'll admit to you that I'm kind of a mess... but me being a vampire, the way I look, my health-- it's not something you can fix or change. Believe me, I've tried. I can't even cut my hair without it immediately growing back." He brought his hand through his long, dark hair as he said it, the strands falling around his face and shoulders.

 

[Sigr]

Lorenzo hastily nodded, promising he wouldn't panic or laugh, wondering what Tsoka was going to say to him. He would want to reassure him further, but he seemed to be in a hurry to share his mind as soon as possible and offered no chance for the blonde man to utter a single encouraging word. It turned out that even if he rarely found the need to, Lorenzo could wear a pretty good poker face, at least for a while, and made his promise of not panicking or laughing good, even if he looked clearly disturbed by the confession. "Your hair is perfectly fine, deep and silky..." Lorenzo reached to caress it, even if briefly as Tsoka still seemed defensive with him and kept the distance. "And there is nothing wrong with how you look" he confirmed, calm.

Lorenzo's face saddened after that, his shoulders slumping. "There is no need of putting yourself down, of making up crazy stories" he said, sounding hurt and lost. "If you don't want me here, I can... I'm sure that... I will..." Lorenzo mumbled, unable to think of what else he could do if it wasn't him being there for Tsoka. "I don't know what I will do" he admitted, regaining his strength and pose. "But if you don't want me around just say it, don't go around with absurd tales of being a vampire or even worse, self deprecating yourself" he insisted, not believing what Tsoka had confessed to him and feeling instead that it was an overtly complicated way of kicking him out.