It's a cold December morning when Michael wakes up outside of Daniel's house, with all his stuff, a locked door and no key. He knows Daniel wouldn't kick him out like this which means some 'magic' bullshit is involved. There's some banging on the door with a rapidly sinking feeling when no one answers, and then some failed attempts to pick the lock with his mind before he gathers his stuff up with his arms and his brain.
Akeldama's house is so close, and he can't make himself go back to the castle right now, so it's Akeldama's door that Michael is staring at blankly for a few minutes before he remembers knocking.
Akeldama might be used to sleeping during the night now (mostly), but he's still not what you would call an early riser. Or really much of a morning riser at all; if he's up before noon, it's usually because he needs to be at the emporium. So it's only because of the vampire's finely attuned sense of his surroundings that Michael gets an answer at all, even though Akeldama was half way down the stairs and heading towards the door before the other man even thought to knock.
Still, it's not like Michael hasn't seen the rove dressed for bed before, a bed robe hastily pulled over his thigh length silk shirt, and a silk cap protecting his hair. Akeldama looks less put together than usual, but alert and on guard as he opens the door a crack, only relaxing and opening it fully once he spots Michael. "Darling! What a wonderful and pleasant surprise! Come in, come in, don't stand out in the cold." He steps aside and opens the door wider, encouraging his friend in. Madame Pudgemuffin, roused by Akeldama's haste to get to the door, murrps from the top of the stairs in greeting and starts to leisurely make her way down to greet Michael as well, tail held high, with the tip just slightly curled. "What can I do for you?"
This is a little less artistically disheveled than Akeldama has been around Michael in the past--and Michael's not under any illusion that no less effort is put into those looks than his daytime looks. If he was feeling any better, if things were more normal, he might tease him a little about it.
Things aren't feeling very normal.
He leaves most of his stuff in a pile outside, still holding a small unfolded bundle of clothes in his arms. "Sorry," he says a little blankly. "I uh, I think...Daniel's gone. I woke up outside the house, and I can't unlock the door." He's not asking anything of Akeldama, he just...he didn't know where else to go.
Finally acknowledging the items around Michael, Akeldama takes them in, and then glances back at Michael. Then he glances over his shoulder at the dark house across the street, a frown wrinkling his brow. "Well, that's dreadfully rude of our keepers, is it not?" His usual playful lilt hits a sarcastic tone.
"But you can make yourself at home here until we've found out what's happened. Bring everything in, darling, there's no use in leaving it out in the street." Leaning over, he gently makes to take Michael's bundle from his hands to free them up. "Ah, and if you have your Tome amongst your things, we can check to see if Daniel is still listed in it." An easy way to find out, if a cold and unpleasant one. But less so than being dumped out on the street.
Michael lets Akeldama take the armful of clothes, and just kind of pulls the rest of it in with his mind. He's aware and cognizant enough to push the piles against the wall instead of haphazard clumps, but his gaze is distant.
"It's okay," he says quietly. "I don't need to--I just uh, wanted to get out of the cold for a second." He reaches to pull his Tome out of his back pocket--it takes a few tries with cold hands, but he waves it vaguely. "I already looked, I thought...I could text, or call him to let me in maybe." Daniel's name isn't in there, and Michael's throat tightens.
The mess doesn't seem to bother Akeldama as he herds Michael through the corridor and into the living room. He gently pushes the other man at the plush sofa, indicating that he should sit, while he sets the clothes in his hands down on the table, before turning to the embers of the fire from the night before.
"Well, I and my home are at your disposal until we've solved this little mystery." He offers, warmly, watching Michael fumble over his shoulder. Unfortunately the vampire has little to offer in way of body heat to help warm his friend, but at least the fire sparks up fairly quickly once Akeldama wakes up the embers and feeds it fresh wood.
Michael lets Akeldama push (guide, really) him to the living room and offers no resistance as he's nudged onto the couch. It's soft and a little enveloping. It's a little comforting and very tempting to just sink back into the soft warmth.
"I think the mystery is that he's just gone, Akeldama," he says quietly, shoving his hands into his pockets and hunching his shoulders. "Left or sent home or however it works."
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2021-12-16 03:35 am (UTC)Akeldama's house is so close, and he can't make himself go back to the castle right now, so it's Akeldama's door that Michael is staring at blankly for a few minutes before he remembers knocking.
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Date: 2021-12-16 12:41 pm (UTC)Still, it's not like Michael hasn't seen the rove dressed for bed before, a bed robe hastily pulled over his thigh length silk shirt, and a silk cap protecting his hair. Akeldama looks less put together than usual, but alert and on guard as he opens the door a crack, only relaxing and opening it fully once he spots Michael. "Darling! What a wonderful and pleasant surprise! Come in, come in, don't stand out in the cold." He steps aside and opens the door wider, encouraging his friend in. Madame Pudgemuffin, roused by Akeldama's haste to get to the door, murrps from the top of the stairs in greeting and starts to leisurely make her way down to greet Michael as well, tail held high, with the tip just slightly curled. "What can I do for you?"
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Date: 2021-12-16 03:10 pm (UTC)Things aren't feeling very normal.
He leaves most of his stuff in a pile outside, still holding a small unfolded bundle of clothes in his arms. "Sorry," he says a little blankly. "I uh, I think...Daniel's gone. I woke up outside the house, and I can't unlock the door." He's not asking anything of Akeldama, he just...he didn't know where else to go.
no subject
Date: 2021-12-18 09:45 pm (UTC)"But you can make yourself at home here until we've found out what's happened. Bring everything in, darling, there's no use in leaving it out in the street." Leaning over, he gently makes to take Michael's bundle from his hands to free them up. "Ah, and if you have your Tome amongst your things, we can check to see if Daniel is still listed in it." An easy way to find out, if a cold and unpleasant one. But less so than being dumped out on the street.
no subject
Date: 2021-12-20 12:17 am (UTC)"It's okay," he says quietly. "I don't need to--I just uh, wanted to get out of the cold for a second." He reaches to pull his Tome out of his back pocket--it takes a few tries with cold hands, but he waves it vaguely. "I already looked, I thought...I could text, or call him to let me in maybe." Daniel's name isn't in there, and Michael's throat tightens.
no subject
Date: 2022-01-07 02:33 pm (UTC)"Well, I and my home are at your disposal until we've solved this little mystery." He offers, warmly, watching Michael fumble over his shoulder. Unfortunately the vampire has little to offer in way of body heat to help warm his friend, but at least the fire sparks up fairly quickly once Akeldama wakes up the embers and feeds it fresh wood.
no subject
Date: 2022-01-20 03:37 pm (UTC)"I think the mystery is that he's just gone, Akeldama," he says quietly, shoving his hands into his pockets and hunching his shoulders. "Left or sent home or however it works."