you're hearing rumors and you can't stomach the thought of someone touching my body

[dazzlingyou]

WHO: The Shade and Edward Cullen
WHERE: a coffeeshop somewhere in the city
WHEN: Afternoon time on Thursday
WARNINGS: Bad ass old men.
SUMMARY: A conversation over coffee that will not turn into anything more. Sorry, Shade, he's not that kind of girl.
FORMAT: WHATEVER. Quick to start out.

[ Edward doesn't order anything, instead taking a table away from the entrance. He wasn't expecting a lot of privacy but he'd go for as much as he could get. This man - Shade - was intriguing to him. He hadn't managed to tail him in any way in the city despite his efforts, which only served to intrigue him further. He was glad that he could find such interesting people in this city, whereas back home finding interesting people took a century, as was the case with Bella.

He watches the door, his face free of any emotion. Except possibly boredom from the thoughts of hipsters and teenagers also in the coffeeshop. ]

Comments

[dazzlingyou]

[ Something in the back of his mind was warning Edward about this man in front of him. Not that he is a threat, per se, but he could be. He waits a few moments, mulling over what he would respond with. There were many things off about him, he already knew that.

His being a vampire and all associated factors being first. Not breathing, blinking only when he consciously remembered it, movements too quick for the normal human eye, unnaturally cold skin. And, of course, the dazzling. Sparkling. Whatever you want to call it. ]

It's dangerous for me to be in direct sunlight. [ Which is why their table is conveniently located between windows and in the dark, so to speak. The nearby unnatural light sources only illuminated his pale skin. He suspected that he could pick up on that subtle hint. ]

[foreshadower]

Is it? [ He smiled, and while the Shade eluded to a title that spoke of darkness, it didn't necessarily mean he didn't like the light. In fact, he enjoyed it immensely, especially because the light itself created deep, rich shadows. ]

Dangerous in what way? [ His imagination was already running away with him, the thought of someone bursting into flames not unlike something out of Nosferatu, or a film with Bela Lugosi ]

[dazzlingyou]

[ It makes preteens go mad.

Though, his imagination - from the brief glimpses Edward could see - was not far off. It was about as disastrous. Many here did not believe him, and those who had seen him in the sunlight write it off as something silly, funny, or an inconvenience. They didn't know how easily it would be for him to lure somebody and kill them in the daylight. They didn't know how many times he'd done it when he had left Carlisle. ]

Dangerous in that people let their guard down around me. It's what makes me the perfect predator.

[foreshadower]

A predator? [ Shade laughs, that dark laugh that echoes the sick, dark thoughts, flashes of black that slide through the night. ]

You? Oh do tell.

[dazzlingyou]

[ If it were possible for him to shudder at the sight of those black thoughts - he'd never encountered anything like them before, and he didn't like it - he would have. As it were, however, he simply sits there, something intense in his eyes. ]

Surprising, isn't it? [ He hated this; hated people challenging him. He was too prideful not to take them up on it. He hated how he always felt that he had to prove it here, whereas back home it was implied. Even when nobody knew his secret, everyone was intimidated by him and his family. ]

Everything about me - my appearance, my personality - draws you in, makes you trust me. At first glance, nobody would suspect me of being a cold-blooded killer.

[foreshadower]

Appearances are often the most deceptive tool people have. [ And he knew that one, too. The low thrum of darkness continued, but nothing of particular came to mind, or rather, the Shade didn't dwell on anything, or thought of anything. A few literary quotes, of course, generally Vvictorian in nature on the subject, but he didn't voice them. He thought, for the briefest of moments on the stories of Jack the Ripper, but he'd been long gone from London by that point, and London had been the sort of place to encourage men like that. ]

And I wonder, does it make me extremely strong-willed in that I don't trust you? [ Well, Shade trusted very few people, but more than that, he saw extremely few as a threat, that much was clear. ]

[dazzlingyou]

Perhaps. Consider yourself lucky to have a subconscious that cares deeply for your self-preservation. [ He leaned forward slightly, chest still and eyes unwavering. He wanted to become a statue; this man intimidated him. He wasn't scared, rather ... intrigued. Curious. Wanting to know this man more. ]

[foreshadower]

I should certainly hope it does, we have quite some time together to go, after all. [ A grim smile, and he stares right back at the...creature? Vampire? Zombie? Werewolf? What manner of being was he to be such a devilish predator? He leaned toward the obvious, vampire. It wasn't much of a question as to why. ]

Shall we order something to drink, Mr. Cullen? I find long talks like this leave me parched.

[dazzlingyou]

[ He smiles, something small that suddenly turns larger. All the better to eat you with He was a rather quick thinker, sharper than most. ]

Order whatever you'd like. I have a few days to go before I'm thirsty again. [ He holds up a hand to gesture a waiter or waitress over, whoever spots him first. ]

[foreshadower]

[ And the Shade orders something black and rich and expensive, whatever the brew that was the blackest and the most bitter, and he didn't bother with preamble, or food. If he was to eat, he would eat later, and have something far better than whatever this place served.

It was a gesture, in a way. He did enjoy his fine food and fine drinks, and also a taunt. Just a minor one. He was able to eat. ]

Pity, that. I would enjoy seeing what you would select to drink.

[dazzlingyou]

I cannot handle food or drink the way you can. It's an unpleasant experience. [ He was slightly irritated at himself for reacting in such a way to his taunt. ]

It would be a waste of money to pretend like I can. [ Which he was fine with back home when he had money to spare. Here, despite his lack of a job and 'borrowed' items, money was rare to come across. ]

[foreshadower]

You can't even enjoy it? [ Shade sounds horrified. IF there were a fate worse than death, it would be undeath, as it were, he supposed. He didn't laugh, but there was a certain haughtiness that ran through his thoughts. ]

I suppose when funds are short, one must do what one must do. Even if it includes depriving oneself of any pleasant fare.

[dazzlingyou]

Other things become far more enjoyable. I haven't deprived myself of anything pleasurable here, and do not intend to. [ Except his wife, but that isn't intentional. He blinks finally, the thought of his human wife at home triggering her reminders for him to at least try to act human and blink and breathe every once in a while.

But he doesn't take a breath. He didn't trust the smell of people in this city; sometimes it was too inviting, even more so than Bella's. ]

That said, it is not an existence others should be forced to endure for eternity.

[foreshadower]

Indeed not, and an eternity is long enough. [ Frank, in tone. Alluding to the fact that he was not merely long-lived as would perhaps be suggested. Honestly, he was very unabashedly Victorian in manner and nature, and some things still gave that away even now. But, the age he appeared even now suggested perhaps, perhaps he aged slowly.

Not so, of course. His thoughts were rather blasé about the truth. Pure immortal. ]

Especially without enjoying oneself.

[dazzlingyou]

Thank goodness eternity is the longest there is. [ He merely raises an eyebrow at him, a quick gesture. He already knew Edward could read his thoughts, but he wondered if his immortality was not something he wanted to speak out publicly. Edward himself had no qualms with this, as there were others like him and, as he had found out his first day, many already knew of him from a franchise of some kind. ]

[foreshadower]

[ Shade laughed. ] Oh, I should hardly think that is something to thank! There are certain drawbacks, of course. [ Lovers die, friends die. ]

Then again, there are advantages as well. [ Like watching the world evolve around him, the introduction of Mystery Men, superheroes, and the Shade fought them for the pure sport of it. ]

[dazzlingyou]

That is why my kind prefer to be around each other rather than get attached to humans who can easily die. [ Except in his case. But for what it's worth, he really tried to stop it! And then ... hormones of a 17 year old and a 109 year old happened. ]

Everything balances out into a certain kind ... harmony, as if it were always meant to be that way. But I am aware that is not always the case.

[foreshadower]

My kind, unfortunately, are very few and far between. [ He pauses, and there's a flash of memory. A vile, repulsive little man. Dead now, very dead now. ]

Regardless, I think such a lifestyle would be terribly boring. Humans, people, may be short lived, but they are terribly interesting. Fascinating, even.

[dazzlingyou]

We find ways to entertain ourselves. Sports, games, cars; I myself have taken up many hobbies over the decades.

[foreshadower]

Hobbies get terribly droll after some time. [ He paused for the waitress who brought his drink. She eyed the two of them, and Shade gave her a wicked, rakish smile, before calmly waiting for her to leave. ]

People, however, are fascinating. The right types are going to come along in any generation, and I would like to be there and witness it every step of the way.

[dazzlingyou]

You frightened her. [ Edward retorts quietly, with a hint of amusement in his tone. ]

So you are fond of just waiting for something good to happen, then? I must say, that seems terribly droll.

[foreshadower]

Waiting? Oh no. I find it where I can. You must understand that my world has hardly been left wanting for something of interest. Very similar to this world in recent years. During a period in the the 20th century... [ He trailed off with a light shrug, the early part, well, he amused himself in his own ways. Fighting in WWII, why not? Searching out thinkers and demagogues where he could. Doing what he must for a price, another amusement. He wasn't quite so proud of that now, but he was hardly ashamed. ]

[dazzlingyou]

Yes? [ A prompt for him to continue. The brief thoughts that filtered out to him were intriguing, to say the least. ]

[foreshadower]

The early 20th century had its own problems, to put it bluntly. I traveled the world in that time, mostly. A joust or two with a certain figure who is no longer among the living.

[dazzlingyou]

Ah. All centuries have their problems. [ Carlisle said so often. ]

I never ventured abroad in that time, instead taking to the crowded city streets of America for a few years as I tried to rebel against my new family.