Midnight Dream Train [OPEN]

[Deleted]

Preston was just about to respond when he realized that they had reached their destination, and Preston released a long, exhausted huff as he stared, disappointed. He couldn’t believe he was working his ass off everyday for this little box he called his home, a pathetic one bedroom-one bathroom apartments. The place was not very fashionable, but survivability was all that mattered, however Preston wished he could at least afford a larger square foot home. He’d been living in these apartments for about three years now and he still wasn’t getting any better at living. Gathering himself, he adjusted the satchel at his side nervously, wondering what exactly Vergil would think of this human once they reached to... ‘house’. “Here we are!” He tried to hide his disappointment with a overachieving sigh of glee, however his azure eyes would always betrays his true feelings. “We’re on the second floor, follow me.” He hopped up the entrance steps as they drew closer and closer to the front door. Decorating the crusted walls were beaten mailboxes, some had no doors and others were slightly caved in as if some enormous force tried to punch through it. Digging through is pockets, Preston’s removed his ‘honorary’ mail key and slipped it into the slot, turning it delicately as if he was trying to crack open a safe. He then tugged, however the latch would not move, so he tried it again. Nothing. One more time. Nothing.

“Eh... I never get mail anyway.” He grumbled, defeated. He placed the key back into his pockets and pushed open the door to enter Vergil’s new domain. Upon entering, a set of stairs sat in the middle of the hallways, multiple doors decorating the first floor. A nearby plant was soiled with unknown liquid which Preston didn’t want to take the time to find out what it was. There was a local homeless man who had designated that plant as his... lavatory. The tenants would constantly call the police to report the madman, but he always managed to get back on the streets, right next to the building. With a disgusting cough, Preston scurried hurriedly to the safety upstairs, which he immediately turned to Vergil to see how he was doing. “Don’t worry. The upstairs is a little better.” He half-smiled, greatly embarrassed by such a terrible introduction to Preston’s home. He ascended to his floor and before long, they reeking stench slowly began to fade, but Preston was sure Vergil could still smell it. “I’m sorry Vergil... this...” He paused, staring down to the stairs and letting out a soft moan of concern. His home was like a house for drug addicts and that shamed him greatly, for he knew, not long ago, he was just like all this trash. The fact that he had stooped so low once upon time. It disgusted him, and the feeling of disappoint came crashing down on him like an avalanche.

He didn’t turn to Vergil, but he let out a soft retort,”Vergil... I know you don’t have anywhere to go, but I’m sure staying with me is the last thing you want to do. I-I won’t be upset if you decide to change your mind... I know this is obviously not the best.” His electric blue eyes were like saucers of depression and his throat tightened at the very thought of allowing Vergil in his wretched prison he called a home. Granted he kept his house looking decent, but this... this was just down right sad. Thirty years old and this was all he could show for his work.

[Vergil Valentine]

Vergil took note of Preston’s long drawn out huff as they reached the edge of the road. He wondered what was wrong. His fluffy little head peered up at the tall pale man. Those yellow orbs of his were filled to the brim with confusion. Looking over Preston, he quickly came to the conclusion that something was horribly wrong. What had made Preston so depressed all a sudden? Vergil could feel the emotions just wafting off him like a warm summer’s breeze. Not only that, but his body language stated that he wasn’t in the happiest mood at that moment. Maybe he didn’t want to go home? But why would that be? Shouldn’t he be proud to own a home!? If Vergil were in his shoes he would love to have a place to go back too. Unfortunately, he didn’t have such a luxury. Once the men rounded the corner Vergil quickly put two and two together. What sat in front of him was something utterly heart breaking.

This wasn’t what the shifter was expecting.

Where were the cars, the boat, and the white picket fence!? What sat before him was a horrible slum-of a building. A feeling of sorrow quickly over took the young shifter as he eyed Preston’s place of residence. This apartment was so run down, so nasty that even a cockroach wouldn’t touch it. How could a human much-less a supernatural live in a place like this?! It was absolutely horrific. This place was a bit too slum-ish for Vergil’s taste. He knew he could find a human that had a better home. But question was would he leave his new friend to search for one? Within the past hour or so Vergil had begun to grow attached to Preston. And surprisingly enough he didn’t want to watch this human hit rock bottom. Call it his instinct if you will, but Vergil was going to stay by Preston’s side; even if it meant living in this trashy apartment complex.

The very sight of his home did manage to dash Vergil’s hopes. Here the shifter was expecting a little more; maybe a small home next to the dump or even a cramped cookie-cutter house. Anything would be better than this. Perhaps it was all too much to ask? After all, he wasn’t in the position to be picky. His past homes were your average homes that sat in a quiet little neighborhood. This place was far different from what he was used too. Well he had a choice; live with this man, or risk starving to death in the gutter. With a low sigh Vergil replied to Preston. “N-nice place…”Vergil’s tone was a bit sarcastic. Apart of him pitied the older man. He was a human, he had to live here. Vergil could easily transform and fly away from his problems, but Preston had to remain trapped within his own hell.

Vergil soon followed Preston up to the collection of dented mailboxes. For a moment he thought he could catch the scent of blood on one of them. Just what kind of person was this man living with? This place didn’t appear to be your happy-go-lucky apartment complex. No, there was something wrong here. As Vergil thought about this he was suddenly distracted by his human friend. Preston seemed to have a hard time opening his little lock box. Vergil wasn’t too surprised. No wonder, they all seemed a bit beat up. The shifter glanced up at his new master. Preston had given up, stating that he never got any male anyway. For a moment Vergil’s heart dropped. He truly pitied Preston for having to live in such garbage. What made things worse was that he seemed complexly shut off from the world. That comment about the mail sent up a red flag. Did Preston have any family? Suppose now wasn’t the time to be thinking such things.

This place seemed to be one step up from living on the streets. As Vergil followed Preston through the second floor he released a low sigh. Perhaps he could help bring in some income and maybe, just maybe he could help Preston out. He might not be able to buy him a new home, but at least he could treat the man to something. Hell, anything to cheer his new buddy up. When Vergil thought about this a very foul odor surged into his sensitive nose. Oh god, the smell of ammonia and piss was almost unbearable! Vergil shook his head from side to side in an attempt to rid the nasty aroma from his nose. If only he had known about this, he wouldn’t have chosen a canine form! The only thing that kept him going was Preston. The human reassured him that the next floor would be better. “I-I hope so...” Vergil grumbled.

Preston was right about the next floor. It was a bit better than the smelly second floor. Before they reached the human’s home, he stopped. Vergil cocked his head as he too stopped in mid-step. Preston began to apologies. Sure, Vergil wasn’t completely fond of his living conditions. However, he refused to his new friend. The large hound trotted behind Preston. Then with a low sigh began to shift back into his human form. The tall dark man stood before Preston before he reached out and planted a gently hand onto his shoulder. He then gave the man a reassuring pat. “Don’t worry about it, man. It’s not as bad as you think.” This of course was a lie. Preston’s home was pretty bad. However, right now he just wanted to cheer the poor man up. What Preston said next made Vergil chuckle. “Now why would you say a thing like that?” Vergil replied as the human stated that he could leave him. Man, Preston was already down and out about the whole living situation. With a forced smirk Vergil attempted to cheer him up. “You’re my new friend, Preston. I can’t just up and leave you.” The male began. A large stupid grin then creased his lips. “No matter what happens, we will be buddies to the end!”

((lol a bit of a cheesy post))

[Deleted]

Preston jolted in utter surprise as Vergil appeared and placed a comforting hand on his back, trying to relieve the human of grief. He knew Vergil was lying through his bright white teeth, obviously I mean look at where he was living! Thinking back, Preston greatly missed the company of comfortable living, and wasn’t even thinking of his mansion home back in Essex. The simple, quaint living quarters he shared with Eva were the best times of his live, better than any luxurious home, but memories and mistakes kept him from keeping the dream home, so he was required to sell it off from lack of income, since at the time all his life was swallowed by drink, drugs, and gambling. He was constantly ashamed that he lost her home, since that place had technically belonged to her, he came into her life years after she had acquired her nest and he let it go, everything. He even sold her belongings to feed his poisons, which was one of the many worst decisions he’d made. All he had of dear Eva were photos locked in a box in the closet, and a single piece of precious jewelry he had purchased for her. The wedding ring.

Preston huffed as Vergil muttered futile reassuring comments, which only seemed to make him feel worse about himself. He never should’ve gotten the shifter’s hopes up about living in a home, because this wasn’t a home, it was a dump. The alleyways were probably more inviting than this shit hole. Even the few alleys of Gentility estates were probably more attractive than this. Granted, his room was generally very tidy and the best looking room in this shack (he had seen them all, and they were literally smaller boxes of crap) since he had tried so hard to make his life comfortable and to help him ignore what he was really staying in. Still... it probably wouldn’t be enough for a sane person like Vergil, Preston was just too used to it. At least, he thought he was.

“Vergil, I promise you that it won’t bother me if you leave, I know its a dump.” He began to ascend the stairs again, eyes peering straight to the ground, which was decorated with crumbs and assortments of muck. “See for yourself.” He added slowly as he exited the stairway and sauntered past a door or two, which were blaring out sounds of shouting and screaming like banshees. They were the Walkers, druggies and newlyweds straight from the bowels of hell. It was either yelling or...

“Just look, if you don’t like it, it’ll be fine.” He stopped on the third door on the right, Room 303. Sticking the key into the knob he unlocked his home and opened the door to his living quarters. It was fairly small, but just enough room on the couch for another, and maybe an alternate bed surface in the corner. For a dumpy place, the place was rather tidy, but obviously the buildings age and lack of care couldn’t hide everything. The cabinets in the kitchen were loosing paint and slowly chipped away every second. The furniture was plain and typical of a poor man’s hole except for his bookshelf, which was littered with all assortments of books. Beside it was a guitar on its stool and perched beside it was binder after binder of loose leaf paper, scribbled with lyrics for his band. A little far out past the bathroom was his room and next to it was the bedroom, which its door had obviously been replaced because it didn’t match the rest of the place.

“Burglar.” He sighed, as if sensing Vergil possible curiosity. “Old ‘friend’, not really, but he broke in to ship me off somewhere, apparently to sell me to some mafia group. Debts.” He wondered what Vergil would think about Preston now knowing this. The human wanted to honest to his maybe roommate, just so he knew what possibly to expect. At least, partially honest... It was true his friend wanted to sell him off for payment, but it wasn’t mafia, it was own family, but Vergil shouldn’t worry about that part.

[Vergil Valentine]

Vergil felt his human friend jump as he placed his dark hand upon his shoulder. Man, Preston was really tense. He could feel his muscles tighten through the poor man’s shirt. Then again who could blame him for being so jumpy? The side of town that they were in wasn’t exactly the safest place to be at that hour. This rundown apartment seemed to be a breeding ground for homeless and druggies, or feral humans; as Vergil calls them. People who had strayed from the normal life of a human were referred to by that name. Was Preston a feral too? It would make since, why else would this man be in this nasty place. Vergil couldn’t imagine Preston being a druggie. The human was much too kind to do something as self-harming as that, right? Oh, how wrong he was. Perhaps it was a good thing Vergil was in the dark about this man’s past expenses. Or else he might not have trusted him as much as he did now.

Vergil’s attention then shifted back to the ragged little apartment building. It was a disgusting place to be, much less live. Vergil couldn’t help but to wonder if Preston had lived here all his life, or if he had just moved in. He could only image the pain he had to go through whist living in this dump. The humans here couldn’t have been as nice as Preston, or even the other humans that lived in the city. Back when Vergil used to play the family pet, the Jones family would always let him eat the left over hotdogs after they grilled out and even sleep on their kid’s beds! Ah yes, that was the life. Soft warm pillows and a nice leg to rest fluffy his head on. Unfortunately those times where over, Vergil doubted he would get any sort of comfort from this place; other than Preston of course. He was dealing with a whole new animal here. And if he wished to survive he would have to adapt. Then again, that family had lived back in the Gentility Estates area. The more uppity part of town had money to blow on pets; this place was clearly the opposite.

Deep down, Vergil wished to know more about this man. Now that the shifter had a place to rest his head he could focus more attention on the man he was about to room with. Living on the streets had taught Vergil one thing, look out for yourself and only yourself. He lived by that rule for so long and now he was going to give it up, for Preston’s sake. This human needed a lot of mental maintenance, Vergil could see it now. The depression that hung over this poor man’s head would be a tough beast to tame. Unfortunately, that would be a battle Preston would have to fight on his own. He is the only person who could beat that demon. Vergil doubted he could do anything to rid Preston from that dark mist that seemed to cloud his perception, but he could help him through it. Perhaps that would be the best thing to do.

The shifter would have to play Mr. Shrink for a while, which he didn’t mind. Now that he got a taste of Preston’s kindness he was willing to do anything for the man. Soon enough Preston voiced his concern about the living conditions. Vergil seemed confident in his previous answer. He shook his head before replying. “No, it’s fine. I’d rather live here then on the streets. Besides I got you to keep me company.” This was true; at least here he would have a roof over his head and a buddy to talk too. This place was nasty though, but he was used to living in the garbage.

As they strolled up to the next floor things seemed to get worse. Preston pointed to the ground which was covered in some sort of foul smelling muck. Whatever it was it seemed to litter the entire ground. This strange phenomenon was so bad that Vergil couldn’t tell what the hell it was, even when he used that sensitive nose of his. “I-It could be worse, right?” Vergil replied in an attempt to cheer his buddy up. What came next caused the man to nearly jump out of his skin. A couple of doors down Vergil could hear two people screaming at the top of their lungs. When they neared the door things only got worse! Vergil stopped to investigate. There was a strange aroma creeping under the crack at the bottom of the door. The scent itself caused Vergil to grimace. At one point he began to feel a bit nauseous. He’d smelled many things in his travels, but that was one smell he couldn’t pinpoint. What on earth were they doing in there!? Despite the smell and the screaming Vergil forced a smile onto his face before he turned back to Preston. “Sounds like their havin’ fun, huh?” He teased as he ran to catch up with the human.

Preston strolled over to his door before sliding the key into the doorknob. As he did this Vergil took a mental note of this man’s room number. He felt that he would need it for future reference if he was going to be living here. The last thing he wanted to do was mistake another room for this one.

A cocktail of inviting smells surged into Vergil’s noise as Preston opened the door. This room was different from the whole place. It held a certain warmth too it that the rest of the apartment complex was missing. Was this it? Vergil was relieved to see that Preston’s actual home was rather nice. With a large smile Vergil sauntered into the room. He took one long deep breath. This was it, he was home! As Vergil walked over the threshold he unconsciously shifted his form. Soon enough a small brown weasel stood in Vergil’s place.

The little creature didn’t waste any time. He trotted around the room with his nose to the ground. Sniffing, and exploring his new home. The first thing he eyed was the guitar. His beady little eyes sparkled in delight He would have to ask Preston to play for him one day. Vergil’s little weasel mind then snapped to a different part of the room. His adventure was short lived, as he realized just what he was doing. After checking out the space under the sofa he then stopped and looked up at Preston. His long brown body lifted up so that he was sitting on his back legs. And his tiny little claws were holding a dust bunny within them. One of the many little treats he found while under the sofa. He’d quickly forget about it when the human had begun to talk. Vergil’s tiny black nose twitched as Preston spoke of burglars. The shifters heart nearly dropped. Could Preston ever catch a break!? This poor human had it rougher than him. Vergil could easily defend himself, but what about Preston? The human went on to tell the shifter about kidnapping attempt. So someone wanted Preston shipped off to god knows where and all because of someone's debt?

A stream of anger surged through the tiny animal. How could anyone do this to Preston? How could anyone do anything to hurt such a kind man!? It was all crazy, and Vergil wasn’t having it. He began to grow angry. Absolutely furious that someone would take a kind man like Preston and do him wrong. Suddenly, and without warning, that tiny little ferret began to growl. It fur turned rough and course, and its body began to expand. Tiny little claws grew into large sickle of hands. Vergil was shifting again; his emotions began to run amuck causing this strange shift to happen. Soon enough that small cute little weasel had shifted into a dark daunting figure. A large fluffy grizzly bear stood in Vergil’s place. Its large claws dug into the carpet as dangerous thoughts began to linger around in that head of his. Vergil couldn’t seem to control himself now that he finally let his anger slip. This was rare; Vergil never lost his temper like this. Luckily, Preston wasn’t on the receiving end of his rage.

The large bear groaned before eying Preston. He then spoke. The shifter wasn’t the least bit happy. “You better hope those bastards don’t come back…I’ll make sure they don’t leave this apartment alive.” This wasn’t an empty threat in the least. The beast would happily play guard dog if it would protect his dear friend. Preston would soon learn that Vergil held his friends very close, and would do anything to protect them. He didn’t want to lose Preston like he had his parents. The grizzly’s maw and crinkled into a snarl as he spoke. Vergil’s hackles where raised in anger. His beady black eyes soon turned from Preston and glanced around the home until they found the oddly colored door; which had been replaced. He would have to check that door for a scent, maybe he could track down the person who did this. “Old friend or not, let me know if that human comes back-” He paused then turned back to his new roommate. Violence wasn’t at all Vergil’s style; however he would do anything to keep his friends safe. “..I’ll take care of them. “

[Deleted]

Preston gasped as the form next to his dissipated to the floor below, slinking in every direction and observing the premises through the eyes of a little ferret. A whispered chuckle hummed in his throat as he watched the small critter sniffing and staring with its large beady eyes. He really hoped Vergil truly enjoyed the place, he had spent months trying to renovate it while staying in a considerably small budget. Unfortunately, he did have to ask favors from his bandmates who took no heed to his indebted ramblings of how Preston owed them too much already. He still needed to pay the guys back, and what was he doing? Skipping out on band practice whenever he felt too depressed and pathetic, too ashamed to show his face. Preston was just a cowardly piece of shit who took advantage of so many people and never seemed to take a single moment to repay them all. He pulled himself from his daydreaming when he noticed the small creature eyeing the guitar perched in the corner of the room and he couldn’t deny his trademark smile as he saw the little weasel’s eyes streamed with overwhelming captivation, ”I promise to play you something tonight if you’d like?”

He didn’t know why, but seeing Vergil beam with delight at the sight of the instrument caused an awakened sense of confidence in his musical abilities, that maybe he really was excellent and he was just thinking too much about other people opinion’s and tastes! It couldn’t be so simple could it? His bandmates always tried to console him, remind him that not everyone can enjoy one’s art no matter how hard you try. Preston though, enjoyed pleasing everyone so when a certain club owner didn’t enjoy their style, it wounded him deeply. Although, Vergil was definitely going to enjoy it... right?

As the distracted man pondered, he was yanked from his ramblings by the noise of tearing carpet and the environment began to morph with Vergil’s enraged energy. Preston’s eyes grew into massive saucers as an enormous predator stood right before him, its fangs frighteningly visible as it began to snarl and bellow with monstrous rage. The sudden change in scenery caused a mental panic and he couldn’t halt himself from taking a few steps away from the enraged beast. Then it began to groan in fury, talking about the burglar and that it would defend Preston from any harm. Its small, battle-worthy speech drew his sense back, for he had forgotten that Vergil could turn into any animal he so desired, Preston just wasn’t particularly prepared for this one.

“Vergil, i-it’s all right! He was the only friend from my old life that ever tried and I’m sure he’s long gone now!” In reality, Preston didn’t know anything about what became of his ‘buddy’ Barry. He had informed the authorities of his attempted kidnap, but he couldn’t quite recall if they had succeeded in catching him. The thought caused a queasy feeling to erupt from his stomach as he began to list all the terrible scenarios in his head. What if he had gone back to his family to tell them where he lived? It had only been three weeks since Barry’s attempt and now he Preston was at the mercy of his bloodline. The overwhelming terror swept through him in a single second and he hurried to the nearest seat to take a moment and sit. He could feel his legs vibrate as the images came rushing back, his brain throbbing in pain as he saw their faces creeping closer and closer to his bedside. He recalled a singular figure in the mob as he lay defenseless in the hospital bed, his grandfather. His gnarled fingers twisted around his bandaged chin and drew his face before his blue clouded eyes as if he was observing the subject.

”You are the one, you always have been little child. No matter where you are, I will find you when the time comes...” The ancient relic of a man hacked and coughed as he attempted to laugh. Preston was never sure what his grandfather meant by it all, only that he needed to keep away for as long as he could. It was getting more difficult, especially now that his musical career was picking up a little. How could he be so childish, thinking his could escape them! Why had he tried to feed his fantasies and just stayed out of the public eye! No, he just had to taste the feeling of writing music again... he was such an idiot.

“Thank you Vergil for your protection but really, its okay...” He muttered weakly, stroking his temples gently as he tried to place his head between his legs to calm his nerves.

[Vergil Valentine]

Anger continued to pulse through Vergil’s veins. He hadn’t been this upset since his parents kicked him out of the den. The foolish shifter began to let his emotions run wild. Man, Vergil thought he had it rough! Preston had a right to be upset and even depressed. The man had obviously been through hell and back. Vergil began to understand why Preston acted the way he did. It wasn’t because he was a bad guy, but because others had done him wrong. Who knows what else this poor human had been through? Preston had it harder than he thought. Granted, Vergil lived on the streets for a while, but that was nothing compared to what this man had gone through. The shifter had never been kidnaped, or even seriously threatened. Preston has been through all that, plus more. At this point Vergil began to grow a new found respect for this man. The human was strong; though he probably didn’t see it. He may have the body of a coward, but he had the heart of a warrior. Vergil would look up to Preston, not only as a friend but possibly even as a brotherly figure as well.

Vergil seemed to be making things worse when he transformed. The fool had been oblivious to Preston’s fear at first. But when he began to calm down he noticed that his dear human friend had taken a step back. Preston’s voice seemed to tame the angry beast that dwelled within Vergil. The large fluffy grizzly recoiled and lowered his large fluffy bum to the ground. He wanted to give the startled human some space. Just seeing the fear in his friend’s eyes was enough to snap Vergil back to reality. He had broken Preston’s promise already. He shifted without warning him. Was he a bad friend for doing that? A pang of gilt rushed into the shifter’s skull. Here he was breaking the only rule Preston had.

Preston’s words began to comfort the now jittery shifter. He explained that his ‘old friend’ was long gone. Despite Preston’s speech Vergil couldn’t help but to think that there was still something wrong with the man. He didn’t know what it was, but he could sense something. Before he could ask Preston rushed over to the sofa and plopped himself down. “Ah..Um.” Vergil was speechless. He began to wonder what was wrong. Taking note of Preston’s body language was an easy job. The man didn’t need words to express his feelings. Vergil could tell the man was distressed just by looking at him.

Soon, Vergil’s body shifted back to its original form. There was no need to walk around in the skin of a bear, especially if it would scare his friend. Then with a low sigh Vergil strolled over to the couch and sat next to Preston. The look of concern was written clearly on his dark face. To Vergil’s delight Preston spoke again. His words didn’t seem to help any. Vergil could still tell there was something paining this man. “P-Preston are you ok?” he asked. It was obvious that he wasn’t however the shifter thought it needed to be said. Right after he said that he got an idea! The male looked down and began to dig in his pockets. After fishing through tufts of old lent he found what he was searching for. With a gently smile Vergil pulled a small pebble from his pocket. The little rock looked to be a piece of concrete; it wasn’t exactly the best looking thing in the world. This rock meant a lot to Vergil. “I-I want you to have this Preston. It’s my lucky rock.” Vergil said as he gently grabbed Preston’s hand and placed the rough rock into his hand. “It helped me when I was down and out. I can only hope it will do the same for you…take good care of it. “

(( This post is all over the place.. I feel a bit scatterbrained today.))

[Deleted]

Preston cradled his head for a few more grueling moments before a gentle grip entangled his shivering hands, an oval rock placing delicately in his hand. In complete silence, the befuddled human peered at the simple rock like a young child still learning the ways of the world. He shot a glance to Vergil, who remarked that this rock was extremely special to him and that it may bring luck to this man. Shocked, Preston slowly closed his trembling fingers around the smooth rock, which felt strangely warm in his palm, like it was trying to soothe him. Preston bright blue eyes continued to stare at Vergil in utter disbelief; he had never been given such an offering before! It didn’t bother him in the slightest that he was holding something you could find anywhere, even in this building if you looked hard enough, it in truth gave him great joy to know that Preston was to be entrusted to such a valuable trinket. At the same time however, he felt guilty taking it from Vergil, since this shapeshifter had been holding onto it for so long and just because this simple human couldn’t get over a simple thing like Barry, he was sacrificing an heirloom for him! With a shake of his head, he stared at Vergil with his gentle eyes, his half-grin spreading along his paled visage. “I can’t Vergil, this is just too much. I can’t take this away from you.” He moved his clasped hand back towards the shifter, beckoning him to take it from him. “I’m sorry I troubled you so, I just, had a bit of a panic attack again. It happens a lot really, so please don’t worry. I couldn’t steal this from you.”

A part of him wanted to hold onto this rock, for the feeling alone of someone trusting him with something so important gave his a bit of a jolt of hope, that maybe he wasn’t useless, since this man, who even in his state of starvation and loneliness still managed to find some passion with this little smooth rock. The sincerity from Vergil’s spirited hands were burning from the rock and it was like a little of the shifter’s courage was resting inside this little ‘egg’.

Then, he realized something extremely important! Vergil was probably famished and here Preston was, distracting the poor man from a good stuffing meal all for a measly panic session. The courageous thoughts from earlier allowed him to recuperate faster from his ideal much quicker so he rose from the sofa and trotted quickly to the tiny square of a kitchen. In a bustled tone, Preston apologizes continued, “Man, I feel like such an asshole! I’m sure your starving, let’s get you some food first, before you pass out on my floor!” A burst of happiness awoke Preston from his worries and he began to rush around the little space, preparing something quick for the shifter. Preston was a decent cook; you had to be when you lived alone and thankfully, before he started his life as a recluse, he had learned some simple recipes from his dear Eva and Preston was going to make sure Vergil had a delightful dinner for the first night at this house.

“Make yourself at home!” He hoped he wasn’t freaking Vergil out from his sudden burst in energy. Maybe it was the pills? Or the rock? Who knows, Preston wasn’t going to all the sugar rush to go to waste now!

ooc; your good Guil, lol. I hope mine wasn't too random, he just loves the rock lol

[Vergil Valentine]

Vergil began to grin ear to ear. He could tell by the expressions on the man’s face that he liked the little trinket. A wave of happiness began to crash over Vergil. He was very pleased to see the man’s mood change. That would be something he would have to work on. Preston was an interesting human that was for sure. Vergil was content with playing the very supportive friend role. He didn’t know why, but it made him feel so happy when he saw Preston’s smile. Something about this man brought out the best in him. It was strange, very strange.

When Preston attempted to return the gift Vergil shook his head. “N-no you keep it!” He said with a smile as he pushed the human’s hand back. “Trust me. I want you to have it.” Vergil insisted that the man take it. Hell, he needed it more than the shifter. The male was a firm believer in good luck. How else would he have lived so long on the streets? Luck, was something Preston desperately needed. Vergil smiled a large toothy grin. He hoped this male would understand. Preston was Vergil’s first real friend, so he spoiled the human. If Preston waned something Vergil would most certainly break his back to get it for him. Even though this is their first time meeting Vergil felt as if he had known the human forever.

“D-don’t worry about it.” Vergil replied just as he felt his stomach ache. Man, was he hungry! The beast sighed, he wasn’t about to push it the subject of food onto the guy. This was the trick, make the humans happy first then get a treat. He learned this back while he lived as a family’s dog. Whenever he would do something that pleased his master, he would get a tasty treat, and even scraps left over from their dinner. Vergil cocked his head to the side as Preston got up and began to walk away. Instinctively, he got up and followed behind the male like a lost pup. When he realized they were going into the kitchen his heart nearly leaped from his chest. Finally he was going to get something to eat! Vergil smiled as Preston mentioned food. Man, he was so hungry he could eat a horse! The shifter then notice the sudden energy Preston had. It was strange, one minute he was sad, and the next he was happy. What was wrong with this man? Vergil shook it off and turned back to his human friend. “W-what do you have to eat?”

[Deleted]

“Oh don’t worry about it Vergil, I’m going to make you something.” Preston grinned as his roommate tiptoed into the kitchen, almost hesitant of even entering the area. “Come on Vergil, you can help!” As he scurried around the tiny box you could barely call a kitchen, he grabbed a pan and a two medium sized bowls and set it gently onto the countertops. As he wandered around the room, he felt alive for the first time in years, for he had not actually cooked a home meal in months out of exhaustion and depression and had survived off work food and ramen. It would be nice to have something new for a change.

As he prepped the food in a flurry of hops around the room, he grabbed four eggs and cracked them open onto a plate next to one of the bowls. When each plopped out of the shell, he carefully began to scrape the yoke off and it sloshed into the bowl. All that was left was the egg whites, which he would allow Vergil to try. “Here Vergil, you can beat the egg whites!” As he said that, he placed the plate of egg whites in front of the shifter and peered at the cautious Vergil with a smile. “Just try it! Just mix these together and I’ll give you the next piece when you’re done. If you want, I can try and teach you more if you’d like!” Preston enjoyed this greatly; feeling like he was needed by someone, that someone was leaning on him. He remembered he always wanted a sibling as a child, someone he could raise to be an achiever one day. Although, if that child was raised by Preston he probably would be ashamed to call him his brother. The thought brought back the disappointment that frequently plagued his mind, his blue eyes shimmering slightly in his loss. He quickly turned away from Vergil’s work station and headed back to his own, trying to hide the emotions flooding his system. God damn it Preston… stop being such a bum! He growled at himself, prepping the yoke with ricotta, sugar, and orange rind. He was prepping his favorite pancakes! Yes, this wasn’t exactly a dinner but with the massive stack he was planning on making, it would be a great start to meals in this house.

“Do you like pancakes?” He then paused, chuckling. “Have you ever had pancakes Vergil?” He was going to try and make small talk to distract him from his internal thoughts. Hopefully, it would work.

[Vergil Valentine]

A large smile stretched Vergil’s face as Preston explained that he was going to make something for the hungry shifter. When they made it to the kitchen Vergil looked around. Those deep brown eyes of his scanned over stove, and fridge with interest. He began to wonder what sort of yummy things that within the bowls of the fridge. Would he have ham!? Oh, god how Vergil loved ham. The last family he lived with always made ham sandwiches for their kids. The children would give him scraps from time to time, until he got brave enough to take some while the family slept. Oh just the thought of any food right now made Vergil hungry.

Vergil also began to wonder if Preston could cook. He may have had a kitchen but did he know how to use it? The small kitchen area didn’t seem too bad. If anything it looked like it hasn’t been touched in a while. Vergil trotted into the small kitchen as Preston began to bolt around the small place like a busy little bee. The shifter cocked his head to the side. What was up with him? It was almost as if he got a sudden burst of energy. Preston turned to Vergil and side that he could help him. “I’d love to help!” Vergil replied as he walked over to the counter as Preston began to crack some eggs. He watched intently as the other man began to make some tasty eggs.

After watching Preston crack the eggs he was given a fairly simple task of beating the egg whites. Confusion quickly over took features.” B-Beat the egg whites!?” he asked as he looked down at the plate Preston had given him. He was a bit hesitant at first. The human soon explained that he needed to mix them, and then he would be given another task. The eggs that laid on the plat looked very delicious. It took everything he had to keep him from eating them. “U-um…” Vergil shakily grabbed the counter. A bead of sweat rolled down his brow as he continued to look down at the plate of eggs. The male bit his bottom lip in an attempt to keep himself calm. He couldn’t do anything with Preston looking over his shoulder like that. But when the human went away Vergil let his instincts take over.

The tall man began to scoop up a hand full of egg whites and slip them into his mouth. He didn’t care if they needed to be cooked more, or if they were already done. As soon as he got a mouth full he swallowed it whole. Man, these were tasty. Vergil continued to stuff his face as Preston turned and asked if he liked pancakes. Vergil stopped and slowly turned to Preston with a full mouth. “W-w-what’s a Pancake?”

[Deleted]

As Preston assembled his portion of the recipe, he noticed Vergil’s peculiar voice and spun around with a confused gaze, his expressive azure eyes growing wide in shock as he noticed small portions of the egg white trickling down Vergil’s mouth and the human exploded into laughter. What should have been only a few moments continued into a long session of hysterical amusement and small joyous tears began to trickle along Preston’s pale skin. He lifted a shaky hand to his face and wiped the small droplets falling down his cheeks in mass quantities; Preston had not laughed like this in years! He felt like all the small cheerful feelings that had built up over the course of the night were exploding from his heart and he couldn’t stop himself as he heaved and cackled for air. From the lack of oxygen Preston leaned against the kitchen counter and slowly after a few seconds of soft breathing, he began to slow. “W-well…” Preston began, staring straight into Vergil’s playful gaze, trying desperately not to show too much ridiculous amusement. He was sure the shifter thought he was going crazy and maybe he was. The supernatural’s expression was extremely simple but something about it had just brought out these random happy feelings.

“I-I’m sorry Vergil.” He huffed, pressing a hand onto his chest as he finally finished his hysterics. “A pancake… is a…” He suddenly stopped when he realized something. How would you describe a pancake? “Never mind that Vergil, you’ll see.” He sauntered back to the fridge and gathered another set of eggs and began to work on Vergil’s part of the food. “Here, before you eat my kitchen, I’ll set it up for you. You can either wait over by the television or here, whichever you choose.” He then began to mix the two concoctions together, making a soft liquid that was a rich brown tinge. “I will make your meal!” He laughed.

“Again, make yourself at home Vergil. You live here now.” Preston than thought of something. “Since I’m sure you’re starving, you can raid the fridge if you want while I prepare your pancakes.” Although many would probably regret the decision of allowing a near-starving animal man into their fridge (even into their house), but Preston heeded none of the concerns; he knew Vergil was a good person for there was no doubt in that.

[Vergil Valentine]

Vergil seemed to shy back as Preston began to laugh. He swallowed what was left of the egg whites and wiped his mouth. Was all this really that funny? Vergil laughed along nervously, in fear that Preston might take his silence the wrong way. “Heh, y-yeah…” The male soon stopped as he realized Preston was tearing up. Vergil began to feel a pang of guilt rush through him. He didn’t mean to make the human cry. “l-listen Preston I’m sorry…” the shifter whimper as he began to fumble with his hands. Man, this was embarrassing. After the little laugh Preston began to calm down. Perhaps this wasn’t so bad. Those where tears of joy, not sorrow. Besides, the human was actually laughing! Vergil smiled at the thought of brightening Preston’s day. The man deserved it.

After Preston apologized he tried to explain what a Pancake was. Vergil listened intently and tipped his head to the side as he spoke. So this pancake couldn't be explained? Preston couldn’t seem to tell Vergil what it was, but he could make one. Yet another large grin appeared onto Vergil’s face. He was so excited, he couldn’t wait!

Soon it became apparent that Vergil just might have to leave the kitchen. The shifter didn’t blame Preston for offering for him to sit in the living room. He would just mess sh*t up anyway. He really didn’t mind. As long as Preston was happy, Vergil would be too.

In fear that he might eat Preston out of house and home Vergil decided he would leave the man to finish the meal in peace. The kitchen was no place for a shifter like him. “I-I’ll be in here with the TV.” He said as he wondered into the living room. Now that Preston was in the other room, he could use this opportunity to snoop and perhaps learn more about this man. Once he entered the room his body began to shift, morphing into the form of a small red squirrel. His bushy tail flicked as his small body bolted around the room. Tiny claws gripped the couch as the small little animal began to run across it. Preston’s scent littered the room, but yet he thought he could smell someone else’s scent as well. Perhaps it belonged to his friend? Preston did mention friend right? Vergil could recall him saying something about a band.

The small squirrel sat onto the small arm rest of the sofa and looked around the room. What else could he get into? Vergil pondered for a moment before he thought about the spaces between the couch. With a flick of his tail he crawled down the arm rest and slipped between the couch cushions. After a minute of searching he managed to find a single penny and a paw full of lent. This penny was the shiniest he had ever seen!

Vergil slipped from the couch with his prize in hand. The squirrel slipped the penny into his mouth before he hopped up onto the living room table and began chewing on it. It wasn’t the tastiest thing in the world, but it kept him content.

[Deleted]

Preston gathered the medium sized bowl into his fragile hands and poured a small fraction of the mixture onto the pan, making sure to keep the shape in a acceptable circle as he allowed the delectable meal to settle and cook, releasing a powerful scent which made even the human hungry as he stared deep into the pancake mix. While standing there, the human found himself trailing into thoughts from the past and his blue eyes suddenly were enveloped by the discouraging images.

--

“Preston, please…! I need to finish this!” A gorgeous onyx haired woman was prepping a stack of delicious pancakes onto the dinner plate however she was disturbed by warm fingers interlocking around her feminine figure, sending an aroused rush through his flesh. An alive young male with bright blue eyes nestled his head on the woman’s shoulder playfully, nibbling on the nape of her smooth neck.

“You’re finished, now pay attention to me.” Preston’s voice was full of confidence and his stature was exceptionally different than it was now for he stood before his significant other with pride and exhilaration from his perfect life. Surrounding the young couple were excellent furnished decorations and the kitchen was twice the size of the human’s current box. Preston spun his dearest so that she was facing his expressive azure iris’, her own emerald souls peering curiously at the man before him. “What is it dearest…” She huffed, a teasing grin spreading along her china white face.

“Close your eyes…” Preston beckoned handsomely, pressing his lips delicately onto her own. In response, she entertained the man and awaited her reward. As she stood there, she felt Preston’s rough skin brush against her wrist and suddenly a cold metallic thing began to wrap around her wrist and out of pure inquisitiveness she shot her eyes downward and opened them. Preston released a surprised gasp and began to shake her mischievously and shouting, “You cheater!”

Eva gazed down to the beautiful charm bracelet aligning her wrist and she smiled warmly at the gift shooting a pleased glance to her dearest Preston. “It’s beautiful Preston!” She paused, her stunning smile almost brought Preston to tears as he continued with the haunting memory. “Here is your reward…” She clasped her hand into his and moved his palm along her perfect hips…

--

The sounds of crackling awoke Preston from his lovely day-dreaming and he suddenly scooped the pancake and flipped it to the next side before releasing a heavy sigh and retreating to his satchel grabbing the tube which enclosed his pills. He placed a single blue tube into the palm of his hand and popped it into his mouth, swallowing it in seconds. He then noticed the tiny creature settling near the living room furniture and he titled his head as he noticed the small squirrel was nibbling on the wood. “V-Vergil? Are you okay?” He questioned, concerned that maybe Vergil was nervous about the living conditions. “Are you okay? I’m sorry if this place makes you nervous, I know it’s a new place…!”

[Vergil Valentine]

Vergil quickly grew board of the penny he was chewing on and dropped it onto the floor. Now, what was next? He had explored just about every inch of the living room. Well, except for the corner that held Preston’s guitar. Apart of Vergil was afraid to go near the corner in fear that he might break the man’s beloved instrument. Oh he would hate to have to deal with an angry or even upset Preston. The man had chippered up quite a bit. The last thing he wanted to do was knock him back down into a state of depression.

The small red squirrel hopped back onto the floor and began to look around again. His tiny little claws clutched the carpet, and his fluffy tail flicked. There was much in Preston’s home to begin with. The man really didn’t have much of a home, but it was better than nothing, right? Perhaps there was something interesting under the couch? Just as Vergil began to slip under the sofa he paused. A sweet smelling aroma surged into his tiny little nose. The male’s sensitive sniffer twitched as she stood up onto his tiny back paws. Whatever Preston was cooking smelled delicious! A jolt of excitement rushed through his tiny little frame. Oh, he couldn’t wait to tasty a pancake. With that the excited male turned to the living room table and began to nibble on one of the wood legs. He had to dig his teeth into something. Oh, he couldn’t wait!

Preston’s voice snapped Vergil out of his chewing impulse. The little beast jumped before bolting under the sofa. His voice had startled the little squirrel. Vergil soon popped his head back out and twitched his little nose as he realized the voice belonged to Preston. “Y-yeah, I’m ok.” He said with a flick of his tail. As Preston spoke again the little guy raced into the kitchen and stood beside Preston’s shoe. “No, I’m fine.” He said before his claws gripped onto Preston’s pants. He then began to climb up the man’s leg. It only took a second for him to get to the human’s shoulder. With a delighted chirp he sat there and watched Preston cook. Vergil could only hope he wouldn’t mind sitting on his shoulder. He then looked down at what Preston was making and asked. "Is that a pancake?"

[Deleted]

Preston couldn’t deny it, Vergil was rather cuddly in this little form. With the animal’s inquisitive nature and tiny size, it was an adorable furry package. “Oo!” Preston’s face contorted as Vergil’s little claws prodded through the cloth as the shifter scaled up Preston’s leg and along his back before settling on his shoulder, observing the human’s progress with dinner. When Vergil questioned the food, Preston chuckled and nodded gleefully,”Yes it is. Does it smell good. It should be ready very soon.” The food settling in the pan was a perfect earthy brown, small clumps of raspberry nestled within the pancake. Preston hoped Vergil would enjoy the meal since he had never tried the breakfast delicacy.

Within a few seconds Preston scooped up the flat bread and plopped it onto the dinner plate before snatching the bowl filled with the mix and pouring the second pancake for the stack. He raised a pleasing hand to the little red poof still nestled on his shoulder and gave him a gentle stroke between his insignificant ears, feeling the creatures plush fur. “Vergil, you can eat that one now or wait ‘till I create the stack. Also, there should be some maple syrup on the dining table. It goes wonderfully with this meal.” He directed the shifter’s attention to a small container placed in the center of the table, the gooey golden contents visible.

“I’ll make you as many as you like, do not be afraid to ask for more Vergil all right?” Preston was completely serious for he no longer wanted to see his friend walking around like he was among the dead; Preston didn’t need any of that.

ooc: blarg, tiny post >.<