tampered | Log: Complete

Log: Complete

When; Feb. 18 (night)
Rating; PG13 (for innuendo)
Characters; Cain Hargreaves

playstheblues, and the Corinthian

bitingnightmare
Summary; The nightmare cooks up a new scheme to satisfy an old urge.
Log;

He'd told the young man to meet him outside the Coliseum. It was an easy landmark with its thumbs up signage, and also out of the way where he could further discuss terms with Cain. The Corinthian hadn't enjoyed his company in person for some time now. He remembered tasting his mouth in this place, the sweet liquor and the gentleman's subtle refusal to take part in anything beyond a kiss, or was it because the nightmare hadn't directly offered? Now he had no reason to employ eloquent language; Cori had him by contract alone, and he planned to make good on it.

Standing calm and collected, he waited for Cain to arrive, comfortable in just his standard cotton, denim, and leather. He exhaled smoke from his eyes as if it were a puff of warm breath in the night air.

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So this was it then, just a note through the Network and that favour called in, the other half of the deal.

And what had the first side of the bargain amounted to? One moment of terror for the girl and no change whatsoever in her mood or intentions. Damn it all, and he'd known perfectly well it wouldn't end in his favour.

He threw on his coat.

But that was desperation for one. And now, with the curse of the day before an excuse for a walk, he set out towards the Coliseum--that place again; it was becoming fixed in his mind with the man with the eyeteeth. First the cemetery, then the Coliseum--not again.

He would keep his word, of course, but there are ever limits to what words say and what they mean. The demand would be made, the debt would be repaid.

The winter was beginning to grow mild, damp, but without the bite of January. He saw him waiting and approached.

He knew it would never be so simple as he imagined.

"Sir."

The Corinthian hadn't guaranteed permanent damage to the girl. His other offer could have been significantly worse, but they'd decided not to travel that path after all. Cain would have to pay the price for that decision tonight. He didn't have too much to worry about though; Cori remembered the terms of their agreement clearly. Teeth caught sight of the approaching figure with its dark brown hair and vibrant eyes.

"Cain," he replied, puffing his cigarette. The title sounded amusingly odd to him. "Corinthian," the nightmare upnodded then tossed the end of his smoke to the ground, grinding the embers out with his toe. It wasn't meant to be a symbolic gesture.

"Come with me," he said to Cain as he turned to walk along the street. "I said I wouldn't kill you or run you into the poor house," remarked the Corinthian with a smirk, "I'm keeping to that."

Casual. To be expected,

"Corinthian," he said, the Biblical overtones always passing strange, suggestions of intentions, but nothing clear. But, then, weren't they the pair with their names, after all. Blessed wool-gathering in the midst of it all.

He followed, caught up, walked alongside.

Yes, but the variations on that theme? What if the demand was for the death of another? What else could the demands be?

Shreds of dignity perhaps would remain. He hoped.

"I do recall that. You've kept your word thusfar. I hope it will last."

"It will," he nodded.

Their names were definitely ironic. For one, the Corinthian knew where the other Cain, the Cain of the Old Testament, lived... just left of the Nightmare Turnpike, beyond Eve's Cave. He was pretty sure Cain Hargreaves wasn't named after the Cain who resided in the Dreaming though. The coincidence would've been too grand (and Matthew would have said something when he was still living in the City).

"We're going to meet Blue. Have you spoken with him before," Cori asked with a side glance to Cain.

"Blue?" He paused, considering. There were infinite names and infinite faces. Blue. Simple, unusual, a color--or the name of a color.

"I don't believe I have..."

No, wait, the boy who explained about the Chinese zodiac that day during the second--third?--New Year's festival.

"No, I take that back. I believe I have spoken to him, but only briefly, and it was in the midst of a celebration. I doubt he'd recall me at all. And the reason for our appointment with him?"

"Taller than you, shorter than me, blond haired, blue eyed, perfect ass," he described Boy Blue for Cain's benefit, and maybe to Cain's chagrin as well. But what the Corinthian stated was absolutely true in his opinion. "Good, a little acquaintance helps," he nodded.

At that question, the nightmare grinned.

"We have a present to deliver. I hope you're flexible, Cain. And be a gentleman, for his sake."

"I see."

Chagrin was putting it mildly. It was rather a base way to describe another--not the exclusivity of the physical, but to be fixated on it in such a way. He tried not to sigh audibly.

"A present? What's the occasion? What sort of present is it?" No, it could hardly be so simple, and immediately his mind began racing to tear the unknown to pieces. Flexible? Honestly. And there had best be no heavy lifting involved in this delivery. Or perhaps that was the very purpose: let's amuse ourselves by watching a specimen of the upper classes struggle. It would be a popular sport, if Cassian were to be believed. "And I assure you, I can be perfectly civil."

"The bugle boy has a birthday tomorrow, and his friends aren't really my kind of company," he shrugged once, fingers running through snow white hair, "so I'm giving my gift to him tonight. That's what you're for."

The Corinthian nodded as they approached a low level but sleek group of buildings around glass and elevated trees (http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b117/ACXchan/poly/view-up-from-loggia-grou_24.jpg). It looked like a small apartment complex, and there were tables and chairs outside in the 'alley' leading to the lobby. The nightmare raised his chin, looking for where Blue might be, if he'd already reached the place before they had.

"'The bugle boy'? You mean Blue, of course. So that's how I fit in--and I suppose it's only fair, in a strange sort of way, to repay my debt in such a way."

Cain followed him, observing, feeling distinctly anachronistic surrounded as he was by glass and steel, very much removed from the excesses and velvet curtains of the Opera House. Quite the pair indeed.

Blue sat in the building entrance, wondering what he was doing. In typical fashion, the Corinthian had told him the name of the building and how to get there, but not what they were doing there or why this particular set of buildings. He had to admit, they were pretty to look at.

He saw the nightmare with a slim, dark haired man, and scratched his head. He had seen the other man on the Network, talked to him once...Cain, that was his name, a nice guy. He was always talking on the Network about his sister.

He stood up and waved a bit. "Over here," he called, not terribly loudly, offering both men a smile, albeit a puzzled one.

"Yeah, I mean Blue," he clarified for Cain. Cori had forgotten the Englishman was pre-WWII... though strangely familiar with Johnny Rotten. Odd world, this City. "He won't hurt you either, I promise," said the nightmare, smirking at Cain again before he turned his attention to that voice.

"Hey," Cori upnodded to the 'teenager' and smiled. "Blue, this is Cain Hargreaves. Cain, this is Boy Blue," he introduced the two casually, then suggested, "let's go inside."

It was warmer in the indoor section of the lobby, lit in tones of yellow to contrast the modern steel and glass of its exterior.

"I didn't suspect he would," Cain replied almost disdainfully.

He turned to Blue, smiling politely.

"I believe we spoke once before on the Network, during the latest New Year's celebration. It's a pleasure to meet you properly, Blue.

He paused...

"Even under somewhat peculiar circumstances."

How peculiar remained to be seen--and the lack of clear answers made it all the worse. He decided he'd rather not dwell on the unknown and followed the nightmare inside.

"Nice to meet you too, Cain," he said with a nod back. "I hope that you're well."

Blue's eyes flickered from one side of the equation to the other, his worry rising to his eyes. "Um," he said softly, "Cori, where are we going?"

It wasn't that he didn't trust the nightmare. He just knew the other man's thought processes in an almost intimate way. He leaned away from both men, in a bit of awe at the building at the same time.

He gave Cain a brief look, suspicious but for the most part unreadable due to his teetheyes and the sunglasses that covered them. Was Hargreaves attempting to be clever? Wasn't it obvious why he was here? No... perhaps not. Cori smirked again over the thought that this could be such a surprise for them both. Underneath it all, he hoped Blue wasn't offended. He didn't think the musician would be.

"Upstairs," said the nightmare with a twist of keys on a ring he'd pulled from his pocket. "That's not too peculiar for you is it, Cain," he asked, looking to the brunette again.

Cain's eyes were cold and bespoke his fatigue with games and allusions. He'd a debt to pay, and he wished to pay it so that detail could be put aside. He had other, larger, worse things to think about now. Let it be done with.

"No, it is not. The peculiarity lies within the room itself. It seems rather unfair that you've kept even your own acquaintance in the dark regarding all this."

No, pull back: he'd said he could be civil.

"Perhaps it makes sense, but the peculiarity lingers. I rather wish it would dissipate."

Blue followed Cori; he trusted the other man enough to be able to do that, and turned to Cain. He didn't know what was going on; that much was true. But he knew that whatever Cori had planned, if he didn't like it, he could just say no and the nightmare would stop.

"Don't worry," Blue assured the brunette. "I think that everything will be okay."

"It's called a surprise, Cain. Spontaneity. You should get to know it sometime," he nodded to the brunette, brow cocked with the corner of his lips pulled up into a mischievous smile.

But what Blue thought was absolutely right. If the blond said no, he would stop. He didn't think Boy Blue would protest; so far he hadn't. The Corinthian led them down a hall, making a right along the inner courtyard, small but cozy, a left along the complex's own pool, and then to two sets of stairs on each side. He marched up the left, only a few steps to the door, then he unlocked it.

"Gentleman first."

He held it open for Blue and Cain. A private apartment where he wouldn't have to give such a damn over thin walls. This one occupied a corner of the grounds.

An odd pair, these two. He was reassured by what the boy said, somehow, small, kind; but his answer was for the other.

"The unexpected and I are quite familiar, thank you, though we're not at all on speaking terms."

Regardless, he followed, and with more interest than perhaps before. There was more to it now than just the debt. Now, within the walls of the place he was falling into his old curiosity again. It, more than anything, led him up the stairs.

He almost laughed at the farce of children's manners, but stepped into the room regardless, cautiously but not nervously.

They were a bit of an odd couple. The nightmare and the Fable, especially when the Fable was Boy Blue, of all people.

Blue passed Cori with a slight look at the other man - one that said, I really hope you're not thinking of doing something really stupid - and then looked around the apartment.

It was lovely - a little empty, but a lot nicer than even Rose's apartment, or the one he had in Fabletown. Lots of room, lots of space, and lots of windows; all things that Blue liked. He looked back at Cori and asked, "Why are we here?"

Tell that to the courts. Maybe Cain hadn't read about their trial or seen Gabriel marching off the steps in a huff. Cori had been very good about keeping his welfare checks underwraps after the first one. Christ that was embarrassing, but it was part of why they were here.

Blue had to ask that question. He looked at the blond, well aware that he was communicating with Cori without words.

"Do you like it," he asked Blue then turned his attention to Cain, "witty." He smirked again for Hargreaves' quip. Yes, abstaining from answering Blue's question. Wasn't it a comfortable setting? Warm, cozy, tall windows, good view, privacy. The Corinthian had always wanted this. He thought Blue would too.

"It's a perfectly fine room. Though, of course, one wonders what it's for if it isn't where you ordinarily live. A studio perhaps? Some sort of rehearsal room?"

Still pointed questions, though he tried to dull the edge on his voice as much as he could.

So far as rooms went it was perfectly fine, a touch too cold and modern, perhaps, but that was the style of the whole building.

Blue could see that there was a bedrooom; a suite and a kitchen, and an extra room from where he stood. He turned to Cori. "It's really nice, I love it," he said, but he furrowed his brow.

He didn't want to get too hopeful it was for them - what would Cain be doing there? It was clear that the other man wasn't a real estate agent. He looked around again. "What is it for, Cori?" he pressed with a slight tinge of anxiety in his voice.

Anxiety. Whatever for? No, of course he knew what for, he'd only wished it could have lasted longer, maybe long enough for Blue to see it from his perspective and decide to initiate after all. That was a shot in the dark, and not one Cori seriously felt strongly about. It would have been a perk, nothing more. He cared for Blue much more than that. Too bad it meant cutting Cain's string earlier than he'd hoped.

"Sign this," he said to the gentleman in the sophisticated drape as he pulled a folded paper from his pocket.

It was the lease for the apartment, the first six months to be exact. Not a cheap little hole either, but not enough to do massive damage to Cain's pocket book. He didn't want to face Blue's expression were he to find out his birthday gift was a massive gouge out of an 'innocent' stranger. That was to Cain's advantage.

"As though I'd sign it sight unseen. I trust your word, but I should still like to know."

Cain unfolded the paper and read over it quickly.

"You can't be serious."

No, of course he was. That was the payment. So why drag him all the way out here to see the apartment for which he was paying? Honesty, perhaps. How amusing. How tiresome. A bit of boasting and, of course, the birthday gift.

He read further.

"And after those six months? What then?" he asked, not looking up from the documents.

"Does it look like I'm fucking with you," asked the Corinthian, innuendo included. Perks.

Six month lease at a good handful of Indigos per month. The apartment would be paid for till then, no refunds, not even on the deposit (which Cori, the good honest fellow he was, had fronted himself, thank you). And as Cain had asked, the nightmare answered.

"We take over," he shrugged casually. By then they would have generated enough expenses to keep it.

That deserved not a single reply; he shot a look in the Corinthian's direction and nothing more.

Hardly a cheap place to set himself--themselves--up, but it was within Cain's means. It wasn't a forgettable sort of price; it left enough of a dent to remind one of what was, but the Corinthian had been true to his word that he'd neither taken Cain's life nor his fortune.

He read through the finer print again. Nothing unusual: a lease for a new tenant. Nothing more, nothing less. To be paid. Indigos. Upon expiration. Deposit. &c. &c.

"All right. I believe I could sign this particular agreement."

Blue stared at Cori. "Are you serious?"

He looked around the apartment. It was beautiful, perfect, the kind of place he would love to live in, love to live in with Cori, to finally have a place they could be at home, instead of shunting from place to place depending on roommates and bosses and schedules.

Blue frowned internally slightly at the fact that Cain was paying - why, he could dremmel out of the nightmare later - but for now, it was his apartment. He thanked Cain with a smile, then Cori with kiss to the cheek. "I'll get the full story later," he whispered to the nightmare with a promise.

"I'm serious," he replied to Blue. "Great," said the Corinthian as he pulled a pen from his pocket and offered it to Cain.

He was prepared, and the set up made the expression on the Englishman's face almost as priceless as the sweet and satisfied one on Blue's. Cori narrowed his teetheyes pleasantly from the blond's kiss. Finally, a place to call their own, or Blue's own in particular. He was the first and primary tenant listed, with the nightmare a second. Hopefully it would stay that way despite Blue's whisper.

"You love it," he whispered back, nose to the boy's cheek with a purse of his lips and... Right, the Corinthian remembered Cain was still here. He held a hand out to the brunette, for the papers. "You can go now, they take checks."

Still glowering, not at all amused, he took the pen.

Cain C. Hargreaves

For the boy, then, and for the light in his eyes. Like Merry, in a strange sort of way: hopeful. Perhaps there was hope in hell. Let them live here together, content and financed. (Had he ever looked at Riff like that?)

And wasn't there a sort of power in being a benefactor--even one half tricked and more than half obligated--like this? If all else failed, there was that pathetic scrap with which to salvage his pride.

A brief aversion of the eyes, a moment of pretended invisibility in the face of affection, and he passed the papers back. So that was done.

"One would assume they would. The payments will be made as required."

He saw himself back to the door, but paused a moment before leaving.

"And happy birthday, Blue."

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Log: Complete

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