1 x 1 || molotov and Rosario

[molotov]

『 𝐉𝐀𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐑 ───── ☾ 』
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by nature, showiness was a big aspect of nobility; a back and forth of peacocking helped established social standing, however, it was also an infuriatingly dull endeavor. even then, jasper couldn’t deny he enjoyed the finer things in life. he was merely more humble about it—in front of a commoner. certainly. he could drone on and on about the rich history behind each room, give a story to each object of value to flaunt a sense of superiority—but what good would that do in a situation like this? absolutely nothing. “the courtyard would be the most ideal.” he answered, contemplating secondary options. “in the times we are unable to access it, the ballroom could also serve as an alternative? ample space, albeit far more restrained with what we choose to use.” admittedly he was uncertain for what would meet the criteria for a suitable place to train. the outdoors would always be the most ideal for physical activity, but also inconvenient during the morning hours. the vampiric accommodations to make his estate sun-proof only went so far. the most he could do to manage the outdoors, apart from the courtyard. was have trees planted to provide more protection from the sun, and even then leaves were far from reliable in the changing seasons.
upon entering his library, jasper could barely restrain the proud smile that threatened to cross his features. it was nice to see his efforts recognized, at the very least acknowledged. “hmm, let’s see here...” he thought it over a moment, tapping a pointer finger to his chin in thought. he scoured the visible sections before his eyes settled on a row in the back left. the highborn hesitated a moment “perhaps…” he murmured, more to himself as he moved his way over to the row. he was sure he had removed all the unwanted material, but he could never be too sure—the amount of times he found stray familial records hiding within. they were like pests, always appearing out of nowhere and needlessly difficult to get rid of. “this section is archival, so it’s not something you’ll find anywhere else. apart from tediously dull historical records and the like, there are quite a few accounts relating to local myths, travel logs, documentation of strange happenings—things of that nature. it’s not uncommon encounters with supernatural’s are documented—but it may take some digging.” jasper offered. he supposed it would be the best start, given it would be far less restrained than any other section with it’s subject matter.

being without company for so long, jasper had picked up and dropped many hobbies in the times of leisure, little things to occupy his eternity with. despite all one could imagine attaining in a life unending, the only fairly consistent pastime was reading. to such an extent that he had developed a proficiency in speed reading. even still, jasper’s perusal through book after book had garnered little success. occasional soft mumbles and grumbles escaped him with every failure, more or less talking to himself as he scoured from one written work to the next. perhaps it had been noted before, but he still wasn’t use to the company. thinking about it too hard made it seem like a dream; a spellbreaker, turned vampire, turned comrade in his home—his library. he couldn’t help but continue to worry over how the other man was processing it. it was clear sebastian had been through the wringer early in life, no doubt it had only proceeded up until this point. he was resilient, but vampirism had a way of messing with an one’s head. for all his uses, for all his time with the spellbreakers, the moment he became a vampire a closest comrade deemed him unworthy of life. it was tragic, used like a tool all his days only to be discarded when he finally succumb to something out of his control. he wasn’t human, but he was still himself—at least for now. on the other hand, he felt a deep admiration for him—having managed to make it this far without falling apart, with every little tragic twist and turn that befell him. jasper realized his gaze had begun to drift over in sebastian’s direction, staring off into space. he promptly turned away, and in the process his eyes caught sight of a crimson cover tucked between two larger books, practically unnoticeable if not for the bright coloration. “what do we have here?” he pulled the book from its spot, tracing his hands over the leather cover. nameless, and fairly unassuming apart from the striking leather binding. gently he opened the book and began scouring the old pages. to his delight, it seemed to recount the odd events of a town befallen by a great paranoia, convinced that a witch walked amongst them in secret. jasper’s interest was peaked, slowing his pace of reading over the print.

just when he thought he had struck gold, their progress was interrupted. footsteps sounded across the wooden floors outside, approaching at a steady pace. not long after had a willowy woman of pale complexion stepped into the room. her dark hair pulled into a neat braid, circular spectacles lay at the bridge of her pointed nose. her expression carried an aloofness to it as she approached jasper. “my lordship.” she addressed with a small curtsy, an expression of indifference across her sharp features as her gaze settled upon the nobleman. “good morning edith, is there something you need?” jasper greeted, his back turned to her as he shut the book and turned to face her. the maid gave a simple nod in response. “rosemund has requested the presence of our guest, she was inquiring as to what he would like for breakfast.” edith explained, briefly she turned her grey eyes to sebastian. “he’ll accompany you outside momentarily, there’s something we need to finish up.” jasper responded coolly. rosemund had always been one to show off her cooking prowess around guests. unfortunately, her hopes would likely be crushed when she realized their guests appetite was as nonexistent as their lord’s. “very well.” edith answered, the exchange ending on a dull note. the maid exited through the large double doors to wait outside as requested. “now is a good time as ever, i suppose.” jasper let a sigh escape him as he set the crimson book down on the table in the center of the room. “let’s take advantage of this on the basis of getting introductions out of the way.“ he reasoned. letting his eyes drift to the door. this was a chance to test the waters, and give sebastian the opportunity to linger around prey in a controlled environment. while he didn’t carry too much concern, there was always a risk. by nature vampirism was unstable if left unmanaged, and even then it remained erratic. he contemplated asking about the vampire’s thirst, though realized it would probably only discourage him with the thought. he was sure the hunter was already harboring those worries without bringing them up. so jasper acted unbothered, as if it were the easiest task in the world. “it’ll be as simple as introducing yourself, graciously declining her offer, and returning. although, if it would bring more assurance i would be happy to accompany you.” the highborn added with a reassuring smile. another concern of his came from sebastian’s last name taking after the founder of the fallen hunter’s. while he wasn’t too worried over his maids connecting the dots, the affiliation of the spellbreakers alone could be a risk if the name got around. he would like to prevent vengeful supernaturals from darkening his doorstep if he could help it. “also, before you officially introduce yourself. did you have any intention of giving a fake surname?”

[Rosario.]

【 . 𝒮 𝑒 𝒷 𝒶 𝓈 𝓉 𝒾 𝒶 𝓃

Sebastian appreciated the down to earth nature of Jasper's tour. While not a common occurrence there had been times when the hunters had been hosted by nobles for bigger hunts or longer stints working together. The accommodations had certainly always been comfortable - probably more specifically than what would normally be expected - perhaps a compounding part of the egregious showboating. Beyond the disregard for the lives 'beneath them' there had been a certain amount of vying for the particularly skilled hunters to become guards for the noble house instead with all the comforts of a cushy job even if it meant dealing with someone who saw them as being largely inconsequential.
Sebastian had only experienced this a couple of times before he'd been barred from working with the nobles again. Not that he minded. Away from the attitudes, and frankly especially back then he struggled to feel comfortable in such luxurious places. Not that he didn't feel uncomfortable now, though he supposed he was slowly getting used to it.
He nodded with Jasper's answer, "The courtyard is definitely big enough," he said with a nod. "I'd imagine the ballroom probably is as well - though I'd like to take a look at it before saying for certain." For the most part they just needed some nice, free space, a ballroom was spacious by design so he'd imagine it should be big enough - especially if the rest of estate was anything to go off of. The space would be more fragile for certain, but training weapons weren't made with the intent to do real harm - sure they could hurt if one didn't reign in their strength - but they were largely blunt edges and lighter construction compared to their real counterparts. They were also, primarily, made of wood though he'd seen noble circles often using a metal variant presumably because the wood was 'demeaning' - not exactly a safe decision but he'd known better than to interject in that matter. In either case, it would certainly be harder to damage anything with them.

The library was a breathtaking experience, and for a moment he could see an upside to immortality among it's shelves. He couldn't imagine a mortal having the time in their lifetime to go through even half of them - but he and Jasper stood uniquely gifted in their ability to experience it in full. Though, he supposed it was a stretch to include himself in that thought. He could hardly stay here. Sooner or later he'd have to move on, and eventually Jasper would find himself caught - unwilling to move on even as he risked discovery. The once nice thought soured and he did his best to put it out of his mind. Every upside to their condition was marred with risk and deeply seeped in the pain it wrought by nature.
He nodded, "I can see what you're thinking. Accounts like these could document something related - even by chance in otherwise unrelated material." Travel logs in particular came to mind as he said that. While attacks on the roads weren't the most common occurrence - especially closer to large populations with the presence of guards keeping watch - but travelers were certainly the most at risk just for how often they were outside of cities. The same went for merchants and other traveling vendors with the latter usually keeping better records of such things. It was that line of thinking that led to him first picking up what was, evidently, a merchants' log.
Sebastian's education had been sporadic, inconsistent, and widely varied in it's scope. It was lucky for him that'd he'd often found himself working along the more well-read among the hunters the times he did need to work with others. Perhaps it was that luck which had helped his unsteady education along and helped him to even out to about average - at least by commoner standards. While he was no speed reader by any means he was able to at least make some good progress - certainly nowhere near as fast as Jasper, though. He did find himself, at one point, glancing over at the other man - surprised by how quickly he finished each page. Feeling rather embarrassed by his comparatively slow reading and vaguely intimidated by the other's apparent intellect he averted his gaze once more and tried to focus. While he was certainly combat-smart, well-read on, and experienced in dealing with the supernatural he felt out of his depth in things related to more traditional schooling. He didn't doubt that Jasper would probably find him incredibly dull if they were to speak on things less pressing. An annoyingly embarrassing, upsetting, thought - and an egregious distraction from what he needed to be focusing on.
Not as if the log he'd picked out was all that interesting, though. It mostly detailed costs, rising prices, declining prices, how much stock the merchant had of any particular thing and much stock was predicted to be available by those who provided it to the merchant. There was an occasional mention of thieves trying to hold them up, or bandits trying to rob them. But these were mostly unsuccessful attempts made by what was clearly humans. He sighed softly as he put the log away and began to seek out a new one, "Turns out the price of corn is going up." He murmured with a soft chuckle as he opened the next log and started his search once again. As he focused on the pages of the new book he was unaware as Jasper's gaze drifted over him. With all the pair had been through and the experiences Jasper must have had before this the hunter couldn't imagine his story being all that interesting to the other man. Certainly not to the point of sympathy. He'd really just never considered his experiences in that light. Given the people he'd known it was no wonder. Most of the hunters had been the type to be irritated by someone approaching them with sympathy for any misfortune they'd faced. They were tough types - or at least they were certainly the types to never let their feelings really show. Growing up surrounded by people like that wasn't really conducive to someone being all too introspective on the tragedies in their life.
"Hmm?" Hearing Jasper speak Sebastian looked at the other man only to find him intently studying a new book. Rather than press him for an answer, the hunter turned back to his own. If Jasper had found something helpful he'd let him know, so he thought it best to not disturb his focus. Instead he returned his attention to his own work as he once again sought out a new book. The previous having once again only documented the standard woes of a traveler.

A certain amount of boredom was starting to seep in. Generally he'd find tales of someone's travels fairly interesting but these logs had been, thus far, far less about the travel itself and far more about price points. What gold could be made off of what pursuit and in which area - it seemed he had a knack for picking out all the least relevant logs possible. Of course, it wasn't all just talk of money, if it was he'd have been able to simply put the log down and move on. They were interspersed with just enough detail about the travel itself that simply putting them down seemed ill-advised just in case they did mention something helpful.
The sound of someone approaching caught his attention but his senses didn't latch on to that so much as they did a warm fragrance and the soothingly steady beat of this new person's heart. She was quite lovely, paler than most people he'd seen in the town likely as a result of working in an estate which blocked out all sunlight - but otherwise normal. She carried herself and spoke with an air of cool professionalism which left him wondering just how long she'd had this job and her countenance did well to hide any true indication about how she might feel about her employer just that their relationship was, understandably, not on any sort of personable terms. His attention was held firmly as his instincts left him pining for the blood he sensed but resolutely he was able to keep control of himself. Holding himself to a nonchalant façade and reminding himself not to look at the maid too intently - he certainly couldn't be looking at someone as if he were a starving animal.
It was that line of thought and internal fight that made it somewhat ironic that she was there to ask about breakfast - perhaps the thought of someone asking a vampire what he'd like to eat would be funny if it weren't for the focus he needed treat the situation with. Suffice to say he wasn't all too prepared to be speaking to one of the maids so suddenly, and he was thankful as Jasper smoothly took over the interaction. At least now he had a better idea of what to expect, and he was glad to realize that he sincerely felt like he could handle it. While being a little caught off guard by her approach had left him trying to reign in his interest in her blood he'd been able to keep himself in check which bid well for speaking to the rest later on - especially knowing he would be around a human beforehand.
As Edith promptly exited the room he nodded in agreement. "It definitely makes the most sense to handle it now." He was a lot more relaxed about the idea now, his interest in Edith's blood had caught him off guard but it was far from being too much for him to handle and he knew his reaction could only hope to get better as he got used to being around people and in that moment his thirst mostly just amounted to a tingle in the back of his throat - largely placated by the lingering scent of the rose soap.
Jasper's offer gave him a moment of pause, as much as he'd like to be able to handle the meeting with the maids alone he wasn't quite that confident just yet. "I'd appreciate that." He said gratefully, looking a bit sheepish. While it would have been great for one of them to have been able to keep researching it just felt too risky for his first time being around potentially multiple humans to be alone. "Ah.. yes." It seemed Jasper had realized the potential problem as well, "..back when I met you I didn't care if you knew who I was affiliated with - it didn't matter - but now it would only draw unwanted attention if they knew. Especially if it got out that the hunter who'd been working with the church was now a noble's trainer - not to mention if any old enemies were to hear about my whereabouts." He paused for a moment as he considered his options, "..Ryoshi." He decided. He couldn't remember any hunters going by that name, at least, so it seemed a safe enough choice.

[molotov]

『 𝐉𝐀𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐑 ───── ☾ 』
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“ryoshi.” jasper repeated curiously. of course, it made sense why sebastian wouldn’t be all to concerned about telling his quarry his last name—assuming he wouldn’t have made it through the night alive. of course, taking into account all of the factors against them, supernatural and church alike would be an issue if they were to catch word. him and sebastian were on the same wavelengths in that regard. taking mental note of the name offered, he nodded with the confirmation. “very well.” he would acknowledge his findings later on when they had the time, after all he still wasn’t sure if the log intended to dabble into the true presence of a witch, or rather, the mere notion of such having the power to envelop an entire town into paranoia. either case still intrigued him, he would certainly be reading it regardless of it’s use to their cause. all that mattered was it was a start. opening the large door and stepping to the side, he gestured outside. “after you, mr. ryoshi.”

the scent of food drifted across the air as they approached the north hallway, coated with rich spices and something savory that the nobleman couldn’t identify. any human would find the aroma mouthwatering, and yet the vampire felt no such desire. a shame really, that he found himself unable to indulge in rosemund’s cooking. every dish was like a work of art, much as she needed to work on her formalities some, she never failed to please his guests in the past with her culinary prowess. the kitchen was spotless—perhaps thanks to it’s lack of activity up until this point. even still it exuded energy and warmth thanks to the cheerful presence of it’s chef, flitting about the kitchen like a hummingbird. wild auburn hair tied back, she was perhaps the tannest of them all, yet to adjust to the darkness of the home - she didn’t seem particularly bothered by it all the same. swiveling to greet the three as they entered, “ah, good morning my lord.” she chirped, carrying a warm disposition that combated edith’s own coldness. “i hope you don’t mind, but i thought whipping up something nice for our guest would be a lovely way to welcome him into house rosenberg.” rosemund explained with a gracious smile. “your efforts to please my guests are always appreciated.” jasper answered gently, “i suppose a proper explanation is in order for failing to inform you of his arrival sooner.” he continued. “this is mr. ryoshi, my new training instructor.” he introduced with a pause. “with the influx of crime, and that scare i had with that ruffian, i felt it best to brush up on my ability to properly defend myself.” he snuck a glance the hunter’s way, a glint of mischief in his red eyes. “a wise decision, my lord.” edith praised calmly. “first thea’s brother, than you. i would be most devastated if you were to suffer the same fate as he.” she added matter-of-factly. an awkward silence fell over the three. of course, she had to mention it now of all times - in front of a man who he was trying to convince of his good nature. sad to say, jasper didn’t recall most of his prey - frankly he was better off not knowing if thea’s personal loss was truly his fault. rosemund seemed to read the room the quickest of the three and swiveled to their guest. reassuming her chipper disposition in attempt to remove the discomfort that had flooded over the room. “now, now. let’s not linger on such dreary subject matter, wouldn’t want to discourage our guest. it’s very lovely to meet you, dear.” she dipped her head in greeting towards sebastian, eyeing the newcomer with an inquisitive tilt of her head, she placed her hands on her hips. “so, what is it mr. ryoshi would like for breakfast?” she asked, not waiting long enough for an answer as she continued to move about the kitchen, grabbing a bundle of carrots. “i’m just finishing up a stew. if that doesn’t strike your fancy, i can make fritters, pies, biscuits, we’ve got a full stock of the freshest of fruits, vegetables, cheeses, and some of the best spices money can buy.” she continued to speak, offering some options as she minced away at the carrot. “sent thea to go fetch something nice from the butcher if you’d prefer a more hearty meal, she should be back any minute.” rosemund continued to ramble on, much to jasper’s frustration. she was lucky their guest wasn’t particularly fixated on the manners of the staff, otherwise her chattiness may have gotten her in trouble. moreover, reflected badly on himself for his clear lack of leadership. he made a mental note to address it with her again. “my lord, may i have a quick word with you in private.” edith requested amid the ramble, gesturing outside of the kitchen. jasper hesitated only a moment, brief reluctance causing him to slowly turn his gaze to the other vampire, then over to edith. “certainly.” he answered simply. “if you’ll excuse me for a moment.” he gave sebastian one last glance, before he turned and left the room. he was sure sebastian could hold his own for a second, it wasn’t like he was supervising a child.

away from the kitchen, he took the chance to observe edith, promptly reminded of how tall she was. if not for his choice to wear healed boots, she may have surpassed him. “you’ve received another letter from house bernadotte, my lordship.” the dark haired women explained, snapping jasper’s attention back to the matter at hand. she offered the neatly folded parchment to the noble “an invitation i suspect.” he took the letter from her hand. turning it around to examine the wax seal, it gleamed red with the mark of the bernadotte family crest pressed into the hardened wax. “if i may be so candid, my lord.” edith offered, growing silent as she waited the approval to continue. “yes?” jasper raised his head back to meet her eyes. “i would advise you to consider accepting their request.” she paused, observing the nobleman’s face carefully. “if i may continue..” jasper gave a slow nod. “lady bernadotte has made personal inquiries regarding your health.” the nobleman paused a moment, before he tucked the folded parchment into his pocket. “i don’t believe it’s her business to speak on such matters. nor is it yours.” he answered with the same cold tone. despite this, edith gave no indication of reluctance for her words. “of course not, my lordship. if i may add, such words stem not from condescension but concern.” “that’s enough, i’ll see to it that this is dealt wi-” a sharp gasp from the kitchen interrupted his words. swiveling to see the source of the noise; thea had turned a corner into the kitchen, clutching a bundle of fresh food. she tensed at the sight of the man she had mistaken for an intruder. rosemund jumped with the noise, the blade promptly meeting her finger. she winced, jolting with the pain as she set the knife down. “darn knife, bit me good.” rosemund muttered as she pulled away from the counter. clutching her finger as thick crimson droplets seeped from the deep cut and spilled to the floor. “thea dear, your dramatics nearly lost me a finger.” rosemund swiveled to face the younger woman, oblivious to the danger she had just turned her back on.

[Rosario.]

【 . 𝒮 𝑒 𝒷 𝒶 𝓈 𝓉 𝒾 𝒶 𝓃

With his alias decided on the hunter felt hesitantly optimistic about his chances going forward though it felt odd to be called by the new name. It wasn't uncommon for hunters to use alias' - namely when dealing with smarter breeds of supernatural. Sebastian had never gone to that length before, though given what he knew followed him wherever he went perhaps he should have. Maybe on a subconscious level he welcomed the disaster that sought him out, or perhaps he was too proud to hide from the threat that presented itself. Regardless he certainly didn't want to bring that into the lives of innocent bystanders.

He nodded before joining Edith out in the hall. If his own countenance was at all uncertain, the woman showed no signs of noticing it. He was, at least a little, though he did his best to keep that hidden. He was thankful that his work saw him well versed in faux stoicism in a pinch. Though, neither demeanor contributed to any conversation on the walk to the kitchen, leading to the three making the walk in silence. The closer they came, the stronger the wafting scent of food grew. Yet what previously would have been an extremely tantalizing scent no longer meant anything to him. It was more disheartening than he'd have imagined and he tried to push the thought from his mind - it was far from the time to be trying to evaluate those feelings - easier said than done at that moment with no respite from it and the nearness of Edith who bore the scent he actually craved. The true respite was instead in the cheerfulness of the chef who stood as a stark contrast to Edith's cool professionalism. She seemed to light up the room as she merrily went about her work, flitting from place to place as she cooked. Her energy giving life to an otherwise dark space.
Though on the contrary her presence did also up the intensity of his instinct which was gnawing at the back of his mind - but he was still in control, in fact he was even feeling a bit confident. Jasper's finding with the roses really was impressive, the lingering scent of them was helping some in dampening the temptation and he felt he could definitely adjust to this.
He was quiet as Jasper introduced him, fighting the urge to grin as he saw the mischievous glint in the other man's eyes, though the look in his eyes shared the sentiment - that is until Edith spoke, her words sending a chill down his spine and creating a pit in his stomach as his initial, irrational, concern was if Thea's brother was the thief from a couple nights ago - before rational thought caught up and he realized that there was no way the timeframe would make sense. So then..
As an awkward silence fell between them he subtly glanced at Jasper, but the other man's expression didn't confirm or deny his suspicion - not like he was in a place to judge him for the attack if it was him but to attack the family of his staff - how could he manage to be so calm around them after that? A gross and eerie feeling prickled at his skin and he did his best to ignore it. The two were bound to conflict, it seemed they were both aware of it, they just needed to be civil until he could resume traveling safely - and it was ridiculous to assume off such little information, anyways.
As Rosemund spoke up, he shook his head, "No harm done, and no need to shy away from topics for my sake. I'm sorry to hear about the loss." He offered his sympathy with a gentle tone. "-- and it's a pleasure to meet you, too - both of you -" He added with a nod to Edith. This was about all he could say before Rosemund launched into discussing breakfast - too fast for him to reject the offer when she asked before she dove into descriptions. The variety she offered was mind-boggling, and it sounded like she was incredibly talented - though this was all wasted on him - not as if it would have been much better when he was human. How often had he made do with hunted game and barely anything in the way of spice? Just hunks of cooked meat so he could be fed and not get himself ill. Spices were expensive and he'd learned that if he wanted to be full he needed to keep his standards low. Anyways, anything he could hunt was still world's better than what he'd made do with as an orphan on the street. Beyond being used to just 'making do' he was far from the type of person comfortable with being anything but self-sufficient. The thought of someone cooking for him felt awkward and he wouldn't have asked for much if he'd had to, anyways.

Sheepish he listened as Rosemund continued to ramble, trying to figure out when would be best to interject to refuse the offer. He felt bad about it, she was clearly very passionate about her work, and he'd hate to come off wrong. These thoughts were interupted as Edith and Jasper spoke, and he noted how the other man gave him a brief look - presumably to see if he was managing alright before excusing himself. Sebastian nodded in response to him, quiet as Rosemund continued to ramble, apparently she was busy enough to not have noticed the other two excuse themselves. It was about this time, now alone with the chef, that he realized that Jasper hadn't mentioned how exactly he should go about rejecting the offer - exactly how would one go about excusing the fact that they weren't going to need food made for them - [i]ever]/i] - and still come off as human?
He supposed he could use self-sufficiency as an excuse here, too? 'I hunt and prepare my own food - can't have my skills in that dulling, though I appreciate the offer' it felt fitting alongside him also requesting that maids not clean his room for him.
"It sounds like you're quite talented." He finally interjected with the warm compliment, "..however I have to decline. I hunt and prepare my own food typically, and I can't afford to let those skills dull while working." He rubbed the back of his neck, a sheepish look on his face, "I hope I didn't cause you any tro--" He cut off abruptly as Thea entered the room. The girl from the other night, he realized, the one that had fled upon seeing him and Jasper arguing. She was clearly startled and anxiety shot through him, too, as he wondered just what to say to keep things from escalating - it couldn't be too hard, he thought - that is up until the scent of blood hit his senses.
Indeed Thea had managed to startle Rosemund, who had in turn slipped up in her quick knifework. The deep crimson color that welled out was reminiscent of the beautiful color of the roses - entrancing. His mind seemed to blank, rational thought - his own thoughts - starting to fall to the wayside as instinct vied for control and he took a step towards the pair as his last rational thought screamed 'no'.

[molotov]

『 𝐉𝐀𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐑 ───── ☾ 』
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the tantalizing aroma of blood traced the air in an instant, and with it blossomed a feeling of dread within jasper as he bare witness to the scene unfolding before him. watching the loss of control in sebastian’s face, as rationality was clouded by thirst, and that glint of humanity seemed to fade in his crimson eyes. jasper darted forward without hesitation. he would have time to criticize himself for such a blunder after he dealt with the hazard, as of now there was no room for error. he couldn’t afford to have sebastian kill anyone off uncontrolled. if not for the maid’s lives at stake, there was also sebastian’s sanity to keep track of. if dealing with a typical pedestrian, he was sure they would’ve succumb to madness much quicker, as their feeble, dull little lives sought them unprepared to brace the blood ridden life of immortality. luckily for him, this was a hunter who’s very job sought his mind stable in the most horrifying of circumstances. he could only hope the younger vampire would hold steadfast. in an instant he was between sabastian and his intended victims, using both side’s momentary distraction to his advantage as he shoved the vampire into the open larder, a large crash of pots and pans accompanying the collision. swiftly he shut the storeroom door with the crazed vampire inside as he spun back to his staff with haste. impeding on a vampire’s hunt was foolhardy, nay—utterly foolish, unwise, and disastrous. if he had more time formulate a proper plan, he would’ve detested physical intervention for that very reason. that wasn’t even taking into account that sebastian’s combat abilities exceeded his own, which were only strengthened now that vampiric blood ran through his veins.

the maid’s had indeed noticed the sound of crashing, and the sudden disappearance of mr. hiroshi. both having startled with the noise. “what was tha-“ rosemund started, swiveling to jasper who now stood in the hunter’s place. the noble had to think fast; a distraction! something unexpected to divert their attention from the ruckus behind him. just like that an idea sparked to life in his crimson gaze, his features hardening into a scowl. “i don’t pay you to dawdle about in the presence of a guest. are you so daft that you fail to see the mess you’re making? get that cut cleaned up this instant!” he spat, startling rosemund and thea - though frustratingly they didn’t move. merely gawked at him, surprised by the sudden outburst of a typically quiet man. “use my laboratory if you have to, just get out of my sight!” the noble snapped, both the maids replied with a collective “—yes, my lord. sorry, my lord.” as they fled the kitchen. effective in scaring them off before they could make sense of things. as they slipped away, jasper shut the door behind them. “sebastian, are you still with me?” not waiting for an answer, he dragged the middle table to barricade the exit. not that it was enough to stop the hunter if he remained in that state. it was impossible to determine the intensity and duration of his reaction to blood, but he wasn’t taking any chances. when there was nothing else available, talking to the savage vampire was key… not an easy task when faced in combat. such things helped to stabilize the mind—if one’s mind was strong enough to combat the urges, and wake up out of their state. it seemed to work much like a rope would be used to pull a drowning person out of the water—if that said person was not at the point of exhaustion of fighting the unrelenting waters, or already submerged within the depths of thirst. in that regard, it was never a certainty. nothing was assured when it came to to unpredictability of vampirism. “apologies for the graceless intervention, i’m sure you’ll understand why i had to do that, you’re a good man at heart. you’d never do such a thing if given the choice. i simply can’t have you acting a brute in front of my staff.” he spoke gently, if not a little hurriedly. as if coaxing a cornered wild animal. with the exit secure, jasper braced himself and swiveled to face whatever awaited him.

[Rosario.]

【 . 𝒮 𝑒 𝒷 𝒶 𝓈 𝓉 𝒾 𝒶 𝓃

It was so silent, everything seemed like it was moving in such slow motion that it may as well have been still. It seemed as if his mind was tuning out everything instinct deemed unnecessary. The maids' scolding, Jasper and Edith outside the kitchen, the sounds, sights, and smells of the food Rosemund had been so diligently preparing up until that moment - none of it mattered and he paid it so little mind that it may as well not exist at all.
In their stead, the object of his focus seemed to be intensified, highlighted. He could hear the sounds of their hearts and the blood in their veins - the deep crimson of the wound seemed to only become brighter in his vision to an almost painful extent - as if his instinct sought to convey that all he was capable of feeling was pain until he satisfied his thirst. He needed it, that powerful, captivating, terrible, and painful nectar.
That was, at least, what his instinct seemed to scream at him. Yet as he continued to draw nearer his steps were slow, his tense limbs shook and his clawed hand seemed to grip desperately at the corner of the island counter for as long as he could - unknowingly clawing the surface with the intensity.
In that moment of everything seeming slowed suddenly Jasper was in front of him. His instinct screamed that it was competition poised to steal the prey he needed yet he continued to fight it's hold up until he was suddenly shoved.
For a moment the breath was knocked out of him as he fell into the storeroom with pans clattering on and around him, plunged into a darkness that no longer bothered him as the door was closed behind him.

He could hear raised voices but he couldn't focus on what was being said - did it really matter, anyways?
There were shuffling sounds, the sound of Jasper speaking to him, and the sound of something heavy being dragged in the other room, the grating sound of wood scratching against tile irritating his senses.
He grit his teeth as a feeling of rage bubbled within him. His rational senses were fully quieted now as his instinct focused not only on stolen prey any longer but now on being attacked as well.
There was an odd feeling, something almost akin to lucidity amidst the anger. He knew how to defend himself, how to strategize, if he only stopped being his own worst enemy. He stood slowly, the pans clattering once more as their positions were disturbed, and he approached the door. Jasper was speaking to him still, but the words didn't quite reach him over the lingering scent of blood that he could just barely pick up through the door, a scent which would have been near imperceptible now if not for the hold his instincts had on him. He opened the door, entering the kitchen in a manner seeming far too collected for the state of mind he was actually in. Jasper seemed.. perhaps relieved? Seeing him seeming so collected, or perhaps.. was there hesitation? He couldn't quite tell. In any case it wasn't outright fear - which was good because as he drew closer the other man was seemingly unprepared for when he suddenly bore his fangs and leapt with a near animalistic snarl of rage.

[molotov]

『 𝐉𝐀𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐑 ───── ☾ 』
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‘perhaps, i overreacted.’ was the vampire’s initial thought, seeing the door handle twist with evident control, not long after had sebastian calmly exited the storeroom. he exhaled, visibly slackening as he ran a hand through his curly hair. it had been so long since he had dealt with a blood-fixated vampire, though he could be grateful this controlled environment would lessen the possibility of outside attention—just in case someone was made into breakfast. he would not have a repeat of this situation of he could help it—in the chance the maid’s decided to continue to act so thoughtlessly. sometimes he forgot how foolish humans could be, so fragile and yet so careless. his eyes trailed down to the crimson droplets across the stone floor, reminding him how much he was looking forward to hunting at sundown.
jasper parted his lips to speak, but that’s when he noticed sebastian’s eyes; something deeply foreign stared back at him. no longer did his red gaze glint with warmth, and in that brief instance of realization, did anger and desperation surge forth in that wretched stare, and a wolffish snarl curled it’s way across his once composed countenance to reveal fangs sharp as daggers. a jolt of terror ran through jasper’s body, unearthed from within as his instincts ran wild in what his senses could only perceive as a danger to his life. he had been hunted many times over, that was true, but even the most experienced of humans seldom struck him with a primitive fear such as this. even if a human chose to fight back, they were still pray to him. but a vampire of this nature? he was the pray; no more than a fox who had disrupted a ravenous wolf’s hunt. wide eyed and clearly not anticipating the attack, the noble backed into the table before scrambling out of the way with feline-like speed. “that was a nasty trick.” jasper muttered, the fear that coursed through his body did not reach his voice, which he forced to remain composed. his mind rushed for a solution, still recovering from the ruse deployed by the savaged vampire. this wasn’t good, not at all. sebastian had imitated stability, in such a state most vampires would find the urge to drink blood far too great to use deception in such a clever manner. it was a fascinatingly horrifying discovery, but at the grimmest of times. the confined space offered little room to evade the enraged vampire, and soon enough he was in a corner. spinning to face his attacker, his claws raised to defend. though his stance wavered and uncertainty kept him tense and shaky, caught in between the urge to fight and attempt to flee. “sebastian.” he repeated the name firmly, searching the hunter’s beastly gaze for any semblance of humanity or recognition. “by gods, you better snap out of this soon.”

[Rosario.]

【 . 𝒮 𝑒 𝒷 𝒶 𝓈 𝓉 𝒾 𝒶 𝓃

Where his normal fighting style usually relied on a tempered approach, evaluating his adversary, countering their attacks, learning their patterns and attacking in an opening when it was presented driven by instinct he was now the attacker. Jasper's reaction saved the other man in the nick of time, and though Sebastian twisted his body in a vain attempt to slow his momentum he still collided with the table - it's strong construction and Sebastian's attempt to slow himself had spared it from shattering though some large cracks formed in the wood and loud sound of the snapping wood echoed in the room.
Though Sebastian paid it no mind, his red gaze was steadily fixed on the other vampire. 'Too slow', he noted. He was no longer the prey, no longer seeking openings in his quarry's defenses. If there wasn't an opening he'd make one, if his prey had an opening he'd close it.
Even if he rejected the notion of being able to overpower the other man when in a rational mindset his instinct felt differently. He had his memories of their previous fights, his own former weakness, and an innate sense of his newfound strength that he hadn't quite realized outside of an instinct driven mindset.
In that moment he had truly become something out of any hunter's worst nightmares: A monster with a disarming facade of normalcy.
There were flaws to this, however, though he could compose himself to draw near to his prey he couldn't really emulate his true nature nor could he really grasp speaking - perhaps due to some mix of the desperation he felt and the empathy drowning in his subconscious.

He answered Jasper's muttering with a low growl, bearing his fangs once more before lunging again. His first slash was caught in Jasper's defense yet undeterred by the claws that pierced his hand he gripped Jasper's roughly in an attempt to prevent the other man fleeing again before he attacked once more with his free hand.
That is, until Jasper said his name again. Close as he was to the other man it was almost impossible for his mind to fully tune out the word. His eyes seemed to flicker with recognition, and while he couldn't stop the momentum of his attack he was able to redirect it to the wall by Jasper's head - it's tile cracking and crumbling with the force of the impact creating a divot to the stone layer that protected the outer wood of the building from the heat of the kitchen yet he barely noticed the pain in his hands, one cut up by Jasper's claws and the other buried in the stone of the wall. His body once again grew tense as he fought for control of his actions and his grip on Jasper's hands tightened despite that also pressing it deeper against the other's claws.
He snarled, squeezing his eyes shut as rational thought tried to come back. His mind felt flooded, instinct continued to scream at him - the prey he needed and it's nearness - but the lingering scent of blood in the room had faded by now so instead his focus shot back to Jasper, his 'attacker', though reason tried to discredit that perception of the other man. He'd stolen his prey - he'd attacked him - yet the rage that had fueled him seemed to be slowly fading though the burning in his throat didn't a persistent desire reminding him that even if he resisted his hunt now he would have to give in eventually.

[molotov]

『 𝐉𝐀𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐑 ───── ☾ 』
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the strike sent a shockwave through jasper’s very bones, a sharp breath escaping him with the collision of claws. though he had managed to successfully block the attack. he found himself ensnared in the savaged vampire’s grasp regardless of his efforts, pressing his back against the wall he looked up just in time to see the second oncoming attack. instinctively jasper’s eyes squeezed shut, flinching with the sound of wood splintering beside his sensitive ears. the hair’s on the back of his neck stood on end, for a moment all he could hear was his own quickened breathing. opening them, his eyes drifted to the sizable hole in the wall beside him, which would’ve been his face if not redirected. fortunately, this meant sebastian wasn’t too far gone, at least enough for momentary control. “v-very good, sebastian.” he coaxed. voice gentle, if not a little shaky from the notion of almost having been killed right then and there. desperately searching the other’s face for a sign, it was clear he was in the process of fighting his urges. feeling the grip tighten, a tremble ran through his body, grimacing with the pressure as he fought the urge to panic and shake himself free of the other man’s taloned grip. if he acted like frightened prey, it was possible it would only encourage sebastian’s predatory instincts to finish him. at the mercy of another vampire, his head lowered ever so slightly, slow and otherwise still as a statue as he kept his eyes trained on sebastian. “i’m no threat to you.” ‘not anymore.’ he didn’t like this feeling, this helplessness—it was familiar in the worst ways. jasper swallowed thickly, trying to shake away the dread eating away at his chest. even his initial concerns had underestimated the danger of this newly turned vampire. which made it all the more imperative that he focus on keeping his thirst quenched and their partnership on good terms. “focus on my voice, breathe.” he continued to sooth, letting his gaze drift to the vampire’s hand tightly pressed into his claws. “that can’t feel good.” he muttered, trailing off as a new development presented itself. unfortunately, their misfortune hadn’t come to an end quite yet. all the commotion had attracted the maids attention, as the echo of hurried footsteps and the confused voices drew nearer. his barricade would ensure that they would not get in, at least not right away. though the visible damage was another issue entirely. this was not something he could simply shrug off for it was readily apparent an altercation had transpired, but whatever had been responsible was clearly not human. claw marks on the counter and breaks in the table and wall made sure of that. the pot on the fire snapped him from his thoughts, the abandoned stew boiling over and pouring down the sides of the container, the soft mutter of bubbling and sizzling was the only sound that filled the room for a brief moment. slowly, gingerly, jasper’s free hand gently drifted atop the vampires clenched fist, letting his soft fingertips brush against the other’s skin in an effort to keep his attention diverted from the potential of nearby prey approaching. “i’m going to need you to try your best to relax for me, can you do that?”

[Rosario.]

【 . 𝒮 𝑒 𝒷 𝒶 𝓈 𝓉 𝒾 𝒶 𝓃

Jasper's shaky, soft, voice overpowered all the other sounds in the room. The hunter's own breath shook, the demands of his instincts were like the monsters he'd always fought - it's desire becoming the battle he had to win.
Feeling the tremble that ran through the other man the corner of his mouth twitched, involuntarily baring his fangs slightly, as if in a silent warning to the other man to not move just yet.
He slowly began to relax, listening to the other man, slowing his breathing - a tremble ran through his body as the tension started to leave his stance. He was confused hearing Jasper mention something not feeling good - still blind to the feeling of pain in his own body. His eyes opened slowly, not fully back to his senses his gaze only conveyed confusion as he tried to process what he was seeing. Watching as the other man gently stroked his hand, the pain his mind was blocking out made it hard to feel the touch but the sight alone was still soothing as that near painful vividness slowly drained from his vision.

He squeezed his eyes shut again, just a moment longer before blinking a few times as Jasper continued to try and help him relax. Why was he towering over Jasper like this? If the other man's expression and the pain in his hands weren't answer enough, vague memories of the leadup to this moment began to slowly flow back and he quickly released his grip on the other man as he scrambled backwards. Though Jasper had done his best to gently bring him back to his senses nothing could prepare him for the realization of what he'd done.
An odd, strangled, noise forced it's way out of his throat - something akin to a whine as he panicked taking in his actions. His stomach was twisting, he felt like throwing up, he took another step backwards only to bump into the table he'd broken.
He should have conceded to Nori, the thought came to him as his legs trembled and he fought to stay on his feet. The warrior's lone pyre in the middle of nowhere - attended only by the very monsters she'd tried to slay at the end.
He flinched as he heard sharp knocking at the door, his spiraling thoughts stopped dead with horror - how could they explain what he'd done? He turned his panicked gaze to the other man, he had no idea what to do - the feeling of helplessness only intensifying his anxiety, "J-Jasper, I --" another sharp knock at the door cut off his apology as he flinched again. The maids were calling out with confusion, and the suggestion was posed to try the the other door - 'or should they get the guard?', it was hard to tell just what all they were saying as they spoke over eachother in their concern and confusion just that they were posing question after question as to what had happened. "What do we do?" Though he lowered his voice, his desperation and anxiety were still clear as he spoke. He could only hope that the other man had some idea how to handle this. His own thoughts too scrambled with panic to think of anything even remotely useful.