Easy Persuasion (open)

[sabasti112]

Benji watched the contents of his cups swirl around, forming eddies that vanished as quickly as they came. Forming little flower like designs in his cup, his mind was else where as he looked at his Irish Coffee. Once he would cherish these small bits of life. The great bits that most people passed by, being filtered through their eyes as not worth paying attention to.

Most people as including Benji at this time walked through life ignoring all that life has to bring. Benji skimmed his drink with his eyes, not caring for it at all. Sighing softly he rook the cup to his lips, meeting it halfway he took a sip, as the familiar taste of his favorite drink rolled over his tongue and entered his esophagus. None of the nutrients ever entered his body, he didn't actually know what happened to them. The drink did not sate him and he was in one of those blood craving moods.

Setting down the cup which hung suspended in the air, his hand gripped around the handle. He took the cup, still half full, and slid it off of the table, looking as if he meant to do this accidentally, he meant to catch the attention of some unlucky fellow nearby and suggest that he follow Benji down a nearby alley. Benji laughed because he knew that whomever took to helping him would actually say yes to the ridiculous thought of following a complete stranger into an alley. Benji was content with his vampire powers, they could easily provide for better than actually having to cause a lot of attention in a crowd if he just randomly bit someone that looked tasty.

[raban]

The door opened with a soft creek from hinges that needed oiling, a large male strode through clad in a simple fair of a shirt, jeans, plain brown shoes and a heavy brown coat that was marred with the stains of use. Most of these stains were general dust that never wanted to stop clinging on, but a select few were the rusted brown of dried blood. Signs from previous confrontations or innocent portrayals of being in the wrong places at the wrong time.

The figure paused slightly as he took a soft intake of air before his arms lifted to tie his loose hair back. He caught the eye of a waitress who pointed out a free booth where he could sit and order. He nodded and turned before he eased roughly into the padded seat and glanced around the room. He smelt so many things and he smiled slightly before something else caught his attention. Raban concentrated, let him mind focus and he soon realised that there was at least one heart in this diner that was not beating as strong, not beating and pumping the way it should have been. He was not the only blood drinker here and he didn't smell anything that hinted at one of his own but rather something that may not appreciate another hunter in the same constricted space.

Well, that was hardly Raban's problem. He had come for a simple black coffee, not blood. the waitress distracted him from his silent musings and he raised his cleft chin before smiling amicably.

"Just a coffee, black. Thank you," she nodded, jotting it down and moved off only stopping to deal with the request of another customer. He could hear voices rising in the back, a start of an argument, one not yet heated. He listened for the lack of anything better to do. Being in exile and without a pack meant he didn't usually have the luxury of dragging friends along to join him for company. He thought a great deal more about the situation, wondering what he could do to influence and maybe cause more to realise the meaning to their existence in a fresh light like he had all them years ago.

[sabasti112]

Benji took a quick look around as his senses picked up on another unnatural being. One of different race, a were folk. His eyes changed color as soon as he acquired the scent of the man being seated by a waitress. The waitress had a pretty face, her hair put up into a pony tail. Her hair was well kept, it was flaxen hair, nice and straight. This women was what Benji would be after if he were human, her brilliant smile flashed across the room as she took the mans order and walked around to the counter to get his drink.

Slightly forgetting about his cup that he had intentionally dropped to the floor. His figure was covered with a tailored suit, he had wanted to look business like today, he knew that in today's society to look rich, clean, and act regal you would attract the more upper class women. Which was what Benji enjoyed to feed off of, there attitudes towards humanity were almost always the same. They despised the poor, usually spitting down upon them from there balconies of their inheritance. Cursing the unfortunate for not being as opulent as they, snobby and corrupt is how he viewed society today. But who was he to view it that way when he was apart of it.

Taking his eyes off of the waitress he looked towards the werewolf. Walking, taking long even strides, he reached the table of the man and smiled. Flashing a grin even Satan would cringe at, putting both hands in his pockets his lips parted and the words flowing from his took on that of a friendly accent, disguising his disgust of the werefolk.

" My name is Benji, fine establishment to come to this early in the night, is it not?"

His eyes were the color of a light blue, making them stand out, being the base focal point of his face. Usually his teeth were when he was smiling, but he was trying keep his mouth from being the focal point, he knew that when someone knew he was a vampire they would expect that his teeth would protrude over his bottom lips. And he did not like it when people would stare at him for that kind of reason. It annoyed him, he didn't really have an explanation for it, he just did not like it.

[raban]

The two forefingers and thumb of his left hand rubbed together in a clockwise motion as he sat there, absently staring into the cold brushed chrome surface of the table top. After a few moments he leant back in the seat already expectant. He was more than just sitting here for no apparent reason and he knew soon enough, company would force itself upon him. He was waiting, but unlike most else of his kind he knew the art of patience.

Sure enough, shadow shrouded him breifly before a well dressed male stood next to the table. Raban refrained from looking up too quick as a younger wolf would do but then a younger wolf would have either left leaving an insult only the Vampire would have comprehended or simply attacked but no, he knew how to be patient. He knew that sometimes if you wanted something, you had to wait for it.

The boy sounded keen and too friendly for Raban's liking but as was usual in his waking days, he was not here for a fight and if the Vampire knew of his identity or had yet to learn of it, then it could go that far. He just hoped this bat knew the benefits of not killing every wolf in reach simply because they were the enemy. Life, even life of the forsaken, was sacred... his animosity towards humanity, Vampire and Lycan was founded in that. Killing had to be for a justified reason.

He looked up slowly with a soft smile to his features before he gestured to the seat opposite him, "Then sit, Benji". Curious name for a Vampire, most tended to favour the longer of names, perhaps it was just a nickname. It hardly matter what the Vamp was called.

The waitress returned with what Raban had ordered and settled in front of the large male before glancing to Benji with a faint look of irritation. Rabaan glanced backwards an he smirked slightly before turning back around and removed a few notes that looked like they had gone through some obstacle training in the cold wet mud.

"For the damage and another. Keep the change,"

Money meant absolutely nothing to Raban. To him, it was the foundation of greed and what brought out the bad side in people. It was a vice that very few seemed to share the same view about. Oh, money could do plenty of good but in the end... it was nothing but cotton paper.

[sabasti112]

Trailing one hand from the bottom of his pocket to his lower abdomen, he conjured up his wallet. Its sleek black leather which was thin and well made with a simple design on it off a bat, his fingers after long years of practices nimbly flipping it open he quickly took a good lump some of money from it. A fresh stack of 20 dollar bills, probably around 9 of them folded neatly into a little square, each enfolding the other like a Nestling Doll. Benji tended not to be the one to tip, or for the matter so enormously, he usually carried money lightly. Carrying a credit card was more his style, never really having to flash or flaunt how much money he had just by opening his wallet.

" I must inform you I did have a slight accident over at my table, and I must say I'm sorry. So please take this for you're trouble ma'am"

Benji smiled kindly towards the women, his eyes flashy as he pretended to explore her face with them. Making sure she thought he was being kind because he was flirting. But indeed he was not, on the inside he was calculating every few moves to make ahead of time. Taking the money he placed it in her apron pocket, making eye contact with her he placed a smile on his lips and laughed slightly.

" Shh.. We would not want to share this with the other employee's would we. Of course you would not get all of it, but a partial sum if you were intended to split it up. You can keep it... It shall be our secret."

[/color]



Taking his hand away from the woman's figure, he turned slightly to face the were folk. His eye's changing again to a dull grey, his face also transforming slightly from his nice sort of appearance to a more of a bored look. As if he were a child with no imagination, expecting his new toy do be able to fly. Turning out the toy could only be thrown to through the air and come crashing down to be broken into a few pieces. His lips turning into a straight line, unbroken as he sat down not saying a word. Until he placed his hand on the table and slightly angling his right corner of his mouth into a grin and nothing more.

" And may I ask of you're name. You as to be so kind as to let me sit down and chat would have to be of some importance... No?"

[raban]

His nose wrinkled with a certain distaste,though of what he didn't let on to. He looked too young but knew Vampires were far more deceptive about their age than Lycans were. Vampires had far more restricted lives than of Lycans who were free to walk in the sun and as a result, they had to learn the game so much faster. Still, he came off petulant and rather annoying as were most of Benji's kind. He leaned back, his shirt stretching in places and it proved that his shirt and jeans were not much better off than his heavy coat, not that it bothered him. He smiled, it would bother a Vampire... they brought out vain to a whole new extreme.

He watched in silence, eyes rolling as the waitress seemed to be about to say something but evidently thought better off it and nodded before walking off only returning once the man's replacement was ready. She moved on again at the call of another male further down the diner. Raban did not reply straight away, content to look Benji back directly and openly study the man, the whole formalness of the man was palpable and Raban's tongue went to a canine again. Habit.

"Raban,"

Whereas Benji's talk was all fancy as was usual when meeting one of the Vampiric race, Rabab's own tongue was all very simple and down to eart. He really did not see the point in pussyfooting it around and making things drag on for much longer than it really needed to. Perhaps that was just the werewolf way but it had worked and there was never any point in fixing what wasn't broken. He gauged the reaction to his name, though he never gave it out in full. Not any more. If this man was aware or had followed the rumours then he would know it already. Whilst his name was renowned and widespread amongst the Lycan generations, it was a bit more frayed in that of the Vampiric one. How far north had his name truly reached?

He leaned forth as he emptied the sugar from the sachets into the steaming black abyss and stirred lopsidedly before taking a sip and he took in the rich aroma. He didn't go out for coffee much but when he did, well... it was indeed very comforting.

"Been here long?" he asked simply yet again, well... he didn't have to be fancy and all prim and proper. Wasn't Raban's way.

[sabasti112]

Benji sat down at the booth, placing himself align with Raban, his clothing rubbing against the booths fabric smoothly as he placed himself accordingly. His eyes going from Raban's coffee and to his mouth, which was smiling. Raban was not very formal, he was seemingly lacking the therefore. Benji decided maybe he should be less dedicated to his formal speeches, and adjust to this man's jargon. Finally resting his eyes on Raban''s face he looked at him thoroughly, taking in everything and taking mental pictures. Benji easily remembered faces, and Raban would be an easy face to remember. Benji leaned back in the booth and studied his nails, seeming to relax a bit, he didn't want to looks stiff and somewhat pompous.

" Are you enjoying your coffee?"

Benji usually never stirred his coffee. Mostly because he only drank coffee that had some kick to it, mixing alcohol, substituting the creamer for it. He never really liked sugar anyway. It ruined your teeth, and Benji was some what ocd on taking care of himself. Benji smiled as he had waved off Raban's question with a question of his own, it was a sort of tactic he used in what he called conversational warfare. Somewhat competing on whom was on top of it all, asking the questions and waiting for the other to answer. Benji usually enjoyed being the puppeteer of the conversation, he could gain more control of it that way and get questions he wanted to know answered.

" I've not been here long... I have just been roaming around, site seeing... And you?"

Benji had decided to answer Raban, but he did it in a sort of bored fashion. As he took to looking around, his attention never resting on one person or object but slowly moving from one thing to the next. He tended to do that to allow the other person to think he was not to interested in them any more. And as he did so he was smiling to people as they looked his way, inclining his head, nodding towards people who waved at him. Benji enjoyed the attention, he may as well keep people around here interested in talking to him. He may want a snack later.

[raban]

He stretched his shoulders, hand lazy on the handle of his bowled coffee mug. Really, he preferred proper mug that held a good deal more but this was all he was going to be provided with. He had come and asked before with no such luck. He wasn't in the habit of asking twice. He wasn't bothered by the company of Vampire though he wondered how much said Vampire was holding himself back from making remarks that were to intentionally provoke him into some form of words or action. Well, the man would get no such luck. If he knew anything about Raban, he would know that he wasn't the type to leap into situations without careful thought about it first.

"Yes, thank you," he replied lifting his gaze to meet Benji's own pair of blues. The coffee was reaching the point where Raban liked it most and he sniffed it slightly before he drank a good amount, the liquid hot but not scorchingly so. If there was anything Raban detested, it was lukewarm to cold coffee. Waste of a drink in his opinion, he could not fathom how others could drink it cold. Where was the flavour?

Raban nodded slowly, "Moved up from the South. Keeping an eye on things, pretty much the same really,"

He gauged the man's reaction or interpretation of his words to see what Benji thought about it. He scratched the back of his jaw with a lazy forefinger, his head tilting as he did so. It was reaching hunting hours though Raban was sated for now but no doubt this one would eventually make an excuse that the humans nearby overhearing their conversation in the midst of their own wouldn't lift a bat at. Not that most humans read much into Vampiric or Lycan conversations.

[sabasti112]

Taking in what Raban said, his mind playing with the words. Poking in directions towards why he would be keeping his eye on things. The things this man would be probably be keeping an I on would defiantly not have anything to be doing with the humans world. Their minds all wrapped around money and power, the later of the two which in Benji's world didn't have to be straightly achieved through money.

Money was just a tool, a tool that was helpful but could be diminished without care. Power was the one thing that was sought for by the two races. Each wanting a foot hold to climb above the other, nowadays that's what it was about though. Many lived the way of a Vampire or Lycan through love, jealousy, or envy. Whichever it was it had a motivation, and through motivation one sought the power they envisioned through whatever meritorious thought that that they conjured themselves.

So through all his deep thinking in a short time he still toyed with it, making sure he put all of the cards he knew would best play out on top. But in which order would they be played he would have to find out.

" And what would draw the attention of such a man as yourself??"

Laying some emphasis on the word man, he thought that he may draw some kind of reply. Letting his right index finger trace a few uncanny words that were scratched into it. Slowly dragging the tip of his nail into it, cutting it deeper slightly.

Smiling as he finished speaking, he lay his left hand into the inside of his pocket. Fiddling with some change, trying to look less formal and more or less bored. For this conversation he wanted others to think he was a little bit of a old friend to Raban, he did not want to be disturbed by any one that may know him. He was slightly known, always going to big parties, each time giving himself a fake name and address. But his face never changed, so he always had to be careful.

[raban]

He glanced out the window and watched the world go by as he kept company with a Vampire that seemed content to continue this charade they had going. Clearly, the man was experienced. A younger whelp would have lost themselves to temptation and made a rather rude mistake they would get told off for by their elders. He had come into contact with many over eager young or newly made lycans and vamps that bit off far more than they can chew against an experienced and trained killer.

The young seemed to think they had a given right to attack him just cause he was a traitor to his brotherhood. He hadn't really run into any since he had arrived in New York, the place seemed to be complete with experienced or those who were smart enough to recognise the signals and back off.

What indeed? Would a Vampire even care? Probably not, what Raban believed in was so far from the accepted norms of the social acceptance of either side. Still, perhaps in time the man in front of him would live long enough to realise and accept to change habits of old.

"Put it this way... Benji. Do you accept the norms set up by Vampire society or do you question them, ask how long a source can be fought over, how long till the fragile balance can last?"

He looked at Benji as he lifted the mug to his lips and drank deeply from the vessel as he watched the man deal with the question put forth to him. Ordinarily, he disliked answering a question with another question but he couldn't think of a better way of responding to it. Sometimes, you just had to do what you disliked doing. Question was, how would Benji react to such a question that tickled at his duty to his race. There was always a question of loyalty with such questions raised.