The Card~
Has anyone stopped thinking about this since it happened? No? Me neither.
(ID in alt and under cut)
ID: 1a. Shot from within Guillermo's room under the stairs as Nandor, in his usual belted coat but with his hair half up in a ponytail rather than a bun, holds the curtain aside with one arm. He announces, "You may keep your shit and do your human things in here." Guillermo, 19 years old with fluffy overgrown hair in a side part and a pimply chin, ducks around him to step inside. He is wearing a black lady gaga shirt over a white button up and jeans, has a duffel bag slung over his chest, and a backpack hanging on one shoulder. He stares into the sad little room, unable to muster any enthusiasm as he replies "Oh... Um." 1b. Reverse shot behind Nandor's shoulder, the tiny room's faded walls, bare yellowed mattress, and single abandoned pillow visible in the background. Nandor turns in profile to the viewer and imperiously demands, "I will allow you two minutes to settle your affairs, then I expect you to begin dusting the fancy room as it has begun to grow bunnies." Guillermo, having stepped into the room and pulled off his duffel bag, turns back to him with a nervous smile and says "Of course! Thank you, Nandor." Nandor replies, "You will address me as 'sir' or 'master,' Greenberg." Guillermo corrects him, "It's Guillermo. Sir." Nandor snaps, "Whatever." 1c. Reverse shot, Nandor standing in the doorway holding the curtain open, gesturing with his finger as he turns to leave. He scolds, "A familiar is not expected to be correcting a vampire! I will see you in two minutes; try not to die until then." From offscreen, Guillermo calls out "Oh, wait- uh, Master?" 1d. Close up on Nandor as Guillermo continues, "I got you something." Nandor whips his head back around in not-unpleasant surprise, starry eyes landing directly on Guillermo for the first time.
2. Wide shot of them both in profile, the entryway between the familiar's room and the main hall dividing the space between them. Guillermo, having deposited his bags, steps toward Nandor with a greeting card held out in both hands. Blushing, and with his eyes fixed on the card rather than Nandor's face, Guillermo stammers, "It's just a stupid card, I-I didn't really know how to... I mean, I just wanted you to know how grateful I am. To be your familiar." Nandor reaches out for the card with one careful hand, fingers splayed and head held back as if he thought it might explode. His fingers meet the card precisely where the two rooms meet.
3a. Close up of Nandor's hand holding the card, which has a smiling cartoon cheese block saying 'You're the Gratest!" to a cartoon cheese grater, which looks delighted and surprised. Offscreen, Guillermo says "Thank you for choosing me." 3b. Repeat. Nandor flips open the card to see Guillermo's handwritten inscription: "To be a vampire is my dream. But to be your familiar will be my honor. Thank you for this opportunity. -Guillermo". 3c. Close up on the top half of Nandor's face as he rears back slightly in surprise, cheeks flushed, eyes wide and shining with delight. The background turns a buttery yellow dotted with bokeh lights, the words 'my honor' repeating again and again throughout.
4a. Zoom out, shot from behind Guillermo's shoulder. Nandor flips the card closed and flips it toward his chest, free hand planting itself on his hip to feign indifference despite his fluster. He sputters, "Well, with all of your sappy time-wasting, you have only one minute left! Lateness reflects poorly on me as your master; you are not starting off on the good foot!" Guillermo startles to attention in the foreground, stammering out, "Right! Sorry sir, uh, master, sir." 4b. Shot from the hallway as Nandor steps out of Guillermo's room and sternly closes the curtain behind him, still holding the card to his chest with his free hand. 4c. Close up as Nandor hunches his shoulders protectively and raises the opened card up close to his face with a flustered and urgent expression, as if trying to read it in secret. 4d. Full body of Nandor from behind as he stands alone in the foyer, a long shadow stretching out in front of him as the room is lit green around him - Guillermo's color. A few bokeh lights float aimlessly around Nandor's head as he reads the card again, murmuring thoughtfully to himself, "...Guillermo...hmmm..."
5a. A few horizontal black bars indicate the passage of time. 5b. Shot inside a wardrobe, the door cracked open to let a beam of light fall inside. Stowed between hanging coats is a small wooden chest with the lid raised halfway up. Inside are a few hanging pendants, a roll of parchment, a golden fork, a discarded shirt, a few expired coupons, a folded letter with Nandor's name written on the front in Farsi, and Guillermo's card. It is front and center, illuminated by the beam of light, and clearly well-read, the spine creased and corners slightly dog-eared. Offscreen, Nandor calls, "Guillermo! You have destroyed a spider house, now where will she sleep??" Guillermo stutters out a confused apology, "I-? I'm sorry, Master!" Nandor continues, "That is one demerit for you, and one more year as my familiar!" Carved surreptitiously into the shelf in the wardrobe is the word 'end'. It's the end of the comic. /end ID
