I Guard The Gates

Draculoid Zachary Moore

[king-of-dogs-blog]

feed the doge

[king-of-dogs-blog]

draczac

A favor. Zac had almost forgotten that most offerings were a means to an end; he simply enjoyed the company. Aside from the annoying rookie he was partnered with at work and the superior officer he had to report to at the end of each shift, Zac rarely spent time in the company of others. Most of the time, he was able to convince himself he was fine on his own, but some nights were down right lonely. He considered his options. He made more than enough money for a single person. He didn’t have anyone he truly wished ill will toward. The only thing he wanted, the only thing he kept coming back to, was friendship. He doubted that was a grantable wish.

“Just… come back for dinner some times?” He hadn’t known he was going to end his sentence with that particular request, but it was out there now and he couldn’t take it back. He blushed again, for the third time that evening, and focused his attention on his empty plate.

—— The man tilted his head, not sure what to make of the request before a mirthful chuckle rose up from him. “That’s all? I think I can make that happen, especially if the food is just as good as it was tonight.”  As if remembering his manners, Perro daubed his mouth (with the tablecloth instead of the napkin, but he tried) and rose from the table with his glass of wine, wordlessly settling onto the couch, quite sated. If Zac had intended to finish off his meatloaf for the rest of the week, he’d severely underestimated how much food Perro could put away, leaving enough for maybe two more days, but not the entire week.   With a glance at Zac over the back of the couch, Perro pats the empty space beside him. “Come here.”  Another sip of wine, a faint command in his voice. It’d be unwise to disobey, but did Zac really want to?

[draczac-blog]

He couldn’t help but smile as Perro used the table cloth as a napkin. It was cute that he was trying. He watched as the man made himself comfortable. He’d gladly cook a different meal every night if it meant having someone to eat dinner with. He took his own glass and the bottle of wine with him as he moved to sit next to the hound. Command or not, Zac was happy to. “I’m sorry if my request is… unusual. I just enjoy the company,” Zac said as he sank into the couch cushion, his knee bumping Perro’s.

[king-of-dogs-blog]

“It’s not that unusual. I’m very good company,” Perro replies. Without much warning, but carefully not as to startle the draculoid too much, the hound masquerading as a human wraps his arms around the man and pulls him against him, to the smell of the desert and the ethereal warm and security the beast radiated. He lays back with Zac against him, running fingers through the city man’s clean, kempt hair.  “…sorry if this is bad. I’m not used to cuddling as a…” he trails off. “More limbs than I know what to do with….” 

[draczac-blog]

Zac supposed he should have been startled or nervous, but the moment the other man’s arms wrapped around him he felt… safe. Not like he’d felt unsafe before, but he felt warm and protected on an intimate level. He felt his muscles relax as the two of them laid back, a lazy smile making its way to his lips. He loved when people ran their fingers through his hair. He couldn’t stop his contented sigh as he felt the rumble of Perro’s words through his chest. “No, this is… I like this. It’s nice.” He laid his palm against the god’s stomach, marveling at how warm, how real, he was.

[king-of-dogs-blog]

feed the doge

[king-of-dogs-blog]

draczac

A favor. Zac had almost forgotten that most offerings were a means to an end; he simply enjoyed the company. Aside from the annoying rookie he was partnered with at work and the superior officer he had to report to at the end of each shift, Zac rarely spent time in the company of others. Most of the time, he was able to convince himself he was fine on his own, but some nights were down right lonely. He considered his options. He made more than enough money for a single person. He didn’t have anyone he truly wished ill will toward. The only thing he wanted, the only thing he kept coming back to, was friendship. He doubted that was a grantable wish.

“Just… come back for dinner some times?” He hadn’t known he was going to end his sentence with that particular request, but it was out there now and he couldn’t take it back. He blushed again, for the third time that evening, and focused his attention on his empty plate.

—— The man tilted his head, not sure what to make of the request before a mirthful chuckle rose up from him. “That’s all? I think I can make that happen, especially if the food is just as good as it was tonight.”  As if remembering his manners, Perro daubed his mouth (with the tablecloth instead of the napkin, but he tried) and rose from the table with his glass of wine, wordlessly settling onto the couch, quite sated. If Zac had intended to finish off his meatloaf for the rest of the week, he’d severely underestimated how much food Perro could put away, leaving enough for maybe two more days, but not the entire week.   With a glance at Zac over the back of the couch, Perro pats the empty space beside him. “Come here.”  Another sip of wine, a faint command in his voice. It’d be unwise to disobey, but did Zac really want to?

[draczac-blog]

He couldn't help but smile as Perro used the table cloth as a napkin. It was cute that he was trying. He watched as the man made himself comfortable. He'd gladly cook a different meal every night if it meant having someone to eat dinner with. He took his own glass and the bottle of wine with him as he moved to sit next to the hound. Command or not, Zac was happy to. "I'm sorry if my request is… unusual. I just enjoy the company," Zac said as he sank into the couch cushion, his knee bumping Perro's.

[king-of-dogs-blog]

feed the doge

[draczac-blog]

Zac had been staring, again, right as Perro’s eyes flashed gold. At the sight of his smile, the pitch of his voice, Zac’s mouth went dry. He choked in his haste to swallow, to answer. Real smooth.

“You’re, uh, you’re welcome?” He stuttered out, unable to keep the question out of his voice in his uncertainty. What’s the proper response for when a god is pleased with you?

[king-of-dogs-blog]

Fear is a good response.  Perro chuckles and wraps his fingers around the steam of his wine glass and lifts it jovially. “A toast to your health and it not yet being your time. Hear hear!~”

[draczac-blog]

“I’ll drink to that,” Zac said, raising his glass. Any day spent not dying was a good day in his book. Zac wondered if he should offer to make desert for the hound, or if that would seem… needy. “Would you like anything else?” He offered, gesturing to the table, but also offering to make something else if he wanted.

[king-of-dogs-blog]

“I think I should be asking you the same thing.” Perro replies with another sip of wine. “You are long overdue a favor. So what can I do for you, Zachary?” Anything he wanted, Perro could give. Slain enemies, happiness from outside a bottle, money. The Hound aimed to please his followers when they were kind enough to offer their hard-earned things to him; the food Zac had given before had since been distributed to those who came by the god’s abode to ask for it.

The Drac had done his share, so it was time for the hound god to do his as he watches the man carefully over the rim of his glass. 

[draczac-blog]

A favor. Zac had almost forgotten that most offerings were a means to an end; he simply enjoyed the company. Aside from the annoying rookie he was partnered with at work and the superior officer he had to report to at the end of each shift, Zac rarely spent time in the company of others. Most of the time, he was able to convince himself he was fine on his own, but some nights were down right lonely. He considered his options. He made more than enough money for a single person. He didn’t have anyone he truly wished ill will toward. The only thing he wanted, the only thing he kept coming back to, was friendship. He doubted that was a grantable wish.

“Just… come back for dinner some times?” He hadn’t known he was going to end his sentence with that particular request, but it was out there now and he couldn’t take it back. He blushed again, for the third time that evening, and focused his attention on his empty plate.

[draczac-blog]

[king-of-dogs-blog]

feed the doge

[king-of-dogs-blog]

draczac:

Zac had been staring, again, right as Perro’s eyes flashed gold. At the sight of his smile, the pitch of his voice, Zac’s mouth went dry. He choked in his haste to swallow, to answer. Real smooth.

“You’re, uh, you’re welcome?” He stuttered out, unable to keep the question out of his voice in his uncertainty. What’s the proper response for when a god is pleased with you?

Fear is a good response.  Perro chuckles and wraps his fingers around the steam of his wine glass and lifts it jovially. “A toast to your health and it not yet being your time. Hear hear!~”

[draczac-blog]

"I'll drink to that," Zac said, raising his glass. Any day spent not dying was a good day in his book. Zac wondered if he should offer to make desert for the hound, or if that would seem… needy. "Would you like anything else?" He offered, gesturing to the table, but also offering to make something else if he wanted.

[king-of-dogs-blog]

feed the doge

[draczac-blog]

Zac flinched, visibly startled at the sudden appearance of another person (for want of a better word) in his usually empty apartment. Upon further inspection, he recognized the bone mask he’d seen once in person but knew more from urban legend and the vaguely ominous feeling radiating from the man in his favorite arm chair.

“You know, it’s considered polite to knock before entering.” The teasing words left Zac’s mouth before he could decide if they were a good idea or not. He placed the meat loaf he’d spent the better part of his afternoon preparing onto the table, alongside a spread of mashed potatoes, glazed carrots, and rolls still warm from the oven.

Zac gestured at the table weakly, a faint blush across his cheekbones. “Cooking’s a bit of a hobby of mine. Come grab a plate. This is a new recipe I’m trying out for the meatloaf.”

[king-of-dogs-blog]

With a chuckle, the man lifts his mask, causing it to vanish in a puff of white smoke, revealing his sharp eyes and handsome, but worn face. “I’ll make sure to rattle some walls or something the next time I come a’haunting,” Perro replies smoothly as he unfolds himself from the chair and moves towards the table, picking up a plate and remembering to use utensils to help himself to the offering. And it WAS an offering, as far as the god was concerned. Once plated, he stalks to the end of the table, roll in his mouth before forgoing all courtesy and eating with his fingers, daubing up mashed potatoes. “S’good.” You can’t expect a hound god that lives in the wasteland to have table manners. “Is there wine?”

[draczac-blog]

Zac watched in a sort of horrified awe as Perro ate, his own fork paused halfway to his mouth. Even when he ate alone in his apartment, he stuck to the social constructs of polite table manners that had been drilled into him for years. He’d just had the thought of how unnecessary those manners were, especially when eating alone, when the god’s question wormed its way into his notice.

“Wine?” He asked, still dazed. “Oh, right. Wine. I have a few options. Do you have a preference?” Zac was already moving toward the half-stocked wine rack in his living room.

[king-of-dogs-blog]

“Anything old and red,” Perro replies through a mouthful of meatloaf. The god definitely wouldn’t encourage Zac to try and forgo table manners. Even though he would definitely lick mashed potatoes off Zac’s fingers if the man so offered.  “Don’t worry, I’ll drink from a glass like a civilized person. I’m a dog, not a pig.” Perro chuckles and swallows his mouthful, flashing a charming smile at his follower. 

[draczac-blog]

Zac paused for a moment, considering his options. He had a particularly old bottle of red wine he’d yet to open. He’d told himself he was saving it for a special occasion, though having an otherworldly house guest was probably as good a time as any. He pulled the bottle from its place and wiped the dust off of the neck with his shirttail. “You’ll probably like this one,” he said as he grabbed two of his larger wine glasses.

He placed a glass down in front of Perro and filled it before making his way back to his own seat, reminding himself not to stare at the god as he ate, no matter how handsome he thought his face was. He resumed eating with his fork after filling his own wine glass, though he wasn’t as careful to keep his elbows off the table. This was a good recipe, he’d have to remember to make it more often.

[king-of-dogs-blog]

The man licked his lips, savoring the food a little while longer. Didn’t get meatloaf in the Zones, and so rarely did he eat anything that would be considered ‘normal’ that he wanted to enjoy himself and draw it out for as long as he could. The seasoning alone beat eating another bit of flattened jackrabbit. “Thank you,” he replies graciously as he reaches for his glass and lips it to his lips, drawing deep of the red liquid, letting his eyes shut.

He inhales deeply, enjoying the scent of his glass as same as the taste. His eyes open and glint briefly gold as he smiles. “Your offering pleases me~” he purrs, causing the unused silverware on his side of the table to rattle slightly. 

[draczac-blog]

Zac had been staring, again, right as Perro’s eyes flashed gold. At the sight of his smile, the pitch of his voice, Zac’s mouth went dry. He choked in his haste to swallow, to answer. Real smooth.

“You’re, uh, you’re welcome?” He stuttered out, unable to keep the question out of his voice in his uncertainty. What’s the proper response for when a god is pleased with you?

[king-of-dogs-blog]

feed the doge

[draczac-blog]

Zac flinched, visibly startled at the sudden appearance of another person (for want of a better word) in his usually empty apartment. Upon further inspection, he recognized the bone mask he’d seen once in person but knew more from urban legend and the vaguely ominous feeling radiating from the man in his favorite arm chair.

“You know, it’s considered polite to knock before entering.” The teasing words left Zac’s mouth before he could decide if they were a good idea or not. He placed the meat loaf he’d spent the better part of his afternoon preparing onto the table, alongside a spread of mashed potatoes, glazed carrots, and rolls still warm from the oven.

Zac gestured at the table weakly, a faint blush across his cheekbones. “Cooking’s a bit of a hobby of mine. Come grab a plate. This is a new recipe I’m trying out for the meatloaf.”

[king-of-dogs-blog]

With a chuckle, the man lifts his mask, causing it to vanish in a puff of white smoke, revealing his sharp eyes and handsome, but worn face. “I’ll make sure to rattle some walls or something the next time I come a’haunting,” Perro replies smoothly as he unfolds himself from the chair and moves towards the table, picking up a plate and remembering to use utensils to help himself to the offering. And it WAS an offering, as far as the god was concerned. Once plated, he stalks to the end of the table, roll in his mouth before forgoing all courtesy and eating with his fingers, daubing up mashed potatoes. “S’good.” You can’t expect a hound god that lives in the wasteland to have table manners. “Is there wine?”

[draczac-blog]

Zac watched in a sort of horrified awe as Perro ate, his own fork paused halfway to his mouth. Even when he ate alone in his apartment, he stuck to the social constructs of polite table manners that had been drilled into him for years. He’d just had the thought of how unnecessary those manners were, especially when eating alone, when the god’s question wormed its way into his notice.

“Wine?” He asked, still dazed. “Oh, right. Wine. I have a few options. Do you have a preference?” Zac was already moving toward the half-stocked wine rack in his living room.

[king-of-dogs-blog]

“Anything old and red,” Perro replies through a mouthful of meatloaf. The god definitely wouldn’t encourage Zac to try and forgo table manners. Even though he would definitely lick mashed potatoes off Zac’s fingers if the man so offered.  “Don’t worry, I’ll drink from a glass like a civilized person. I’m a dog, not a pig.” Perro chuckles and swallows his mouthful, flashing a charming smile at his follower. 

[draczac-blog]

Zac paused for a moment, considering his options. He had a particularly old bottle of red wine he'd yet to open. He'd told himself he was saving it for a special occasion, though having an otherworldly house guest was probably as good a time as any. He pulled the bottle from its place and wiped the dust off of the neck with his shirttail. "You'll probably like this one," he said as he grabbed two of his larger wine glasses.

He placed a glass down in front of Perro and filled it before making his way back to his own seat, reminding himself not to stare at the god as he ate, no matter how handsome he thought his face was. He resumed eating with his fork after filling his own wine glass, though he wasn't as careful to keep his elbows off the table. This was a good recipe, he'd have to remember to make it more often.

[hailprodigalson]

draczac:

I got confused in the street someone’s cousin once… Somehow I doubt that was the same.

I wonder how much a tabloid signed by you would go for…

Not quite, no.

I doubt it’s that much… I mean, I’m alive, and it’s not like I’m going far away or anything. Though, I don’t sign too many things, mostly because people don’t usually ask, so I don’t know.

[draczac-blog]

Hm. Pity. We could have had a good business venture on our hands... Oh well.

[king-of-dogs-blog]

feed the doge

[king-of-dogs-blog]

draczac:

Zac flinched, visibly startled at the sudden appearance of another person (for want of a better word) in his usually empty apartment. Upon further inspection, he recognized the bone mask he’d seen once in person but knew more from urban legend and the vaguely ominous feeling radiating from the man in his favorite arm chair.

“You know, it’s considered polite to knock before entering.” The teasing words left Zac’s mouth before he could decide if they were a good idea or not. He placed the meat loaf he’d spent the better part of his afternoon preparing onto the table, alongside a spread of mashed potatoes, glazed carrots, and rolls still warm from the oven.

Zac gestured at the table weakly, a faint blush across his cheekbones. “Cooking’s a bit of a hobby of mine. Come grab a plate. This is a new recipe I’m trying out for the meatloaf.”

With a chuckle, the man lifts his mask, causing it to vanish in a puff of white smoke, revealing his sharp eyes and handsome, but worn face. “I’ll make sure to rattle some walls or something the next time I come a’haunting,” Perro replies smoothly as he unfolds himself from the chair and moves towards the table, picking up a plate and remembering to use utensils to help himself to the offering. And it WAS an offering, as far as the god was concerned. Once plated, he stalks to the end of the table, roll in his mouth before forgoing all courtesy and eating with his fingers, daubing up mashed potatoes. “S’good.” You can’t expect a hound god that lives in the wasteland to have table manners. “Is there wine?”

[draczac-blog]

Zac watched in a sort of horrified awe as Perro ate, his own fork paused halfway to his mouth. Even when he ate alone in his apartment, he stuck to the social constructs of polite table manners that had been drilled into him for years. He'd just had the thought of how unnecessary those manners were, especially when eating alone, when the god's question wormed its way into his notice.

"Wine?" He asked, still dazed. "Oh, right. Wine. I have a few options. Do you have a preference?" Zac was already moving toward the half-stocked wine rack in his living room.

[hailprodigalson]

draczac:

Perhaps, but I am too.

Okay, but be honest with me. Has anyone ever asked you to autograph one of those tabloids?

A few times, yeah.. Usually not the embarrassing ones, though, thankfully, but it’s happened. Most common is when I get snagged for a campaign and people get all ~starry eyed~, you know?

[draczac-blog]

I got confused in the street someone's cousin once... Somehow I doubt that was the same.

I wonder how much a tabloid signed by you would go for…

[hailprodigalson]

draczac:

Eh, not sure if I could…

And honestly, who /cares/ if you kissed another boy, no offense. Who hasn’t kissed someone their parents would probably be ashamed of?!

I suppose I’m biased.

Man, I’m in the same boat as you. Go ask the general public, it was them snapping up the story when it hit tabloids. I was just trying to keep it from getting blown out of proportion, you know? Big wigs’ kid doesn’t conform to be the “perfect child,” or whatever, I guess it’s just the right amount of drama. I don’t know what to tell you.

[draczac-blog]

Perhaps, but I am too.

Okay, but be honest with me. Has anyone ever asked you to autograph one of those tabloids?

[king-of-dogs-blog]

feed the doge

There was an empty chair in Zac’s living room when he turned to the oven.  When he looks back, startlingly, there was a man. A man clad in a dusty, rust-colored poncho and furs, a hood over his hair, a canine skull mask over his face. Or was it his face?’

Perro sits in a way that’s eager, cross-legged on the chair, leaning towards the scent wafting from the kitchen. He didn’t manifest a tail, but one could practically hear the wag in his voice. “Food!”  What’s visible of his lips under the bony mask are upturned in an eager smile.

[draczac-blog]

Zac flinched, visibly startled at the sudden appearance of another person (for want of a better word) in his usually empty apartment. Upon further inspection, he recognized the bone mask he'd seen once in person but knew more from urban legend and the vaguely ominous feeling radiating from the man in his favorite arm chair.

"You know, it's considered polite to knock before entering." The teasing words left Zac's mouth before he could decide if they were a good idea or not. He placed the meat loaf he'd spent the better part of his afternoon preparing onto the table, alongside a spread of mashed potatoes, glazed carrots, and rolls still warm from the oven.

Zac gestured at the table weakly, a faint blush across his cheekbones. "Cooking's a bit of a hobby of mine. Come grab a plate. This is a new recipe I'm trying out for the meatloaf."

[hailprodigalson]

draczac:

Ah, to live a life in the public eye. Sounds exhausting.

It can be. You get used to it, after a while.

[draczac-blog]

Eh, not sure if I could... And honestly, who /cares/ if you kissed another boy, no offense. Who hasn't kissed someone their parents would probably be ashamed of?!

[king-of-dogs-blog]

@Zac

[king-of-dogs-blog]

draczac:

What if I’m not feeling very nice today?

:(

Then I guess you will just miss out. Again.

[draczac-blog]

Okay, okay. I have some meat loaf coming out of the oven in five minutes…?

[hailprodigalson]

draczac:

Do you really think it would be a big enough story to make headlines though? Drowning in a swimming pool isn’t the weirdest way to go out. It’s less embarrassing than slipping and dying in the shower.

Man, I made front page kissing a guy when I was sixteen… Granted, I think everyone was expecting me to stay on the straight and narrow, so it was too much of a shock for the media to not milk it, but still.

Touche.

[draczac-blog]

Ah, to live a life in the public eye. Sounds exhausting.

[king-of-dogs-blog]

@Zac

[king-of-dogs-blog]

draczac:

I believe it. I’m going to have to remember to look up security footage of it at work tomorrow.

Oh I won’t show up on the cameras. One of the advantages of being a god of sorts. Maybe if you ask real nicely I’ll give you something to look at tonight~

[draczac-blog]

What if I’m not feeling very nice today?

:(

[hailprodigalson]

draczac:

Does the thirty minutes before swimming rule actually apply to anyone over the age of ten?

Ouch. I happen to be very much concerned about not drowning in a pool if I cramp up. That would be the worst. I can imagine the headlines now, “Apollo St. Peters drowns in swimming pool.” God, my mother would hate me, and half the City would be in tears laughing so hard.

[draczac-blog]

Do you really think it would be a big enough story to make headlines though? Drowning in a swimming pool isn't the weirdest way to go out. It's less embarrassing than slipping and dying in the shower.