Devil's Dance.

[titan]

Seth paced slowly across the wide expanse of his sitting room. What was taking so long? Their appointment was supposed to have been fie minutes ago. Seth was a very patient man, but he didn't much care for lateness.

One hand slid into the pocket of his sleek black trousers, while the other ran through his hair for the millionth time. He sighed, realizing what he was doing, and stopped in place. Thumb and forefinger came together at the bridge of his nose and he let out a trademark sigh. There was no reason for him to be- AHA! There- just at the bottom of the elevator, finally.

Seth's not-so-humble abode was on the very top floor of the Marquis Technology skyscraper, which carved itself into the sky from the very heart of Vegas. A privet elevator was the only non-preternatural way to get to him, and the building was full of his associates - all ready to kill.

His sitting room was the first thing, straight out of the elevator. The whole place was windows and open spaces, all white, so it wasn't much a room as much as a white modern couch in an L with a white love seat. Across from the couch, separated by a glass coffee table, was his chair. His chair. To sit in it and not be him was like asking to die. The chair's upholstery was white, and the wood it was made out of was a dark cherry.

This is all the description you need except to know that a there are two doors off of the sitting area. One leads to Seth's office, and the other to his room and through that to the bathroom.

Seth seated himself in his chair, facing the elevator, steepled fingers against his mouth.

"You are late." he said simply as the new arrival stepped out of the elevator.

[shinigami]

He does not want to be here.

But then, what he wants is very rarely an important factor, and lately, well, whatever destiny is written in the stars for Valentine Crow, one thing is certain: it involves things he does not want.

The silver-eyed witch-man is not here on his own business. No. Of course he isn't. He's here on a council member's business; they use him, sometimes. And this particular council member is a witch with a remarkably Jingoist perspective on inter-species politics.

And Val wishes, almost more than anything, that he hadn't been told to do it. He hates vampires. He hates them, completely and utterly. When he found Beatrix talking to Liam Black (Liam! Freaking! Black!) -- well, that was bad enough. And Marit -- he can't even think about it. He can't stop thinking --

But this? This just takes the cake.

"Apologies," Val says, with a lopsided smile. "I hope you weren't waiting long."

...This was going to be a bad day. He could taste it.

[titan]

"No, of course not," Seth says dramatically, "When you've been around as long as I have, what's five minutes? Of course that's not what my father Adam would say..." Yeah, he dropped a name..sue him.

"Back on track then, you needed to see me? What is it that you would like me to do for you today?" It was always something - granted, usually not from handsome young men, but he really was the victim in every situation.. It couldn't be helped.

There had been a time, not too long ago when he had left his home and sought out the people he needed. Now, however, he found that life was less tedious if he could just send someone else to do it. This whole idea was all fine...until people had just started coming to him instead. He felt like a damn human businessman, locked in his penthouse all day..

Ah, but the boy was speaking. He supposed he should listen. Easier than probing his mind later..

[shinigami]

Val is a diplomat. He's good at it -- partly, granted, because he's just such a damned good guy. He doesn't fit in very well with the darker characters; the few times he's gone into the Black Iris he stood out. Seth? Seth's entire manner makes Val take pause for an instant.

The father comment seems to require some sort of small talk. Valentine's smile is probably touched with a bit of rue, a bit of wry; unusual on him. Be proud; his silvery eyes aren't even slightly wide. Also, his hair is relatively neat, 'cept for a little elemental coil at the nape of his neck that just can't be dealt with.

"Do you and your father get along?"

Then: back on track. Thank the Powers That Be. Cautious, Valentine says: "There's nothing you can do for me, personally," because he's all about not making deals with the devil, however inadvertently, and he's had plenty of practice getting caught in those sorts of deals at home, "However, Wren Silver," the name of the Witch Councilman whose whim is Valentine's command just now, "would greatly appreciate it if you could cast your eye on this problem."

As he says this problem, Valentine takes out a letter, and hands it to Seth. The letter's legit.

[titan]

It took all of Seth's incredible willpower to keep from laughing out loud at the father comment, "Well, we had a little disagreement about why he was really cast out of the garden of eden.." he said, and then turned his attention to the letter. Wonderful. That's what he was these days, a problem fixer.

"Well, not that I don't like you or what have you, but tell Wren to grow a pair and come for himself next time. It says a great deal about someone if they insist on sending a high school student to do things that they should do themselves."

Seth sighed, taking a moment to look out the window before saying, "I need a drink. Do you want anything?" Where had his evil gone today? No one knew. He was a very patient man, and he didn't believe in hurting children. Maybe this is why Wren has sent this kid. Because he knew..

[shinigami]

"Oh really." Valentine is nonplussed. He can't tell if Seth is messing with his head, caught in his own delusion or actually speaking plainly and honestly with all of that Garden of Eden stuff. So Valentine? Valentine acts polite. "That's a shame; but Day World theologians have argued about the reason for the fall of man for centuries, so..."

Val doesn't twiddle his thumbs. Not exactly; nope. He's got poise. He surely does. And he holds that poise. Doesn't even look out the window, although his gaze wants to go there. He doesn't particularly like looking at Seth and he finds himself looking out the window after all, despite his best efforts, while Seth reviews the letter. He's still standing, but standing apparently at his ease. He's not at his ease, but he acts like it, almost.

High school student? Hmf. He doesn't make a big deal about it, since Seth is so old, but it ruffles his feathers a little.

"Ah, Mr. Marquis - does that mean I can tell Wren you said yes as far as this little bit of business goes? It's really very important to him -- to us, I suppose I should say."

Drinks? Valentine quirks an eyebrow. Still courteous: "I'd be happy to buy you something down at the bar. My treat." There -- a smile. Doesn't quite meet his eyes, although they still crinkle, and there's an echo of warmth -- automatic.

Bar? By which he means: any bar, a bar. Valentine's being pret-ty cautious about technically accepting anything from Seth -- and he's a true gentleman, anyway.

[titan]

After reviewing the letter more thouroghly, Seth raises his eyes to the very uncomfortable looking young man. He's sure young Valentine thinks that he's missing the slight stiffness of his demeanor, but he isn't. What's the point of being alive so long if you don't pick up a few skills in observance?

"Yes, tell him that I'll look into it personally. And as for drinks, you're more than welcome to go down and buy something, but I was thinking about going into the other room...I have a bar in there. As vampire as I may be, I wouldn't think of dismissing common courtesy by offering you a drink when I had nothing."

"Now, as far as Wren's-" he was cut off by a very unhappy witch who burst out of his elevator, cutting off the ding with a loud sound of irritation.

"Seth, I know that you're all powerful all the time, but maybe you could try teaching your 'associates' not to rifle through my underwea- Oh." She had noticed Seth's company. Noticing this also brought to her attention the raised eyebrows on Seth before his posture melted into the exasperated temple touching position he was usually in when she showed up like this.

"Weeell, I can see you're busy soooo yeah talktoyoulaterbye." and she turned to leave.

"Francis," Seth said in a tone that sounded - good for him - only slightly strained, "Would you be so kind as to get me a drink? Don't care what it is, just get me something. Take Mr. Crow with you. Just need a moment to myself..." He sat very calmly, hoping that Crow would just go and save him some trouble.

[shinigami]

"Wait. I didn't mean to imply -- " Valentine begins to say, quiet and steadfast, but also firm. He is the rock in the harbor; the one that bad intentions break against. And maybe, just maybe, he flushes a little, too, but that would be hard for anybody to say, because even Valentine isn't sure.

When Francis enters, the brown-haired witch-man looks over. She and Seth have their -- what is it? Argument? ...Underwear? These are the problems that Seth Marquis deals with? Val's eyebrow crawls upward.

"Yes," he says, slowly. "Okay; I can go with you - Francis?"

Here, a smile of the heartmelting variety. He doesn't even try. He is as far from a player as it's possible to be and still have game. And boy, does Val have game. The sort of game that real players strive to possess.

Then he frowns a little at Seth, trying to think of the politest way to say what the hell is wrong with you mister all power vampire lord. In the end, he can't think of a way to say it, so he just ... Nods a (temporary?) farewell.

[titan]

Seth sits for a moment longer, letting his hand rest over his eyes. When he's sure they're gone he peeks out from behind one of his fingers and lets his hand slide down his face to rest in his lap.

"Well that was exciting," he mutters to himself, rising for THE chair, and walking into the other room. At his desk, he pulled out a small bottle of liquid - his own secret awesome recipe - and downs about half the little bottle, already beginning to feel the effects of it. His demeanor calms slightly and he feels more ready to deal with...young ones.

In the other room, Francis is deftly shaking, stirring, and mixing all sorts of seemingly random things into Seth's silver flask. It was not beyond her notice that the guy in the room with her was slightly uncomfortable..

"Can I get you anything?" she asks, grabbing herself the makings for a fuzzy navel. She never could stomach the hard stuff..

[shinigami]

In the other room, Valentine leans against the counter. It isn't as if he were at ease, because as the perceptive have already spotted, he isn't at his ease, but there's something easy about it. Valentine is at home with his body, its functions and its limitations; he is an athlete, plain and simple. There aren't many times when Valentine loses control and actually gets clumsy.

"Just water," he says. "I'm driving." Responsibility. He never loses sight of it. "So," and here, a faint smile, which does reach his silver-as-moonlight-on-snow-and-shadow eyes, his gray-as-the-end-of-a-storm gaze. The corners of his eyes crinkle. "You work for Seth. Do you enjoy it?"

He is trying not to burst out with but you're a witch, why are you working for that monster. And he's doing an admirable job of it, thank you.

[titan]

"Pfft, here, at least have a shirley temple or something.." Francis says, also leaning against the counter. She's intrigued by Seth's current guest. It isn't every day that someone can just walk up here and keep to his righteous guns. She decides to give him the benefit of a small amount of personal information. After all, the really goody ones never use that stuff against you. And he is very cute..

"Meh, I don't so much work for him as...I'm sort of his adopted daughter," a small evil grin here as a loud sigh is heard from the other room, "He kind of saved my life once..said I reminded him of someone who had been important to him.. So here I am." she tilts her head to the side, "You don't have to hide the shock. Although he's a softy to me -" another louder sigh from the other room followed by the sound of a body part - presumably a head - hitting a hard surface, "It's less that he's good and more that he doesn't tend to kill for no good reason. Granted, sometimes his good reasons leave something to be desired."

Guh. This wasn't working to explain him at all. Oh well. Probably wouldn't matter much either way. The good news was that this guy was gonna walk out of here thinking whatever he wanted no matter what she said.

"So how is it that you came to be a lapdog for the Nightworld?"

[shinigami]

"An orange juice, then," he says, to the at least have a shirley temple or something. When Francis leans against the counter opposite him, he smiles faintly at her, keeping his eyes on her as he listens.

He doesn't look over his shoulder at the massive sigh. Not the first one, anyway. Valentine keeps his eyes on Francis. He does look over his shoulder at the second sigh -- or, rather, the sound of a head thunking into a desk. Yes, indeed! The Seth-sounds from the other room and Francis's revelation have combined to shape Val's expression very, very surprised indeed.

He looks back at Francis to ask: "Saved your life? From what?"

Then, her question. So how is it you became a lapdog for the Nightworld? Both of his eyebrows -- no, they don't lift. Because his eyebrows were already raised. They lower. Then rise again. Then he laughs, and baby, Val's got a nice laugh -- friendly, textured, sage and smoke, night and whiskey.

"I wouldn't really call myself a 'lapdog' of the Nightworld. But I have a highly developed sense of responsibility for my fellow witches. Etcetera." Serious, now, almost all the echoes of the laughter gone -- almost: "The elders know they can trust me to do the right thing. And you don't have to try and justify your," pause. "Dad's ... Er, decisions to me."