Open: Don't be scared we'll make it work

[tolife]

Who: Herbert West, Michael Morbius and others.
When: July 1st - July 31st
What: Both scientists getting settled in.
Where: Locations in starters
Warnings: Possibly some bad language, blood drinking in Michael's case.
Note: This will have multiple starter points and any warnings will update as needed.

Comments

[needsabreak]

Of course, he wasn't comfortable with it. He barely wanted to shake his hand. But if it meant Michael could maintain control and thus wouldn't hurt anyone, Leon had no reservations. The muscles in his jaw go tight but he takes Michael's hand and shakes it. He's not sure what he'd expected, but it's surprisingly human feeling.

"Sort of. They aren't -weren't- exactly like you. At first, you sounded a lot like a -we call them BOWs- bio organic weapons, people infected by various viruses that turn them into..." He sort of half motions at Michael, "They usually don't look as human as you still do, but it depends on the strain of the virus. And most of them aren't in control anymore."

[doesnotsparkle]

The living part of being a living vampire meant he stayed very much alive. He has a pulse, breathes, eats, and stays warm. Shaking Leon's hand in return, he took his hand back after and crossed his arms over his chest, listening.

"Nothing is exactly like me." Be it ego or sorrow, who knew. "...Oh, no." His eyes widening as he listened. He couldn't even be offended, he understood all too well. "Control is not always easy, my friend, the hunger is quite the driving force. Also, I can appear more monstrous as the hunger grows, so I do get your concerns. Tell me, how did this come to be? With a name like that, it sounds like it was on purpose. Were you able to stop it?"

His mind running with questions and concerns.

[needsabreak]

"How do you think it happened? Someone in a lab had some great idea about how to create something that could be dropped behind enemy lines and devastate enemy forces," How little they'd changed from using catapults to send people who had died of the plague over castle walls.

Were you able to stop it? Leon's eyes get glassy at the question but it's gone half a second later as he blinks the memories away, lips pressed tightly together.

"It's not an 'it' anymore, not singular. There's lots of strains, new ones every month it seems. New unhinged groups ready to develop and use them.

I don't... I don't know if there's any going back to how the world was before," He forces a very bitter smile and shrugs like it doesn't bother him when it clearly does, and simply raises his hand to get the bartender's attention to signal that he needs another drink.

[doesnotsparkle]

"I have met scientists like that. And even if it sounds hypocritical, those kind always get what they deserve. A few have had me kidnapped to try to replicate my curse as a drug to sell to the highest bidder. Luckily, it has never come to fruition, but I can only imagine how terrible this must be in your world."

He knew he probably deserved his curse for meddling with his own DNA. A desperate man wanting to live to his wedding day. Instead, now he was an unmarried monster, still learning from his mistakes.

That glassy look told him more than words could have. "How are people surviving with this much? That sounds like it would overtake the population." He had theories forming, but none were good. "Most likely not, but it's still always worth fighting, Mr. Kennedy." Seeing Leon motion for another, he added. "Let me cover that."

[needsabreak]

Leon starts to open his mouth to say something but seems to think better of it and clenches his teeth instead. Where he's from, these people don't exist in a vacuum. In his case, the government was also heavily involved.

"Yeah, some are selling to the highest bidder where I'm from too. I guess that's people's first thought regardless of world - how do I make a buck."

He doesn't continue until his shot arrives and he looks over at Michael, "You really don't have to."

But, if he insists, Leon isn't in much of a mood to argue, he just downs the drink.

"Depends on the incident. So far they've been contained... and there's seldom any survivors. Sometimes they fall to the virus, sometimes they fall to the 'cleanup'," Always worth fighting? He's nodding with conviction but internally he has his doubts.

[doesnotsparkle]

"Sadly, yes. That is human nature, they do not think of the ones they hurt until they hurt someone they care about." He knew that one intimately well. He'd always remember the taste of Emil Nikos blood, the blood of his best friend and first victim. It was what tried to keep him on the straight and narrow.

"Please, let me." He insisted, it made him feel better. "Tonight seems a night for drowning sorrows and pain, and I have recently won a battle at the Coliseum. Money isn't an issue. Those I can trust are, though, and I have a feeling you may become one of those, Leon." He admitted. He trusted too easily, and it often got him hurt, but he always hoped he could be better.

"That sounds terrible, the horrors of biological terrorism. I am sorry to hear your world is like this."

[needsabreak]

"In my experience, they tend to just turn into monsters themselves."

He looks at the shot as it's set in front of him but ends up sighing and giving him a nod that shifts into something of a rueful smirk, "Alright, fine. But if you make this a habit, I'm going to end up thinking you're just hoping my blood alcohol level will be high enough to make me palatable when the time comes."

He raises an eyebrow doubtfully at Michael's assessment but maybe he's right. And maybe when it came to one another, they'd both be able to break their revolving door of trusting too easily only to get burned and do it again.

"Yeah, well... it's a living, I guess," He says, bitterness creeping into his voice despite him trying for sarcasm, "Hey, thanks. For the drink."