#hcdonism

But maybe…Maybe she is more like him than she would care to admit.

“Or would you like to keep things private? I can set someone up at the counter and we can talk in one of the backrooms over drinks if you prefer.”

it feels too indulgent to take time to attend parties, even if the world of aurea seems to disagree; there is a chaos that continues spread outside their borders, and inside, it is an entirely different world. lian only catches glimpses of the outer reality, as their work keeps them tied to that truth, the impending doom, compared to the glamour of the gilded city. the last year has been wrapped up so much in this; he manages to convince himself that a night out will do him good, that the normalcy is needed to start anew again tomorrow morning. once he steps inside the familiar house, music echoing through the rooms, accompanied by laughter — it's easy to forget the worries that plague his mind. suddenly, there is a drink in his hand, and someone pulls him to the side for a chat, and then another person, and another. it's only a bit later in the party that lian leaves friends to seek the heir, wanting to learn more about what he's been up to, to thank him for sending the invitation. it's easy to spot him, and a wide smile spreads across lian's face as he makes his way through crowds of people, waving once he is within sight. "elessar!" words are louder than normal conversation so that he can be heard, leaning into his space to speak. "i see that these celebrations have only gotten bigger now —" a few he has missed in between, too wrapped up in magic and experimentation to be able to spend time away. "thank you for the invite!"

By now, Xerxes was about at his limit. The blood pool was calling out for him to dive in. The fountains were begging to be cracked open to allow their stores to spray freely. It wouldn’t be enough to sate him despite the enormous quantities collected, but it’d be a start to a bloodbath that’d have no end. Not without Romulus. Xerxes was getting increasingly concerned the longer Romulus stalled his grand entrance. No matter how many minor details he corrected, perfection remained elusive. But Xerxes was relentless, and he was able to channel his gnawing voracity into something constructive like his savior’s compelling voice currently ringing in his ear reminded him to. That’s what drove him to bring Remi an overflowing glass in the first place. “Drink it. You need to have fun. I promise it’s alright.” Forget wasted blood spilling out from Xerxes’ shakiness, forget the fact that he hadn’t ingested a drop that night himself, all the vampires needed to be enjoying the homecoming to the fullest. Romulus wouldn’t appear otherwise. “Is it the species? I can get you another one. Or maybe you’re a shy feeder ... it’s alright, this is a party! You’re with your community so drink up,” Xerxes insists, practically shoving the sticky glass into Remi’s chest. “No one likes a buzzkill, and I need you to have the time of your life.”

“Life seems to have taken quite the turn for you over the last few months,” Isabella comments as she approaches the former halfblooded sitting by the bar. There is no show of surprise on her face, despite the fact that she is surprised and beyond so. Last time she had seen him was back when he was still a thrall for countless others. She had been worried at the time, but found herself too busy with all her other responsibilities to reach out, and she had regretted it. Regardless, he looks a great deal better than he had been, so she is glad for that. “Have you had any of the cocktails on the menu yet?”

“Are you alright?”