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[lordoftheozarks]

When the ringing stops, all you'll hear is a cold voice that says one simple word, "Speak."

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Friend or Foe -- Do You Know?

[tisnotthehouse]

It will be easier, Tarantulas thinks, to simply make an appointment with Erik Osborne during his business hours, and discuss the matter of River then. He dares to hope that Erik will be easier to talk to, based on their past association. Perhaps his chosen profession has even given him a level of maturity or detachment that Annabel Lee lacks. Perhaps being confined by a schedule will even encourage him to brief. It does not occur to Tarantulas to wonder whether Erik might find something offensive in being asked to mix business and personal matters in this manner until he has reached Erik's door.

And then, of course, it is too late.

[lordoftheozarks]

"A pleasure to see you again," Erik says as he opens the door to let Tarantulas in. It's a blessing that Erik hasn't chosen to dress any differently for the encounter since it's in-home. That would have made this awkward.

"Make yourself comfortable. Any changes to terms since our last time?"

Post-Potluck | Absolutely NSFW

[somebodychildofanyone]

After helping Erik exit the party with what one might call a 'flag-waving kiss', passionate and meant to leave no doubt that she's on his side, River follows him back to his house. There's so much to talk about - her unfortunate flirtation with Max, that confrontation with the winged woman, but -

Well.

The moment they're inside River pins Erik to the wall and kisses him again, hungry, deep, fueled as much by worry as it is by love and lust. Her hands run down his arms, take his wrists, pin them against the wall too...

"I know we've got to talk," River murmurs into his ear. "I wanna talk, but please, please tell me you're not gonna leave me needy. This plug has been driving me wild..."

Post-Potluck Fuck, one might say

[lordoftheozarks]

He responds to those kisses like a drowning man being given a line of oxygen. He never expected a picnic, of all events, to fill him with such terror and fear for his future. But right now, all he can think about is how hungry he is for River's body. He needs her. More than that, right now he needs to be the one in control.

"If you have any idea what getting punched in the nose while wearing a plug feels like, then you know I've got every reason to make this worth it for both of us." With a low growl, he suddenly seizes her wrists and flips them around until she's the one pressed to the wall. His lips brush the tips of her ears as he whispers, "I'll make sure you save enough of your voice to talk later."

Ring Ring Ring Ring Ring Ring Ring --- Genasi Phone (boop boop badoopadoop)

[listenforbirdsong]

Mairi is admittedly a little discouraged about her set of gifts after her disagreement with Tarantulas, but she's not gonna let it stop her.

Erik is her friend. One of the first people to welcome her here. She's gonna give him the ring, even if her new one fits weird, physically and emotionally. She gives him a buzz on her sending stone.

Re: Ring Ring Ring Ring Ring Ring Ring --- Genasi Phone (boop boop badoopadoop)

[lordoftheozarks]

Erik is like an old man in many ways. This is one of them. He doesn't tend to rely on these stones yet. He's still getting used to them. So, when his starts to vibrate and glow and make noise he's so startled he almost drops it while trying to take it out of his pocket. Dammit, what is he supposed to do with these again?

"H-hello?" he says to the stone with no confidence that this is how it actually works. "Lord Osborne speaking."

a bit of friendly competition

[stonecoldtop]

Having seen the posting on the community board, but not being interested in partaking of Erik's services so much as making connections, George calls ahead one afternoon.

"Lord Osborne? This is George Elsworth, I'm a recent arrival and I was hoping to speak with you as a fellow in the industry, if you've the time."

Re: a bit of friendly competition

[lordoftheozarks]

"Yes," he answers in something close to a purr. It is working hours after all. But he drops that just as soon as George introduces himself and states his true purpose for the call.

His voice brightens then with delight. "Well, this is exciting news. Of course. I'm free at present if you would like to come by my home. If you are new then I imagine you must be staying temporarily at the Inn?"

Sex Ed Consultation - NSFW talk, possibly other stuff

[pineapplesalmon]

César shows up at his appointment time. He's made sure to shower after going to the farm to not get dirt everywhere. Which would be a bad thing considering what the dirt could get into. Also no cologne in case anyone has any allergies.

He knocks a couple minutes early.

Re: Sex Ed Consultation - NSFW talk, possibly other stuff

[lordoftheozarks]

Erik opens the door after only the first knock. He's fully dressed in an impeccable suit as usual. The air smells of warm spices from a lit candle and there is a steaming kettle on the stove in case César would like some tea while they talk.

"Come in. You're right on time. Would you care for tea? I've just boiled some water."

late march.

[abhorrently]

Getting settled into this new town is easier than expected. Adjusting to having a whole apartment of space is sheer luxury after the cabins, after all she called her own being a bedroll and a few packs. Then there's work, and heading out to explore the newly discovered spaces in the world, and visiting the hot springs, and...

Suffice to say that she keeps herself busy. But not so busy that she'd forgotten him, that it would be difficult to notice someone's routine if by chance one designed to intrude upon it. Which is exactly what she decides one evening, going to the right pub and getting herself a drink.

She'll wait a while to see if her guess was correct or not, but neither option means she's going to turn down a good drink and a bit of conversation. The glass drains bit by bit, and Fever's unhurried. Worst case scenario, she finds someone here with lovely eyes and open arms. Still, her eyes occasionally flick over the room, wondering.

Re: late march.

[lordoftheozarks]

"Looking for me?"

One minute, the chair across from her is empty, the next, he's seated in it with his hands folded under his chin giving her big doe eyes and fluttering his fair lashes. It's been a slow night for work but he's more than comfortable financially, so why not have a bit of a holiday?

The phone rings!

[astrogator]

It's a few days before Ari Tayrey feels ready to get in contact for negotiations. Days which she spends patching together a life in this place as if it were an emergency repair. A job, a house, a growing pile of resources. A solid place to stand.

When he picks up, he'll find her telephone manner might need some work.

'Lieutenant Tayrey calling Lord Osborne. Repeat, Lieutenant Tayrey calling Lord Osborne.'

[lordoftheozarks]

"I'm hearing you just fine, Lieutenant. This is Lord Osborne speaking. It isn't necessary to hail as one does on a radio, but I can do so for you if that would make you more comfortable. Over."

Evening | May

[crushed_pearls]

From just outside of Erik's property line one evening, Erin's voice calls out. "Unarmed and without ill intent, I request the pleasure of your hospitality, Erik."

Nice and formal. It helps that Erin doesn't currently own a weapon that isn't a Contract.

Re: Evening | May

[lordoftheozarks]

And here he was having such a nice evening.

He sighs, closes his eyes, and takes a nice big breath in through his nose and out through his mouth. He's so tempted to respond with some petty reply about how it won't be a pleasure. But, no. For Max's sake (and his own) he will abide by the rules of hospitality and he'll even try to be nice about it.

"I hereby extend my hospitality to you," Erik says, suddenly in front of her. "What brings you to my home?"

A Good Day To Die?

[lordoftheozarks]

It's an ordinary enough evening. The last client of the day has gone home well before sundown, as most do, so Erik settles himself in his favorite high-backed chair, wearing only his robe, with a book in his lap to read by the light of a cheerful fire. He has no reason to suspect foul play is afoot, so he's not paying much attention to the noises outside his home. Not that it would save him...

[redlightgreenlight]

It happens quickly, and silently, and most notably...without any pain. Like slipping away into a peaceful sleep. Or at least, that's how she hopes it feels as that's what she's trying to accomplish.

Only after he's gone does she dare to enter his house, settling against the door and hoping, however death works here, she won't have to wait long.

June 10th because why not make it current

[pineapplesalmon]

[César calls suddenly.]

I completely forgot to tell you! Magne and I are doing great!

[A pause.]

Oh, and hello!

[lordoftheozarks]

[There's an extended moment of silence on the other end of the line. When Erik finally speaks it's with a tone of bemusement.]

Hello, César. I'm glad to hear it. Is that the... only reason for your call?

[abhorrently]

It starts with a call, as it might. Casually inviting herself over, as if it's just a normal time, and not one she'd contemplated while being laid up with the flu. They need to talk about this, or she's going to feel the resentment and irritation boil over to a place where she's going to be ripping out his intestines while he breathes.

For Max's sake, and her promise. Just talking.

When she's let in to Erik's home, she's all smiles, not a hint of anything underneath, and waits for the spirit that he lives with to approach. Chuckling, as if his antics are but amusing.

"Maxly, you act like this every time I see you. I haven't forgotten you, you know."

Taking a seat on the couch, she invites the spirit to come closer, hand out to offer a touch if he wants.

[lordoftheozarks]

Erik suspects nothing is amiss as he welcomes her in. Maxly, of course, zooms to meet her like he always does. Erik would say she must be one of Maxly's favorite people but the ghost just does that with almost everyone. He's really living up to his namesake.

"He always acts as if he's starved for attention," Erik mutters. "I assure you, he's not being neglected."

Maxly puffs up and blows a big wet raspberry at Erik before settling his ghostly self down right in Fever's lap.

Erik rolls his eyes at that but comes to sit next to them both on that same couch. "It's always a pleasure to see you, Fever. Was there anything in particular that brought you to my door today?"

September, Pre-Gala

[somebodychildofanyone]

River coming over to Erik's house? Normal. Coming over to spend the night? Super normal. There was absolutely nothing suspicious about Erik's girlfriend here making the arrangements in advance to crash with him and only something mildly unusual about asking him to arrange food in advance ("Nothing heavy, you know why").

River skidding through his front door like a cartoon character, expertly dropping a bottle of wine on a little table while she slides across his floor? More unusual.

"Pick fast do you want the good news or the good news?" she greets; she's energetic, hyped up, currently completely sober. Her ears are attempting to make her head fly off of her neck like a fucking bird.

[lordoftheozarks]

Her entrance leaves quite an impression on him. One of his thin brows raises in an unspoken question, but she's already posing him one of her own before he can get further than The Look. Good news, says she? It must be very good to set her ears flapping like that.

"Let's hear it already," he says in amused exasperation. "If you hold it in any longer your ears are going to fly off the sides of your head."

november.

[abhorrently]

Autumn is in full swing, but even chaos will not stop Fever from dropping in on friends when time allows. Especially when she's been doing her best to get Chills socialized when it's obvious that he will not be migrating back to Paradesium. With the little beast tucked up in her jacket, she's at Erik's place, knocking on the door, at ease. The changing weather has her in high spirits, and she comes ready to simply catch up.

The question is if it's Maxly or Erik who will greet her first.

Re: november.

[lordoftheozarks]

Maxly wins this one. "Ghast!! Ghastly--ly ly!" The ghost cheers as it phases straight through the wood and proceeds to float in circles around Fever and Chills.

"The door is open," Erik calls out to her, "Let yourself in I'm just finishing the tea."

If she does as he asks and steps inside she'll find his home is warmed with the smell of apple spiced tea, and there are two cups set out waiting on the table this time instead of only one.

After the fight with Artemy

[redlightgreenlight]

There's a knock on Erik's door, and when he opens it, he will find two uniformed enforcers at the door.

"Councilor," the taller ones says. "We are here to escort you to headquarters concerning the incident two days ago at the Oak and Iron."

Re: After the fight with Artemy

[lordoftheozarks]

Erik opens the door with a frown and crosses his arms. "It is the middle of business hours. Could this not wait until a more convenient time?" He's sure he already knows the answer but his pride makes him ask.

[lordoftheozarks]

His expression turns deadpan in a flash. "If I count as supernatural then so do you."

[Backdated to January 5th] A Reunion

[somebodychildofanyone]

Overnights elsewhere are fairly rare, aren't they milord? But to travel at night is dangerous, and perhaps - perhaps - there is some unspoken anxiety about the pyromaniac who had a very public breakup finding you in someone else's arms within your own home. Not your anxiety, the clients'. River has never been known as necessarily the most level-headed person, has she?

So perhaps there has been an uptick in requests to stay over at the client's home. Or maybe they've just been more notable in the current circumstances, with the silent, not-enough communications that come from River. Little gifts left on the doorstep that smell of smoke and tobacco and forge-fire, glances in public places followed by her lighting a skull-shaped pipe as if reminded of it. A note, at Givingstide...

Her scent is stronger on the front step this morning, and there's another bottle there, in the snow; it looks almost like rice wine, but there is no label, and the maker's mark is in wax that has been inscribed with that scratchy, rune-like alphabet River uses when she's writing in her native tongue. A gift from her world, maybe? Purchased from that fun skeleton man, no doubt. An unthinkable expense in the middle of winter, with how hard it must be to find citrus at any price.

The scent continues inside, though. This is because River is right there; she has fallen asleep on Erik's couch, face-down and splayed in a manner that is very much going to make her back and legs and bones in general sore when she wakes up. The elf is half-dressed - the other half is thrown haphazardly over the back of the couch - and sleeps under her green cloak, hair plastered to her neck with sweat from what was probably a roaring fire in the hearth when she went to sleep. From the looks of the supply of firewood and the fact that it's still flames rather than embers, she was feeding it well into the night. Sitting up, maybe. Waiting. It certainly would fit the way that even now there's a tang of nervousness in the smell of her sweat, the way her fingers clutch at the throw pillow that is abrading the skin of her cheek and sensitive ear, the subtle soundless motions of her lips as she argues with someone in her dream.

At some point last night she broke down and smoked inside. Her pipe is on a little plate in front of the couch next to a neat pile of ashes and a note, half-drifted off the plate, that has Sorry scratched into it.

The cold breeze hits River's face, and she makes an entirely unconscious moan of discomfort, and rolls over, clutching her cloak around her shoulders and blearily demanding, "Closa fuggin' windows love...'s cold..."

Re: [Backdated to January 5th] A Reunion

[lordoftheozarks]

Sometimes the house calls are a respite against the fact that the scent of River fades a little more each day from inside his home. Except for those moments when she leaves him gifts. They fill his heart with a hopeful ache.

He's done his best to let her have the space she needs, just like before, but he still finds himself looking her way when her scent catches on the breeze. The spark of her pipe makes his chest feel heavy. The terrible tobacco he'd purchased for her stays safely stashed away in his bedroom, waiting for a day when he'll feel like giving it to her won't be so overwhelmingly painful. He left her tobacco as a gift on Givingstide, yes, but it was her usual blend, not the one suggested by her sister.

(He almost spit out his drink when he opened the gift she'd left for him, in turn. Her handwriting made it seem more like a threat than she might have meant it to. Or... maybe not.)

It all rises to the top of his mind again when he finds her gift on the steps. He can smell it through the wax and... dear gods, he hopes this means the forge is doing well and not that she isn't feeding herself to afford such a luxury. He has half a mind to try and give her gold back but that thought vanishes once he realizes the scent of her is still here, stronger, as he opens the door.

River?!

He'd fear the worst if not for the fact he doesn't smell any fresh blood. The way she's sprawled on his couch doesn't look intentional. The dim light of that low burning fire, one he does not remember building, is more than enough for him to make out all the details. Her pipe, smoked inside, has become less of a nose-sore for him now that he associates the scent with her, but he still chuckles at the scrawled apology. Her respect for him never wavers. What a relief that is.

As the panic of finding her here subsides, he stays in the doorway just looking. Just appreciating a sight he worried he might never get again. But her sleepy words move him to action. He closes the door and sets the drink down on the kitchen table. Then he's at her side in a blink, tucking the cloak around her shoulders more soundly, and brushing a stray strand of her vibrant hair behind her ear. He desperately wants to bend and kiss her, but not yet. Not yet.

"River," he asks, softly, "have you been here all night waiting?"

After The Opera and Efrain's Death, CW: NSFW

[redlightgreenlight]

It's been days since Efrain's death and her final decision regarding Aster, but she can't shake the lingering violence pulsing in her veins. It feels as if the Hound is trying to tear its way out of her skin to feed that insatiable hunger she's been plagued by since devouring Efrain's heart. The help she needs cannot be met by any of her partners, so she finds herself at Erik's door, knowing that not only will he understand her frustration, but he would be willing to soothe it.

It's a bad idea. Perhaps the worst kind of coping mechanism, but she has to ask or she'll go insane from the bloodlust.

She knocks gently on his door.

"Erik?"

CW: NSFW

[lordoftheozarks]

"Valdis?" He's not unhappy to see her when he cracks open the door, but it is unexpected. With all that's happened in the last few days, his doorstep was the last place he think to find her, yet he is quick to open his door and step back to allow her entry.

"Pardon my saying so but you look troubled."

Here to see a man about a good snogging

[luckandmybruder]

Curiosity was what drove him here, initially; a card, finely made and bearing the name of the town's premier whore, as well as the location of his business. Part of him was mildly scandalized at such brazen advertisement of sex work being done in the village, but a much larger part was terribly curious. What did it mean, to be the premier whore?

Samuel's lips purse as he stares down the front door as if it had said something to offend him. Still, he takes that step forward and rings the bell, business card in hand, slightly crumpled in his grip.

came to the perfect place~

[lordoftheozarks]

Erik is aware of him standing there long before he gets the nerve to ring the bell, but that just gives the vampire time to make a show of opening the door. It's work hours, so he's in his lovely maroon silk robe and matching fur slippers. The full length of the sleeves and the long hem make it impossible to tell if he has anything on under that, but it's tied securely enough not to risk indecent exposure if not.

"Hello, sir," he purrs, glancing down to see the card and smiling wickedly. "Lord Erik Osborne, at your service. What can I do for you?"

November 2nd

[redlightgreenlight]

The longer she waits the more likely it becomes that everyone will hear of it before she has a chance to deliver Max's letters. Valdis wants most of them to hear it from her, not through half truths and rumors, not when people will then flock to her and ask her questions, drawing it up over and over again. She doesn't want to relive it more than she has to. Even with their goodbyes and promises, it hurts more than she ever thought it would, even if she always knew something like this would happen eventually.

So when she knocks on Erik's door, its with the utmost calm, false acceptance that she hopes he won't break through and with Max's letter in her hands. She hasn't read it, the words are for Erik alone.

[lordoftheozarks]

"Valdis?" He's surprised to see her. Pleasantly so, but he assumed she might be resting like so many others are now.

Then he looks down and sees the letter in her hand that's addressed to him. He's trying not to let it raise immediate alarm but... something feels off.

"Come in. Has something happened?"