On the edge of the night (open)

[Cooper Grimley]

It was dark. The sun was down and it was the time when vampires took flight into the night. The city was awake and alive and Cooper had time to wander around without responsibility. Craven was tucked away in bed somewhere. Ida he'd left at home. Tanner was hunting. That's what he called it. His guard duties. He hunted. Cooper had heard another complaint about Tanner. He'd brought in a run away with a blood stained face and a bunch of bruises littering her form. Tanner was getting out of hand and Cooper didn't quite know what to do about it. He worried that Tanner would push it too far and now he had a girl in the house? Cooper thought it a mistake to buy a slave for so long because of Tanner. 

He worried for Ida. He thought plenty a time that maybe he needed to get a strong shifter companion for Tanner. One that liked to play rough. One that would submit to torment or one that could heal fast at least. He supposed society had made Tanner the monster he was. They called him a mutation, evil. No wonder Tanner was so... fierce. It had broken Craven in a different way. His younger son was down trodden and faithless. As much as he tried to build Craven up, it didn't work. Cooper's footsteps were relaxed upon the sand. He stopped halfway to the water and stared out at the black sea before him before he finally lowered himself to the ground. 

He should be giving Ida a job but he wanted her to rest before he threw her back into society. Maybe... if she was good at computers she could be his secretary. Or he could send her to school with Craven to study something? So many choices for her. She seemed a bright girl. He wrapped his arms loosely around his knees and held them staring out across to the horizon. There were constant light flickers from the horizon, proof of boats guarding the coastal line. 
"What do you want?"
The question was cold. 

He wasn't in the mood for company and his companion was invading his privacy. He didn't bother to turn around and see who it was. It was an interuption and that was all he knew. 

[Clifton Arts]

Cliff had to be at work soon. He really appreciated Tate allowing him a job as a musician and DJ at The Rock Club. If he hadn't been able to do music anymore... Cliff couldn't fathom it. Before all this - before being kidnapped and enslaved to creatures he didn't even know existed - the young man had dreamed of nothing more than becoming a musician. He didn't want world fame, per say, but a small following would have been nice. He'd thought all that had come to an end when he'd been snatched off the street, but his master was amazing and had asked him right from Day One what he wanted to do, and he'd made it happen.

Tate was amazing in other ways, too, of course - like how he allowed Cliff to wander as he saw fit. As long as he wasn't breaking any rules (which, please, when did Cliff ever do that?) or didn't have a task assigned to him, Cliff was free to roam. He didn't think that would be the case when he first heard he would be a slave, but he lucked out.

So the relatively new slave had left his room in the lab where his master lived a few hours earlier than he needed to for work. He wanted time to wander, to stroll outside, preferably not in the town. While not an outdoor enthusiast, Cliff enjoyed spending time in nature. It relaxed and inspired him, and he adored sitting under a tree somewhere with his guitar. As it stood, he had his guitar strapped to his back, tucked safely away in it's case. Maybe he would spend a half hour or so sitting somewhere and strumming away. Maybe he would get some great inspiration for the song he promised his Master.

His feet carried him to the cove. With a faraway smile, Cliff strolled idly and stared out at the waters. He didn't even realize someone else was around until he'd walked up close to him, just behind the guy, and the voice reached him. Startled, Cliff jumped in place, and a hand automatically flew to his heart to steady it's rapid beating. After a calming breath or two, realization set in that this could very well be another Master and that Cliff should be apologizing profusely. He knew it could also be another slave, but Cliff always erred on the side of caution.

"I'm sorry, sir. I didn't mean to intrude. I was just walking..."

[Cooper Grimley]

Cooper bit into his bottom lip. He recognized that voice. He'd heard it in the Rock when he'd been sucking in the shadows. His son's new band mates though Craven had yet to meet him. wasn't fate funny? Cooper did limit interactions with Craven. It was important to do that because his son was fragile. He didn't want anyone hurting Craven, ever. Tate had chosen this boy to be Craven's friend. Cooper had to try and give him the time of day. Or night as the case may be. Cooper turned to glance back at the boy. He was soft, gentle. The tone of his voice and his mannerisms showed that. Cooper sighed softly and offered a soft smile.
"You belong to The Origin, don't you? Master Tatius? I'm Cooper. I own The Rock."
Cooper introduced himself by name. No one was around to tell him off for being so ... relaxed. He didn't care if he was called by name.

There were enough people that called him Sir, Master and Mayor. He patted the sand beside him.
"Sit down."
Cooper encouraged in a light welcoming tone.
"Heard you're joining my son's band and DJing for the club. May I be the first to welcome you."
Cooper said in a polite manner with a smile on his face.
"You walked? I can drive you to the club. I know you're working tonight right?"
So much to talk about. He wanted to get to know everything about this boy if he was becoming Craven's friend. Cooper was that protective over his son.

[Clifton Arts]

The man's tone of voice changed suddenly from being off-putting to welcoming. It puzzled Cliff, but maybe he'd realized how he'd originally sounded and wanted to change that. Oh well. As long as he wasn't being burdensome. Cliff hated that. Just another reason he made a good slave - he'd smother his own desires if he thought they could in any way be a pain for others. He'd done that before his capture, too. It's just how he was.

Cliff nodded at the question. He didn't know what The Origin meant, really. It hadn't come up in conversation with Tate very much, but Cliff was sure that if it was important, his master would inform him. Until then, his mind would piece things together from outside conversations like this one. Was "The Origin" another name for his master? That didn't make sense to Cliff. What was he the origin of? (It didn't yet occur to him that his master could be more than a few hundred years old. Vampire years confused him and, at any rate, he didn't think about vampires as being from before the... 1200s at earliest, though why he thought that century in particular was a mystery in and of itself.

"Yes, sir. I am," he replied as he took a seat. Cooper owned The Rock. That meant he was a Master, didn't it? Slaves couldn't own things, after all. Did that also make Cooper his boss? Cliff had no idea how that worked.

"Thank you." He returned Cooper's smile. He chose not to worry about how someone who looked the same age as him could have a son or how a vampire could have a kid or any of that. He might ask Tate later if he remembered, but for now it wasn't important. "I'm looking forward to it very much." Honestly, that was probably an understatement. Cliff got to perform? He got to be in a band? He got to surround himself with music and music lovers for hours on end? Heck, yes, he was looking forward to it!

"Yes, sir, I walked, but you don't have to give me a ride. I enjoy walking." He really did. But besides that, he didn't want to bother Cooper. Even if he was going to the same place, Cliff would feel like he was imposing and being a burden. It would take a while of getting to know him before he'd feel more comfortable with it. However, Cooper was a master and Cliff someone else's slave, so maybe he'd never be comfortable with it. He wasn't supposed to disobey, naturally, but he also wasn't supposed to bother masters. And was there some sort of rule about going off with another master? Cliff still didn't have all the rules and laws of the city memorized, but he didn't want to cause any trouble for Tate or Cooper.