❛ of course. i trust your judgement over the tourist kiosks. ❜ he stood up and followed close behind him. his gaze meandered as they walked; he had never stayed with elliot. truthfully, he had never stayed in germany long enough where he needed a bed for more than one evening. for him, any trip meant rushing to and from whatever country his boss wanted him to be, with no real time to stop and take everything in.
he peered out one of the windows and visibly perked up when he said “adventure.” it had been many years since he had considered such a thing … ❛ oh ? did you think i’d say no? ❜ he shook his head. ❛ if you do go on one soon, you have to tell me. ❜ he needed an excuse to escape somewhere.
———❝ MIND IF I ASK A PERSONAL QUESTION? it’s only personal because you’re so much older than me. ❞ the man smiled, setting the suitcase on the covered mattress and plopping himself down beside it. green eyes glossed over his palm, the red beneath his skin turning back to his paler shade. he wondered about his body at times, how it continued to beat and drum against an ever changing landscape, despite the unnecessity of an immortal pulse. did whittaker bleed?
❝ when is your birthday? ❞ it would be hard to forget such a day, even with the years the man had lived. he considered his own birthday, a cold day in november, a time when the death of autumn had already run its course but the beauty of winter had not yet painted the landscape white.
❝ … if we can’t have fun today, then i might consider sponsoring an adventure for the future. ❞
elliot’s reply caused him to chuckle. he leaned back into the chair and traced the tip of his finger around the rim of the mug. ❛ hah, sounds like you had fun then. ❜ he haphazardly ran a hand through his hair. ❛ i wish i could travel like you do. seeing the rest of the world sounds like a dream. ❜ he may have had all the time in the world to travel, but certainly not the money.
❛ i’m sure i can say you had a better time than i’m having. i hate staying inside all day. ❜ it sometimes felt like the only traveling he did was sitting on a plane for a few hours; for the rest of the time he was stuck inside, often without being able to go out and sightsee ( even after so many years, he hated being trapped indoors. it conflicted with his upbringing. ). ❛ if i can, i’ll make time to get away. what should i do while i’m here this time ? ❜
———THERE WAS A PAUSE FOLLOWING HIS THOUGHT. their truth in the immortal game was simple ; where some counted vast riches, others depended on the occupations that came to them. elliot was not proud of his job, the job that sustained him, yet it went without saying that he could live life comfortably on the few hours he put into it. smiling, the man turned his cup and placed it down on the knit coaster beside whittaker.
❝ i’d like to show you around, if you’d let me?
❞
he lifted to take what of whittaker’s the other had packed, gesturing towards the backrooms of the flat.
❝
maybe i’ll be able to convince you to join me on an otherworldly adventure in the future ; for now, staycations seem safe enough? ❞
whittaker eagerly accepted the cup and held it tightly between his frozen palms. eating and drinking proved to be a mess if he wasn’t careful ( a skeleton didn’t exactly retain anything put into it ), but he knew better than to be impolite or reject any of his hospitality. he briefly rested his cup on the table as he wiggled his gloves off his hands.
❛ work, but also you, ❜ he answered truthfully. ❛ i was asked to do some research for an exhibit being planned, so i figured i would hit two birds with one stone and see if you had come back. ❜ the research was nice to immerse himself in, but it was good for him to step away from libraries and archives for at least one evening.
❛ but you’re the one who went on the adventure, not me. how was it ? ❜
———❝ OH, I HATE TO TALK ABOUT WORK. it makes me feel like i ought to be paid more. ❞ a smile, followed by a scratch at the temple. the man had told the other of his upcoming travels to beijing and seoul, how he’d booked the flight first-class, how he brushed up on the languages daily. it was hell getting over the jetlag, and worse doing it while he’d politely accepted drink after drink from coworkers and clients.
he hadn’t said a word about the kill.
most business trips for the firm did not involve blood. needless to say, it was not planned, a mere reactionary incident involving the right place at the wrongtime. his curse meant getting his hands dirty ; it was survival.
❝ truthfully, i wish i could tell you more — it’s all a blur. ❞
whittaker mustered a small smile as he gladly welcomed elliot’s embrace. ❛ and you haven’t either, ❜ he retorted. he silently welcomed the warmth and familiarity of his apartment after several days of traveling; he shrugged his peacoat from his shoulders and draped it over the back of a nearby chair. ❛ i am surprised that you’re more interested in how i got here rather than the fact i am here, ❜ he teased. he rolled his shoulders as a casual stretch. ❛ i took an early flight for most of the way, then a night train, then the subway. ❜ it was safe to say that it had been a long couple of days.
his gaze was warm as he turned to face him ( a bit of a rarity ). ❛ did you forget ? you said you’d be coming back around this time. i wanted to see if you’d keep your promise. ❜ he didn’t come because he was anxious to see him again, obviously.
———IT MATTERED LITTLE TO HIM HOW THE MAN ARRIVED. seeing the countless times his friend and companion had waltzed in as bare bones, he knew just how to appreciate his current presence. small miracles reminded him ; he cleared the way for the other to come in, steaming kettle signalling his own end of the promise. like he’d ever forget company?
❝ the u-bahn isn’t what it used to be, but its certainly better than the tube most days. ❞ pouring a cup of tea, the man offered a mug on the off chance whittaker would take it. some of their kind went without eating, but elliot often found it kept his sanity to appreciate a good beverage and meal.
❝ tell me, what brings you to berlin? ❞
———❝ My, my, Whittaker, you haven’t aged a day. ❞ It was a silly joke between the two of them, Elliot opening the door to his apartment and giving the other a cordial hug before he entered. Such was their friendship, distant and close all at once.
He hadn’t kept track of the years, always travelling and keeping himself busy. Being what they were, it seemed natural to keep to themselves when necessary.
❝ I’d ask what brings you to my neck of the woods, but the more interesting question is how you got here? ❞ He would have had to correctly time the flight, considering how he looked during the night.
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