#v:what if i change the world? if i lead the way?

[heirofhermes]

@lcbcshcart liked this for a starter

"Mr. Reinhart?" Sebastián greeted, poking his head through the door with a cup of coffee in his hand. It wasn't every day that he visited the FBI, but it always seemed to be memorable... Perhaps today wouldn't be the exception.

"I'm Sebastián Atehortúa, the Skadden lawyer who first came across the russian mob involvement with our mayor... I was told to come find you."

[heirofhermes]

He could tell there were entire worlds of thoughts racing through the vampire's mind. What they were, however, evaded him. Not that he was any different, really. Now that the gorgeous vampire's lips weren't on his own, it was easier to go through the many rules he was breaking just by indulging all of this.

Alas, those thoughts were completely gone the second he saw the Ventrue take the pyjamas in hand. It was the promise of the kind of domesticity they probably hadn't had in forever.

"Don't get me wrong, it wasn't a complaint. I rather think this giraffe is rather handsome," he teased in response, the adoring smile still adorning his lips as he closed the closet behind him and kept the teddy bear pyjamas for himself. Obviously he was going to wear them.

"No need to thank me, Galeb," he added, reaching over to caress the vampire's cheek with a warm and gentle motion. "I meant what I said, now I look out for your best interests too. From keeping the sun away to lending you something comfortable to wear. You got me, okay?"

A final nod was given before he kicked his own shoes off, starting to undress right then and there to get his teddy bear pyajama pants and t-shirt on.

The very idea that a living being could not only receive his company, but enjoy it as well, seemed like an impossibility to the Kindred. How long had it been since he'd even been in a similar situation? Not merely one where he genuinely cared for the person, but just being near an actual person at all? A century? Two? He could barely even remember, or perhaps there was a part of him that didn't want to.

Nothing good came from thinking of the past, and certainly not when it came to the man he'd used to be.

With the usual tenseness furrowing his brows, Galeb stepped closer to the mage, only coming to a halt mere feet away, maybe enjoying the closeness more than he cared to admit. The man was tempting, in more ways than one, but it was more than that, whether or not the creature was willing to acknowledge it. He was trying -- - in his own way.

"Mm. They will do." The Ventrue murmured with the rise of a brow, studying the options. It was probably obvious which he'd choose, notably going for the more ordinary pair rather than the one with teddy bear prints. A time might come when he'd relent and wear those instead, but for the time being, he remained somewhat restrained.

"This giraffe did not choose to be 6'5", mi mago descarado." His voice rumbled in the back of his throat, throwing Sebastian a faint but dryly amused look. Taking the pyjamas in hand, he stared at them for a moment, a heaviness growing in his chest as though he were mulling something over. What it was became apparent when a rare few words left him, his expression almost pained at uttering them. Yet they were genuine all the same. "Thank you..."

[heirofhermes]

Closed starter for @luposcainus

"Thank you for granting me an audience, your majesty," Sebastián started, siguring this was the right way to address the man in front of him. "I understand these are... trying times."

How could he not? With the tensions rising between mages and werewolves, he knew they were one bad day away from a full scale conflict between their factions. All because some low ranking mages decided to be assholes...

But there he was, paying a visit alone to the leader of the wolves in hopes that some diplomacy could prevent a war. As much as his Order disliked contact with other kinds of supernatural beings, it's not like ignoring the problem will make it go away. Not when blood had already been spilled.

"-But let me start by extending an apology in the name of the Order of Hermes. I have personally looked into the incident and I firmly believe it was our fault. I hope we can discuss ways in which we make sure it never happens again."

[heirofhermes]

@stanfordprepped

As prodigious as Sebastián was for a mage, alchemy had never truly been his strong suit. Arcanism, high ritual, psionics... Sure. But alchemy? Not really. And it certainly didn't help at all that his go-to supplier had been scared away by hunters... It was by chance that he came across another wiccan kind of shop, and boy was he in need of one.

So he walked in, confident steps taking him up to the counter to meet the man in charge. He had heard of the Winchester brothers, of course. Who hadn't? And yet, he had no idea that he was actually standing in front of one as he was about to expose himself.

"Good evening," he greeted as politely as usual. "Do you have any wolfsbane lying around? I need... copious amounts."

[heirofhermes]

@bleedtheneonfromthebitemarks

"I believe the gentleman said no," Sebastián cut in as he realized the situation was getting a little uncomfortable. "Please, leave."

It came off warm, gentle even, but his voice was powerful and coated with mind magic enough to get his point across. Compelled by his words, the man who was shamelessly insinuating himself to the bartender stood up and left. Sebastián, with a gentle smile but very tired eyes took his place on the bar instead, offering Brandon a nod.

"Are they always this insistant?" he started the conversation with his favorite bartender. "Sorry to barge in like that, I thought I'd save you the trouble of dealing with the dude."

[heirofhermes]

@mythosisms liked this for a starter

"I'm telling you, this is what I do. I identify mages who are violating our laws or have become a menace to society and I prosecute them. Yes, in court."

The amount of times he had explained the same thing in the past was clearly starting to weigh down on him. Alas, Sebastián was devoted and committed to his job.

"Yes, shocking to know we're not a lawless bunch."

[heirofhermes]

@beastbitten

"I understand your aprehension, mr. Watson. This kind of legal parade is hardly what a logger like yourself is used to," Sebastián offered, calmly picking up the papers and pictures that had scattered all around the table during their conversation about a certain case he had been prosecuting.

"Alas," he insisted with the warmest tone he could offer. "We are certain that this man is the murderer of my client's daughter and your testimony in court about what you saw and heard that day might be the one thing we need to shift the balance in our favor."

A bold statement, he knew. Almost a guilt trip, he also knew. However, as a lawyer, it was his job to look out for his client's best interests. And as a decent human being -self proclaimed- he couldn't just let a murderer walk out freely just because they could pay for good lawyers.

"I know I may be asking a lot, but perhaps we can turn this into a negotiation. Is there anything that I can do to convince you to testify in our favor?"

[heirofhermes]

@astremourante deserves the world too

"Miss Sinclair, por el amor de dios, I need you to put the apple pie down and listen to me," the lawyer groaned, absolutely frustrated by the outcome of this crazy interaction.

How on earth did he end up as the legal representation of a criminal of this caliber? What was even more unbelievable, why was it so hard to talk to her?

"If I'm going to get you out of this mess, we need a solid alibi. Why the fuck can't you tell me where you were on the night of the 20th?"

[heirofhermes]

Sebastián was listening to Toby carefully, he always did, so it was hard not to notice the sudden change of mind when sharing the story of a previous mission. It made him wonder just what had happened with that politician to begin with, and more than that, just how many more odd sounding missions his lover had been sent to in the past.

He was curious, and it certainly made him want to ask, but he knew better than anyone what it was like not wanting to talk about some parts of his past. He wouldn't want to dive into the reasons why he left Mexico to begin with, for example.

"Go brush your teeth. I can tell you've wanted to kiss me for the past hour and you're holding yourself back," he teased Toby, offering a gentle caress on his arm before gently pulling away to start unpacking. He'd give his lover the chance to keep his past a secret, focusing instead on the future and what it may hold for them both.

It was, however a new for Sebastián to be so far away from civilization. Sure, he'd traveled the US on his bike, so he knew what remote looked like, but he never truly stayed in a place like that for more than a night. This would be a first.

"You know what's funny?" he offered confidently, the sound of unzipping filling the room as he started to unpack his bag. "What you just described is exactly how I feel in technocratic labs. Mind is my sphere, so being surrounded by nothing but machines is... unsettling. I feel quite comfortable here, really. The less technological the place, the easier it is for me to operate."

Perhaps, for a change, the consensus would be more in his favor.

"The Order's records say there's only two mages in this place. Dreamspeakers. An old master and her apprentice," he explained gently, folding his clothes neatly into the wooden closet of their room. "I guess we'll start by finding them."

A look of indignation crossed Toby's face as he placed a hand over his heart, feigning offense at Sebastian's suggestion. "Oi, I'll have you know I'm a proper gentleman, I am! My accent alone should be proof enough of that, you cheeky little..."

"Reminds me of this one mission I had back in the day," Toby began. "Had to seduce this American politician, right? Bloke was more than a bit conservative, but he had access to some sensitive information that the higher-ups wanted."

He hesitated, a flicker of something vulnerable passing over his features. Best not to go down that particular rabbit hole, he thought, shaking his head. The less said about that job, the better.

"You know what? Never mind. Ancient history and all that." Toby flashed Sebastian a quick smile, hoping to gloss over the sudden shift in his demeanor.

As they stepped into their hotel room, Toby approached Sebastian from behind, wrapping his arms around the other's waist and nestling his face into the back of his shoulder. The acrid taste of bile still lingered on his tongue, so he settled for his nose brushing against the soft skin behind Sebastian's ear. He inhaled deeply, taking in the familiar scent that always seemed to calm his nerves, speaking into the fabric of his coat to mask his breath.

"Been to a few places like this, yeah. Not quite so bloody cold, mind you, but... remote. Tucked away from the rest of the world, like." Toby paused, searching for the right words. "Both my dads, they grew up in villages more... 'remote' than this. We'd visit once a year, pay our respects to the family and all that."

A wistful note crept into his voice as he recalled those childhood trips. The vibrant red and gold of Chinese New Year celebrations, the tranquil beauty of Japanese cherry blossom festivals. For a moment, he could almost smell the rich aroma of street food mingling with the crisp, clean scent of mountain air.

"Since I took up Data, though, I try to steer clear of places like this if I can help it," he admitted, his words muffled against Sebastian's shoulder. "Feels like I'm cut off from the world, you know? Disconnected. Like a part of me is missing."

Toby frowned, his forehead creasing as he grappled with the sense of unease that always seemed to accompany these rural sojourns. In the cities, surrounded by the constant hum of technology and the pulsing flow of data, he felt alive. Invigorated. Like he was part of something greater than himself.

But here, in the stark silence of the frozen landscape, he was reminded of just how small and fragile he truly was. How utterly human, despite all his augmentations and enhancements.

Lifting his head from Sebastian's shoulder, Toby forced a grin, his tone deliberately light. "Well, at least the company's not half bad, eh? Could be worse - could be stuck here with one of those crusty old wankers from your Order."

Again, he pressed a quick sniff against Sebastian's ear, then stepped back, rubbing his hands together briskly. "Right, what's the plan then? We're meant to be helping organize the local baby-faced mages? Where do we start? The consensus here feels... unsure on where it wants to lean towards."

[heirofhermes]

@angelicgilbert gets a starter

Truth be told, Sebastián wished he had a different reason to seek out Elena after a few months of not crossing words. Alas, in his line of business, he hardly ever reached out to people with good news. Such was the burden of a Quaesitor, he feared.

Not that he had the time to feel sorry for himself over something so insignificant, though. Instead, he focused on pouring their coffee to help Elena feel welcome in his office. Granted, it seemed to be little more than the office of a generally successful lawyer -which he was- but he only used it as a front to cover his real business.

Business which required him to invite Elena fucking Gilbert of all people to a cup of coffee.

"I'll cut to the case, and pardon my bluntness," he started as he handed the cup of coffee over. "The Order of Hermes, which I'm part of, aprehended a rogue mage a few days ago-- Poking into his mind I found something deeeeeeeeeply worrisome that makes me think our good friend Klaus might have been brougt back."

[heirofhermes]

Closed starter for @coivi

Becoming a successful Quaesitor of the Order of Hermes hadn't been an easy feat, but Sebastián had managed to achieve it. Granted, he wasn't so egotistical as to take all the credit for it; he knew he had been blessed in meeting the right people that made his career that much easier. As his mother would say, it's best to have friends than money. And boy, was she right.

That's precisely why he had made his way to Banff, to visit one of said contacts who had helped him in the past, and who he had helped in return. It was a necessary step to take when dealing with cases that involved magical creatures. It wasn't odd to hire a consultant during human legal processes, so why would it be for the supernatural ones?

So he showed up at the fields of Banff, the randevous for their meeting. Naturally, Sebas wasn't that much of an asshole to show up unannounced, so he made sure to give Cyrus a heads up and ask politely for a few moments of his time. He killed the engine of his bike, a wine colored Honda Rebel, and took off his helmet to wait.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't my favorite expert in supernatural creatures," Sebastián greeted kindly as he finally caught a glimpse of the other, leaving his bike a few steps behind in order to offer a handshake.

"Thank you for agreeing to meet me in such short notice. I brought some premium colombian coffee as an apology of only showing up for business."

[heirofhermes]

"I sense magic in you.'' ( from Ariana)

He stopped immediately what he was doing, picking his teddy bear notebook back up and taking one step towards the woman. He studied every word carefully before he formulated a response. Sensing magic meant that whoever this woman was, clearly belonged to some shade of supernatural. That made the whole situation less alarming but still hardly reassuring.

"That's not exactly the kind of thing to be saying out loud, though. Wouldn't you agree?" he asked politely, his attention now entirely placed on the woman who seemed oddly familiar. "Have we met?"

[heirofhermes]

@theimpalpable deserves everything.

Truth be told, Sebastián was ashamed it had come to this. He had spent his entire life trying to make the Order of Hermes a better place; a more accepting and approachable place... And yet there were old, more traditional mage supremacists who believed they could do whatever they want.

Like attempt to follow rumors of a fallen angel to harness their power.

So there he was, standing over the time-frozen body of this rogue mage as he looked at Lark with an apologetic look in his eyes. It was his job, of course, to reinforce the law... And they had strictly forbidden to mess with other kind of magical creatures. Especially try to kidnap them.

"Please tell me I got here in time and this asshole didn't hurt you," Sebas offered with a gentle but urgent voice. "Do not worry, mister. I will see that he is taken to court and punished for this transgression. It is below us in the Order of Hermes to behave with such... such... idiocy."

[heirofhermes]

"You are not going to hurt me are you?" He had only asked because he had seen from reading his aura while he was in the middle of painting. ( from Caleb )

"Hurt you? Why would I?" Sebas asked in return, his voice as polite as always, although it carried the sound of his confusion with it. Granted, he didn't expect to walk into someone else at Lupin's apartment, but this was clearly not a robbery of any kind. Maybe one of the fox's friends?

"I come in peace," he added. "And it's not like you're threatening me yourself either."

[heirofhermes]

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tag dump

[heirofhermes]

Bas couldn't help but scoff as well, certainly amused by the way Selim was describing Galeb and finding it too accurate. Despite the affection he held for the vampire, he wasn't blind. He knew just as well how stern the Kindred came off, which is why he was mostly happy to hear he and Selim seemed to be getting acquainted to one another.

"Yeah. Galeb makes quite an impression, doesn't he?" he teased, smiling to himself as he remembers his lover fondly.

But a funny idea pops into his head as Selim talks about suits. Perhaps he could help with that visual, he thought, right before he started looking around to make sure no passerbys could catch a glimpse of what he could do.

Now, he didn't ask for permission. He simply started mumbling a few words in latin to cast his spell. It was hardly flashy, illusions rarely were, but he made sure to conjure a perfect 3-piece suit on top of Selim's body. It wasn't real, of course. Just a perfectly crafted image pulled out of his imagination and made manifest in the physical world by the sheer power of his will.

"There. You can check yourself out on that glass door over there," he finally added, quite proud of his work. "I'd say you look rather dashing."

"That is reassuring. I'm not sure how I would cope if they were... all like Galeb." It was more of a joke than being serious -- - mostly. Not that he really expected to meet many Kindred anyway, he was sure that they'd either attack him or just avoid him entirely if they were able to detect him. He, on the other hand, might be a bit more curious than his instincts and father's teaching told him to be.

"I understand that also. When I first met him, he was, um..." Selim paused a moment, trying to find the right word to explain it. "Stand-offish?" That felt like the right way of describing him, although he couldn't help but add in another little tease at the end. "In many respects, he still is." Though he did manage to chuckle a little that, being quick to realise that Galeb wasn't the most -- - emotional of creatures.

Not externally, at least.

From what he'd seen and heard, however, he could see why the vampire liked Sebastian, even if imagining him being close to anyone was taking a little longer to grow on him. He felt like he was still gauging the Kindred elder for the most part. Sometimes it paid to be a bit cautious. "Would I like to? I... don't know if I would have a reason? I'm also not sure how I would look." The thought seemed almost alien to him. "I don't know how to, uh..." He raised his hand, pointing at the mage's teddy bear tie, having no idea how to tie one. "Do that."