It's a good survival trait, that paranoia. Jean-Claude would never gainsay it, and he's not at all about to be offended. He wasn't expecting to be taken up on his offer, but he does like to make it clear where his own boundaries are, and in this case he has no issue sharing his abode. It's a standing invitiation, in his mind.
Needless to say, however, he does much prefer the slow and well-earned trust of the suspicious than the easily-won enchantment of most of the living. If he doesn't have to work for it, what is it really worth?
Jean-Claude stands as he does to lead him to the door. "I rise fairly early in the evening, but some time after sunset is always preferable."
This begins a trend over several weeks. Jean-Claude continues offering up the stories of his vampires and wolves, and perhaps a rare curious wereleopard or wererat, all of them fairly low on the totem pole and of varying quality and intensity. On occasion, he will give his own pseudo-statement, an obvious tease meant to test Jon's control and their own slow uncertain trust. Jean-Claude is a wealth of supernatural information, but he's difficult to compel and reserves his own emotions so well he slips into appearing corpse-like on a regular basis. It ends up making his storytelling largely factual and rarely personal, and however congenial he is, he evades real confession.
There's a notable warming of his regard when he hears of a particular incident in which Jonathan reacted ruthlessly on his behalf. If looking into his eyes is flirtatious, that is practically a pick-up line to a master vampire.
He invites Jonathan to a private dinner once he hears of it, in a room that is visibly more personal than the receiving quarters he's seen so far. The fine art in this area starts to feature portraiture of people in period clothing, and someone observant would quickly realize Jean-Claude himself of centuries past is in some of them here and there. There is food set out that Jean-Claude can only look wistfully at, and he's polite enough to have eaten beforehand, lending a subtle flush to his skin.
Jean-Claude declares when he arrives that business, as he puts it, is forbidden for the evening, and tries to entice his guest into relaxing enough to be a little more personal. "Come, mon égaré, you have been a model and honorable guest. I am rarely so flattered by a visitor's conduct. You must allow me to express my appreciation with dinner, though I am sadly unable to join you in tasting it."
no subject
Needless to say, however, he does much prefer the slow and well-earned trust of the suspicious than the easily-won enchantment of most of the living. If he doesn't have to work for it, what is it really worth?
Jean-Claude stands as he does to lead him to the door. "I rise fairly early in the evening, but some time after sunset is always preferable."
This begins a trend over several weeks. Jean-Claude continues offering up the stories of his vampires and wolves, and perhaps a rare curious wereleopard or wererat, all of them fairly low on the totem pole and of varying quality and intensity. On occasion, he will give his own pseudo-statement, an obvious tease meant to test Jon's control and their own slow uncertain trust. Jean-Claude is a wealth of supernatural information, but he's difficult to compel and reserves his own emotions so well he slips into appearing corpse-like on a regular basis. It ends up making his storytelling largely factual and rarely personal, and however congenial he is, he evades real confession.
There's a notable warming of his regard when he hears of a particular incident in which Jonathan reacted ruthlessly on his behalf. If looking into his eyes is flirtatious, that is practically a pick-up line to a master vampire.
He invites Jonathan to a private dinner once he hears of it, in a room that is visibly more personal than the receiving quarters he's seen so far. The fine art in this area starts to feature portraiture of people in period clothing, and someone observant would quickly realize Jean-Claude himself of centuries past is in some of them here and there. There is food set out that Jean-Claude can only look wistfully at, and he's polite enough to have eaten beforehand, lending a subtle flush to his skin.
Jean-Claude declares when he arrives that business, as he puts it, is forbidden for the evening, and tries to entice his guest into relaxing enough to be a little more personal. "Come, mon égaré, you have been a model and honorable guest. I am rarely so flattered by a visitor's conduct. You must allow me to express my appreciation with dinner, though I am sadly unable to join you in tasting it."