Fatherhood, and other dangerous thoughts || Open

[Deleted]

November 23, 2025; Evening hours

Returning to London after over two centuries abroad, Degare was curious to see what kind of changes time had wrought on his old city. There were, of course, the obvious changes of advancing technology and changing fashions, but the heart of things? The spirit of London hadn't truly changed much at all. There were even some buildings still standing, albeit looking a little worse for wear, but there was only so much upkeep one can do to slow the passage of time. Degare himself was becoming increasingly aware that his time was running out. His kind might seem invincible to humans, immortal even, but they died eventually like everything else. Sure, in human time Degare still had decades before the Grim Reaper would catch up to him, but after so many decades already lived, five more seemed like such a small amount. Degare couldn't talk about such things with Albright, not least because Al himself had a good century left to go, at least. 

Which was why Degare was so determined to finally fulfill his biggest promise. A family. They were well established, enough funds circulating to avoid suspicion while living comfortably, and if ever there was a time to think of expanding a family, now was it. Whether they used a surrogate, adopted, or some other nebulous route, Degare knew he needed to complete this one thing. Children would give Al reason to hold on after Degare's inevitable true demise. It was something they would need to discuss together, but Degare could at least do the research and expedite the process before presenting the idea.

Thinking when Albright was on a renovation kick was no easy task, and Degare had excused himself from the noise and bustle to meander about the city streets while he gathered his thoughts and formulated a strategy. Might even stop for a bite to eat, pun intended.

[Deleted]

Emrys could be considered a young vampire. Only twenty ears from his birth, and being changed right out of Hogwarts he hadn't been a blood sucker for long. Even so, it came so naturally to him. The taste of fresh warm blood in his mouth, the feel of soft freshly broken skin on his lips. It was all so tantalizing. But he couldn't have fun all the time. The young celebrity had hit it big, he had an amazing manager, was apart of a wonderful magical band, and even had his own solo work. He was out there in the world. He had been spending a lot of his time working on his latest album, recording many songs, running things by his manager. His vampire enhanced voice was a gift, why not share it.

The boy had been working most of the afternoon on his latest song, recording each instrument himself, and finally the vocals. He finally stepped out into the dusking air. Shadows danced around the city. Sunglasses on, the hood of his jacket was down, it was dark enough now that he didn't have to worry about the sun harming him. But he was still mindful of breaks where the buildings didn't completely stop the light from passing to the streets. As he walked, a young woman stopped him, bashfully asking for his autograph. He gave a fanged smile as he signed the paper the girl had. This was a definite perk. He observed the girl as he had polite conversation with her, asking her name and where she was from. He licked his lips, feeling quite parched. Handing the pen and paper back the girl was so ecstatic. He watched her leave, lowering the sunglasses to expose his red eyes to the curvy woman hurrying back to a group of friends. "Shame" He muttered to himself. If she had been alone, it would have been easy to take her somewhere more....private.

@degare

[Deleted]

November 23, 2025; Evening hours

It was still early enough in the day that some people were still walking about the streets, layered up in sweaters and coats to ward off the Autumnal chill. Degare himself didn't feel the cold, or the heat for that matter, but it was easier to blend in without sacrificing safety during these cold months. Long sleeves and gloves were hardly out of place, and a good hooded jacket or wide brimmed hat wouldn't go amiss. This day, Degare wore his usual wool-blend suit in a midnight black over a misty grey shirt and paisley patterned tie--a silk thing Albright had gifted him on their last anniversary. His coat was just as dark as his suit, falling to just above his knees and lined in a dark red satin, almost the color of blood. It was his favorite coat. Degare hadn't bothered to grab a hat, but he dodged the last few rays of true sunlight peeking around corners with practiced ease.

There was a boy up ahead. Degare said boy and meant it; the child looked like he ought to still be in school, but there was that scent. Unmistakable as Degare drew closer to him, that scent that all vampires held beneath their other scents. No telling how old he truly was without a good look, but Degare would bet his reputation that the boy was barely over thirty if he was a day. He still had too much youth in him, hadn't yet had the weight of years put upon his shoulders.

"Careful now, we might be known by some," Degare warned. "But we're still hunted in a good many circles, and I'd hate for one so young to be snuffed out too early. Being known and being liked are not the same thing." Degare learned that the hard way with his first wife. Mistaking her shaky acceptance for understanding.

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When left to his own devices, Emrys wore whatever he first grabbed. Photoshoot, concerts, appearances, and other planned events, he was told what to wear. Now, he wore a branded hooded jacket. It was going to be in the latest band merchandise for Bête Noire. A quickly popularized band of misfits. It was warm, and soft. It also served as an upgrade to his normal ratted black jacket that he used to prefer. He wondered where it had gone to. His manager had probably tossed it out with the rest of the unwanted rubbish.

As the enthused fan bounded to her friends, squealing as she did, Emrys was approached by a man. He had quite feeling that the man was much like him. His words brought warning and Emrys' smile vanished. Turning to the man, he fixed his sunglasses back securely on his nose and he sized up the man. From the air, and his tone, he was certainly older. If he was truly a vampire, it would be hard to tell how old he really was. "There's a fine line between truth and PR fiction." He was mostly known in the wizarding, but to his muggle fans, it was all an image that was created by his label. And who would have thought, with his enchanting voice, and sharp canines, some just went crazy. "Known and liked are the basis of fame. And as you can see, I have reached that." To be fair, dislike comes with it too, but Emrys liked to focus on the positive. He glanced back to the girl and her friends who were all looking at his work. "Fame comes with plenty of perks." He said with a suggestive tone on his face and in his voice.

@degare

[Deleted]

November 23, 2025; Evening hours

Fame was a smokescreen, and while it had its perks--those the boy obviously alluded to and many others--there was also the lack of privacy that got tiresome rather quickly. Degare had never been famous, of course. Infamous? Oh definitely. Criminals in his line of work still talked about him, not knowing it was him they talked about. This legend of the centuries. Most of them thought his signature name was like a title, passed down generation to generation, and while Degare certainly liked the idea, it wasn't true. Not yet, in any case.

This boy obviously held some fame, probably some young musician with more talent than sense. Degare never begrudged an artist their medium, and far be it from him to judge this boy for making a living doing something he was apparently good at. There was little point trying to make the child see reason, Degare knew, but an effort still had to be made or Degare could hardly call himself an adult. Especially if he wanted to be a father. Fathers had to be responsible and spout some wise nonsense every so often, didn't they?

"I don't know how long you've been in the game, Circe knows you look young enough to be my child several times over, but so was my husband when I met him," Degare began, unsure of where he was truly taking this but determined to plow on regardless. "The point is, it may seem grand and fun right now, and it may stay that way for a long time yet, but eventually somebody with half a brain and a computer is going to realize those teeth aren't plastic fakes and no amount of eye liner or foundation is going to cover that up." 

[Deleted]

True, Emrys didn't have as many private moments as he would have liked. But his flat had heavy security, and it had become a haven of his when needed. But who needed privacy. Something like that wouldn't a low him to spend time with lovely men and women who rarely seemed to mind his sharp fangs. He did end up in the magical tabloids more often than his manager would have liked. He wasn't going to stop living the way he wanted. He had stifled his true self for far too long. Now he was free to do as he pleased.

Emrys huffed. so the old bat wanted to give him some advice did he? He already had plenty of parental figures. His father, famous Finnish musician, always told him to do what he loved, and even helped him learn instruments and start writing lyrics and composing songs. His mother and muggle step father, who wanted him to be practical and start looking for someone nice to settle down with. Then there was his manager who he was, currently, the closest to. They also did their fair share of yelling at him and giving him babysitters to prevent him from going too far off. But even his manager was still supportive, they knew that he had talent. "Wow, so some stranger off the streets thinks he can tell me how to live my life?" How old was this vampire? "Just because your life is boring and sad, doesn't mean my life has to be." He intended to have fun for as long as he could breath. Plus, PR was up to his manager and label to worry about. His job was to wright amazing songs, work with his band, and collaborate with other celebrities. "Clearly you've worry too much"

OOC: I kept their managers gender vague because that is still being decided by the person making them.

@degare

[Deleted]

November 23, 2025; Evening hours

Merlin this kid was young, too young really. He still had too much confidence in his ability, probably thought himself immortal and untouchable. Degare had thought the same for a long while after being turned. They were harder to kill, certainly, but they had their fair share of weaknesses too. Ways to weaken them that humans weren't affected by. Being a celebrity might help the mystique and provide an excuse for the fangs, but humans were smarter than most other creatures gave them credit for. Eventually they'd realize no amount of anti-aging cream and cosmetic surgeries can replicate the eternal youth of vampirism. 

"'Some stranger off the street' knows the pitfalls of celebrity status," Degare chided. "Once upon a time I was known for my talents, sought after for them. I'm simply saying, enjoy your spotlight while it lasts." 

He sighed and scrubbed a hand over his face, "I can't tell you how to live your life, no one can. Just...be careful. Before it's too late. I worry a perfectly proportionate amount, thank you. Once one of us is discovered, it's only a matter of time before they realize there's more. Wizardkind might not mind us walking about like normal citizens, but muggles are a different breed." So really, it was a bit of self-preservation, thought he did truly worry for the boy. Some latent paternal instincts cropping up, no doubt. Albright would be pleased.

Degare wanted to adopt this boy as his vampiric protégé, never-mind that he probably already has a sire somewhere. Albright would never let him hear the end of it if he knew, what with them still debating the merits of different methods for acquiring a child of their own. This boy may be too old to properly adopt, but that won't stop Degare from acting like an overbearing father anyhow. They should probably move their timeline up if he was already acting like this.

[Deleted]

Emrys was confident. He wouldn't deny that, but in many things, his confidence was warranted. How else did he sky rocket to the top of the charts within the last few years? His music was great, and he also had the looks. Spending time with a number of enjoyable people proved that. He also chose to live in the moment. Charring about the future was for his aunt and manager to handle.

He gave a chuckle as the man claimed to know a thing or tow about being a celebrity. That didn't mean anything to Emrys. He knew plenty of celebrities too, each dealt with things differently. He figured, why change. People were going to either accept him or not. He had found, that many of his fans enjoyed his ways. He was sure that many of them dreamed of the time that he took one of them back for a little one on one time. "enjoy your spotlight while it lasts." Emrys scoffed at his words. Did this man really not realize that he could go for as long as he wanted, as time passed he would just need to focus more on the magical side of things. "Nothing wrong with being "sought after"."

He was right about one thing, muggles were a different bread. He gave a fanged laugh. "You presume so much about me." Man this was enjoyable The more this stranger advised him not to do something, the more he wanted to do it. That was the way the boy was built. He had always been like that. "You really think you have all the answers don't you?"

He glanced the way of the record label just in time to see a muscular man wearing a suit coming after him. Emrys cursed in Finnish under his breath. "Now look what you've done." He gave a heavy sigh as the large man hurried over to him. He looked at the silent man. "Got out of that one faster than I gave you credit. I'll have to rethink things for next time." Getting away from his security was a game, one that both entertained, and intrigued him. It also often kept him entertained enough to keep him out of some trouble.

@degare

[Deleted]

November 23, 2025; Evening hours

Certainly, there was nothing wrong with being chased after, and truly, Degare thought the boy had a rather clever means of covering his nature as quirks of his chosen career. Still, old habits die hard, and all that. The last thing Degare wanted for his final century was any amount of looking over his shoulder. He spent far too many decades running from discovery, constantly hiding from wizarding society by integrating into muggle society and then running from that when he couldn't hide his lack of aging any longer. It was a cycle he had no desire to repeat. 

"Oh certainly," Degare agreed on a breath. "But there is a difference between being sought after, and being hunted. The former is much more fun, but the latter could happen if you're not careful with how you present yourself." There were only so many anti-aging creams and charms to pause or slow the effects of time on humans, and while they all make it easier to blend in, eventually people question if it's the creams or if it's something else. 

Degare sighed, "Oh not all of them, dear boy. But I have lived for much longer than you. My advice may be dated but that doesn't mean it's completely irrelevant." There was little chance of this boy actually taking anything to heart, but Degare had to try. Dated, he might be, but being cautious was never a bad practice. 

"Look, you have a clever cover that will likely hold up for a good while," Degare admitted with a shrug. "But humans have a knack for picking apart those in the public eye, and budding stars recieve the worst of their scrutiny. Be careful now, and you won't have to be as careful later." 

[Deleted]

This man just wouldn't give up. Emrys couldn't help but roll his eyes. "I think I'll let my manager take care of that." His aunt had his best interests in mind. While he didn't always show it, she was genuinely like a mother to him. He knew that she would always take care of him. With that, he would be free to do what he wanted. His main audience was wizard kind, and they knew that he was a vampire, there was no need to hide there. His work in the muggle world would only last so long. That would be managed all by HR Records, his aunts label.

Emrys could see that the man had a point, and by his tone, he could tell that he had lived though some rough times. Living in the past wasn't what Emrys was going to do. He also didn't believe that he should live in fear of anything. He could only scoff at the man "Whatever." He had too many people telling him how he should live. "This is modern times."

The man mentioned that Emrys had a good "cover" for a time. Did he not realize that wizards knew about vampires? It didn't matter, because here came his body guard. The man continued. "The record label takes care of image. All my appearances are far away from muggle view. I'm sure I'll be fine." The large suited man took his place just behind Emrys, eyeing the man that he was talking to, seeming to be amused that the young musician was on edge.

@degare

[Deleted]

November 23, 2025; Evening hours

Contrary to what Albright might sometimes think, Degare could tell when he wasn't wanted. He could tell his advice was falling on mostly deaf ears, and he could admit that he might be overestimating the wisdom of humans. Still, being over-cautious was preferable to being caught, so Degare wasn't likely to take his chances. This boy obviously thought he knew the risks, and whether that was true or not, he was technically old enough to make that decision for himself. Much as Degare hated to think that someone barely more than two decades old had any idea of the true risks inherent in their existence.

"I suppose...I may be over-estimating humans," he conceded with a sigh. "For all their advancements, or maybe because of them, I've found it easier to...blend in." Hiding was never truly an option, with all the surveillance everywhere. Muggles and their cameras. Few people looked askance at a man dressed strangely, or if they did then they minded their own business. Besides, it wasn't like Degare had many pictures of himself from his youth floating about. There may be one or two self-portraits on the market, but nothing so incriminating as an actual photograph. 

Degare checked his watch, aware that Albright was waiting his return. "I'm assuming a warning to be careful wouldn't be very appreciated," he murmured. "Still, try not to expose us to the muggles? I'd hate to have to flee when I'm so well settled into my retirement."

[Deleted]

"I suppose...I may be over-estimating humans," Emrys smirked with his little victory. The man didn't appear to be too much older than he was, but by the way he spoke, the boy assumed that he had lived a long life. He also mentioned blending in. that wasn't something that Emrys liked the idea of. He strived to stand out. He was fed by the attention of a crowd, and an individual. It was almost like his entire existence was to be adored and loved by fans. He couldn't imagine the torture of obscurity.

Rolling his eyes once again he looked at his body guard, who main job was to keep Emrys out of trouble. He mumbled something to the man in a language he was confident the man wouldn't know. The body guard sighed and shook his head. Shrugging the young vampire turned to the older one with an enchanted smile. "I wont let you ruin my evening any longer." He wasn't an idiot. When he did drink from muggles, he was careful and his extra ability helped with that. There was no way he would expose vampirism, let alone magic to the muggle world. But he wouldn't give the man that satisfaction of speaking it out loud. "You can go back to your boring life. I have a few engagements that I need to attend before having fun."

@degare