[O] Adjusting...poorly

Zephyr lay sprawled out on one of the benches looking out over the garden and beyond that, the woods.

He stretched out his limbs each of them giving a satisfying click as his joints relaxed.

His wolf had felt a little uneased ever since he submitted to Aleksandr as Alpha, the beast knew well enough of it's power and rightful standing in the pack. Still, he denied himself the very thought of challenging the man, he and Alek were brothers, that made the choice to kneel a little easier even if he was older.

The thought of having the officially submit to the Beta though...that did leave a bitter taste in his mouth.

Zephyr gave a sigh and ran a hand through his dark curls, if he wanted to stay here then it had to be done there was no changing that, and he wasn't the type of man to run from a difficult situation.

He couldn't deny avoiding it a little by spending so much time outside away from everyone else. Even now he debated heading off into the woods for a run, anything to make him a little less restless.

Adjusting to this new life was difficult to say the least, he found it difficult to sleep in the room Aleksandr had given him, he had taken to sleeping on the floor since the bed was too comfortable and when that failed he would simply climb out the window to sleep in the woods. The kitchen was still foreign to him as well since he hunted each of his meals himself.

It wasn't as if he disliked this place, it was just so different, everything was a lot to take in.

Dick had emerged from his normal spots of the library or the ballroom to enjoy the last bit of summer.

It would soon be fall; the green landscape will explode with reds, oranges and browns. The flowers will wilt. The trees will be bare. He wanted to enjoy all of the colour summer brought with it while it lasted.

So he decided to go to the courtyard. It was a normally quiet spot. Peaceful. The only sounds being the trickle of the fountain, the tweets of birds and the gentle creek of trees swaying in the wind.

It was one of his favourite places - if a little bitter sweet.

Of course, just because it was - normally - peaceful, didn't mean it was often stripped of other beings.

He spotted a man - well, Lycan from the smell of him - laying on one of the benches. The bench he normally sat on.

He gave the Lycan a tight, but polite, smile.

"Evening."

He sat on the bench next to it. This one didn't have a clear view of the courtyard. Instead, it had a lovely view of the tree.

"Evening."

He replied politely, at the very least being around Aleksandr again was soothing his temper.

Zephyr took a small inhale as he tasted the air for the boy's scent, Vampire, he could tell that easily enough.

He didn't feel threatened by this one, he was small and young, as such he stayed in his relaxed state, feeling no need to get defensive.

This was as good a time as any to at least try to be social with the other beings that lived here.

"You live here, right?"

He was about to start his book, but no. The Lycan that his stole his seat also wanted to converse with him. If he wasn't so polite, he would of just stuck his headphones in and ignored him.

"Yeah, I do."

Though, his curiosity bit as him. He hadn't seen him around the mansion before. Even if he knew only a few peoples names, their were still people you would recognise around.

"Just moved in then?"

Most people that asked that question did.

Having just moved in made it seem like he had come here on purpose.

Initially he hadn't wanted to be here at all and was held against his will, somewhat.

"More or less, either way I am living here now."

How he came to be here wasn't really relevant anymore he was chosen to stay, he could have easily ran off by now and he doubted Aleksandr would be able to catch him again.

"I haven't had the chance to meet many people here yet, I'd feel a little more at ease knowing about the place."

More or less? How vague was that.

He nibbled on his lip. His original interest in his book slipping.

"You will probably want to put the meet people off for a bit. Not everyone is exactly the type of people to put you at ease.

"I'm Richard."

He introduced himself. He wondered if he should shake his hand. It wasn't really something that was done that often any more. Except in certain circumstances.

He decided against it. It would be odd to get up just to shake someone's hand.

"Why do you think I was hiding out here?"

His first interaction with people here hadn't ended very well, still, it could have gone a lot worse if Aleksandr hadn't stepped in.

"I'm Zephyr."

He replied, looking up at the young Vampire, at least this one was polite.

"Do you happen to know much about the type of people living here?"

His lips kicked up in a smile at that comment. Unlike a lot of first meetings here, he was liking this Lycan. Although, he did wonder if he was now disturbing him. Hay my be one of those very people that he was getting away from.

He would care more about that if Zephyr didn't steal his seat.

"Kind of. I lived here since we invited people in. But I don't really associate myself with people."

He wasn't the most social being. Not that he would admit it any time soon.

"If you want to know who to avoid and who to befriend, my advice is: all of them."

He knew that was not really true. There were some fantastic people here in the mansion. But the vast majority were also annoying as fuck.

The Lycan gave a laugh at the boy's comment, avoid and befriend all of them.

He found that quite amusing, they seemed to share a current distaste for some of the people here.

"Well I have already had a run-in with Aodh, that didn't go well so I've added him to my avoid pile."

He could imagine that type of personality would get on quite a few people's nerves.

"Aohd? Haven't talked to him much, but he does seem... I don't know... irritating?"

He was another one the residents here that he sees but never really spoken too.

Although, maybe his opinion on him was a little harsh. It was based on what little he knew of him when he first joined. He barely knew the man.

All well.

"Though, I think more more likely you are to clash with people here, the more likely you are going to meet them. So that 'avoid pile' is going to get quiet high."

"I suppose you're right. I can't avoid people forever, not here, not if I plan on being part of the pack."

Pack was family, you had to be able to trust them because they were going to see you at your most vulnerable and you needed to be able to depend on them.

Zephyr sighed and ran his hand through his short curls before dragging his hand over his face.

"I'll have to start making nice with people, what about you, you don't seem overly social, though I suppose Vampire's are more solitary creatures, not to over generalize."

"You can only make nice with people if they are nice with you. So good luck with that."

They were a number of assholes in this place.

He scowled at the Lycan.

"I am sociable... Just to a select circle." In other words: Yes, I am pretty anti-social.

He twiddled with the ring on his finger.

"And I am not exactly a pure vampire. I am created."

He really wouldn't like to be on his own.

He guessed, out of being a vampire or lycan, he got the better of the two in that retrospect. If he couldn't stand the thought of being alone now, he couldn't imagine what it would be like if he was a lycan.

Again he chuckled softly, that was true enough, if people were determined to react negatively toward him then there was little he could do about it.

"I suppose so, still, things will be alright as long as I am near my brother."

He could endure almost anything as long as Aleksandr was near him again.

"So then the human side of you still seeks out companionship?"

He knew well enough that it wasn't fair to say that all Vampires liked to live alone, it was as untrue as saying that all Lycan wanted to be part of a pack.

He shrugged, tugging at the ring.

"I guess so."

He really didn't like to dwell too much on his human side verse vampire side.

More importantly then about himself, the other man had a brother?

He squinted a little, trying to get a better look at the lycan, trying to find the resemblance of anyone he knew here. He couldn't say he looked like anyone. At least, no one he knew. Or maybe they were not related by blood. Or maybe it was a lycan thing.

If so, he should really read up about them. He guessed it was rude to live under the same roof and all he knew about them was that the turned every month.

"Whose your brother?"

Zephyr rolled over when the boy asked about his sibling, laying out on his stomach and resting his head on his arms so the he could get a better look at his face.

Their features weren't similar but he and Aleksandr had lived in the same time period in the same country.

"Th....I mean Aleksandr."

He kept forgetting that no one here called the man by his old name any more and that he now preferred to be called by the name their old Master had given him.

"I'm his older brother."

Dick noted the almost slip up, but he didn't press on it.

He knew of Aleksandr. He may of had the odd polite conversation with him maybe. He couldn't really remember. The lycan normally intimidated him if he was completely honest.

Although, if he was Aleksandr's brother, that confirmed one thing: he was another walking, talking relic.

Dick tried not to gap at the man in front of him. It always astonished him that the supernatural could even grow that old. Their was also a very slither of a chance he might as well (though, he doubted it).

Having a better view of his face, he still could't see any sibling resemblance between Zephyr and Aleksandr.

"By blood?"

He shook his head a little as a soft smile graced his lips.

"Unfortunately not."

He would have liked that, he could have protected Aleksandr from a lot of harm if they had been born into the same family, sadly that wasn't the case.

"We're pack brothers, bitten by the same Sire, and I practically raised him."

He had started looking after Alek from the age of eight so not being of the same blood really didn't amount to much given their history together.

"I see."

So it was a lycan thing then? Or maybe a very strong bond between the two? Maybe a mixture of the two? Who knew, except the two of them.

Rickard fell in silence, fiddling with the silver band on his little finger. He had a few more questions he was bursting to ask. Mostly on subjects that were probably too personal, so he kept his mouth shut. He liked the man, he was good enough company.

He could forgive him for sitting on his bench.

Dick leaned back on the bench, the book left unopened on the bench.

"Wonderful night tonight."

Best to change subjects before one of his questions slipped out of his mouth.

"It is quite a nice."

He replied with a little nod, looking up at the stars above them.

"New moon tomorrow night."

He murmured as he glanced over at the moon, he was thankful that the full moon was still a few weeks away, it made dealing with his wolf much easier if he didn't feel the need to shift.

"Is this how you spend most your nights?"

Richard hummed in response. He never really paid attention to the moon. He guessed, when you are a lycan, your mind tends to always notice the moon.

"Mostly."

He pinked a little, it must seem a little pathetic to sit around all most evenings.

"Well, among other things of course. I am not a hermit. I just enjoy reading and such."

He smoothed his hand over the well read book next to him.

"Reading huh?"

He asked, sitting up a little and looking over at the book in the boy's lap curiously.

"Is that one any good?"

Zephyr wasn't a good reader, he could speak English but could only read in Greek.

"This one?"

He showed the the man the cover. On the front was an iconic looking bot with messy black hair, green eyes, and the widely recognised lightning bolt scar across his forehead.

"Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone. I'm sure you must recognise it? Not one of my favourite books, but I like the series. It is a pretty fun read."

He ran his thumb across the pages, letting them fan out.

It was his own personal copy - instead of the ones from the library. While he liked to keep those ones pristine, he destroyed his own books with note and highlighted texts of his favourite passages. They were well loved and well read.

Zephyr shook his head softly, he had no idea what that book was about.

In recent years he had separated himself from society and was a little behind on the times now.

"Never heard of it."

He answered honestly, pursing his lips a little as he examined the cover.

To say he was a little shocked was an understatement.

Harry Potter was a huge franchise - even if you never watched or read them, you still heard of them.

Either you lived under a rock or a cut off area of the world not to hear about them.

"Not at all?"

He let Zephyr take to book to inspect it. The older man seemed decent enough not to destroy it.

He inspected the book for a short while before handing it back, it wasn't as if he could actually read it, he had just wanted to see the cover illustrations.

"No, I've been living out in the woods for a fair while now."

Not that it bothered him, he had actually quite enjoyed it, except for being so far away from people.

"Seems I have a lot to catch up on, not that I can read English anyway."