Poor Unfortunate Soul
Chapter Two: A Fascinating House

Nikola is currently in the home of the most eccentric shut-ins he has ever seen. Granted he hasn't seen many shut-ins, but he has seen eccentric people and these guys still take the cake. As he's lead around by the strange Demitri he's shown all of the eccentric items in the house. There's a wall that, when touched, feels like liquid, a statue that will move with your movements until you reach a certain point in the hall, a taxidermy animal that will growl and arch it's back defensively, and of course more.
"Oh! Then there's this room!" Demitri says, pulling Nikola out of his thoughts as he opens the door. It's dark, pitch black actually, and of course the teen is bringing him all the way in before closing the door. Really, this house is reminding Nikola more of those haunted mansions than it does anything else.

"Hm…what am I looking at? I can't see anything." Nikola asks and suddenly a light turns on, revealing a room full of beautiful coffins. Rather than being annoyed or unimpressed, Nikola lights up and begins running over to the coffins. "The workmanship on these is incredible!" He exclaims and Demitri watches proudly.

"Yep! I thought you would appreciate it! These are all our coffins for when we die! I made them!" Demitri says and Nikola looks at him surprised.

"YOU made these? Damn…you should look into doing this for a job. The detail, the finish, it's all beautiful." Nikola praises, making Demitri blush a little.

"Yeah…well…you know…I have a lot of free time…" Demitri says, sighing.

"That's right, you don't go outside, do you?" Nikola asks, looking over at him curiously. "Doesn't that kill you and your siblings? As fun as they make this house…fresh air is important. Not to mention being able to play with the animals nearby and other kids…"

Demitri frowns and looks away. "We're not allowed to be outside. It was bunic's rule when we moved here."

"Why on earth would he make a rule like that?" Nikola asks, moving from the coffins to go to Demitri.

"He said this town was dangerous. That they have the mindset of those from the eighteen hundreds and don't accept different people…like me."

Demitri explains and Nikola sighs.
"It's true, people here can be pretty damn backwards…but we have another boy with red eyes you know." Nikola points out.

"He is an albino, it makes sense he has red eyes. I am not pale, my hair is not white, yet my eyes are a dark red." Demitri says. "Not to mention this…" He opens his mouth, revealing two very sharp canine teeth. "I went outside once when I was little and the adult who found me tried to jam a stake in my chest."

Nikola tenses up. "What? Are you kidding me? That backwards son of a-! I mean, yeah, you're weird…and the room full of coffins REALLY won't help your argument…but what IDIOTS don't know that vampires don't exist nowadays? And what IDIOT tries to jam a stake in a kid's heart?" He fumes as Demitri watches on in awe.

"Hey Nikola…" The Romanian calls, making Nikola stop and look at him. "Um…I know I just met you…and this is probably pushy…but could you take me into town sometime?" He asks nervously.

"Umm…h-huh? I'm a complete stranger, aren't you supposed to be weary of me?" Nikola points out and Demitri laughs a little. "Don't laugh! I could do horrible things to you!"

Demitri looks at him amused. "Do you want to do horrible things to me?"
"Well of course not! But you don't know that!" Nikola groans.

"Yes I do, because you just told me."

"You don't trust strangers! I'm an adult and we are NOT trustworthy!"
Demitri smiles at Nikola.
"You're cute, Nikola."

"Ugh…I don't think I should bring you outside…you'll probably be one of those idiots who trusts everything at face value…" Nikola grumbles, his complaints being ignored by Demitri.

"So will you do it?" The teen asks and Nikola sighs, slumping over a little.

"I don't have much choice. A man should go out and see the world." Nikola answers before a pair of arms come flying at him, pulling him into a tight hug.

"You're the best friend a guy could ask for!"

"WHA-? F-friends? Well…I suppose…we could be friends…although I know right now you will be an exhausting one…"

Demitri shakes his head no. "I promise I won't! I'll do anything for you that you want! I'll be the best friend you could ask for!"

Nikola sighs and looks away, wondering how he can escape, until his eyes land on the coffins. The beautiful, finely carved, perfect coffins. "Anything, huh?" He mumbles before looking back to Demitri. "Perhaps…you could make some coffins for our funeral home?"

Demitri smiles. "Of course! Anything you want Nikola!"

Nikola's mind begins to reel, images of the money such beautiful coffins would get him and how Demitri would do it for free. It would be perfect, truly perfect.

"So how many do you want?" Demitri asks and Nikola looks at him, at the clueless smile of someone eager just to please someone he likes.

"You…" Nikola sighs. "However many you can make. You will be paid for them as well." He mumbles and Demitri stares at him surprised.

"I will do them for free for you, Nikola."

"N-no…that's a lot of work…you need to be paid." Nikola says in defeat.

"Anything less would be taking advantage of you."

Demitri grins. "You really are the best, Nikola."

"Yes, yes, whatever you say…" Nikola groans. "So…one more weird thing and then I need to find Romulus." He says and Demitri takes his hand excitedly.

"Awesome! Because there's one room you will absolutely love!" Demitri exclaims, dragging Nikola down the hall.

At the very end of the dark hall is another room. This room is considerably larger than the others, which is marked by the side-by-side doors used to enter it. Demitri easily swings the large doors open and leads Nikola inside. He grabs the man's shoulders and positions him on the floor right in the middle beside him. Once positioned Nikola looks around the room, it's covered in gold trimmed mirrors and designs that resemble those of a carousel including the painted horses and various other animals. The floor is also gold with jewels in various designs beneath their feet. It is truly beautiful, and truly overdone.

"This…room is…um…bright." Nikola says and Demitri grins.

"Overdone, right?" He asks and Nikola looks away awkwardly. "Well just wait." He says before lightly tapping his foot on a large sapphire. "Enjoy."

Before Nikola can ask what he means the floor moves underneath them, turning in a circle as Romanian music begins to play. Surprised, Nikola grabs onto Demitri's arm. "Wh-what is this?" He gasps and Demitri laughs.

"This is our own little carousel." Demitri says, wrapping an arm around Nikola's shoulders to keep him from falling. "It takes some getting used to!"

"I-I see that!" Nikola exclaims, leaning into him. "This is…" He gasps and point to the ground. "H-half of the floor is moving another way!"

"It does that, pretty soon there will be four pieces of the floor moving. Don't worry! It's fun!" Demitri says, laughing a little as he feels Nikola slump against him.

"I'm gonna be nauseous…" Nikola groans, covering his mouth. "I-I need to find Arsenius anyways…he's probably ready to leave…"

Demitri gasps. "NO! You can't leave! We just met!" He whines, keeping his arm around Nikola and not stopping the so-called ride.

"Why do I feel I'm going to be kidnapped…?" Nikola groans as Demitri holds him closer. "I'm coming back, remember? We're going to town and you'll be making caskets for the funeral home." He smiles at him weakly. "You won't be getting rid of me so easily."

Demitri blushes and grins. "I suppose that's true…and I should let you go…I look forward to seeing you more!" He says, stopping the ride.

Nikola laughs nervously. "Haha! Me too…yep…definitely…" He says as Demitri leads him into a room downstairs where Arsenius and Traian are sitting. "Arsenius!"
Arsenius looks back and sees Nikola.

"Ah! There you are! I see you have made a friend, hm?"

"Y-yeah." Nikola answers awkwardly. "Anyways, are you done here? It's getting late and there are some things I want to work on tonight."

Traian laughs a little. "Such a subtle man! Well, we are done so you may go home for the night. Arsenius and I have already placed my wife's father into the hearse."

Nikola nods. "Alright then, it was very nice meeting you. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow." He says, smiling before he and Arsenius leave.
"Demitri has grown into quite the handsome man, hasn't he?" Arsenius asks, smirking at the younger man.

"Yes, he aged well…appearance-wise, mentally he is pretty eccentric."

"He liked you a lot though, didn't he~?" Arsenius teases and Nikola blushes.

"The kid isn't used to friends…he'll move on." Nikola says, making Arsenius frown.

"I really hope not…you need a friend around your age. Everyone you talk to now is either at least ten years older, or six years younger. Demitri will be a nice change in many ways." Arsenius points out, grinning. "I look forward to seeing your budding friendship bloom~!"

Nikola goes bright red and looks at him annoyed. "Th-those things right there! Saying those are what make you weird, or, well, at least they are a major contributor! Stupid old man…" He groans and Arsenius laughs.
"You love me." Arsenius says and Nikola looks at the ground. "And soon you will love Demitri as well~!" He adds, watching as Nikola jumps a little.

"You are NOT funny you senile old man!"