A/N: A slight change from the constant not all that great feeling we've been having lately. We're getting more into the plotty stuff, so consider this to be a light fluffy filler. Review please, as reviews are love and love is cookies and with my insomnia, I need all the sugar I can get please and thank you
"Yes he's eating proper meals, Erika," Vlad scowled, his forefinger and his thumb pressed against his eyes, trying to reason with the woman on the other end of the phone. "I'm not going to let my brothers starve now, am I?" Robin watched with a hint of amusement on his face. "… I'm not going to dignify that one with an answer," Vlad deadpanned, looking for the entire world that he'd rather be doing anything other than having this phone conversation. "Listen, Erika, I've got to go. I'll give him your love okay." There was a pause. "Keep safe," and then he hung up.
Robin allowed Vlad to sit in silence for a few minutes before speaking. "Slayers still staking out the castle then?" he asked, Vlad nodded mutely, frowning at the counter top as though it were saying something that he couldn't quite understand. "Least your family's alright Vlad," he said softly, with an encouraging smile. "Mine seem to be under the belief that I'm a drug dealer of sorts on the run from disgruntled customers."
"Your brothers are dicks, have I mentioned that lately?" Vlad said, coming over to the couch to sit down beside Robin. "And I know, and I'm glad their safe. I'm just a little concerned for the brats," he said. "Mum and Patrick have relocated Paris for a twentieth honeymoon, and won't show up for another couple of months, so that means I've got Barry until they decide to attempt to play happy families again," he scowled deeply, not impressed with his mother's behaviour. "Not to mention, Dad and Erika are staying with Erika's old coven in California…."
"Erika was part of a coven?" Robin asked, surprised. Vlad hand waved the matter, not really considering it particularly important at the moment.
"In and out of them since she was turned. They're with one of the better ones at the moment, but it means I've got Jack until it's safe for them to return to the castle, and you heard the report from Horia, there's Slayers all over the place," he paused. "And what with these new attacks…"
"I knew you were worried about them!" Robin snapped, shaking his head at Vlad. "I told you, it's all too suspicious. The Slayers crashing the wedding, and then Melech and Strigoi jumping you when you were getting food," he nibbled at his lip slightly, frowning as he thought. "Are you sure there's no possibility that they could have joined forces with the Slayers?"
"Absolutely none," Vlad said. "I fought alongside those two in Hungary, Robin. They hate Slayers with every fibre of their being," his voice lower slightly, not really wanting Robin to hear him but knowing it was going to come out anyway. "They took to killing them as a sport … I joined them."
Robin tactfully ignored the last bit, having already explained to Vlad that he'd rather not hear about the bloody battles that had made him the way he currently was. "But even to get rid of the common enemy?" Vlad looked at him oddly, a mix of anger, confusion, and attempting to work something out. "Hey, it happens all the time on the TV, and your life's the biggest soap opera I know," Robin shrugged, "just call it thinking outside the box."
"No, it's just," Vlad began, thinking it through, "you … may have something there. Teaming up with the enemy to stop a common menace," he said it slowly, as if trying to work it all through in his mind. After a few moments, he groaned. "I need alcohol."
There was a silence.
"So do I."
"There's a good place just round the corner," Vlad said, standing up and brushing imaginary specs of dust off him. Robin suspected it was a way of living life without being able to check for a reflection in a mirror. It didn't quite explain how vampires could be film and photographed, but Vlad pointed out that technology had really improved at lot in the past few years, and that a lot of the old traditional are linked to old thinking, and that its highly suspected that's how they got their power. "Come on, it'll just be getting busy."
"Vlad, we can't both go out," Robin laughed slightly, wondering if Vlad had suddenly taken all leave of his senses. Vlad stared down at him, obviously not getting what Robin was trying to say.
"Why not?" he said. "Barry and Jack are asleep, and they're heavy sleepers Robin, you know that," he added, rolling his eyes slightly.
"Vlad, Barry's only just seven, and he's the eldest of both of them," Robin said slowly, clearly pronouncing each word hoping that it would help their meaning actually get through to Vlad. On Vlad's shrug, he groaned. "We cannot leave two kids in here on their own Vlad! I'm pretty sure it's against the law, not to mention it's just wrong!"
"Why?" Vlad asked, genuinely not getting Robin's worry. "Mum and Dad left me and Ingrid all the time, and we've only tried to kill each other once," he said with a shrug. "Which, for vampire families, is a sign of a really strong sibling bond."
"… Your family is seriously screwed up," Robin managed after a few moments of shocked, silent staring. "It doesn't matter anyway, we're not going and that's final."
"You know, you really are a proper git," Robin said to Vlad as they pushed through the throngs of people at the bar/club. "Using hypnosis to get me out," he shook his head, half in disgust, and half in a deep grudging admiration. "I should just turn round right now and go back to the flat."
"But you won't," Vlad smirked easily, finally reaching the bar. "What're you drinking anyway?" he asked, the bartender in front of him waiting for the order.
"Erm, Snakebite and Black thanks," he grinned at Vlad, who stared back, shaking his head before relaying the order to the bartender. It was a few minutes later when they had commandeered a table before Robin pulled Vlad up about the look. "What is the matter with my choice in drinks?"
"Bit … obvious," Vlad shrug, taking a long swing from his bottle of some kind of beer, Robin never really paid attentions to the different types there were. "You won't believe how many vampire sympathisers drink it," he added. "And Goths, and pretend Goths. I even think Emos and Scene kids were drinking it at one point," he said, musing on the nature of the various different alternative subcultures, and their alcohol of choice.
"Well, I would have had it with Sambucca, but I hate Sambucca," Robin shot at Vlad, forcing back the anger. "And it was through the whole Goth scene that I came across the drink," he shrugged at Vlad's questioning glance. "Despite what you might think, it wasn't really me. I mean, I know I'm all for the dark clothes and dark attitude thing, but, well I guess I grew up enough to see it wasn't me," he said with a wry smile. "So I dropped the label, but I kept hold of the popular drink. It's tasty."
"Huh, interesting," Vlad said, not sounding in the least bit interested. "It was just that I'd pegged you as more of a vodka guy," he admitted with a shrug. Robin laughed slightly.
"I chugged about two, maybe three bottles of the stuff on my own for my 18th," he admitted with a side grin. "I ended up with alcohol poisoning, was in hospital for about a week, and was left with a life long hatred of the drink." Vlad laughed, and Robin couldn't help but join in. "What about you? I thought vampires had that whole 'I don't drink … alcohol' thing going on?"
"Stop misquoting Stoker, Branagh," Vlad rolled his eyes slightly. "Vampires can pretty much do anything breathers do, just that we can't do it in the sun. Well," he paused, thinking, "there are exceptions to the sun thing, but it's hard to explain." He took another drink. "I'm pretty sure there's a clan out in Forks totally messing with the natural order of things, I should get someone to look into it."
"It's funny," Robin commented.
"What is?"
"Seven years ago, you would have never used that phrase," he said. "Now look at you, you take your destiny in your stride. It's like… It's bizarro!Vlad," he smiled softly. "Different, but cool."
"Cool?" Vlad questioned lightly. Robin shrugged his shoulders.
"Beat neurotic panicking over the most nit-pickity detail Vlad," he said fondly. "You've changed a lot Vlad, and don't get me wrong, it's great to see you more confident but… I don't know, I guess I just miss my friend. The one who wouldn't make uncomfortable jokes and hypnotise me to get me out." There was a slightly uncomfortable silence, which Robin broke with a nervous cough. "Anyway, on a slightly happier note, I'm guessing you are currently completely aware of the two girls just behind you who've been staring at you since we got hold of this table?"
"What type of vampire would I be if I wasn't aware of them?" Vlad replied, smirking slightly, glad of the change of subject. "The one with the pink tips in her hair? I keep hearing her muttering to her friend about you," he quietened, leaning his head to the side slightly, before letting out a small laugh. "Yeah, apparently she likes the skinny emo-puppy look you've got going on there."
"Cool," Robin grinned, nodding over at the girl. He smiled at Vlad, before going over to chat with her, her friend smiling at Vlad shyly before going and chatting with a guy who was apparently more approachable than Vlad could be. He didn't blame her; the vampire appeal thing made it impossible for him to have a proper conversation with people; they always turned into a puddle of gooiness. Robin was one of the few who didn't, and Vlad suspected that was connected to him not smelling right, not completely breather.
But still, the whole club scene was alright, Vlad mused, spinning his now empty bottle in his hand slightly. It got him away from his more pressing troubles, at least for a little bit, and he always managed to pick someone up he could have fun with for a little bit. "Maybe I want more than that," he muttered softly, staring down at the table. "Maybe I want someone who'll challenge me, not just blindly agree with what I say 'cause of who I am, and the whole appeal business," he paused, looking up, "and talking to myself is really gonna help me solve my problems," he sighed. "Clearly I need more beer."
On his way back from the bar, he spotted Robin and pink-tipped hair girl under the stairs, arms wrapped around each other and, from what he could tell, both investigating each other's tonsils. He gave a soft laugh, making his way back over to his table, pretending that he didn't notice Melech and Strigoi lurking in the shadows, pretending that he wouldn't end up in a fight on his way back to his apartment tonight.
He sat down at the table, his mind thinking over what Robin had said to him. "Have I really changed all that much?" he wondered out loud.
He didn't get an answer.