Chapter 4: Piss chamber
Gossip was really just that.
Gossip.
Standing at the side of the hall Izaya nipped at a glass of disgusting alcohol. He didn't really know what kind of fruit they set aside to ferment, but it definitely was one not suited for this kind of purpose.
The unpleasant sourness burning his throat in a way strong alcohol would, but with a mean aftertaste reminding him that it was nothing he knew.
His attire didn't differ much from the rest of the attendees. Well, apart from the fact that he had specifically picked an outfit that did not reek as if someone had been wearing it nonstop for ages.
In general.
The alcohol wasn't the only disgusting object in the room.
As much as the medieval times were glorified Izaya had somewhat looked forward to these banquets that every romance book and film talked about in an all too glorious fashion. It was nothing like that.
Sweat, the stench of shit and piss laid in the air as some flea filled women circled to a small buffet.
Apparently there was a room next to the hall- to describe it as a bathroom would have been an insult for any bathroom Izaya had ever seen.
Servants were standing there, for the ladies holding cups of porcelain to help them relieve themselves.
And the guys?
Pissed in the garden. Of course considering the room was adjacent to this hall the stench had a fun time releasing itself every damn time the door was opened and closed.
It certainly downed Izaya's hunger as well as the joy of being at this excuse of a party. He had been facing a few yellow toothed men gossiping about their daily actions but they left before he could get anything decent out of them.
And then the spit.
An elderly man had approached Izaya as he was standing in the corner farthest from the pissing chamber. Hair greasy and sprinkled with what might as well be fleas too, Izaya gracefully stepped aside for a bit only to watch the bastard spit a portion of saliva, possibly blood and chewed something similar to tobacco onto the ground.
Fucking disgusting.
Just existing in this room made Izaya's skin crawl- and he was suddenly more than just glad to own the body he had.
His teeth were white, his hair was tended to, washed, probably better than most women. Same for his nails and his general appearance. What he thought to be a standard was apparently a treat unique to himself. This guy Raphael was growing more and more sympathetic by the second.
Apart from not being interested in politics or meddling with anything dangerous he had also seemed to be someone to actually care about his appearance.
And smell.
Again the door to the piss chamber opened and Izaya quickly turned towards a small balcony. Fresh air.
That's what he needed or else he might possibly retch any time now.
Funny how they were all scared of him and taking their distance when he was the only one not carrying ten diseases per inch.
He didn't end up empty handed, and yet the information he got his hands on was quite scarce.
Apparently he fell from the window.
His best guess?
Someone shoved him. Maybe a butler or maid.
Ah.
Maybe the one that had reacted so badly.
What did he do? Try to rape her and she shoved him?
Considering his good looks but overall disinterest he appeared to have not been the brightest match in the shed. The burst of healing power executed to restore his body was probably connected to his resurrection.
Well, not like he could tell that anyone.
In the end they were right whatever had happened to his body had been some kind of magic after all. Maybe godly, maybe evil, Izaya wouldn't know.
Eyes trailing to the glass of alcohol he had been handed at the entrance he cast a quick glance aside before dumping it down the railing.
The roses down there would probably die, but better them than him, right?
"Bored?" Startled upon his fairly inappropriate action, Izaya's shoulders flinched and his head turned.
Most guests of the party were still tumbling around in awkward dances inside, it was just one guy, younger than Izaya, he suspected, that had approached him from the side.
Eyes of chocolate and black hair partly tied to a half hearted bun he was dressed fairly fancy. Jewelry, gold and fine fabrics made his attire and a couple of heavy rings sat on each of his thumbs. He looked somewhat important.
Mimicking Izaya's action the guy brought his own glass forth and to Izaya's surprise doused the roses in the very same way.
"I never liked these plants to begin with. They sting. Who would plant something that hurts?"
Heh.
"I think you are talking to the wrong person," Izaya hummed, his stance relaxing as he was apparently not going to be scolded for his actions.
This guy was charming, in his own weird way. The confidence he carried himself with was something that intrigued Izaya. Who was this guy?
"You are Rafael Montesquieu, am I not correct?" Izaya blinked. Had he actually searched for him?
"If you know my name you should take your distance even more," Izaya argued, his eyes glancing towards the dancing maggots in the hall. A couple on the side were watching the two of them with greedy eyes of curiosity. They were like rats, just waiting for them to fuck up so they could jump onto the next piece of gossip like a freshly died piece of meat.
A soft smile spread across the stranger's lips as he turned towards the night sky instead. "A bit of witchcraft doesn't scare me," he said, and fucking winked.
This guy- was he flirting with him? Izaya hadn't quite gotten around to analyzing these time spans courtesy when it came to relationships. In ancient Rome laying both with men and women was treated alike, later on people were burned for the same deed- considering how easily this man was coming on Izaya suspected despite the narrowmindedness of the folk he had seen he might as well be living in a pretty open minded society.
Or he was the odd one out and Izaya should be taking his distance.
Glancing towards the hall and the faces quickly turning to avoid meeting his eyes, Izaya figured he couldn't give less of a damn actually.
A soft smirk drew upon his features and he let his back lean onto the railing. Just from looking at himself in the mirror he knew he was a good looking fellow. Well built, slightly feminine in his face's definition but most importantly clean. He had to give it to the guy, he had good taste if it was him he was hitting on.
"Are you sure? I might curse you, you know. That's what most people expect me to do it seems," Izaya surmised and the stranger didn't fail to amuse him further as his own lips curled into a teasing smile.
"Well, can you?"
Amusing.
A soft shrug was given and the glass Izaya had been carrying was placed onto the marble rail. "Not as far as I know."
Just at that point the music stopped and Izaya turned to look towards the crowd. Apparently even the players were allowed to join the festivities as the instruments were laid aside and they joined the feast.
Etching closer just a bit the stranger mimicked his action as his back met the railguard as well. Elbows propped up left and right he even crossed his legs to grow even more comfortable.
"People are too superstitious these days. Give them a few days and they will forget and gossip about the next person," he whispered quietly, leaning in just a little closer to get the message across without being overheard by others.
Smooth.
He was being flirty and disguising it as caution at the same time.
Izaya wasn't about to fall in love with this guy or anything of that sort of course, but it was amusing nonetheless. "You seem awfully perceptive my friend, who do I have the honor of speaking to?" A short moment of confusion followed as the stranger's face showed surprise- then a knowing smile.
A laugh was stifled and his eyes almost seemed to glitter.
"Carlyle Crest, my father is the one holding the banquet."
Oh.
Well, damn-
Had been a while since Izaya had fucked up like that. Of course one of his first actions was to search for the one responsible in this castle, but he hadn't quite thought about the fact that there might be any other family members or successors present as well.
He was lucky though as he merely seemed to have caused amusement for the young master of the manor. "I'm not going to find myself lynched later, am I?" Izaya joked and Carlyle laughed. "Good heavens, no, if I wanted you lynched I would have just issued an order."
Nice-
"Good to know," Izaya choked forth in half laughter.
Pushing himself off the marble rail Carlyle moved towards the hall. "I have a study upstairs," he announced, tilting his head to the side. A small flight of stairs was leading up to the second floor and guarded by one of the servants to make sure none of the visitors accidentally sniffed around where they didn't belong. "It's used for practicing the arts. How about it? Want to exchange mediocrity for a set of fine brushes and paint?"
Practicing the arts, huh? Was this how they called fucking or what exactly were this guy's intentions?
Izaya had to try hard to withhold his amusement. He definitely was not about to lay with someone he barely knew for a few minutes. But his stance was still something he couldn't quite ignore.
Refusing the invitation might as well offend Carlyle and while Izaya couldn't really care less about his feelings, he had made quite clear that he had enough power to get what he wanted even without asking. He would worm his way out of anything unpleasant as soon as things got too heated, but retaining this man as a friend was something that would surely benefit Izaya in the future.
A smile settled on his face as he stepped away from the rail all the same.
"Gladly."
The music restarted as the two advanced through the hall. Apparently the musicians had only taken a small break. Stares were cast, murmurs to be heard without really being able to discern any of their content. But Izaya didn't need to be a genius to know that they were gossiping about the two of them.
The flight of stairs ascended quickly and the music drowned as they entered a hallway filled with carpets and ornaments alike.
"People say you have been possessed by a demon you know," Carlyle continued while walking towards the end of the corridor. A large wooden door seemed to be his destination and he stopped shortly before opening it as he winked towards Izaya. "If so then I would like to add that I would be grateful if you could devour my soul at last."
Izaya snorted. "Noted." And with that the door was opened.
"Here we are." With surprise Izaya looked at what appeared to be a study. Dozens of books were stacked upon each other in various corners, while the shelves themselves were being misused as podests for various paintings.
Quite beautiful ones actually.
Izaya could recognize the very castle they were currently standing in on one of them as well as the garden in the backyard.
"This looks decent," Izaya hummed, while letting his thumb brush across the rough surface of the acrylic paintings.
"Weird way to compliment but I thank you nonetheless," Carlyle laughed as Izaya skimmed through the staple.
The sheer amount of drawings was amazing. The quality of each of them as well.
Eyes glancing to the side, Izaya viewed another painting, abusing a staple of books to stand straight and a laugh slipped past his lips.
"What?" The tiniest hint of insecurity lay in Carlyle's voice as he followed Izaya's gaze.
"I think it's quite the pun you are using Archimedes as a pillar for a painting of circles," Izaya pointed out, and really.
Following his point Carlyle looked at the painting with the faintest hint of embarrassment.
"I didn't realize. Are you a fan of philosophy?"
Izaya grinned. "A little? From the looks of it I would say I have read half of what's in here."
"Heh-" Respect as well as pleasant surprise laid in Carlyle's eyes as his gaze fixated on his visitor.
His gaze was intense to the point Izaya grew almost uncomfortable.
"What?" He had never liked being stared at like that with no apparent reason or words.
Carlyle shrugged, "I heard you were quite the airhead. A womanizer with not much to his head."
Ah.
Izaya sighed, "Is that what I have been like?"
"Asking from a demon's perspective?"
Right.
Pulling the only chair in the room over Izaya sat on it with his hands folded as he hummed. "Well, maybe you can help me. Ever since the fall I have had trouble remembering a few things."
A bad decision.
Within seconds the mood in the small study shifted and Carlyle's warm gaze grew into something more cautious.
With regret Izaya realized he might have just scared the guy off. "Don't worry, I'm not possessed, I'm just a little confused. It's not too uncommon to be a little out of it after a fall like that, right?" He quickly saved himself with a little fluke.
Carlyle's expression remained the same but his eyes wavered slowly.
"Right," he mumbled, and a few awfully long couple of seconds passed before he sighed. "Well, from what I have heard you were quite the troublesome child. You used to skip fighting lessons to indulge in more… immoral actions with your father's maids for one thing. It might just be a rumor though. Apart from that I only heard that you excelled at archery. Hunting wasn't quite a skill to be honed but you won a contest even, so there is that."
Good aim huh?
That felt more right.
"So I am a loud womanizer who acts first before thinking?"
Carlyle snorted and his expression relaxed again. "More or less."
Interesting.
Quite convenient too.
That meant following this guy up here had been the perfect move. If he was already leading a reputation of questionable sexual desire then it was in character for him to accept any invitation possible.
Even if it was not quite Izaya's real goal, the gears of gossip were already turning no matter the true content of their actions up here.
It was then that the soft glimmer of something polished drew Izaya's attention.
Right underneath a staple of empty canvases.
"What is that?" he asked, pulled and Carlyle's expression fell.
"Ah, don't touch that-"
to be continued~
Alright this scene ended up a little longer than expected xD Guess the chaos has to wait until next time C:
With that being said see you again on Saturday when shit goes down C: C: C:
PS.: I couldn't make it in time for today, but I should be able to update one or two of my other stories tomorrow xD