Stumbling for the fifth time, Marquise quickly moved his new cane out in front of himself, using it to just-barely avoid falling on his face again. His deteriorated body was already crying out in pain and he'd only been practicing for ten minutes so far. 

You can do this. 

His arms shook as he rested his weight on the cane while trying to use it to balance at the same time. He knew that walking wouldn't be easy, but he refused to believe that he should remain in bed any longer. 

Besides, relying on someone else was never something he wanted to do, anyways, so having been incapacitated for so long had truly driven him a little mad. 

Now that his master was finally away again and the two elder vampires were nowhere to be seen, he'd finally pushed himself to try walking again. 

I'm glad he at least allowed me to request a cane for future use... and got it specially crafted within a day. 

Grinning at the thoughtfulness of the man who had given him a new life, Marquise quickly straightened as best he could on his damaged legs, then pursed his lips and carefully took another step after moving the gold-handled cane to his left side. 

He was technically right handed, but if he couldn't see where he was adjusting the cane when falling, then the device was far less affective in preventing a mishap. 

Keep going. Slow and steady is perfectly fine, he told himself as he carefully took another tiny step forward. He actually managed to get a little shuffle going as he focused everything he had on his task. 

It was honestly quite a surprise when he noticed the windowsill in front of his toes a few minutes later. 

I did it? 

Looking up after making sure that he was balanced well enough, Marquise stared out of the open window with a dazed expression on his face. 

I really did it. 

Grinning widely, he looked out onto the street and took in a deep breath as a warm gust of wind brought the scent of savory meals with it. 

Whatever's cooking nearby, it smells absolutely amazing. 

"What are you doing?" 

Hmm? No dog at the end of that sentence? 

Looking over his shoulder, Marquise eyed the man standing in the doorway with his arms crossed and a pout on his face. 

You look more like a dog than me right now with that expression. 

"Standing," was Marquise's eventual answer as he turned back to continue looking outside. 

 He heard an annoyed huff from behind him as footsteps began to approach, but it didn't really matter. He'd been in his current situation long enough to know that Vrasje wasn't going to harm him. At least, not for simply standing up without anyone there to help. 

"Taru is going to reprimand you," the elder vampire said as he stopped at his side, then reached up to grasp his jaw and turn his head toward him. 

So what if I fell a few times. I'm not going to break. 

Well, he didn't know that for sure considering how rundown his body was, but so far he'd only gotten a few scuffs and a little nick on his lower lip when a fang had clipped it during the last fall he'd taken. 

The man observing him seemed to immediately zero in on that mark, too, because he was soon leaning closer as his eyes narrowed suspiciously. 

Reaching up, Marquise quickly brushed aside the man's hand that was holding his jaw, then bowed his head slightly before lifting it to look him right in the eye. 

"What business do you have with me today, elder Vrasje? My master is out for the evening and I wasn't expecting any guests." 

Sure, his words sounded a bit rude, especially considering who he was talking to, but he just honestly didn't care. His master was Taru, not his master. Yes, he'd be respectful, for the most part, but there was only one person he planned on obeying. 

"And here I was going out of my way to see if you wanted to go eat out for the first time since coming here," Vrasje said, his voice tinged with cockiness as he folded his arms over his chest and leaned against the wall beside the window. 

If the man had said anything else, Marquise probably would have just shrugged him off and continued working, but... 

Food is my one true weakness. 

Steeling his nerves, Marquise pushed aside his false bravado and looked toward Vrasje. Except, right when he was about to open his mouth, the other man walked away and toward the small closet on the other side of the room. 

"At least Taru thought ahead and picked out some clothing for you," Vrasje said as he quickly went through the small amount of items hanging up until he found something he liked. 

Marquise was just getting back to his bed to take a rest when the man walked over and, with a knowing smirk, gave his shoulder the gentlest of nudges. 

That was all it took for Marquise to fall back onto the bed with an exhausted grunt. 

"Maybe you aren't ready for this after all," Vrasje said as he eyed him curiously. 

Marquise mumbled something too quiet to hear, then slowly pushed himself up into a sitting position again. 

"I'm going," he said sternly, even though his arms were shaking just trying to hold him upright. 

He could tell that Vrasje was contemplating pushing him over again, but thankfully the man seemed to decide against it and, instead, quickly rolled up part of the shirt in his hands after setting the other items down. He then lifted it over Marquise's hand before tugging it down so that it settled over his thin upper body. 

"A little too big, but considering that you can still eat human food, I think your body will fill out more. It should fit well in a few weeks," Vrasje said quietly before turning around and grabbing a pair of pants. 

Marquise lifted his legs a little in order to help with them, making the situation pass much quicker than it likely would have if he didn't. Vrasje even left him alone to zip then up, then buckle the few belts that were fastened to the fabric. 

These actually feel pretty nice. And the tan color looks good with the white shirt. 

Of course, it was a very simple outfit and didn't stand much of a chance against Vrasje's suit and gold and black striped tie, but he would look decent enough to walk beside the man. 

He stood up as soon as Vrasje finished slipping a simple pair of shoes onto his feet. There were thankfully no laces on them, but they still fit snuggly enough to not slip off. 

Marquise managed to stay upright on his own for a full five seconds before he was forced to lean forward and grab at Vrasje's suitcoat. 

"Sorry," he mumbled as he quickly but carefully reached down to retrieve his cane. 

There was silence from Vrasje until he was comfortable enough to straighten back up and give the man his attention. 

"You look like you're about to die. I can just carry you," he said, making Marquise frown and look down at his hand gripping his cane. 

His knuckles were white and he was sweating the slightest bit, but that didn't stop him from looking back up at the vampire in front of him with determination. 

"Once we get outside, I want to walk." 

Vrasje raised an eyebrow but didn't comment. Instead, he leaned over and gently lifted Marquise into his arms, then turned and walked out of the room. 

Marquise was practically vibrating with excitement as he was carried down the stairs, then, finally, out the front door. The moment the fresh air hit him he was carefully set down, then given Vrasje's right arm to hold onto. 

He gladly accepted the assistance without a word and wrapped his arm within his. Using that and his cane on his left side, Marquise actually managed a reasonable, albeit slow, pace. 

The cool early evening breeze rustled his scruffy hair as the fading sun brushed everything with a golden glow. 

I have missed being outside so much.

He did his best to hurry along, but his body just wouldn't have a change in pace. Eventually, even Vrasje slowed to a stop, forcing Marquise to halt, too. 

When he looked back at the man with his one good eye, confused about why they'd suddenly stopped, Vrasje reached up and patted his messy hair. 

"Calm down. We will be there shortly, but what is the rush? Are you not enjoying your time outside?" he questioned, making Marquise immediately shake his head.

"I am enjoying myself, my lord!" he said, his words hurried and unplanned. 

He realized his little slipup after a moment of silence. 

"U-uh, I really am enjoying myself. I suppose I just got too excited," Marquise said quickly. 

"Alright then, behave. I am the head elder for this town," Vrasje said as he began to walk again, making Marquise stumble for a moment before he managed to fall into step correctly. 

He's really the head vampire here? 

Of course, he knew that elder vampires weren't all that common to begin with, but really...

Glancing sideways at the man walking beside him, Marquise gave a quiet sigh. 

I'm not so sure he's cut out for that job. 

"My dear friend, have I not told you be—" Vrasje's words were abruptly cut off when a certain familiar peacock stepped out in front of them, halting their progress quite rudely. 

Marquise felt Vrasje's muscles tense beneath where he held his arm and figured that it was best to keep his mouth shut this time. 

"Elder Vrasje, what an honor to see you out and about on such a delightful evening," Kova said as he gave a little mocking bow. 

It was a well known fact that most vampires weren't the friendliest, but they managed to tolerate each other well enough to live amongst humans. Two elders, however...

I thought you guys were on good terms, though?

Vrasje glanced sideways at him for a moment before returning his full attention to Kova. Instead of responding right away like he thought he would, however, the elder vampire simply narrowed his eyes the slightest fraction, then moved to walk around the other man. 

To his surprise, Kova let them, but he then fell into step at Marquise's side, drawing quite a few whispers from the humans whose attention was now fixated on them.  

He was not a fan of such attention. Heck, even when he was a seriously strong werewolf, he didn't like people staring at him. Now that he was an undead mutt of some sort, he was honestly a little terrified. 

Humans never really liked wolves, even when I lived in a town that was learning how to accept them...

"Why are you taking lord Taru's heir out of the house without his permission?" Kova asked, making Vrasje's arm immediately warm beneath Marquise's. 

His escort didn't bother answering as they stepped into the restaurant they were evidently eating at. 

It smells amazing in here. 

It was just a little tavern with only eight tables total that were all full, but when an older man immediately greeted them and told them to follow him to the back, they obliged. 

He... has his own table. Why am I not surprised? 

Marquise quickly sat down, then heaved a loud sigh as his body began to finally relax its sore muscles. He hadn't been paying much attention to his aches and pains while they'd been walking, but now that he was sitting down, he realized that he might not be able to get back up after their meal. 

"Scoot over, pup." 

Blinking out of his thoughts, Marquise looked up with a frown. 

What are you still doing here? 

In fact...

"You weren't invited," Marquise said firmly, making Vrasje let a little snicker slip before he could catch himself. 

Kova spared the man a brief glance before narrowing his eyes on Marquise. 

"You should know better than to leave without your master's approval, Marquise."

Marquise looked across the table at Vrasje, then shrugged one shoulder as he returned his attention to Kova. 

"If my master has any issue with me leaving with his own master, then I will handle the situation when we return. As it is, I'm hungry and elder Vrasje offered to take me out to get something. If there is nothing else bothering you, please let us eat in piece," he said with an authority he no longer had, but felt like using anyways. 

Kova seemed at a loss for words, and when Vrasje leaned forward on an elbow and gestured him to move along with his other hand, the man's face turned vicious for a split second before he forced the hostile emotions away and replaced them with a fake smile. 

"You have a long way to go with that personality if you truly want to court my heir. Now leave so that I can take care of his little one so that he doesn't come back to an empty house," Vrasje said with a hint of frustration to his words. 

Kova bristled in response and nearly bared a fang, but managed to keep his cool this time and simply nodded, then quickly dismissed himself. 

Once they were finally alone Marquise grinned and looked down at the menu that had been waiting for them on the table. He grabbed it eagerly, licking his lips as he began scanning the lengthy options. 

"Get whatever you want. If you order more than one thing or can't finish anything, just take it home and eat it tomorrow," Vrasje said as he opened a smaller menu and began to browse it casually. 

Their waitress arrived after a few minutes and while Vrasje just ordered a rare steak and a goblet of spiked blood, Marquise ordered fried fish, a baked potato with butter and bacon, and a huge piece of dark chocolate cake. He wasn't too sure what he wanted to drink, but decided on getting a regular glass of blood, along with a cup of water, just in case. 

The silence that took over once they'd placed their orders was awkward, but understandable. They weren't friends, and to be truthful, they were barely acquaintances, if that. Sure, he'd been given a bath by the other man while they were both naked, but it had strictly been cleaning... and had felt amazing. 

He was about to think about asking the man to help him bathe again, but then caught himself when he remembered that he should be capable of doing it himself now. 

"I'll help you whenever you want," Vrasje said, surprising Marquise. 

Evidently his surprise had showed quite a bit on his face because Vrasje was now smirking at him as he leaned on the table with one arm.  

"Why would you?" Marquise asked after a long pause, honestly confused. 

He understood that the man was his master's sire, but why was he willing to help him so much when he hated werewolves enough to intentionally hunt them? 

Vrasje hesitated responding long enough for their food to appear in front of them. 

This... is the fastest restaurant I've ever been to. 

Granted, he hadn't been to many unless he was on official business to help assist the local packs he'd been in charge of, but anyways. With such amazing food in front of him, his mind immediately turned away from their pathetic conversation as he hastily dug into his meal. 

He could sense Vrasje watching him as he sipped his drink slowly, but who the hell cared. 

This food is fantastic! 

He couldn't manage to stop smiling as he quickly but respectfully went through his meal. The fish vanished first, followed by the cake second. The last thing that remained was half of the potato, and by this time the cheese had completely melted and merged with the chopped bits of bacon that had been generously heaped on top of it. 

The best part...

While most people, and wolves, rather enjoyed sweets, he was more of a savory and sour guy. He was also one to save his favorite for last. Or, at least, half of his favorite. 

"Would you like another potato to bring home?" Vrasje asked, finally drawing Marquise's attention across the table for the first time since their food had arrived. 

Without really thinking, Marquise immediately nodded, then realized that he had a little food smudged on his face. 

"Here," Vrasje said as he picked up a large cloth napkin and reached across the table. 

It almost seemed like he was going to wipe off whatever was around his mouth himself, but at the last second the man hesitated, then redirected his hand so that Marquise could take the proffered item. 

I already have a napkin, but I guess I'll just take yours since you're offering. 

Once he had finished wiping off his face, Marquise looked down at the napkin, then felt his face warm slightly at the mess he'd made of himself. 

"It's fine. You've been cooped up for a long time and fed very simple meals. It's perfectly normal to get a little carried away with some real food," Vrasje said before finishing the last bite of his small steak. 

Licking his lips self consciously, Marquise wiped his mouth one more time before setting the napkin aside and looking down at the table. 

Their waitress arrived a moment later with the bill, but that was evidently just on a tab, so Vrasje simply ordered an extra potato to go, and when it was brought a few minutes later, they got up to leave. 

Oh...

His legs were partially numb and partially trembling from overuse. 

"Here, hold this and your cane," Vrasje said as he handed Marquise his little container with the potato in it, then leaned over and carefully scooped him up into one arm. 

Marquise quickly wrapped his legs around the man's waist, then moved a little here and there until Vrasje was comfortable holding him. Once content, the vampire took his container, leaving him with just the cane that had a little loop around the head of it, allowing him to simply slip his hand through it to hold it. 

Needless to say, he was drifting in and out of sleep before they even got back outside. 

"You can rest, I'll put you to bed," Vrasje said as he calmly began walking back toward his home. 

Marquise mumbled something inaudibly, then nuzzled against Vrasje's neck before trying to speak again. His words came out staggered and not that clear, but they were at least loud enough to be heard this time. 

"Your pulse is weak... porcupine vampire, are you okay?" 

He actually had no pulse at all, but when he felt the man slow to a stop, Marquise gave a small yawn, then snuggled in against him more and lifted his free hand to grab at whatever it could hold onto... which was the collar of the man's fancy dress shirt. Then he smiled sleepily when he heard it. 

Vrasje began walking again a moment later as his heartbeat quickened within his chest, eventually setting a pace that perfectly matched Marquise's... and lulled him right to sleep.