dear_mun | canon is johannes cabal :|

Oh? Well, if this is truly none of my business, I'll be off then. Don't come looking for me in any crypts you might have locked me in, I assure you I won't be there.

[ argh dammit horst where do you think you're going exactly ]

You won't? Pity. I'll just have to do a better job of locking you up next time, then.

[Nowhere in particular, just walking away slowly, doot dee doo...]

You assume there will be a next time. Things have a way of... not going very well for me whenever you come around.

That's right. You did always say that I should come with a warning label.

[ He'll just watch him like a fucking hawk, then, arms folded uncomfortably across his chest. ]

Though I'd say you're more than capable of creating trouble for yourself without my aid.

Warning label, signs, and a bell around your neck. [He smiles and laughs dryly to himself.

He knows he should walk away. He owes Johannes nothing, never did, not after the crypt, certainly not after the carnival. Whatever scheme or deal or trouble his younger brother is in now is none of his business. Horst doubts Johannes has learned anything since then, though he also likes to believe there is some bit of kindness or humanity left in him.

Fuck you. Ah, he meant those words. Didn't regret them either.

But he stops walking. Stops, stands there, then looks over his shoulder at his younger brother.]

I'm not the one that sold my soul to Satan then tried to win it back with a wager. How did that go, by the way?

[ The infuriating thing about Horst is that Johannes is spectacularly awful when it comes to read him. Not that he is himself a master of the human psyche, but people, on the whole, tend to be.. predictable.

Most of the time, however? Johannes doesn't have a single verdammt clue as to what his brother is thinking.

It's annoying. ]

I'm standing here, aren't I? [ A pause. ] Though I suppose that doesn't mean much, given the circumstances. The soul is just as prickly as I remembered it being, Horst.

So you are... [He murmurs the words reflectively, wondering what Johannes might have done to get himself out of that particular little situation. There are many things that can be said about Johannes Cabal and intelligent and is one of them, that Horst has never doubted. Intelligent, but also very narrow-minded about things.]

Prickly? I suppose so, though I can't entirely say for myself. In some lore, it's believed vampires do not have souls and are nothing more a demon inhabiting a dead body.

[ Horst, you should probably be careful what you say around your madman scientist of a brother. ]

I'm sure there are ways to find out.

[ -- several experiments that he can think of offhand to detect souls in creatures. He squints thoughtfully at him, likely pondering the most irritating ones he could administer. ]

[Horst laughs, rich, amused, exasperated, expectant, disbelieving, happy all rolled up into a single sound.] You never change, do you, Johannes.

[ There is nothing on the planet that might actually make him admit that he's glad to see his brother. There's a flicker of something, though, a ghost of what might be a smirk just barely twitching the corner of his lip. ]

Far be it from me to not test the lore when presented with the opportunity.

I confess I would be concerned if you didn't wish to experiment. Though no, even for the sake of scientific inquiry, don't come near me with your toolkit. [He straightens out his jacket.] I enjoy being in one piece, thank you very much.

If you enjoy being in one piece, just think of how much fun you'd have in five or six.

[ He didn't miss you.

Nope. ]

I suppose it would mean more people can enjoy my company at once.

Again: I'm open to testing this theory. Just say the word.

And may that word be never heard. [He crosses his arms and walks closer to give Johannes a scrutinizing look.] Speaking of being in one piece, are you all in one? No nasty little side-effects I should be aware of?

[ Johannes's chin tilts up, face pulling into an expression of mild disgust. ]

I have a conscience. Mostly functional. Absolutely galling. Haven't decided quite yet what I'm going to do to fix it.

Might I suggest community service at the local orphanage or animal shelter? That will fix your conscience right up.

Why don't you get to it? Let me know how it goes. Preferably via letter that I can pretend I didn't receive.

And let you miss out on the joy of little kittens shedding on your black slacks? Never.

I had a kitten, once. Only for a few hours, of course.

canon is johannes cabal :|

I apologize in advance for how utterly rusty I am with him.

i can't even be bothered

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