Monster House

[potassiumboron]

There were some things in life that still managed to give Adalius pleasure. He may notoriously be a character known for his bitterness, grumpiness and miserable nature, but some things still enabled a little pleasure to ignite. Sometimes, it was simply the small things: watching corny reality shows, tucking into fast food, drinking a good bottle of beer alongside a good tub of ice cream, blasting his music loudly to irk his housemates. Granted, he didn't get much pleasure out of life now he was what he was, and had suffered two centuries and more of condemnation, but some things still made him smile.

The fact the weather was so atrocious was one of those things, and not just because he had always liked it. When it was stormy, nobody went outside, at least not out of choice, and that at least made him feel a little more normal to know he wasn't missing out on walking around the town. When the weather was sunny and perfect, and knowing everyone would be out enjoying it, his mood often soured. In the rain, his mood tended to lift and brighten in contrast.

Except, despite the roaring winds and hammering pellets of rain, he was far from being happy. His usual attire, usually consisting lazily of ripped jeans and a loose shirt, had been forcefully changed by a usually frantic Montague, who had shoved his friend into something more welcoming, given the arrival of the two housemates they would be welcoming in, purely to help with the problem of rent.

Unsurprisingly, Adalius was less than pleased about the developments. He might have complained about his predicament, but he did like being with Montague and Anna. Having some humans interrupt their lives was horrendous-- and he didn't think that it was a particularly wise option, either. Montague, though, thought that it was, and given it was still technically the ghost's house, there was little the demon could do to alter his proposition... though he could still make his feelings about it known.

"I just think it's a fucking awful idea. Anne's a vampire, y'know? What if she sucks the lives out of those guys we're offering to live 'ere?" Mumbled Adalius from the couch he claimed as his own every day, lounging out and sipping at his coffee - he was, at Montague's insistence, attempting sobriety for a little while, to prevent scaring off their new housemates. "Not that I mind. You have my blessing to kill 'em, Annie, 'specially if they're annoying as fuck."

"Do stop that incessant cussing, it's not clever, nor is it tasteful. Now, everything looks good, doesn't it? Yes? The drapes are far too dark for this living room, I'll get those altered in the week, and the vases aren't perfectly aligned, but I suppose that is just my technical eye..." Babbled Montague, dusting his old attire as he stood in the corner of the grand living room, his eyes dashing about to ensure everything was perfect. They had fallen behind on rent, and inviting humans to stay seemed to be the solution. Having strangers in his home for the first time really did make him conscious, and far more possessive of his designs and his decor than ever. Tiredly taking a seat, perched at the edge of his armchair, he delicately moved his hair from his face, finally managing a small smile at his long term companions. "Do be on your best behaviours, I'd appreciate it if we could welcome them in and make them comfortable. We need the money, and... maybe they will become good friends of ours, who knows?"​

 

[saturnia pavonia]

"I do. I'm absolutely certain that I'm not going to be friends with these two, hm? Some classless humans, thinking they can just stroll in here... Are you sure we can't find another way to make money, Monty? I'm serious. Don't be surprised if one of them goes to bed and doesn't wake up. You know it's been harder to find some unsuspecting humans that just so happen to be around..." Came the German's response as she wandered down the stairs. Unlike Adalius, it wasn't very surprising to see Anna in a dress and lipstick. Hell, the only time she didn't really wear her pastel dresses and sweaters was when she had practically locked herself in her studio, which she was literally only a half hour prior.

Nonetheless, she had prettied herself up easily, doing the same makeup she used when she went out, it was often used to make her look human, and alive, the opposite of how she looked naturally. Granted, if someone did question her pasty complexion, she could always chock it up to being sick easily. When it came to her eyes, though? She had to, reluctantly, be forced to wear a pair of contacts she bought. Despite her baby-doll aesthetic, though, Anna took no time bitterly sitting down besides Adalius with the same angry aura. Eyeing the youngest of the three, she reluctantly sighed and at least straightened her posture.

"Look, I'll be on my best behavior- we all will be. You need to realize that this is a big change, though, Monty. Don't expect me to be happy. As long as they stay out of my studio, I think I'll manage."

 

[potassiumboron]

"Speaking of your study, I do wish you would allow me to decorate it. That room used to be the spare room my cousin Victoria slept in when she came to visit, and Mother never allowed me to decorate it because my dear cousin was sensitive to certain fabrics. It was undeniably annoying, and I would like to come in and finally get it up to standard," argued the youngest as he smoothed his hair down again, trying to get himself up to scratch, even though, when he donned such expensive clothes, he would always stand out, as he very much wanted. He adored his fine clothes, after all, and if anything, his death was finely timed to coincide with him wearing his best clothes. If he had been killed donning his night-clothes, he would be mortified to this day.

"A nice patterned wallpaper would suit your study perfectly, perhaps a nice rich red. Oh, and I could have some curtains made to match, black with gold fastenings... But I'm dreaming, I suppose. they would only get ruined by splashed paint, and I'm not spending the remainder of my money on decorating a room that paint is splashed around in," continued the ghost as he bit on his lip, placing his hands rigidly on his knees and forcing himself to smile, even if he wanted to fuss over a loose strand of Anna's hair, and remind Adalius to tuck his shirt in and brush back his hair. He knew not to, given he would just be teased for his persistent fretting, and stressing over small details, despite it being what he did best, wasn't wise to do when they had guests coming.

And just outside the large home, stood on the steps just opposite the large, grand door, were said guests, Madelyn having taken the initiative in dragging her brother to the door until stopping short of knocking in hesitance. Being accepted to move on without even seeing the owners had been a surprise, but a welcome one. The house was large, and from its appearance, she did assume its owners were of a certain class, and so, if they had wanted a meeting first, she didn't think they would welcome her and her brother in. Though, a part of the easy agreement had been her promise over the phone that they could keep up with payments of rent. In reality, the elder of the siblings realised that was impossible... but she thought that she could blag her way through a couple of months before being asked to leave. It was worth it: a couple of months off the street and hiding from the police was just what they needed.

"Try not to be a doofus in there, alright? I bet they're posh," mumbled Madelyn as she fixed her pink hair in the reflection of the large, golden door knocker, before fixing up her dark lipstick. She didn't care what people thought of her, but presenting a good image so they wouldn't be turned away in disgust didn't seem too bad an idea. Turning to smooth her brother's hair down in return, she smiled to herself at the opportunity they had in front of them to have a home for a little while-- if they didn't fuck it up. "Right, you sure 'bout this? I mean, it ain't gonna be fun. I don't trust people, 'specially if they're all posh and pretentious..."​

 

[saturnia pavonia]

While Anna and the others prepared for their proper introduction, John was simply staying back, taking in the house with awe. The whole house idea was Madelyn's idea, and he hadn't seen the house up close until that moment, so it was unsurprising that the man would be so bewildered. It wasn't until he felt his sister mess with his naturally messy locks that he offered him a calm smile. After all, he could easily sense his sister's nerves, and he was high enough off of a good blunt to be the one to keep the other at peace.

"Look, sis', you'll be fine. Hell, this place is even better than home! It's fucking huge... There's got to be something messed up, man. Whatever, I'm not complaining. Why are you acting so nervous, though? Like, why do you feel like you need to act all nice and shit? We pretend to pay, they leave us alone. Simple." He murmured, while adjusting his bags with a goofy grin. "I can't wait to sleep."

 

[potassiumboron]

"Because we can't exactly just show up looking awful, Johnny. We need to make an effort. I don't give a shit how I look, but in this case, it's sorta important. They could take one look at us and turn us away-- you shouldn't have fucking had that joint, it's so obvious that you're still high," bitterly moaned the elder sibling, before steeling her nervousness and rapping her knuckles against the door, straightening her slouched posture and fixing a false smile to her face to at least look like she wanted to meet the person on the other side of the door. In reality, she had no intention of being friends - she wanted a room and that was it: she was perfectly happy to live as a stranger to them.

Despite it being Anna that had opened the door, Montague pushed past to offer his happy smile at the two humans. He was, obviously, the most social out of the three, and the least likely to want to throttle the two where they stood-- and besides, it had been two centuries since he last saw anyone other than Anna and Adalius. His curiosity was on high, and laying eyes on the humans almost prompted him to an overflow of emotion... but he managed to hold them back after sharing a glance with the vampire.

"Do come in, it's a pleasure to see you. We spoke on the phone-- Madelyn, yes? And Johnathan," he praised, ushering them in and smoothing out his clothes a final time. "I'm Montague, as I explained-- this is Anna, ad Adalius is in the living room. You will have to excuse him, he has an affinity to laziness-- no matter, come on through! We have a few rules to iron out, a little get-to-know each other, then we can settle in over a nice meal-- where, if I may be so bold, is your luggage? You travel lightly, I assume?"​

 

[saturnia pavonia]

Watching the two critically, Anna remained practically silent while keeping besides Montague. Maybe it was her old maid duties, or her simple lack of proper social skills, but it was far from a proper and welcoming introduction as she stiffly offered her hand. All the while, she scanned the two for even the slightest mistake or whatnot... which wasn't hard to find. She locked on to the small baggage as well, before snorting in disbelief. Was Montague that naive? For fucks sake, it was obvious something wasn't right.

"Yes, I'm Anne. It's a.. pleasure, to meet you, I suppose. Getting some fresh, lively faces will be healthy. I hope, at least." She murmured, her accent particularly thick in that moment, as it often was when she was annoyed or bitter. "I'll show you to your room, after Montague has the dinner. It was incredibly difficult to get all of the stuff we needed for this."

Johnathan ran his fingers through his reddened locks, the large backpack on his back and the suitcase besides him in tow. He took it upon himself to carry in their shared things, even if it wasn't much to carry, but it made him feel like he was helping. With his usually goofy smile, he walked past Anna to curiously peer at the elegantly decorated home.

"Holy sh- crap, this place is fancier than I thought. I mean, the outside is pretty beat up, but this place is a historic landmark, after all. Oi, is it okay if we get to see our rooms first? I don't want to carry all of our stuff, and I could use a shower ASAP." He explained, almost instantly abandoning the idea of acting respectful as he kicked off his shoes and carefully set them aside. "I'd love to hang out with you guys, you seem rad- you have TV?"

 

[potassiumboron]

Staring at the two newcomers with a suddenly confused and perplexed expression, the various choice of words, for someone whose mind was often locked in the past, were mind-boggling for the ghost. Nervously laughing in an effort to play off his confusion coolly, he did decide, somewhat bravely, to confront the confusion face on, even if it subsequently made him appear out of touch and odd, but in his eyes, it was better than pretending.

"Rad? What on earth does that mean? I'm... not familiar with that. B-But I'm glad you like my home! It is a historical landmark, I do appreciate you for that. I've kept the old furnishings, the unique carvings in the wood beams, the old fireplace back from the eighteenth century. H-Hopefully you'll love it and appreciate it as much as I do. I'd love to show you around properly! I-I've personally decorated each of the eight bedrooms myself."

"Rad means cool, Monty. He ain't exactly a modern guy," murmured Adalius as he wandered into the scene, leaning casually on the doorway to place faces to the voices he had listened to, whilst unsubtly rolling his eyes at Montague's frantic and excited display at hearing his beloved home be complimented by the human. "It's a house, it's nice and warm, that's basically it. Choose a bedroom, keep outta my way and we'll get on just fine."

"O-Oh-- Oh, you're funny. H-He's joking, of course. We're happy to have you guys here. Now, you mention a TV... I think we have one-- it's one of those peculiar moving picture boxes, isn't it? We have one in the living room, Adalius and Anna insisted... N-Now, I've baked a scrummy lemon drizzle cake with cream cheese frosting, and it'd go down lovely with a cup of tea, if you'd care to come join me? You can take a nice hot shower after that."

"...Sure," answered Madelyn, though, as Monty eagerly clasped his hands together and dashed to the kitchen, she shot her brother a raised eyebrow and a few words under her breath. "He's fucking insane. She's a bitch and that one's a drunk. They're strange, it's a mad house, Johnny."​

 

[saturnia pavonia]

"First of all, this was your idea," reminded John, as he wandered a bit towards the stairs, "... secondly, it's better than the streets, right? Like, I dunno, 'sis. I've got a good feeling about this place. It's nice, it's warm, it's got a TV and shower... and hell, the landlord cooks! Just... we'll keep out of their business, and I'm sure they'll do the same." He reassured her, before offering a smile and a playful nudge.

All the while, Anna still watched them intently, her eyes cutting through the two like daggers as she folded her arms. She knew it was just a feeling, but something about the two seemed... familiar, she just couldn't quite figure it out. Nonetheless, she wandered over with a smile, and forced her urge to simply suck the two dry out of mind.

"Montague has his rules, sure, but I have my own. Stay off of the third floor, and especially stay away from my studio. I could easily snap both of your necks in an instance, but we need the money and Monty would probably cry- his crying is irritating. I hope that we can live together peacefully, as long as you stay far away from me."

 

[potassiumboron]

"Oh, I second that. I don't want to make friends, that shit ain't ideal for me. Monty has these grand ideas of us bonding over some cake, but he's essentially a grown-up child. Saying that, I recommend you at least entertain him tonight. He's easily upset, and he's been planning this for weeks," mumbled Adalius, attempting to play his protectiveness off coolly and nonchalantly, as though he didn't care too much, whereas, in truth, he cared a lot about Montague. The ghost was the only one in the family who really held hope for their future. If anyone had the right to be pessimistic, it would be Montague, given he could never leave the house even if the others found a way to end their condemnation. However, his constant cheeriness had persisted for two centuries straight. As annoying as it was for the demon to have to sit through, it made him fiercely protective - he didn't want Monty's optimism to be shut down and ruined.

"You guys are a real ray of sunshine, ain't 'ya?" Maddie responded sarcastically, figuring that she could lower her false facade a tad when faced with the grumpiness the two displayed, rolling her eyes at their threats as she hitched a backpack over her shoulder and walked inbetween them to the kitchen, even if she nudged Anna out of the way to do so. "C'mon Johnny, you want cake, don't you? And apparently, we gotta be nice to the kid or we're gonna get our necks broken."

"...Keep calm, would you? You're being rude." Adalius slowly murmured to the vampire as he watched the humans follow Monty, glancing to Anna and, typically, placing the blame on her for Maddie's sarcastic and rude responses. "Jeez, can't you fake being nice, Annie? I've been a gentleman thus far, try and follow my lead, would you? Good god, you're useless~"​

 

[saturnia pavonia]

"At least I help around the house, make sure that we get fed. All the while, you chug down some beer and watch the television all day. I don't want to hear a single complaint, hm~?" She cooed sarcastically, while wandering to meet up with Montague, desperate to get the hell out of the same room with the humans. "I think my anger is justified. For Monty to let these nobodies in? They're even more disgusting than I thought. Look, call me down when dinner is ready. I want sleep."

 

[potassiumboron]

"Go on, go rest your pretty little head and leave me having to help Monty out with those humans. Nice to know you're a team-player, Fangs," responded Adalius just as sarcastically back in return, making a purposeful move to ruffle her hair up, purely to irk her, before wandering into the kitchen after the humans. In only a few short seconds, he immediately wished he had followed Anna up and went to his own room for some sleep. Watching Monty babble about his house to the two, in his element as he carved up the baked cake, was a nice sigh,t, granted... but Adalius had had two centuries of listening to Montague gush about every detail of his home. Listening to that for the billionth time once more was tedious beyond belief.

"And, well, I just think that people who don't match colours are utterly absurd, don't you? Anna once claimed to have seen a show on that television box where the living room was pink and green, can you imagine? What an atrocity to the human eye," babbled the ghost as he eagerly plated up the slices of cake for the newcomers, perching a nice cup of tea on the matching saucers to accompany the treat. "So, the first payment of rent is in a week, if you can manage that. Anna will sort out that side of things, I don't quite understand how it all works, to be frank. I-I'm a whizz at baking, but good gosh, I can't solve the simplest of mathematical equations, I'm that useless... a-ahem... Will you be joining us for dinner tonight? I'm making a nice roast dinner, and you're certainly welcome to sit at the table and eat with us all..."

"Monty, it's bad enough they're living with us. If they're eating with Anna and I, I'll shoot my brains out," grunted Adalius frankly from the side, his lip curling in disgust. "You two, you just go out for fast food or something. You aren't getting involved with our mealtimes, not a chance. You live here. That's it. We ain't best buds."​

 

[saturnia pavonia]

"Nah, I think this is pretty rad. Getting all together, eating like a family? I mean, i think it's nice for a first meeting," protested John, who easily lounged out on the large kitchen table. He was desperate to eat something hot, and a piece of cake definitely didn't sound too bad. With a wide smile, he adjusted his sunglasses before rummaging through his bag to tug out his lighter.

"Hey, I'm curious. I, uh... I smoke, you know? Cigarettes, and stuff. Is that cool? I'll just smoke in my room, nowhere else. It's just good for me, you know? Plus, neither of us will be here much anyway..."

 

[potassiumboron]

"Oh, cigarettes, yes... I'm not entirely a fan of them particularly, they have a funny smell that tends to linger, but I could put out fresh roses and use some of that air freshener Adalius introduced me to, so... yes, it shouldn't be an issue! I'm accommodating, so smoke should you wish to, that's fine," agreed Montague, despite the incredulous glare his demon friend shot him. Adalius had tried smoking once, a few years ago, only to be slapped at by Montague who exclaimed it was a dirty habit and wouldn't do him any favours.

"A-Anyway, you two are welcome to smoke if you want, just not around the house. And do try not to fall asleep with the cigarette still flaming. The house is made of wood, majorly, so it will be set alight rather easily, and... this is my home, my ancestor's home, so I'd rather it didn't go up in flames," the ghost continued as he gently picked his cup up, even if he hadn't had a sip for obvious reasons. He couldn't exactly drink anything, but he could at least pretend that he was having little sips, just for the look of normality. "And I've spent hundreds of pounds decorating it, I don't want all that to go to waste~"​

 

[saturnia pavonia]

"I promise I'll smoke outside, in the back. Scout's honor." He declared, before shooting his sister a wide grin. Of course, he had promised to stick to just using cigarettes, and the occasional blunt, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to search the new city one in awhile for a hit. He had to abandon his former friends for this, but John wasn't afraid to find ways to make friends. After all, he was attractive and nice, that's all you need, right?

"So, Montague, are you, like, an actor?" He asked, his hand now resting in his head as he took in the details Montague babbled about. It was, admittedly, interesting. He had heard about the house briefly in history class, so to live in it? That was pretty fucking cool. "Why aren't your roommates as nice as you?"

 

[potassiumboron]

"You think I'm nice? Oh, you're far too sweet! I... had ideas of being an actor in the theatre once. Mother said I would have made a fine actor, but alas, my situation meant that it was more than improbable. I was more suited to being indoors and out of the main spotlight, so I turned my focus on decorating-- building on what was here before I moved in a few years back," lied Monty, having been drilled over and over by his friends over the course of the week to ensure that he stuck to the lie: he bought the house five years ago, he had known Adalius since birth, and Adalius had known Anna from their time dating and invited her to stay in the house.

"The others are nice too, goodness. Anna's an artist, you know. She takes her work very seriously, so that's why she may appear a tad stressed. Adalius is... well... he's just a grumpy person when he doesn't get a lot of sleep, so do ignore him," continued Montague as he cast said man a weary look as he grabbed a beer, his apparent sobriety ending the moment he knew he couldn't deal with the humans without alcohol in his veins. "...A-Anyway, let me show you to your bedroom, Johnathan. Your sister seems a little busy," he pointed out, sliding off the stool as he glanced to the pink-haired girl currently engaged in a discussion with Adalius, that was slowly turning heated from her refusal to quit her sarcasm toward him. In truth, she was trying to at least get the demon to drink somewhere else away from her brother. He stunk of alcohol, and a tall, intimidatingly strong alcoholic reminded her far too much of her father.​

 

[saturnia pavonia]

Shooting a nervous glance towards his sister, John awkwardly got to his feet to trail behind. He desperately wanted to bring his sister with, his anxiety having been relatively tamed due to the drugs, until being peeled away from Madelyn. He smiled over at the man nonetheless, while pressing his backpack close to his chest, seeing it as a form of comfort.

"Hey, uh... Maddie's room won't be too far from mine, right? I'd prefer that they'd be right next to each other, to be honest. I'm, uh... Not the biggest fan of being away from her for too long. I know that sounds weird, right? But, hey, it's me. No one's really normal, huh?" He babbled, albeit softly, while making his way up the stairs with a final glance towards his sister.

 

[potassiumboron]

"You could always share the room if you'd like? I equipped one of the bedrooms with two beds. Granted, I was going to give you the spare room with this amazing double bed, but... of course you want to be with your sister, that's completely fine," promised Montague as he grabbed onto the railing to pull himself up the stairs. At least, he would accept that as the reason, even though he was trying to force himself to keep his feet on the floor. He had gotten used to frequently floating up the stairs, finding it much quicker and less laborious than dragging his feet up every individual step, but obviously, floating in front of the human wouldn't be the wisest decision, especially as he quite liked Johnathan. Anyone that complimented his home was set in his good books, and someone that went further than that to personally compliment him was a bonus.

"I don't have siblings, but Adalius and Anna are quite like family, and I know I couldn't bear to be apart from them. Anna is like my older sister, and Adalius is like a protective older brother-- even though I personally find him rather cute. Don't tell him that, though. Neither of them know I'm, you know... sexually attracted to those of a male persuasion, let's say-- right, here we are," he proudly beamed as he tugged open the bedroom door, happy to get off the subject of his sexuality. He rarely ever broached it, and stumbling accidentally on it now hadn't been the best topic for the bashful ghost to talk about. "It's large enough, and as you can hopefully tell, I've decorated in here recently. The carpet is new, and it's really rather expensive, so do try not to drop anything onto it. I don't want to stain it..."​

 

[saturnia pavonia]

"So, you're gay?" He casually murmured, while tossing his bag to the side. With a smile, he rolled his eyes before waving dismissively. "Jeez, you think that's a big deal? Dude, it's cool if you like guys. Nothing's wrong with it, man. I get that your whole aesthetic is, like, old-timey and stuff. I don't understand why you gotta act like it, you know? Like, I've had a few boyfriends in my life. Clearly, though, if you're afraid to talk about it, you can come to me~!" He cooed comfortingly, his hands stretching out. "I can hook you up with a pal of mine."

 

[potassiumboron]

"I... I am not ashamed, I just think it doesn't need to be broadcast from the rooftops, is all," explained the ghost under his breath, thankful in that moment for his death because he would inevitably be blushing a profuse scarlet at the talk of his sexual preferences. Coming from a time where it was deemed inappropriate to discuss anything like that openly, at least in his societal class and family, he still struggled with it now, even despite living with a demon who constantly groaned about wanting sex and spent his days trying to persuade Anna to date him again.

"My mother knew I liked men, but she was mostly disappointed, while my father would have throttled me and disowned me, so I wisely chose to keep it to myself-- I-I don't need to 'hook up' with anyone, Johnathan. You're a very sweet boy and I-I appreciate that this is something I can talk to you with, seeing as you apparently have had.... boyfriends yourself, b-but let's not discuss this further, okay? I really have no grand desires to share my life romantically," answered Montague, busying himself to distract from his bashfulness by dusting down the drapes and arranging the cushions on the other single bed in the room. "...If you are going to bring people home, while we're on the topic, please don't make a mess. I imagine it can be messy. Adalius and Anna used to date, and they often left their bedroom in a disgusting state. I'd... appreciate you cleaning up after yourself, to save me doing it..."​

 

[saturnia pavonia]

"Don't worry, I'm not with anyone right now. Cruising the single life and all that, you know? The last relationship I was in was sort of shitty, you know? I thought this girl was rad and all that, but hey, she had to go and nark on me to one of my old... uh, friends. Like, who does that, you know?" He snorted, before taking a seat on the bed with a grimace in memory. "Like... Have you ever been in a relationship? I mean, don't do it. It's awful."