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They were lucky to reach San Francisco two nights after leaving the Sabbat city. There was still a chance for disappointment, but they had at least been granted a chance to present themselves to the Prince. As soon as they passed through the city limits they headed for the offices kept by the Venture.
Julianna and Suneyva had at least one thing in their favor; they had met Vannevar Thomas once before. He had needed to pass through their wilderness area when he was traveling to San Francisco many years before and they had granted him that courtesy. Now they hoped that he would do the same for them.
Vannevar wasn't exceptional looking, nor would he stand out in a crowd for any other reason; save for his grace and bearing. He was definitely Ventrue though. From wealth and with a knack for aquiring more wealth he had carefully woven himself amoung the city founders and gradually came to power only a few short decades before. He greeted the three Gangrel with that grace and they were made to feel somewhat more comfortable.
Suneyva stood a few paces before her Childer, who had the good manners to bow to the Prince. "Prince Thomas, I present myself to you as Gangrel and as one who is called Suneyva, and I present my Childer Julianna and Jesse. We seek respite from our travels and ask permission to remain within San Francisco for three nights before moving on." She bowed formally.
Vannevar laughed a little, "You are of course welcome to stay in this city for those nights. Alicia McGreb is Gangrel Primogen and you'll find her at the Alexandrian Club, or the Vampire Club within. She will help if you decide to feed while in the city. Be welcome Suneyva, and keep watch of your Childer."
*
Jesse flinched away from the older Toreador, but Julianna held onto his shoulders so he couldn't really move away like he wanted to.
"Sebastian! It's been ages since we've seen you. This is our newest, my brother, Jesse." Julianna grinned.
The artist was much more reserved. "A lady of your character is an honor to this establishment, my dear Julianna. But what of your brother? Is he yet civilized?" His gaze lingered over Jesse's slight frame until he saw the boy was trembling slightly.
Jesse broke free and slipped into the crowds in the Vampire Club. He didn't want to have anyone look at him like Sebastian had been doing. There had been plenty enough of that recently and for now he just wanted to find a nice quiet place to be alone in. It didn't seem that the club was the right place to look. He was grabbed half a dozen times as he passed through the crowded dance floor.
Julianna had finally let Jesse go, sensing how scared he really was, and turned to her friend. "He's young and he has been hurt. Suneyva and I are doing our poor best to help him, but it seems that unless we find someone who has skill in dealing with his type of trauma time is our best bet on a cure for his pain." She frowned slightly and he took her chin in his gloved hand to look into her eyes.
"Childe, there is always hope. Don't give up on this or he will know. He needs you to hope for him if he cannot do it himself. Never forget that." Sebastian let her go and shook out his hand. "Was the boy abused? Perhaps I know of someone who might be of assistance. Being Malkavian they may not be sensical, but it could not hurt to get advice.
*
Malkavians make wonderful psychologists, perhaps because of their own derangements it is easier for them to spot such weaknesses in others. The advice this one gave was a little hard to take, however.
"What do you mean by that? His trauma was caused by rape, we don't want him to go through that again. How is he going to be able to trust any man enough to fell comfortable with sex?" Suneyva pulled at her collar. It was getting to hot in the little office.
"The best cure, the best cure, better than sugar I am sure." The Malkavian sat behind a cardboard box, prescribing in a sing song voice. He looked up to meet the Gangrel's serious expression with crossed eyes, and despite her trouble with the advice Suneyva had the urge to laugh. "How to trust, it is a must, so give him friends, it is the end." He laughed at his own pun and Sebastian needed to escort Suneyva out of the office before she did the nutcase some damage.
"I agree with him. If Jesse could have a safe encounter...one that wasn't abusive and had an escape for him...I think that it might well be a step towards being able to trust again. You know very well that it can be damned lonely living for so long without a companion. Don't miss a chance to help your Childe because the advice sounds crazy. There are many who say the best way to cure an ill is more of what caused it." He turned in the hall to face her. "I know someone, a Kine. He can be trusted and I know that he wouldn't harm to Childe. Have Jesse at the Alexandrian Club in one hour and they can meet. It can be Jesse's decision whether or not to do more than that."
Suneyva stopped outside the delapidated office and waited for her thoughts to clear before continuing. This seemed almost cruel, but what if it could work? She supposed that as long as it was Jesse's decision...
*
The young man Sebastian had with him was very attractive in his tuxedo. He smiled brightly at Jesse for a brief moment before looking the young Kindred over a little more. Evidently he liked what he saw. Jesse suddenly felt very out of place in his jeans and flannel; it was so right in the woods, but this club was far from what he was used to. He watched the Kine carefully to see if there was any more reaction; trying in vain to control his Hunger which was responding to the man's very tangible desire for him.
"Hello Jesse, I'm David." The Kine smiled at him again, a little wider than before, and tried to catch his eye. "Would you feel comfortable talking to me during dinner? Dinner for me that is; I haven't eaten yet tonight and we could get to know each other a little better."
He had a beautiful smile. Jesse suddenly wanted to say yes, but he looked to Suneyva first. She nodded slightly, but his decision was almost made for him when she left with Sebastian to go to the Vampire Club. The two young men were left in the lobby; a moment of uncomfortable silence beginning between them.
"Shall we?" David held out a hand and with only a secind of hesitation Jesse took it. They entered the restaurant together and though Jesse was not exactly dressed for the formal dining room there was no problem with his presence there.
Jesse was enjoying the chance to watch David eat. He missed real food so much and this was the closest he had gotten in a very long time to an actual human eating. It wasn't until the dessert course that they started talking, but Jesse had already begun to feel a little more comfortable.
He was still nervous, but it came and went in little manic moments. He wanted to like this man, but he was scared to. He wondered what is would be like to be with David, but that terrified him also; he didn't know his own heart anymore. What if David wanted to hurt him? He seemed nice and he was Sebastian's Ghoul, whatever that meant, but all of the experience he had warned him to leave before anything got started.
"Jesse, I know you can probably sense this, but I want to say it; I find you very attractive. You are a very pretty boy and you seem to be completely unaware of that fact. Maybe that is one of the reasons you are so beautiful. I don't have the ability to sense what you feel, but I hope that you like me too." David looked away a little self consciously and chuckled. "I suppose you hear that a lot."
"No, I don't. I'm usually alone with Suneyva and Julianna and they don't have much use for men at all." He blushed, the warmth of his earlier kill apparent in his cheeks. "I think that I do like you, but I'm not sure about this...Suneyva told me that you were going to help me, but that it was my choice."
"And what is your choice Jesse? Would you say yes to me?" David gestured sharply for the check to be brought over and they left the restaurant as Jesse pondered the question.
Jesse walked to the foot of the winding staircase in the lobby, and turning he looked back to meet David's eyes. "Yes."
*
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