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Edwin tilted his head back as he watched Konrad head towards the bar, the smile spreading slightly across his face as a thought went through his mind.
Freelance entrepreneurship. Sounds like a guy I could get on well with.
When the wallflower returned, Edwin raised an eyebrow at Konrad's drink. "Yeah, perhaps. You paid money for that?" he joked, grinning magnetically.
"Yeah, well, whatever the kids are drinking these days," grumbles the Savage at the joke without any real bitterness in the tone. "There's so many different ways to mix 'em now I can't remember one from the other." Konrad takes a tentative sniff of the cocktail, trying to guess its contents. He waits on any attempt to consume it. "So what about you, Edwin? Gotta be more to you than just clubbing. Not that there's anything wrong with that if I'm wrong. Sometimes you gotta live each night to its fullest." For a Kindred, adventuring the clubs is just a means to an end. How one finds fulfillment in their Requiem is a different story.
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"Nah, man, I'm a tattooist by trade, been doing it most of my life," Edwin replied with a grin. He pulled out a plain white card with his contact details on it and his slogan emblazoned in red: Drawing Blood.
The Lord passed it to Konrad. "Tattoos are a way to express myself and I love to help others get their inner passions on show for the world to see. Nothing quite like the thrill of the buzzing needle. Got any ink yourself, Konrad?"
"Hmm," hmms Konrad as he peers at the presented card. "Card and everything, eh?" Even before his Embrace, Konrad was no stranger to tattoos, though they fell in decline of popularity after World War II. Only after his change did they have a resurgence in American culture during the 70's and 80's. But lots of people Konrad associated with had tattoos. The only reason he hadn't gotten one since is because they just the ink would just expel from his body. That and Konrad thought the identifying marks would make him more recognizable or more dangerous looking.
"Can't say that I have," answers Konrad, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "But there's an interesting symbolism in its...permanence. So your tattoos represent your inner passions, do they? Any stories to go along with them or would you say they speak for themselves?" It is an interesting way to spend one's Requiem, painting flesh like a canvas. Konrad wonders if Edwin got his current tattoos before or after his Embrace, or if he changes or reapplies them nightly.
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"Oh, plenty of stories," Edwin grinned, looking at his exposed arms that only touched the surface of the sheer volume of ink covering his flesh. "This one has a special meaning to me, the exact time my life changed for the better, if you catch my drift, whereas this one I got when I used to run with a group of guys back in Santa Monica in my youth."
"If you ever wanted a design, I'd be more than happy to oblige," Edwin grinned.
In the dim light of the Reverence, Konrad looks over the artwork that adorns Edwin's blushed skin. The floral timepiece, where time had literally stopped for Edwin and he has come into full bloom. The symbolism is not lost on Konrad. Used to run with a group? A gang-member maybe? thinks Konrad while observing the shark and anchor motif.
"Interesting," remarks Konrad with a smirk. "Maybe... I'd have to give it some thought. You know, I spent a good amount time in L.A. before coming here. How long were you living in Santa Monica?" Konrad doesn't remember Edwin so he doubts if their paths have crossed. The amount of space and Kine occupying those cities would make it difficult to meet all the lurking predators. Plus Konrad had kept a low profile during his time there.
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"Yeah, man, born and bred. Cali-boy through and through. Santa Monica Sharks for life," Edwin grinned, obviously playing up the part of the gang-member, even throwing up some questionable hand-signals. He finally clapped his hands together, laughing. "A different life back then though. It was where I learnt my craft at the tender age of fourteen but my life's ambition was to be a rock star. L.A. lifestyle, am I right?" Edwin paused as he picked up the beer and held it in loosely in his hand, the bottle warming up slightly since he purchased it. "Only problem was I couldn't sing. Still, rock stars like ink and I made some friends. Closest I ever got. No regrets though. Can't go through this world with regrets, am I right? YOLO and all that."
Konrad smiles, a sudden flash of teeth as a soft chuckle rises from Konrad's throat, his brows rising at the curious gestures. "Sharks, eh? Well if you wanted to be a rock star, L.A.'s the place to do it. Lots of kids try their luck there to be discovered. But I hear you. You've got to just give it your all. No regrets." Now this is interesting indeed. If this guy is willing to get his hands dirty, he could prove to be very useful.
To Konrad, Edwin seems a bit of a dreamer, but that also meant he is willing to think big. As a newcomer to the city, Konrad needs a like-minded ally to share in his interests.
Best to move slowly.
"I got most of my street experience in Vegas before even setting foot in L.A. Things've changed since then, but as always its about who you know, and I know people. Still, it's tough getting back into business after a move so I'm just taking some time to get adjusted. So we've got a few things in common it sounds like. That, and I'm sure I'd never make it as a singer."
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"I hear ya," Edwin replied, definitely loosening up around the Savage as the conversation developed. "Took me a couple of months before I got friendly with the local youth on the corners. They do like their ink," Edwin grinned. "However, I'm still looking for a place of my own, know what I mean? Once that's done, I'll set up shop properly, open up a studio of my own."
Konrad isn't sure if Edwin's subtext means the Vampire is without a Haven, but it's not something he can clarify in public. While Konrad holds a Haven in his Ghoul's apartment, he's heard of Kindred banding together to form Coteries for mutual safety and protection. Again it is too soon to trust Edwin with this suggestion.
"Well I'll wish you luck with that. Follow your passions wherever they take you. A studio can bring some good business. Hey, if you give me a few more of your cards I can see about getting them to the right people. My associates might be interested." Hardly a favor, but a gesture of goodwill nonetheless.
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