Visiting father (Frederico et all) - Frederico's Haven

He listened and thought.

"So you are saying the best way for me to get my creation flowing is to leave her and be miserable so I can be a tortured artist?"

Even this felt thin to him.

He looked at his father.

"And do you think anyone else would be better? Would not anyone be a distraction?"

He shook his head.

"No, not everyone is a distraction. Or if they are, they are a distraction for a very short time. Not months or even years."

He nodded.

"So it is not just that I am with her, but the amount of time I am with her and the lack of love with others that bothers you most about this arrangement?"

He sighed.

"Among other things, yes."

He looked concerned, looked int o the eyes of his sire.

"What else father. Please"

"She's a fucking blood magician, Estaban!" He finally exploded, because good Christ, the woman was more dangerous than his son seemed to want to admit.

He nodded.

"Yes, she is. As I remember you enjoy the attentions of such a woman fairly often."

He looked at the man.

"And why is it more dangerous to be with one for a year than for 2 weeks?"

"This almost made sense.

"And you are afraid of what she will do to me if i stay with her and she becomes more attached.. or worse if I should break her heart?"

He looked as his father carefully.

"I think she would never hurt a clan for one heart break. Toreador have been linked to her pain before and she did nothing to them as a whole."

"How many times before she snaps?" he countered.

"I do not know. I honestly don't All I know is that as long as I can I want to give her as much love and pleasure and joy as I can. She had a rough life. Why can't i give her love father. Is it so wrong to make her happy? To let know someone doesnt see her as a responsibility or a chore or even a plaything but as someone to love?"

"Because she is a plaything!"

That's right, bitch. I said it.

Estaban looked at the man. He didnt have to say anything. His sire had just made his point for him. He wasnt the one who was going to break her.. People like his father were.

Now, that would entirely remain to be seen.

"Get rid of it."

Yes, it. Ra'idah had, to Frederico, been reduced to 'it'.

He shook his head.

"I love you father. I love you more than any man. More than my own birth father. But no. This I will not take. I love her. She is not a toy and not a thing. She is an amazing person. I would do almost anything for you, but I will not betray her. I will not hurt her and I will not leave her. Is there anything else I can do for you frederico?"

His voice was soft. He was no Brujah to go mad with anger or Gangrel to lash out as an animal. He was Toreador. Words were sharp but none would draw him into that trap. He had played that game at his fathers knee. He knew how to draw blood, and how to blunt them. No.. he was not going to react to those words tonight.

He was answered with silence for a full minute.

"Do not call me such again."

Oh, yes. Very angry.

"By name? Or by what you did for me? Because you will always be my father, even if you are angry at me."

Silently, he picked up his book and opened it. Ignoring Estaban. He had said what he needed to say.