Post by Nathaniel Graham on Nov 7, 2014 1:33:49 GMT -5
At Tenshi's description of their burgers, Gram had to exercise a considerable amount of willpower to resist the urge to lick his lips as his mouth watered at the thought. He was really hungry. "That sounds about right." Gram said in reply, staring off into the distance for a moment while he imagined it.
When the bourbon arrived, Gram took a sip of his, savoring it for a moment before replying to Tenshi's inquiry about what he did for a living. "I suppose you could say I'm in management." The young man replied, a small smile spreading across his face. Such was his standard reply when asked about his profession. It was a small, personal joke that always amused him.
"Well, that may be a bit of an understatement," Gram admitted, taking another drink. "I manage a multi billion dollar conglomerate, founded by my grandfather, Nathaniel Gram the first." He chuckled. "Though it's grown a bit since then."
Post by Akutenshi Kyoushi on Nov 7, 2014 2:07:42 GMT -5
This was a rather impressive human he was talking to, it seemed. "Well you certainly seem to be set for your life journey then. Judging by how you talk about it, you must enjoy the work you do." he takes a drink from his glass and lets it rest there as he gets the full flavor of it before swallowing "ah... a fine drink this. The gentleman's drink as it were" he runs his finger over the rim of the glass in thought, still pondering what would make a young man like this strive for such a state of perfection. "Tell me a little about your family. What are they like? Are they all strong businessmen like yourself?" he grins a bit before asking his next question "is there a missus Nathaniel Gram out there as well?" he watches the man's reaction to see where his stand on life was at this particular moment when it came to marriage.
Post by Nathaniel Graham on Nov 7, 2014 16:46:50 GMT -5
Gram shrugged noncommittally. "I do not dislike what I do. It can certainly be enjoyable, at times, though I'm much more interested in the sciences than I am in the corporate world. I find designing new technology to be more interesting, and more of a challenge, than the political maneuvering and posturing that comes with heading a business."
The young man took another drink of his bourbon, slightly nodding his agreement with Tenshi. It was becoming more and more rare these days when Gram could just sit back and enjoy a good bourbon.
"My family?" Gram thought for a moment. "Well, I was an only child. My mother," Nathaniel paused for a fraction of a second, thinking about how to phrase it. "She died when I was very young. My father ran the family business before me, and his father before him." That was usually the point where the young man stopped, the rest of his family history being intricately tied to organized crime and various other unsavory elements, including more than a few embarrassments.
"As for a missus, there is none. My life is, currently, not one that would accommodate such a serious partnership and the children it would bring." He sipped his bourbon. "My father was nearly sixty when he married my mother. I am young still, I have time."
Truthfully, Gram had never been able to maintain a healthy relationship with anyone. He was selfish, inattentive, manipulative, and often subtly attacked the self esteem of anyone who bothered to show him any amount of affection. All traits he'd inherited from his father, if his mother's suicide was any indication. If he married, it would be to have children, not because he expected to spend the rest of his life with someone.
When Gram's cheeseburger arrived, the young man took a moment to take in the mouth watering smell of it. His stomach began growling and he took a bite, savoring the taste. It was delicious. "I'm afraid that's mostly all I know. How about you, Tenshi? Tell me a little about yourself and your family." Gram took another bite. "What do you do for a living?"
Post by Akutenshi Kyoushi on Nov 7, 2014 17:55:37 GMT -5
Tenshi could tell that Gram was holding back. But it wasn't unexpected. He sips on his glass quietly while Gram talked about the business and his family. At the mention of how old his father was before he married, his brows raised in surprise "too busy?" he asks simply as he sets his glass down on the table once more.
At the mention of his life he grins and folds his hands, resting his elbows on the table "I am indeed married" he shows the ring "A lovely lady that understands so much more of me than anyone could ever dream to." he chuckles a moment before continuing "As for my family, my parents were brutally killed many long years ago, but they were both very passionate people. They fought side by side and died together." he sighs softly as he plays with the ring on his hand a moment before continuing "I run a couple casinos in Italy that helps fund my travels though I doubt that I am quite as lucrative as you by the sound of it. Though I do manage to have fun on the side as well" and gives the boy a wink
Post by Nathaniel Graham on Nov 8, 2014 17:04:31 GMT -5
When Tenshi asked whether or not his father had been too busy to get married younger, Gram merely shrugged his shoulders. He and his father hadn't been to particularly close, so he really didn't know why his father had waited so long. His father hadn't volunteered that particular snippet of information and Gram had never asked.
Gram continued to munch on his burger while Tenshi talked about himself. Some three quarters through, the young man set the burger down and wiped his hands. "Your parents were brutally killed? As in murdered?" He furrowed his brow slightly. That seemed like a rather intimate fact for someone to drop in a casual conversation with a stranger they'd just met. Gram drank some more.
"Have you ever done something terrible, something that you can't take back?" Gram asked casually, pale green eyes shifting to lock onto Tenshi's own. He wondered if he could be like Tenshi, having done and seen the things that he had, the things he was planning to do.
Post by Akutenshi Kyoushi on Nov 10, 2014 12:42:30 GMT -5
Tenshi grins as he leans forward, the last question indicating that he made a breakthrough somewhere in his little story. "They were passionate fighters. My father especially so. My mother couldn't live without her husband so she let the people she was fighting kill her, but not until she felt she had honored his death" he takes a sip. "War is war. To die in such a way is not considered brutal, but honorable" he sits back after finishing his drink "I have likely done terrible things, and while it may have been something to regret at the moment, I have learned to look past it. Sometimes drastic and terrible are necessary to get either a point across or to learn something vital." he orders another glass of bourbon before looking back to Gram "But I think the thing that hurt most was when I chose to let the woman I loved go so that she could do what she desired"
Post by Nathaniel Graham on Nov 10, 2014 18:15:13 GMT -5
The young man rubbed his chin, thinking about what Tenshi had said. Gram now realized how ridiculous he'd been being. There was nothing wrong with killing. People were often obstacles, preventing him from getting what he wanted. If it was necessary to remove these obstacles through violence, then it was necessary.
During the time Gram had been running his father's company, the young man had ruined the lives of many people, usually for profit. People had died before, through suicide, accident, or by design. It was silly of him to think that, somehow, things had changed, simply because he'd had to put a few down himself. There was no moral dilemma when deciding whether or not it was right or wrong to use the tools at hand to overcome an obstacle.
It would be some time before Gram returned to his normal self, but he felt that, through extensive thought and the advice of Tenshi, he was well on his way. The only moral dilemma Gram faced was one he'd created for himself. A barrier that was holding him back from his true potential.
Gram smiled. It was a cold, predatory smile. He finished his bourbon and asked for another. "I think you're right. Drastic and terrible measures are occasionally necessary. I see that now." The young man was unsure of why he'd never seen it before. His father had attempted to teach it to him, many times, but Nathaniel had always equated it with only business. But taking lives was a part of business, now, he knew.
When Tenshi spoke of letting go of the woman he loved, Gram cocked his head to the side slightly, curious. "What is it that she does, that you must let her go for her to pursue it?"
Post by Akutenshi Kyoushi on Nov 10, 2014 19:24:01 GMT -5
He grins a bit as he looks at the boy unlocking the thought processes in his own mind about the world around him. It was certainly far more accepting than the anxious, nervous, perfection driven individual he had met at the park. He nods to his comment about necessity and chuckles "Indeed so. You must learn that life is vicious. You cannot let yourself be overcome by barriers. Barriers were meant to be challenged. Some possibly even broken" he takes his glass and holds it up in 'cheers' fashion before taking a drink
At the next question he sets the glass down and looks at the man dead in the eye. One question deserves another. Tell me what it is that is driving you towards your desired perfection and I will tell you why I let her go" it was fairly simple for him to explain. But he wanted to know what it was that he was grasping at.
Post by Nathaniel Graham on Nov 10, 2014 20:42:21 GMT -5
Gram returned Tenshi's gesture before taking a drink from his recently refilled bourbon. Life was vicious and the strong preyed upon the weak. This did not bother the young man. Gram had always been one of the strong and he would continue to be.
When Tenshi returned his question with another question, Gram raised one eyebrow. "Very well then. I will tell you." The young man did not see the harm in explaining the reasons behind his goal to the man. Gram took a sip from his bourbon before beginning.
"I have always been different from others. My intelligence is far beyond that of your average individual. Physically, I possess the potential to rival and, possibly, surpass that of even an olympic athlete." Gram sipped, looking ahead of himself, thinking. "Until recently, I have focused on my mind, ignoring the potential of my body. This is comparable to my entire life. I can only imagine what I might accomplish, should I manage to bring every aspect of myself up to the same level of excellence. Physical perfection, mental perfection. Power, wealth, influence. I need only reach for it and can all be mine."
Gram drank again. "I would be foolish not to strive for perfection. Now, it is your turn."
Post by Akutenshi Kyoushi on Nov 10, 2014 21:18:15 GMT -5
Tenshi had to laugh at how the man gave his answer without the explination of why he was doing it. But fair was fair "Very well. I let her go because she... well, let's just say she was disagreeable toward me and I had an infatuation that was likely never to be as we were two complete opposites." he plays with the ring "Funny thing about love... sometimes it surprises you" he clears his throat "She didn't like being where we were. It's all I can say about the whole situation." he sighs with a smile "Always an elusive creature. Ah but I digress. She is a technician of sorts. Enjoys building things. She'd probably be right up your alley" he continues playing with the ring as he thought about his wife and their adventures of courtship and a relationship that had been thought foolish and reckless. "But the main reason is what I learned about love. If you truly love something, you let it go. For in doing so... you learn if that which you loved, loves you back"
Post by Nathaniel Graham on Nov 10, 2014 23:18:58 GMT -5
Gram took another drink of his bourbon, pretending not to notice Tenshi fiddling with his ring. The entire scenario lined out made the young man uncomfortable. Losing someone he truly cared about? It was nearly inconceivable. He eyed Tenshi, nearly expecting the man to tell him it was all a joke. The young man had cared for people, but not quite like that.
When Tenshi said that when you love something you must let it go, Gram could not help but shake his head. "I disagree," The young man began, taking a sip of his bourbon "But to each his own, I suppose." Gram drank more bourbon.
"You mentioned earlier that you run a few casinos in Italy. Ever run into any trouble with the local mafia?" The young man asked half jokingly. Gram was attempting to change the subject, not particularly enjoying the turn towards lost loves that the conversation seemed to be making.
Post by Akutenshi Kyoushi on Nov 10, 2014 23:33:45 GMT -5
He smiles and looks at the boy as he seemed to be rather confused about his story. He decided to let it go for now, letting him think what he would about his story. He had been enigmatic with his answer because Gram had been enigmatic with his. But it was something he rather enjoyed talking about because it had a good end to the story if anyone thought to ask further about what happened. "Yes, I have run across a small amount of trouble with them. But eventually they learn to see my side of things" he gives a wink to Gram then with a smile before taking another drink from his glass "But I work well with anyone who work with me as well. I'm not out for blood, as it were. But I am a shark, I will find the blood if there is any to be had"
Post by Nathaniel Graham on Nov 12, 2014 23:35:47 GMT -5
Gram sipped his bourbon and thought for a few minutes. He was young and had a lot of time on his hands. Well, not nearly as much as he would like, of course. When the young man thought of the sphinx he'd met, a creature that was at least a few centuries old and still showing no signs of advanced age, Gram could not help but think of himself and other humans as incredibly short lived. In the eyes of such a creature, the lives of humans must be comparable to short lived flames, blown out seemingly an instant later. The earth itself was billions of years old.
"In the face of such history, what am I?" Gram thought to himself, aloud. He was staring off into space, only distantly aware that Tenshi was still talking to him, though he heard and processed every word. Turning his attention back to the man, Gram frowned and asked "Is the mafia even all that relevant, still? You never even hear about them anymore, like they've just sort of faded away." The young man thought about how he, too, would one day fade away.
Post by Akutenshi Kyoushi on Nov 13, 2014 1:15:03 GMT -5
Tenshi raises a finger and wags it slightly at Gram "now now. Just because you don't hear about something... doesn't mean it no longer exists" he takes a drink before continuing "In fact... they are even more dangerous than when they were well known." he smooths back his hair "What was it that was said... Even the devil works to convince you he does not exist" he wasn't sure that was correct saying but it got the point across that he was trying to say "Something hiding in plain sight is far more dangerous than the creature that hides in the shadows. For you can see the one in the shadow but the one in the crowd could be your closest friend. And the man in front of you could be more than he lets you on to believe" he gives the man a wink before downing the last of his bourbon.
Post by Nathaniel Graham on Nov 13, 2014 16:01:40 GMT -5
"Don't I know that truth." Gram grinned and took another sip. The young man thought of all the times he'd managed to successfully ply his youth to get people to underestimate him, allowing Gram to manipulate them into doing what he wanted and furthering his plans, leaving them to take the fall if a venture failed. He'd been working hard to maintain his friendly, practical facade, to keep from developing a reputation as the highly intelligent and, occasionally, cruel manipulator that he really was.
It did not slip past the young man that there might have been a double meaning behind Tenshi's words. "And what of you, then? Is there more to Akutenshi than meets the eye?" Gram watched the man closely, wondering if he may be a supernatural. After what he'd seen, the young man would not be surprised. He was aware that supernaturals could be friendly, almost normal. Chaltah and her dragon companion, Stormchaser, had seemed as such.
Gram sipped his bourbon. Maybe he was over thinking things. It was more likely that Tenshi was just a normal, random guy he'd ended up running in to.