From being an Abandoned who had rarely left the Hollowed Grounds, to embracing the call of adventure, to dying and being reborn first as an Ascended and then as an Ancient, Maea has gone through quite the amount of changes in her life. One thing remains common, though, in her attempts to find out just where she belongs; she’s always had a craving for knowledge which has brought her to so many places and to meet so many people here in Caido. We can’t wait to see what else is in store for her!
Congratulations, Maea!
Credits
Court of the Fallen was created in October of 2018 by Odd, Honey, and Crooked.
Skinning and hosting by the epically talented Kaons, and functionality fanciness by the coding magic of Neowulf. If you ever see either of them around, make sure to show them some love!
Secrets I have held in my heart Are harder to hide than I thought
Oh god. Ohhhhh god. What is he doing? There's so many people here, and there's not nearly enough dancing for it to have the same anonymity as a bar. In fact there's way more eye contact here than Jude thinks he has ever experienced in his life. What is he doing? What is he doing?
Jude can't tell if the reason the bottle in his hand is slipping is because his hand is sweaty or the outside is slick with condensation, but at least it keeps his focus on having to readjust it every few minutes. Realistically, being in Stormbreak at all is a petty act of revenge against Sohalia, though he'd wanted to accompany Noe back after she'd stayed with him for a short time. From there the conversation had turned to other acts of revenge and well...what better revenge than losing his virginity, something he'd tentatively thought might be hers someday?
There are definitely better options. Jude is an idiot.
He clearly hadn't thought it through much further than that, but he's slowly becoming more accustomed to alcohol after so many visits to bars to drink and fight and it gives him enough courage to smile shyly at a few of the workers at Molly's. His mother being a long-time worker and Madame ensures Jude is more comfortable with the workers than the patrons, but it's mostly theoretical acceptance of their jobs instead of actually being smooth. So he lingers in the corner, taking nervous pulls from his bottle and trying to come up with a plan - when it suddenly comes up empty, robbing him of his procrastination device.
Mumbling a swear under his breath like a kid trying to hide it from his nearby parent, Jude turns around and heads for the bar, nearly stepping straight into - "Koa?" Jude's eyes go huge, the slight flush of a buzz deepening into something mortified at the sight of the last loose thread in his life showing up unannounced yet again. Shit, is there supposed to be a rule here where you pretend not to recognize people for anonymity? Jude's eyes dart to the bar, and he affixes a nervous smile as he gestures toward it. "Uh, sorry. Just. On my way for a drink. Sorry. 'scuse me." He sidles past him, ears hot, only pausing as a terrible idea creeps into his brain and seemingly takes hold of his head, making him turn over his shoulder. "Um...actually, let me repay you for last time?" One hand extends, a rope for Koa to reach for or brush aside, letting him have a goddamn choice for once.
Maybe I just want to be yours Yeah, I want to be yours
Koa's not a stranger here at Molly's - a fact that will surprise exactly no one, I'm sure. Whether he's working a security shift or partaking of the services offered, the young Dragoon is a somewhat familiar sight at the brothel - or at least, he was. These days he's too busy to come down as much as he'd like: reinforcing training regimens instead of protecting workers; sleeping in his office instead of a stranger's warm bed. The few visits he makes to Molly's are bright and welcome things, a little respite from the woes and responsibilities and drama he's managed to shroud himself with in the real world.
That's the idea, anyway. But then there's Jude.
Koa clocks the younger boy right away, surprise flashing over his handsome face as he tries to figure out what the fuck Jude is doing here. Then he shrugs, deciding that it doesn't matter - Jude is a grown up and can do whatever he wants, and more power to him, honestly. It isn't Koa's business to worry that the kid's way out of his depth, and the Dragoon isn't concerned that this is some terribly misguided attempt to cope with having broken up with Soh. He also isn't feeling guilty about being possibly-probably the reason for said breakup.
And he's definitely, definitely not walking over, putting himself in the handsome waif's path, because that would mean that when Jude turned around he'd be forced to say--
"Hey, Jude."
Koa's smile is cautious, one brow raised as he surveys the flush on the younger man's pale skin. Now that he's here he's realizing that he's got no idea what the fuck he's meant to do now, and that it's very likely he's the last person Jude would want to see, and that it was terribly shitty of him to try and make that choice for him. "No worries," the Dragoon murmurs as the Torcher slips away, trying not to acknowledge the small pang as he's visibly rejected in favor of the bar. He's about to turn and find a place anywhere else in the establishment when a small voice sounds behind him, and Koa knows he needs to say no, to create some boundaries before they both get more hurt than they are, that whatever is happening with Jude, he ought to stay far away---
And somehow he's sliding into the spot beside Jude, copper eyes glowing in the dimly lit room. "Sure, sounds good," he answers with an ease that wholly conceals his internal screaming. "What're you having? I'll do the same."
I'm just a notch in your bedpost, but you're just a line in a song
Secrets I have held in my heart Are harder to hide than I thought
Jude blames his doubling back on the way Koa says ‘hey, Jude’. For all the Dragoon may feel out of place or uncertain, it sure doesn’t come off that way - or maybe Jude is just the hopeless pining type. Given how easily he and Sohalia came together, maybe he is and just didn’t know it? Regardless, it sucks, and maybe another drink will take away the squirming feeling in his stomach.
Koa sits beside him, and the squirming intensifies. Shit.
The empty bottle was blessedly already taken, so Koa hopefully won’t know that the answer was just cheap beer. Jude’s smile is a little wobbly with nerves as he nods and turns to the bartender, ordering the only other drink he’s ever tried (the day he got his face smashed up, but surely more bad decisions are not on the horizon). “PB&J please,” he eeks out, and lays his palms flat on the bar to try and cool them down before he turns to Koa. “It’s um peanut butter whiskey and fruit liqueur. I hope that’s okay.” Sweet enough to ignore the alcohol, strong enough to knock Jude on his ass without fail. He loves it. And the comparisons to the man in front of him are definitely not glaring.
“Do you come here often?” It slips out before he realizes what a bad come-on that is from anyone else, and he winces. “Gods. I swear that wasn’t what I -” he pauses abruptly, the lingering taste of beer sharp on his tongue as he swallows tightly. It may not have been what he meant, but why shouldn’t it? He’s at a bar in a brothel next to a handsome man, why should he think about context right now? He’s not dating Sohalia, so he’s not doing anything wrong.
Emboldened by that thought and a few too many cheap beers, Jude straightens and turns on his seat to better regard Koa. “Actually, yes. Do you come here often? You don’t seem like you need the help to find a partner.” Still not quite brave enough to compliment the Dragoon upfront (and he can already feel the heat in his cheeks with what little he has managed) Jude instead uses his eyes to look Koa up and down in a clear ‘you’re hot’. “If you have a recommendation for staff I’ll um…I’ll take it.” Jude’s confidence falters but doesn’t fail, and though he’s too awkward for a smoky look or a wink, at least his intentions are clear.
Maybe I just want to be yours Yeah, I want to be yours
He raises an eyebrow at the order, not having expected something so strong from Jude. But again, what does he really know of the boy, except that they've both loved and lost the same girl, and that he's sweet in a way that deserves protection, and that his brother may be a mass killer?
That he's maybe now an alcoholic, and that it was Koa who first got him drunk. Another fuckup for the Dragoon to add to his ledger, it seems.
A quick gesture above Jude's head tells the bartender to make Koa's a double, and the younger man's half. Then his hand flies unsubtly to his cropped hair as Jude turns back, his question - and the awkwardness after - eliciting a laugh. He's about to say something about how that sounds like flirting when the younger man goes on, and now it's Koa's turn to blush, flattered and bemused by this line of questions. "I make do," he agrees, eyes glittering above a brief, wolfish grin.
Ah, but Jude is too soft a sheep for full-force-flirtation, and besides, the soldier is still entirely unsure where things stand with the boy. Running fingers through his cropped hair, Koa rolls his shoulders in a shrug. "But yes - used to, anyway, though not much anymore. Sometimes for work, sometimes for play." An eyebrow raises up in challenge, as though daring Jude to ask what play meant. But then he's asking for recommendations, and gods, if Koa isn't on the backfoot here.
"Uhhh... depends a lot on your type, I guess." Suavity is washed away, only floundering confusion left on his face. Frowning, Koa sucks his lip, clearly trying to decide whether or not to speak. "But - and tell me if I'm out of line, but... this doesn't really seem like your scene." His look says what his voice does not: I get the vibe that you're a virgin, and way, way, way out of your depth.
I'm just a notch in your bedpost, but you're just a line in a song
Secrets I have held in my heart Are harder to hide than I thought
Jude doesn't notice the change in order happening over his head, though he wrinkles his nose slightly, a habitual expression of confusion, when he turns back and Koa's arm is awkwardly elevated with his hand in his hair. It's not something he has enough brain power to question, not when even the brief glimpse of Koa's wolfish grin is enough to make his stomach squirm with both nerves and attraction.
He steels himself against it, even if his eyes can't help but follow the line of motion of Koa's arm as he runs his fingers through his hair, immediately shaking that pitiful pillar of resolve. Something like shame creeps into the cracks there at Koa's pointed questioning, and only the arrival of their drinks saves him from quailing entirely. Jude spins on his chair to take the glass into hand, squeezing it in his palm in a fit of emotion he can't place. Irritation? Embarrassment? Whatever it is, he drowns it by downing the entire drink in one go, unable to withhold a small grimace but clearly more experienced at this than the first time in the treehouse.
It has no time to kick in, but it emboldens him all the same. Spinning back toward Koa, Jude licks the remnants of fruit and fire from his lips, something similar in his eyes; set, determined. "It's not," he agrees bluntly. "But who can take care of my first time better than someone experienced? Someone who can make it sweet, make it good even when I fumble?" It's easy to drop his voice and let the words curl on his tongue sinfully even as he plants his feet, hoping his doe eyes do the rest as he looks up through his lashes at the taller man. And maybe it's two mothers who ran brothels but Jude has full faith in his rebuttal, and his chin rises slightly as if daring Koa to disagree. If it wobbles slightly in the next moment, he hopes his forwardness will distract from it.
"I don't have a set type. It changes really. Right now it's..." he tilts his head back and forth as if considering before lifting a hand to hover near the top of Koa's head. "About ye tall. Dark and handsome is a bonus. Out of my league." He tries to smirk, but it's more of a helpless smile because it's nothing if not true. Dropping his hand back down, he turns back to the bar to set his drink aside and tap his knuckles on the surface, signaling for another. If Koa intends to reject him, he wants the liquid courage to deal with it, and it makes it easier to say the rest without looking at him. "But if you're not on the market, I'll take someone similar." Someone he can pretend with, whose eyes he can fall into and forget the stupidity of his own foolish heart.
Maybe I just want to be yours Yeah, I want to be yours
