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+---- Thread: tell me your secrets and your sins (/showthread.php?tid=5354)
tell me your secrets and your sins - Finn - 04-05-2021
The monsoons are in full swing, a wall of unending rain that batters the side of the Halenani and sends the wind howling through any cracks in windows, any gaps beneath doors. But one wouldn't think that to be the case in the light and airy lounge, and nor would one expect someone with Finn's background to be so at ease here. But the mask he has slipped on has put a fraction of distance between himself and the world he inhabits in his mind. Thomas takes the brunt of what happens to him, and the rest?
Drink and other substances do the rest.
He hasn't had much luck by way of pillow talk and extracting information thus far, but then it is only really his first evening. He finds himself lounging upon one of the many couches, a dark wine painting his lips a deeper shade of pink than they ought to be. The shirt he wears is as white and loose fitting as much of the decor in the Halenani, and his pants are only carelessly laced up at the front. His mind hazy, his hips and legs vaguely sore, Finn has stepped back into his role as if he never left.
And that is perhaps the saddest thing of all.
RE: tell me your secrets and your sins - Sunjata - 04-05-2021
He is quite lucky, all things considered, that the sitter had decided to give him time to binge. It made sense in Torchline, after all, and with his job done with checking on the Slagveld and the clinic, with his time with Maeve over, he debates whether or not he plans to actually leave and go spend a bit of time among the monsoons, to feel the storm a bit more intensely. But there’s another nagging thought at the idea of him actually seeing what the Halenani had to offer, given the fact he was no longer barred from it.
So why not indulge a bit longer, then? He finds the bar and nabs a few drinks, downing them with ease until he feels lighter than he has in what feels like weeks. There’s a buzzing in his veins from the alcohol and Sunjata can’t help but to let a bit of his partial shift loose — comfortable if not a bit unprepared for the rain that awaits outside, so armor plates begin to latch themselves along his shoulders, up his neck, heading through the airy room toward the entrance (so he thinks, he truly doesn’t know where he’s going), but he scans the room anyway as he walks through it, spies a few of the workers throughout, gaze lingering on a couple of them until he spies Thomas on the couch. His gaze lingers a fraction longer before he focuses on the slow, slightly drunk walk he takes back toward the opposite entrance to indulge in the storms.
RE: tell me your secrets and your sins - Finn - 04-05-2021
Another sip of wine has his glass empty - a tragedy that those who wish not to think in straight lines can all agree upon. And so, with the alcohol still leaving his lips red and dewy, he glances up towards the bar - only for his blue eyes to catch along the way. He spots a man who is utterly unmistakeable throughout Torchline; tall, muscular, armour plated with dragonscale, and Finn is luckily not sober enough to remember where he met Sunjata before, only that he has done and that he recognises him.
They gaze at each other, but not at each other, and whilst inwardly some part of Finn deadens itself to the experience, the man he masquerades as lets a slow smile curl across his lips. [say]"Governor,"[/say] he all but purrs, barely sober himself. [say]"You're looking a little unsteady. Care to take a seat?"[/say] He gestures to the lounge opposite his own, and at the tail end of the gesture, he signals for more drinks. [say]"What's your poison?"[/say]
RE: tell me your secrets and your sins - Sunjata - 04-05-2021
Their eyes meet, briefly, and Sunjata spies that feline smile that spreads across Thomas’ face. He can’t help but to let his gaze return to the other man when he’s addressed, pausing in his trek toward the outdoors. Alcohol still burns in his system and Sunjata finds himself slowing, curious because he can’t recall seeing him before, only to remind himself he’s never quite gotten this far into this place before.
So he hums a quiet agreement, chin lifting a fraction before he takes the seat opposite of the other man. He’s tempted to tell him that he can’t stay long, but honestly? What’s stopping him? He has a sitter for his daughter and nobody else awaiting him back home, so where was the harm in it? He sinks into the seat, long legs stretching out before him. “[say]Whiskey.[/say]” He rumbles to
RE: tell me your secrets and your sins - Finn - 04-05-2021
[say]"Wine. It goes down slow."[/say] A flick of the wrist and Finn's glass is refilled with rich red, and a tumbler of amber soaked ice is pressed between Sunjata's fingers. [say]"Didn't think this was your sort of place, if you don't mind my saying so,"[/say] he remarks, letting his eyes linger on the points of fangs that punctuate the Flood's smile. Truthfully it reminds Finn of Ascended, and despite his guise the twist in his stomach has his lips ghosting across the wine glass without drinking.
But of course, an Attuned's partial shift can be similar in look, and the cause of the marks that silver Sunjata's neck is well known in these parts. And so Finn retreats again in to his mind, and he holds out his glass to clink against the Flood's. [say]"Thomas,"[/say] he purrs out a greeting, though his smile is much friendlier now that the snare has been set. [say]"But you can call me whatever you like."[/say]
RE: tell me your secrets and your sins - Sunjata - 04-05-2021
He supposes wine does go down slow and that it was likely a good option for those that didn’t want to immediately drown. Sunjata, however? He absolutely wanted to drown out everything. So the Flood always picked the harder ones. Either way, the glass is handed to him and he utters a quiet thank you to whomever had dropped it off, though his gaze remains on Thomas. “[say]No? Why’s that?[/say]” He asks, flashing a rogue smirk. He’s genuinely curious, after all.
But he leans forward and clinks his glass with Thomas’, a huff of a breath leaves him as a laugh. “[say]Thomas is fine.[/say]” He says quickly, not anticipating the need to call him anything else, at least not yet. “[say]I’d introduce myself but it seems as though you already know who I am.[/say]” Everyone seemed to, at least. But Sunjata retreats back into the couch, taking a long drink of the whiskey to hide the amusement on his face.
RE: tell me your secrets and your sins - Finn - 04-05-2021
Finn does manage a sip of his drink this time, and it goes down slow and sweet, like it's supposed to. Somehow he hasn't stained his shirt with even a drop of red, and as he shifts to lean more comfortably against the couch, he watches Sunjata knock back his own liquor. Rather than try and justify the reasons for Sunjata not going to a place like the Halenani, he merely tips his glass towards him again; a silent touche. [say]"Perhaps I'll tell you another time. For tonight - what are we celebrating?"[/say] He bounces his eyebrows towards the already almost-empty glass. They must be celebrating something, clearly.
[say]"Of course I know,"[/say] he murmurs. [say]"The Governor of Torchline is very striking."[/say] It's with a practiced eye that he looks Sunjata up and down, lingering on all the most important places, from sculpted eyebrows (yeah I went there) down the armoured neck and shoulders to the well muscled torso, and lower still.
RE: tell me your secrets and your sins - Sunjata - 04-05-2021
What are they celebrating? Well that’s certainly a distracting question. The gut instinct to respond with is ‘being alone’ but that’s neither celebrating nor is it fun. So instead his lip curls in a smirk as he swirls the rest of the whiskey in the glass, letting his gaze drift to it. “[say]Not particularly celebrating, actually.[/say]” He informs Thomas. “[say]More like indulging, given the fact I can’t so much anymore.[/say]” There. Still a fun answer without getting too deep.
He doesn’t miss the look Thomas gives him, the way his words do boost his spirits a bit even if it’s surface level. And it’s that easy acceptance and amusement that crosses his face as he dips his head in a bit of a nod. “[say]It’s the height most people notice first.[/say]” He flashes a wink Thomas’ way, as if he were gently prompting for more compliments, craving a form of ego boost he hasn’t had in some time. But he does lean forward a fraction, cradling the glass in his hands. “[say]Then I suppose it’s the scars.[/say]” The smirk tilts up the edge of his ruined cheek as he regards Thomas with a hint more intensity in his steel gaze.
RE: tell me your secrets and your sins - Finn - 04-05-2021
Indulging? Finn's smile is open, inviting, and it doesn't melt away even with another sip of wine. [say]"Well,"[/say] he murmurs, [say]"you are certainly in the right place for that, then. How indulgent are you feeling, Governor?"[/say] He lifts his chin a little, baring his throat and letting the fabric of his shirt shift enough that it drops off one shoulder. [say]"Or have you had enough of that for one night?"[/say] He doubts it - and he hopes not, because if he can get enough information from this encounter, then perhaps his time in Torchline might not be quite so intense.
Back to the present moment, though. [say]"The height and the scars, mm?"[/say] Sitting up properly now, he's an unconscious mirror of Sunjata, his glass cradled between his fingers as he lets his blue eyes dance properly over the man before him. [say]"That's not the first thing I saw,"[/say] he rumbles. [say]"It was the way you walked. Like the world was yours. Confident enough to cut through a crowd without thinking about it. After that it was the look in your eyes. Only people with power have that look."[/say]
RE: tell me your secrets and your sins - Sunjata - 04-05-2021
Sunjata can’t help but to play along with the playful tones of Thomas’ question. He makes a show of checking a watch that isn’t there before his gaze lands on the man again. “[say]I’ve got time.[/say]” And a lot of alcohol swirling around in his stomach. He eyes Thomas a bit more seriously now, as if this could be something he wanted to indulge in among the rest of it, before he’s sitting forward with his cup held between both hands. Thomas mirrors him and Sunjata watches him as he works his flattery, and honestly?
It works. Sunjata latches onto it, starved for any sort of ego boost he can after everything had gone to shit, and a slow smirk spreads across his face as he lifts the glass to finish the whiskey, the armor plates melding away to the rich navy blue of his macaw shift, and Sunjata actually, literally preens. The feathers ruffle where they’ve replaced the sharp hard plates of his armor before they smooth out along his skin and he regards Thomas a bit more appreciatively.
He sets the glass down and moves to stand, stepping over to Thomas and extending a hand to pull the other man up. “[say]I think I could indulge the rest of the night if you keep that up.[/say]” He hums, prepared to pull Thomas up from the couch once he’s gripped his hand.
RE: tell me your secrets and your sins - Finn - 04-06-2021
[say]"And I've got the place. So you can indulge to your heart's content."[/say] Sipping again at his wine, Finn watches as feathers replace armour, as his words massage away wariness and reluctance, not that there was much of either to begin with. Making people comfortable - it's both a job and a knack that he possesses (when he wears silks instead of spectacles, in any case). [say]"That's a pretty trick,"[/say] he says with a lopsided smile. [say]"Do you have any others?"[/say]
Sunjata finishes his whiskey and already Finn is raising his hand for the bottle from the bar - it can follow them upstairs, which is where they both assume they are going, he imagines. Otherwise, things are about to get quite interesting down in the bar, and no sooner has he slipped his hand into the Flood's when Sunjata is drawing him to his feet. Thomas's body is as tall as Finn's, but it still has nothing on the man opposite. He hums appreciatively, his fingers lingering against the other man's hand.
[say]"I can see why your height is the first thing people notice,"[/say] he remarks, barely needing to whisper with their sudden proximity. [say]"How many scars are there though, I wonder?"[/say]
RE: tell me your secrets and your sins - Sunjata - 04-06-2021
A hum of agreement slips Sunjata’s throat again, nodding along to the offer Thomas makes. At the mention of tricks, however, the Flood’s smile shifts to something feline and playful, his head tilting a fraction. “[say]Oh, I have plenty.[/say]” His tone seems to suggest that Thomas would have to find out for himself. Luckily, it seems that it’s on the agenda as Sunjata stands and offers his hand for the other man, pulling him up nearly immediately as soon as he’s latched on.
Thomas’ fingers linger in his hand, however, and Sunjata doesn’t make a move to pull his scarred one away. A snort does manage to leave him at the mention of scars, though, that same playful smirk growing on his face. “[say]Suppose you’ll have to find out.[/say]” It’s made easier that way. Sunjata would run out of breath long before he finished listing them off.
But he turns just enough to let Thomas lead the way, deciding that if this was his distraction from embracing the storm for the moment, so be it.
RE: tell me your secrets and your sins - Finn - 04-06-2021
A bottle of whiskey finds its way into Finn's hand, and he succeeds in holding both it and his glass of wine while his fingers occupy themselves with Sunjata. [say]"That is teasing,"[/say] he tells the Flood, leaning in as if to inspect a few navy feathers in more detail, his wine soaked lips just barely brushing along the other man's jawline. [say]"But I suppose you do have all night."[/say] There is nothing about him that remotely suggests that he is uncomfortable with any of this, and that is precisely the point.
Indeed, Finn glances up and smiles back at Sunjata, stepping by as he's freed to lead the way. [say]"I suppose I will."[/say] Glancing over his shoulder, he all but prowls towards the stairs that snake away up to their individual rooms. [say]"For the price of one favour from you, Governor."[/say] With a grin that's as playful as it is insistent, he begins to walk backwards up those first steps, bringing him eye to eye with the Flood.
[say]"I don't know what that favour might be yet. But if I call on you, you'll come, right?"[/say] Does that have a double meaning woven in there? You bet it does.
RE: tell me your secrets and your sins - Sunjata - 04-06-2021
“[say]Is it?[/say]” Subjata quips back playfully, an amused glimmer in his gaze as Thomas manages to hold onto both the bottle, his wine, and Sunjata. But he hums his agreement, acutely aware of how close Thomas is now, and lets the other man go to begin to lead the way.
Talk of the price, however, had Sunjata considering Thomas as he takes a few steps up to meet his eye line. “[say]A reasonable favor, sure.[/say]” He agrees with the amend, head cocking a bit avian-like, only revealing more of those ascended scars along his neck. “[say]Are you anticipating trouble?[/say]” A dark brow raises, because for the favor of Sunjata coming to someone’s side, well, it all seems a bit mysterious and curious.
It’s a good thing Sunjata doesn’t mind that, because he’s already agreed to the amend. “[say]Within reason, Thomas, and I will show.[/say]” He offers, accepting this blind ended deal — too drunk to realize what he might be fully agreeing to. But he plucks the bottle from Thomas’ hand, stepping up the few steps to match the other man, before he’s stepping up the rest of them toward the landing of this floor.