[SE] Bros before Hos

Zavien

Strike hands with me. The glass is brim.
The dew is on the heather.

Obviously, he wasn't unfamiliar with Mother Molly's, but it'd been a minute since he'd last stepped inside. Other than the occasional desire to see a familiar face that might remind him of his fading mother's memory, he didn't really have a reason to come by. It didn't help that the employees often chose to tease him about his low experience and high restraint. However, when he'd heard that Hawthorn was visited, he'd rushed straight from his place, practically running through the streets. 

When he finally popped in the door of the brothel, the foot traffic was starting to pick up. Drinks were flowing freely and laughter was filtering through the rafters as people mingled amongst each other, searching for company in one way or another. Even Zavien could be included among them tonight. Yet the woman who approached him was not who he was looking for. Dragging her finger down his broad chest, the blonde haired, blue eyed, seductress gave him a sweet smile framed with full, glossy red lips. Even her voice was sweet, as she leaned close. "Hey, Zav. Long time, no see. Are you finally here to take me up on my offer?" Pressing her chest against him, the Dragoon had difficulty looking down at her without noticing the overabundance of cleavage peeking out from her skin-tight red dress. A blush of a similar shade crept up his face, making her laugh quietly as she whispered, "I promise to make your first a night you'll never forget." 

Gently lifting her hand from his chest, Zavien moved to peal her body from his, trying not to notice the way her soft figure felt against him. "Like I said before, Callie, you're a pretty girl, but I'm not interested." His words were gentle but firm, even as the shifting of his eyes and tinge of his ears suggested otherwise. But rather than dissuading her, his rejection just served to increase her efforts. Throwing an arm around his neck, she gave him a playful pout. "You're no fun, Zav. Just say yes. I know you want to." Her aggressive advances had the Dragoon looking around desperately for Hawthorn, hoping maybe the man could save him from the uncomfortable situation.

And love is good, and life is long,
and friends are best together.

// the only heaven i'll be sent to —

It was warm, even this far up in Stormbreak, and Thorn had wanted nothing more than what was essentially a fun little vacation away from King’s End and the House of Midnight – to either indulge or learn, pick up on a few things, or maybe stumble across a certain adorable curly dark haired man that frequented Mother Molly’s quite often. And while he hadn’t made it a secret, he hadn’t anticipated that Zavien would venture this way to see him – even if the courtesan knew the stories about the dragoon’s mother.

As it stands, though, the night has been relatively dull all things considered – and while it isn’t a bad thing, Thorn drifts from space to space, group to group, finding a place to easily slip into that might give him that fun little experience of something different that he’d craved when he got here. Only, as the courtesan makes his rounds, his attention is caught by a particular duo and a tall familiar figure who catches his eyes, and Thorn flashes back a wide, bright smile of greeting until someone passes in front of him and he sees the reason for the quiet distress the dragoon seems to be projecting.

Something protective curls in Thorn’s stomach and he immediately makes a point to head straight for the Dragoon and the courtesan practically draping off of him. And without much of a care in the world for how the woman takes it (Callie, as he’d soon learn, he’s sure), he pauses for a brief second upon his approach to call out a cocky and confident little “oy, this one’s mine!” And with an amused and catlike smirk, he slips between her and Zavien, effectively breaking them up and giving the Dragoon a moment of freedom before he’s flashing the taller man a wink and snagging his wrist to drag him over to the quieter part of the room before Callie can completely blow her cool.

thorn

— is when i'm alone with you //

Zavien

Strike hands with me. The glass is brim.
The dew is on the heather.

Hawthorn's familiar face is almost enough to bring tears to his eyes. Zavien doesn't even care as the courtesan practically 'claims' him in front of a crowd of people. People have had their suspicions about him (no matter how unwarranted they are) and he's never paid them much heed. He isn't going to change that now. So when Hawthorn comes between him and Callie, he just shoots her a soft smile. Whether it's a subtle gloat, a consolation prize, an apology, or a pitying glance, one couldn't be sure, but he doesn't let the idea linger, letting himself be guided to the far recesses of the building. Fading sounds of the young woman complaining still filter towards them, her pout fresh in his mind. Despite their recent interaction, he'd grown up with Callie. They'd even been friends. Yet they'd followed different paths in life. He didn't judge her choices, but she judged his, and she'd started viewing him as a challenge to be conquered. Obviously, she'd yet to succeed. 

Finding a hidden booth in the corner, Zavien takes a seat, his body practically sinking into the cushions. He sighs, his shoulders falling in heavy relief. Looking to Hawthorn, a slightly hysterical chuckle escapes, devolving into full laughter as he embraces the man. "I've missed you! I'm so glad you're here!" He leans back and claps the courtesan on the shoulder, shaking his head. "I suppose I owe you a drink of gratitude." As he summons a nearby bar maid, he adds, "And you need to tell me why it's taken you so long to come visit! How have you been?!" His smile is bright and eager to hear of his friend's wellbeing.

And love is good, and life is long,
and friends are best together.

// the only heaven i'll be sent to —

The second he’s gotten Zavien free is the last Thorn cares about the sounds from the frustrated courtesan. His attention is entirely on his friend, one of whom he hasn’t seen in a long time. And as they slip into the booth in the corner, hidden away from most prying eyes, it might seem like something else was happening in the dark recesses of Mother Molly’s but Thorn is anything but appearing seductive with the bright smile on his face as he adjusts his loose shirt to settle easier over his chest right at the time Zavien embraces him and he nearly squeaks with the surprise – breaking into a soft laugh as he hugs the Dragoon back.

“I missed ya too Zav.” Thorn says a touch softly as they part, rolling his eyes playfully despite how Zavien’s already ordering him a drink. Not that he’ll complain, really. He doesn’t work here, and he typically tries to not drink on the nights that he is working. So he’ll gladly take the one, even if he deems it unwarranted. “I was just helpin’ you out. ‘Sides, I can be an enemy here. Just means I’ll have to bunk with you when I come to visit if they don’t wanna see my face around here anymore.” He teases, flashing a wink for emphasis, before he’s bombarded with the reasoning for how long it’s been.

Which is hilarious, actually, and he laughs as he leans in a little toward the dragoon as if it’s a secret. “Honestly? It’s ‘cause I haven’t put on any weight ‘n I’m afraid Erica might try ‘n force feed me two bowls of blink hare stew.” It’s a sheepish look as he withdraws and lets the bright snicker leave his lips before he shakes his head, dark hair a mess as it bounces around his head. “I’ve been good, though. Jus’ workin’ a lot. Oh! And gettin’ the shit scared out of me by floating pumpkins?” A trick from Ludo as it happens, though he’d never find out.

“How’ve you been?” He props his elbows onto the table and places his chin on his fists, giving his seafoam attention entirely to the other man.

thorn

— is when i'm alone with you //

Zavien

Strike hands with me. The glass is brim.
The dew is on the heather.

He can't imagine anyone being upset enough to want Hawthorn's pretty face gone. Zavien verbalizes as much with a shake of his head. "Although I doubt that'll be the case, you're always welcome at my place!" He hasn't made any improvements, but he doubts the man will judge him for it. 

Unrestrained laughter bursts forth at his admission for his delay. "I don't blame you! She probably would! Plus an extra helping of dessert." He could practically hear her mother hen tone, scolding the grown man for not eating more. Zavien himself needs to pay her a visit, sure she will tsk her tongue at his absence, but the thought only makes him smile more. 

As the courier speaks, Zavien's eyebrows raise. "Floating pumpkins? There's got to be a story there." He laughs, wondering what kind of antics his friend has been up to. While he thinks up reasons for skybound gourds, the barmaid brings them drinks. He tells her "Thank you" and takes a sip of the beer while she shoots Hawthorn an appreciative glance. 

The last question has Zavien wracking his brain. What hasn't happened since he's last seen Thorn? Rubbing his chin, he thinks aloud, "Well, I finally joined the Dragoons. That's been fun and they've been giving me all sorts of assignments to help people around the city. I even got to meet our leader." He tries not to pause too long at that admission, pushing aside thoughts of Dahlia and continuing on. "I've met a lot of great people, including some of the other infamous leaders of Caido; kings, queens, wardens. I've fought a lot of Void creatures and monsters. Oh! And played fetch with a bone being. That was fun." Realizing he was talking a lot, Zavien smiles. "It's been a lot and there's sure to be more. But tell me more about work. Have you met any interesting people?"

And love is good, and life is long,
and friends are best together.

// the only heaven i'll be sent to —

Snickering to himself – because he also doubts that will be the case, but he makes it a point to drop in and bother Zavien whenever he can given that he’s got a standing invitation. And rather than speak his gratitude for it, the courtesan simply bobs his head in a quiet little thanks before his grin is spreading wide at the burst of laughter from the Dragoon. “Gods it was so good but I thought you were gonna have t’roll me home.” He laments, full dramatics as he tosses his head up and presses a hand over his heart, sighing through the words.

Erica made damn good food, but fuck if she wasn’t somewhat intimidating to Thorn. And he certainly wouldn’t go and see her without the Accepted. That sounded like a recipe for trouble he didn’t know how to get out of. At least last time Zavien had taken pity and helped him out.

“Not much’ve one to be honest.” Thorn says around a laugh, thanking the barmaid and cradling the drink in both hands. “I just finished with a client an’ I came down to get a drink an’ there was this pumpkin on the stool tryin’ to get my attention? And then I gave in because it looked lost, y’know, and I wasn’t gonna jus’ let it get lost or somethin’. So I followed it out th’ door an’ this horrible shrieking happened from a floatin’ shitty Ludo mask. Then the pumpkin floated away.” He takes a sip from his drink and his brows pinch as if saying the story out loud made any more sense.

It doesn’t in the slightest.

But he pipes down to listen to what Zavien’s been up to, and his brows lift high enough to hide under his poofy long hair, nodding. He doesn’t get a chance to mention anything about Dahlia – positive he’d seen her at the House of Midnight once before, but he keeps silent on that front too, not wanting to drag too much attention to himself. Instead, he’s simply proud of the Accepted for moving up in the world. “Jeez, Zav, you’re a busy guy. D’ya ever sleep?” He chides playfully with a giggling laugh. “I uh… Met Flora. She’s the Queen of Torchline. It wasn’t work related or whatever, I almost got lost in Queen’s Gambit when I stumbled across her. And uhh, what else… I’ve been thinkin’ about joinin’ the magic academy in Halo?” His lips purse for a moment as he tries to rack his brain over it. “Haven’t had too many new clients that’re notable. Though I got one client that changed th’room in the House of Midnight to this… Real bright, tall buildin’ with lots of metal and a lot of lights. It was really beautiful.” He seems nostalgic for a moment before the thought passes and Thorn’s seafoam gaze lands on Zavien again.

thorn

— is when i'm alone with you //

Zavien

Strike hands with me. The glass is brim.
The dew is on the heather.

"I don't know if I would've been much help. I almost had to roll myself home!" Zavien returns the laugh and gesture, placing a hand on his tight abs and puffing out his cheeks. The full feeling still lingers in his thoughts, recent enough that he doesn't need to experience it to remember how it pressed out against his stomach. However, the longer he waits to visit, the most Erica will insist he eats, adding a sense of pressure to go sooner rather than later.

Luckily, talk of floating and shrieking pumpkins is a much easier topic, making him laugh even harder. "Seriously?! Why did you follow the pumpkin in the first place?!" Zavien shakes his head in disbelief. How does a pumpkin look lost? The mental image of a drooping, bobbing pumpkin is absurd enough for his barking laugh to draw the attention of a nearby table, not that he notices, too absorbed in his conversation with Hawthorn.

Surprisingly (or perhaps unsurprisingly), with all the activities, sleep hasn't been an issue for the Dragoon and he chuckles. "I try! Training usually helps tire me out enough that I don't have a choice." He's been so busy, he hasn't had a lot of chances to go out to see the children nearby, but he makes a mental note to go in the morning when he leaves Mother Molly's (after all, he doesn't expect to leave anytime soon). 

A familiar name has Zavien smiling. "Oh! Flora? I met her just a little while ago! She happened to be visiting her brother in the city. I helped her kill some time." Her dragon, Spice, had been a little troublemaker that had them both trying to keep their laughter from disturbing the devotees of the Temple. He takes a sip of his beer as he grins to himself. 

Then mention of the Academy makes Zavien lean forward excitedly, his drink sloshing a little with his enthusiasm. "You should do it! I know I've really enjoyed being part of the Dragoons. I think everyone should find a community they can be a part of. I can't be your only friend after all." He gives Hawthorn a playful wink as he sits back again, knowing full well that he's not his only friend. The man's too popular for that. 

The idea of a tall building is more of a nightmare to Zavien and he grimaces at the thought, chuckling. "Yeah. I think I'll pass on that one." He follows the comment with a clarification, "I do still want to visit though! Maybe I'll come by King's End soon so I can stop by."

And love is good, and life is long,
and friends are best together.

// the only heaven i'll be sent to —

Snickering out a laugh alongside Zavien, the courtesan finds his cheeks aching from his smiles and his own laughter, reaching up to rub at his face as he shakes his head and shrugs his shoulders in a large gesture of I don’t know! “It looked lost!!” He complains loudly, capturing the attention of a nearby group of people that look away from them after a few moments of realizing that nothing interesting is happening aside from just a catch up between friends.

“So ya sleep more like a bag of rocks?” He teases, prodding the Dragoon with his slender elbow before he shoots him a sunny grin. One that remains at the mention of Flora though — having not realized she had a brother. But it’s an internal thought that remains, as Thorn swallows down another sip of the drink before he leans back. “Damn.” He’s really been traveling the world it seemed, and for a moment there’s a thought of letting himself do the same.

However, it brings him to the Academy and with the enthusiasm from Zavien he huffs a soft laugh and nods, before his smile turns a touch sheepish. “It’s just… It’s in Halo, ‘n I don’t wanna see my family so it’s a lil awkward… I guess?” Puffing out the air from his cheeks. “And hey! I do have other friends y’know! I have Koa and Tal!” He trails off, flashing him another smile.

His seafoam eyes widen at the idea of Zavien coming to see him though, the courtesan leaning forward in his seat and beaming at him with excitement. “Y’should! Y’can make the rooms whatever you want! ‘N they can change all the time.” Whatever they needed, wanted, dreamed of.

thorn

— is when i'm alone with you //

Zavien

Strike hands with me. The glass is brim.
The dew is on the heather.

Their laughter may be attracting attention, but Zavien has no intention of stopping. Leaning forward with curious disbelief, he voices his earlier thought, "How does a pumpkin look lost?!" His laugh is innocent and free, a contrast to the hushed words and stolen kisses that occupy the other corners. 

The playful jab has the Dragoon pointing his finger. "You know I do!" His reference is obviously to the last time they'd seen each other, sharing Zavien's bed after a long day of decorating and stuffing themselves with Erica's food. If Hawthorn remembers, not only does Zavien sleep like the dead, he snores so loud that it could rival most foghorns, not that it bothers him. Instead, he chuckles at the thought, sure that the courtesan is just too nice to comment on his obnoxious sleeping activities. 

Thorn's uncertainties about the Academy have Zavien wondering what kind of familial relationship would give the man so much anxiety about visiting the area, but he tries to keep his attitude light and friendly. Perhaps that would be a topic for another day. "Well, it's not like you'd have to move there. You could probably get away with a few short visits a year." 'And avoid your family' was the unspoken part as he turns back to lighter emotions. His hands come up in mock surrender, his smile teasing. "Whatever you say." Although now that he knows that they're all friends with each other, ideas of fun guy trips come to mind. It might be a fun break from all the purple stressors. 

Zavien splits his face in another wide grin as he talks about the other brothel. "I've heard! I really want to try it out!" (In a non-sexual way, obviously. ;P) Taking a sip of his beer, his curiosity piques and he places his head on his propped fist in interest. "What's the coolest thing you've seen it as?"

And love is good, and life is long,
and friends are best together.

// the only heaven i'll be sent to —

“’Cause it was one of those, uh, vampire gourds or somethin’!” Thorn says around another bubbling laugh, racking through his thin frame. “Sentient ‘n shit, I dunno. Looked confused ‘n really wanted me t’follow it.” And he had, and the frightening reveal had been done. Maybe it’s a sign that he should go and see Ludo instead of continuing to follow Frey if only so he can ask it a simple hey, what the fuck was that??

At any rate, the snickering, bubbling laugh continues as he’s pointed at – because the courtesan was familiar with the way that he was ninety nine percent sure that Zavien had decided to do home renovations in the middle of the night with how many logs he’d sawed. It’s a tidbit that he does keep to himself, though, amused as much as he is to have witnessed it in person, even if he hadn’t been too excited with the lack of sleep the next day.

Not that he can complain too much, Thorn is a light sleeper, but he moves all over the place, legs and arms thrown around in his own little restless party. But thankfully Zavien doesn’t bring that up either.

Regarding the Academy, though, Zavien does bring up a good point and the courtesan makes a show of thinking about it long and hard before he nods. “You’re prolly right.” He agrees, flashing a smile toward the Dragoon before he sighs a little, swept away shortly after for talk of the House of Midnight and its varying, changing rooms. “So, ‘side from the big ol’ building with all th’ lights, my other favorite was this client that wanted t’be in a big ass forest at the very top of the trees in a real nice treehouse.” The view had been amazing, even if completely conjured up out of nothing. And he realizes shortly after that maybe Halo’s rubbed off on him with the thrill of being in high up places.

Maybe that’s why he keeps finding himself drawn to Stormbreak, whether or not he goes.

thorn

— is when i'm alone with you //

Zavien

Strike hands with me. The glass is brim.
The dew is on the heather.

Zavien barks another loud laugh. "Okay. I'll give you that, but maybe think twice next time." He shakes his head in disbelief, although he probably would have done the exact same thing. His penchant for finding trouble while trying to help others is unrivaled, but perhaps that's rubbing off on Thorn. As he takes another sip of his drink, he snorts loudly at a thought. "Leafchange is going to be a nightmare this year." With the abundance of pumpkins in season, there would be no rest from suspecting every gourd has an ulterior motive of mischief. It makes him hurry to swallow his mouthful of ale before another bout of laughter consumes him. 

Apparently, the two men are the perfect maelstrom of laughter and sleeping chaos. Zavien will snore an award-worthy symphony while Hawthorn flings along a contemporary dance to bring people to tears. Anyone observing will surely be jealous of their talent. And they will both be too polite to comment on their performances in the morning. Like true gentlemen. And true friends. 

Like the good friend he is, Zavien is extremely satisfied to hear that Thorn takes his words to heart, nodding proudly. It might even give him an excuse to go visit Halo (for leveling reqs). Just like how he plans to visit the House of Midnight. However, the multiple mentions of heights don't help his interest in the shifting rooms. Is he the only one who doesn't like heights? Smiling politely, he tries to picture it as a short treehouse in a calm forest. "That does sound pretty cool." Tilting his head, he asks, "Do your clients ever let you pick the room? Or are you always subject to their whims?"

And love is good, and life is long,
and friends are best together.

// the only heaven i'll be sent to —

“I don’t think I’ll even be able t’eat a pumpkin pie.” Thorn laments wholly dramatically, at least he thinks he is – until Zavien brings up a good point about Leafchange and Thorn groans, immediately bringing up both hands to rub at his face. “I didn’t even think’ve that.” Spreading his fingers out to peer his seafoam gaze at the Dragoon, it’s with a mixture of amusement and also a touch of pain that the sentiment – while fully – would potentially be terrible.

Luckily thoughts of Halo and adventures back there without even needing to mention to his family that he’s returning briefly – hoping to not run into them as he makes those treks – the courtesan flashes Zavien an easy smile as he recalls the rooms he’d liked the best. Yet, realizing that Zavien wasn’t quite fond of heights has him imagining something quaint for the dragoon – a nice cobblestone cottage, perhaps adorned with vines and wisteria in the middle of nowhere, with good food, tea, drinks, and a multitude of people milling about.

“Oh, me? No.” Thorn says with a chuckle, pausing to take a sip of his drink before he lets his gaze land back on the other man. “I’ve never got to pick the room. It’d prolly be something gaudy and far too fancy.” Bouncing his brows playfully, he settles in his seat easier. “Not that it’s a problem for the room, but it could be a problem for me gettin’ my hopes up, y’know?” It’s sarcastically said – though the amount of varying spaces he’s been in, he hasn’t paid too much attention to for obvious reasons (unless they were the big and vibrant differences, like the tree houses and the skyscrapers).

thorn

— is when i'm alone with you //

Zavien

Strike hands with me. The glass is brim.
The dew is on the heather.

Zavien can't personally imagine not being able to eat pumpkin pie during Leafchange, but he doubts that will be the worst of Thorn's concerns. "Well, hopefully it's not too bad. Maybe just don't go out at night?" It's teasing, but he does feel a little worried for his friend and how he'll get through the season. He considers offering his services for protection but doesn't think he can do much to keep the pumpkins away. So instead, he tries to be something for Thorn to look forward to.

If he could see the image in his friend's mind, he'd definitely like the idea. His mom always encouraged living a quaint cozy life filled with loving company, and he never found that he wanted anything else, so it wouldn't be surprising if that was exactly what appeared when he stepped inside. However, at the moment the Dragoon doesn't quite understand Thorn's words, his eyebrows coming down in confusion before he dismisses it with a light laugh and a wave of his hand. "Regardless, I'll make sure you have control when I visit. I want to see what you do!" His smile is pure and rife with excitement while he raises his glass to his friend. "How about a toast? To good memories, best friends, and many adventures to come." To include a visit to the House of Midnight.

And love is good, and life is long,
and friends are best together.

// the only heaven i'll be sent to —

It was very much the worst of his concerns, until Zavien had brought up the much more realistic worse reality he has to face – and already he’s dreading the upcoming season change. But for now, with a nice drink and good company, he can pretend its multitudes of time away from where they sit in the span of Caido’s shifting seasons, pretending to be wholly and completely blissfully unaware.

Instead, he focuses on the potential of the room and what it could be and what kind of dreams he might make up for himself that are absolutely unattainable, he’s kept it on a short leash of not simply making it a focus. He’s always been a dreamer, anyway, but he tries to make sure he’s content with where he is, too.

So when Zavien says he’ll let him have control, Thorn huffs a soft laugh against the rim of his cocktail glass, nodding and moving the glass immediately to raise in a toast. “To good memories, best friends, and many adventures t'come.” And he pauses to give Zavien a conspirator’s look. “And t’avoiding rogue gourds.” He says it in a huff of laughter that bubbles out of him, clinking his glass against the Dragoon’s before he takes a sip to finish the toast, settling back into his seat to let the conversation drift about until the worker that had tried desperately to corner Zavien vanishes at some point and the Abandoned can help the dragoon slip out unnoticed.

- FIN

thorn

— is when i'm alone with you //