flicking fire like saltwater into my eyes

and well, I can’t explain what happened to my faith

Jonah can’t stop himself from leaning in closer as Sunjata shifts back, the edge of the bar digging into his stomach now. The flush on his face grows darker, embarassed, interested, obvious. Sunjata’s voice floods down his spine, tugging the corners of Jonah’s lips up gently.

Looking away so he can think, Jonah let’s his tongue slip out between his lips again, sitting in the corner of his lips while he concentrates. Fingertips tap on his own cheek, and finally, something seems to give on his head, hazy eyes finding Sunjata’s steel again. “I think I might.” He tries to match the easy charm, but doesn’t quite have the confidence to come right out and say what he thinks. “Does it involve me coming to the other side of the bar?”

JONAH

// i may never sleep tonight as long as you're still burning bright
if i could trade mistakes for sheep, count me away before you sleep //

He notices immediately as he withdraws, the way the other man seems to creep across the bar. It only adds to Sunjata’s slight smirk growing more and more – a scarred brow arching just a fraction more, spying the interest there as he cocks his head slightly with his question. And he watches, the steel of his gaze certainly sizing Jonah up and down, lingering in places until the Accepted’s gaze finds his again.

The answer has Sunjata humming again, downing the rest of his drink and putting out the now fully burnt cigarette in the ashtray, for him to stand up and peer down at the other man fully from his height as he makes the bold choice to reach forward and let his lightning scarred fingertips run along the exposed part of Jonah’s arm. “It certainly does. I think I could use some help in the store room, come to think of it.” He makes a show of thinking hard about it, before he steps back, gesturing for Jonah to join him on the other side, where he can whisk the man away to a dusty, now converted to storage, part of the original Devil’s Advocates that has long since lost most of it’s guild description.

Of course, the desk in the center with the claw marks scratching it up remains but he hopes that Jonah doesn’t pay too much attention to that part.

i'll stay awake 'til i trade my mistakes, or they fade away

SUNJATA

and well, I can’t explain what happened to my faith

It's not intentional, not really, but... honestly, he's looking up so high, it's hard to not peer through his lashes up at the other man. A shiver rolls down his spine at the slight touch, his head cocking to the side. "Oh yeah?" Jonah hums, rising just slightly off the bar stool as Sunjata thinks. "I can be pretty helpful." And he makes the first step around the bar, joining the other man on the other side, and then through the door.

The back room isn't really what he expects, looking much dustier and less used than Jonah would have thought, but if nothing else that means it's private. He steps towards the desk, wobbling just a little now that he's loose from Sunjata's support, and turns, an awkward, excited grin on his face. "So," He purrs, trying for alluring, "how can I help?"

JONAH

// i may never sleep tonight as long as you're still burning bright
if i could trade mistakes for sheep, count me away before you sleep //

Oh he hopes the other man can be helpful – hopes that the both of them can agree that a little bit of forgetting about their recent circumstances would help their moods. So he reveals the little store room that’s not quite a store room, hidden away and a smidge dusty from how long it’s been since it’s actually been used. But Sunjata doesn’t seem to mind, moving to turn on the oil lamps to let light flood into the space, turning back to Jonah the second that the man slips toward the desk and he hears the attempt at alluring.

A small smirk forms on his face as he regards Jonah, drawing up his posture a little as he focuses on the shorter man. “First of all, an exchange of names would be nice. I’d like to know who I’m working with.” He flashes a wink toward Jonah, taking a few strides forward to close the distance, making a show of a little half bow. “I’m Sunjata.” The Flood, Safrin’s Scorned, Frey’s Chosen.

i'll stay awake 'til i trade my mistakes, or they fade away

SUNJATA

and well, I can’t explain what happened to my faith

Jonah is not a short man, not really. He’s not especially tall, used to looking up at people, but with Sunjata it’s not just up, it’s up and up and up. It feels like he offers too much of his throat just to meet the bartenders eyes, like the bob as he swallows is all too obvious. “Names are good.” He agrees with a too eager nod, his smiling widening and falling as he tries to keep from looking too excited.

The other man comes closer and Jonah has no choice to crane his neck more to keep his eyes on his face. His mouth opens so he can offer his name on the heels of Sunjata’s, but it sticks in his throat, surprise widening his eyes and framing some of the colour from his face. “Sunjata?” The Flood, the Demi-god who’d scorned Safrin and come out the other side. “He’s… you’re married?” Of all the protests he could offer, it’s the weakest one, red returning to Jonah cheeks in full force as he drags his eyes away.

JONAH

// i may never sleep tonight as long as you're still burning bright
if i could trade mistakes for sheep, count me away before you sleep //

Jonah can look however much excited as he wants to, Sunjata isn’t going to complain or be dissuaded by it. If anything, he steps closer and peers down at the other man just as he has to look up to meet the steel of the new demigod’s eyes. His name is offered and he anticipates receiving the other man’s name, not the reiteration of his own on Jonah’s tongue, followed by a recognition that has him flickering through his jumbled, tangled mind searching for something that might offer up a bit of whether or not they’ve met before.

They haven’t, however, and the next words that leave him have a bark of a laugh leaving Sunjata, a nod. “I am, yeah.” He begins with a quiet huff of a sound, still letting his gaze linger on the flush of Jonah’s cheeks, on the way the other man averts his gaze. Perhaps it’s bold of him, but Sunjata reaches forward and lets his calloused fingertips rest on Jonah’s jaw, returning the other man’s attention to the demigod. “But it’s an open marriage. And besides, this benefits him in the long run too.” To this, a flash of a wink, as he moves to withdraw, a shrug of a shoulder nonchalantly. “Of course, if that changes your mind about working with me, that’s fine.” The offer is there for him to take or leave it alone.

i'll stay awake 'til i trade my mistakes, or they fade away

SUNJATA

and well, I can’t explain what happened to my faith

It’s not a surprise to hear about the marriage, not really. There are some people Jonah might be suspicious of, too afraid of being caught in a web of lies, but with Sunjata, well… the pieces might not be all there, but the puzzle makes sense. The Flood had spurned Safrin for Frey, an open marriage was the least surprising thing about him.

And, truth be told, he’s weak to the fingers on his jaw, enough that he nearly whines as they withdraw, as Sunjata withdraws.

All at once Jonah pushes off the desk and grabs the other man’s wrist, stopping him from pulling back any more. “I just don’t want any angry men chasing me down.” He explains, releasing Sunjata’s wrist to palm his chest instead, cheeks growing redder as he does. Jonah takes a breath, then looks up to meet Sunjata’s eyes. “I’m still happy to help.”

JONAH

// i may never sleep tonight as long as you're still burning bright
if i could trade mistakes for sheep, count me away before you sleep //

Surprise crosses his face as he withdraws and Jonah pushes toward him, surges in a way he doesn’t expect because of how this has gone so far. His grip is stronger than he’s expecting as well and he stills immediately, a flush coloring his skin deeper. He steps closer when his wrist is released, shaking his head immediately, the dangling earrings dancing over his shoulders. “There won’t be.” He assures Jonah, even if he doesn’t need the assurance.

If anything, their eyes meet and Jonah offers his help regardless, and Sunjata drifts closer toward Jonah, boxing him in as he gets into his space, returning his hand to the other man’s jaw, shoulders slumping ever so slightly to draw his height down. “Well, we have this space all to ourselves right now.” Cut off, no neighbors, just them and their agreement. His other hand rises to take Jonah’s hand on his chest, pulling it to press it against his own chest, leaning down into his space to get that much closer.

i'll stay awake 'til i trade my mistakes, or they fade away

SUNJATA

and well, I can’t explain what happened to my faith

Jonah casts his gaze around the dusty, unused room, just to give himself a break from the intensity of Sunjata’s steel. It is private, and warmer now than it had been before, filling with a smell and presence so overpowering he almost feels stupid for just now realizing it’s coming from the other man. “So we do.” He agrees in a throaty hum, the words nearly sticking to his tongue as he leans up. All at once Jonah’s eyes are locked on the handsome, scarred face above him, though finally his naive nerves are overpowered by a sudden rush of want.

He surges up, closing that last breath of space between them to press a messy, out of practice kiss to Sunjata’s lips. A sigh escapes Jonah, soft and contented, and his free hand creeps up to wrap around the back of the Demi-gods neck. Only then does he draw back, dropping off the tips of his toes to part them again. “Was there uh… anything specific you needed ah, help with, or?” He starts to slowly rise up again as the question curls up, an offer to just keep doing without thinking so hard.

JONAH

// i may never sleep tonight as long as you're still burning bright
if i could trade mistakes for sheep, count me away before you sleep //

Sunjata is nothing if not attentive, noticing the things that people tend to react positively to, if only so he can recreate it. It’s what draws his hand to Jonah’s jaw again, it’s what has him changing up just how they’re connected — Jonah’s hand on his chest, then to his neck, their lips meeting in a way that has Sunjata pressing back into the Accepted.

It’s a low hum of a whine that leaves him when they part, Sunjata swallowing hard against the slight loss of contact, his head cocking avianlike as he regards Jonah’s question. “You’ll find that I tend to prefer helping you more than myself.” He admits, flashing a crooked sharp smirk and a wink the other man’s way, before he dips his head slightly as if to give him all the room to speak his mind. “What would you like help with?” And where do you want me?

i'll stay awake 'til i trade my mistakes, or they fade away

SUNJATA

and well, I can’t explain what happened to my faith

“Its… been a while since I was helped.” Jonah says softly, instead of his first thought, which is I wouldn’t have guessed that. The surprise still shows on his face though, rippling over the somewhat dazed look that had settled before it. “I’m not really… just touch me.”

Picking up on at least a few of the queues being left for him, Jonah draws his hands back and circles them around the demi-gods wrists, squeezing experimentally. He doesn’t waste any more time than that though, dragging Sunjata’s hands to his hips. Some long ignored hearth in his chest ignites, embers flicking and sparking and driving the other man’s hand into his waistband, a thumb flicking open the fastening on Jonah’s pants.

JONAH

From the corner of the room a massive wine-spider scurries. Running toward you, it tries its best to crawl up your leg, hovering against you for warmth. Clearly something has startled it. Poor thing.

---

This is not a RE nor a rare creature. It cannot be used for levelling.

Wine Spider: These friendly arachnids can grow up to the size of a small housecat. With fuzzy bodies and spindly legs, they are often found lurking around wine racks or kegs of beer. They are almost always drunk, hiccuping and stumbling about. It is said that finding a baby wine spider in your drink is a lucky omen!

// i may never sleep tonight as long as you're still burning bright
if i could trade mistakes for sheep, count me away before you sleep //

“Is that so?” Comes the rumbling purr, a question in the air that Jonah doesn’t need to answer. Because he is told what the Accepted wants and Sunjata’s quite inclined to indulge — only the second his hands are grasped, he stills, his steel sharpening into something that smolders with interest and intrigue, a small smirk crossing the corners of his face as he’s guided.

He leans in, curious to see just which version of Sunjata the other man wants — more man than beast or more beast than man as his canines sharpen ever so slightly while his hands press against Jonah’s hips, hands dipping into the waistband with the direction offered, eagerness clear as day. He leans in, lips pressing to Jonah’s jaw, down to his neck, ready to drag those sharp teeth along the exposed skin when he feels something crawl up his pant leg.

It’s a huff of breath that leaves him, hot and sharp against Jonah’s skin as he withdraws, pulling away momentarily from him. “Hang on.” He mumbles, reaching down to lift the end of his pant leg to reveal the small wine spider clinging to his leg like it was a heat lamp. “C’mon.” He croons to the creature, pulling it onto his hand, stepping away from Jonah as the spider hiccups as Sunjata moves to the other side of the room, grabbing a bowl and a bottle of old wine, dumping half the bottle into the bowl before he sets the spider alongside it.

Once that’s done, he returns to Jonah, flashing a playful fanged grin. “Apologies for the interruption.” He begins again, horns curling out from his skull through his dark hair as he invades Jonah’s space immediately, one hand pressing into the other man’s waistband, palming him, while the other hand of his rises under his shirt, trailing up his skin and over a nipple. “Now where were we?”

i'll stay awake 'til i trade my mistakes, or they fade away

SUNJATA

and well, I can’t explain what happened to my faith

There is something intoxicating about the smoulder in Sunjata’s eyes, a feeling that Jonah isn’t sure what to do with, beyond tightening his grip and tugging at the other man more insistently. Wide, hazy eyes flutter closed, Jonah head tipping all to easily to the side to offer free access to his throat, the threat of fangs sending his breath huffing out between his lips. And he finally starts to grow more bold himself, though his sense of timing could not be worse – just as he untangles a free hand, and ghosts the tips of his fingers under the hem of Sunjata’s shirt, brushing over the hint of warm skin and jagged scars, the Demi-god pulls away, leaving Jonah no choice to lean back against the desk harder, unable to arch forward anymore now that his support was gone.

“Did I..?” He starts, a pout pushing at his lips despite his best attempts to bite it back. Relief floods through him as the reason comes clear, the spider alleviating his guilt but triggering a rush of irrational panic. Sunjata has it in hand, but it doesn’t stop Jonah from glancing around the floor looking for other spiders, half considering sitting on the desk to try and avoid them.

The consideration doesn’t turn into action, the other man returning to his place, and boxing Jonah in more effectively than before, not that there are any complaints from the vagabond. “No need to apologize.” Jonah offers in a shaky voice, his smile just as wobbly. Hands on him, in his clothes blow away the miasma of fear surrounding him. “Oh fuck.” It’s a low whine, Jonah’s hand returning to its exploratory place under the Demi-gods shirt while the other lifts to his hair, fingers brushing through the sun kissed waves and bumping against the horns. “I-I think… just a little before this, but I’m not…” Not complaining, obviously. Sunjata’s shirt gathers around his wrist as Jonah lets his hand creep higher, mirroring the other man’s touch and pinching Sunjata’s nipple.

JONAH