crescentview | summer catchall

( He did wonder if that past tense was a "He's still around, just back home," or a "He's not around, even at home" sort of thing, and Ryuki's reaction makes him wonder if it's the latter. )

He sounds like a sensible man.

( Oh, to be in agreement with a cop's mentor. A sip... )

... Did something happen to him?

.........

[ "R̸̥͖̥̓y̷̜̎͛ǘ̷͇̜̐͠k̵̢̦̓̈̐i̶̥̮̔?̴̯̥̊ ̸͖̜͋͊͊" ]

... So, what kind of stuff are you into?

( Ooooh, something interesting happened, hm? But he'll take the ball Ryuki passes him, metaphorically. Too much depression and this guy might be more of a dead fish in bed than Mishka already suspects he might be. )

Let's see... ( He swirls his glass a little. ) Is it strange to say I enjoy the maths? Number puzzles, for instance. I've found I also enjoy hiking up to the forest to collect mushrooms, and treading into the ocean - the waters are strikingly clear.

[ Hey....... he would feel bad if he was a dead fish. He puts out reasonably. He laughs into his glass, pretty humourlessly for how he'd been thus far. ]

That's all really cute, but it isn't what I meant. I thought you weren't out to mess with me.

[ Like, come on. You know what he really meant, right? ]

( Mishka will be very proud of him!! Anyway that was studybrain replying but you know what, we roll with this. He's a little a tipsy and he's not been so before, but he also doesn't seem it very much.

He laughs. )

Was I messing with you? ( Gaslights Ryuki... jk. He shrugs. He knows he mentioned he's been pretty busy with work for a good while, so he continues, ) Intimacy has been far from my mind for some years. The things I enjoy on the field are like to be a bit brutal if transferred to the bedroom.

( Or the clinic, as it were. In a sense he's probing the idea, mostly because he's curious, but it doesn't matter to him either way. )

[ Psychologists should be all over this piece of work so so can blame Mishka... Ryuki is a scrambled wonder. Three drinks in should do it, just enough to be loose lipped. ]

I can handle a bit of rough.

[ Boldly enough, as if it's almost a bit of a dare. The provoking is not too one sided, it seems. ]

Mmmm... 'A bit' of rough, is it?

( He slides just a little nearer, glass hanging from his fingertips, and his voice falls just slightly lower so the barkeep doesn't have to be privy. )

And if I pushed that a little more?

[ He looks at Mishka, unbudging. The logical part of his brain wants to say hold on, now, but he asked for a few drinks first for a reason. He never gets anything done if he tries to use reason. No, he needs conviction... ]

I'm used to pushing my limits, but I think... someone told me, this place is for having new experiences, too.

Edited (ew grammar ) 2023-01-12 04:54 (UTC)

( The slight stretch of his smile holds for a moment, before it curves into a more familiar, playful one. )

Then you're in luck, because I very much adore trying unfamiliar things. ( Fluffs his hair again! ) Feeling adventurous enough, then? Or are you in need of another cup, still?

[ Hmn. Subconsciously or not, even though he may be signing up for a rough time, the softer touch to his hair is a small benediction. He leans into it ever-minutely, eyes a little hazy. ]

I'll just finish this one.

( Oho... He never gets to do this with Adelis - he'd bite off his hand. The fluffing turns into a gentle stroking, fingers tangling in his hair. )

Take your time. ( Well, he does suspect there might be that last minute blossom of clients toward the end of the day - because there always is, universally - but Mishka isn't personally worried about that, and perhaps Ryuki might be less so now, too. ) And you? Is there anything you find yourself inclined toward?

( While they sorta touched on this last time, Ryuki wasn't three drinks in last time, so, )

[ He's like a sad stray, is all he is. Mostly lying down on the path, tail wagging half-heartedly at any passing pet. Though maybe with a bit more specific taste, as the fingers tangle in his hair, he makes a low noise in the back of his throat. Already he's finding himself in a better mindset, like he had intended.

Inclined? He feels like he's at a good pace where he is, but if he must... He puts his own hand over Mishka's wrist, pulling it more firmly against his head. ]

You can start with this.

( So simple... Ryuki had asked him not to mess with him, but Mishka considers all of this messing with him, to an extent - Ryuki's a good guy. Mishka does as he does with indifference and curiosity because, fundamentally, he feels so little truly matters. Someone like Ryuki doesn't need someone like Mishka passing the time with him.

But life isn't fair, is it?

He pets him less idly, and with a more gentle, focused affection - very much like petting a cat or a dog and letting the way they press into your palm guide your touch. In some sense, this is intriguing for him, too - how rarely does he engage in this sort of touch. How easy it would be to curl his fingers in and twist up the jaw by the hair, exposing the neck to...

Ah, petting, petting, yes. )

These things are why I call you cute, you know.

[ In an ideal world, maybe. But one possible interest of his already has someone and REDACTED, and the other isn't someone he can ever touch. He can't say 'even if', because the reality is just that, and he doesn't feel like he deserves either of these things. Life indeed isn't fair, and he knows so very well. Now, is it reverse spiders georg unfair. Ehhhhh jury's out...

He had meant it in a different way, but the increased head petting isn't something he can really find it in himself to say 'stop' to. It's such a small gesture, but one he's starved for. Usually, he refutes a declaration like that, shaking it off in embarrassment -- but now, it sends a slight shiver down his spine, and his protest is weak. ]

I'm not.

( If Mishka can claim the title of "Not the worst thing to happen to Ryuki," there's no reason he wouldn't be satisfied with that. He expects little of himself, and he's satisfied with clearing the lowest of bars. Not that he exactly loses sleep over being the worst thing to happen to people - in general, not specific to this poor guy.

Mishka finds himself amused by the protest, especially in contrast to his reaction. Misplaced pride is also cute. )

Then how would you prefer I think of you?

( Gradually his hand slips along the curve of Ryuki's head, caressing the cheek with light touch and cupping his face. )

Handsome? Beautiful?

[ HONESTLY? That bar is pretty high actually to be his antithesis, so Mishka does indeed get to claim a 'not the worst thing' badge.

Ryuki is truly at a loss. He doesn't expect compliments in these scenarios, not outside of typical and expected comments of a more carnal and base nature. This is much kinder. He feels like he swung one way, astonished and stuttering, a miss -- swung the other way, diverted to the bar and shotgunned some things that leave his throat burning so he could agree and still feels like he's missing again. He can only curl up in his seat a bit at it all.

He thought Mishka just wanted him for the square, and his attempt to commit to that idea left him vulnerable here. Too afraid to take it, or something. It'll give him an attachment, and he does have a tendency to get a little jealous. ]

Y-you don't need to call me any of those things. You don't need to seduce me into it...

( Is this a little unkind? Yeah, it is. Mishka doesn't really engage in intimacy often - his poisonous body prior generally left him unsuited and uninterested in the effort - and very rarely did it cross his mind. But he isn't ignorant, entirely, that a little bit of intimacy mixed with a little bit of nicety can lead a person on.

He does like Ryuki. But liking someone never means Mishka won't use them for his own ends - and, in this case, his end is sating some sense of curiosity. Would Ryuki lean into this, or pull away? A better person would keep the line from business and interest clear - not so with Mishka. )

I say these things because I want to, not because I believe I have to.

( A big cat's instinct to pounce goes off when a person's back is turned. In the same way, Mishka's instinct to close in when he sees a person vulnerable is somewhere between assassin's instinct, and a function of his own flaws. )

Should you hate it, I won't speak another word. But if you allow me... I would enjoy it - indulging you.

[ Well, how fortunate. Ryuki isn't usually the kind to seek out material comforts outside of the bottom of a glass bin or several, but sometimes, the static -- it just gets to be too much, cutting through the fog. And still yet, he's still a man, and who is he to reject someone's late-night flirting and a heavy-handed offer to go home? Of course, like the haze of alcohol, that too has the promise of never lasting overlong.

He used to be brighter-eyed once, more prone to red flushes of embarrassment rather than brandy, but somewhere, he's bid that goodbye, along with most dreams of anything that isn't fleeting. In other words, he expects this, too, will be brief, and nothing more.

...Still, he's still Ryuki, and compliments only strive him forward and embarrass him in equal amounts. And also, despite being Ryuki, he occasionally finds enough boldness in him to sometimes just say things. Case in point: ]

There's other things you can compliment instead, soon enough. Let's go?

( Oho. Perhaps the alcohol was a worthwhile stop, after all. )

And here I thought we might have to do it here if you intended to keep me overlong.

( jk, not even Mishka is gutsy enough to bang in an open bar. Probably.

Thankfully, he'd squared away his payment ahead of time, so they can just head off. He slips off his seat, offering a hand to steady Ryuki if it seemed he needed it, but otherwise sets off with him. Mishka, for his part, is a little broader with his movements - subtle signs of his own tipsiness. )

You know, you're a little more surprising than I expected, alcohol or no.

( He'd pegged Ryuki as a lot more weak-willed, but, compared to most Mishka's seen, he's not at all unsalvageable. )

I don't want to get banned from the bar...

[ Surely, there are actually more reasons than this. However, this is the only reason Ryuki lists, so you may make your... conclusions or whatever. Ryuki seems to be capable of walking still just fine -- a little slower, eyes somewhat downcast than his usual gait, but nowhere near the point of debilitation. He's built a respectable tolerance. Normally, he might notice Mishka's tipsiness, but that also goes unseen since he seems to be holding his own well. ]

I guess everyone's full of surprises. It'd be boring if it wasn't, right.

[ Unsalvageable is questionable, but Mishka also has a unique world view than the average Statistics Georg. He stops in front of the clinic door for a moment and scans the other side, x-ray vision seeing through the wood and walls and finding nobody present. Quietly, he opens the door and lets them both in. ]

No one's in right now.

( Whether or not it's Ryuki's sole reason, that it's his sole named reason does earn a small laugh from Mishka. )

Are you afraid of boring people?

( Can Mishka stop needling people for 10 seconds? Apparently not. Whether or not Ryuki answers him, he's on standby as Ryuki does his little trick, and raises an eyebrow, impressed. He slips in after him. )

That's a neat little trick. My life would have been far easier with it.

( He doesn't really elaborate on that, but being able to see within a building would be a boon to most, he presumes, so no need to get into it. He's near soundless as he steps into the clinic, casting his gaze about quickly and confirming what Ryuki predicted (or, well, saw) - he seems satisfied.

He beckons Ryuki to follow after him to one of the beds he'd scouted out earlier, neatly tucked away behind a semicircle curtain. No one may be in here at present, but still, perhaps out of habit, his voice remains low - he isn't the sort to assume an unlocked building is like to remain barren. After all, they just walked in. )

Ah, how comfortable . . . ( The curtain quietly shut behind them, he tests the bed with his palms before slipping up onto it. So soft... ) Come up, come up. You'll like it.

I wouldn't say that. Not afraid. Don't hate it, either. I like stimulation though -- staying active.

[ Of course, he'd rather probably be known as a little boring than, I don't know, a complete psychopath, but hey. Extreme takes. Also yeah... yeah....... an assassin would really love to have the kinds of things Ryuki's eyesight can do, seeing through walls and lies and people's hearts like it's all clearly written across their faces. Fortunately for the world, he is technically on the side of the law. ]

It's pretty handy.

[ Offhandedly, distracted as he steps past the off-blue curtains. It's quiet, a little too much, and quiet leaves him restless. He sits down on the bed, feeling the springs under -- passable, not luxurious, but acceptable as a medical bed by his judgment -- facing towards the gap between the partition curtain before he looks back at Mishka. Then, he crawls up on the bed more proper, scooting closer with his palms to the bedspread as well to balance himself. ]

Could be better, could be worse. [ Regarding bed quality. ] Hoping for better.

[ He'd say last chance to change your mind about the bingo square, but Tama has schooled him that such behaviour is kinda a turnoff. ]

( Back in Ostoya your medical bed was your designated 5x5 space on the floor, if you were lucky enough to have one, really, so this, to Mishka, is great. Granted, as master assassin, he probably has more perks than others - but the mats he got still wouldn't beat these. Real privilege was reserved for those who sold their souls to vampires, and Mishka, unfortunately, is under different ownership.

He laughs lightly at Ryuki's conclusion. Ah, how much nicer the standard quality of living he's used to must be. )

If these don't quite meet your standards, next time I'll invite you to the inn.

( Messing with Ryuki? Unclear. He did reiterate he wouldn't, though. He lifts his hand, reaching for Ryuki's head, like he has when fluffing up his hair - but, this time, he places his palm to Ryuki's forehead, as Ryuki had done with his hand before. )

What was this, that you wanted?

( He could tell he figured wrong, the first time. )

[ Yeah it's really valid. Ryuki just gets the luxury of being able to rate things, though ultimately, his tastes are pretty mundane. Get yourself a master bed for your farmhouse, Mishka... for you and all of your :ANTS:.

The inn, huh... he hasn't much experience with repeats, like fwb -- anything prolonged. His relationship with Tama is a bit too unique, nor is it quite the same calibre. He supposes it might not be too bad, though he doesn't have any appropriate square of his own, so he'd simply leave it up to Mishka. He blinks once, fading back into focus at the question, and suddenly aware of a hand right in front of his face. When'd that get there? ]

You said you were open to being rough, right?

[ He tries to be a bit more straightforward this time, raising a hand to cover the other's, guiding it to his hair, and closing fingers around a handful of short black strands. ]

I was hoping you'd pull.

( Master bed for the bugs, regular bed for Mishka. His children deserve the luxury.

Ah, so that's what it was. Well, if anything, he seems pleased - if Ryuki's requesting something rough himself, perhaps his tolerance for a bit of shenanigans is a bit broader than he'd expected. (If only Mishka knew...)

His fingers curl lightly into Ryuki's hair, as if testing his grip - tugging the strands from the scalp with a surprisingly steely touch. )

I would argue that I'm rougher than I am sweet.

( Because he says sweet things often, and he does not say them falsely, but they are not his heart. His heart is the brambles in the churches; his heart is knives beneath the skin. It is not that he revels in suffering, particularly - it is that hurt is the language he best knows.

He slips an arm around Ryuki's waist without particular explanation, and pulls him close as he can - nearly chest to chest, if Ryuki will let him. )

You will have to figure out some way to tell me if you truly begin to dislike something I do, yes?

( And then he yanks with a sudden sharpness, twisting Ryuki's head back by the hair with startling force - he isn't abnormally strong, but it's clear he's quite used to doing this for more brutal business, and he's used to keeping a person still this way, the neck forced into an appealing arch. )

summer catchall

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