psychoshenanigans | Court // Canon

Entry tags:

robin,
tekhetsio

Court // Canon

[at some point, Robin gets fed up with his own unsettled, rattling thoughts and finds where Tek is staying. his constantly being surrounded by people in the dragon's Underground makes it easy to ignore the other members of court that might be milling around the room.

so he just... walks up to his bed, crosses his arms. he looks very well-dressed. new shoes. frowning.]

On the pretense that I'm going to take you to an expensive dinner, I need you to listen to my problem.

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[and he'd been all settled down for a nice read and very long nap. so, he stabs a glance over the top of his book only when Robin has come all the way over and finished delivering his ultimatum.]

Need is a very strong word, don't you think?

It's a very strong feeling.

[squints at him. accept his problems.]

[ugh, fine.

he lays his book down flat on his chest--still open to the page he was on--and moves his leg over as invitation for Robin to sit]

[he sits. he rubs his palm into one of his eyes before he shifts to look at Tek, at his young face and his young hair...]

So you know how I was somehow worse before I was here? I'm not adjusting well.

[his sigh is actually quite small, because he's trying to keep it to himself for once. it's not disappointed, per se, but it's certainly not surprised. it's almost as though he's been waiting for something like this.

still, he's not going to immediately give it too much validation.]

Why not? Isn't this place much better?

Yes, and that's the problem. There's no rules, no consequence.

[lucky for Tek, Robin seems to be pretty absorbed in his own frustration. he runs a hand through his own hair.]

I keep being telling people things, Tek. I don't get it. Maybe it was a whole other game where I used to be, and I got used to using honesty as a tool and now that I'm here it's got no shock, it just...

[he doesn't know how to explain it. his strategy is all wrong. he gestures emptily and comes back with nothing.]

[the alarm bells that go off one-by-one in Tek's head as Robin explains, start adding up to a frown on his face. he waits until until that lull where Robin finds himself floating off to sea, and then reaches out.

he grabs a little bit of sleeve half way to Robin's shoulder--it's as far as he can reach--and he gives it a sharp little tug.]

--Hey.

[oh. here he is. he's back now, looking at Tek, surprised to have been dragged down into reality to quickly. he doesn't know why he's surprised--this is why he came to Tek in the first place.]

You see?

Yes. I see.

[he sighs, and scoots up against the headboard a little]

Now, look. Of course there are rules and consequences. You're not dreaming all of this.

[he doesn't entirely look like he believes that, but he keeps quiet. Tek keeps his attention, and he wants to be sorted out.]

An example of a consequence that very much exists here-- you're going to embarrass yourself.

Everyone has a goal. You're trying to build something, get somewhere. And spilling all over everyone is not the way to do it.

[uuuugh, Tek is right. real or not, eventually that will catch up to him. it already did, with Cecil. she won't easily forget something so... stupid.

he frowns harder, looking defensive--but that doesn't stop Tek from having a good point.]

...You're right.

[of course he's right. and it's only now that he sighs and finally sets his book off to the side. he'll find the page again later.]

It might be a smaller arena, but there's more of a goal here than had been at the tower. There's actually something to accomplish here, and everyone's watching.

[oh, now it's starting to sink in. he feels stupid. he doesn't necessarily know what he wants to accomplish here, but it strikes better than the idea of wandering around aimlessly.]

Oh...

Yeah, oh.

[he rubs at the bridge of his nose for a minute, right where there would be ridges had he not been wearing his mask]

...Do I want to know?

No. You don't.

[he rubs at the back of his neck, similarly agitated.]

Well. Now I really do.

No. It's fine, just assume you'd be disgusted with me.

[he's so full, though.]

I need an outlet, something. I don't know what to do with all of this...

[he takes a second to rearrange-- scooting back until he's finally sitting properly upright, and then draws up his knees to fold his arms on. he's kind of sitting forward like this, as if he's actually invested in this or something.]

How do you mean?

I don't know, I just feel... Like there's too much. Angry, happy. Confused, maybe.

[it makes him feel sick. he slides a leg up onto the bed, though, folding it. he's keeping his shoes off the blankets.]

I've got to do something with it, I just can't figure out what. Nothing's working.

[he watches him for a long moment, in that subtly predatory way that is his usual standing default when it comes to Robin. he's also spending some time absorbing the radiating ache. drinking it all in, letting it mix with whatever he's got brewing inside his own skull, until he finally reaches a decision.]

Come here.

[he just... stares back at him, in that far-off way he sometimes does. it's good to be looked at attentively. it's good to know he's awake. he wants to be looked at forever.

he flickers back when he's commanded, though. he doesn't waste any time, crawling closer to him and settling wherever he wants.]

[he is going to do this once.

as soon as Robin is close enough to reach, he hooks an arm out around his shoulders and pulls him closer. he draws him right in.

and instead of loosening his grip once he's as close as he can be, Tek keeps him hugged there tight, chin immediately pressed into a comfortable place in the crook of Robin's shoulder.

certainly possessive, but still nice. and he doesn't let him go.]

[he doesn't breathe. his heart thuds uselessly against his ribs.

and then he finally realizes that Tek isn't going to let him go, and he curls his arms around him and buries his face as far as he can manage. it all wells up, everything, swelling in his chest as he tightens his grip, curls his fingers up against his back.

he breathes out and it starts to go with him. it sinks. he starts to relax. Tek can feel it. and then, very quietly against his shirt, he admits it.]

I missed you.

[he resettles when Robin does, just happpening to inch his hold around him a little tighter as whatever it is collapses in Robin's chest. he picks up the slack as the tension loosens, keeping him squeezed just as close.]

I know.

[it's all he says, murmured low from that comfortable place he'd found against Robin's shoulder. he won't return it, won't say anything else, because he is keeping up the effort to keep the focus very much on only Robin.]

[he doesn't even cry this time. it's such a relief to be held by someone familiar, someone who hasn't been ruined yet. Tek is the same as he remembers, and he wants to stop seeing him in the shadow of a ghost.

he nods complacently. he breathes in his familiar smell like it's new again. his poisons leave him the longer he stays. soon he'll be empty and hungry again--and it's been a long time since he's felt like that.]

[eventually, he loosens his hold, but he won't be the one to pull away first. for once, he's following all the nice rules--letting Robin stay there as long as he'd like. he has the patience for it.

there's no sign even hiding under his skin that he's waiting with any hurry for Robin to move. he's comfortable right where he's at.]

[he stays there for a long time. minutes tick by until a dozen have disappeared, and then some. he waits until it's all gone, and then he waits a little longer.

eventually he shifts a little, like maybe he's thinking of getting back up. he turns his head to be more audible.]

Hurry up and get into Hearts. You need your own bedroom.

[he sounds tired, but if he's well enough for some sass... he must be feeling better.]

[ah, some little quietly-held bubble of tension loosens deep in his chest, and he chuckles]

I'm trying. ...And you can help me with that, you know.

Oh? [he's still switching back into his usual gears, so he doesn't guess it right away.]

[there's no rush. he'll even pet his hair a little, in the most genuinely-affection way he can, and tip his head until he brushes the side of Robin's face with his own]

Acquiring a subordinate would be a wonderful way to demonstrate power.

Subordinate.

[his expression (or what little of it Tek can see) turns flat. he just spent a lot of time being the subordinate of several people, the most infamous being another version of Tek himself.

at least he doesn't panic, like he might have an hour ago.]

And what would that entail?

...I thought it sounded better than 'servant.'

[and he shrugs a little--a tiny motion, since Robin is resting right there]

You would help me get one of those rooms in Hearts.

Neither of them are particularly appealing titles, Tek.

[but he siiighs and raises one of his hands to run his fingers through the back of Tek's hair.]

But I suppose it could have benefits.

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Court // Canon

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