psychoshenanigans | GRATIA // PSL

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GRATIA // PSL

The first thing he feels is the cold.

It permeates everything down here on the lower levels. What little warmth humans have made for themselves is greedily gobbled up by the stone walls that surround them on all sides. Despite the stirring of people in the streets, in their homes, and around corners, this place feels like a grave. A similar sense seems to loom over the heads of most who make their way through this deep, dark part of the world, hovering around them like a cloud of inevitability. No one has been outright sentenced to death, but they may as well be.

Upon waking, Tek will have found himself in a dark, wet alleyway. Attempts to orient himself reveal that he has been brought, somehow, to an impressively large network of tunnels that all lead, more or less, to three or four larger chambers. There is far more vibrant life above him somewhere, far, far above the layer of caves he's in now, and there is also a very deep, sluggish form of life somewhere far below his feet.

No one is coming to get him. No one follows him in his immediate vicinity--the few stragglers hanging around doorsteps and windows don't give him a second glance, or even a first one. The place is crowded, but not busy. Everyone keeps their heads down. The people are all dressed poorly, in rags and robes and bundles that suggest a certain level of consistent poverty all throughout the level. The buildings in these tunnels look man-made, either built from scrap or carved straight out of the rock of the cave, but the majority of the actual roads and cave walls seem to have been formed with very little help from human hands.

The place is lit with lanterns and dirty-looking florescents suspended high above in the cave ceiling. The air is thick and stuffy, the smell of mold and mud prevalent over even the smell of human stagnation. It would not be hard to drag someone off, and he gets the immediate feeling that if he did, it's unlikely that anyone would come looking for them.

What does he do?

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[and for all of that distracted staring, Tonic's attention immediately darts down to Tek's fingers, following way they move against the top button of his shirt. the other's words feel warm and inviting and deeply personal like this, nestled in this little moment the two of them have built. he doesn't hide the tiny flick of his tongue over his lip before he answers.]

Of course.

[it takes a surprising amount of self-control not to just duck in and start ravishing the other right where they're lounging, but it helps that buttons are a favorite of his. he begins working intently at the top, his misshapen fingers supporting his more dexterous set as he slides each button out of place. this could be quick work for him, and Tek knows this, but he indulges in a slower pace just to savor the chance to reveal a little more skin with every move.]

[with how Tonic had been the one to beckon him closer both times they were together previously, it feels good to give an invitation of his own. there's something very nice about sitting back like this, quietly watching his partner busy with something that he knows they're finding pleasure in. he can be content to simply take in the view, and marvel at the subtle feeling of new, cool air slowly touching more of his skin as his chest is bared. he only moves once, and that is to idly reach up and nudge his necklace to the side by an inch so that Tonic won't accidentally run into it. and then it's right back to lounging and drinking in every moment of pretty fingers working their way down his shirt until the last button is finally undone.]

Much better.

[his smile is appreciative... but just to make sure that Tonic knows how pleased he is in this moment, he reaches for Tonic's good hand so he indulge in drawing it up and placing a kiss on those fingers he's enjoying so much.]

[he was very taken with this when it happened earlier, feeling someone kiss his fingers as though he was some fair maiden and not a scarred-up, cold-hearted, paranoid wreck of a human being. in the silence between them he should have had an instant, very clever thing to say in response, but he finds it suddenly very difficult to think of much else other than Tek's fingers touching his, and all the warm skin underneath him.

however, no matter how smitten he may be, Tonic is still Tonic. his instincts know to tread carefully. their mutual vulnerability only heightens this feeling. if something goes bad for Tek, even on accident, he knows it'll wind up bad for him too. so he airs on the side of caution, picking his words intentionally.]

What else would you like?

[said with a hint of amusement in what it otherwise complete fondness; it's hardly a sacrifice to give someone else the choice, especially with how he uses the words as an excuse to lift his free hand and brush his fingers in a long trail down the side of the other's neck.]

[much like his partner, Tek had also been on the verge of forming a clever comment, but words just don't link together in his head as quickly as they should. other things seem more vivid and important anyway. what good are words when a touch feels like light and fire?

he doesn't want to leave Tonic hanging without a response, however. he still recognizes the various stakes and implications of the situation, and appreciates his partner's courtesy. so, still keeping Tonic's hand held captive near his face, he at least answers by smiling wide over his fingers and placing another slow kiss against his skin, now lower, on the side of his wrist.

it's all very coy and mischievous and welcoming... until Tonic runs his hand over Tek's neck and the dragon immediately loses focus. one little touch and his eyes immediately close, and Tonic has a very pleased sound rumbling against his wrist.

it's pretty safe to say that the final answer to his question is: that.]

[oh, he likes whatever game this is turning into. he already feels like shivering against the feelings that the other is pressing against his wrist--but now he's gone and found something that his guest really seems to like, and he laughs with half a face and smiles just as crookedly after.]

Yeah? This is good?

[the nails on his weird, scarred hand are not as magnificent as the ones on his normal hand, but they do a good enough job as he pointedly runs them down Tek's neck again. you know, for science.]

[really, it's probably a good thing that he's got the more mundane set of nails dragging over his overstimulated nerves. the sharp, beautiful ones might have been too much.

as it is, he reflexively runs his own fingers affectionately over the hand that he still has captured... but he's also beginning to use it to lean his face against as he tilts his head, stretching out more of his neck to the side to be doted on.

there's another happy groan. yes, this is good.]

[part of him almost feels bad. does this count as taking advantage, while the other isn't entirely in his normal state of mind, especially with all those sharp little games they like to play? but whatever the case, it isn't enough to stop him. he finds himself cradling Tek's face with his good hand and continuing to drag his nails along his neck with the other.

maybe it's not taking advantage. maybe it's just thanks for last time. he laughs again at his own thought, but says nothing, perfectly content to let this scene play on.]

[it's all of those meticulous steps in their exacting little games that have allowed them to be here at all, really. it's because of their careful scheming, not in spite of it. if they hadn't laid such thorough groundwork and picked into each other's minds beforehand, neither of them would have subjected themselves to such a threat.

it's maybe called trust.

and at least for now, regret is not visible on the horizon. Tek continues to revel in the magnified sensations running through his skin until his hums of pleasure lower into a true rumble. and it's about that time that his free hand snakes around the waist of the man in his lap to encourage him closer.]

[Tonic has heard this before, but not when he was in any kind of a place to notice it... but now that he's here, and so close, he almost has the mind to be startled by it before he's got a hand snaking around his waist.

he nearly giggles, sidling closer and taking back one of his own hands to adjust his dress as he does so. and that's just a minor distraction before he feels at Tek's chest, fingers running over his perfect skin with admiration--and curiosity.]

What are you doing...? [he asks this just as he reaches back up towards that neck of his, because whatever it is, he doesn't want Tek to stop just because he's been noticed. he'll get as close as the other wants, if he can just get a feel for what he's doing...]

Edited 2019-05-05 05:25 (UTC)

[the rearranging doesn't bother him, and he loves the hand running over his chest... but his purr is interrupted by a curious sound at the unexpected question. inquisitively, his eyes open to slits and his eyebrows raise.

he doesn't seem to follow the question, by the way he glances Tonic up and down, but he at least seems more amused by it than anything else.]

...What?

[ooh, it's gone now... Tonic meets his gaze again, and while he would have been more reserved about it on any other day, their mutual openness thus far has him blurting out what he'd been thinking about before he has the chance to stop himself.]

You were making a sound... [he ducks in enough to rest his face against Tek's chest, looking up at him with his one good eye. it would almost be a cute look, were the person doing it not so inherently creepy.] Like humming...

[the first thing that Tonic gets to hear from the depths of Tek's chest is a lightheaded chuckle. the dragon might not find Tonic's expression cute, exactly, but the whole thing does suddenly strike him as hilarious and a little bit charming. later, the humanness of his partner will surely come back to haunt him, but in this moment, the ridiculousness of it just adds to the fun.]

--Oh. You mean this?

[there are several different purrs and rumbles utilized by his kind to communicate a whole range of affection, but they're all basically involuntary. you can't just fake a purr out of nowhere. so, to drum one up for his friend, Tek indulges in snuggling down toward him, lingering on how electric every point of contact feels, breathes in the herbsmoke scent of his hair. then, he brings Tonic's good hand up to his throat so that he can feel as a deep, heady breath rolls out into a warm rumble.]

So I don't think that the forest will try to eat you...

[Robin brushes a branch away from his face, lifting gently with the back of his gloved hand. the sun is still low on the horizon, an early-morning mist clinging to the mossy ground, obscuring roots and stones and other things that could easily twist a mortal's ankle. there are no paths out here, the way that Robin is taking them. paths mean people, and he wants to keep their chances of running into someone as low as possible.]

It feels pretty calm out here. Hopefully the trees won't change their minds.

[the forest has always had an energy to it. Tek could feel it from the town, whenever they went upstairs. but now that they're in it, it's thick and very alive. it's a stark difference from the dead energy of the underground city. it flows around them like water, swirling gently like the mist below their feet.

Robin has leading them in (relative) silence up until now. he's in a bit of a hurry, having the feeling that he's got a very limited time to get Tek as far away from civilization as possible... while keeping them away from certain scouting paths and pockets of forest-dwelling denizens that only he knows about.]

[between the call of this forest's naturally-seething energy, and the way that Tek's own energy has already been hungry and volatile lately, the two forces have been invisibly reacting to one another since the upper floor of the cave. Tek's eyes were already too-bright because of whatever imbalance had been going on inside, but now they are gleaming. and he's been (uncharacteristically) quiet for most of the trip. some combination of his focus being drawn and far away from his place in physical space and the way that he's concentrating on trying to keep himself in check has made for a rather somber walk.

he's beginning to get antsy though, now that they're starting to truly surround themselves in forest. there is so much energy that grates against his own here, but all wild places are just as much death as they are life. there are decaying things all around them, packed in layers under their feet, and Tek has been starved of it for too long.

it's a good thing that there aren't many beings in their immediate vicinity who can feel that sort of thing, because Tek's energy is leaking everywhere.

Tek is almost hurrying Robin along with the way that he's sort of crowding him while they pick their way through the brush. his gaze is focused far forward as he moves over the roots and uneven ground as easily as if it had all been part of his own body. he moves like he's hunting and is concerned that his prey might escape if they don't hurry.

he at least tries on a smile, though.]

Forests love me. It'll be fine.

[it probably will be fine. he keeps telling himself that as they pass between thick, old tree trunks, and as they duck under low-hanging tangles. every once in a while he reaches out to touch something as he passes, seemingly gleaming some information from it that has him adjust their course slightly in one direction or another.

eventually, the trees get thinner, younger. more wildflowers and greenery spring from softer ground underneath them. small signs of an old fire are still here--sooty marks on the couple of older trees that withstood the blaze, downed logs that are more charcoal than anything, largely decayed and reclaimed by fungus and ivy and sprouting new life in their remains.

poetic, but more importantly, a little easier to walk around in. he doesn't know how much room Tek needs for this, but it seems like more is better.]

[as soon as Tek takes in the change of scenery--all the open space, enough room in the canopy to let substantial patches of light down to the flowers and grasses of the floor--he speeds up. nudging past robin and forging ahead with purpose, Tek heads for the center of the clearing as if it'd been what he'd been distantly focused on the entire time.

he doesn't notice whether Robin is following or not. he sends one or two cursory glances toward the opposite edges of the clearing as he walks out toward the middle of it, but it's probably more to judge distance than to watch for any sort of threat.

nothing else has happened yet, but the energy is already changing. the air is charging up, something invisible bending toward a breaking point, like a giant held breath beginning to suffocate. even if his eyes had been closed, Robin would have been able to tell that some big shift was seconds (at most) away from triggering.]

[the demigod does not follow him, once the other charges ahead. whether he feels the change, or whether simply wants to give Tek some space during whatever is about to happen, he shifts to walking the vague perimeter of their clearing.

he falls easily into his usual role. in the underground, it's looking for snipers. up here, it's looking for scouts who might run back to the pack. he thinks they're alone, but it's a little hard to tell a person from a deer or a nest of birds or a gang of rodents scurrying close to the ground.]

[it might help that right before the shift, all of the living things begin to move away. the birds don't burst into the sky in a panic, there are no alarm calls, but all of the wildlife does begin to make a fairly swift retreat from the area.

then, the instant that Tek reaches what he judges to be the center of the clearing, he breaks apart. it's all one quick, disorienting moment--his physical form snaps into light, the air pressure warps as reality bends in two different directions, and some other plane briefly makes contact with this one. Robin has felt the same phenomenon a few other, much more unpleasant times in the past, but almost all of them had been on a much smaller scale. all that cosmic tension rushes out through the break, and the clearing is filled with a violently twisting wave of light and energy for nearly a full second's worth of time.

it probably would have been much less dramatic if Tek had shifted at all in the last couple of months. instead, a shockwave of elemental death ripples out from the center of the clearing, reducing most of the wildflowers and soft grasses to shriveling, grey stems in an instant. the sensation of it rolls on through the trees, the primal feeling of horror and decay, probably touching every living creature around for a mile or two.

it takes another second for everything to settle. light is suddenly replaced by shadow as the raw energy solidifies into matter, a massive body now blocking out most of the sunlight.

he forms sort of curled up, an enormous mountain of scales and spikes hunched down and turned away from where Robin happens to be standing. but as soon as he feels solid ground under solid feet, wings that nearly reach from one end of the clearing to the other flap open and shred the smaller branches on either side of him from their trunks.]

[well, he was looking out for danger--but when Tek finally shifts, he stops in his tracks, entire body tensing up against a sudden wave of horror and nausea and very, very bad memories that come back clearer than they could have been if he tried to remember them.

the forest itself does better than he does. despite its power and disposition for violently devouring things, the sudden ripple of death means very little to it. the trees groan in the initial shock-wave, leaning gently away as if caught in a powerful wind... but they sway back upright soon enough, unbothered by the massive creature shredding their younger brethren.

when Robin finally takes a breath, registers what he's seeing, he doesn't have anything to say. he stands where he is and stares up at Tek's massive, scaled form, watching him move as it slowly dawns on him that this is already much, much bigger than he'd expected.]

[once he shrugs himself enough room to feel a little less immediately claustrophobic between the trees, the big old monster slithers around in place, bringing his head around until he can spot Robin at the edge of the clearing.

and even with how monstrous and unreadible his reptilian face is, this body so far different in every possible way from the one that Robin knows, there is this indefinable sense that this creature is more 'Tek' than any face that Robin has met previously.

there's no mask on this one. there's no percentage of his soul stashed somewhere else. this is him in his entirety, and it's inexplicably familiar. there are little things that seem very him, like the snaky way that his head tilts and the eyes that glow the same color as the ones that Robin knows, but it feels much bigger than that.

there's the weird sense that if there was a whole lineup of giant hideous dragon-monsters in front of him, he would be able to identify this one as Tek immediately.]

[it's a funny feeling, the innate understanding that this is more of Tek than he's ever seen before in his life. it's comforting, in a way. it helps the feelings of fear dissolve away into other things. and most importantly, it gives Robin a little more room to think.

and when he has room to think, he has room to be obnoxious.]

--Have you been this big the whole time??

[shouted loudly and indignantly by the tiny man at the edge of the clearing towards the giant, scale-covered monster.]

[the "very Tek" feeling about the monster continues as he hangs his mouth open a little and his eyes slide to thin, glowing slits. Robin had grown to learn (mostly from Scaley) that the expression is pretty much the dragon equivalent of a smile, but he wouldn't need that previous experience to make the guess here. the image of Tek smirking is very easy to imagine in the moment.

it's a short-lived expression, however. as funny as the dragon might find Robin's reaction, it's not enough to get him to settle down. he's still agitated to his very bones, volatile energy still clinging all over him like static electricity, and he needs to get away.

so, Robin barely has another moment to adjust to his friend's enormous form, before the dragon continues his circle-in-place--turning until he's facing away from Robin again and has staked out enough room around himself to move. then, with a cacophanous flurry of motion (seemingly much too fast for a creature of that size to be allowed to move) he launches himself into the air and up through the broken canopy of leaves. there isn't much space, relatively speaking, but the rounded shape of his wings propel him up and out of the forest's reach in a few powerful beats.

it happens absurdly fast. one minute, there's a monster taking up the entire clearing... and the next, there is a crash of motion and air, and there's nothing left in the clearing but a shower of leaves and broken branches, and a patch of withering wasteland on the floor.]

[and Robin is left standing, suddenly alone, as the last of the leaves disturbed by the dragon settle in the silence around him.]

...aaand he's gone.

[boy, he sure hopes that Tek... comes back. not that it's like him to get crabby and then disappear for months at a time with no warning. forget being noticed by other people, now Robin just hopes that his friend doesn't just make a beeline for the wasteland.

he lets out a heavy sigh. the trees around him remain apathetic to his plight. since it's the only thing he can think to do, he jumps up towards a nearby branch and starts climbing, hoping to break past the canopy and at least see if Tek has headed in a direction.]

[once Robin clambers up to a good perch, up in the arms of a tree taller than most of the others around this area, he has a good view of the surrounding sky... and--alarmingly--not of Tek. scanning around toward wherever horizons might be visible shows absolutely no signs of a massive dragon flying over the treetops.

it won't be until Robin gets to where he can look straight up that he'll be able to spot him.

as if the dragon is trying to test if there is a ceiling on this world, he's spiraling up and up from where he'd broken the canopy, climbing as high as he can. and really, it's kind of a strange sight. Tek's dragon shape isn't as aerodynamic as one would maybe expect, and he has to do much more flapping than gliding to gain altitude with his rounded wings. if he'd been a bird, he wouldn't be the sort that flies straight for the highest heights. but it looks like he is not letting that stop him, and he continues to expend energy in climbing as high as he can go.]

[it does take him a moment to think of looking up. when he does, there isn't much he can think to do aside from hunker down between a branch and the trunk and wait for the dragon to eventually come back down again.

he supposes that's one way to avoid being seen. no one's going to go looking that high. he has a feeling--assuming Tek intends on returning--that the dragon's re-entrance is going to be a dramatic one.]

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GRATIA // PSL

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