GRATIA // PSL

[skeletoncity]

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?

Comments

[heresyandlace]

[his low giggle eventually bleeds out into a sigh of annoyance, but it's more rueful than anything, because... yeah, the whole thing is just dumb. he sits up and automatically goes to straighten himself out, but he isn't really wearing a whole lot to straighten anymore. this leaves him looking down at himself--his bare chest and bare feet--like he can't quite believe where he ended up.]

He didn't even apologize.

[skeletoncity]

[the man makes a sound of agreement, but then says nothing. after a few moments of silence, he realizes he has been absently staring up at Tek since he stopped laughing, and moves his hand to gaze up at him unobstructed.

funny, this whole thing. it's a shame that it's over now, undeniably... but even with this interruption, and the both of them awkwardly hanging around in barely any clothes, this is one of the more interesting and enjoyable outings he's had in a while.]

You're a very interesting person, Tek.

[he likes him. he wants to know more about him. he'd kill to be able to see him again. his expression holds nothing but fondness, as slanted as it may be.]

[heresyandlace]

[Tek also makes a sound of agreement, while he slowly stretches out his arms--very thorough about it, like a cat, from his fingertips all the way to his spine.]

You really have no idea.

[but the arrogance isn't meant to be taken seriously, by the way he glances over with a sidelong smile. the appreciation is mutual, to be sure. he just hopes he doesn't need to say so out loud.

instead, he reaches for the rumpled shape of Tonic's shirt lying off to the side and hands it toward him, before he begins sorting through his own forgotten clothing.]

[skeletoncity]

[with a small laugh as he notices the shirt--] Ah, thank you dear.

[he sits up, begins the process of pulling his shirt back on over his head, navigating his metal parts through the arm holes and smoothing out the fabric once it's on his body again. he will take this time in silence for now, as he has a couple more pieces of clothing to track down than Tek does.]

[heresyandlace]

[there's plenty to occupy himself with in the meantime. boots need all of their fancy little buckles fastened, he runs a hand through his hair to make sure nothing disastrous has happened, and he touches around the corners of his mouth to check for any smudged lip gloss. he even takes a moment to lean and peer down from their perch to see if the intruders are anywhere in sight, and to just get in touch with the outside world again.

he doesn't bother buttoning up his shirt, however, and he leaves his jacket folded up near the edge of the nest.]

[skeletoncity]

[Tonic has two sleeves, two socks, both of his heeled boots... and his own jacket to finish things off. he lifts it off the ground to return his leather case of vials to one of the pockets, but doing so reminds him of a piece of their conversation from earlier.

as he pulls the jacket back on, one sleeve at a time, he glances back over at his new friend:] Really darling, if you'll be in town for a while, you should come find me on the market level sometime. Argent Stone.

[he repeats the name just in case Tek was only humoring him earlier, or had forgotten the name between all of their other games.]

[heresyandlace]

[Tek doesn't look over when spoken too, at first. he's still looking somewhere down, over the edge, thinking--but a grin quietly splits across his face.

it's almost as if he'd been waiting for exactly that. on cue, he picks up his folded jacket, lays it over one arm, and pats it with some amount of finality.]

Oh, absolutely. I've decided that I don't love this jacket, so I'll be needing a replacement.

[and with that matter settled, along with whatever else had been ticking along in his head during those moments, he finally begins to gather himself to move toward the exit.]