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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[half of the pride behind Tek's pleased expression is that the alias that he'd cobbled together is more-or-less working. Tonic is walking the line of logic that he'd hoped... and it's not technically a lie, when you think about it.

he nods, fighting his smirk down to reasonable levels. and he waggles the fingers of one hand again--menacing and cute about it.]

[at least his guest seems to be having a good time, he'll give him that. he shakes his head, earrings swinging back and forth, just the edge of a laugh in response to the ease with which Tek is admitting to some of the greatest sins possible.]

Yes, yes. It's very scary, darling.

[which is meant entirely as a tease. magic is scary, but poison is something he knows all about--and knowing just what kind of things Tek can do with it will better arm him for any trouble-making the man could put him through in the future.]

I'll give you this... [he slumps back down against his table, but now he's leaning in much closer to Tek than he was before.] ...You've certainly ensured I'll have no shortage of questions for the foreseeable future.

[speaking of trouble-making--]

Ah, just as planned... Though, now I need to decide whether to answer those questions, or just surprise you when you're least expecting it.

[his smile is still far on the harmless end of the spectrum, though. he doesn't seem like he's intending on going back on his promise to play nice. he's still just comfortable and lazy, leaning in to be near his strange friend.

though, after a moment, he has to laugh to himself.]

...I suppose, to summarize all of this--no, thank you, I wouldn't like a drink.

[and now that they've been dragged back to the beginning again--he laughs too. he doesn't like being surprised, so that's something he may have to log away and address later, but for now the mood is lifting again and he's letting himself uncoil from some of the tighter machinations and heavy thoughts he'd been winding so tensely around.

and he looks over his drinks again, and then over at his shelves of other things, pondering at a lighter pace. he picks up on a train of thought he'd been chasing earlier.]

All right... [he runs his lovely fingers over his own mouth, momentary debating whether to ask... but he feels like this conversation has already been to the worst of things and back, so what would one more odd question possibly hurt?]

...What about things that aren't strictly poisonous?

[there's a little cant of his head, before he follows Tonic's attention to the wall of bottles. whatever he's getting at, Tek isn't immediately following, and he ends up guessing in the wrong direction.]

...If you're referring to the antipoison, I don't doubt that the results would be hilarious, but I think it would put something of a damper on the rest of our evening.

No, no...

[he waves his good hand a little, brushing off the subject (though not before he's logged the small detail about antipoisons, in case he ever needs to use that later). he's looking at a different shelf, now, one that Tek had not been interested when he'd initially inspected the room.]

I mean other things. Uppers, aphrodisiacs, that sort of thing.

[he wonders how strictly Tek--or his magic--define "poison".]

Well, I think it's all-- [but he cuts himself off pretty quickly, eyebrows raising a little as he double-checks his first impulse. from his experience, things tend to fall into either the realms of destructive poisons (which are harmless to him) or beneficial potions (which don't really mesh with his system enough to work). but, admittedly, he hasn't even really thought about it for at least a handful of decades.

...has he really never seriously looked into it before? he's tellingly quiet for a minute, even drumming a few fingers against his lips in thought.]

I doubt it, but... if I'm honest... I'm not entirely sure.

[Tonic watches him thinking through his own mismatched eyes, pleased to see this look on someone else's face for once. he's beginning, for once, to pull together
a small plan... relatively harmless, in the long run, but wouldn't it be fun if he could pull it off?

because he still likes Tek an awful lot, despite everything. and he'd still like to spend time with him, and sometimes a little extra something helps the time pass more intimately.

he picks himself up off the table again, this time so that he can slither forward, leaning over and looking up at Tek with a crooked smirk.]

Well, would you be interested in trying?

[and to try and show he isn't just asking to put Tek in a disadvantageous spot, he presses his fingers to his own chest.]

I think it's fun.

[the combination of the offer and that slithery look is quite something to behold. his eyebrows are raised, fingers still pressed to his mouth in thought--and now mild foreboding as well.

he takes his time in eyeing over Tonic's smirking face, before lowering his hand from his face enough to smile back.]

...This seems like a trap, you know.

Oh, babe, I definitely know.

[he manages to prop himself up on his elbows, rearranging a little so as to actually lay on his stomach instead of half-sitting at the table. it helps make him look more playful, and not like he's trying to entice someone into doing something that could get them into a lot of trouble. he wouldn't say yes, if someone offered this to him, so he's not about to pretend this doesn't sound suspicious.]

But I wouldn't let you do it alone. I'd like us both to have a little fun.

[he laughs, then, a deep chuckle because of how he is sitting. he knits his mismatched fingers together in front of his face.]

Besides, I think it's clear I'm too wary of you to try anything bad.

[he listens and watches with a low, easy smirk while Tonic explains. he appreciates every bit of extra harmlessness that the other man works into what he's saying, but he doesn't give him anything in return.

not until that last note, anyway. that one finally breaks up the smirk into a suddenly laugh.]

Are you kidding? That's why this seems like a trap. Do you know how many people in my life would kill to have me in some situation of impairment? You'll have me right where you want me. [whatever that might mean at the time.]

[and this admission has Tonic smiling up at his guest with even more fondness than before; he plays this game with others on a daily basis, but it's almost relaxing to be playing with everyone's cards face-up on the table.]

I will, darling. And where I want you is alive and well... At least until I can see you in that coat.

[another sideways grin, he kicks his feet a little--an impressive feet with those heavy, heeled boots he's still wearing.]

But let's talk, please. What would you like to feel assured that I won't take unfair advantage of you, sweetheart?

Goodness. How sad is it that I believe you primarily because of a coat?

[and then he settles to give this some serious thought. he gazes over the rainbow of concoctions covering the shelves, for once giving any attention to the things that aren't deadly poisons.

it takes him some time. there are many things to weigh, and only half of them even have anything to do with the current universe he finds himself stuck in. he needs to think about the things that this reminds him of, and consult with various past iterations of himself. he needs to take the incomprehensible past few years of his life into account. he's taking a step back from himself for some perspective, and really... it will come down to having to decide what kind of pages he's really going to add into his life's story from here.

the fact that the only person around to witness this has only known him for a matter of weeks is a very important factor. and he ultimately holds up two fingers.]

...First, show me what you're considering. I want to see it. [he wants to get his hands on it.] And second... you first.

[the comment about the coat has him chuckling against his fingers again, but he says nothing else, giving Tek plenty of time and room to mull things over. returning the favor from all the times his guest has let him do the same.

while they're both quiet, he takes to looking around at his carefully-stacked boxes, idly thinking of what he might like to suggest, and thinking of how funny and strange it is that he's even suggesting it.

at the end of the day, though, he likes Tek, and he would like to have fun with him. he really doesn't have any malicious intent this time around. maybe later, when they've settled, if they start talking about deep, dangerous things again... but that won't have anything to do with the chemicals they may or may not have in their systems, at that point.

he snaps quickly to attention when Tek moves, watching those two fingers before watching the other man's face. the conditions make perfect sense to Tonic, and he grins widely in agreement.]

And if it doesn't work, well... I suppose I'll be the only one in trouble, hm?

[he hoists himself up, back onto his knees, stiffly positioning his bad leg underneath him when it doesn't quite follow suit the way it should. it's hardly enough to distract him from what is suddenly an exciting proposition, what with how it may actually happen. he considers his own shelves one more time, tapping his fingers against his face.]

But nothing too strong, darling. I don't really like... [he drifts off, finding a better way to say it.] I prefer to feel like myself, with these things.

[ah, he knows a good one. he takes a small, unassuming bottle of something off of his shelf--capped with a dropper, the liquid is clear and faintly tinted blue. he swirls the contents around once, twice, before holding the bottle out for Tek to inspect himself.]

Here, would you like the sales pitch?

You're the expert here. Though, I also enjoy feeling like myself, so I doubt you'll hear an argument from me...

[like any new voyager into the various worlds of intoxication, he's caught between disliking the thought of being impaired or clouded in some way, but is also terribly curious about the fun that everyone else seems to be having.

and, ah... then the first door of opportunity is opening before him. he takes the bottle, inspects the contents through the glass, and then closes it into his hand for a moment of focus. time to see if he can feel any poisons in there that will render the experiment useless.]

Yes, please. Pitch away.

Yes, I have a feeling we'll have similar tastes.

[he settles back to sit on his heels, clapping his hands together before pleasantly resting his face against them. while his "sales pitch" is put together with the experience of someone who talks about this sort of thing for a living, he is careful to give details for Tek's benefit and understanding, rather than necessarily trying to sell his product.]

It has a few names, but you'll hear it called "Rapture" the most... It's fairly kind on the system, very easy to dilute. If you don't want to take it straight, it mixes well in water, so you could take it to your exact level of comfort.

The feeling of it is like... [and here, he has to search for words a little longer, not entirely sure how to describe it for someone who is apparently immune to most of these things.] It nudges everything you feel in a pleasant direction. It usually gets lumped in with the aphrodisiacs, since it tends to put people in that kind of a mood... But at a low dose, I think you might be more interested in experiencing basic sensations, like taste, textures, that sort of thing. It opens up nerve endings well.

[he rubs the fingers of his bad hand together, illustrating why he would have an interest in something like this.]

With a good batch, you'll stay pretty clear... The only downside is that it does take a little while to feel like anything is happening. Some people find it too subtle--or overdo it, thinking it's having much less of an effect than it is.

[that seems like it might be the end of his pitch... but he mulls something over, for just a couple of seconds, before continuing with only a small smile on half of his face.]

And don't ever take it with a hard stimulant, unless you want to be preoccupied by the feeling of your own heartbeat all night. That's a common mistake.

[he seems to be viewing the substance favorably, musing with a positive sound while Tonic explains. when no true poisons ping him through the bottle, he just holds the little thing where the light can catch the liquid pleasantly. as if it being pretty might hint at its efficacy--or at least sway his opinion.

Tonic's last note, though. he can't help the short, horrified laugh. Robin's face immediately springs to life, for some reason.]

I hadn't exactly intended on it, but I'll keep it in mind anyway... maybe as a bad prank on someone, someday.

A very bad prank.

[but the way he says this--with a lopsided smirk--makes it seem like he may not be above doing such a thing himself. he holds out his beautiful hand towards Tek, silently asking for the bottle back.]

So, are you interested in giving it a try?

[while he fully intends on taking something at this point, whether or not Tek also partakes... he does hope that the thrill of a new experience will be enough to lure his guest into joining him. he's done a dozen things to entertain Tek. it would be very flattering if Tek did something to humor him, in return.]

[one last-minute moment of deliberation. just one more hesitation, fidgeting the bottle back and forth between his fingers, double-checking the calculations he's drawn up in his head. doing one final count of pros against cons.

what's honestly the worst that could happen, he asks himself. he has done stranger (and most certainly worse) things in his life. going along with it promises to only increase his friend's attachment to him, especially with all the trouble that Tek has been needling him with lately. besides, the drug probably won't even work on him--the antipoison is more guaranteed to have a dramatic effect than this this stuff is.

and it's with this last thought that he finally hums to himself and hands the bottle over.]

...Robin is going to lose his mind.

Oh yeah?

[he can't help the unsettling grin that crosses his features again, pulling at the wrong side of his face. he takes the bottle, uncaps it, and sticks his tongue out... to squeeze two drops of Rapture onto it, one-two, and then screw the cap back on.

you can put it in water, yeah, but it's slower--and Tek wanted him to go first.]

What makes you say that?

[he holds the bottle back out to Tek. his turn, whenever he wants to take it.]

[he takes the bottle, but doesn't do much with it but gesture at first--believable to the casual observer as just getting distracted while something is in his hand.]

You know how he is with this kind of thing. Now imagine him being with someone for years--them unable to drink or otherwise ruin themselves while he does.

[that's a safe move. he wasn't sure if he'd expected his guest to do any one thing in particular--but he might have been a little disappointed if he had dove right in. impressed, certainly, but disappointed.

but he's got something to picture now... imagining Robin, the hot mess that he is, trying to flirt with someone as composed, rules-oriented, and distinctly sober as Tek. the idea has him shaking his head.]

He would kill to have this, I'm sure. [he laughs.] I'll consider this a great privilege, then, assuming it works.

[which is the perfect transition--he gestures towards his collection of food and drink, his makeshift pantry.]

Would you like something to drink other than alcohol? Water, tea?

[either for his drug delivery, or in case he just wants a drink of something. Tonic won't judge either way.]

You should. [--consider this a privilege, he means.] And tea actually sounds wonderful right now.

[whether for the drugs, simply to have something to drink, or give his host something to do in the meantime, he won't say. but, as soon as Tonic makes a move to presumably fulfill the request, he'll open the little bottle to have a casual, curious sniff of the contents.]

Of course, darling.

[whether that's in response to the first comment or to the second, he won't say--but he smirks, picking himself back up to maneuver the small space and gather everything he needs for tea.

the liquid smells vaguely of licorice, but with a lingering bitterness... not as unpleasant as it could be, but it seems like the kind of thing that would leave a distinct aftertaste. even if Tek doesn't disperse the dose in his drink, he may want the drink after just to wash the lingering flavor from his mouth.

Tonic comes back to set his tea kettle on the middle table, perched on top of another portable burner, before scooping up whatever kind of tea he deems is best for this little experiment of theirs. with the way he keeps stopping to adjust his leg, though, it isn't that surprising when he finally reaches down to just start unhooking the thing, knowing that it will make any kind of moving around in here much easier.]

[yeah... while he doesn't mind the taste of rotting meat and old, dead leaves, his palette is rather particular in all other cases. he would love to have a chaser on hand for this.

it also gives him another excuse to let some time slide by before he takes that last step.]

Is it rude to ask where such a potion originates from? I'm terribly curious.

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