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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[ah yes, he understands the difference quite well, and it endears him even more to this particular drug. someone sliding just a little bit closer to how he generally regards the world--especially during in the recent years? he would give it out to most people he interacts with, if he could.

and his brow raises with this particular question. he swirls the cloud of leaves in his cup while he chooses his answer.]

I must admit that I'm not much of a craftsman when it comes to these kinds of things. I didn't do much more than harvest and bottle the stuff up from the source.

[which is, of course, a complete cartwheel over what Tonic could have actually meant by the question. but he's not going to walk right into that one without some work--especially if it turns out that Tonic is actually asking a question with much less sinister implications.]

[he acknowledges his guest's answer with a skeptical "uh-huh" into his teacup. so either he doesn't completely believe him... or, more likely, he's aware that Tek has cartwheeled right over his real question, and is trying to decide whether or not he actually wants to put in the effort it would take to squeeze the real answer out of him.]

And that source would be...?

[this didn't work the last time he tried, but. maybe Tek will name his price.]

[there's a disappointed 'tsk' at the question, but he's still fighting a smile along with a pout.]

You haven't even tried playing with it yet, and you already want it spoiled for you? I thought that was half the fun.

[oh... this is a very good play.]

Oh...

[with the way his eyes both go a little wide, it hadn't actually occurred to him that he could be undermining his own mystery. he sits back on his pile of cushions more, sipping his drink, trying to think of any comeback and ultimately coming up with nothing.]

Damn. You got me there, babe.

[he'll stop asking, then, starting to fidget with one of his long earrings instead, shooting Tek a sidelong glance, a little curious.]

How are you, by the way? Not to derail us from my defeat, of course.

I'm perfectly fine.

[and he sounds almost believably satisfied with this fact. why wouldn't he be? he hadn't actually expected the stuff to work in the first place, and he also has a nice win to settle back with now. he shouldn't sound disappointed in the least.

but it's there, in the little details. his voice is content, but not as bright as it had been minutes earlier. his smile is pleasant but distant.

it's fine.]

Hm. Nothing at all?

[said with a similar lightness. not disappointed, or even particularly hopeful, he just... wonders what factors could be getting in the way of it working. maybe it's too close to a poison, still. maybe his friend just has a very high tolerance for any kind of substance. maybe...

while he thinks, he continues to fidget with his earring, which is very pretty.

not the fidgeting, the actual earring--it glints and catches little flecks of light, and it looks smooth to the touch. it would be very satisfying to run his fingers over, thin little chains, delicate links. like rippling water.

yeah, he's probably fine. it probably isn't working.]

[he gazes into the depths of that earring, quietly mesmerized, and sighs.]

It was worth a try. I likely wouldn't ever have gotten even that far without your encouragement, so at least there's that.

[it was fun to experiment and challenge himself a little bit, and his friend is at least still having a good time. so, he begins settling himself on that point, thinking through what they might do now instead... and he continues staring.]

Ah, well. If I can say that much, I think it was worth the try.

[he smiles easily, finally moving his hand away from his earring, returning to the exercise idly rubbing his thumb over his other fingers.

but now his earring is completely unobstructed, draped over his shoulder like a thin, golden waterfall. the glinting is very soft now, only dancing alongside those small, nearly imperceptible shifts that come whenever Tonic breathes in or out. it's not that these details weren't there before, they obviously must have been, it's just that... they seem more charming, now. more inviting.

it smells very nice back here. has it always smelled this nice?]

[--oop, and he doesn't remember making the decision to reach out and gently loop a finger behind that earring, just so that he can feel exactly how soft and drapey it really is, but there you go. like a cat with a bit of string, it just kind of compulsively happens.

he doesn't regret it, though. it really is a very nice earring. how do they even make chain links so small?]

[it feels just as nice as he'd imagined. it must be very expensive, to not get tangled up and knotted whenever it moves... the chains start out warm where Tonic had been fidgeting with them, cooling the further he lets the earring slip over his fingers.

it's very soothing, being able to feel the difference... though the chain slips all the way past him as Tonic turns his head to look, having felt something moving at his ear.

he's already halfway amused at whatever he thinks Tek was up to... but when he sees his face, his own expression takes on an edge of playful suspicion. narrowed eyes, both of them.]

What are you doing...?

[he reflexively steals his hand back when the earring disappears, fingers pressing to his own lips instead. it's because of the expression on Tonic's face. he doesn't exactly have an explanation for him, aside from--]

Nothing.

[which is true. just a friend feeling up another friend's earring. nothing strange about that. he had also meant to sit further back into his own space after that, but the other man's makeup is beautiful up close.]

Nothing?

[he sits up, quickly setting his tea on the nearby table because he needs both of his arms to lean on, bringing their faces even closer to stare into his eyes. his bright, beautiful, inhuman eyes...

...but distracting as they are, it almost seems like he's trying to look for something, focusing on one, and then the other. but Tonic has beautiful eyes too, and there are little flakes of gold at the corners of his eyes, so this may not be entirely unwanted attention.]

Are you sure you don't feel anything?

[...Tek's lips do feel a little tingly, though. now that he's pressed his fingers against them. it's nice.]

I feel fine.

[and somewhere, while staring at Tonic's eyes--getting stuck on that one particularly large piece of amber color surrounded by all the blue, and noticing that he is indeed actually getting stuck there--he realizes that he's now arguing against the very thing that he had been hoping for a few minutes ago.

he finds this fact a little bit funny. and he still thinks that he must doing just fine and nothing strange is going on at all, assuring himself that nothing has changed... until a laugh easily bubbles up inside and he finds himself suddenly giggling into his fingers.

he only found it a little bit funny. and yet, here is his, catching an abrupt giggle in his hands and seeming surprised about it.]

[he was about to say something, maybe start arguing, but he freezes mid-syllable the moment an abrupt giggle skitters out of his guest.

he looks down at the man's fingers, and then back up at the rest of him... and then it's Tonic who has to cover his mouth so as not to laugh right in his friend's face.]

I think you're... [he has to lean back, trying to keep his volume under control...] Babe, I think it's working.

No...

[he still sounds so disbelieving about it, even though he's actively fighting a grin that is having far too easy of a time getting past his control. he has to physically flatten his fingers over his mouth to keep a handle on it.

...but then that strikes him as funny too, and another loose giggle stutters out of him.]

Yes...

[he practically hisses with glee, clutching briefly at his side to get his own giggling under control. he can't believe this is happening, he got someone to play with him, in a way that no one else has ever been able to.

he finds it very intimate, even if it's also completely ridiculous--and he quickly springs to work trying to anchor the situation down somewhere where it can't spiral away from him. he reaches forward, plucking that cup from Tek's hand before the man can spill it. the dragon will barely have a moment to realize something is missing before Tonic takes the free hand in both of his, holding is securely between them.]

Just get it out, sweetheart. [his smile is a wide one, looking up at Tek from where he's crouched, nearly laughing again.] You'll pull something if you're not careful.

Edited 2019-01-22 04:24 (UTC)

[the cup disappears from his hand and he watches Tonic's whole reaction--his little, gleeful machinations--with slightly widened eyes over his fingers. the expression is mostly all him and not directly due to any drug that he's on, however. this whole thing is just so surreal and actually happening...

it all falls apart when Tonic takes his hand, though. his face, that instruction... it all adds up to what Tek's sure is the stupidest thing that he's ever been a part of.

ridiculous.

now that he doesn't have to worry about spilling a cup of tea, he crumbles to the side as the absurdity hits him all at once, toppling him onto the cushions next to Tonic and just... laughing into them. he gives up.]

[oh, this is wonderful. watching his guest crumple into a pile on his floor, laughing right alongside him, he thinks that even if he never sees Tek again after today--he won't have a single regret. it was all worth it.

(okay, maybe a little of that is the drugs. but the shape of the feeling is real, even if the details are a little hazy.)

he lets Tek settle down for as long as it takes, occasionally leaning over to grab another cushion, pulling them around himself a little like a bird piles twigs into a nest. he never lets go of that hand, though. that's his, now. ]

[he doesn't feel all that different, he keeps telling himself. it must be his imagination... but he's still giggling, and the fluttery feeling of giggling just makes him laugh more. it's a useless, giddy feedback loop.

it takes him a minute, but he finally evens out the compulsive chuckling enough to get a handle on himself. he turns his head enough to speak and send a helpless glance over at the one responsible for this whole thing.]

...This is stupid.

[and Tonic has a crooked smirk waiting for him, sweeping his arms dramatically through the air.]

Welcome to what the rest of us do all day, darling...

[despite the physical strain of a laughing fit, it feels very relaxing, down there on the floor. Tonic's carpet is surprisingly plush, with a subtle, swirling pattern. his pillows don't match, but they're comfortable. and the thumb that's brushing gently against the back of his hand leaves a light, pleasant sensation behind it.]

Are you still feeling clear, though? No trouble thinking?

[he seems to be asking this out of genuine interest--though whether it leans more towards concern or scientific inquiry is debatable.]

Oh yes. Everything in here is just fine. [--he says, pointing his free hand at his own head.]

It's everything else that isn't getting the message.

[or, more like each piece of the rest of him has its own agenda, off doing its own thing. his eyes are busy marveling over details, his face is appreciating this pillow, his hand is melting under Tonic's fingers. he knows his ribs should be feeling the effects of all that laughing, but it's more like they were made of water and the laughter had just floated out of him with hardly an effort. it's not a chaotic mess of sensation, but it is different enough to be distracting, and that fact alone is occupying a lot of Tek's attention.

it's new. and it has been a while since something new has happened.]

[he comes from a world where everyone's at least tried something... and most of them, including himself, started too early. the web of spies loves that kind of thing. nothing keeps people coming back to them like a free board and a chemical dependency.

so to him, Tek's inexperience is so... cute. with as worn and jaded as he is, it's endearing to see that there are still a few new things to be explored in the world.]

That's fine. You'll get the hang of it soon...

[he flops back down next to Tek, onto that pile of pillows he'd gathered for himself... he lets Tek's hand go in favor of stretching all three of his limbs out (carefully, there still isn't a lot of room in here) with a satisfied sound.

when he settles, he sprawls an arm out lazily towards Tek, leaving it dead on the ground. he closes his eyes, half-smirking up at the ceiling.]

Just feel it out for a while. [a short laugh.] It's not like I've got anywhere to be.

[again, he does that cat thing. he'd seemed content to remain mostly curled in a semi-protected shape, only peering out at the world with one eye while he slowly comes to grips with his new, slightly-different reality. but then the motion of a hand flopping down nearby hooks his attention in an instant.

he turns more onto his side, enough so that an arm can slither out and pluck up Tonic's hand from where it lies. it's a beautiful limb and the thought occurs to him that Tonic's skin and shiny nails and slim finger bones might feel different and wonderful right now. there's just something so appealing about the thought that he follows it without a fight.

daintily snatching up Tonic's hand, he's immediately bringing it close to his face and curiously running fingertips down the back of it. this one is his now.]

[well, he'd left his hand there in case his guest might want it. he just hadn't been expecting it to get snatched up so soon.

so his fingers flinch a little and his eyes pop back open and he turns his head to see what the other man is doing... not that he cares for long, with the attention warming all the nerves on the back of his hand. he's very okay with watching someone examine his hand, especially someone as pleasant to look at as his friend.

Tonic does have one very nice hand. up close, there are lots of little scars on his knuckles from accidents with knives and experiments he really shouldn't have gotten on his fingers, but most of them seem old, healed-over and soft now that Tonic only has one good hand to take care of. his nails are very shiny, like black beetles... except for one, which is glittered with the same flakes that are around his eyes.]

[whether it has anything to do with the drugs or not, he feels like he has permission to essentially ignore the person attached to this arm for right now. he presses lightly into finger and wrist bones, smooths over scars, turns the hand over and curls the fingers so he can look at all of those beautiful nails together at once.

and he is finally beginning to relax. sights and thoughts and details freely filter in one side of his mind and out the other, and he's content to just let that happen for a minute. at least trying to not stop and get hung up on on every tiny difference. and he manages a good minute or two of quiet observation before he thinks of anything important enough to say out loud.]

...So, nothing truly looks different. I think. I just care about it more... or care about dismissing it less.

[it's technically a statement, but he looks over at his companion for verification. it's a science moment. he's learning.]

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