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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[even if Tek had been both blind and deaf, the feel of a stray human presence sweeping up behind them would be enough to catch him. as it is, it's just barely in time--the dragon hadn't exactly been expecting danger to suddenly spring from the shadows on such a nice day.

his guard is down. but, thankfully, centuries of paranoia is hard to shake from his core.

in the middle of their pleasant conversation together, there is a moment where Tek abruptly disappears from it. the smile and the warm, human expression evaporates as something distracts him. it's a slight, but sudden and cold hesitation.

his gut knows that it's danger, and if it had been something threatening himself, it would have been a different reaction entirely. but in that moment, all that registers is that something is lunging forward to take his precious thing away from him, and he instantly snaps.

he hardly has time to catch the motion out of the corner of his eye--just enough to be able to aim when he suddenly lunges backward from Tonic's side with a murderous snarl. the arm that was striking for Tonic's throat gets pawed out of the air, and Tek catches the attacker's face with his other hand.

bodily tackling the man to the side hardly slows his momentum. in the next moment, the dragon is slamming the side of the attacker's head into the nearby corner pillar of someone's house without a moment to think.]

[the dragon's sudden change of demeanor hardly goes unnoticed, but Tonic doesn't exactly have time to make any conscious decisions about his reaction before the whole thing is very dramatically swept out from behind him; he finds himself turning a split-second too late, and freezing when he sees that Tek has smashed someone's face into the side of a building.

he's also got a knife out, ready in his good hand (who knows where it came from or how he made it appear so quickly), though it probably wouldn't have helped him a whole lot if Tek hadn't been there to stop whatever was happening anyway. he looks at the scene, eyes wide, holding his breath while he's expecting the attacker to move or struggle or even make some kind of a desperate, burbling sound... but when they don't, it occurs to Tonic just how hard he was smashed into that building.

and then he lets his breath out, while the rest catches up with him.]

[...to be fair, Tek is also expecting the attacker to put up more of a fight. maybe his subconscious had conjured up a more monstrous, immortal enemy to attack them with. whatever the reason, there is a hanging moment where the dragon's face is twisted up in a snarl and he waits, ready for a struggle.

it doesn't happen. and when the particular dead weight of his enemy finally registers, along with the fact that he's effortlessly pinning it to the side of a building with one hand in front of an ignorant human, he's startled out of his focused state.

he eases his weight back and lets go. the separated joints and broken edges of bone in the man's skull make a sound, and the body drops to the ground without resistance.]

Ah...

[the funny thing is that, out of all the things that Tek has done and said over the course of Tonic getting to know him, this is somehow one of the least distressing. it is still very frightening, especially to someone who spends so much of their time worrying about how killable they are... but he at least understands what's happening here pretty quickly.

his knife disappears back into his sleeve, he calmly (his heart is still racing with adrenaline but if he freaked out over every little murder he would be a terrible spy) sets his bags down at the base of the house, and ducks in to pick up the other guy's knife and get a better look at what's left of the rest of his face.]

We'll talk later. [he must recognize him, by the way his eyes go subtly wider.] We should hide this body.

[Tonic recovers more quickly than the dragon does. Tek needs a few seconds to fight the waves of aggressive paranoia that follow his initial outburst. the reptile doesn't look much different on the outside, mostly staring with cold surprise while he recovers, but he is slowly ratcheting down from expecting more things to immediately murder. he's hypersensitive and a little twitchy.

when Tonic moves, Tek's eyes flick to him in a disconcerting way. but, he nods and reaches down to grab the man solidly by the collar and front of his shirt.]

If you have any suggestions, now would be the time.

[otherwise this guy is getting tossed onto someone's roof or stuffed in their recycling bin.]

[oh, Tonic is watching to make sure he doesn't get smashed into the side of a building himself, but he's able to keep his outward concern pretty minimal. he's got more important things to do, getting in close enough to the body to rummage through the man's pockets.

the ex-spy makes quick work of it. he's not a stranger to scavenging from corpses, but he also knows to check for secret pockets in the lining of the man's jacket (he finds some kind of pocket-book and puts it into his bag without even looking at it), and quickly pats down his sleeves and inner thigh for anything he could have been hiding. he also raps on the man's shoes, revealing that his heel slides out and contains a small, flat bundle of cloth that may or may not be hiding something. Tonic pockets that too, before stepping back. all in all, it only took him about ten seconds.]

We need a-- [he straightens up, looking entirely casual as he quickly scans their surroundings. window to a basement? too small. no holes up here to toss the corpse into, either. there's a--] What's that thing? What about that?

[he's pointing to a rain barrel, about four feet tall and three feet wide. he quickly walks over to investigate. twisting the wooden lid off of the top and peering inside. there are only a couple of inches of rainwater in the bottom of it.]

Stuff him in here.

[once the urgency of the situation passes and they all have a chance to catch their breath, Tek will be able to retroactively appreciate Tonic's apparent skill (or at least an amount of comfort that would upset most common folks) in this situation.

in the meantime, he's entirely in work-mode. he doesn't bother putting much thought into Tonic's choice or debating about whether or not there are better places to hide a body around here. he's ready to just ditch this thing and get out of the area.

so, while Tonic is so kindly holding the lid for him, Tek hauls the body up without a problem and takes only a few seconds to fold the guy's legs against his chest... and unceremoniously jam him into some poor villager's rain barrel.]

[seeing Tek easily handle the heavy body is a little more disturbing than the actual violence from earlier, but he says nothing and quickly puts the lid back top of the barrel, glancing around to see if there's anyone around, down the street or peeking out of windows, who could have noticed two shady-looking individuals messing around in front of this particular house.

there is no one, as far as he can tell. he's walking away before he even knows it, legs carrying him as a casual pace that he only hopes Tek is going to match without questions.]

[Tek has a little more insight than Tonic does into exactly how many people are around and how close they actually are to the scene of the crime, but he's only marginally more sure that they've escaped notice.

still, he falls in easy step beside his friend without hesitation. they both know how adept the other is at fabricating masks, so it shouldn't be a surprise that Tek puts on a smile as if it's nothing, regardless of whatever is going on underneath.]

...You should see the work-out regimen that notary scribes are put through, back home. It's really absurd.

[of course he isn't really as flippant as he seems, but he still can't help but make a little bit of a joke.]

[to his own surprise, Tonic laughs.

it's hard to tell whether it's the belated shock of the whole thing that does it, or whether it just happens to strike the heart of his well-established, morbid sense of humor, but his bark of a laugh comes suddenly and a lot louder than he'd intended, and he quickly slaps a hand over his own mouth to keep from doing it again.

but Tek can see his shoulders still shaking as he fights down a wave of giggles, and he sounds like he's grinning despite his own attempts to get his facial expression under control.]

They must take documentation very seriously.

[he bumps into Tek again... this time, entirely on purpose.]

[Tek hadn't been planning on returning to the affectionate, familiar proximity that they'd had going on before he'd violently murdered someone, but then Tonic laughs at his joke and says volumes by bumping into him a little.

that is probably what finally wraps up the whole encounter in his head. a thing of his was threatened, he defeated the problem, and now that thing is his again. it's all okay. he can calm down again.

so, it's a compulsive gesture when he reaches to put his arm around Tonic's waist again. and he doesn't let the moment linger before he nods down the avenue toward the end of the block.]

And we can continue to explore and shop if you'd like... but the thought of soaking somewhere warm and quiet is suddenly very appealing to me. I think I may have pulled a muscle or something...

[as much as Tonic loves to obsessively analyze every facet of every potential danger that could cross his path... he finds it far too easy to slip into the comfort of having the other's arm around his waist and just not worry about it. it may catch up to him later, but for now he feels strangely protected, which is a foreign (but not unappreciated) experience for him.

and at the mention of a bath, well, he doesn't have any objections.]

Gods, tell me about it. I thought I was tense before, but I can feel my shoulders trying to seize up as we speak...

[with the decision made, he knows which way to steer them when they step casually out onto the larger street like they're not in the middle of fleeing the site of a murder.

they have a little bit of a walk until they get to the spa, and there are now quite a few listening ears around who could potentially catch their conversation... and something about these two facts together puts Tek in a chatty mood.

maybe it's the fact that having to speak through a veil of secrecy is reassuring for the topic at hand. maybe he knows that they'll probably be speaking much more honestly in the near future and he wants a few things out of the way first. either way, he shrugs like his words have no weight. like he's referring to nothing but some petty lover's quarrel.]

I am sorry for causing a scene earlier, by the way. I'd warned you that I can be a little bit protective.

[veiled conversation is practically a second language for Tonic, so he slips into it very easily. just like they were in the restaurant, the man plays along as the cute thing on Tek's arm that maybe has a few small concerns about a relatively mild incident from earlier.]

Darling, I'm charmed. Really, I am. [he finds space around his bags of herbs to press his hand over his heart.] But I'm also certain that he wouldn't have called that a little.

[that makes Tek giggle, and it's a remorseless little sound. he gives a flippant wave of his hand toward nothing.]

Yes, well. I obviously don't care what he thinks, now do I? And I would assert that he started it, and that it wasn't a little offense either.

Mm, well. I suppose he did come on very strong.

[which makes it sound a little more scandalous and a little less like attempted murder. the hand on his heart moves briefly to feel at his neck, which is thankfully in one piece.

he is aware that he probably owes Tek some level of explanation for what happened, even if just to convince him that the likelihood of it happening again is relatively low.]

I haven't seen him in a long time. I think he was just being... territorial. [with a short laugh, he lowers his hand again.] You know how boys are...

[Tek's laugh is short, and a little darker than he'd probably meant it to be.]

I'd known that you must have had acquaintances all over the city, but forgive me for being a little surprised at just how forward they would be.

No, that is... fair.

[he gives the air in front of them a thin smile now, thinking back to the last time he'd actually seen that guy...]

I don't think we had a very good breakup, if I remember correctly.

[Tek glances sidelong at his companion and slips into a similar smile.]

It sounds like there is a decent story behind it. I do hope you'll tell it to me sometime?

[he would love to know more about the guy he'd just unceremoniously murdered.]

After you so valiantly defended me?

[he glances sidelong back at Tek, smirk growing.]

Of course. Don't let me forget.

I won't.

[and that's a promise. as well as an incidental threat. Tek will remind him of this whole thing as often as Tonic wants.

but he doesn't want to sound too ominous after everything that had just happened, so he pulls his friend a little closer as they head down the street toward a neighborhood of increasingly-grand establishments. they still have a long and extravagant evening to enjoy.]

[there are several bath-houses to choose from, some of which are more pampering or respectable or aesthetically pleasing than others. Robin gave Tek a recommendation for somewhere that would ensure a nice, private conversation--in fact, the owner prides herself on keeping the space clear of spies, assassins, or other would-be eavesdroppers. it's practically the crux of their business model. it turns out that there are a lot of people who will pay very good money to not be overheard.

they have to walk a little to get to the richer, more business-oriented part of town, but the building is pretty obvious once it comes into view. large, pale marble pillars, statues of heroic-looking figures nestled between them, each with a vase or a bowl or their marbled hands cupped to catch water. there is a well-kept garden, with a few servants milling about the grounds watering or raking or greeting visitors by the entrance.]

...Is this the Serene?

[that's what Robin called it, anyway. Tonic is still sticking close, but he eyes the building with a certain slow-dawning recognition of his own.]

Supposedly.

[Tek shrugs with what is likely an infuriating amount of nonchalance at something that sounds like it should probably be noteworthy. to him, it's just the nice place that knows how to keep its mouth shut.

once you've seen one opulent bathhouse, you've seen them all, right?

Tek hardly remember the name of the place, let along understands the significance of it, but he still has the gall to stroll in as if he's a regular.]

[oh, of course it gets to Tonic. he almost repeats it back mockingly, and the only reason he doesn't is because the sound of his own voice immediately echoes too much in the entrance hall for his comfort.

it is certainly more on the opulent side; marble dragged up from the underground has been carved into all kinds of patterned floors, statues, vases, decorative pillars, and these are trimmed with gold and thin lines of an obsidian-like material. a middle-aged woman breaks away from a small group of attendants to meet them, smiling warmly and nodding in deference.]

Hello, friends. How might the Serene be of service today?

[Tonic will stick close to Tek, hoping that he can do all of the talking.]

[this is still Tonic's fabulous date night, and he has just had a near-death experience, so Tek will let him quietly hang on his arm and look pretty all he wants. Tek will do all the work.

the warmth doesn't quite reach his eyes, but the rest of the expression that he mirrors back at the woman seems convincingly genuine.]

Ah, we have just had an incredibly exhausting day, so we would love a quiet place to relax. Robin recommended this place quite highly.

[he glances toward Tonic to include him in the conversation as he continues, but he isn't expecting him to actually chip in anything more than a look. give him the fun of responding however he would find enjoyable in this instance.]

I'm thinking a bath to start with, fully outfitted with whatever you think would be nice... and then we can decide what we'd like from there.

[so a bath with all the goodies included, private, and maybe a massage or something else extravagant if they're feeling it afterwards.]

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