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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[Tonic is a smart boy. he finally turns back to fix Tek with a look that is both curious and already several steps deep into a very complicated mechanism of thought. he stares, unblinking, in that increasingly-familiar way that makes him appear a great deal more dragon-like than a fleshy human has any right to be.

and then he glances over to the potions on his wall. the poisons, and the not-poisons. and then he looks back at Tek.]

I'm ready for that answer. [a beat.] If you feel like sharing.

[he loves that look. he loves that Tonic remembers and that he thinks.

he also loves causing at least a little bit of mayhem, so this is how he gets his kicks with someone he likes as much as Tonic. he'd mentioned that he likes wrecking things. this is the smallest amount of that he can manage.

his casual (and entirely fake) expression melts into a wide, sly grin. much more honest. and he brings his arms back down to settle forward again; he can't help but look a little eager. just a little conspiratorial about the whole thing.]

...I'm poisonous.

[because of course he has to start off explaining it in the least comprehensible way possible.]

[Tonic stays right where he is.

that statement does not make sense. he tries, he really does, to wedge this new fact into his understanding of how life and science and reality work, but even when he finds a foothold somewhere where it could theoretically be possible, another part of him retaliates because it sounds, objectively, kind of stupid.

all Tek gets is a slow, deliberate blink as his brilliant mind scrambles to comprehend the statement.]

What?

[he takes the empty incredulity in stride. it might be exactly what he was hoping for, in all honesty.]

I'm poisonous.

[as if the emphasis would be enough to explain. it isn't, of course, but all good things need to be dragged out at least a little. he lifts his hands enough to wiggle his beautiful, perfect fingers a bit.]

It's part of me. It's like water on water.

[on the one hand, this makes a lot of sense. Tonic tilts his head curiously as the alcohol, the antipoisons, and even the other's enthusiasm for poisons in general are slotted snugly into a new context.

but people aren't... you can't just be...

he narrows his eyes while he tries to think his way through this. he has several conflicting ideas about what Tek may actually be, and they're all clamoring against his constant fear that saying the wrong thing will have the other turning on him.

eventually, he lets out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, finally tilting his head as if to get a better angle on the mystery.]

I think you're telling the truth. [this is the most important thing to get out of the way, falling back on the set of rules that seems to have turned into the backbone of their strange relationship.] But I don't understand how.

[and Tek seems pleased as punch that Tonic both believes him and doesn't know the why of it. he seems content with this.]

That's how I did the little trick with your glass. So, you can stop wondering about that one too.

[and... he can't help but slide a glance over the shelf of Tonic's finished poisons as well. he doesn't want to say out loud that he could do the same thing to any of the vials here--not yet, at least--but he wonders if Tonic might walk into the thought himself.]

[oh, he glances alright. he connects those dots very quickly.

he has a lot of thoughts. a lot of conflicting ideas, a lot of worries. this is the kind of thing he'd hoped they'd never talk about again--and yet, here he is, the one who said he wanted to talk about it in the first place.

he's antsy for something. a drink, or a cigarette. some smoke. but instead of any of that, he moves and drums his fingers against the table and sits up a little straighter, digging deep into his own instincts to guide him forward. his mind is clearly failing him; this is now a matter of survival, not thought.]

I don't know what to do with this.

[another admittance. he's a little nervous at whatever implications this has opened for him, but he isn't ready to bolt yet. he just needs something to go off of, something to give him any idea of how he could safely proceed.]

[as Tek's face leans heavier onto his hand, he tries not to seem disappointed--which, for anyone who knows the fickle reptile, is huge. Tonic is very lucky that he's a fragile, crushable mortal, and that Tek hasn't been feeling particularly antsy lately. he actually has patience enough to cut the guy some slack as he tries to come to terms with something that has the potential to turn his entire world upside down.]

Well... does it change anything?

[are they the same horrible people they were a minute ago? did Tek threaten him with anything? do all the same reassurances and rules and other infrastructure they'd previously laid down still apply?]

[does it change anything?

it's a very good question. he thinks on that for a while, in that way of his, grateful for something to finally sink into. he calculates and adjusts and checks to make sure that the scales are even. he runs over everything they'd said before, and the statistical likelihood that any of it could have changed over the course of a week and a half.

Tek may not have to be disappointed for long; when things finally click into place, the better half of his mouth quirks up into a funny little smile, and the anxiety that had been creeping into his expression melts back to something much closer to curiosity.]

No... I suppose you've got me there, babe.

[he'd been fooling himself, thinking that they could just never talk about this again. but if he hasn't been ruined about this creature yet, and they really have been honest this whole time... he takes a deep breath, leaning forward, committing to diving in. if he's going to risk sinking, he wants to learn as much as possible in the process.

he grins, just the one half of his face, but it is now very genuine.]

So, why is that? How could you possibly be poisonous?

[he loves watching the swift little machine of this man's mind work, imagining all of the paranoid tabulations going on in there--which makes it all the more satisfying when it all adds up in Tek's favor. his easy grin returns, almost looking proud of himself for somehow not scaring him off yet.]

The same reason as everything else, I suppose. It's the way I was born.

[he shrugs as if his eyes, his teeth, his tongue, his mismatched gender, all of it was just some fluke of nature that might not have a huge, important reason behind it.]

[Tonic already had a hunch that Tek wasn't entirely human, and this all but confirms it for him. it's the only thing that makes sense, as startling as it is to think that he may have attracted the attention of a brab'ja without realizing it.]

So is that just your... [he doesn't really know how to ask, he hasn't dived deeply into the vernacular of the scattered, magical community, for obvious reasons.] Your affinity, I suppose?

[Robin has told Tek enough about the magic here for this line of logic to make perfect sense--most people have one trick and only one trick, with only a few very powerful mages able to do a small range of things centered around a single theme or magical element. Tonic is probably guessing that poison is his.]

[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?

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