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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[Tek can tell that Tonic is taking him seriously. He pauses to give it a moment of deep thought.

These things sound fake, but they're being spoken about so effortlessly that they must be real. It's not as if Tonic has any way to refute them, considering that the moon is more of a symbol to him than a celestial body. The last one, though. Sounds menacing.

Not that the statement is in any way off-brand for Tek. He flattens out his shoulders again, a smirk sliding back into place the more he's given physical attention.]

It sounds even more mysterious than I would have thought. Do you like it? Or... Have any particular thoughts about it?

[Tek fails to fight off a little laugh at that. Such an alien question for something that is not only universal, but literally rules the existence of so many creatures that he knows. It's a surreal question to have to answer.]

Well... I basically owe her everything, so I can't help but have quite a lot of thoughts about her. You would have to be much more specific about it.

[...With the change of phrasing, he knows full well that the other man is leading him on like a fish on a line. Tonic will miss out if he pretends to ignore it, but if he follows, he'll be eating right out of his hand.

Lucky for both of them, this seems like a fairly low-risk conversation to have, and he is curious. It's not like he's got a whole lot of subtle dignity left to maintain anyway, after today.

So Tonic shifts just enough to rest the good side of his face on a loose fist and look ready to be educated (or at least entertained) by an answer:] Her?

[The game isn't only for Tek's benefit; it's something they can both enjoy playing. Especially for a topic as enormous and mysterious as the moon, it would feel wrong to just dump information without a little intrigue.]

Yes, of course... unless the moon has somehow been misguidedly labeled as 'him' in your pantheon?

[What a tragedy that would be.]

[Tonic fails to hold back what is something between a snicker and a cringe.]

Oh, we don't... [He shakes his head against his hand. He has the good sense to look like he knows he's going to be scolded for what he's about to say, at least.] Most wouldn't consider the moon to be a thing you could worship. It's just--an object in the story.

[Tek's eyebrows raise in an expertly unimpressed expression before he scoffs in derisive disbelief.]

...Well, no wonder this world has fallen to shit.

[Well, he can't take offense to that. Having it called a "world" is just poetic enough that it flies harmlessly under his radar, and Tek is rewarded with a nasty little laugh from the other man.]

Well, that and a couple of other things. [half his mouth splits into a wide grin, tugging a little at the other half.] Perhaps you could give me the basics, dear? Explain it as you would to a child.

The basics are that she is one of five prime gods, the most important beings in the universe but too far removed from the mortal realm to communicate with it any longer, and they birthed all of the many gods directly worshiped by mankind.

[He loves talking about this sort of thing, but it's the reactions he receives that he's really in it for. Just what does Tonic think of discussing the affairs of gods while being rubbed down in gold and surrounded in opulence?]

[Tonic has firm opinions about gods, of course... But he hums with interest rather than scoffing with disdain, so Tek's opinions may happen to fit into whatever that particular worldview is.]

And so, who are the other four?

[He's having fun asking questions, at the very least, and that's pretty good for Tonic.]

[Tek would have accepted any response (even if it turned out to be the wrong one), but he likes this. It's a good reaction. Tonic makes an excellent audience, even in this.]

Well... the sun is one, obviously. Then the earth, the stony shell that formed around the heart of the world. The fourth is the blanket of living things that wrapped herself around that. And the final one is pure chaos.

[When he gets a moment, he reaches out to hook that basket of rose petals with a finger and pull it closer to them. It gives him time to think of what to say--not wanting to offend his gracious host on several counts.]

Is this the common understanding, where you're from? [With a small laugh, he plucks up one of the petals to taste.] --Because you won't hear anything like that around here, that's for sure.

For those who care about what's written in the old texts, yes. It's generally understood that the gods can all trace their births back to one of these progenitors... regardless of how the knowledge might have gotten diluted and changed down the line.

[He doesn't care of it doesn't mesh perfectly with the greater story at large here. He knows he's right, and that kind of confidence transcends time and space.

It's still meant to be light conversation, however, so he tilts his head toward the flower petals.]

...Any good?

Mm, fresh. Want some?

[Without missing a beat, he holds out the basket to Tek to offer some, either as a snack or as the more traditional sort of decor option. He also shoots his friend a lopsided smile.]

I like it, darling, I just wouldn't go saying that sort of thing too loudly around the Priesthood. They get touchy.

[He takes a few petals from the basket to smell and play with in his hands, at the very least. He prefers his snacks to be a little more aged, and it's hard to fight the temptation to help that process along with a little of his magic.]

So I've heard. Though, I imagine there are many reasons I should steer clear of them, hmm?

[Like the fact of him being an abomination and whatnot.]

Well, yes... [The smile turns to a smirk as he returns the basket to the edge of the bath.] Mostly them, honestly. No sense of humor, for one thing. Terrible fashion sense, for another.

[He takes a big fistful of petals in his good hand, slowly letting them slip between his fingers. Crushing the last few tightly between his thumb and forefinger.]

[He scoffs a little--a sound of commiseration--while watching petals fall through his friend's lovely fingers.]

It has always been funny to me how people supposedly so tapped into the divine workings of the world... can miss the point so badly.

[Just a little more religious complaining and he'll probably get it out of his system.]

[It won't help that Tonic flashes him another grin, readily agreeing.]

Right? Such a waste...

[Tek is inevitably more fun than the basket of petals, so Tonic pops a couple more in his mouth before turning to face the other again--admiring his own arms and trying to get a glimpse of his shoulders on the way.]

[Tek automatically shifts over as Tonic turns, setting the bottle of oil aside and settling his back against the edge of the bath, inviting his friend with a low smile.]

I've found that it's always the people you least expect who see things the most clearly... don't you think?

[And he knows an invitation when he sees one... With how much he's been eyeing the other in the bath already (and a few other reasons), it'd be foolish of him not to float in closer and sidle up as close as the other man seems happy with.]

Of course. They have room to look every once in a while...

[If Tonic needs any specific direction, Tek will guide him right into his lap. He has been wanting to have him closer for a long time now... both for selfish, indulgent reasons, and for the fun of keeping such a slippery person held in one spot while he picks at fun topics.]

What sorts of things do you think they see?

[Then he'll make himself comfortable. Especially as he feels the topic start to shift--he's been too thoroughly pampered to put his guard up yet, but he does narrow his eyes to give Tek a look of playful suspicion.]

Well, are we still talking about Gods, babe? Or is this something else?

[He knows what Tek might be hinting at, but he'd like to hear it out-loud before he resigns himself to talking about it.]

[Such a flat, direct approach to the topic might have annoyed Tek in another circumstance, but he does have the other man comfortably trapped in his lap now, and that counts for a lot.

He even grins to show sharp teeth and a little bit of forked tongue, if Tonic needs a reminder that he's not the strangest, most outlawed creature here.]

You're an insightful man; what do you think?

[At all of that, he turns his gaze to the ceiling, practically an eyeroll--mostly at himself, for crawling right into the arms of this very literal monster.]

I suppose it was foolish of me to hope I might get away with it, hm?

[He knows the scales are tipped in Tek's favor. He could squirm his way out of it--but not without offending the other, something he doubts he can actually afford to do. Not while he's still Upstairs (and certainly not while he's still in his lap).

So he looks back down at his host, meeting his eyes in a moment of calculated honesty.]

I've never told anyone about it, you know.

[It's probably a bad idea for a number of reasons, especially when he has so many careful social calculations running, but he can't help it. Tonic's response, added with that look of sharp, guarded honesty, has him sitting up and slinking forward, pressing his chest against his friends' and catching him in a short but very intent, indulgent kiss.

Yes. He knows.]

[It may be a gamble... But at his core, Tonic is a weak and lonely creature. The kiss surprises him, clearly, but it only takes a second for him to return it in equal measure. Tek has him thoroughly ensnared, at least while they're alone together in this dreamlike, private little world.

When they pull away, Tonic can't look right at him--avoiding his gaze as his last-ditch attempt to retain some sort of dignity. He's obviously aroused, a sickly-looking color starting to tinge his cheeks, but part of him has to try all the same.]

It's... I can see the answers to questions, sometimes.

[Something he's thought a thousand times, but never actually said out-loud.]

GRATIA // PSL

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