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"Leave a missive, but be brief about it."

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[He withdrew after those seconds, and he didn't move far away either. Instead, he found a point in the kitchen where he could lean on the counter and watch her prepare her tools for the night. He said nothing about the activity that she was about to participate in, and he frankly didn't care that she was going to hurt people that didn't even exist. Perhaps it was pushing this simulation they endured towards ruin, but he had always allowed her leash to be loose.

After all, he had provided his instructions on how he expected the night to go. He was already meantally forming plans on how to mitigate any blow back. He would have Levi follow at a safe distance then but instruct the boy to not interfere.

With her leaving, his expected plans of a quiet night began to shift. This event would take most of the night, so he could drop in on Richard. They would have some solid hours in one another's company; he could complete the intended work tomorrow. It was tempting, knowing Jinx would be preoccupied and unlikely to return here until the early morning hours, if at all.]

You have everything that you need?

[ now that everything is tucked away, she slings the strap over her shoulder and hums to confirm his answer. the only thing missing is a disguise, but keeping her identity confidential is not on the for front of her mind. quite frankly, jinx doesn't care at this point if the locals spread rumors of tonight's terror (that is, if she feels merciful tonight to let them live) nor if the council discovers her evil doings.

if anything, this will be her way of speaking to silco's mystery whoever. cross her and you'll become her finger painting canvas. and who knows, maybe by doing this will keep everyone who is involved on script. if her father is insisting on having a pet, fine, but she's going to orchestrate how this play will go from start to finish. what's that saying again? curiosity kills the cat? and whoever this cat is will respect its manners and her domain, or she'll have to give them a private lesson about following and obeying the hierarchy. ]

[ jinx shuffles out of the kitchen, ignoring her boots resting in the corner, and her way to the front door. she swipes her set of keys to stuff in her pocket, then glances over her shoulder to her father. the words, "i'm leaving" doesn't sit right for her to say given what happened between them last month. in fact, she half wonders if her father seeking out for a lover was a result of her being such a rotten daughter, just like how vi got pushed to caitlyn because she was an awful sister. she tenses over that thought, but forces the two words to pass her lips: ]

... See you.

[Silco sighed as she ignored his question and simply packed up and moved to leave. This situationship was not a topic that was over, he knew, but he had hoped that Jinx would let him have a small bright spot just beyond their circle for as long as it lasted. He gave it a few months, and then he could settle right back into seclusion from intimate partners as he had for decades before coming here.

He couldn't lie to her; he had run afoul with regards to withholding information from her too long while he verified it. He knew withholding the information was result in far worse, yet he couldn't help but realize his social circle was so small and he trusted so little that this was something he would sit on alone. It was his decision, his momentary weakness to enjoy being desired.

Perhaps he would pay dearly for it.]

Yes, see you, Jinx. Call if you need anything.

[He reached up and pinched the bridge of his nose between two fingers once she had left, shaking his head as he stood in silence in the vacant house. Maybe this was some form of empty nest syndrome or some other bullshit. Either way, he remained alone cleaning up after her meal prep and tidying the house before the weight of their discussion and its impeding iterations of the future had him forcing his feet into shoes and leaving the house to check in on Richard. If unavailable, he would simply check on his businesses.]

[The forehead pressing against his own is calming enough to chase away any traces of fear or nervousness from Richard's body, making him relax under the larger body. Richard isn't even exactly sure just where did the fragments of terror originated. Whether it was from a memory or learned behavior, somehow passed down to him through the cultural norms and expectations. Of course, there had been a few of those who had tried to pin him down like this in the past after. Men who were overcome with lust, making them shed away their human form and reveal the beast within. Those who do not see the person but the flesh in front of them, ready to devour.

But he hadn't seen any resemblance to those hungry eyes in Silco during the night. If anything it had been the opposite, looking past the flesh and seeing him.

He lets go of Silco's hand and reaches up to place it against the other man's chest. Palm flat and fingers spread against the smooth surface, looking to feel the beat of his heart inside his rib cage. The proof of life. And that they were here right now, expelling any shadows of doubt from Richard's mind.

The rocking of his body along with the massaging on his breast earns a sharp, almost high-pitched moan from him. If he had previously tried to stifle out any sounds that threatened to slip from him, now it was the opposite. Richard allowed all moans, gasps and other cries thick with desire freely out in the room, letting them to fill the otherwise quiet space. The light press of hardness against his lower body felt hot, demanding all of Richard's attention.

Closing his eyes and leaning his head back on the mattress, exposing his throat to the man, Richard moved his legs a bit -- slotting Silco properly in between them.]

Silco. You may do it. [He knew what was coming, and hell. He sure was welcoming it. The final act to finish the pact of trust between them.]

Edited (the icon!!) 2024-07-16 21:32 (UTC)

[If they were going to endeavor on this path together, he wanted them to be able to trust one another. He had no interest in being close to someone and re-entering this type of association if his very presence was fear-based. He accepted that in all other aspects of his life, even thrived in the intimidation his very name brought to the streets, but not here, not when they were vulnerable like this. They both had their scars on displays, physical and perhaps more than a few emotional ones.

His one hand remained stroking and rolling Richard's breast against his palm as he sighed as questing fingers stroked down his own chest. The two round scars were hardly sensitive to touch, but he was keenly aware of touch being close to those areas. He shifted his head so that he could kiss a line down the curve of Richard's neck then over to that scarred shoulder and upper arm, lavishing the mottled flesh with attention. He added little nips from his front teeth as well.

The younger man managed to wrestle out a groan from him at the shift of legs around his hips, and the motion was helped by the free noises that Richard made. Perhaps the pair of them were used to stifling themselves, and he made a mental note to not do that here and now. If he wanted Richard to be vulnerable with him, he'd would have to grudgingly do the same for this to work for them both.

He nuzzled the exposed throat before lifting his head up as he shifted his weight to allow him to brace on one forearm and not risk suffocating Richard under his weight to start. His fingers tangled in that dark hair, stroking through the locks as he peered into Richard's mismatched eyes with his own.

He moved his hand away from the younger man's breast to between their bodies so he could grasp his cock to guide himself up against Richard's opening. Foreheads back to rest together as he pressed himself inside, first with a little thrust to breach any resistance and then slower until he was seated completely. It was a dizzying heat and pleasure, wrangled an unbecoming half-moan, half-gasp out of him. It took a concerted effort to stamp down almost teenage-like eagerness to just have a go and fulfill his needs, and he instead reminded himself to give them both time to adjust.]

...you're not in pain?

[The slender fingers circle around the edges of the now-healed, round scars on the chest in front of him. They remind Richard of the wounds left by arrow, like the one he still carries with on his left shoulder, but there is something different about the shape of them. He'll need to ask about them later, he thinks as he explores the map of the scars.

Richard shivers and shudders underneath of all the attention that his body is lavished with. The teeth scraping on the damaged skin feels a little jarring as there are a few blotches of more sensitive nerves among the otherwise numb surface. His body shakes and jerks a little in response whenever a teeth manages to find a more tender spot, sending a quick electric shocks along his body -- rousing the heat within his body right back up.

He lets out a shaky breath in anticipation when he feels the man above him shift, knowing very well what the other one was preparing for. The hand gently stroking through his dark hair invites Richard to peek underneath his closed lids and meet Silco's eyes. Wordlessly, he studies his companion's expression, trying to decipher the emotion reflected in them -- wanting to understand just what was going on in other man's head at the moment.

But then there is the blunt push and Richard takes sharp breath in as he braces himself for the impact. Well, it is fortunate that he still was wet and loose from the previous orgasm, making the process of penetration more smooth for both of them. His walls the against the force, pushing its way in. Only when the Silco's seated fully in does he dare to breath again, gasping for the air as he tries to adjust and get used to the sensation of being full. His legs tremble lightly around Silco's waist.]

Wha--, [Richard blinks at the question as it takes a moment for him to register the meaning behind it. There was pressure and a burn of stretch for sure? A small discomfort and pain. But weren't those given? And they were nothing that he couldn't handle. And honestly? Richard would prefer there to be more burn and pain, something so intense enough that it would fill every crook of his mind and body -- leaving him without room to think anything else. But he remembers Silco's promise from the earlier and does not dare to ask.]

No. [He breathes out, voice raspy and heavy. He lifts his hand to caress Silco's cheek, thumb brushing the mutilated skin. ] I am not.

[Was that trepidation? He wasn't awake or focused enough to decipher the emotions on Richard's face as they entered the final pact of their marathon to build trust between them. It was even more difficult to focus once his was seated inside Richard's warm tight body, a low-level of static invading every thought that he was trying to have. It had been a considerable amount of time since he'd been this engaged with someone, but he wanted - no needed - to focus what he could.

Of course, now that he was inside, his hand stroked up the length of Richard's side, pausing at the simple questioning noise. It was another indicator of someone who perhaps had not been put in a position to enjoy sex, or at least perhaps had a misconception of the fact it wasn't supposed to be painful if they were engaging correctly and making the proper preparations. He apparently had a lot to teach Richard, assuming they engaged like this more than one night.

Finally, his hand continued on its path up until it was back cupping Richard's left breast, lavishing attention on it. He pressed his face towards the thumb on his cheek] Good, it's not supposed to. If it does, just... pat my shoulder or tell me and we'll slow down and adjust.

[Just to make it clear that he wasn't interested in causing a bed partner pain in this way. Oh, he enjoyed some savagery between the sheets, but the point was to have pleasure. Not the point right now as they learned each other's likes and dislikes.

He leaned forward, hiking Richard's hips up just a tick and he once again rested their foreheads together so he could admire those mismatched eyes. He began to rock his hips in a gentle motion at first, then began to increase the withdrawal length and thrust speed, and that static of pleasure focused his attention on the chase towards orgasm. His hand played with Richard's nipple while the other continued to support his weight so it hovered close without being a constant suffocating pressure. He wanted to lay down and drive for their pleasure, but he'd wait for signs it would be welcomed first.]

[All the reassuring concern displayed towards him is something that he hadn't seen coming. It disarms Richard, leaving him feel nearly dumbstruck as he lies below Silco, pinned down between a body and mattress. Granted, it wasn't like he had entertained any thoughts of sexual nature when it came to them. There had been a few instances when the yearning for companion of a kindred spirit had stirred in his soul but that's that. But even so. If Richard had had any expectations to how this encounter would go about this wasn't it. If asked before he would not have assumed such gentleness and care to be performed by a self-proclaimed monster.

Ahhh, but then again. Silco was a man. Not monster. Not a demon, was he?

This night truly has been all about lifting the veil, revealing their own guarded secrets to one another as they lied their bodies bare. For Richard it had been the curse of his body, for Silco it was to show the man beneath the mask of monster. Of course, there still was vaults of secrets behind both of them, truths hidden in darkest pits of their soul. They weren't exactly coming clean here, but it sure was a step towards it.

Richard kept caressing Silco's cheek, fingers brushing over the fine and subtle cracks on the tight skin with the tip of his fingertips, the nails carefully digging into imprints. But when Silco begins to move, pushing and dragging Richard's body as he rocks their bodies back and forth on the mattress, he allows the hand to drop down to grasp on the man's forearm -- both for support and to ground himself.

It has been several months since he had been held this way by another man, so it's no wonder that there is some resistance in his body. So, the few first thrusts were accompanied with a brief sting. But it doesn't take long until he feels his body to ease to the movement, his insides spreading and taking shape around the cock continuously pressing into him. Richard is panting, legs trembling lightly around Silco's frame.

"Remember this pain." Those had been the words told him when he laid with a man for the first time. And Richard certainly did, but wore it like a badge of honor. A constant reminder of the souls coming together in forbidden union, seeking to challenge the God himself.. But that's not what he should be thinking, is it. And yet, he couldn't stop his feverish eyes wandering, as if he was trying to see something that wasn't there.

The constant attention showed to his chest actually proved out to be helpful with keeping him present in the moment, preventing him from escaping to the depths of his mind as the warm, intense pressure began to pool back into his guts. Whenever he found himself looking for similarities, or trying to focus on the differences to his other half Richard could feel a shock of electricity running through his spine as the clever fingers would pick and tease the tender nipple bud.]

[Silco bowed his face towards those exploring fingers, able to feel each caress into the deep lines that marred his features. The dark mottled scarring wasn't as bad further down his cheek, which meant the nerve endings were mostly intact. Closer to his mutilated eye and the sensations were mostly pressure and some difference in temperature between the numbed areas. He generally didn't care to be touched, but that was a result of deep internal scars so allowing Richard to do so reminded him of the subtleties of his nerve damage. He was lucky to still be able to see and have his flesh remain generally intact after all these years.

His motions remained slow until he had a sense of Richard relaxing, of hearing that panting begin without what he would interpret with pain. A calculated effort to increase chances that they may engage like this again in the future, assuming they both actually enjoyed it. After all, Richard could just lay there and it would not be particularly gratifying, and he knew just enough of the younger man's history to expect previous encounters to not be... pleasant.

Perhaps if he righted some of that wrong, they may find common pleasure and ground to have casual sex. Or not so casual; he honestly left all expectations with Richard at the door. He never knew what the younger man was going to pull out on any given encounter, and that was exciting. Even here, even now, Richard was full of surprises.

His hips withdrew further before thrusting back in, angling for that sweet spot that the female body possessed while slowly settling into where he could drop his belly down to rub against Richard's cock. His hips began to settle into a rolling thrust motion, and he was almost completely lost in the wash of sensation that infested his tired mind, providing the kind of soothing bliss he hadn't been able to capture in decades. He shook off the rust of time as almost animal instinct took over, though he remained mindful enough to remain present enough for signs he was hurting Richard.

He leaned his face down to add kisses to Richard's lips, nipping at the lower one even as he rested their foreheads together. His hand continued to explore and play with Richard's breast before he was moving his hand away to set his forearm into the mattress so he could shift his weight to that arm. It was done all to free up his other arm so he could lavish similar attentions on the neglected breast.]

[Well, to be fair. Excluding his prior experiences only painful or otherwise negative ones would be doing great disservice to his Kingmaker. There had been pain, yes, but also lot of different feelings and sensations. There had been agony, as Buckingham had called it. Sweet agony that made his entire soul ache in a strange despair, making him yearn for more as the pain twisted and turned, taking a new form in the shape of pleasure. In those moments Richard could have sworn that he understood what it meant to be loved.

It had been intense and hot, like a sword cutting down all the barbs and thorny vines blocking Richard's path. He tried to pinpoint just where did Silco land on. But it was not pain, not agony or mind numbing bliss. It didn't strike him down just to built him back up again. Instead it was slow yet steady, strong and determined like a tidal wave gathering in the distance. It was different, for sure. But Richard guessed that's where the allure lied.

There was nothing at the stake, not really. No souls wagered, no promises or executioners axe ready to fall down on their necks. Instead it was just them, two desperate and broken people solace from one another in the darkness of the night, licking and kissing each other's wounds. That was something Richard could live with. Gladly so.]

-- H-ha! [An unguarded groan bursted out of Richard's chest, transforming it to a sound reminiscing a choked cry, as he felt the blunt thrust against a spot where a bundle of nerves were residing. His body reacted without thinking and Richard found himself from bucking his own hips to meet Silco's, aiming for a repeated hit all while clenching his walls around the cock inside him.

It was becoming too much. There was a slight sheen of sweat covering his body and he felt like every part of him was pinned under relentless attention. Richard hadn't even noticed that the blood had started to gather back to his lower region, making both of his bits throb and swell, until Silco pressed his own body against him to provide more friction. The assault of pleasuring senaatin was overwhelming, making it little difficult for Richard to focus on the mouth on his. He tried to answer to the kisses, but his endeavors only resulted in awkward mess. But that was fine. What mattered was that he had his lips on Silco and that he could taste the man.]

[His own partnership where emotions were involved as a long time ago, and Silco spent a decade after it ended seeking to burn the other down. He needed to topple that figure to take control, and there had been pleasure in it as much as it had reopened old emotions. He wanted to see what Vander was made of. After that, intimacy was a matter of business or personal learning opportunities. After all, it wasn't as if people in the Undercity were lining up to cuddle with someone where half of their face was a mess of pustules and sloughing skin.

By the point of having scarified skin and an eye few enjoyed looking at, he had moved on to plot his revenge and gather resources to take back the Undercity for the fight of its life. Sex was something people did to escape, but he never forgot what it was to be held nor the discomfort of first times or the pleasure of the stupid things the young did to feel good.

At this point, his thoughts were like molasses in his head, following instinct more than a convinced knowledge of anything. He had fallen into a rhythm of motion, using the noises that Richard made to source out where that pleasure was best so he could repeat the noise and the pleasure he hopefully generated to create it in the first place. He wanted to overwhelm, to let them both escape the torment of guarded lives, to come undone together even if it was for a fleeting few seconds and then back to guarding against the world.

He responded to the younger man's body, feeling the pressure around his cock and shuddering in response each time. He jammed his knees harder into the mattress to keep purchase of his position even if he slowly but surely began to sag so he was covering Richard's body with his own. His hand had to move to cup the side of Richard's head so he could feel those breasts against his chest, and he went from reminding himself to make noise to naturally groaning and sighing.

Pleasure was hot and welcoming, something to chase down but also wrapped his mind and body in a sense of being accepted. That was an odd sensation. Two monsters just enjoying each other; he didn't dare put stock in the idea they would find each other this way again.

His thrusting began to lose some of its rhythm as his pleasure built, and it suited the mess of kisses that they barely managed. His mouth found skin and that seemed good enough. He added more pressure to the cock trapped between them, remembering what that was like and providing whatever rising pleasure he could. At this point, he wanted to orgasm and there was a desperate edge to striving for that, like at any moment Richard might tap his shoulder or tell him to stop and he'd have to abide only to be left isolated and frustrated all over again. He wanted to prove to them both this was a worthwhile show of vulnerabilities.]

...close... [It was a partially nonsensical word, just a gasp of warning or maybe plea to let this come to its natural conclusion.]

[The thing is, if someone were to ask whether Richard thought to be attractive he'd have to answer negatively. There weren't many physical qualities in the man that would inspire admiration or attraction. He wasn't a beautiful man of the legends that he and his brothers' were told by the wet nurse in their childhood. But it hadn't been the handsome face that had drawn Richard close, quite the opposite. It was the mark of darkness in his face that the man wore like a badge of honor, without trying to cover up his deformity that had caught Richard's attention. It had been one of those moments where a soul recognizes a kindred spirit in another.

And even more than that Silco had been able to see past his own defenses and guards, past the lump of flesh that was his body and saw Richard. He had called him beautiful. And those mattered more to him than a beautiful face blessed with light. After all, there was comfort in coming together in darkness like this. God had forsaken them, leaving the two monsters celebrating in the ceremony of sin.

Richard gasped for air in between the wet kisses, voice strained with lust and desire to be consume and be consumed. Faintly, he is aware that Silco was speaking to him but he could not make out of the sounds enough to understand it. So focused he was in his own pleasure that had again spread all over his body, making his legs and hips twitch and spasm under the overwhelming warm pressure. Richard slid his hands up along Silco's arms to wrap them around the man's neck and shoulder, blunt nails clawing on the skin on his back as he tried to match the rhythm set by the other one with his own movements. It's clumsy and hardly perfect. But that is fine -- neither were they as they were lost in the heat of one's touch.]

[Being no one's choice was the expectation, and he leaned into it. If he was to be the monster that the Undercity and even Aldrip needed him to be, he would wear it with pride and throw it in the faces of those that considered him little more than an old human or powerless or untrustworthy. He would show them. He would show them all that he was completely capable here or anywhere. He was not ashamed of who he was or what he could and would do.

Perhaps Richard was the same. Perhaps not. They had found each other, and even for a fleeting moment of weakness between them, they had showed a little of their hands to one another. Did he expect this to last? Of course not. A night, a few days, maybe a few weeks and Richard would walk away. Curiosity would give way as it always did.

For now though, he would indulge. He rode the younger man harder yet had enough sense and experience to keep his belly low to stroke Richard's cock with each thrust of his body. His head bowed until he could press his face into Richard's smooth column of neck, breathing in little puffs from between his teeth as he felt and groaned with those fingers gripping the back of his neck, the bite of nails bright points of pain that shot down his spine and settled in the pooling warmth of his belly.

His thrusting became almost animalistic in nature at the end, losing a set rhythm and his one free hand dropped down to grip the back of one of Richard's thighs, his own nails digging it as he hiked the appendage up to change the angle of his thrusting as he aimed for that bundle of nerves inside Richard. Within another minute, his shoulders tightened as he found the edge of the proverbial cliff and fell right off as he came inside the younger man with a hissing groan of pleasure.]

[ his spy is still glitching here and there, but that doesn't mean he will not fulfill his duties that is sending him reports regarding his daughter. so soon, silco will be receiving some pictures through via text message:

the first image is jinx in a bikini at her treehouse, with tools lying around on the floorboards.
the second image is ekko arriving at the treehouse and jinx leading him inside.
the three image is ekko sitting on the floor working on the hoverboard and jinx lounging on the love seat behind him.
the fourth image is jinx going to the fridge to retrieve two water bottles, with ekko standing there waiting.
the fifth image is them back at their original sitting spots.
the sixth image is of jinx now hugging ekko from behind.
the the seventh image is ekko now facing her, with his hand on his cheek and jinx looking nervous.
the the eighth image is ekko leaning in closer, jinx still looking unsure.
the the nineth image is ekko holding jinx with her head resting on his chest. ]

Should I send more, Boss?

Edited 2024-07-23 04:10 (UTC)

[Of course. He had been suspicious, and he was not disappointed. So, was Jinx withholding information or actively lying to him? Time would tell.]

I will not deny the virtue of keeping tabs on my daughter. Whatever you have, I will accept.

[a few days have passed since the violent commotion in Aldrip when Silco receives a message. Delivered by a random npc this time rather than Whitey.]

meet me in the indoor gardens near your shop.

[... it's the greenhouse. he still is lacking with the pop vocabulary..]

Edited 2024-07-24 13:42 (UTC)

As requested. I will be there in twenty minutes.

[Silco had spent a lot of time at the Flower Shop for that week, so he had move elsewhere now that there was the freedom to do so. He was curious of what Richard needed to make such a request in the first place, and like most interactions with them, curiosity brought him to the greenhouses in the aforementioned time frame he had given.

He peered into each of the four greenhouses to make certain Richard wasn't already inside, and if the younger man was, he approached. Otherwise, he waited at the entrance of one of the middle two and pushed a hand through his slicked back hair.]

[Richard is already present in the greenhouse, busying himself with observing the different plants that he has never seen before as he waits for Silco to arrive. He had been pretty busy during the previous week, when the chaos had been unleashed, making a notable dent in the population in the name of honorable victory. Which also meant that he did have a lot of to atone for. Kinda. It's not that Richard really believed he did anything wrong but it would be in poor taste to ignore those who he had harmed.

So, he had been in mission to commission apology flowers for his victims and seeing that Silco owned the biggest shop that dealt with plants and flowers, he might as well use the time to say hello to the man. After all, they probably did have stuff to discuss after the prior events.

Richard turns his head to look at the man as he approaches him, locking the eye contact as a sign of acknowledgement before turning to look back up in the tree with strange, green-ish fruit. It's bananas.]

What are those?

[Finding Richard inside had him redirecting his course to step inside. He paused at the doorway to remove his jacket given how warm it would become in the greenhouses. The weather was already sweltering most afternoons, but he sometimes insisted on wearing his jacket anyway for appearance sake.

It had been quite the exciting week - not so much for him - but he was keenly aware that Richard had been afflicted with the gnosia virus or body manipulation. He folded his hands behind his back, clasping one wrist with the other hand and walked down the rows of plants towards the younger man. He stopped, glancing at the plant in question.]

Bananas. They are a type of fruit. [Those were rare in Zaun, but when he had been Chem-Baron, such items were easier to find, if expensive.] You made it through the dramatics unscathed, yes? [It was difficult to tell given Richard's clothing choices. He was much the same.]

[Bananas. What a ridiculous name, Richard thinks to himself but hums quietly as a sign of satisfaction upon receiving the answer. He wasn't that interested in the herbilogy of this world.]

I am alive, aren't I? [Which alone seems to be quite a feat considering all the blood that had been spilled when the virus reached it's peak. But Richard hadn't escaped without injuries either, not after coming across a surprisingly talented swordsman. It appears that their humble duke of apothecary was more danger than he let himself to be seen. Well, it mattered not. Richard had received countless amounts of similar injuries during the war. And it just gave him more reason to keep his body wrapped in the tight dark cloth, hiding himself away.

He then turns to Silco, nudging his head towards the path.] Walk with me.

Hmm, being alive now is no guarantee it was the truth days ago. [He should know. He had died, and it had not been a pleasant experience that he was looking for a repeat performance of. Still, there was an odd pleasure knowing that Richard no extra-ordinary powers - aside from demonic proclamations - and had been quite successful.] You have a talent for survival, and that is nothing to scoff at.

[He eyed the younger man before nodding his head. With his hands behind his back, he made certain that he wouldn't touch without invitation. So he stepped into the gravel lined path between the rows of growing plants.]

Have you made use of my gift or do they require alterations?

[As much was true, yes. Richard had seen his victims come back to life like it was miracle only a day or so after the things had calmed down in the city. All but one, that is. The young king Saralegui, someone who Richard had felt a small connection with. It did bother him that the grave didn't spit him back like the others. But it was too soon for him to bring attention to the matter. Maybe the king was hiding, licking his wounds and treating his bruised ego?]

I will not die. Not yet. [He declares, a clear sense of conviction in his voice. Many people had come after him, seeking his death. Both humans and the demons that whispered deadly desires to his ears in the dark hours. But none of them had been successful. He would prevail, just like his suffering.

He walks silently alongside the narrow pavement between the plants, eyeing the different vegetation with only a mild interest. When Silco's question reaches him Richard feels a sharp pang in his chest, making his heart skip a beat and the tip of the ears burn. Needlessly to say, he was still very unused to hear someone make a comment on his secret so boldly and casually -- so accepting. Feeling his throat tighten a bit he brings his hand against his chest and looks down on the ground.]

..Do you wish to check?

[Those who had fallen during the previous weeks had mostly returned at this point. He expect that flower sales to increase and had already seen signs of that. For someone who had very little knowledge of how plants actually grew, he found the shop to be rather useful. Apparently flowers were a go-to. At least there weren't many large-scale declarations of forgiveness on the network to endure.]

No, it seems to me that your survival is paramount. Were you aware of this... affliction as it happened? [He had been able to tell lies and had premonitions of the future to avoid being killed, though... perhaps he had been a touch on the daring side with Richard. The risk had been... well...

He cleared his throat lightly as they walked side-by-side, and his interest in the plants was similar to Richard's. This was a place of business and the plants here had been tended earlier in the morning. They would do whatever plants did and this would leave the greenhouses relatively empty until evening checks. Water systems were mostly automatic.

Yet, he raised his eyebrow at the return question, and he couldn't help the corner of his lip tugging in a small smile. This sort of reply was something he was growing used to. And it was, perhaps the invitation that he was willing to accept. He dropped his hands to his sides before one moved forward to rest against the small of Richard's back.]

I can, if you wish. There are many in my home city that adorn themselves in such bindings. Is it more comfortable than your previous iteration?

[Richard ponders the question for a silent moment. He, like everyone else, had received the message on the tablet informing them about the infection and their status. Richard hadn't initially thought much of it. But then there had been overtaken by a familiar calmness. The same one he would always get as the weight of armor pressed against his body as he rode towards the battlefield. A moment of serenity before the rush of adrenaline and madness. Then there had been the violent demons of his past, coming back to life to remind him of his darkest moments when he had lost all of the hope - driving him further into fury.]

I suppose I knew that something was off since the very beginning. However, I will stand by my actions and take full responsibility, affliction or no affliction. [Which is why he was here in the first place.

The hand on his back was seemingly all it took to make Richard's heart flutter and heat raise to his face. He wasn't exactly sure what were his thoughts on the city of demon's that Silco hailed from. On one hand it did explain why the man refused to be appalled by his appearance, finding beauty where others saw nothing but disgust. But then again, would it make him to be just one of the many? Just another fly swarming around the pond. He did not like the idea, not when he had already suffered so much.

Richard stops as they arrive beneath a tall tree, partly hiding in the shade of it's humongous leaves, and turns to face Silco properly. His hand reaches to touch man's forearm as he carefully nods.]

.. Yes, you may look. I allow it. [ So far Richard had always been the one to remove his own clothing, feeling unsure to allowing the other to have access to that level of intimacy between them. Swallowing air, Richard drops his gaze back down to the ground, almost as if he felt overwhelmed by the admittance.,]

[Honestly, with the way that Aldrip and Rumpitur operated, he wasn't surprised that something similar had occurred. They seemed to go in waves where Chosen were fighting or dying, and it was always the heroic types or those who enjoyed combat that launched into it. He had seen and briefly interacted with Richard despite knowing it was dangerous, but there hadn't been a change of personality (okay maybe a touch more blood thirsty) that would indicate.]

I assume that you saw action that day. We all had the opportunity to protect ourselves one way or another, and this place does not see fit to punish aggression towards each other when it is wide-spread.

[He almost never asked for forgiveness for the actions that he took. Just like now with his hand where it was, initiating a physical contact that he would do with no one else in Aldrip or beyond. He walked with Richard until they slipped under the shadow of the tree, his gaze briefly moving around to search for others that may observe this potential little dalliance. Both of them appeared to be private people when it came to touching, and he was not interested in putting Richard in an awkward position or reveal too much to prying eyes.

He stepped in front and, upon permission, he gently and casually slipped his hands up the front of Richard's shirt, fingers stroking over limited skin before it found the binding. His fingers walked over the clasps up and up until he had reached the top to hook at the top most edge then dragged his hands down the sides.]

It feels like a good fit. [His forearms kept the linen of Richard's shirt up, and again, he looked around to check for others before he leaned in to rest their foreheads together. He was keenly aware of the trust it took to allow him to feel under the protective clothing. He also did not stop his fingers working under the binding edge to stroke warm skin either.] If you would like more, the designs are with the tailor.

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text (THIS IS BEKKA BTW, playing his spy)

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text - dated a few days after the July event (because I'm impatient)

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when i said richard was easy i wasn't lying.......

omg richard noooooo....

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