Golden Peacock: Overflow

[philancer]

[ because apparently we thirsty, yo ]

Comments

[hotproblems]

[This guy. Lorenz grinds his teeth for a moment, but manages to resist absolutely flipping out for, like, the third time? Fourth? Unimportant.]

You misunderstand me yet again— Your hands have grabbed at me enough for one day, and so must remain at your sides; mine are under no such obligation.

He should have seen that one coming

[philancer]

[ That admission about the reminder just gets a bemused snort from Sylvain as he arches an eyebrow. ] Man, who did you piss off that day?

[ That’s definitely not a comparison he would have thought to make. Ever. He’s not even quite sure what prompted it. Sure, they’d played a few chess matches back in their school days, but it wasn’t like he and Claude had ever traveled in the same circles much. ]

And I don’t know. That is why I was asking you, after all. At the very least so I could avoid crossing any lines that would make you uncomfortable in the process.

[ …But maybe Claude didn’t know what those were either. Sylvain squints at him a moment, trying to remember if he’d ever heard anything or seen anyone coming in and out of Claude’s room, since it had always been so close to his own. He didn’t think so, other than maybe Hilda a time or two, but he wasn’t sure that counted. Or maybe it did, what did he know? ]

Have you ever had an actual lover before, for that matter? [ Because if Claude was still a virgin, Sylvain was definitely taking a number of things right off the table from the get-go. ]

[philancer]

[ Amusement is still flitting in amber eyes as Lorenz grinds his teeth together. The guy really is way too easy to wind up. How in the name of all that is holy is this guy going to get through a week in a place like this? ]

Ahh, I see. So you want me to imitate the training dummy for you. Got it. Alright, then, Lorenz. Let’s see what you’ve got.

[ He crooks his finger at the other man before deliberately - and dramatically, tucking his hands behind his back and standing there patiently, one corner of his lips quirking upwards in a smirk that definitely holds a hint of a dare in it. ]

[philancer]

[ Sylvain had taken the jaw back with a crooked smile and begun to pour himself a glass when Olivine continues speaking. It’s enough for his hand to falter a little, the liquid slowing before he comes back to himself and deliberately finishes filling his glass.

He takes a slow, measured sip to brace himself, enjoying the flavor of it, different to most flavors he’s used to back home. Sweet, but not too much so. ]

Let me guess, they’re pretty obsessed with ‘perfection’, too? Whoever they are? Impossible expectations you’re never gonna be able to manage to meet? Or if you get close, the bar just gets moved higher?

calling his bluff like this, rude behavior gautier

[inaurate]

[Claude's expression breaks for a moment with a stifled laugh. Ahh, the memories of simpler times...]

It was Ingrid, actually. [So yes, she was pissed off at him. Sylvain pretty quickly susses out the truth, and yeah, maybe there is something to the comparison because clearly he's smarter than he likes everyone to think.

For as much as Claude has a reputation for being a schemer and a liar, he doesn't straight up lie very often-- it's not that he can't, but generally he prefers to edge around the truth, or let people come to their own conclusions and avoid confirming or denying either way. And, well, he kind of wasn't expecting Sylvain to figure that out so damn quick. As close as they are, it'd be hard for Sylvain not to see his smile faltering for a moment, or the way he doesn't quite meet his gaze suddenly.]

I really wasn't expecting to run into a familiar face here. [He says instead of verbally answering the question, which is definitely an answer in itself.]

He lives to ruin the days of any nearby golden deer, clearly.

[philancer]

Oh man. [ Sylvain doesn’t know whether to laugh or wince in sympathy. ] If she brought me into one of her lectures, you really must have pissed her off.

[ Still, that falter is impossible to miss. Especially since he’d been watching for a specific reaction to that question and Claude might not have meant to give him so obvious and answer but… well. He really had.

He can’t quite keep his eyebrows from winging upwards in surprise for a moment because really?! No one had ever actually managed to land Claude von Riegan? That seemed so… ludicrous, honestly. ]

So… I’ll take that as a no, then. [ Because by not answering that question, Claude had very much answered that question. ] Well, that… just means I’m going to have to be more inventive than I initially realized.

[ He’s still leaning a hand against the back of the chair beside Claude and when the other man averts his gaze, won’t look at him, he slides his fingers under his chin to tilt his head back towards him. Forcefully bringing Claude’s attention back to focus on him if he has to. ]

Look, no one outside this room has to know what happens in here. So if you’re not comfortable with it going that far, you can say that and I’m not gonna judge. Same goes for if you are looking to change that. I realize getting a familiar face in here with you might make this more… awkward than you anticipated, but believe it or not, I do know how to be discreet.

[ There’s a faint twitch at the corner of his lips, because that’s already been called into question twice today and he’s still a little annoyed about it. ]

excuse me while I just go throw Olivine's parents into the sea tbh

[massochism]

Mm. [just thinking about it still makes him feel sick. truthfully, Olivine would rather run from it, pretend that nothing ever happened and just... move on. but maybe it feels wrong to just back out after saying so much, after they've shared a... really concerning amount, actually, after such a short time. and in half-public space.] The bar has never moved, I don't think. They... my parents simply have very strict expectations, and I was...

[maybe it's the drink, too. things he doesn't want to say, thick and bitter and hateful against the sweet, calm cool of the wine. it feels as if... maybe, if he says them aloud to someone other than himself, they'll stop tearing into him. he's already disappointed them so many times...]

"A desecration of the holy priesthood." [the words are so familiar that he no longer needs to see them to remember. to go back to that...] ... the church's doctrines are extremely strict, after all. But... I can't just stop being who I am. I never wanted to be constrained to a single temple, only able to help those closest to me.

I'm... lucky. I had friends to help me realise I didn't have to be that way. It hasn't made the memories fade, but carrying them is a little easier.

deadass flipped a coin for whether this went smoochways or whacking in the face ways. sighs

[hotproblems]

Hardly. A training dummy would provide better conversation.

[Ha HA take THAT-- anyway this is absolutely not an admission of kissing a training dummy, don't even start. He ignores the crooked finger for both of their sakes - Sylvain might as well not have hands! It's real! - and steps back in closer, on purpose, considering Sylvain with a slight cant of his head. Perhaps if he pretends Sylvain is still some anonymous redhead...

Whatever. He cups his cheek with one hand, settling his other hand down on his hip - honestly, a little bit just to be annoying about the whole hands thing - and leans in to kiss him before he does something else infuriating like wiggling his eyebrows. It isn't hasty and indignant this time but softer, slower like one might kiss an actual lover.

Let the record show: he's better at kissing when he's not constantly pigtail-pulling and having an episode about mistletoe. Kissing the rude little smirk off Sylvain's face is a bonus, for sure, but mostly Lorenz isn't thinking about that. No, despite it all, it's easy to focus on Sylvain's mouth warm against his.

(Let the record show, 2: ugh, he's going to be so insufferable)]

[inaurate]

[Yes, well, your surprise at that just means you fell for his clever ruse! So there! Look, he's been kind of busy with a war and all and intimacy of all kinds is terrifying. Getting laid has not been a priority.

Just the touch has him looking back at Sylvain, and is that a hint of a blush starting at the tips of his ears? He is not immune to the charms of Sylvain Gautier...

As much as he was hoping to fall back on the tried and true 'fake it til you make it' approach even with this, it does make something in the pit of his stomach unknot to be told that he doesn't have to this time. Maybe it was fate doing him a favor, having it turn out this way.]

I wasn't actually worried about your ability to be discrete... but thanks. [He's back to seeming fully self-assured, though there's a softness to that thanks that speaks to all it extends to.] I was looking to change that, and I still am. [The fact that he's doing it this way instead of auctioning it off, which would certainly put him at an advantage in this place, is definitely telling. He's going to have to get comfortable with sex here either way, if he's going to get back home... hence the diving right in.]

[philancer]

[ You should really reassess your priorities, sir.

But at the very least, Sylvain can admire that he apparently doesn't do anything by halves. His thumb brushes against the man's stubbled jaw as he holds his gaze and considers those words. And where to proceed from there. Virgins. The only thing more terrifying than intimacy. ]

Okay. I can work with that. But it changes how I would go about this a little bit. Mostly because you're not going to have any way of knowing what you might like or not until you experience it and walking into a room like this without that knowledge is... sort of like jumping into the ocean without knowing how to swim.

So. We can try to ease into this, or we can just... try some different things and see what appeals to you. What are you going to be more comfortable with here? Because I can adapt to either pretty easily.

[silverviolence]

Hearing the stranger laugh caused Violet to become a little more curious about him. Because of the laugh, Violet had the sense that brothels were probably something normal in his life. And she wasn’t wrong.

“Oh? You expect me to believe that you go to brothels to people watch and not to… partake?” There was no judgment, just curiosity in her voice as she leaned against the wall as they chatted. “If you frequent brothels then this place must be right up your alley.”

[precipitous]

[ It could be much worse, and it's clear enough by now that their hosts, whoever they may be, want them to be comfortable during their stay. Is it really all just in service to the game of 52? Maybe it is just that simple, and she certainly doesn't have the knowledge to investigate any further.

She'll need to see what Neuvillette and Wriothesley make if it, but that's a task for later. For now, she really should just focus on enjoying herself, particularly in the company who seems to have her best interests in heart.

She really lucked out with that auction, it seems. The scent of exquisite dishes reaches her nose, and already Furina is breaking away and hurrying towards the buffet tables, trusting him to follow. ]

Oooh, is that duck confit I see? Mmm, and consomme! Oh, we simply must try the tasses ragout!

[ ...Yet the first thing she fills her plate with is...macaroni? ]

[darkbishop]

Indeed. They certainly do seem to have planned quite a bit, although it would seem our arrival was not as planned as it could have been.

[Given how rushed all the employees seem and the half of our number that ended up showing up elsewhere... Hubert raises a hand to his chin as he considers it.]

I intend to keep searching for answers, although I'll admit I'm not sure how likely it is that I'll find all I'm looking for. I've yet to hear anything about the people in charge of this place, after all.

[So getting in contact with them may be a no-go...]

[veardant]

[ yeah sumeru could not be more different from faerghus if it tried.. ]

Yes, I'm Tighnari. It's nice to meet you, Sylvain.

[ he'll just.. shift aside with him, to an area not infested with mistletoe, where people aren't squawking at them to make out. ]

May I ask where you're from?

[philancer]

[ Yeah, that’s something that would have been pretty impossible to miss, in his particular case.

Still, he’s not expecting her next move. Even if maybe he should have. Edelgard had always struck him as decisive - something he respected in most people - he’d just never had that aimed at himself before.

So his quiet sound of surprise only has a moment to be heard before it’s muffled against her lips as she goes up on her toes to drag him down simultaneously. He goes, of course, even if his eyes widen as they lock on her face a moment before her lips brush against his.

Seven minutes, he reminds himself, even as he lets his arms slide around her waist, curling her in against his chest. His head tilts slightly to the side to give them a better angle here, parting his lips to deepen the kiss slightly. One hand comes up to cradle at the nape of her neck as his tongue teases against her lips, seeing how she will respond if he tries to deepen this beyond something simple and chaste. ]

Lbr that’s a constant 50/50 with these two

[philancer]

[ Huh. He actually did it. Sylvain hadn’t actually been sure and honestly, he wouldn’t have been surprised if Lorenz chickened out or just kept coming up with excuses to try and evade this as long as possible.

At least this kiss felt a little bit more like a real kiss. Not that the angry one earlier hadn’t been fun in its own way. But there might just be hope for Lorenz yet.

Sylvain bumps his estimate up to maybe two weeks before Lorenz gets eaten alive by this place, with cautious optimism.

And while he behaves himself and keeps his hands tucked behind him, as he’d been instructed, Sylvain doesn’t need those to continue playing the tease. His tongue brushes playfully against Lorenz’s lips, seeing if he can coax him into deepening this kiss. Loosening up a little more. Maybe doing more with his own hands than just resting one against his hip. ]

[philancer]

Somewhere that would be thoroughly scandalized by this place’s… everything.

[ Sylvain has to chuckle at that, lips quirking into a brief smirk. Despite that statement, he seems to be pretty relaxed and taking this in stride. But he glances around the room, still occasionally keeping an eye out for any familiar faces. ]

I come from a land called Fodlan. What about you?

Ahhh, a fellow member of the I Have Shitty Parents club! Well met >.>

[philancer]

[ Sylvain watches those expressions play out across his face and before he even takes a sip of his own wine, he finds himself reaching across the table to rest a hand over Olivine’s wrist, his own expression one of understanding. ]

If that’s what they told you? Well, fuck them, then. No offense to you, but… No one should ever make you feel like you have to stop being who you are. And I’m glad you had friends to help you get away from that.

[ …Which is a fine piece of irony, coming from him, but Sylvain never claimed to follow his own advice. ]

[philancer]

That just has him snickering in amusement.

“Actually, I went there for the opposite reason. It was one of the few places I could safely go without being expected to… ‘partake’.”

Ambitious Crest-hunters followed him to many, many places to try and catch his eye or co-opt his evening out, but few of them would ever risk the stain to their reputations if they were discovered in a brothel, of all places.

Luckily, his reputation couldn’t get much more stained than it already was and the girls there were often good company if he had enough coin to make it worth their while. Even better if he didn’t want anything more than a few drinks and some conversation.

“But at its core, I suppose the way this place operates isn’t so unfamiliar to me. I’m probably better equipped for it than most. Especially if we’re talking about others from my world. What about you?”

[philancer]

Well, someone’s got to be running this circus. [ Sylvain glances around, almost curiously now. ] I would imagine wielding magic that can take people from so many vast universes would take considerable amounts of power. I certainly can’t imagine the scope of it.

And while I’m not sure what it is yet, there’s got to be a purpose behind this ‘game’ of theirs, right? I mean, unless they were just really really bored. Or maybe horny.

[philancer]

[ He’s been abandoned for food.

He would be mildly offended by that, but he can’t say he even blames her. Sylvain follows her over to the table, grabbing a second plate just in case she needs more room, and then curiously follows along behind her, because half the stuff she points out he’s never seen or heard of before. ]

What’s a… tasses ragout?

[ He squints, peering over her shoulder as she starts scooping pasta onto her plate. That, at least, he recognizes. Sort of. ]

passing him a note that says "get out of my school" energy

[hotproblems]

[He, Lorenz Hellman Gloucester, a coward?? Perish the thought! Perish as well the thought of this, letting Sylvain provoke him this far, but - well, at least he can prove him wrong about the training dummy.

(It helps, of course, that even without letting Sylvain touch him he still feels that residual bloom of warmth, like earlier—probably a trick of this place, but whatever.)

All things considered. Each piece weighed against the others, and separately. All things thoroughly considered, he... does prefer Sylvain keeping his hands behind his back. Who knew he could listen! So maybe Lorenz does tilt his head just so, and part his lips invitingly, although not without a light hmm against Sylvain's mouth, so he doesn't suddenly become obnoxious about it.

It's certainly preferable to being pestered and mocked about his kissing prowess. Hmph. He slips one hand around to the back of Sylvain's neck and the other up from his hip, actually, to rove a little directionlessly over his chest.]

customary cookies at the door and all, it's cool it's fine

[massochism]

[ah. Sylvain speaks with such conviction, and it... warms Olivine's heart, truly. he can't help but laugh a little, shaking his head.]

Please, don't worry too much about me. Their criticism is natural, and it's a test for me to pass as a temple priest myself. The reality, what the others helped me to see, was that... things like that, the things that I wanted to do for myself, were the ones worth enduring their criticism.

[back home, he can't really escape them in the end. it's just not reasonable. he does notice the similarities, as he has before. maybe there are more still, but he's doing his best not to be too nosy.]

I'm sure that you know as well as I that it's easy to speak those words than it is to follow them... but there's nothing wrong with that. One's life has no timeframe within which to find their way.

[silverviolence]

The stranger’s answer just made Violet even more curious about him and what he was about. A brothel as a safe place? Not likely but then that is what made her so curious. Why was it a safe place for him?

“You’re better equipped?” But then there was a pause from Violet as she realized what he had said. “There are others from your world here? Really? I haven’t seen a single person that I might know.” But there were a lot of people and Violet had only just arrived. Maybe others would show up? She wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing.

“I’m a dragonrider.” There was pride in her voice. “Sex and brothels aren’t top priority when you’re trying to survive. Well… to some riders at least.”

[veardant]

[ tighnari cracks a smile. ]

Teyvat. More specifically, the nation of Sumeru is where I was born, and where I live. I miss it alredy.