Golden Peacock: Overflow

[philancer]

[ because apparently we thirsty, yo ]

Comments

[massochism]

There is... I wonder if I could afford anything I really like.

[He's an aesthetic bitch, he deserves it. Also Sylvain, why. It's reasonable enough though, given they took basically everything from the wildcards...

To that point, Sylvain makes that offer and Olivine lets himself take it at the most base offer, given the unambiguous reason they're planning to go there in the first place.]

... I wouldn't protest, if you don't mind. Maybe you could help me pick something to try now.

[Maybe it's a matter of course to Sylvain, but Olivine would prefer to be clear. It gives an excuse for more conversation between bites.]

[philancer]

It doesn't hurt to look, and if we find something you like, even better.

[ He's still figuring out how the currency works here, of course, but should Olivine find something that catches his eye, Sylvain doesn't mind figuring out how to make the system work in their favor. ]

Do you want something new, or just replacing what they didn't allow you to bring with you?

[massochism]

You have a point.

[again. Olivine hums thoughtfully at the question, head just a little hazy in his thoughts.]

Oh, I think anything would be new. I'd made my own jewelry, before... [a beat, a moment of realisation.] or... were you thinking a whole new piercing?

[He clearly wasn't, but by the way he bites his lip, he's both thinking about it now and not... at all against it. He's a healer, after all.

The biggest problem would honestly be choosing a location.]

[philancer]

[ Sylvain's grin is slow and knowing as he props his chin back in his palm once more. ]

I think it matters more what you're thinking. So what would you like?

[massochism]

[on second thought, Sylvain and Eiden meeting is probably a terrible omen. Terribly wonderful. Olivine doesn't huff, doesn't quite pout, but it's a very near thing. bully him more, Sylvain, it's very fun. his head ducks a little before he speaks again.]

I'm... not opposed to getting something new. But I'm not entirely sure where I would put it.

[he's had thoughts, especially about one particular place, but... that's more recovery than he's wanting right now.]

[philancer]

[ That smirk only grows now. ]

Well, there is your cock, but I feel like that would ruin the rest of the afternoon’s fun. You said you have your nipples pierced already so, hmm… What other places do they pierce in your world? I think mine is probably not as adventurous as some of the others represented here.

[massochism]

[Olivine clears his throat at that, fully aware now that he is affording Sylvain entirely too much leeway.]

T-that... even with my healing I think that would be a little dangerous, yes. As to other piercings... I'm not entirely sure. Most of the people I've met don't have many, but as far as I understand it, most anywhere with enough skin can be pierced. I read a book once about some tribes that pierce most of their faces... mm. On someone else, there would be the navel, but that won't work for me. [it doesn't occur to him that he hasn't explained that, and currently his gemstone is at least mostly covered. his eyes close in concentration, trying to remember all the things he'd read over the years, in quiet secrecy.] And... the tongue is common, too.

[common and, let's be real here, swift to heal even without assistance.]

[philancer]

[ There are a couple things there he’d like to question - the healing being one of them - but he just tilts his head to the side slightly in curiosity. ]

The tongue would be fun, that might be a good choice. Why not the navel, though?

[massochism]

Oh—it's where my gemstone is. [then and only then, it occurs to him that this fact... probably doesn't mean anything at all to Sylvain. he can't imagine Eiden went explaining the clan members when they were making out and all.] Ah. Um. Let me start again.

[Olivine laughs softly, hand moving to rest briefly over his gem.]

I'm one of the clan members of the Grand Sorcerer, who is the one in our world who balances the elemental altars. That's Eiden for us, right now. Each clan member has a gemstone that signifies their contract with the Grand Sorcerer. Mine is at my navel. It... I assume they didn't take it because it could have killed me to do so.

[it's a terrifying thought, especially now that he knows a little more from Rei.]

[philancer]

[ Sylvain's eyes widen slightly at that, because that sounds like a dangerous vulnerability to have. Or to just reveal to someone. ]

So there's... different altars for different elements, in your world? [ Interesting. He ponders that a moment while taking a few more bites, before asking the obvious question. ]

May I ask what element yours is?

[massochism]

[when you think about it, it's a little terrifying how many people just kind of know the gem is dangerous to remove... until you realise how much effort it actually is to do compared to literally just hurting them any other way. It's so unheard of that really, Olivine doesn't even know what the catalyst of Sylvain's eyes widening could be. There was... a lot of information there, after all.]

Mm, yes. According to our history, the crystals contained in the altars are the remnants of the God of Klein's kindness, in sending His sons to bring life to our world. Each of the territories cares for the elemental crystal that resides in its respective area, and said territory is shaped by the abundance of that element. [obviously extremely abridged history-slash-theology lesson given, he smiles at the question.]

If you mean the gemstone I bear... I don't know that it has an inherent element. [one would think it would correspond to the territory they came from, or even the color of it, but... well, clan contracts are weird, he supposes. After a moment of consideration (and a few more bites of food), he continues.] I suppose it might be more aligned with water, since I was born in the Water Territory, but... well, it's always just seemed to help me focus essence in general.

[philancer]

[ There’s a lot of information there but at least he gets the gist of most of it, unlike some of the other explanations he’s heard today. Some of these worlds were very strange.

Then again, he’s pretty sure if he tried to explain Fodlan to some of them, they might have the same confused reaction. Hells, he was confused by Fodlan half the time.

Still, the prominent question that stood out after that… ]

…Essence?

[massochism]

[luckily, Olivine is relatively prepared for this conversation. Eiden may have heard the basics of what essence was before they'd met, but there's a lot he's taught the man. besides, the children always have some questions about it.

this doesn't stop his laugh from being a little sheepish (again), and he smiles at Sylvain.]

Essence is, basically speaking, the energy that all living things exhibit. It exists as an ebb and flow on Klein, and manifests most of the wonders of our world. The seasons and mysteries, even natural disasters are often linked to the fluctuation of essence in the surrounding area. It's a little more complex than that, of course, but I'll save you the lecture for now. [he laughs, ducking his head and picking up another piece of food to eat.]

Mm, for clan members, though—we accumulate essence from the surrounding area naturally, and need to find ways to expend it. I'm still not entirely sure if that will stay true here... but I also don't suspect it will be a problem if it does, for me.

[philancer]

What happens if you don’t expend it?

[ He looks intrigued by this, questioning between bites of food as they make a dent in the meal before him. ]

Do you expend it through the gemstone? Is that what it’s for?

[massochism]

Ah... ultimately, we die. Too much essence is just as bad as none. First, an individual will become flushed and struggle to focus. The longer it goes, the more difficult it becomes to do anything, and eventually, as the essence fluctuates, the internal organs fail.

[Olivine clears his throat, trying his damnedest not to let his thoughts drift back to the water territory. to dragging himself out of bed, to almost—]

Oh, no. The gemstones really are just the mark of our contract with the Grand Sorcerer. They represent... [a pause, his brows furrowing. what was it Rei had said? there's so much new information that even he struggles to recall it all at once.] They represent the power that we were lent in order to fulfill our duties.

Releasing essence can be done in many ways, thankfully. In most cases, adequate rest and relaxation will be enough.

[philancer]

[ He catches that moment of… unease? Fear? Something else? and it has him reaching for Olivine’s hand again, giving it a slight squeeze in apology. he knows that look, all too well. ]

In most cases…?

[ Was this something that needed to be worried about here? Because none of that sounded pleasant. ]

[massochism]

[it's appreciated, and Olivine doesn't shy away from it—he's not sure how to explain how appreciative he is, so he just places his other hand over it, smile warming again.]

Well, we have essence grass and other herbs that can be made into teas, to help regulate it. It doesn't affect just we clan members, though it's more commonly an issue with us.

As long as we're still lucid, Eiden—the Grand Sorcerer, that is—can easily regulate our essence, given our contract. [the tinge of pink is as telling as his words.] Any sort of intimacy will do, so long as it helps us to focus. If we're not, then... evidently, the best practice is to find where our essence is most strongly concentrated and give it any way out.

[and the way he rubs the side of his neck would be an awful lot less telling if Olivine wasn't usually fairly still outside of his gestures.]

[philancer]

[ His eyes follow that movement with a narrowed gaze for a moment, speculating on what that means. Seeing that Olivine is sincerely uncomfortable over this - whatever this is - has him deciding to drop the topic for the time being. If he needs to, he can always ask Eiden about it later, but he doesn’t want to make this day worse than it might already be for the other man.

So he just gives another light squeeze of his hand before finishing the last bite on his place and offering the last sip of wine to Olivine. He looked as if he might need it. ]

Well. At least you’ve landed yourself in a really good place for intimacy. Just in case. Want to get out of here and see what else there is to see in this place?

[massochism]

[he's too kind, really. Olivine is stubborn, but perhaps he doesn't realise just how deeply this is affecting him. the guilt is something he's used to carrying, after all, even if he's not as adept at carrying it gracefully as he might think or like.

the offered wine is—well, it's not really necessary, but he doesn't turn it down. all the better to get them through the last of the meal and drink, and honestly out of the stagnant air and... relative public-ness that he's just realised they are, technically, in. ... .... ........

at least most of what he said was already well-known or unimportant information. oof. taking the last sip of the wine with a modicum of grace, Olivine sets the glass down and squeezes Sylvain's hand in turn.]

I suppose I really have. And I've met no shortage of good people thus far. [Sylvain included, naturally! he finally pulls his hand free, shifting to push his seat back.] I would like that. Though, curiosity aside, I'm more interested in just spending some time with you.

[gross. what a soft boy, a goober.]

[philancer]

Well, then it's a win/win, isn't it?

[ Sylvain's gaze is bemused as he pushes to his feet and then holds out a hand to Olivine in invitation. Their tab is paid with one of his vouchers - and he'll ignore any objections to the contrary before tugging Olivine out of the restaurant and into the halls outside the casino. ]

So. Piercings, hmm? Have you decided what you might want yet?

[massochism]

You have a point.

[but he's still gonna say it like that, taking the proffered hand and joining Sylvain in standing. It's the first he's had a chance to really look over the taller man, and there really is just something so... breathtaking about him. They're similarly broad, too—not a significant surprise when the other had kind of implied being some kind of soldier.

Olivine doesn't protest too much when the other wants to pay, already just planning to pay him back another time for it (or, y'know, later tonight maybe); it's a relief to be out of the restaurant and into the halls.]

Mm, I haven't settled. [Olivine inhales a deep breath of the slightly fresher air, shaking his head.] I'm leaning toward the tongue though, unless something really catches our eye.

[something in their price range, of course.]

[philancer]

[ Sylvain lets mischief and humor brighten amber eyes as he casts Olivine a wink and tugs him down the hall in the direction of the shopping district. ]

Well, that will certainly add a fun and interesting aspect to certain activities in this place...

[massochism]

Oh—

[There's just that soft noise as Sylvain tugs him along, a soft smile drawing over Olivine's face at just how he acts. Only a stumble or two will happen unless it's really intended, as Olivine catches up to each stride.]

It's not an unpleasant side effect, though I do hope my healing works properly. I'm not sure I'd want to wait too long before trying new things...

[or old things made new by the addition.]

[philancer]

[ Sylvain holds up a hand for a moment, checking in on what he can feel of his magic, because he’s in an entirely different world now and he has no idea if the rules are the same here or not. Still, if he can use some of what he knows it might still be useful. ]

I can try and help, if yours isn’t working properly. Granted, I’m not sure what Faith magic I know will work correctly here either, but I can try?

[massochism]

It will be good to get an idea of what we can do here, at least. I didn't realise you also have healing abilities.

[He's not used to being around other healers at all, except maybe a few of the other priests... so forgive him if he's practically sparkling as they walk.]

Would you tell me a little more about it, later?