you trust me, don't you baby?

[implying]

Date & Time: forward dated to the 27th
Location: somewhere in Old London, there is a shitty hovel with a dude in it.
Characters: Marduk & Vanadi (& Apollo)
Summary: space-elves and non-elves and a lack of maturity, or any other kind of desirable personality trait (& Apollo)
Warnings: probably not (Apollo)

[ It's been long enough by now that there seems very little reason not to pick up what tattered shreds of pride he has left, and pack them away. Besides, this is ridiculous. There hadn't even been an actual reason for their last conversation to go as poorly as it had — to the point where he isn't even sure what to apologize for. If there's even one needed. He feels relatively sure that there is, but he's not fully sold on it yet.

But either way, Vanadi trudges unhappily through the snow, bundled enough that he hardly even needs his hologram emitter (he'd brought it anyway), and hones in slowly on the signal his mind can trace from Marduk's tablet. It brings him to a door, half lost in the snow, amidst the ruins of what Transports used to know as Exsilium.

With a breath in to steady himself, he knocks. ]

Comments

[implying]

[ He starts to say something -- stops. Tries again, and sighs heavily. He slumps in his seat, a hand dragging down his face. ]

I'm a prick. [ It's a little muffled, around that hand. Eventually he drops it to his side again, resigned to his fate. ] I am happy to have you back. Very happy! Only -- I think I'm considerably more fond of you than you are of me, and news of an exclusive romantic attachment back home is my very least favorite kind.

[oversleeps]

[ ah, so. he folds his arms, silently mulling over his words. they probably count as apology enough, but there's something else in particular that's bothering him now. ]

"Considerably more?" [ marduk laughs a little, incredulous. ] I-- [ he pauses, then continues on as nicely as possible: ] You're fucking stupid, Vanadi.

[implying]

( What, hey. He's being honest (for once) and admitting things he'd really rather not admit, being insulted back is not the ideal response. He frowns. )

I am not. ( but wait, that's not really the issue at hand. His frown lessens, moving toward confused instead. ) Why?

[oversleeps]

[ so long as they're giving the honest route a try, he can do his part as well. he guesses. ] You think wrong. [ to his credit, he only sounds a little miffed. having to be so explicit with things is bothersome. hopefully vanadi will appreciate the effort.

even saying that much-- or little, really-- leaves him too irritated to stay sitting down. marduk rises to his feet, walking around the back of the couch, one hand trailing along the edge of it. once he's behind vanadi, he pauses, staring down at him. ] How many people do you think I've contacted? Since I got back. [ a totally unrelated question, of course. ]

[implying]

[ He follows Marduk's movements, shifting sideways to keep him in sight without having to crane his neck back. Metal reinforcements or no, some things just aren't that comfortable. And he knows he should be feeling like an even bigger jerk now, but a rising optimism has his ears perked hopefully.

Man. Had he really misjudged this all so much? How embarrassing. ]

You, popular as you are? I'm sure the visits have been in the hundreds.

[oversleeps]

Hilarious. [ he says, in the sort of leaden voice that implies it was anything but. ]

Hey, can we go back to you not being a shithead for just a little while longer? [ thanks in advance. marduk leans forward on the back of the couch, forearms braced for support. he stares vanadi down-- or stares down at vanadi, whichever. ] It doesn't change anything. [ it's blunt, yes. straightforward. he owes him that much. ]

[implying]

[ He smiles. It's one of those warm and pleased ones, that usually come right before he gives into the impulse to steal a kiss. ]

I've been a terrible ass. [ He manages not to go for the kiss, not yet, but compromises with a finger trailed down Marduk's forearm. ] I'm sorry to have played such a poor host for your return.

[oversleeps]

[ vanadi's touch makes his fingers twitch, and it's enough to make him lean back again. dangerous waters, friend-- though for which one of them, it's hard to say. ]

Yeah. As you should be. [ there's no malice in his words; it's the closest to 'apology accepted' he can manage. and... his eyes focus on the strings of lights still hanging on the walls, his mouth quirking into something that's almost like a smile. ] Merry Christmas. [ so what if it's over? it's just a little late, okay ... ]

[implying]

Ah, yes, that. Merry Christmas.

[ Weird holiday, that one, but okay. The lean is noted, but mostly ignored. It's a small setback, nothing more. He's overcome that before. So he only shifts, pats the cushion next to him, and smiles expectantly. ]

I do plan to take full advantage of that memory of yours now, my dear! For a start — it's been six years, how old does that make you now?

[oversleeps]

[ he's not sure why he's surprised that vanadi remembers that, but it catches him off guard regardless. age is sort of a tricky thing, and when he eyes vanadi up and down this time he realizes he has no idea how old he is in return. ]

Older than you. [ his best guess, given that for the most part, they look like they could be peers. ] Significantly so.

[implying]

[ Spurned. Ah, well, he'll live. And in fact, he'll put his feet up along the rest of the couch while he's at it, as long as Marduk's not using it. He eyes Marduk thoughtfully right back, considering that. ]

Possibly. How long does your race live compared to, say, humans?

[oversleeps]

[ w ell. marduk hesitates even more with this answer, searching for the best way to spin things. ] ... No differently.

[ yes; he's satisfied with that. it sounds so much better than 'the same as.' ] And yours?

[implying]

[ What carefully chosen words. He quirks a smile, amused. ]

Kitrites have briefer lifespans. And considering that by now I'm — oh, twenty-five, say — I may well be comparatively the older of us.

[ so there. ]

[oversleeps]

[ what is this now, a competition? marduk clucks his tongue disapprovingly. ] I'd say that depends on how much briefer.

And honestly-- [ another pause. ] I could be wrong. The comparison is only an assumption. The last time any of my kind died of old age was in an era long forgotten. [ so there right back. (it is totally a competition.) ]

[implying]

Really?

[ He arches his brows, looking impressed. Pay no mind to the swat he gives the empty air, as if shooing away a fly. ]

Sounds rather a violent world, unless you mean you've all taken to not dying in general.

[oversleeps]

[ he grins entirely too broadly at the word violent, showing as many of his teeth as possible. ]

I'm sure you know what I actually mean. [ he rests his head on one hand again, his free arm hanging down the front of the couch now. ] Thirty-one. [ he offers, with no other comment attached. ]

[implying]

Ah, then we would have been precisely tied! [ He sits up from his lounge, triumphant. ] If you hadn't gone and cheated, of course.

[oversleeps]

Is it still cheating if it wasn't intentional? [ pff. he makes a little shooing motion with one hand after vanadi sits up all the way. no need to get excited, now.

especially since he won. ] I didn't ask to go, you know-- I'm just not terribly upset with how things turned out, either. [ god, being alive is awesome. ]

[implying]

[ While he's sitting up, his eyes flick down to Marduk's hip, and the sword there. Huh. Looks like a totally normal sword to him. Right, back to ignoring it, then. He smiles warmly. ]

You do look very good. I'd thought you handsome before, but now I see precisely how right I was.

[oversleeps]

Bullshit. [ between vanadi's comment and the look he actually catches, that time, marduk begins to feel uncomfortable again. he shifts slightly, leaning forward again but deliberately looking towards the fire instead. ]

I hardly look any different. [ now this, this is a sore spot. it's easy to chalk everything up to magical... ritual... whatever the fuck, but that only excuses so much. ] I'd hate to see what else you say you're right about, if this is worth patting yourself on the back over.

[implying]

Now, there's no need to be bashful.

[ He grins, leaning to brush a hand under Marduk's chin affectionately. ]

I really do like your eyes like this. They're quite nice.

[oversleeps]

[ as soon as he feels contact he grabs for vanadi's wrist, slamming it down on the back of the couch and holding it there. marduk stares at him, long and hard, squinting just the tiniest bit. ]

Flattery gets you nowhere. [ at least, not here. not anymore. ]

[implying]

[ Instantly comes the look of irritation, with pursed lips and drawn-back ears. But he leaves his hand as it is, and diverts the annoyance. (There isn't any use aiming it at Marduk, not again. They've done that already.) Instead he drops his eyes, over the back of the couch and toward that sword again.

A little sharply: ] Is there anything about your sword? Enchanted, perhaps?

[oversleeps]

[ what a subject change-- is that really where he was looking? hm. marduk's free hand immediately gravitates towards the hilt of his sword, hovering there uncertain. he tilts his head towards it, looking down with a sidelong glance as though he'd never seen the thing before.

it's at about that point that it's obvious even to him that's he's being a bit suspicious, now. that's enough cause for him to grasp the handle proper, gripping it so hard his knuckles turn white as he looks back to vanadi. ] If being my chosen weapon here counts-- then yes.

[implying]

[ There's a brief red glow in his left pupil, but it doesn't turn up anything, either. He doesn't spend much longer studying the sword before he aims a doubtful glance at empty air to his left, shrugs, and easily wrenches his hand back. ]

Ah, well. [ He settles back into his lounge, arms folded behind his head. ] Where were we? Flattery, I think.