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]

Because I was curious? [ He addresses the ceiling in a lazy drawl, folding one leg over the other to bob his ankle through the air. ] Really, my dear, I liked my direction better.

[oversleeps]

Puts us at odds, doesn't it? [ he scoffs, placing both his hands down on the back of couch now. ] I eagerly await the day you manage to be upfront for longer than a sentence.

[ that may be a little harsh. didn't they just have a nice, if vague attempt at having a heart-to-heart? he frowns, more out of displeasure with himself than anything else. ] Go on with your idea, then. If you were planning on elaborating. [ or whatever. ]

[implying]

[ He's not particularly enjoying this little game of baiting and antagonizing, but it keeps happening, so who is he to resist it? He keeps his eyes on the ceiling and a wry smile in place. ]

Oh, I could elaborate, but you would probably just pretend not to enjoy it.

[oversleeps]

Try me. [ he leans forward with that comment, and then immediately realizes what a poor move that would be and rocks back on his heels. it's like having to stay out of the range of a venomous snake.

an irritated one. ] I certainly don't recall pretending to anything.

[implying]

You certainly could have fooled me. ( It's out in a murmur, and yet -- challenge accepted. He sits himself up again and gives Marduk a slow and very thoughtful once-over. )

You look very healthy. Even those charming spots of yours. I've mentioned your eyes, but that's still very true -- that's a beautiful color. And of course, your ass has never looked finer. Is that a new cut of pants for you?

goddammit vanadi

[oversleeps]

[ well, that backfired in spectacular fashion. marduk actually turns his whole body away-- not too much, but some-- biting st the corner of his lip. it takes a long moment of gazing at nothing in particular on the floor before he's able to respond. ]

They're the same. [ a lie; and a pause. ] My line of conversation was better after all.

he asked for it ok

[implying]

[ And Vanadi looks terribly pleased with himself. ]

Your line of conversation was boring. [ But he relaxes again, falling into a comfortable slump along the back of the couch, the better to keep Marduk in sight. ]

Ah, but — I do have a few more questions. Perhaps you might humor me.

no ......

[oversleeps]

[ he mutters a sullen "hardly," glaring back at vanadi over his shoulder. just as it was hardly boring, though, it's also hardly worth the argument-- and he drops it with a sigh. ]

I might. [ as much as his own questions have been humored in return, anyway. ]

[implying]

[ Well then— ] Your species? [ He quirks a brow. ] We've known each other for, oh, nearly a year? I do believe we might finally move to the next level of our relationship, as you satisfy this longstanding curiosity of mine.

[oversleeps]

What, isn't it obvious? [ jokes. the fact that he's yet to be recognized here despite the multitude of humans speaks to how rare his kind is across the multiverse, relatively speaking. who knows, though! ]

It's-- we are githyanki. The children of Gith. [ see, look. he even threw you a bone with that one. ] That should be more than enough for your satisfaction, unless you really want a history lesson to go along with it? [ he doesn't sound particularly enthused about the idea of giving one. ]

[implying]

Githyanki. [ He says it carefully, then smiles. It's nice to finally have a word to put to a friend. ]

Ah, no — I think we'll do quite well enough without any history lessons. [ no one wants that wordy shit in here. ] Although, that issue of an absence of death by old age, I would be interested in hearing more about that. [ A beat. ] If you feel like sharing.

[oversleeps]

Ah, but that's part of the history lesson. [ marduk slumps over the back of the couch, tired from just thinking about it. ] See, I'm going to tell you that everyone dies serving the Eternal Crusade, one way or another. After that you're going to ask me what the fuck that even means, and then we're right back around to a bunch of shit I don't feel like talking about.

[ it's hard to shrug in this position, so he sort of flops his arms around uselessly. good enough. ] Anything else?

[implying]

[ He frowns, but — good point. That all sounds very grand and overarching, when all Vanadi really cares about is Marduk in particular. So, with that in mind — ]

A few more. How did you die?

[ surely he must remember by now, right ]

[oversleeps]

[ a "few" more? they're going to be here all night, at this rate. ]

The first time, or the last? [ and of course vanadi has to keep asking questions that are a headache to think about. marduk lifts his head just enough to touch his throat with two fingers; vanadi would remember the scar that used to be there, straight and thin from one side to the other.

it's not there anymore. ] Some of them you could've guessed at yourself, you know.

[implying]

[ He wilts a little, as he always does at the subject of past violences against friends. He's still not ready to give up on this line, though. ]

I had guessed that. I meant... the situation. Who was it?

[oversleeps]

[ he looks at vanadi a moment longer before dropping both his hand and his head again. ] That one in particular was--

[ well, wait. what would even be a good term here? ] A rival contractor. [ passable. so long as vanadi doesn't ask what sort of contract work it was, everything will be fine. and if he does... fuck it, he can figure something out. ]

[implying]

Contractor?

[ That's with a blink, then a puzzled frown. The only kind of contractor he can think of is the kind that installs beautiful things in houses, and he sincerely doubts that's the sort being talked about here. ]

[oversleeps]

[ he chuckles at vanadi's confusion; what a good choice of words. ] Competition's fierce and ruthless. [ especially in the business of killing people. ]

Look-- dying isn't that interesting. Mostly, it hurts a fuck of a lot. There's little else to it. [ he yawns, only half for emphasis. ] Next question?

[implying]

[ That's a terribly unsatisfying answer, but... he can probably press for more later. Now that Marduk actually remembers, he probably isn't likely to forget again any time soon. ]

Fine, fine... [ He'd like to reach out and drape a hand over Marduk's forearm, or whatever is most convenient, but he resists. ] Well, obviously next will have to be your resurrection. How was it managed?

[oversleeps]

I'll tell you how I came back to life if you tell me where the forged bits of you came from.

[ again, he lifts his head to look at vanadi, eyebrows raised. ] You first.

[implying]

[ He makes a face, even if he knows that's fair. An even trade of information. Even if he rather dislikes bringing up his half of it. ]

Well then, will you have the simple answer, or the contextual one?

[ Though he can guess that a halfassed answer on his part would get him one in turn. ]

[oversleeps]

[ huh. he didn't expect that to be successful, actually. that's something he can work with pretty easily; the longer he can avoid having to talk, the better.

it's a simple choice from there. ] Good question. [ he grins, flashing his teeth at vanadi. ] Let's go with contextual.

[implying]

Ah, of course, why wouldn't we?

[ He settles himself more comfortably, chin braced against his forearm, folded over the back of the couch. ]

I was sold by the kitrite High Council for some human technology. They're considerably more advanced than we are, you see — quite valuable. I'm sure the Council felt it was getting an excellent deal. [ And he only sounds slightly bitter. It's old news by now. ] The human who got me used me as an experimental template for the cybernetic extension of human life, as kitrites and humans are so very similar. Humans had become infertile, you see, in arriving on our world. She preferred to look into making them all immortal with technology rather than fertile again.

[ He pauses, then shrugs. ]

I suppose contextual doesn't necessarily make it much longer.

[oversleeps]

[ here, marduk thinks it best to keep his expression decidedly neutral. he says nothing while vanadi talks; just listens, mostly, unmoving save for the occasional twitch of his fingers.

it's a sad tale, to be sure. it certainly explains a lot. there's only one bit of clarification he's curious about, and he keeps his voice a very careful sort of bland when he asks. ] What gave them to right to sell you?

[implying]

[ His ears draw back and his face hardens, but he keeps his voice level. ]

Nothing, really. Slavery has been outlawed in all nations, so it isn't as if they owned me, to be able to sell me away.