[rei is hovering around the darker alleyways, as is his usual both here and back in klein. seems there are certain things that don't change about a place no matter what strange universes and planets you find yourself in, and a black market is certainly one of those things. and just like stead, rei is also looking for someone to ply with his charms and have them eating off his fucking shoe for information.
that is, until he hears a commotion.
which, normally, is not any of rei's business and he'd move on to find a mark or two. but something tugs at his chest when he hears that it's a priest, and of course he imagines Father Olivine in this situation, not quite a friend but not quite a stranger. he sighs, because he recognizes the softness for what it is, and curses eiden for all that he's played a role in allowing that to flourish within his withering heart.
and, well, he's curious, too. what in the world is a priest doing in this side of town?
so he steps in, raising an eyebrow at this guy's theatrics (so very, very very different from olivine). before he knows it, the man is hiding behind him. swift. impressive.
he can't help but tease:] Oh? And what if I'm with that guy?
[he gestures to the large man still huffing before them. the surprise in the big man's eyes transforms from surprise to smug at his words, but rei, too, squashes that.]
But perhaps your Sacred Flame guided me after all. [he holds out his hand, releasing his essence. the man's eyes droop, as if high off something, before muttering something and walking away. basic illusion magic. easy on a nobody.
he turns to the guy behind him, a simple smile on his face.] Now, seems you've made a wrong turn, Your Holiness.
[ ah, perfect indeed. maybe it's just the guy's playful nature - the what if i'm with that guy that doesn't get stead's incredibly wide puppy eyes to waver even an inch (which probably is a sign that they are extremely fake) is a good start.
he steps back with ease one more time and folds his hands behind his back, holding his staff and watching. the puppy eyes drop - his mouth curls into a smirk from behind his shoulder, making eye contact with the punk who was coming after him and tipping his head up faintly, a threat in its own right. in the meantime, the faint feeling of arcane magic drifts through the air, familiar if far different than stead's own. interesting. perhaps stead has net an awfully large catch here, after all.
by the time rei turns around, stead has put his puppy eyes back on, though his expression is lit up just a touch, a twinkle in his eye as he clasps his staff. ]
You flatter me with that sort of title. Do I look much like a pontiff to you? [ a beat, and then, more sly; ] Then again, you've not much the look of a knight in shining armor. Thank you for your quick action, oh good sir.
[rei takes a moment to sweep his eyes over stead, now not knowing what to do with this guy now that he's saved him from getting his ass beat. he is largely unmoved by the puppy eyes, and the sly tone he's using definitely tips him off to something a bit more... suspicious. perhaps this little priest did not make the wrong turn after all. perhaps he's here with purpose.
but that makes him all the easier to handle. rei knows suspicious types.
his placid smile turns into a smirk. he leans forward, hands on his hips, shortening his tall height to better meet stead's gaze.]
Heh, knights and priests don't have much of a place here. As you may or may not know. [he's starting to get the feeling stead does, indeed, know. he's not quite shaking like a leaf as most black market virgins do, as much as he's playing up the innocent factor.] It's a shame your Sacred Flame didn't bring you a knight. They may do this shit for free, Your Holiness, but I do not.
[he continues to watch stead's demeanor carefully. that staff may not be just for show, after all.] So. How are you willing to repay me for my generosity?
[ he lets rei lean all up in his grill, lets him lean over him, and his observations are correct - stead is not shaking or freaking out at all. this kind of behavior is very, very normal for donescu. in fact, it's almost novel. this guy is trying to extort him! delightful.
much of a similar manner, this is the kind of thing he's used to. stead makes a soft noise, an oya? about knights and priests, tipping his head up a bit and not backing off. he's clearly not afraid; his hands don't move on his staff. in fact, it seems like he might be enjoying the interaction.
in fact, he doesn't even miss a beat, and he puts one hand up to his mouth as if this is a secret transaction, like he's talking about something forbidden. ]
Isn't it awfully inappropriate to make that kind of request of a priest? My, how shameless.
[ that's not how he's asking you to pay for it don't make this weird ]
[rei stares. then chuckles - he actually hadn't been asking for that specifically for once. coin or information is more what was on his mind, though of course that wasn't off the table completely either, so long as one of the above came along with it as well. his body isn't for free either!!]
And what makes you think shame has any place here? [amused, rei straightens once more. he doesn't let his guard completely down despite no obvious attempts to attack him, just enough to seem casual about this entire encounter. just two dudes pulled into this strange world in a dark alleyway at night up to no good.]
Though, I suppose a priest has no business knowing a place like this. [playing along with the "innocent" act, even though at this point he's pretty sure it's all bullshit. and he's pretty sure the priest is aware, too.] Either way, I'll take a beer as payment. I know a tavern around here with decent enough alcohol.
[perhaps he can get this guy drunk enough to spill anything he knows. or perhaps this guy is savvier than rei takes him for.]
the chuckle easily breaks any tension, if there was any - he was mostly just testing the reaction, using a statement that might be a little Out There to get a gauge. and it works exactly the way he wants it to, so he smiles, pleased when he straightens back up and adjusts his staff to the crook of his elbow to clap his hands together. ]
Ah! Now you're speaking my language. [ you're a priest ] A drink it is. For your kindness.
[ the last word drips with a little more of that amused, sly tone, and he gestures with his staff. he can get this guy drunk enough to get him to spill anything he knows!
maybe. he seems a little more his normal speed - we'll see. ] Lead the way.
[ clearly stead is more than aware that his new companion has caught onto his charade but he does not stop, instead just humming, turning his gaze up to look at him out of the corner of his eye. ]
And does this knight in shining armor have a name?
[he starts to make his way to the tavern - luckily, a short walk, as rei isn't exactly the most extroverted of people, even when he's fishing for information - and he's unafraid to keep his back to stead, confident in his barrier magic should the need come. trusting others has never come easily, but being overly paranoid doesn't help him out either. so trust... but with backup plans has worked out pretty well for rei.]
You can call me Rei. [he glances back.] And you, Your Holiness?
[he holds the door open - not because he's a gentleman, but just because he wants to create good rapport. couldn't hurt to rub elbows with a man of faith. especially one who dabbles in the underworld. especially one whose "language" is fucking beer. he doesn't know who's the funnier priest: olivine the whore or this guy the alcoholic.]
Or perhaps you'd rather I address you as such. There are some guys who are into that - or is saying that "inappropriate" too?
[ stead repeats the name - he notes rei walking in front of him with a note of interest to himself, quietly pleased. this is much more fun than the rando that was messing with him earlier. he's perfectly content to be led, using his staff like a walking stick, just watching his back as he walks ahead. interesting, interesting.
the comment about his title gets a laugh, light and playful. ]
As for me, I'm hardly that papal. [ he would be maybe the worst pope in the entire world. ] My name is Stead: it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. If you've other intentions, for likes and dislikes, that's a conversation to have over drinks.
[ with that, he ducks in through the door easily, flashing rei a smile as he heads for the bar, waving easily over his shoulder for him to follow in exchange. ]
Come along. [ to the bartender, stead calls - ] I'll have a whiskey on the rocks. Whatever the gentleman [ - a hand gesture to rei as he nudges the bar stool out with his foot for him to hop up, then slides into one on his own. ] wants, too.
[ and then he props his chin in his hand and his elbow on the bar and just examines rei, deeply pleased. ]
What you've got on tap. [rei gives his very simple order. you'd think he'd give an elaborate, expensive order considering he's not the one paying, but he's really not into luxury for the sake of luxury. besides, the whole purpose of this endeavor is to get this guy drunk. getting his drink paid for is secondary.
he takes the stool, sitting on the edge like a fucking shrimp because he's a researcher by day and he sits at his desk all day normally. on top of being gay and gay people can't sit right anyway. feeling the stare, he glances over, eyebrow raised.]
You know, usually people try to be subtle when they stare at someone.
[the bartender slides over their drinks, and rei takes his and swirls it. takes a sip.]
You didn't seem all that interested earlier. Change your mind? [a smirk. sorry rei's a whore.]
[ wow!!!! he's not STARING god. okay, maybe a little. he is just kind of checking rei out, though who knows for what reason or why. stead is a mysterious little dude. he takes his whiskey when it's offered to him and settles in, then laughs a little at the flirtation. ]
I could take it or leave it. [ sir. what does this mean. is this flirting back? unfortunately he's also potentially kind of a whore stares at the sun ] Besides, isn't it common practice to talk to someone you're buying drinks for? Unless you aren't the chatty type.
[ there's a faint tease there, still lightly playful. ] Either way, it's not every day someone snatches you out of the jaws of despair.
[rei is definitely not a chatty dude. he only makes exceptions for it during times like now, when he's actively out getting information. god, two whores scoping each other out for info only to find out neither of them know jack or shit. amazing.
he smiles over his cup, fake as can be.]
Speaking of - what is a priest doing here getting into fights? This isn't typically a priest's scene. Unless priests from your world are vastly different from the one in mine.
[and honestly even then they might not be so different after all, considering the way olivine is in eiden's bed. but well, olivine's private life is neither here nor there - in the end, he wouldn't be caught in these areas if it were absolutely dire. the disgusting aura of the black market holds no place for a man of faith.]
ah, yes, the priest picking fights. well, stead has stopped trying to pretend to be a lost little baby, instead just chuckling to himself, a noise that's just a little dark. fufu. ]
I'm not sure what you mean - this is quite normal. [ NO IT IS NOT ] Do people on the seedy side of town not deserve prayers and confession?
[while still smiling, nodding along as if he Totally Believes Stead, there's a deadpanness in his eyes that betrays how he really feels. it is a believable lie, he'll give stead that much. he can totally see the religious types trying to "save" the "downtrodden." despite the fact that the people of the underworld rarely are open to redemption.
and with good reason. what has faith ever done for any of them?]
And has that worked out well for you back where you're from? [cause he can't imagine it does. he just wants to catch this guy in a lie.] If it's so normal, there must be some sort of empirical evidence to prove this is even an effective method of conversion. And most importantly - what I assume is most important - retention. Otherwise, what's the point of confession if people are simply going to do it over and over again?
[he went a little... Researcher talk, but he's trying to push stead into a corner. perhaps a truly devout man would be able to speak out his ass, but this "priest"... surely sees it rei's way lol.]
[ this man... is a nerd. what a loser. bullies him into a locker
stead is listening to him, though empirical evidence, retention... all of that is beyond him, mostly because he does not care about those things. in fact: he just hums, lifting his cup to his mouth. the smile on his face is a little wicked, eyes curved upwards with it. what's the point? ]
Repeat customers?
[ that is a terrible thing for a priest to say actually ]
rei gives stead a dead stare. ah... so another difference between this man and his own priest. totally uninterested in anything academic which ultimately sucks but whatever. it's not like rei expected much. very few are as interested in academia as he is, especially characters found in the underbelly of society.
he is internally rolling his eyes. he doesn't even need to ask what stead gets in exchange from these repeat customers. probably the same thing rei does - information. only they go about getting it in completely different ways.]
Say. Since you're a priest - tell me about the god you serve. Convert me.
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that is, until he hears a commotion.
which, normally, is not any of rei's business and he'd move on to find a mark or two. but something tugs at his chest when he hears that it's a priest, and of course he imagines Father Olivine in this situation, not quite a friend but not quite a stranger. he sighs, because he recognizes the softness for what it is, and curses eiden for all that he's played a role in allowing that to flourish within his withering heart.
and, well, he's curious, too. what in the world is a priest doing in this side of town?
so he steps in, raising an eyebrow at this guy's theatrics (so very, very very different from olivine). before he knows it, the man is hiding behind him. swift. impressive.
he can't help but tease:] Oh? And what if I'm with that guy?
[he gestures to the large man still huffing before them. the surprise in the big man's eyes transforms from surprise to smug at his words, but rei, too, squashes that.]
But perhaps your Sacred Flame guided me after all. [he holds out his hand, releasing his essence. the man's eyes droop, as if high off something, before muttering something and walking away. basic illusion magic. easy on a nobody.
he turns to the guy behind him, a simple smile on his face.] Now, seems you've made a wrong turn, Your Holiness.
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he steps back with ease one more time and folds his hands behind his back, holding his staff and watching. the puppy eyes drop - his mouth curls into a smirk from behind his shoulder, making eye contact with the punk who was coming after him and tipping his head up faintly, a threat in its own right. in the meantime, the faint feeling of arcane magic drifts through the air, familiar if far different than stead's own. interesting. perhaps stead has net an awfully large catch here, after all.
by the time rei turns around, stead has put his puppy eyes back on, though his expression is lit up just a touch, a twinkle in his eye as he clasps his staff. ]
You flatter me with that sort of title. Do I look much like a pontiff to you? [ a beat, and then, more sly; ] Then again, you've not much the look of a knight in shining armor. Thank you for your quick action, oh good sir.
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but that makes him all the easier to handle. rei knows suspicious types.
his placid smile turns into a smirk. he leans forward, hands on his hips, shortening his tall height to better meet stead's gaze.]
Heh, knights and priests don't have much of a place here. As you may or may not know. [he's starting to get the feeling stead does, indeed, know. he's not quite shaking like a leaf as most black market virgins do, as much as he's playing up the innocent factor.] It's a shame your Sacred Flame didn't bring you a knight. They may do this shit for free, Your Holiness, but I do not.
[he continues to watch stead's demeanor carefully. that staff may not be just for show, after all.] So. How are you willing to repay me for my generosity?
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much of a similar manner, this is the kind of thing he's used to. stead makes a soft noise, an oya? about knights and priests, tipping his head up a bit and not backing off. he's clearly not afraid; his hands don't move on his staff. in fact, it seems like he might be enjoying the interaction.
in fact, he doesn't even miss a beat, and he puts one hand up to his mouth as if this is a secret transaction, like he's talking about something forbidden. ]
Isn't it awfully inappropriate to make that kind of request of a priest? My, how shameless.
[ that's not how he's asking you to pay for it don't make this weird ]
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And what makes you think shame has any place here? [amused, rei straightens once more. he doesn't let his guard completely down despite no obvious attempts to attack him, just enough to seem casual about this entire encounter. just two dudes pulled into this strange world in a dark alleyway at night up to no good.]
Though, I suppose a priest has no business knowing a place like this. [playing along with the "innocent" act, even though at this point he's pretty sure it's all bullshit. and he's pretty sure the priest is aware, too.] Either way, I'll take a beer as payment. I know a tavern around here with decent enough alcohol.
[perhaps he can get this guy drunk enough to spill anything he knows. or perhaps this guy is savvier than rei takes him for.]
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the chuckle easily breaks any tension, if there was any - he was mostly just testing the reaction, using a statement that might be a little Out There to get a gauge. and it works exactly the way he wants it to, so he smiles, pleased when he straightens back up and adjusts his staff to the crook of his elbow to clap his hands together. ]
Ah! Now you're speaking my language. [ you're a priest ] A drink it is. For your kindness.
[ the last word drips with a little more of that amused, sly tone, and he gestures with his staff. he can get this guy drunk enough to get him to spill anything he knows!
maybe. he seems a little more his normal speed - we'll see. ] Lead the way.
[ clearly stead is more than aware that his new companion has caught onto his charade but he does not stop, instead just humming, turning his gaze up to look at him out of the corner of his eye. ]
And does this knight in shining armor have a name?
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You can call me Rei. [he glances back.] And you, Your Holiness?
[he holds the door open - not because he's a gentleman, but just because he wants to create good rapport. couldn't hurt to rub elbows with a man of faith. especially one who dabbles in the underworld. especially one whose "language" is fucking beer. he doesn't know who's the funnier priest: olivine the whore or this guy the alcoholic.]
Or perhaps you'd rather I address you as such. There are some guys who are into that - or is saying that "inappropriate" too?
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[ stead repeats the name - he notes rei walking in front of him with a note of interest to himself, quietly pleased. this is much more fun than the rando that was messing with him earlier. he's perfectly content to be led, using his staff like a walking stick, just watching his back as he walks ahead. interesting, interesting.
the comment about his title gets a laugh, light and playful. ]
As for me, I'm hardly that papal. [ he would be maybe the worst pope in the entire world. ] My name is Stead: it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. If you've other intentions, for likes and dislikes, that's a conversation to have over drinks.
[ with that, he ducks in through the door easily, flashing rei a smile as he heads for the bar, waving easily over his shoulder for him to follow in exchange. ]
Come along. [ to the bartender, stead calls - ] I'll have a whiskey on the rocks. Whatever the gentleman [ - a hand gesture to rei as he nudges the bar stool out with his foot for him to hop up, then slides into one on his own. ] wants, too.
[ and then he props his chin in his hand and his elbow on the bar and just examines rei, deeply pleased. ]
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he takes the stool, sitting on the edge like a fucking shrimp because he's a researcher by day and he sits at his desk all day normally. on top of being gay and gay people can't sit right anyway. feeling the stare, he glances over, eyebrow raised.]
You know, usually people try to be subtle when they stare at someone.
[the bartender slides over their drinks, and rei takes his and swirls it. takes a sip.]
You didn't seem all that interested earlier. Change your mind? [a smirk. sorry rei's a whore.]
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I could take it or leave it. [ sir. what does this mean. is this flirting back? unfortunately he's also potentially kind of a whore stares at the sun ] Besides, isn't it common practice to talk to someone you're buying drinks for? Unless you aren't the chatty type.
[ there's a faint tease there, still lightly playful. ] Either way, it's not every day someone snatches you out of the jaws of despair.
[ were you really in despair, stead. ]
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he smiles over his cup, fake as can be.]
Speaking of - what is a priest doing here getting into fights? This isn't typically a priest's scene. Unless priests from your world are vastly different from the one in mine.
[and honestly even then they might not be so different after all, considering the way olivine is in eiden's bed. but well, olivine's private life is neither here nor there - in the end, he wouldn't be caught in these areas if it were absolutely dire. the disgusting aura of the black market holds no place for a man of faith.]
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ah, yes, the priest picking fights. well, stead has stopped trying to pretend to be a lost little baby, instead just chuckling to himself, a noise that's just a little dark. fufu. ]
I'm not sure what you mean - this is quite normal. [ NO IT IS NOT ] Do people on the seedy side of town not deserve prayers and confession?
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and with good reason. what has faith ever done for any of them?]
And has that worked out well for you back where you're from? [cause he can't imagine it does. he just wants to catch this guy in a lie.] If it's so normal, there must be some sort of empirical evidence to prove this is even an effective method of conversion. And most importantly - what I assume is most important - retention. Otherwise, what's the point of confession if people are simply going to do it over and over again?
[he went a little... Researcher talk, but he's trying to push stead into a corner. perhaps a truly devout man would be able to speak out his ass, but this "priest"... surely sees it rei's way lol.]
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stead is listening to him, though empirical evidence, retention... all of that is beyond him, mostly because he does not care about those things. in fact: he just hums, lifting his cup to his mouth. the smile on his face is a little wicked, eyes curved upwards with it. what's the point? ]
Repeat customers?
[ that is a terrible thing for a priest to say actually ]
I'M BACK FROM KATSUHELL
rei gives stead a dead stare. ah... so another difference between this man and his own priest. totally uninterested in anything academic which ultimately sucks but whatever. it's not like rei expected much. very few are as interested in academia as he is, especially characters found in the underbelly of society.
he is internally rolling his eyes. he doesn't even need to ask what stead gets in exchange from these repeat customers. probably the same thing rei does - information. only they go about getting it in completely different ways.]
Say. Since you're a priest - tell me about the god you serve. Convert me.