On having apped into The Dark Place.

[brand_of_disgrace]

Wait. Let me get this straight.

Clockwork Princess came out today. You have work to do getting icons for Zephyr.

And yet, it's me, the original character, that you're fiddling with? It's MY application you're done with? Or is that only because it was mostly done already?

...You realize that I don't remember EVER having been in a game before, right? Ugh. Anyway, I still think you should've brought Alec in and not Jem... Poor Magnus won't have anyone to be irritable with.

Speaking of being irritable, is Leo gonna be there? ...Please?

Comments

[brand_of_disgrace]

Contract. Not a Pact. A Contract.

And I didn't choose you. You chose me. I'm the Contracted. You just don't know it.

[the_crownless_king]

[Even though he knows he won't get an answer, Leo rubs his face and looks over at the other young man before speaking.]

How does that make any sense? I didn't! I never wanted to be one of those... those guys tied down by somethin' like that. If I wasn't about to die, I wouldn't have-- I mean. No, I don't regret it. It's not that. So don't think that but.

[Feeling rather annoyed at his own inability to speak properly, Leo falls silent and slouches a bit, fidgeting with a copper gear fastened to the cuff on his arm.]

[brand_of_disgrace]

I'm not sorry I saved your life, if that's what you're getting at. ...And neither are you.

[the_crownless_king]

[His voice drops to a whisper.]

Sometimes I think...It would have been better if you'd just let it happen that day.

[brand_of_disgrace]

...Never again.

[the_crownless_king]

What do you mean? Julian, I hardly ever understand anything you're trying to tell me.

[brand_of_disgrace]

Yeah, me either. [ He tries to smile. ]

[the_crownless_king]

Jules... [He lowers his head and then lifts his arms as though reaching out to the other man, but then thinks better of it. Leo passes his fingers over his arm as his shoulders slump into a rather submissive stance.]

I'm sorry. I wish I understood, but since you came into my life... it's like I don't understand anything. Nothing's true anymore. Nothing's real. I don't know who to trust or what to believe... I just. I wanted an easy life of decadence. I wanted to be left alone. But. No, no. I guess we can't really change what's happened, right? We just have to learn to live with it.

[brand_of_disgrace]

[ He stares into space for a time, as though absorbing what Leo's saying. Then he speaks, quietly, that odd, accented lilt very obvious. ]

So I guess this place'll be good for us. It'll get my fluffy head out of the clouds, and it'll take away your easy life of decadence. Not, of course, that you ever lived one.

[the_crownless_king]

[Leo's voice lowers to a low grumble, though he's smiling.] Oi, watch it-- My life's pretty good. I do what I want, even if I work hard. And it's all the sex and booze anybody could possibly want. Then I get to kill things that go bump in the night when I get bored of the other things.

[brand_of_disgrace]

Yeah, I guess...

...Wait, what do you mean "all the booze you want," huh?!

[the_crownless_king]

Duhhh Jules, clients kind of pay me to get drunk and fall over them. Girls serve drinks in the back, too y'know. You're not like. The keeper of the booze like you think you are or anything.

[He grins and gives Julian a playful shove.]

[brand_of_disgrace]

[ He shoves back, pouting. ]

I'm telling Ada you said that. She's going to beat you with her stick for breaking my heart like that.

[the_crownless_king]

Man, your stupid innocent face has turned the entire front-end staff against me! You're so lucky we're bonded, or I might have to think about offing you just to protect my job. [Leo tosses his head in mock defiance and continues to cajole the smaller man, softly poking him in the ribs with his fingertips.]

[brand_of_disgrace]

Eh, I'd just come back even more annoying and stupid than before.

[the_crownless_king]

[Raises an eyebrow.]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, you have one weird-ass idea about what constitutes a joke.

[brand_of_disgrace]

Maybe I just spend too much time behind the counter.

[the_crownless_king]

Ahhh, yes. The mighty Julian; Lord of the booze. [He raises his hands and waggles his fingers for emphasis.]

[brand_of_disgrace]

And his sidekick, the Amazing Leo: Lord of the Sex.

[the_crownless_king]

[Leo snorts and bursts into laughter, not because the joke was funny but because of the obviously innocent way that Julian always approached such things.] Well, I guess... There are worse titles-- And it's true. I am good at what I do~

[brand_of_disgrace]

[ There's a strange glint of something - maybe jealousy, maybe rage - in his eyes. It's gone as quickly as it came, and the same goes for the burning agony they both would have felt in their chest in that moment. Julian tilts his head thoughtfully. ]

Did we spam?

[the_crownless_king]

[Baffled by the heated emotion thrumming across his mental link with Julian, Leo presses his palm against his chest, wincing before he speaks again.]

Spam-- did we what?

[brand_of_disgrace]

We're talking a lot. Should we save that for the game before we run out of things to talk about?

[the_crownless_king]

Don't worry, by then we'll have new things to talk about-- like new monsters to kill. [That makes Leo smirk, and he nods, obviously exuding a wave of confidence.]

[brand_of_disgrace]

I'll follow you wherever you go, Leo. You know that.