Neverwhere: Play Thread

[Ekaterini]

“When? And w-where did it happen?” There was a note of worry in Cal's voice.

"Right before we dropped into the soothing presence of the Boogieman," Gris replied coolly. "Somewhere around Aldwych Station."

The Borderliner, feeling rather dwarfed--even moreso than usual--next to the towering Remade, mounted a nearby wooden stool and perched cross-legged on its seat. He could thus better see what the lilac-haired girl was doing anyway.

"So," he said to Cal, but without looking at him, as he was still taller and still required the neck to be craned to be looked at, "I take it this group is larger than I originally thought. Have you all known each other long?"

What else was there to do at the moment? Might as well get a little information.

[Vandread]

He was shocked, shocked with what was happening and even more shocked at Lethe’s words. Those words…were filled with so much…so much passion. His words, were a window into a torn soul. Duran could feel all the hurt and all the agony Lethe was feeling at that moment. The sheer amount of emotions was overwhelming.

I wonder…does he love me?

The way Lethe held on to him, as if he really were the most important being in the world…why? It was hard to imagine that Lethe could grow to feel such things in such a short amount of time. The emotions that were running through that moment were energizing, almost intoxicating. Lethe’s lips began their course, creating a tension within Duran. It would ease…as something began to take over within him.

Do you want it…?

Duran’s hands wrapped around Lethe’s shoulders, causing the velvet to look straight into his eyes. Duran’s eyes narrowed, focusing onto the Velvet, digging deeper and deeper into his being. His face was emotionless, his body steady and sure. He stepped forward, still holding unto Lethe’s shoulders. Each advance, letting Duran to inch forward and the Velvet to inch back. Soon, Lethe found the back of his legs touching the same bed from which he rose. Duran gently pushed Lethe onto the mattress, it’s springs making a light sound.

“The real question is…will I hurt you?” Duran said, his voice commanding. The blue eyed man gently slid off his red jacket, letting it fall to the ground lightly. It’s fall to the ground caused some dust to rise, but none that would ruin the scene.

“Do you want it?” Duran said, as inched towards Lethe…

[Phantom Angel]

It was a dance, a maddening war of tug-and-pull and when Lethe felt Duran's steady hands push him down onto the hard mattress he knew that he had lost. He suddenly couldn't remember when he had wanted to win.

A shiver of anticipation ran through him, filling the pit of his empty stomach with anxiety. Usually what happened now.... I will not remember that! he fought desperately against the images flashing in his head. His body reminded him of them, through the dull pulsation of his wounds underneath his clothes.

But Duran's warm hands on his shoulders seemingly burned holes through his attire. It was intoxicating, distracting and sinfully pleasant all at the same time. Lethe found himself unable to form any sort of coherent thought. His survival-bent brain knew only that he must feel more of the fire... more of the warmth.

Without hesitation he pulled Duran, bringing the younger man's bigger body over his own. Warmth emanated from all sides as he was pressed into the mattress. It was like a cocoon. A deliciously sensual, soft and warm space where no harm seemed to be allowed entrance. The Velvet couldn't help but close his eyes in bliss. The Hunger in his stomach had somewhat subsided to a tollerable level, and as he lay there, underneath his companion he could feel every part of himself, down to the tips of his silver hair.

Heartbeats passed in silence before Lethe opened his eyes to stare at Duran. He found the other watching him intensely. Slowly the Velvet remembered that he had asked a question amidst their tug-of-war dance.

"Want what?" he asked softly.

[Kayay]

~~~~Raven’s Court~~~~

“Velvets,” Loplop began in a serious tone, waving her fork in Gustav’s direction, “are capable of a great many things. Do you understand what one is, Nestling? They are the urban vampires, the drinkers of warmth, and the stalkers of life in these dark and narrow wormtunnels, leaving a person a cold dead thing, or turning them into one of them, always hungry for warmth.” She gave a wink then took a long draught of her drink, putting the mug down with a thud. “But worry not. They are what they are, as are we all, and not really all that bad in comparison. And that particular Velvet…” she trailed off with a laugh then took a bite of her food, carefully dabbing her mouth and cleaning her hands afterwards.

Loplop then pursed her lips and thought before saying, “They could be anywhere and anywhen, and there’s nothing to be done, lest not by us not now, not yet, perhaps not ever.”

Elsewhere in the city where Maghenna was...

“We are the Chosen, the Rightful Ones. What we want is for you to go back, Little Sister. You don’t know where you’ve been or where you’re heading. Stop now and go back. Go back to your cozy little rat tunnels before it’s too late,” answered the voices from the dark places.


~~~~~Raven’s Court : Grimnebulin’s Apothecary ~~~~~

“The rising and setting of a moon,” Cal replied, for it despite all that’d happened it’d only been a day since the quest had begun, and the world Above was not bathed in natural light. “Most were hired at the Market.” Cal then realized he knew next to nothing about this stranger nor why he’d joined their group. China had, as usual, only told him as much as she thought he needed to know, and he knew trying to find out more than that was futile, but Gris seemed talkative enough. “Why d-did you agree t-to come?” he asked, the stutter returning, for Cal was never comfortable in the role of interrogator.


~~~~~Lancaster Below~~~~~

He was prepared for just about anything upon his return. He knew Velvets, and he knew the Underworld, having lived in it his entire life, so before Ian opened the door his hand quickly brushed over one of his concealed weapons. Satisfied, he opened the door without bothering to knock.


((OOC: I couldn't help but laugh; I didn't expect that from Duran!))

[Vandread]

Lethe’s question dazed Duran for a moment, as reality began to seep it’s head back in. The scent of the room, the light sound of the creaking wood of the roof, that light whistling of the wind…it all came to him, clawing at his sanity. Why was he doing this to Lethe? Rational thought once again entered his mind, making him draw back a bit from the velvet.

What am I doing? Lethe…I…

Duran turned his back to the velvet, raising his hand to his forehead, letting the blood flow back to his brain. He had almost lost to it, and he his own insecurities only fed the fire. Had he acted, then and now, things would have erupted into something that could have had a horrid impact on both he and Lethe. Something Duran didn’t want. Lethe was becoming more and more important to him…and to betray that trust would be a horrible thing to do. But the whole concept of his feelings…began to disturb him. Lethe was different and a symbol of a taint of sorts. Could he accept Lethe? Would it even be possible to do so? The situation they were in didn’t help matters at all, and the dangers that laid before them would be too much if they didn’t work together. His eyes turned to Lethe, who looked puzzled.

“I…It‘s nothing...I just...don't know.” Duran said, for that was the only way he could respond. His thoughts drifted to China and Cal. The purpose…his purpose…why did he keep on forgetting?

In that moment, I wanted to throw it all away. At that moment…I wanted to relinquish all responsibility

[Phantom Angel]

To demand rationality from his fevered conscious was madness greater than the one currently sweeping through him. Even nearly dead with the grip of cold Lethe managed to push the distaught Duran off of him.

The he glared, glazed red eyes starring fixedly at the face of the younger man.

"You do this," he hissed, pointing at the flushed points of his pale skin where Duran had touched him, "and then you say that you don't know?" His hands shook with cold, anger and betrayal.

"I should kill you now," he whispered but made no attempt to put weight behind his words.

Images flashed before his eyes, unbidden things that he had done, that he had been forced to do, that he had cared nothing for. Humiliation tasted bitter on his tongue and Lethe found himself swallowing tightly. You will always be a cheap whore, with the singular purpose of getting down on your knees and pleasing others, Madame M's words boomed in his ears.

Nobody wants you...

He had betrayed Him. He had threatened his charge. He had wished to kill rather than complete his task. He had...

"I could show you pleasure like you have never before felt," Lethe murmured, and in a heartbeat he had rolled Duran under him and was once again stradling the man.

You are nothing but a killer in the body of a wanton whore, she had told him. It was true. But what she didnt' know was who he had become a whore for. What she hadn't known was that he had taken on the task in the name of an honour that even three hundred years later had dared to face him.

"I could make you cry in the agony of pleasure," the Velvet hissed in Duran's ear, hands trailing softly all over the other's body. "I could make your wildest dreams come true. I could show you what it's like to crave someone constantly. To not want anything else but the spark of pleasure surging through your body. Then you wouldn't be confused anymore."

And then he pulled away. Caught in his own thoughts he couldn't continue. The tears threatened to spill needlessly down his pale cheeks like cold droplets in confirmation of his imminent end.

This is the way the world ends...

Though a haze he noticed Duran watching him intensly. Almost like he wanted to look down into the depths of his soul, the one place where Lethe couldn't let him see. There was a monster that waited in those depths. A monster he had fought so hard against but that he had ultimately embraced. The Velvet bit his torn lip ferociously, drawing forth new blood that trickled down his chin. No, no, no, I can't let you see! it was the desperate litany that he kept on reciting to himself.

This is the way the world ends...

But then he had lifted his warm hand, and with a soft finger had traced the outline of his face and had wiped away the blood. And he had filled Lethe with warmth, and longing and self-hate that the tears had had no choice but to flow freely down his pale cheeks, leaving wet canyons of unspoken anguish in their wake.

"Are you going to hurt me now?" he heard himself whispering as his whole thin frame shook with fear and apprehension and a disgusting sort of relief that comes only with the confirmation of routine.

This is the way the world ends...

He heard his companion murmur something, but it was lost amidst the shifting of bodies and the warmth of hands roaming his back and pulling him against a warm, taut chest, underneath which he could hear the beating of a strong heart.

And then the impossible happened. Warm, soft, pliant lips were covering his, and when he tried to pull back in shock, equally warm, softy and strong hands held him in place, as his mind began to reel with the various new sensations coursing through him.

Nobody ever kissed a whore, the Velvet thought, as he looked with frightened crimson eyes into the peaceful face of Duran.

Not with a bang, but a whimper


OOC: Thanks to T.S Elliot for letting me borrow the last 4 lines of his poem "The Hollow Men"

[Kayay]

~~~~~Lancaster Below~~~~~

((OOC: Nachos anyone? Ian, hurry up and break them up!))


It was as he feared. Duran was lying back on the bed and Lethe was hovering over him, their faces close and his long white hair spilling onto Duran’s chest. Not only that, but Duran was emitting a series of noises that indicated the severity of his predicament. Thus, immediately Ian darted forward, quick as snake, and grabbed the Velvet by the shoulder. His fingers dug cruelly into the pale flesh then he threw Lethe back, off the bed and, more importantly, off of the Forgotten. The Velvet tried to get back on his feet and make his way back to Duran, but to Ian it was a sign of an aggressive attack, and his hand shot out, backhanding Lethe across the face. The white haired creature stumbled back, dazed from the blow, and there was the sound of chairs being toppled.

“Move and I’ll kill you,” Ian warned in dangerously cool voice before attending to Duran.

“Duran, are you all right?” Ian helped the young man sit up. It seemed the Rake had arrived just in time, for Duran still felt warm to the touch, although, maybe a little too warm. Duran’s face was flush and his shirt was askew, neck and collarbone exposed.

[Magicfangirl]

"The Boogieman and now vampires." Gustav took the glass to his mouth, but hesitated before taking a sip. "I guess they aren't just 'make believe' creatures you use to scare children into behaving."

Dear brother...you'd probably be pissed off if you knew I saw the Boogieman and lived.

"I'm not going to worry just because there could be Velvet's about. I'm, perhaps it's foolish of me, more afraid of a knife then a kiss."

He wasn't sure what made him wonder about the other Forgotten before it certainly was becoming more frequent. Can you handle him? You seem strong but just because Lethe looks fragile doesn't mean you can break him. Poor Duran, you're probably the one that will shatter. Not that your company is any more preferred then his, but at least you are... Thoughts trailed off as his fingers found their way to tugging at a strand of blond hair. He never looked forward to his own hair cuts. The wire always ending up cutting more then just his hair.

(OOC: Aww... I wanted some non-con.)

[Kazuki]

Maghenna backed off from the shadows. "I don't know what you're up to, but I'm not going to let you carry on like you did before. I'll find some way to stop you, some way to bring you down!" with that, she turned and ran, leaving the creature behind.

She ran for several minutes, keeping to the less-used roads, putting distance between her and it. Eventually, she stopped to think. Get somewhere with plenty of other people. Even if it had to be the Garuda, they were less likely to try something in a crowded street. She started moving again, walking this time, and soon found her way onto a main road. Then something else caught her eye, and she walked into the... eatery on the other side of the road.

It wasn't exactly classy, but then she wasn't exactly rich. At least her layers of rags set her appart from the staff. She ordered some food, and went and sat down at a table by one of the walls. Most of the clientelle were clustered around the centre of the gaudy room, by the stage, so finding a seat wasn't an issue. After a few minutes, she colleted her food, and settled down to watch the crowd, seeing if she could pick out a likely buyer for any of the trinkets she was carrying. As a form of displacement activity, it worked quite well, and she had soon forgotten her situation, concentrating instead on her trade.

[Vandread]

Lethe…

But before he could sort things out, Ian came into the room, shouting and causing a ruckus. It was an embarrassing situation to be in, as are all things of that nature. However, the situation grew serious, as Ian slapped Lethe hard. The sound caused Duran to be stunned, but only for a moment, as rational thought entered his thinking. As Ian helped him sit up, Duran’s eyes narrowed.

“There was no need for that Ian, Lethe didn’t do anything.” Duran said sternly to the surprised Ian. Things were slowly focusing for him, as thought an enlightment of sorts enveloped the somber Duran. In that moment, he could see clearly the hurt on Lethe, the pain that existed.

To think you held on to it that long…your existence must be a painful one. To live in such a way, to be restricted to your kind of life must be horrid. But I could feel you…I could feel your own inner warmth. You may think you have lost it, but it’s still there, trying desperately to come to light. People called you ‘velvet’ as a label…to segregate you from what would be considered the norm. However, you feel like a human does, you grow angry and you can even shed tears as a human does. Which is why I can not see you as someone different anymore. To me, you are a human being and are entitled to that kind of respect and dignity. That hurt still exists…but I think, together, we can slowly wash away whatever you have done. I could see that guilt. You don’t need to feel that way, because you aren’t alone anymore…I am here.

Duran stood up and walked towards Lethe, as he did so, he spoke sternly to Ian. “Don’t do that again...” he said, causing Ian to jump a little at the somberness of the feathered man’s voice. He stood over Lethe, as the velvet began to recover from the blow, however Duran made no effort to help Lethe up. Instead, he smiled lightly at him.

“You’ll stand… again and again, no matter how many times you are knocked down. You can…and I will bear witness to it again and again.” Duran said. He didn’t know if Lethe could understand what he meant, but it was the only way he could voice his feelings.

“You don’t need my help…but do you want it?” he said.

[Kayay]

((OOC: I love Ian for being such a bastard. Btw, Ian does not jump; he’s not easily intimidated. ><
Also: *pokes Cyllara*))


~~~~Raven’s Court~~~~

“Innocent things sometimes turn out the most dangerous, just look at the china doll. Charming child, picture perfect, but there’s nothing childlike about her other than her looks.” Her hair fell over one eye as Loplop talked, her elbows upon the table, chin resting on her interlaced hands, and her eyes focused upon Gustav. “They are all make believe, hocus pocus, smoke and mirrors as long as you live Above, but here the hopes and fears and wishes becomes more than just daydreams and nightmares. Be careful what you wish for, or it just might get you.”

“Speaking of knives, perchance perhaps maybe tis time to find you a proper weapon instead of that tangled twisty wire. What do you say to that, Nestling? Think you’re ready to flap your wings and test the currents?”


~~~~~Lancaster Below~~~~~

He’s more possessive of the damn creature than I thought. It’s disguisting. I can’t afford to leave them alone from now on, not if I want to keep him in one piece. Although, if he doesn’t decide to join…

Ian smiled inside. Either way, he’d win, but now it was just a matter of the easier or the harder path. Well, no matter; the Rake was used to taking the rough and treacherous path in life. In fact, he often enjoyed it. Still, he also knew it would be best to smooth things over as quickly as possible.

Thus, Ian’s let his quirk do its work, making little attempt to control its bewitching effect. Beguile was a useful talent he found especially helpful in his line of work, making him the epitome of a “silver tongued devil” who could, as the saying goes, convince an Eskimo to buy a refrigerator. There were some who had trouble controlling the intensity of this ability, and this could lead to groups of persistent admirers when all the person wished was to be left alone. Ian, in fact, remembered one such occurrence years ago, but thankfully since then he’d developed excellent control over his quirk.

“I apologize, Duran. I made a terrible mistake.” His expression was one of remorse and though it was false, only the experienced or gifted would have been able to tell. Lethe, however, Ian made no attempt to fool, and while if the Velvet might at first be deceived by the quirk, it, like a fading memory, would not last. No, this was all for Duran, and Ian took a certain pleasure in deceiving one while the other might be aware yet, like Cassandra’s visions of the Trojans, be unable to do anything about it.

Then, as if to show how forgiving and generous he could be, Ian faced Lethe and briefly lowered his eyes. “I apologize to you as well, Lethe, for handling you so roughly. My intentions were good. Considering you haven’t fed, I was concerned for Duran’s welfare. You’d have done likewise for your friend.” For a minute, his humility was believable, and certainly Duran was taken in by this velvet-tongued con, but when he raised his eyes and his gaze met Lethe’s, there was no mistaking the laughter in his eyes.

[Ekaterini]

((OOC: Oo, Ian has a forked tongue I see.))

“Why d-did you agree t-to come?” Cal asked after a moment.

"Damned curiousity," Gris replied nonchallantly, gazing around the dim room. He reached behind himself with a flexible arm and itched the spot between his shoulder blades before continuing. "I saw an Upworlder watching the group and thought I'd let China know being that she's a sage or priest; she invited me to join the party, and here I am, and were I sensible I'd leave since The Boogeyman probably isn't the worst we'll come across. But curiousity has the better of my sense it seems--though who knows, I may get something out of all this. Que sera sera."

After a moment, even though he might not get a truthful answer, Gris asked, "What's your reason?"

[Kayay]

~~~~~Raven’s Court : Grimnebulin’s Apothecary ~~~~~

((OOC: I want “Mr. Friendly” and Gris to met again soon. They get along so well.))


“China is… “ Cal stopped himself. The closest thing she was to a guild was a Priest, but even then it wasn’t completely accurate. “She,” he continued, changing what he’d been about to say, “can see the best in people, and those who b-believe…” Again Cal trailed off. The words failed him once again, and he couldn’t explain it.

There were a hundreds of tiny reasons he could give as a reply to Gris’s last question, explanations of duty, survival, loyalty, honor, profit… He could tell Gris about his Guild, current or former, and his obligations to both. Or he could tell the Trader about the Code he followed, the result of a childhood growing up Below and the influence of a dozen different people. But those reasons were all eclipsed by one, a reason built upon a relationship that few understood and most utterly misunderstood.

Cal looked into the distance above Gris’ head, though it was hard to tell from behind his green tinted glasses, and said one word, “China.”



~~~~~Raven’s Court : Maghenna’s Eatery ~~~~~

Zavijah stood in the doorway, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the change in lighting. For a second, he’d forgotten why he was here, but a quick check of the notebook in his pocket reminded him. He’d rent a message ahead and was here to pick up the food he’d requested.

“Zav!” called out a voice in greeting, and the Nomad smiled and waved back as the worker approached. “So hunger finally drove you out of that musty old place of yours,” the man teased. “You ought to come by more often.”

“There’s so much to do though, to catalogue, file, research, store...”

“Life is more than papers.”

The Nomad smirked. “I know, but there’s plenty of time for that.”

The other man nodded. “True. So, what can I get for you?”

“Oh, well, I sent a rat ahead with an order for…um… er…” he searched his pockets again for his notebook, blushing with embarrassment when he realized it’d been in his hand the whole time.”

“Still as absentminded as ever,” the worker chuckled.

“Usually it’s the little things, never the really important stuff.” Zavijah paused then corrected himself. “Well, almost never.”

After looking over the list the man nodded again. “The order is ready. I”ll bring it out right now. As for payment…”

“Here,” Zavijah said and handed the other man an old coffee mug, the lacquer yellowed and cracked, but the mug itself was sound. “It’s something the owner’s been asking about, and it ought to cover this and a few more future meals.”

“Alright. Take a seat by the wall over there, and I’ll be back in two shakes of a rat’s tail.”

[Phantom Angel]

"One day, I'm going to kill you," the Velvet stated, plainly and simply after he managed to pick himsel up off the floor in a most gracious manner.

"And I promise to do it in the most painful way possible. So that even when the wraits will torture you in Hell it will be nothing compared to what I will have done to you," he hissed, drawing closer to Duran and his comforting presence.

His jaw throbbed dully, from the blow, and Lethe was fairly certain that another bruise was marring his already-abused face. "And believe you, I will not be simply bruising your face, as much as you might deserve that," he spat angrily.

Faintly, he caught a wisp of Ian's quirk flooding the room. It was so subtle, that were he any less experienced in his ability to sense it he would have missed it entired. The sneaky, no good, low-life...." Lethe could have gone on indefienetely in his anger.

However, he grabbed a hold of his rampage and turned his focus towards Duran, who would undoubtedly be affected by it. During this confusion, which Lethe knew would have to wait before it was unravelled, it was imperative that Duran knew with certainty the constancy of his feelings towards Ian. While open warfare was generally not in his nature, for the sake of his charge Lethe would partake in it. Duran was worth more than the essence of one Chronic Pain in the Ass.

"Don't ask me to take it back, and don't ask me to forgive him," Lethe directed his attention towards his charge. "I can do neither. But you can rest assured that for now his sorry skin is safe from my wrath. Nonetheless, do not expect me to aid him in anything. If given the chance I shall not hesitate to dispose of his exasperting presence," he stated with firm conciseness.

Let both of them chew on that one. For now, he focused all of his attention onto his hurting jaw.

[Magicfangirl]

"The ones I carry now I still sharp enough to cut through skin, but it requires force that I don't have." A remade came to mind, and it made him reconsider his automatic reaction to turn her offer down. "Plus, no matter how sharp of a wire I get it wouldn't stand a chance against metal."
An uneasy feeling attacked his stomach, though it could have been some part of that pigeon he'd eaten.
I guess the idea of not having to carry a weapon around is far off. It is probably as dangerous down here as it is above, but instead of getting mutilated by a psychopathic loner you get the chance of being killed by a walking skeleton.
'A lover not a fighter' never quite described him; never having been enamored with anyone he wasn't sure what he preferred.

"A new trick up my sleeve sounds good. As long as it's light enough for me to carry then sure." Gustav fingers tapped on his almost nonexistent bicep. "Anyway," He blushed, annoyed. "did you have some dealer in mind?"