there is something about the possibility of being stabbed in his sleep that is so relaxing. he really will sleep for at least a short while, long enough for viktor to fix the coat in peace maybe, actually looking relaxed for once in his life. just to rub it in about viktor's bad back, lucien is definitely the type of guy who can sleep in any wildly contorted position and be just fine. 20 Dex privileges. ]
[When the coat is finished, he rests it on his chest. It's weird and unhinged, but he just... kind of lies there and watches Lucien sleep. Edward Cullen behavior. Less he has some absurd, twisted fascination and more he's thinking about Lucien saying the body doesn't fit.
He's studying the pieces that don't, unable to imagine what it must be like to wake up in your body having it been changed. The caps, the holes in the horns, the pieces of tattoos slithering out of the clothes. He almost dozes off himself, but the ping of his IRIS stirs him. Checking in.
He puts the coat over to the side and carefully sits up, wincing. Feels like every single vertebrae is stiff, thanks. He leans over on one hand and reaches out to card his fingers through the front of Lucien's hair. Wakey wakey.]
[ it's all evidence of a very strange little small-scale war for control, in the end. the remains of someone else waking up in a body that wasn't entirely theirs to begin with and trying to cover it in marks and symbols to make it their own, to decorate a home as they saw fit. and then the return fire of pulling out the piercings and leaving the little holes in their wake, prying loose the metal in the horns out of spite, letting the hair grow long as a way to signal he simply doesn't care about the state of it anymore.
he's groggy, half-awake from the IRIS ping anyway, groaning at him and twisting to press his face into one of the pillows. it's not cute!!! ]
He can't keep the amused smirk off his face. He lets Lucien grumble and roll over. He has more hair this time to card his fingers through, but it's more gentle, as if he isn't necessarily trying to wake Lucien up this time.]
Throne wants to meet at the food court. We still have a little while. You can keep sleeping.
[ why did any of them make this decision in retrospect. he's okay with laying here and having his hair pet, it feels kind of nice - he'll turn enough to glance an eye up at him and be able to talk. ]
[Lucien doesn't want to hear about the mechnical parts of a hydrolic system.......?
Viktor laughs, short and light.] I finished your coat. It's on the bed. [For when Lucien gets ready to leave to sneak into the food court with him last minute.
He twists around and stretches out beside Lucien on the bed, lying the same direction, but on his back. He rests his arms on his stomach.]
[He tilts his head, watching Lucien with his honey eyes. Studying Lucien's face perhaps for something. None of this he ever gave much thought at all. Why would he? It had not been important.
But death was so close it had been breathing down the back of his neck. He doesn't know how close death is here doing the same. He thinks about Throne telling him, You only have one life. You can live it however you want, but you don't get a second try. Not like lucky Lucien, getting another go.
He reaches out toward Lucien, hesitates. Then wraps his fingers around the end of one horn to pull Lucien toward himself.]
When have you ever been worried about the risks...?
[ Three goes at it so far, actually. A deeply unfair balance, if it wasn't bought and paid for in blood and tragedy. the trouble with being a favored plaything of the gods is they love to see the suffering in equal measure, it keeps the story moving along at a good clip. he's not sure what viktor is looking for here, and the studying makes him the tiniest bit antsy. shy is another emotion that's probably not in his gamut at all, but ... flustered under the inspection is close enough. ]
Not the first trap I've disarmed with my face, I suppose.
[ moving easily with the tug on his horn, partially because it's attached to his skull so it's not like he's planning on going anywhere else without it, shifting an arm to hold himself up across his shoulders so he can lean down into a kiss, reaching his free hand up to viktor's cheek - pressing the thumb against the mole there. ]
[His hand moves away from the horn as Lucien leans in, and it loops around to tangle into the hair at the back of Lucien's neck.
He smiles momentarily into the kiss because Lucien is an idiot, and even though he wants to voice this, his mouth becomes too preoccupied to do it. The first few kisses were new and awkward and exploratory. He still isn't great at it, but getting your first actual kiss from a fish dude under curse duress when the fish dude is decent at it really gives you a crash course, and what rules are there for kissing anyway.
This one is slower, longer, a kiss for learning Lucien and maybe learning himself, like opening a door and stepping in rather than simply standing on the outside.]
[ he is an idiot, but unfortunately he is a beautiful idiot so he gets away with absolutely everything. maybe that's his entire fucking problem.
there's no rules in kissing though and viktor's had a good beginner's curse-induced crash course. lucien is probably slightly less sharp thank a shark guy overall. he is also very practiced (whore) - but he's not trying to push anywhere too far or too fast. to be perfectly honest it's been a while for him and he doesn't mind the exploring, scientific study nature of it. if viktor learns anything it's that under all the hissing and spitting then lucien is probably a bit on the romantic side. it goes hand in hand with the theatrics. ]
[There is a forked, pierced tongue and fangs in his mouth right now, Lucien is definitely only slightly less sharp than the shark.
Knowing Lucien has a squishy center is half the reason Viktor bullies him so badly.
For what it's worth, going slow gradually builds Viktor's confidence. He figures out what he's supposed to do with his mouth and, more importantly, what he's supposed to do with his hands. He can kiss and twine Lucien's hair in his fingers, scratch his nails on the base of Lucien's scalp; he can kiss and feel Lucien's throat threaded with scars, fist his hand into Lucien's shirt and keep him there.]
[ he doesn't leave hickies but imagine if he did you'd have to go back and retcon his body in trial. you'd have to go comment there now that you were wrong and have amendments to make.
murmuring approval whenever viktor does something he likes, shifting to let him do whatever he'd like, encouraging, the pulse at his throat thrumming under his fingers. he runs a hand over viktor's waist - over the brace, fingers tracing the patterns of leather and metal, gentle, curious more than anything.
he can't really help but grin once the hand fists into his shirt, pressing himself closer at that - like it's an invitation. pulling back to take a break to catch his breath, and also because he can't stand not hearing the sound of his own voice for that long. reaching over to tuck some of viktor's hair behind an ear, the tips of his claws playing at the back of his neck. ]
[STOP!!!! not any worse than nu telling me at 11:55 am saturday there may be a hickey from the curse
It's like people can just turn their brains off when they make out, and this is wild to him as someone who never turns his brain off at all. Immediately, he gets embarrassed when Lucien leans back and he realizes that's exactly what happened. He actually blushes.
Trying to inconspicuously release Lucien's shirt...... He lowers his other hand to rest it on Lucien's forearm.
We can't all be experts in how to keep our mouths busy...
[ he's purple so he doesn't have to suffer from the curse of being caught turning funny colors when he gets embarrassed. that's good, right? turning it off and back on again is good for a nice reboot.
he thinks that is very cute so he'd like to keep making him embarrased, reaching up to cup his chin in a hand, clicking his tongue at him. ]
I don't know what you're accusing me of here, I was always a very focused student.
[The fact it does continue to make him embarrassed means he is looking a little again like he might want to try biting.]
Focused on talking?
[He tries to push down playfully on the hand with his chin.]
You were definitely the type to sit behind me at the Academy and try distracting me, or try to get me to give you the answers even though you knew them already if you would just read the exam.
[ holding his hand there tighter for a moment as a little show of force before letting him go, winding the hand into the back of his hair instead - half-grinning at him.
this isn't actually true, he was an obsessive to the point of mentor figures begging him to please fucking relax a little which is honestly hilarious in a blood hunter context. like we know you want to pass this potentially deadly test of skill where you use your blood as magic and drink poison but have you considered gardening or taking a nice walk outside because you're stressing everyone around you out. but that's fine. he likes this version of himself that isn't wound so tightly on anxiety it's possible to do things like tease a friend during an exam (a regular, written one instead of shoving teens into owlbear caves). in a perfect world he probably would be. ]
Only because you'd be ruining the curve otherwise. It's for the greater good.
He tips his head back just slightly, like he's resting it against the hand even if his head is on the bed already. Lucien gets a look of playful exasperation, but his hand rises to brush the fingertips on the side of Lucien's face. They catch down on Lucien's neck, and he pulls Lucien's head to his neck and chest, careful of the horns.
Both arms loop around Lucien's shoulders. He hugs him, holds him. Have either of them had a hug in a long time?]
If it happens again, we're going to end up being late and stuck in the hallway, and Throne will worry.
he snorts a bit of amusement at both the expression and being pulled into the hug, but he moves easily into it - settling in, winding his free arm around his waist in return. no, he has not had a hug in a very long time. ]
[Have a skeleton-feeling hug then. Actually, I think this was the week he was starting to put on weight again maybe it isn't so skeleton-y. He fiddles idly with the ends of Lucien's hair, always needing the hands to be busy.]
I don't know who else will be there besides Temenos, [he says conversationally by Lucien's ear,] so... time to put on your "I love people" face.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
there is something about the possibility of being stabbed in his sleep that is so relaxing. he really will sleep for at least a short while, long enough for viktor to fix the coat in peace maybe, actually looking relaxed for once in his life. just to rub it in about viktor's bad back, lucien is definitely the type of guy who can sleep in any wildly contorted position and be just fine. 20 Dex privileges. ]
no subject
He's studying the pieces that don't, unable to imagine what it must be like to wake up in your body having it been changed. The caps, the holes in the horns, the pieces of tattoos slithering out of the clothes. He almost dozes off himself, but the ping of his IRIS stirs him. Checking in.
He puts the coat over to the side and carefully sits up, wincing. Feels like every single vertebrae is stiff, thanks. He leans over on one hand and reaches out to card his fingers through the front of Lucien's hair. Wakey wakey.]
Lucien?
no subject
he's groggy, half-awake from the IRIS ping anyway, groaning at him and twisting to press his face into one of the pillows. it's not cute!!! ]
no subject
He can't keep the amused smirk off his face. He lets Lucien grumble and roll over. He has more hair this time to card his fingers through, but it's more gentle, as if he isn't necessarily trying to wake Lucien up this time.]
Throne wants to meet at the food court. We still have a little while. You can keep sleeping.
no subject
[ why did any of them make this decision in retrospect. he's okay with laying here and having his hair pet, it feels kind of nice - he'll turn enough to glance an eye up at him and be able to talk. ]
I'm awake now.
no subject
He smiles somewhat sheepishly and pauses to draw his hand back.]
I could always explain to you how the steam hydrolic system of the Hexgate towers function... You'll go right back to sleep.
no subject
he's not moving yet, just watching him - snorting a bit at the joke. hopefully a joke. ]
You could do that.
no subject
Viktor laughs, short and light.] I finished your coat. It's on the bed. [For when Lucien gets ready to leave to sneak into the food court with him last minute.
He twists around and stretches out beside Lucien on the bed, lying the same direction, but on his back. He rests his arms on his stomach.]
No refunds.
no subject
[ not unless it's a cursed hexgate tower, no.
sitting up on his elbows, leaning over. ]
Are you going to bite me again?
no subject
Maybe... [Threat.] Are you trying to kiss me immediately after you've woken up?
no subject
[ threat. ]
Deciding if it's worth the risk.
no subject
But death was so close it had been breathing down the back of his neck. He doesn't know how close death is here doing the same. He thinks about Throne telling him, You only have one life. You can live it however you want, but you don't get a second try. Not like lucky Lucien, getting another go.
He reaches out toward Lucien, hesitates. Then wraps his fingers around the end of one horn to pull Lucien toward himself.]
When have you ever been worried about the risks...?
no subject
Not the first trap I've disarmed with my face, I suppose.
[ moving easily with the tug on his horn, partially because it's attached to his skull so it's not like he's planning on going anywhere else without it, shifting an arm to hold himself up across his shoulders so he can lean down into a kiss, reaching his free hand up to viktor's cheek - pressing the thumb against the mole there. ]
no subject
He smiles momentarily into the kiss because Lucien is an idiot, and even though he wants to voice this, his mouth becomes too preoccupied to do it. The first few kisses were new and awkward and exploratory. He still isn't great at it, but getting your first actual kiss from a fish dude under curse duress when the fish dude is decent at it really gives you a crash course, and what rules are there for kissing anyway.
This one is slower, longer, a kiss for learning Lucien and maybe learning himself, like opening a door and stepping in rather than simply standing on the outside.]
no subject
there's no rules in kissing though and viktor's had a good beginner's curse-induced crash course. lucien is probably slightly less sharp thank a shark guy overall. he is also very practiced (whore) - but he's not trying to push anywhere too far or too fast. to be perfectly honest it's been a while for him and he doesn't mind the exploring, scientific study nature of it. if viktor learns anything it's that under all the hissing and spitting then lucien is probably a bit on the romantic side. it goes hand in hand with the theatrics. ]
no subject
Knowing Lucien has a squishy center is half the reason Viktor bullies him so badly.
For what it's worth, going slow gradually builds Viktor's confidence. He figures out what he's supposed to do with his mouth and, more importantly, what he's supposed to do with his hands. He can kiss and twine Lucien's hair in his fingers, scratch his nails on the base of Lucien's scalp; he can kiss and feel Lucien's throat threaded with scars, fist his hand into Lucien's shirt and keep him there.]
no subject
murmuring approval whenever viktor does something he likes, shifting to let him do whatever he'd like, encouraging, the pulse at his throat thrumming under his fingers. he runs a hand over viktor's waist - over the brace, fingers tracing the patterns of leather and metal, gentle, curious more than anything.
he can't really help but grin once the hand fists into his shirt, pressing himself closer at that - like it's an invitation. pulling back to take a break to catch his breath, and also because he can't stand not hearing the sound of his own voice for that long. reaching over to tuck some of viktor's hair behind an ear, the tips of his claws playing at the back of his neck. ]
Quick learner.
no subject
It's like people can just turn their brains off when they make out, and this is wild to him as someone who never turns his brain off at all. Immediately, he gets embarrassed when Lucien leans back and he realizes that's exactly what happened. He actually blushes.
Trying to inconspicuously release Lucien's shirt...... He lowers his other hand to rest it on Lucien's forearm.
We can't all be experts in how to keep our mouths busy...
no subject
he thinks that is very cute so he'd like to keep making him embarrased, reaching up to cup his chin in a hand, clicking his tongue at him. ]
I don't know what you're accusing me of here, I was always a very focused student.
no subject
Focused on talking?
[He tries to push down playfully on the hand with his chin.]
You were definitely the type to sit behind me at the Academy and try distracting me, or try to get me to give you the answers even though you knew them already if you would just read the exam.
no subject
this isn't actually true, he was an obsessive to the point of mentor figures begging him to please fucking relax a little which is honestly hilarious in a blood hunter context. like we know you want to pass this potentially deadly test of skill where you use your blood as magic and drink poison but have you considered gardening or taking a nice walk outside because you're stressing everyone around you out. but that's fine. he likes this version of himself that isn't wound so tightly on anxiety it's possible to do things like tease a friend during an exam (a regular, written one instead of shoving teens into owlbear caves). in a perfect world he probably would be. ]
Only because you'd be ruining the curve otherwise. It's for the greater good.
no subject
He tips his head back just slightly, like he's resting it against the hand even if his head is on the bed already. Lucien gets a look of playful exasperation, but his hand rises to brush the fingertips on the side of Lucien's face. They catch down on Lucien's neck, and he pulls Lucien's head to his neck and chest, careful of the horns.
Both arms loop around Lucien's shoulders. He hugs him, holds him. Have either of them had a hug in a long time?]
If it happens again, we're going to end up being late and stuck in the hallway, and Throne will worry.
no subject
he snorts a bit of amusement at both the expression and being pulled into the hug, but he moves easily into it - settling in, winding his free arm around his waist in return. no, he has not had a hug in a very long time. ]
Well, we wouldn't want that.
no subject
I don't know who else will be there besides Temenos, [he says conversationally by Lucien's ear,] so... time to put on your "I love people" face.
[SO MANY PEOPLE WERE THERE.]
no subject
I adore people. I love being crowded into a small area with a great deal of them who are all asking questions about my health.
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)