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On Your Mark [closed] - Printable Version

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On Your Mark [closed] - skiesofpurple - 09-01-2020

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RE: On Your Mark - skiesofpurple - 09-01-2020

When they'd concocted this whole scheme to get out of some unfortunate circumstances originating from their home planet, Leon and Noel had know that it'd most likely result in some time apart. It didn't have to, but they'd both agreed that it'd probably be for the best that Noel would take on the brunt of the "favors" they have to perform. It was, after all, what she was best at. What Leon hadn't thought through nearly enough was that this would result in him spending much more time without his sister than he'd be comfortable with. Considering the circumstances, they weren't even in the same room.

So that was how he found himself sitting at the bar in Farendajo while his sister got fucked with elsewhere.

Xotll was great about it. Or, as great as she could be. She knew what boundaries were and wouldn't cross his, but she kept trying to engage him in conversation so that he "wouldn't feel lonely" which was fine but it wasn't what he was good at. Luckily some other customers had arrived further down the bar so her attention was more divided. She'd still occasionally come over to check how he was doing on his drink which was how he somehow ended up being her official taste tester for the night as she fed him different alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages to see if he could guess their names and home planets. Considering that he'd regularly attended fairly high-class parties as both an attendant and a performer on his home planet, he wasn't that bad, but it was still pretty 50-50. She was delighted whether he got it right or wrong, at least, and didn't seem to be trying to get him drunk on purpose.

By the time he reached drink 5 he was still mostly sober and mind-numbingly bored. He really needed to start bringing a book or a data pad to these playdates so that he could actually feel accomplished instead of looking like a day drinking alcoholic in an anti-cops underground establishment. He did not have the complexion to pull that off. Or sense of style. Or anything, really. All he could really do about it was start into his bubbling, smoking, and quietly whistling beverage and contemplate running back to their place really quickly to grab his data pad full well knowing he would never do that because he didn't want to leave the building his sister was in until she did which was at an unforeseen point in the future. In short, he was stuck here.

RE: On Your Mark [closed] - SolitareLee - 09-01-2020

Technically speaking, Kari didn't exclusively work for Grilka, or anything. Monogamy had never been part of their friendship, in any number of ways. But Grilka really didn't leave him in the need to take other jobs; his days of regular old mercenary work were over. Occasionally, a job would catch his ear and he'd dole out some more literally karmic justice of his own liking, but it wasn't common in the least. Like a trophy wife--or a trophy assassin, in this case--he was a comfortably kept man. He spent most of his new free time working his way through the seven deadly sins, which suited him better than mercenary work ever had.

Still. He did keep his ear to the ground. Not all his connections were laced through Grilka--although he supposed, by merit of being connected to him, they kind of were now--and he loved being able to present em with a useful tidbit. Ey knew all his favorite rewards.

Surprisingly, it had been a semi-legitimate job that caught his eye, this time. A personal contract, although just from the feel of it, he could tell it was probably sent out to a number of would-be bounty hunter types. The type, like him, who didn't really care how legitimate the bounty was. But it had been the customer--he always researched his clients, no matter how much they might prefer privacy--that had been really peculiar. Rasmodians didn't normally really involve themselves in that kind of thing, particularly not ones from the religious caste. He'd smelled a story, and got to digging. A good thing he had, too, or someone else might have snatched up the job first.

Well. Someone still might have. But that didn't really matter, now that he knew what was going on.

It had been Xotll, he thought, or maybe Ix--everyone did blur together a little when he'd had a lot to drink--who'd mentioned, in passing, Grilka's new friends. And he did mean new, not even a week on the station yet. They sure new how to make their friends well, and fast. Smart little bastards, probably, smarter than him. He just sort of tripped into things, like this. He was The Witness and not The Very Skilled And Intelligent Individual for a reason, honestly. He just saw things, that was all. Simple as.

Like right now, he just happened to see his technical mark sitting at the bar in Farendajo, nursing a remarkably complicated cocktail in the middle of the day cycle. Sitting in Kari's seat, too, and just as oblivious as Kari had been about what was going to swoop down on him. Kari did love a good ironic parallel. Not that he had anything on Grilka in the swooping department.

With the kind of quiet that people found unsettling after they realized he was wearing stiletto heels, Kari slid gracefully onto the stool directly next to the person he knew to be Leon Zanders, who was apparently smart enough to hang out in Farendajo and not wander around the station while he was still wanted under suspicious of Grand Theft Everything. Besides the stilettos, which he hooked under the stool, Kari was wearing little else besides a sleeveless hot pink mini-dress--a little ostentatious, maybe, but cute for the middle of the day, he thought. The way it flared out under the waist gave him the illusion of hips he didn't have, although the ass was no illusion. His hair was pulled back into loose ponytails, just in case he ran into Grilka and ey needed something to fiddle with that wasn't his dick.

"A strawberry mojito, please," he called out to Xotll despite the fact she was making someone else's drink. He'd gotten better at figuring out what was easy for her to make; her hands were more suited to muddling mint than cracking eggs. He glanced sidelong at the fizzing, quietly whistling drink of the man next to him. "Or maybe I should have just ordered what you're having."

RE: On Your Mark [closed] - skiesofpurple - 09-01-2020

Leon idly watched the seconds climb higher on the timer function of his wrist communicator. So far, the drink had been whistling, bubbling, and steaming for 5 minutes uninterrupted. He'd tasted it early on and discovered that, despite being clear (aside from the bubbles), it had a viscus texture and tasted like a fruit salad passed by plain gelatin created with vodka. Like any sane individual, he'd decided that he'd time how long it kept whistling (and steaming, and bubbling) instead of drinking it.

From the rate it was going, that probably would have entertained him for a good half an hour, but at around 12 minutes and 47 seconds, someone slid into the seat next to him and started talking. Ah, shit, and they also talked to him. He probably would have just ignored them like he did with the last couple people, but the mention of his drink had him immediately shaking his head and saying,

"Please don't. She broke 3 glasses making this one. There's- ah," he paused, not sure how to describe the process, "a dance involved." If pressed for details, he'd probably say it looked something like a shimmy and twirl she did while using the cocktail shaker. It looked as if the twirl was supposed to end with her gracefully pouring the liquid into the glass, but the first time she attempted it she only succeeded at chucking the damn thing at said glass so hard both the shaker and shards got a good 20 feet away. It had been an experience. She'd insisted on trying again. He didn't know how to ask for a different drink without hurting her feelings.

"I'd offer you mine, but it's the only thing keeping her from making me another drink. They've been getting more complicated." And he was somewhat terrified that the next one would involve the blowtorch he absolutely knew she had behind the counter.

At his accidental offer, Leon finally looked at his new bar neighbor. The first thing he noticed was pink. The second was that was a nice dress, maybe something Noel might like. Maybe not in that exact color, but something like it. Although she'd wanted to steer more away from dresses lately to prevent public fondling. Which made him remember where she was. Being privately fondled. Which he'd been trying not to think about. His gaze shifted back to his wrist communicator, watching the seconds tick by. The drink was still whistling. Maybe if he downed it like a shot he could ignore the texture? He was pretty sure this one was alcoholic so maybe he'd earn back his lost buzz.

RE: On Your Mark [closed] - SolitareLee - 09-01-2020

"Ah," Kari said, nodding in instantaneous understanding. "She's practicing."

Xotll took pride in relatively few things, in the grand scheme of thing, but she took her job as bartender/proprietress remarkably seriously. No one had seemingly ever told her it had probably been a job-in-name-only because Grilka couldn't legally own businesses in Terran Allied Space. Or maybe they had, but she wanted to be good at in anyway. She had a lexicon of drinks from a hundred different planets. Some of them were radioactive. She was a very good bartender, really.

"When I first came in here," Kari informed him, "I made the mistake of ordering a Pink Lady. It's got egg whites. I felt so bad watching her try to crack chicken eggs that I wound up doing tequila shots for the rest of the night." Kari thought back to that night, idly. "Not the best decision, objectively."

He eyed the proffered drink, which looked kind of like gelatinous soda and smelled strongly of vodka. Xotll, mercifully, picked that moment to deliver Kari's drink, and gave Leon a very enthusiastic and not at all subtle thumbs up. Given that this was accompanied by Leon equally unsubtly checking Kari out, it was starting to paint a remarkably unexpected picture.

Honestly. If he weren't a Rasmodian, Kari would think he was trying very badly to get laid. But Kari had been to their home planet, and had gotten a remarkably evocative look for Rasmodian culture and, uh, tastes. It wasn't for him, and he was quite sure he wasn't for them, either, given that he wasn't an identical twin.

"The last person to sit there and offer me drinks," he pointed out, "did a better job with both. Although I suppose sit is a strong word. Ey been in to haze you yet?" He knew ey had, or he wouldn't have given up the game. "Still have any dignity left? Or is that why you're drinking a glass full of fizzing vodka jello?"

RE: On Your Mark [closed] - skiesofpurple - 09-01-2020

"How much of the night do you remember?" He asked with idle curiosity. Getting drunk at a place like this at the bar wouldn't have been his idea of a good time. Especially not when giant snake monsters tend to appear when you least expect them.

Xotll's thumbs up decided him. She probably thought he'd been- nope. Not going there. He downed the full glass and shuddered at the feel of fizzing gelatin sliding down his throat. He should probably make Noel start giving him lessons on how to talk to people. It was practically impossible from her since conversation flowed so naturally and she understood him on such a basic level, but this wasn't their home planet. He couldn't get away with just being quiet in a corner all the time, especially since they'd be spending more days like this in the future. They needed to do something about this. If only he'd brought his fucking data pad.

"I-" No, wait, never mind. Probably best not to address that. He hadn't thought it had come off as a serious offer, but... Words, intentions. Difficult to express. "Vividly," Leon finally put down his glass and contemplated ordering shots himself instead of remaining at the mercy of Xotll's whims. On the other hand, he didn't want to get drunk. Not when he was already stuck in this conversation, "Our dignity is still under negotiations. Currently undergoing negotiations. Hmm," He tapped his finger against the bar, avoiding eye contact with the barmaid and hoping she was serving other customers somewhere and would forget about him for the time being, "My sister's is sold and being sampled, mine is being negotiation. It'll probably be on a contract basis. So, fizzing vodka jello."

Oh, shit, he could see her bounding his way. He really, really, really hoped this one wouldn't involve the blowtorch.

RE: On Your Mark [closed] - SolitareLee - 09-01-2020

"All of it," Kari said dryly. "Vividly. For better or worse." It wasn't the kind of experience one could forget. Grilka had that effect on people, probably especially most men, who were down a hole and therefore working at a disadvantage.

"Ah," Kari said. "So that's where your better half is." This wasn't presumption on his part. To date, every Rasmodian he'd met had considered their literal other half to be the better half, if they considered themselves separate at all. Galactic Standard wasn't the best at communicating some things. "Good decision, all told." He paused as Xotll came trotting up, looking enthusiastic.

"Xotll, darling," Kari said, all smiles. "I think our new friend here would love to try a Butterfly Limeade. The butterfly pea flower's come in by now, hasn't it?"

"Oh!" Xotll said, looking even more excited. "Yes! I was waiting for you, since you ordered it!"

"I'm more than willing to share with friends," Kari said, a grin that couldn't rival Grilka's showing off perfectly white teeth behind pink-stained lips.

"You're so generous, Kari!" Xotll praised--one of her finest qualities, in Kari-and-Grilka's opinions--and Kari tried not to visibly preen as Xotll scampered off to the special mini-fridge. He didn't try very hard.

"I was wondering what on the station could get a Rasmodian pair apart for any length of time," Kari mused. "Wouldn't have guessed sex. Didn't know you could even get a Rasmodian alone for that, and Grilka's not the type to insist, which means you guys are." Kari took a sip of his drink through a long, pink straw that was most certainly not standard for a mojito. "That's a new one. Well, at least she's safe there."

Xotll, in the distance, had begun steeping tea.

RE: On Your Mark [closed] - skiesofpurple - 09-02-2020

"Yeah. Must be hard to forget," Leon said while trying to forget his own experience. He hadn't even been the one in Grilka's clutches. You had to give it that, it certainly knew how to make an impression.

"Mmhm." That's why they made the call. They needed to play to their strengths with this relationship. Noel was much better equip to keep Grilka entertained enough to put up with any of Leon's conditions for whatever playtime the snake monster eventually came up with. But that was all concerns for the future. Right now, he was much more concerned about whatever Xotll would decide to concoct next. He didn't even think to hide his surprise when this stranger suddenly saved him whatever fate she'd push in front of him by suggesting a drink that sounded actually pleasant to drink.

"Uhh. Thank you," He offered, probably more awkwardly than intended. Did this count as this person buying him a drink? What was he supposed to do with that? "So, Kari?" That's what Xotll called her anyway. "I'm Leon."

Ah, fuck, this again. What was it with other species' obsession on whether or not every god damn twin pair fucked each other? "We don't all fuck our twins." Their boundaries certainly weren't hard enough that they'd never have sex with the other in the room. Often enough quite the opposite, especially if one of them needed a spotter just in case. But under these particular circumstances, with Leon not wanting to participate, it was best to let Noel give a private performance. She was so very good at them, after all. "Many of us don't directly, we- I'm trying not to think about this. That. Where she is."

Suddenly watching Xotll seep tea was very interesting. He was so focused on not thinking about his sister having sex that he completely missed that "safe" comment, which was usually something he was in charge of picking up on. Way to go, Leon.

RE: On Your Mark [closed] - SolitareLee - 09-02-2020

Kari watched, vaguely amused, as the man in question missed two not-very-subtle 'friend' drops and an indication that his sister was in danger. No Rasmodian would ignore that on purpose; if anything, one of them surviving a sibling death would be worse than dying from it, he was pretty sure.

He was just. Maybe kind of stupid.

Which was weird. Judging by the timeline of when their supposed crime took place, they'd been on Osiris for all of five seconds before bee-lining right for Grilka. That implied intelligence! And ability to know when shit was happening!

Maybe he really was distracted by the vague sensations of his other half being, if Kari knew Grilka, really dramatically sodomized. Maybe he was drunk. Either way, it was hard not to think about how easy a job this would be if the two of them hadn't been clever enough to go to Grilka. He'd just bought the man a drink, for pity's sake, and he hadn't even seemed suspicious.

But no. Being good. Being nice to friends, as he always was. Except when he tricked them horribly for a prank. He didn't think he'd be doing that. Well. He might. There was no telling; he did tend to follow his whims.

"So is it like a jealousy thing?" Kari wondered out loud. He didn't specify whether Leon should be jealous of Noel or Grilka. It could be either, or both. "You picked the wrong snake if that's an issue, to be honest. Not that you had much of a choice in the matter, right?"

RE: On Your Mark [closed] - skiesofpurple - 09-02-2020

"Jealous." Apparently they were still talking about this. Leon couldn't for the life of him figure out what he was supposed to be jealous of. All the sex his sister was having? It was less sex and more a performance to please an alien who liked to see how far a thing would bend before it showed signs of breaking. So, no, he wasn't jealous that she was with Grilka and he wasn't. Was he supposed to be jealous that he wasn't the one fucking his sister?

God fucking damn it this was no where NEAR what he wanted to be thinking about.

This was the whole god damn problem. The plan had been that he'd sit at the bar and just try the drinks he was offered. He didn't have to talk to anyone and he'd be safe at Grilka's. That was why they were here, that was why they made the deal in the first place! This was somewhere they could go without having to worry about people poking their noses around and trying to deport them back to their home planet to be strung up by their toes and shaken until all goods fell out. He was supposed to be the quiet one, but this person just kept talking to him and make him think about it and it was throwing him off!

Plus, she kept making strange comments. What the fuck did she know about the choices they had available? Fuck, and didn't they say something earlier about Noel being safe? Friends? Shit he was being goading into giving way too much information all because he was so goddamn distracted with- Nope. Breath. Focus. What would you tell Noel to do?

"Where are you going with this?" At least he probably looked calm throughout all this fucking nonsense. They'd spent too long working on their poker faces to be undone by some performance anxiety.

RE: On Your Mark [closed] - SolitareLee - 09-02-2020

Kari saw, with some satisfaction, something click into place behind Leon's eyes. It was subtle, because he didn't emote very much at all, but Kari wasn't Grilka's best accidental-death-witnesser for nothing. To be good at lying, you generally had to be better at it than anyone around you. Turned out, high stakes business training had some practical uses in life!

"Not hearing a no," Kari said, giving Leon's arm a sympathetic pat. "Well, you'll either get used to it or you won't. Try not to overthink it." As if he wasn't the source of all the overthinking.

"I'm just giving advice!" he said cheerfully, taking another sip from his bright pink mojito. "Totally unsolicited, obviously, but what else are friends for?" He tapped the side of his nose, and gave an obnoxiously cute wink. "For example, did you know this is still a public bar? Anyone can come in here. Sometimes people do, when the snake's busy in someone else's nest, when maybe they want to try stealing an egg or two themselves. Brave idiots, mostly, but it happens. That the snake would be very upset, doesn't do much good for the egg, does it?"

RE: On Your Mark [closed] - skiesofpurple - 09-03-2020

"I've been trying not to." They were adapting fine. It was just different, but he was done volunteering too much information when he wasn't sure what she wanted to get out of this. Regardless, they would adapt. They just needed to apply the skill they already had in different ways, adapt to some changes, get used to what was required of them and maybe they could build a life here. Better than the one they had before. Even if they did end up being kept pets, it was what they chose.

"Mmhm." Purely innocent advice between friends, he was sure. Leon let his eyes wander back to their wayward barkeep and was relieved to see that she seemed to be putting the finishing touches on whatever it was Kari ordered for him. Some kinda lemonade? At least this one didn't involve dancing. "Between us friends, if an egg wanted to solicit some advice, where would you recommend instead?" It's not like he had a ton of options. He couldn't stay too far away and he certainly didn't want to be in the same room, lest said snake became overenthusiastic in protecting it's investments.

Xotll finally finished and came over with his lemonade, chatting happily to them while setting it down in front of Leon. He admired the color for a moment before noticing that she hadn't wandered off. Instead, she was still standing in front of him, looking expectant. Did she expect him to guess with this too? "It's human. Right? Lemonade is human." He almost had to bite his tongue not to add an 'obviously' at the end there. She meant well. "I am curious what gives it the color. You two were talking about flowers?"

RE: On Your Mark [closed] - SolitareLee - 09-03-2020

"Well, if I were an egg in dire need of protection, I might consider asking my new, big, scary friend for a favor in the form of a highly secure apartment in a complex that ey definitely has no connections with, where perhaps only the most skilled of egg-thieves could even track you down. I might also consider doing it quickly, like, say, today."

Leon and Noel, being new, probably hadn't yet realized the long web of favors that kept Grilka's investments rather permanently involved with em. Kari was just... helping them along! Well. Helping em along, not that ey needed it. He preferred Grilka in a good mood, and ey always liked new toys, and would be very cross if someone other than Kari got an idea in their head to rob the nest. Some off-station idiot, probably, who thought he could run from a Krotazi.

Kari watched in amusement as Xotll excitedly waited for Leon to try the drink.

"Butterfly pea flowers," Kari interjected, since he'd been the source and the demand of the powder. "Still grown on earth, and a few other places, due to their use in a few holy rituals. They're edible by themselves, but more commonly used in teas, rice, baking, and the like." He tapped the rim of Leon's class with the tip of one pointed acrylic nail. "It's bright, vivid blue on its own, but when it's mixed with other things, like lemons, it creates a beautiful color-changing effect. Pink-purple, in this case." He didn't feel the need to point out he'd ordered just because it somewhat matched the man's skin tone. It seemed obvious. He liked to color-code.

"It looks beautiful, Xotll," he praised, and she glowed. "I can't believe it's your first time making it! We're all so lucky to have such a skilled bartender." He delighted in the way she blushed, pushing one hand against a blushing cheek and waving him off as she scampered a few feet away, embarrassed. It wasn't the way Grilka liked embarrassing her, but he was nicer than em, in a sense.

"It's also supposed to be a female aphrodisiac," he added, after Leon had taken a sip. "But I don't see that really coming up."

RE: On Your Mark [closed] - skiesofpurple - 09-13-2020

"That bad, huh?" Damn it, he really should have brought his data pad with him. Leon's eyes wandered over in the direction Noel had disappeared in. She was safe, at least, but he had no way of knowing how much longer he'd need to wait for her or even what state she'd be in when Grilka was finished with her. He felt the piece of him that was her missing more keenly than ever, what with the paranoia and anxieties rearing their ugly heads. Kari was right. It was fucking stupid of them to just leave him out here at the bar, exposed, especially when they'd known a bounty would be posted sooner rather than later.

He was drawn from his spiraling thoughts at the reminder that he still had a freshly prepared drink in front of him that both didn't contain alcohol and wouldn't trigger his gag reflex. He took a sip to appease Xotll and so she'd finally stop staring at him like that. Maybe she'd even go serve some other guests, eventually, but Kari seemed to be having fun with her for now.

"Tangy, sweet." Certainly better than the other drink. "Does the color also change the flavor at all?" It'd been a while since he'd tried lemonade before, he couldn't remember if this was how it always tasted, but it seemed about right. And, yes, he couldn't help but notice that the drink wasn't too far from matching his skin as he held the glass. Noel would get a kick out of this, if she was here. He'd probably ask if they could make her some later.

Leon was relieved when Xotll was finally embarrassed away. She was a sweet thing, really, and he made and effort to talk to her, but it was just. Difficult. Not his forte. Kari clearly didn't have that same problem. And, with that last comment slipping out just as he was taking a second sip, he acknowledged that Kari had quirks all his own.

"You just can't help yourself." Leon was beginning to realize, having successfully taken a sip without spitting it all over the countertop. Kari certainly wasn't the first to try and pull something like that on him. He couldn't help but wonder if, now that Kari had warned him and tried to embarrass him, if she would wander off to find better company somewhere else. It's not like they actually knew each other, mutual "friends" aside, and surely someone who came here dressed like that had better plans than sitting at a bar with a mark waiting to happen. Well. Couldn't hurt to just fucking ask. "What's your plan now? I appreciate the advice, but you don't have to babysit me. Hmm, sorry, eggsit." He said, very seriously. So serious. Promise.

RE: On Your Mark [closed] - SolitareLee - 09-13-2020

"Not great, yeah!" he said cheerfully. "I have a bit of a sixth sense about when people will be having accidents, you know. It's why Grilka keeps me around," he informed Leon cheerfully. "I happen to know for a fact the most successful assassin on the station was contacted. Can't be too safe about these things."

Kari took a long sip from his drink as he watched Leon drink with the unmistakable air of someone who didn't realize how alcoholic a drink was. This could be fun! Well, more fun.

"Here, I'm a lemonade aficionado," he told Leon, and leaned over to take a sip from the drink, leaving a faint pink ring of lipstick on the rim. "Mmm, not really. Too many other flavors. As a tea, it's a bit woody, earthy, not unlike a mild green tea, but with that much sweetener and lemon, you really can't taste it at all. Neat!" You also couldn't taste the alcohol at all, which was Kari's own preference for pretty drinks.

"I help myself all the time," Kari said with a grin. "But I'm trying to be polite. We just met! As for my plans, well." He flounced his hair carelessly. "I'm not normally enlisted as an eggsitter, but my reputation is probably a bit more widespread than yours, so it's not really a bad idea. Also, my plans for the afternoon are what they always are, which is general hedonism. This is as good a place for it as any. Also, you're probably going to be the first one to know when Grilka is unoccupied, and ey need to know someone's stupid enough to try gunning for one of eir pets."