[ tseng is indeed offering. wise of alan to take him up on it, when just like his liquor and his bedsheets, his tobacco is good-quality too—creature comforts of the queen rank.
he rolls to the side to dig in the drawer of his nightstand and withdraws a pack of cigarettes with a lighter inside, which he offers to alan first. ]
[ so, both. he doesn't offer assistance with the lighter—alan is smart, he'll figure it out and would probably be offended by the implication that he couldn't—and after a moment tseng's inaction is rewarded when alan does indeed manage to get his cigarette lit. tseng puts his hand out to take back both cigarettes and lighter, lights his own, and then deposits the whole lot into the nightstand so he can lean back against the pillows and take a deep drag.
he wasn't lying when he said this was an indulgence for him. tseng, for all that his life expectancy is low, tends to take good care of his health and fitness. but indeed, sometimes the sex or the tobacco is so good that he feels like it's worth it—this being one of those times. ]
[ are you saying cigarettes are bad for you??? that sounds fake, tseng, the adverts say they're healthy
A look of pleasure -- so satisfied it verges on smug -- crosses Alan's face, and he settles in to smoke. There's a pleasant clarity settling in, half from the cigarette, half post-coital. ]
In a bit, if that's all right. I'm enjoying looking at you.
[ especially given the equally carefree way tseng's own gaze sweeps along alan's bare body, appreciating anew the shape of him now that they're no longer in the heat of the moment. he really is attractive, not least of all when he's post-coital and lazy in tseng's sheets, and the sight of him makes tseng feel warm all over, although the lazy spark of arousal isn't quite enough to spur him to action again.
although tseng obviously respects alan's feelings re: kissing, he can't help but feel it's a shame they can't do some indulgent making out right now. ]
[ Being riled by Tseng is a pleasure in turn; Alan only wishes he knew more about Tseng so he could give back with a little more specificity. It's nice to feel like they can be friends, as well as fuck. ]
[ oh, they have plenty of time for alan to learn the ways to rile tseng up. not least of all because alan doesn't seem like the type to back down from a challenge, and getting a rise out of a man with self-control like tseng's is indeed a challenge. ]
I don't know what it was that gave it away. [ maybe all the ranting about class issues. ] "In a while"?
Mm. [ He looks around for an ashtray; even he can't quite bring himself to ash on Tseng's carpet. It also means he has someplace to look that isn't Tseng's face when he continues. ] Only did it for a few months.
[ It isn't that he's ashamed of it, exactly. But it is ... embarrassing. He glances over at Tseng with a wry smile. ]
[ there is one, on tseng's side of the bed, and he passes it wordlessly to alan when he sees him glancing around. although tseng himself doesn't have much regard for the resort's property, he'd also rather not have ash in his carpets.
as for being a thief, well. it doesn't seem to bother tseng any, nor does he seem to find it embarrassing. some of his best people were thieves first, after all. he just lifts a shoulder, thoughtful. ]
Fair enough. If you think you'd like to take it up again, just let me know.
Well, skimming off the house is a bit different than housebreaking. Might get me thrown out of the casino, but it probably won't get a gun pointed at my face.
[ God he misses Jack. ]
You're full of things to teach, aren't you? Card sharping, sex ....
[ not least of all because they don't even have guns here! ]
Probably won't even get you thrown out, if you pace yourself. The trick is not to let them know you're doing it at all.
[ tseng taps his own cigarette into the ashtray and then sets it on the sheets between them. they're already a mess, after all, no need to be precious about getting ash on them. ]
Maybe even more than that. Is there a skill you've always wanted to learn?
[ Alan pauses, looking at the glowing end of his cigarette, and then shakes his head with a small smile. ]
I don't think you can teach me magic, Tseng.
[ Widogast is scratching that particular itch, even though it's slow going -- excruciating for a man who used to be top of his class, quick to pick up his lessons. ]
But what about you? Anything you've always wanted to learn?
[ another quirked eyebrow from tseng, this one accompanied by a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. ]
What makes you think I can't teach you magic? [ nonetheless, after a moment tseng is forced to admit, ] It probably wouldn't be the kind of magic you want to learn, though.
[ although there's certainly an element of skill to the use of materia, tseng is aware by now that when most people say "magic" they mean something broader than the elemental magic to which materia grants access. not to mention that tseng himself only has access to two orbs, here. ]
Something I've always wanted to learn... [ thoughtful pause, while tseng takes another drag. ] An artistic skill, maybe. An instrument, painting, something like that.
[ Alan looks genuinely startled for a second, and then laughs. ]
For God's sake, are you another magician? Can't throw a rock without hitting one of you lot.
[ To be fair, he isn't sure why he thought Tseng isn't a magician; maybe just assumed that it would have been obvious, the way it was quickly obvious that Tseng likes men and likes being in control. ]
Thank God there's something you can't do already. Not that I can teach you to draw. Closest I could do is forge your signature.
[ it's always such a delight to be able to surprise alan at all. ]
I can do magic, but I wouldn't call myself a magician, [ tseng says. ] Magic can be done by anyone in my world, as long as you have a materia and enough mana to perform the spell. I'll show you sometime if you'd like, but I only have two materia here so my list of spells is short.
[ but lightning spells are mad satisfying so alan might like to try them out anyway! and if nothing else, the assess materia can teach him all kinds of useful things about tseng's erogenous zones and kinks... ]
I'm sure there are plenty of things I can't do besides art and music, but if you want to teach me the art of forging signatures in exchange for lightning magic I'd take that deal.
[ still smoking, and still wholly nude, tseng climbs out of bed (careful not to upset the ashtray as he goes) and makes his way across the room to where a leather wristband sits in a shallow dish atop the dresser. a moment of fiddling later and tseng turns to come back, bringing with him a yellow orb the size of a large marble, maybe, glowing with an internal light.
tseng rejoins alan in bed and holds the materia up on his palm, offering it to alan to touch if he wants. he'll find it cool to the touch, but if alan has any capacity for magic at all he'll also find it a little bit like soda fizz. static lingering in the air around it. ]
This is a materia. It's a crystallization of the elemental power of the planet I come from. Mana is the... internal source of power that I use to cast spells with it.
[ it's actually called "mp" in game but it was too cringe for me to have tseng refer out loud to having a magic points value. ]
Alan takes a last drag on his cigarette and stubs it out in the ashtray, so he can use both hands in examining the materia. (Seems as though it should be a materium, many materia, but what does he know.) He takes it from Tseng's palm and holds it up in front of his eyes, turning it slowly. ]
It's ... [ Frowning, he squeezes it slightly and shivers. ] It tingles.
[ contemplating the correct singular of a latin-rooted word, on the other hand, is definitely not nerd shit. alan's probably not wrong about it, though.
the corner of tseng's lips twitches up, and he nods. ]
This one is an Assess materia. In a combat situation it would give me insight into an opponent's strengths and weaknesses, elemental affinities, and so on.
[ but because tseng has already used the materia once in the resort, he knows that isn't all it does here. ]
In the resort, it has an added "bonus" of letting you see a partner's kinks and erogenous zones. [ and, for clarity, ] My offer is to let you use it on me.
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he rolls to the side to dig in the drawer of his nightstand and withdraws a pack of cigarettes with a lighter inside, which he offers to alan first. ]
I don't always. Just when it's good enough.
[ a smile, almost a smirk. ]
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[ Alan sits up tailor-style, accepting the cigarettes and lighter, and only fumbles with the latter for a minute before getting a cigarette lit. ]
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Yes.
[ so, both. he doesn't offer assistance with the lighter—alan is smart, he'll figure it out and would probably be offended by the implication that he couldn't—and after a moment tseng's inaction is rewarded when alan does indeed manage to get his cigarette lit. tseng puts his hand out to take back both cigarettes and lighter, lights his own, and then deposits the whole lot into the nightstand so he can lean back against the pillows and take a deep drag.
he wasn't lying when he said this was an indulgence for him. tseng, for all that his life expectancy is low, tends to take good care of his health and fitness. but indeed, sometimes the sex or the tobacco is so good that he feels like it's worth it—this being one of those times. ]
Will you want to wash up?
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A look of pleasure -- so satisfied it verges on smug -- crosses Alan's face, and he settles in to smoke. There's a pleasant clarity settling in, half from the cigarette, half post-coital. ]
In a bit, if that's all right. I'm enjoying looking at you.
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[ especially given the equally carefree way tseng's own gaze sweeps along alan's bare body, appreciating anew the shape of him now that they're no longer in the heat of the moment. he really is attractive, not least of all when he's post-coital and lazy in tseng's sheets, and the sight of him makes tseng feel warm all over, although the lazy spark of arousal isn't quite enough to spur him to action again.
although tseng obviously respects alan's feelings re: kissing, he can't help but feel it's a shame they can't do some indulgent making out right now. ]
Remind me, do you count cards?
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Arrogant prick. No, I don't count cards. Not that I should be telling you that, giving away advantages. Why?
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I was going to offer to teach you. It seemed like you'd enjoy stealing from the casino.
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Am I that obvious?
[ He takes a thoughtful drag on his cigarette. ]
I haven't been a thief in a while.
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I don't know what it was that gave it away. [ maybe all the ranting about class issues. ] "In a while"?
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[ It isn't that he's ashamed of it, exactly. But it is ... embarrassing. He glances over at Tseng with a wry smile. ]
I promised my ma I'd stop.
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as for being a thief, well. it doesn't seem to bother tseng any, nor does he seem to find it embarrassing. some of his best people were thieves first, after all. he just lifts a shoulder, thoughtful. ]
Fair enough. If you think you'd like to take it up again, just let me know.
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[ God he misses Jack. ]
You're full of things to teach, aren't you? Card sharping, sex ....
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Probably won't even get you thrown out, if you pace yourself. The trick is not to let them know you're doing it at all.
[ tseng taps his own cigarette into the ashtray and then sets it on the sheets between them. they're already a mess, after all, no need to be precious about getting ash on them. ]
Maybe even more than that. Is there a skill you've always wanted to learn?
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I don't think you can teach me magic, Tseng.
[ Widogast is scratching that particular itch, even though it's slow going -- excruciating for a man who used to be top of his class, quick to pick up his lessons. ]
But what about you? Anything you've always wanted to learn?
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What makes you think I can't teach you magic? [ nonetheless, after a moment tseng is forced to admit, ] It probably wouldn't be the kind of magic you want to learn, though.
[ although there's certainly an element of skill to the use of materia, tseng is aware by now that when most people say "magic" they mean something broader than the elemental magic to which materia grants access. not to mention that tseng himself only has access to two orbs, here. ]
Something I've always wanted to learn... [ thoughtful pause, while tseng takes another drag. ] An artistic skill, maybe. An instrument, painting, something like that.
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For God's sake, are you another magician? Can't throw a rock without hitting one of you lot.
[ To be fair, he isn't sure why he thought Tseng isn't a magician; maybe just assumed that it would have been obvious, the way it was quickly obvious that Tseng likes men and likes being in control. ]
Thank God there's something you can't do already. Not that I can teach you to draw. Closest I could do is forge your signature.
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I can do magic, but I wouldn't call myself a magician, [ tseng says. ] Magic can be done by anyone in my world, as long as you have a materia and enough mana to perform the spell. I'll show you sometime if you'd like, but I only have two materia here so my list of spells is short.
[ but lightning spells are mad satisfying so alan might like to try them out anyway! and if nothing else, the assess materia can teach him all kinds of useful things about tseng's erogenous zones and kinks... ]
I'm sure there are plenty of things I can't do besides art and music, but if you want to teach me the art of forging signatures in exchange for lightning magic I'd take that deal.
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[ still smoking, and still wholly nude, tseng climbs out of bed (careful not to upset the ashtray as he goes) and makes his way across the room to where a leather wristband sits in a shallow dish atop the dresser. a moment of fiddling later and tseng turns to come back, bringing with him a yellow orb the size of a large marble, maybe, glowing with an internal light.
tseng rejoins alan in bed and holds the materia up on his palm, offering it to alan to touch if he wants. he'll find it cool to the touch, but if alan has any capacity for magic at all he'll also find it a little bit like soda fizz. static lingering in the air around it. ]
This is a materia. It's a crystallization of the elemental power of the planet I come from. Mana is the... internal source of power that I use to cast spells with it.
[ it's actually called "mp" in game but it was too cringe for me to have tseng refer out loud to having a magic points value. ]
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Alan takes a last drag on his cigarette and stubs it out in the ashtray, so he can use both hands in examining the materia. (Seems as though it should be a materium, many materia, but what does he know.) He takes it from Tseng's palm and holds it up in front of his eyes, turning it slowly. ]
It's ... [ Frowning, he squeezes it slightly and shivers. ] It tingles.
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the corner of tseng's lips twitches up, and he nods. ]
That's the magic in it. Do you want to try?
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[ but because tseng has already used the materia once in the resort, he knows that isn't all it does here. ]
In the resort, it has an added "bonus" of letting you see a partner's kinks and erogenous zones. [ and, for clarity, ] My offer is to let you use it on me.
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