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Entry tags:
TDM 003
| TDM 003: #BEACHBUMS |
I. BEACH  Welcome arrivals, new and old! The skies on Erku may be perpetually gray, but the weather has taken a sudden turn to summertime heat. Fortunately, soaring temperatures have chased away more of the strange fog that conceals so much of the island, unveiling a charming, sandy cove dotted here and there with rustic love shacks. These shabby little lean-tos are dusty and sparse, but they provide everything one (or two, wink wink) might need for a little relief from the sun. Just don’t wander too far... that fog has memory-loss properties. II. DRINKS  The 'bots are very apologetic about the whole fog incident, and they are trying to get on the new arrivals' good sides by giving out fancy drinks. Of course, they still haven't mastered the art of making things properly, so each drink has a little something... extra.
III. SNACKS  Lo! As you ask, the Augur shall provide. Thanks to the efforts of your organic predecessors in restoring the planet’s Eros energy, edible fishes and seaweeds have returned to the ponds and the shores of Erku. If you fancy yourself savvy to basic survival skills, why not fashion up a fishing rod and catch yourself dinner? Just be careful if you happen to hook one of the octopus creatures from the deeper waters - they can be quite forward with their tentacles! Or, if primitive angling isn’t in your repertoire, you can always trade some credits for a tasty catch from one of the food stalls along the coast. Most stalls are manned by 'bots, but there’s nothing stopping an enterprising arrival from setting up shop. No credits? No problem! The robots have also provided a bit of entertainment, and any volunteers to man the kissing booth, get dunked in the wet t-shirt dunk tank, or grill up some fish - among other opportunities - will find credits automatically loaded onto the payment app of their bracelet devices. The 'bots are recruiting especially hard for participants to work in the gloryhole tent! IV. SPARKLES  As dusk descends, the white sands of the beach suddenly come alive with glittering lights. It’s as if the darkened waters have carried a thousand shining stars from the depths of the sea to the shores of the cove. In actuality, each little twinkle is a bioluminescent plankton or jellyfish! Feel free to wade among them and admire their shine; even the sting of the jellies won’t hurt you... though they do pack a different punch. The tentacles of the jellyfish elicit a powerful aphrodisiac response, which gets the heart racing and the blood pumping for an intimate touch. The effects come on within a matter of minutes, and last for a few hours. Only time will relieve the symptoms, but a partner will help to make it more bearable. N A V I G A T I O N |
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I believe so. They're primarily used as combat vehicles... where I come from. [It's a bit of a lame finish, sounding odd to actually phrase it so. Still, it's the best he can offer.
That, and he's finally venturing a sip of the drink he hasn't relinquished yet, small still, as if he's trying to taste for anything funny. All he can sense, really, is that tequila. Not his typical drink, though he doesn't recoil at the bite to it.]
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Imagine a hundred of them, a thousand, a million... as many as you dare to dream. Armed to the teeth, with swords, with guns, with cannons, with weapons to destroy an entire world. All with astute pilots, all with incredible specs and amazing tech. A vast army, unprecedented and unrivaled in every regard.
[...and then, after a dramatic pause, he crunches his fist.]
And now, imagine it has been swept away. By a single creature, by a trifling whim. And now, you understand the insurmountable strength of the Augur.
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Like the gods he's been told of, from the mouth of an immortal man, one who bestowed him a power to end all powers. It had been so lofty at the time, but Jeremiah's seen and done enough to know these things to exist.]
It's believable enough. [Though he doesn't like the sound of exactly that, whims to bend reality so.] I simply fail to understand its methods. If a being can sustain itself on energy, surely it can find ways to derive it, other than intimacy.
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[Dramatic and dismissive, all in one fell swoop. The distinct territory of a distinctly powerful man.]
Whether you believe it or not, whether you understand it or not, you are as helpless as the rest of us. Reality won't bend to suit your selfish needs and it certainly won't cater to your pointless incredulity. You'll simply have to accept it and make the best of a mediocre situation, I'm afraid.
[And no, he hasn't forgotten why he first dropped by. Melting back into a suggestive smile, he leans over to drag the tip of a gloved finger beneath Jeremiah's chin.]
Still, a man of your stature... surely there's nothing to worry about. Nothing at all.
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Pride only lifts his head higher, but the arch of his neck doesn't pull him away from the touch. He won't give in to intimidation.]
And what would I have to worry about?
[Jeremiah's mouth curls the smallest, but there's no mirth in his eye. He's still looking at McGillis like a challenge, so brazenly as he's laid himself out before him.]
You? I'd like to think not.
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Weren't you going to introduce yourself, then? It's quite rude to carry on a conversation otherwise.
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Wouldn't it befit the person initiating the conversation to offer their name first?
[And no, him talking to the barest glimpse of the next customer in line while busy watching what his hands were doing doesn't count, Jeremiah thinks. He was simply doing his job. He wasn't the one to take it down this path.]
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[Shots fired. But in the interest of granting Jeremiah some breathing room, he will indeed withdraw that hand. He won't withdraw outright, of course, because that would make things too easy, but he's no longer cradling his face like he means to devour it. Though he'll continue to send any potential customers scurrying, without saying so much as a single word.
Those eyes really were quite deadly.]
But if you're going to insist... formally, I hold the title of Brigadier General. Though you may call me McGillis.
[How noble of him. He certainly sounds like a noble, with the snooty attitude to match.]
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Jeremiah's chin lowers to a more natural position once he's freed, still staring down the man before him. It's truly venomous, the particular shade of green of his eyes, cold and captivating. His own gaze hasn't strayed in a while, a strange testament to that power.
And McGillis really is strikingly handsome, too, not hard to get a better look at him up close. He doubts the man's intention was just to sweet-talk a stranger for the fun of it, and whether or not it had been invited, Jeremiah's been watching him in turn, just as closely. Was it truly out of wariness alone?]
It's good to meet you properly, McGillis. [Light emphasis on properly. Jeremiah extends his hand to shake. He may bristle easily, but it would behoove him to familiarize himself where he can and with whom he can, whether or not he'd make an ally.] My name is Jeremiah Gottwald.
[Withholding his surname for secrecy's sake? Yeah right.]
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So he'll take that hand. Though once again his fingers misbehave and snake around Jeremiah's wrist. Subtle in their motions, the very tips that brush bone.]
Are you really so interested in that fish?
[McGillis pulls, just a little. Just enough.]
Or are you more interested in me...?
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Though a year or so ago, had McGillis been a beautiful stranger at a bar on one of his nights off, instead of another prideful beast trapped in the same cage, that too would be another story.]
I'm interested in getting paid. [And by extension, yes, it includes the fish. A robot, perhaps the same one from earlier having returned to the stall, has already stepped back in for him, but it doesn't mean he's off duty yet. Not that he couldn't clock out exactly as he clocked in, return later if need be. He's learned that much. Almost as if they're perfectly fine with him slacking, given the way he's become occupied.
Jeremiah's eye flicks to the hand upon his wrist, then back up. His drink wasn't drugged after all, he knows that by now. It's a mark in his favor.]
What can you offer me?
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A helpful demonstration.
[Which wasn't false. It just wasn't entirely honest, because McGillis Fareed was a liar, through and through. With almost eerie fascination, McGillis threads their fingers together, turns their hands, traces the delicate paths of joints. This was a man who knew other men, intimately so, and so shows off that expertise. Still prim and still proper as if nothing had changed at all.]
Credits are all but worthless. Another currency exists and it means so much more.
[And the fateful words that follow:]
Just trust me. Just for a moment.
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No. Jeremiah knows which it is. It's in his eyes, in the drag of his fingertips. He's seen it before.]
Hmph. Just like that? [His tone is discerning yet humored, intensity still fixed in his stare. Down to brass tacks, he's kept entertaining the conversation this whole time and not by some mistake. Thoughts still running their course, a stubborn set to his jaw. Not as if Jeremiah Gottwald is so easily seduced, yet he suspects the other man not to be exaggerating.
And if he's to survive here, he can't stay above it all, forever.]
I'll listen to your terms, first.
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[That's it, those were the terms. But if he happened to accept, be it out of curiosity or something else, then he'd cement himself as trustworthy—even if that wasn't the case. He would be able to see it, in a tangible way, how the world would react to intimacy. His choices from there were just that, his own. Although he's cocky enough to assume that he wouldn't just run off.
...no, he was the stubborn sort. The sort to rise to a challenge. And to that end, he also stands his ground, testing that resolve and daring him to move.]
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Through his glove, Jeremiah can feel the heat of his body seeping through to his own. It's been a while since someone cradled his hand in this way, so sensuous, so careful. He either couldn't or wouldn't make space in recent months to seek this, committed as he'd been to something greater. Not as if he didn't miss it to a reasonable degree, he won't lie to himself about that.]
... That sounds reasonable. [He smirks, though it doesn't reach his eye, still level with guarded curiosity.] I accept.
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Watch our friends with care.
[Enigmatic words but there's no time to dwell. McGillis swoops in like a hawk and claims the other man's mouth, domineering and deliberate. Swift as an arrow and yet he doesn't push any farther, any faster. Just a simple act of lips on lips, while his eyes twinkle as if to say I told you so. His hands otherwise behave and he doesn't draw closer. Mindful of manners and of space.
Meanwhile, the nearest robot beep-beeps with interest at Jeremiah. Several of its comrades start to notice, as well, and maybe that was what McGillis meant.]
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He's staring unfocused into that dangerous field of green for a brief moment, his lids falling shut quickly enough. Jeremiah just sinks into the feeling of it, a heavy, pleasant pressure and warmth against him. Simple, yet prompting him to angle so slightly closer. He won't let something nice go unappreciated, chaste or not never truly a factor in luring him in and keeping him there.
Then the beeping starts, and his eyes pop right back open, looking to the right out his better field of vision for the nearest source of noise. A tiny hum of bewilderment sounds through his nose, but he doesn't break away just yet. The feeling of being watched doesn't exactly inspire him, though McGillis's words suddenly fall into place. He holds as he is, trusting him a while longer even if his alarm hasn't abated.]
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McGillis adjusts accordingly, and now he will touch, and now he will hold him. His fingers slip into the hair at his nape and he works it like an anchor, tilting his head back. Maximizing a better angle, opening his mouth wider and slipping his tongue within. And it's raw and it's rough and it's lewd and their audience applauds it, literally, circling and awaiting their next move.
Which earns laughter from McGillis, who gets a bit bolder and rests a hand at Jeremiah's back. Pulling him in like fish on a lure. How appropriate.]
Mm... what a delightful taste...
[Come a bit closer. He's going to kiss the living hell out of you.]
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Jeremiah can't remember the last time he needed to lean upwards to reach someone's mouth, enough that that guiding hand is necessary to tip him into the unfamiliar stretch. As if he could pull away with the hold in his hair, as if he's about to. The other man's aggression had stunned him at first, but the drag of his tongue spurs Jeremiah to push right back, meeting the firmness of his touch. Rough is good, rough gives him little time to think and more time to give some back of what he gets, and oh, what he gets is so sweet.
No one should be allowed to kiss like this. It's as dangerous as the rest of him, he thinks once they break apart, knowing the heat in his face and faintest huff to his breath will tell him everything.]
What on earth... [Jeremiah's still looking ahead as he says it, stepping forward, not caring to stop himself. They're close, so close, not quite pressed together yet no space is really left between them. He looks in lieu of being able to turn, more pointedly glancing to the bots to indicate what he'd meant. Oh god, are they closer now too?
He braces a hand on McGillis's arm, focusing his attention back once he can't meet their onlookers any longer. He's still not understanding, but that eye of his flicks down to his lips for long enough to ask for him, even if he doesn't strain forward first.]
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Except he stops.
McGillis stops. Everything stops, everything at once, although McGillis remains within striking distance. He glances back up at Jeremiah, his teeth so close to his skin. So close and yet so far and McGillis will take this opportunity to warn him, because he's cocky enough and condescending enough for the arrogant words that follow.]
If I bite now, you won't be able to go back.
[And even a proud man, a stubborn man, should understand what he means by that. Especially with such an intentional expression.]
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But the hand settled on his spine isn't enough to fully ward off the chill of eyes on him. Robots aside, they're still in the middle of everything, both of their heights enough to still be seen over the circle surrounding them regardless. Around them, the world seems just a little too bright, too loud in his periphery.]
If so, I'd have to question your choice of locale.
[You expect him to gamble with his composure, his decency? Here? Or was that the play all along, to push until he prompted them to step away from his post first?]
I understand you require our audience for demonstration, but I'd rather not make a scene.
[Nor is this the kiss McGillis offered, and he's been given an out first. But warnings are to be heeded by those afraid to challenge power, and his lingering irritation still has part of him wanting to prove him wrong.]
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McGillis can tolerate bratty behavior, but he draws the line at orders and obedience. He doesn't like it, being told what to do and how to do it. And he certainly doesn't like any attempts at a lecture, which he senses in those words—but I'd rather not. He can respect no and he can respect the line of consent, but he absolutely won't respect that sort of casual chastising.
So his eyes flick upward, churning like a silent storm, and he simply states:]
I don't care.
[And he doesn't specify, because he doesn't have to, before sinking teeth into that supple neck and delivering a nasty bite.]
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Teeth catch on his skin, and Jeremiah remembers too late that he's been compromised. McGillis latches on hard, harder than he'd expected and perhaps harder than he might have otherwise. The pain that sears through him is still what surprises him the most, his face contorting in a silent cry. A raw feeling scraping on his nerves with so much more ugly, vivid detail than he remembers. It's probably not how things always felt, he'd simply forgotten what it was like to be so fragile on the surface.
Jeremiah falters just the slightest, his free hand grasping suddenly for an anchor and thus finding the back of McGillis's head, sinking into his hair. Movement catches his eye as a few of the robots begin peering around more boldly now, keen to find a better viewpoint. No amount of glaring back as if expecting courtesy to magically intervene, of course, does Jeremiah any good. Gritting his teeth against the throb of pain in his neck, willing his panting to ease, he closes his eyes instead and grasps tighter. A stern warning, one he should understand, but nothing more.]
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And truth be told, he was tempted to do much worse than bite. Because he knows that look, the haughty airs of the nobility, thumbing their noses at him; speaking in hushed tones and spinning awful rumors the second his back was turned. A self-made man, that McGillis Fareed, so sharp and so smart—but so dirty too. A filthy boy from the street, a nasty little wretch.
Well, he thinks, that last part hasn't changed.
He was tempted to do much worse and to tear through flesh and yet he refrains. Jeremiah screws those eyes shut and yet there was no need. McGillis heeds him, if a bit late, drawing back and preserving what was left of that ailing dignity. Holding out his hand, expectant, one of the robots deposits a can of rations on his palm. To regain Jeremiah's attention, he slams it down.]
Payment for services rendered.
[Compared to just moments prior, his words are stiff and clinical. Displeased.]
Sexual activity will earn you much more, but that would be the gist of it.
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Only some of his surprise is from the shift in demeanor. Jeremiah's managed to offend him more deeply than he'd thought. An eye for an eye, though it still feels like a splash of cold water.]
... that direct, then. [His expression settles, picking up the can to examine it. So many things here are drugged it wouldn't make sense that a proper "reward" for their behavior would be too, but he'll have to try it to know for sure.]
I see. This really is all they're concerned with. [It's not even posed as a question, he just needs to hear it from himself. A reminder that appealing to reason would still be pointless.] Then I must thank you for your guidance, McGillis.
[Even if he offered it crudely.]
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