𝖆𝖓𝖞𝖜𝖆𝖞...

When Ari asked him to go ahead and kiss him he did, leaning in and crashing their lips together. Cayden's mouth was hungry and needy, as he kissed Ari. Delighted to find everything it was everything he thought it would be and more. Hands moved to cup Ari's face as he kissed him, moving to the back of his head, and the small of his back as it continued. His tongue begging for entrance into the smaller man's mouth wanting to taste him in all his glory. He wondered if the taste of their drinks would linger on his tongue.

He nipped at Ari's bottom lip playfully before pulling back and fully just admiring the other in his lap. Pushing his hips up so that Ari could feel just how excited he made him feel. He had him already. Cayden stripped off his own shirt, showing off just a bit for Ari, he liked being admired just as much as the next guy. Those hands moved over Ari's skin, mapping the other's body with careful precision. "I know I keep saying it but...shit you're so pretty." he said softly leaning into kiss along Ari's neck, down his throat, over his shoulders. Sure it was fast, but he wanted Ari to feel appreciated. He would be lying if he had said he hadn't thought about this before now, and he didn't want to be too pushy about wanting to just be inside the other already.

"I know what I want, but you're my guest Ari. Tell me what you want too yeah?" he asked softly his voice a husky whisper against his ear. "I'd like you to not regret this in the morning after all."

/// 𝖆𝖋𝖋𝖎𝖓𝖎𝖙𝖞 , w. toxin. /// their first kiss of the night feels right, and any conflicting ari had about possibly moving too fast vanish in that instant. while his powers are not engaged at the moment, he's still able to feel the same level of passion he's projecting return back to him from cayden. both of them are rolling with the punches, and that confirmation causes him to feel much more uninhibited than before. that in mind, he continues to meet his lover halfway, crashing into him; exuding effortless ardor as they connect in this much more intimate manner. it's in the heat of their motions that he feels himself becoming physically aroused; his nipples hardening, sensitive; his heart racing faster than it has all night; his underwear greedily soaking up all his honey when it should be being slurped up by cayden instead.

when their embrace loosens and he feels the other's center press into his, it gives him a high that he hasn't felt in a while. ❝ you can keep on sayin' it... i'm definitely not getting tired of hearing it, ❞ he teases; his pale skin tingling every time cayden kisses a new portion of it. ❝ your body is so impressive. you're so hot... so strong. ❞ ari smiles at the other's question and statement, flattered that he's being considered in this way. ❝ you don't have to worry about me regretting any of this, trust me. i'm so glad i'm here right now, with you. ❞ turning his head to pepper kisses against cayden's temple for a moment, he soon ceases his motions so he can look down and into his eyes. ❝ i want you to make me cum at least three times. once with your mouth, and the rest however you want to... ❞ ari coos, licking over his lips.

❝ think you can do that for me, baby ? ❞

harbingerofrot

An empath? It’s not that Walter had anything against empaths or people who could assist others with their own emotions and thoughts – but the mention that the man sitting beside him was one of them… made him feel uneasy. No, he did not require help, he did not need someone to help him forget what troubled him or ease his mind. He did not want to burden someone else with the weight he had on his shoulders. That was his burden to bear and no one else’s. Besides – he really, really, really didn’t want anyone knowing what he was feeling and why he was feeling it. That was a level of vulnerability that he was not willing to accept or embark – at least not with someone else. Someone he just barely knew. “I appreciate your offer, but please don’t. It’s … very kind of you but…”

His knuckles clenched under his gloves and Walter proceeded to drink his beer in record time, not because he wanted to avoid the other man but the thought of someone else realizing what he was feeling was a bit overwhelming for him. “My emotions are my own. Whether I am stressed or happy – sad or angry – I should be the one going through them alone. Process them at my own time and pace.” Sure, he could see the appeal, and maybe talking to someone who could feel his emotions and help him process things would be beneficial, but at the same point – a part of him wanted to feel the weight of his decisions. The same way he felt the weight of the curse that rushed through his body and made him kill things with a touch. “I’ve been alone for a few years now.” He motions to his gloves with an almost apologetic smile. “I have learned to process my thoughts and feelings by myself – because that’s all I had learned how to do.” Being away from others, being isolated, being feared. “It was very kind of you to offer, and I truly appreciate it but… It’s my burden to carry. I’m sorry.”

#* / 𝐀𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐘. // thr.#* / 𝐀𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐘. // w. harbinger.

/// 𝖆𝖋𝖋𝖎𝖓𝖎𝖙𝖞 , w. harbinger. /// the instant he senses a dramatic shift in walter's body language and vibe, ari feels his heart sink ever so slightly. clearly, it was too much too soon to offer use of his powers to help the other cope with what must be extremely heavy, confusing emotions. this is one of the many downsides he's pinpointed when it comes to his abilities. while he understands that his empathy has major upsides in the opinions of some people, many others look at him differently once they know what he's about. this has happened before — someone losing trust in ari out of fear that he's been manipulating or controlling their emotions the whole time they've known him, or they're worried that he has an all-access pass to their history and traumas. in truth, those are things he would never do; not without someone's consent, at least. he would much rather make friends with people all on his own. relying on his powers for that would be very shameful.

❝ you're right, ❞ he begins, eyes angled down toward his lap. he can't help but feel a little meek now, but he's trying his best not to make any of this about himself. ❝ m'sorry if i crossed any boundaries, or freaked you out or anything... and m'sorry if i insinuated that you aren't capable of processing your emotions on your own. ❞ he half-smiles, nodding his head for emphasis. ❝ i think it's really great that you've been able to learn so much in your solitude, even if it hasn't always been comfortable, or fun. honestly, not many people are able to do that on their own. it tells me a lot about your character. ❞ reaching for his drink, he takes a long sip of it; eager to calm the new nerves that cropped up after this conversation. ❝ wow, i, uh... totally didn't mean to kill the mood. forgive me. maybe i should slow down on the cocktails. ❞

men-in-4k

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#* / 𝐀𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐘. // vis.#* / why didn't i give him water powers again ? 🤣

"I assume your power is to be supernaturally ethereally beautiful?" Cayden was pressed to Ari breathing him in, and he was honestly getting a little light headed being so close to him. Was this a dream? Was he tripping his balls off in the med bay on some form of super LSD? Because he had certainly imagined things like this before. He didn't know what was going to happen after this evening but he knew for sure what he wanted to happen this night, between the two of them. Cayden's kissed Ari's cheek and then down over his neck, gently nipping at the smooth soft skin.

As Ari became even more undressed he was even more enthralling, the expanse of those creamy thighs let to breathe as the other's jeans came off and slid to the floor. Cayden smiled as he let his hands move along Ari's waist band, he had never thought about how big his hands were but he knew he loved how small Ari was next to him. How perfectly he would fit against him. His fingers moved to slip under Ari's shirt, exploring the soft smooth stomach, over his abs slowly. "I really wanna kiss you. On the mouth. Your lips look so soft..."

Cayden in a smooth fluid motion scooped Ari up in his arms and pulled the other man into his lap holding him close to his chest nuzzling him affectionately. "I want you."

/// 𝖆𝖋𝖋𝖎𝖓𝖎𝖙𝖞 , w. toxin. /// the kisses pressed to his skin feel so warm, and as each one is stamped into him, he hums in delight; paying a little too close attention to the delicate nature of cayden's mouth. its teasing motions still leave much to the imagination, and ari won't lie, he's curious to know how it'd feel if his motions got a little rougher. there's plenty of time to discover that though, as their night together is only getting started. ❝ mmm, i'm glad you find me so beautiful, ❞ he coos, feeling his core warm up more and more. ❝ like i said earlier, the feeling is definitely mutual, baby... ❞

the heat beneath his skin continues to rise as cayden's hands toy with his waistband, then ease over his abs; alighting every inch of skin that he comes into contact with. the other man seems so sensual, which is very much appreciated. ari loves when a man takes all of him in, showing appreciation for what he has to offer. he always makes sure to return all of that tenfold, and can't wait until he can treat cayden to some attention of his own later. for now though, he's repositioned so he's sitting on his bedmate's lap, and he immediately makes it his own by adding more weight onto it; leaning forward to kiss cayden's forehead sweetly. ❝ what are you waiting for then, huh ? ❞ he taunts, kissing down the length of the other's face. ❝ you already have me tonight... so just kiss me... ❞ he softly commands, eager for more.

harbingerofrot

Little by little, he was remembering how talking to other people was supposed to work. In all honesty, there were only a handful of individuals he could actually maintain a proper conversation with – and that was because they weren’t at all worried about what he could do – but after the whole interrogation aspect, it almost felt like he needed to press the reset button and return to default. His body was still on edge. His mind was still reeling, heart beating a little bit faster inside his chest. But talking to someone else in a casual field helped. It assisted him in finding his footing again. Slowly remembering how conversations were supposed to work and maybe – just maybe – he didn’t have to bolt within a certain time limit because he would make the other person uncomfortable. “I do like the messy curls. You have lovely hair.” His hair was longer and definitely lacked the curls or volume, so it was nice to see it on someone else. “I doubt I would ever be able to pull off your hairstyle. Even when I was letting my hair grow, it never gained volume or wicked curls. It’s just… straight and boring.” Were they really talking about hair at a bar? It was such a weird topic – and yet it felt and sounded so damn normal after the whole mess with the Hell Week, the raid and now the interrogations. It was almost like Walter was being reminded that there were other things a person could talk about other than shop. “If you really don’t mind – then I guess I can have another. But only if… the next round is on me. It’s the least I can do.” Fingers brushed a lock of hair behind his ear and Walter quickly cleared his throat, gaze returning to the stale beer before being replaced by a fresh one. “I don’t come here often as well – but I didn’t want to be alone with my thoughts.” Which was a weird thing to admit but everyone had moments like those. And he really didn’t want to think about what he had done inside the interrogation room.

”Well…” Shaking his head, Harbinger cast all negative thoughts aside as he reached for his beer, presenting the other agent with a smile and little wink. “To a good night and in good company. Well – you are good company, I’m just trying to do my best in remembering how the whole socializing asp

#* / 𝐀𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐘. // thr.#* / 𝐀𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐘. // w. harbinger.

/// 𝖆𝖋𝖋𝖎𝖓𝖎𝖙𝖞 , w. harbinger. /// while he does his best to keep his powers at bay whenever he's engaged in more casual conversations, he can't help but pick up on the tension that's circulating through walter's system. he's an empath even when he's off the clock, as annoying as that can be sometimes. that said, ari would never interfere and manipulate anyone's emotions unless they wanted him to, so he aims to add lightness to his interactions with those who are wound up in an attempt to get them to unwind a little bit. in this case, maybe the alcohol walter's sipping on will help him chill out some, too, but even if that's not enough of an influence, ari's typically pretty exceptional at easing the stress of other's on his own. honestly speaking, he's always wondered if his powers manifested how they did because of his expertise in crisis management. ❝ c'mon, your hair isn't boring. it may be straight, but it literally looks like gold. it refracts light so well, too. ❞

when walter finally relents and agrees to another beer, ari calls the bartender over and orders it; doing so quickly so the other man wouldn't have time to change his mind. ❝ fine, fine, fine, you can get the next round. i won't complain about that ! ❞ ari exclaims, taking another sip of his drink, half-way empty now, and when walter offers a cheers to their night, he raises his glass; happy to celebrate. ❝ hell yeah, man. you're great company too, and if you need a little help getting rid of any, like... emotional troubles, or like, you really wanna forget about things tonight, i can help with that. ❞ hopefully his offer doesn't seem sketchy. he'd just hate for walter not to enjoy himself as much as he could be. ❝ i'm an empath. emotions are my game, so... ❞

/// 𝖆𝖋𝖋𝖎𝖓𝖎𝖙𝖞 , w. ambrosia. /// ari's muscles ache after an afternoon spent sparring with shayne, and while he knows neither of them are often put in the line of fire when it comes to their missions, it's still beneficial for them to know how to defend themselves if, for some reason, anything goes awry. thankfully, in his nine years of being here, nothing too extreme has happened to him, which means that his success rate is rather high, but that doesn't mean he should get overly cocky or become complacent as a result. whenever people enter that headspace is when mistakes happen, and he'd very much like to remain alive and intact, if at all possible. he's sure shayne feels the same way, as their powers play a pretty similar role. honestly, the moment the two of them met, the connection was instant. they hold an understanding for one another that not many others share with them, given what binds them together, and ari is thankful that he has someone like shayne in his life.

undressed and ready for the next phase of their day, ari makes his way over to the sauna with only a crisp white towel loosely hanging around his hips; eager to ease the remnants of tension that are putting stress on his body. upon entering the steamy oasis, he turns his head toward his pal, who follows closely behind him. ❝ you kinda beat my ass out there, man... ❞ he laughs, grimacing at himself as he takes a seat, the towel around him loosening to show glimpses of his inner thighs. ❝ makes me feel like i've been slackin' pretty hard... which isn't a lie, i guess. ❞ opening the water bottle he brought with him, he takes a long swig of it, eyes still locked on shayne; lingering on his physique. ❝ have you been hittin' the gym more ? you look... bigger than usual. it's either that, or your pheromones are makin' me horny, which... well, we're in a sauna, so that tracks, i guess. ❞ with that, he laughs again; leaning his back against the wall.

#* / 𝐀𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐘. // thr.#* / 𝐀𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐘. // w. ambrosia.

"Oh um thank you! I just- I like sleek. It's simple and I um. Yeah." The colors were mostly neutrals, small pops of color he could change out through the seasons. Now it was soft pale greens for the spring, a bit of pink. It was different having Ari in his room instead of him hiding in it too nervous to talk to him while he was hanging out with his roommate on the other side of the door. Cayden picks at his comforter for a moment before he follows suit in taking off his zip up hoodie, his clothing was a lot looser than Ari's but it mimicked the same simplistic choices. His shirt a light yellow, and his khaki colored pants were a relaxed fit.

"Oh um. My powers are why I get high. I synthesize chemicals I have ingested. So I have to ingest new drugs to be able to make more things. The larger array of what I can make makes me more useful. I have a super high tolerance. But I still get high or sick." he said as he moved to put his arms around Ari, letting one slide around his waist and pull him close. His nose gently nudged the side of his cheek gently. "Take off whatever you want. I'll be a perfect gentleman I swear. Unless you don't want me to be cause you are making it hard to be one."

/// 𝖆𝖋𝖋𝖎𝖓𝖎𝖙𝖞 , w. toxin. /// ❝ why is everyone else's power so much cooler than mine ? ❞ he jokes, shaking his head. though, it's in this moment that he gets distracted gazing at cayden. there's a part of ari that feels bad for giving into his desires so quickly. he's not usually the type that falls into someone's bed this easily, but for some reason, he's more than willing to explore every inch of this mattress with the other man, even though they just met mere moments ago. while he hopes this isn't only a one-night stand, the thought of sleeping with cayden hasn't gone away since they locked hands, and his attraction only increased when he noticed how significant their height difference is. his hormones have become too loud to ignore, and when the other nuzzles against his cheek and encourages him to continue undressing, ari inwardly celebrates the fact that they're both on the same page.

smiling, he responds to cayden's words by undoing his belt, then the button and zipper of his jeans; sliding them off his legs gradually until he's seated there only in a t-shirt and a pair of deliciously-tight black briefs, the smoothness of his skin exposed for the first time as he kicks his trousers to the ground. ❝ you've been plenty gentlemanly all night. i think it'd be fun to get to know another side of you, too. ❞ ari taunts, parting his legs more. ❝ would you... wanna help me take off the rest ? ❞ boldly, he reaches forward and grabs one of cayden's hands, guiding it to the space between his thighs, above the fabric of his briefs; giving him permission to explore. ❝ i love how big your hands are... ❞ he whimpers, hushed, incredibly turned-on.

"No not at all. I'm glad you don't think I'm just a kid., though I suppose it would be worrying if you did." he had gotten that a lot growing up, a prodigy child in adult spaces meant he was always treated as if he were underfoot or needed to be coddled, even when he was the one pulling most of the work. Cayden can't help the smile on his face through when Ari calls him 'sweetheart' it makes his stomach flutter just a bit. He never did this before he got there, in fact before he was in Atlantis he never did anything close to this, flirting. He was no virgin anymore that was for sure but still, the thrill of it never wore off for him. He was clearly doing something right though because Ari was holding his hand and they were going to go back to his room.

His name was Ari and Cayden said it over and over in his mind, callsigns were fun and all but there was something about being able to know someone's name. Even if it was a secret between just them. Cayden pulled Ari along by his hand, giving it a soft reassuring squeeze, letting his thumb brush the back of it gently. Back to the apartment he shared with Shayne, letting them in he took them in the dark to his bedroom so as to not disturb anyone who might be sleeping. Cayden's room was perhaps too put together, it was clearly very Scandinavian minimalist, and every surface was spotless. Even his bed was made with the corners trucked. Perfect order. "Um make yourself at home. I ah...I am a bit of a neat freak. I mean. I get high a lot so if I have everything organized it makes it easier for me to navigate when I do it." he said honestly as he took a seat on the bed patting the spot next to him. In truth he'd have loved to scoop Ari up in his arms and hold the smaller male on his lap but that seemed like something he would have to ask permission for first.

/// 𝖆𝖋𝖋𝖎𝖓𝖎𝖙𝖞 , w. toxin. /// ari is glad to be led to cayden's room, in a place he coincidentally shares with shayne, of all people. he's one of ari's closest friends in atlantis, so that makes it even more odd that he and cayden haven't properly met until now. not wanting to get too distracted by details, he's quick to notice just how tidy the other man's space is. it makes him smile as he, too, is a big fan of organization and order. ❝ your room is really sleek, ❞ ari compliments, his smile widening. ❝ i appreciate a man with a good eye for décor. there's nothing more important than creating a relaxing spot to come home to, especially here. ❞ he muses, kicking his shoes off so he can climb onto the vacant spot of the bed, right next to cayden.

next, he ops for taking off his pull-over; leaving himself dressed in a clean white t-shirt, a pair of dark-wash navy jeans, and his socks. it's casual, simple, but everything fits him like a glove, which is the most important part, at least in his opinion. he even tucked in his shirt to better accentuate his natural shape. ❝ you get high a lot ? ❞ he asks, curious. ❝ i've never really dabbled in anything, to be honest. alcohol is basically it, and that's super rare for me, too. i feel like drugs would just... make my powers fly through the roof, and not in a good way... ❞ ari scrunches his nose, having a hard time even imagining it. his cheeks are still flushed, his buzz ongoing, and slowly, he inches his way closer to cayden; liking the contact. ❝ you feel so warm; hot, one could say... ❞ he laughs at his own lame attempt at flirting, shaking his head back and forth. ❝ might need to take more clothes off, at this rate... ❞

#* / 𝐀𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐘. // thr.#* / 𝐀𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐘. // w. kepler.

/// 𝖆𝖋𝖋𝖎𝖓𝖎𝖙𝖞 , w. kepler. /// ari wishes he enjoyed working out more than he does, and while he realizes that he needs to stay in good physical health for his obligations here at atlantis, that doesn't mean he finds the manner in which he has to do so all that thrilling. sure, he's been told many times over that exercising isn't supposed to be comfortable, especially if progress and muscle growth is what a person is after. however, he's always been a somewhat lazy creature — someone who longs for comfort and ease, as opposed to vigor and fight. the latter have always been levi's things, and ari's let him have them with no questions asked. this all being said, he can admit that he enjoys how following a fitness regiment makes him look, and he does feel stronger than he's ever felt before, more confident, too, so there are huge perks to it. he just wishes it were fun, that's all.

entering the locker room, ari finds an empty compartment and begins changing out of his clothes; peeling off each layer in exchange for lighter fabrics that allow for a wider range of motion. mid-undress, he turns his head and sees kepler changing not far from him. offering him a nod and smile, ari finishes removing his shirt and places it in his locker; now standing completely bare-chested. ❝ haven't seen you around in a while. you doing well ? ❞ he asks, subtly giving the other man a once-over; appreciating the view. ❝ you ever wish that you could work out in your sleep or something ? being asleep throughout all of it would be so nice... ❞

Cayden had been terrified that if he had tried to speak to Affinity that he would have been told he wasn't interested in talking. But now that the initial conversation had been started Cayden was like an eager puppy the flood gates were open and he couldn't seem to stop his word vomit from coming out. "I mean yeah. Even the people who don't have powers all of them are picked to be here for our expertise, I bet you did cool stuff on the outside too huh?"

As the other doesn't move away from him getting closer Cayden takes it as a sign that he was welcome to be there. "Well um. I'm...24. Not that much younger than you." he said his eyes getting wide as he realized how old Affinity was, he didn't look it at all. "Does it...bother you that I'm younger?" he asked with a little quirk of his head as he leaned in a bit more. HIs hand brushing over Affinity's arm gently. "It's ok if you say it a lot. I like hearing it." Cayden smiled as he got up from his stool and outstretched his hand to the other agent, an invitation, that warm sweeet smile of his beckoning the older male to come with him. "We can go back to my place if you want. Or we can just walk around if you want. Or just- anything really. I um. I know I am being forward but I just- I like your company, um we can get to know each other more."

Leaning in he got right up next to Affinity's ear. "My name is Cayden. If you just wanna use it in your head when you think about me." he said with a soft little laugh his voice barely loud enough to hear.

/// 𝖆𝖋𝖋𝖎𝖓𝖎𝖙𝖞 , w. toxin. /// learning that toxin is twenty-four years old isn't exactly surprising, so ari shrugs it off when his age is exposed. honestly speaking, he could easily tell that the other man was younger than him, he's just glad it's not by much. ❝ no, not at all. does it bother you that i'm older than you ? ❞ returning the question is merely for clarification's sake. based on everything he's said before, as well as his body language throughout their conversation, it's been made more than obvious that cayden finds him attractive, and that the feeling is mutual as far as that's concerned. ❝ i'll keep that in mind, sweetheart. it all comes easy because it's the truth. ❞

when toxin stands up and extends hand out to him, ari grins; finding his invitation to join him extremely appealing. he realizes that the alcohol in his system is only intensifying his hormones, and he's trying not to get too ahead of himself, but he won't lie, having some company for the night sounds heavenly. ❝ your place sounds nice, if that's cool ? i'd rather hang with you somewhere more quiet. ❞ his suggestion is honest, even if it's subtly laced with an ulterior motive. just then, he feels toxin's breath ghosts over his ear, sending chills down his spine. ❝ cayden... that's nice. mine's ari. ❞ with that, he stands up and takes the other's hand, eager to have some one-on-one time, even if all that occurs is more conversation. ❝ lead the way ? ❞

𝖆𝖗𝖎 𝖜𝖔𝖑𝖋𝖊 [ 𝖆𝖌𝖊𝖓𝖙 𝖆𝖋𝖋𝖎𝖓𝖎𝖙𝖞 ] 𝖘𝖊𝖝𝖚𝖆𝖑 𝖕𝖗𝖊𝖋𝖊𝖗𝖊𝖓𝖈𝖊𝖘.

BOLD — applies always. ITALIC — applies less often / sometimes. STRIKETHROUGH — never applies / hard no.

✦ 𝖎𝖓𝖈𝖑𝖎𝖓𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖘 / 𝖍𝖆𝖇𝖎𝖙𝖘 :

✦ 𝖇𝖔𝖉𝖞 / 𝖆𝖕𝖕𝖊𝖆𝖗𝖆𝖓𝖈𝖊 :

✦ 𝖘𝖔𝖚𝖓𝖉𝖘 :

✦ 𝖙𝖚𝖗𝖓-𝖔𝖓𝖘 / 𝖐𝖎𝖓𝖐𝖘 :

#* / 𝐀𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐘. // mus.

Cayden just sat there an admired Affinity, enjoying how red those pretty cheeks god, normally so fair and, he imagined Affinity's skin was soft and smooth to the touch, perhaps a bit cool because of how fair he was like. Like moonlight. Though now he blazed and Cayden couldn't help but be even more enthralled by it. "Do I? I ah- well. I never went to school with people my age so...being social can be hard sometimes. I thought it was supposed to be charming to compliment someone." he knew from watching much older college students when he was going to school that telling someone you were interested in that you touched yourself thinking about them was a way to get slapped.

"Affinity, I would never say any of us here weren't special. You're very special. You were chosen and you survived, so beyond the fact that you're utterly beautiful with eyes like the ocean. You are special."

Cayden downed his drink and cleared his throat pushing down any of his own embarrassment. He pushed his empty glass around between his hands. "It wasn't you that made me feel like you wouldn't want to talk to me. You seem friendly and like people like you. But it felt safer to just imagine how you would be instead of finding out and being wrong. Which I wasn't. But still...you didn't do anything wrong. Promise."

Cayden bit his lip and scooted his stool a bit closer. "I'm glad you talked to me first though because I would have sat there paralyzed or drugged myself so I would have the courage to talk to you. Believe or not I am much better at talking to people a lot older than me instead of people my own age range." His gazed flicked over Affinity again lingering on those pink lips, a light sheen from the wetness of the glass. So pretty. He imagined they were soft.

"But um to you original question. You don't need a haircut unless you want one. You would look good no matter what." he said it was his turn to blush a bit now. "Also thank you. Compliments from you are extra sweet."

/// 𝖆𝖋𝖋𝖎𝖓𝖎𝖙𝖞 , w. toxin. /// there's an earnestness to cayden that ari appreciates. the other man appears to be someone who wears his heart on his sleeve, and though he claims that he was afraid to speak to him before, cayden's not being shy about stating his honest thoughts and opinions now. maybe all he needed was some reassurance, or some positive encouragement, and ari's glad to have offered that to him by kick-starting their conversation. who knows ? if he never came to the bar tonight, maybe the two of them would've never spoken, and that would've been a damn shame. ❝ i like the way you think. you're right — all of us are special in that sense. ❞ he's never really thought of it that way before. most of the time, he can sense how uncertain and tense people are here, especially the newer faces that have only just gotten out of their first phase. ❝ eyes like the ocean ? shucks... you should write poetry or somethin', i bet you'd be really good at it. ❞

ari notes how cayden scoots closer to him, so much so that they start exchanging body heat, and though it makes him somewhat shy, he leans into it, too ; reveling in the comfort it brings him, above all else. ❝ how old are you, anyway ? ❞ he asks, genuinely having no idea, but he's wagering that he's probably in his early twenties. ❝ i have a feeling that, despite how i look, i'm older than you are. i'm twenty-nine, thirty in july. ❞ the fact that it's his thirtieth year on this planet is sort of wild to him, but he's looking forward to a new era. ❝ you really are sweet, toxin. i dunno how many times i'll end up saying that to you tonight, but it's just... true. ❞ a part of ari feels guilty for having his ego stroked so much, but he can't lie, it certainly feels nice. after another long sip of his drink, he notices that he's about halfway done with it, and it's definitely starting to feel that way, too. he's pleasantly warm right now. ❝ you, uh — headed to your place after this, or do you have more plans ? ❞

"I guess I um. I am also sorry. I am pretty awkward. I don't take it back though. You're the most beautiful man I have ever seen." he said flatly as he laid his own head in his hand watching Affinity with a smile. That color in his pale cheeks was so alluringly cute. Cayden wanted to cup that lovely face in his hands and admire it. Cayden laughed softly bowing his head in a bit of a thankful gesture at the compliment in return. "Thank you. I probably enjoy it a bit too much myself." he said before looking back to meet Affinity's eyes. Cayden had a love affair with his hair and it was a bit embarrassing to admit, but he was quite proud of it if you asked him.

"I haven't introduced myself either. You're so pretty I just figured you'd never want to talk to me. I'm just a chemistry nerd who ended up here because- well. I guess it was my own hard work but. Yeah." Cayden snorts a laugh as he leaned in and took a hold of his new drink taking a sip from it before making some artificial sweetener from his finger and letting it drip into his drink. "If you're a loser then yeah losers can be hot. So hot. I mean I am a bit buzzed right now but you're the kinda pretty they write sonnets and shit about."

"You just here for fun this evening or like. You meeting someone or uh? Drinking away some trauma? I've been lucky so far nothing too terrible. I mean I should be more torn up about killing people I think."

/// 𝖆𝖋𝖋𝖎𝖓𝖎𝖙𝖞 , w. toxin. /// the compliments keep coming, and while ari isn't necessarily complaining about that, it's not making the blush on his face any less noticeable. in fact, it's deepened to a saturated scarlet now. he's definitely not used to all this, and he can only hope that he can remain composed while receiving so much affection. ❝ you, uh... you really lay it on thick, don't you ? ❞ he replies, positively. ❝ you flatter me, really... i'm honestly just some guy, but you're certainly helping me feel special. ❞ usually, he's the one buttering people up. having the roles reversed on him, paired with the influence of alcohol, has him feeling particularly good right now.

❝ hey — if losers are hot, nerds are even hotter. you've got brains, beauty, and that hair ? c'mon... ❞ he's quick to return the love. two can play at this game. ❝ m'glad to hear that you've had it easy here. i... can relate. oh, and no, i'm not meeting anyone or anything. in fact, i came here hoping i'd meet someone new... ❞ just then, the bartender sets down cayden's vodka red bull, and ari decides on a second drink; thinking it'll get him the perfect amount of buzzed. ❝ m'glad it's you, for what it's worth. m'sorry that i ever made you feel like you couldn't talk to me. hopefully, after tonight, that won't be an issue anymore. ❞ now, the bartender sets down his second drink, and he takes a sip; enjoying it even more. ❝ i know you keep going on 'n on about how beautiful i am, but trust me, you're beautiful, too. ❞

harbingerofrot

It’s not that he wants to go to the bar… but Walter was feeling a bit cooped up in his room and he didn’t felt like going somewhere else to spend his time. In all honesty, the jitters of the interrogations with Casper were still there. There were elements from their exchange that made him want to crawl out of his skin now that he was done with it – still not really fully ready to embrace what he had done. It’s not that he liked using his powers. He really didn’t. It was mostly out of necessity – because he had a job to do. There was no point in embracing the fact that he could pretty much kill anything with a touch. That… that was not who he was and while he understood and accepted that he had a job to do – it didn’t make it any easier. It was still something he was ashamed of. Maybe if he had kept things strictly verbal, he wouldn’t have the need to…

”I’m sorry?” The sudden question snaps him back from his thoughts, his fingers still toying with the edge of his glass of now lukewarm beer. How long had he been there thinking about stuff that his beer had gone stale? Walter shook his head and pulled a quick smile, wanting to be as helpful as he could mostly because he wanted to do something good other than interrogate people. “I mean – do I need a haircut?” His hair was longer than the other man’s and he had considered getting a haircut himself at some point too. “If you want company to get a haircut, I can tag along but honestly?” His head was tilted to one side, almost as if he was seeing things from a different angle. “The messy mane is a mood. I wouldn’t. You look nice. But… that’s just my opinion. You don’t need to uh… make any decisions based on what I had just said.” Gosh, he was terrible with these social exchanges. There was a reason why he didn’t leave his room to begin with and wasn’t just because of his powers. “Oh… You really don’t need to buy me a drink.” Even if his beer was stale and pretty much undrinkable at that point. “I-I… don’t want to impose or anything.”