be absolutely certain

rex baliss king of none, one of many [ closed ]

[heightofbaliss]

( CASEY DEIDRICK, HOMOSEXUAL, CISMALE & HE/HIM ) — by the grace of the gods, old and new, i present to you LORD REX BALISS of HELLFIRE within the lands of SOLLIA. the gods have blessed us with their presence for 33 years. many know them to be  INQUISITIVE, DIRECT, MINDFUL, and while it is not always shown, it is said they can also be MANIPULATIVE, METICULOUS, & MENACING. what will their tale in the story of metia be? only they can write it, so let’s see how their legend unfolds.

what could be said of the ones born over an ancient gateway to the underworld, and decreed as its guardian by the bloodline blessed of ancient gods?

to some, it could mean nothing, or less than nothing. to his father, rex believed it meant responsibility, or something long-deserved but never rewarded. to his brothers, rex assumed it was the punchline to some joke, or a line fed to a lordling for a turn in the sheets.

but to rex?

it's a mystery. it's a blessing, it's a curse, it's whatever he wants it to be in the moment. rex imagines what the world would be like if his house had everything it attempted to lay claim on; he imagines the world where they challenged sollia and lost; he imagines the world where they challenged sollia and won.

if the so-called 'one thing' he was promised in this life, he would never have? then everything else is just icing on a cake he'll never get to eat.

and so, rex piles it high. the pleasures, the curiosities, the tests of patience, of boundaries, of limits. he seeks abundance and experience, in the place of the position he'd supposedly already lost.

and he seeks answers. from names long forgotten, in spells long lost, in stories long buried. the house of hellfire has too many mysteries for it to be any coincidence.

those who study ancient places, those who study ancient peoples, those who study ancient gods, those who study ancient magics, will find their shadows lengthened by the height of hellfire looming behind them.

[saltcrowns]

the only reason regulus had any kind of spotlight put on him was because of his friendship with lucealyx and being one of his lords in waiting. it'd bring him plenty of social currency when the time came for potential marriages or influence for his own family, but other than that he was just a middle child for one of the great houses. he wouldn't rule over their estate like his eldest would. so he'd sneak out of his room and find his way through the city.

"i mean, it had your name on it practically." he said as he picked up the book, fingertips brushing along the cover. it was eerie and macabre in a way that rex liked. "forbidden rituals? you'd think i took after you in that regard," regulus made his way over to the others bed and plopped down, making himself comfortable. "not at the moment, but maybe i'll take you up on that offer one of these days. i'll need to find a rival to make my life interesting, or a great love of some kind."

[heightofbaliss]

"truly? I don't see it anywhere." upon no seam or stitch was 'rex baliss' scrawled across the text. "instead, you must've simply known it had to be mine. your observation and understanding is to be lauded. you'll make a husband very happy, some day."

grand rivals, great loves. regulus always wanted stories. perhaps, all along, it was his desire to be in one. to become one.

grabbing a seat, rex made a rather audible show of dragging it across the floor. legs screeching across the wood, until it was by the bed his brother was laid out on. one ankle over the other knee, rex rested the book there, one hand turning its pages...so his other hand could find reg's stomach, idly patting and rubbing him there. "what would you do with a rival?" he mused, as he read on. "berate him? embarrass him in court? turn your personal private companion crown prince against him?"

has regulus made a sample of lucaelyx yet? rex only briefly glanced over at him, wondering. curious. he had been putting the younger baliss through his paces on getting fucked, surely he had enough skill for a prince, by then.

[saltcrowns]

"well, i'm not sure father would approve of such things," regulus said with a grin, the idea of being pinned down in the midst of everyone and filled up by his own brother did sound exciting. he'd never been one to care what others thought of him, but he knew there were certain lines that couldn't be crossed and that was unfortunately one of them. "but yes, that's exactly what i want, dear brother."

his one hand still stroked the others cock while his free hand grabbed the tall mans face and pulled him back down so they were eye level. it baffled some how much taller rex was than regulus, a foot taller to be exact. pressing their lips together for a kiss, reggie wasted no time invading the other baliss' mouth.

[heightofbaliss]

"do you think father approves of everything that we do?" a fun and unfair question, leveled with ease. "everyone?" rex could appreciate, even enjoy the fact that his and his younger brother's tastes in men weren't aligned. they each had their own pool of potential prospects, separate from the other.

aside from dabbling in each other, of course.

rex laughed into that kiss, into regulus' mouth, around his brother's tongue. amused, and enticed. incensed. flexing in his grip. running his own palm up regulus' broader body, rucking up his shirts, until he could feel that stomach for himself. "--you're going to smear the runes," rex teased, in spite of managing to do most of that himself. perhaps he could help reg conquer his fear of the place, if he helped him associate it with more...enjoyable endeavors.

rex slid his hand around the younger baliss' side, to push fingers under his pants, to get a handful of that bare backside.

[saltcrowns]

who: @heightofbaliss where: themys, argonia

"here," regulus said as he plopped down a bag onto the table. he returned to the estate that had been made up for house baliss and most of the sollians. of course regulus wasted no time in exploring the city of themys, seeing what they were like and how different they were from sollia. he'd found an old tavern and had a few drinks with a few locals before visiting a few local shops. there he saw a few things that would catch his brothers interest.

"they don't have a god of death the same way we do, at least i think... i don't fully get it but i think she's the closest to ours." he opened the bag to reveal a book about xenia, the goddess of chaos along with a token of her and a few other things around here. "saw it and thought of you. figured you'd be interested in it and all."

[heightofbaliss]

spending time in such close quarters with the rest of the attending sollians has been...interesting, to say the least. the middle baliss, neither lord nor doting would-be husband-for-sale, was often a subject of suspect or intrigue. which, more than half the time, was accurate enough.

"you looked?" rex turned to regulus, pleasant surprise lifting his brows. "and not for yourself, but for me." his more feral grin did begin to soften, a he moved to muss and mess up his younger brother's styled hair, as he so often did. "and now I need to figure out how to return this kindness. are there any lords you've had your eye on? any rivals you need intimidating?" he tilted his head down. "any forbidden rituals you want attempted?"

[saltcrowns]

as long as either of them could remember, regulus hadn't been fond of this chamber deep within the mountain. he'd either cling to their father or rex whenever he had to travel this far south and now that certainly didn't change, after all these years. though, he seemed to cling to something else instead when he saw a spider. "then you'll need to escort me to and from here then, brother. since you can protect me from the spiders."

regulus made a scoff at the implication. "as if any of them could give you what i can," he looked up at his brother who stood a foot taller than him, their eyes now at eye level. "they don't know you like i do, rex." his hand snaked its way down to the others cock and grabbed the shaft, his thumb finding that slit and teasing it some as he leaned in closer. "you know what i have in mind, brother."

"i couldn't touch you like this back at the concord."

[heightofbaliss]

"you want me as your escort?" the middle baliss teased, leering. "you needn't pay me for any services, brother." that hand sliding down into his pants, the one article of clothing left on him. gripping him, easily. comfortably. rex sucked in a breath, stretched to full height, looking down over regulus as he flexed in that skilled grip.

"you could. you could grab my lapel, pull me to your level, and feed me your tongue in front of the whole kingdom, for all I would care. I'd pick you up and sit you right next to one of their gigantic, over-baked cakes. I'd throw your legs back. and I'd fill you with as much cream as those goat-fuckers love to dump in their tea." affectionate, his fingers slid into his brother's hair. "is that what you'd want?"

[leandertarmont]

Leander’s grin deepened, amused, looking all the way up at the figure that was taller than any man had any right to be. He tilted his head, studying Rex with that same unbothered ease, arms folding across the broad expanse of his ample chest.

“Ah, but the Seven have never ruled these shores,” he mused, his voice smooth, rich, like dark honey. “And I have little patience for Gods who demand worship but give nothing in return.” His gaze flickered over Rex again, assessing, intrigued. “Tarmont does not forget its debts, nor does it forget - we follow the old ways here.”

[heightofbaliss]

rex would never tire of being looked up to. not that lord leander tarmont had that far to look.

"tell that to the priests," came the reply, rex's brow raised, amused. "do the gods demand worship, or do the religious figureheads demand influence by proxy of that worship?" his hands would clasp behind his back, letting him tower over any others that might be in attendance. "we baliss believe in a promise. a promise never kept, made by a name we will never forget. and it makes me wonder -- if the names on my tongue were once in communication, or conflict, the the names that rest on yours."

whether or not those names would meet in this more modern age, riding their followers' tongues, rex would enjoy finding out.

[saltcrowns]

"well, maybe they should learn how to take rejection." spiders had always been one of the things that could make him shudder, everything about them were so off putting and jarring. "it's not my fault, have you seen one up close? all those hairy legs and why do they need so many eyes? and those pincers"

fingertips brushed along the painted torso, the runes were familiar. if he didn't know them, then his father would probably slap him across the back of the head right now. "hey!" regulus' expression turned into a scowl as his brother lifted his shirt, the slab of pale muscle underneath with small bits of raven black hair. "not all of us can look like a platypus bear." though there was no malice in his words.

the youngest baliss took a step closer, his fingertips now smearing the runes that were staining his own skin. "it's a good i'm your favorite brother, you know that?" fingertips now made their way to his pubes, combing through them so he could push into the taller mans trousers. "what would you do around here without me?"

[heightofbaliss]

"I'm not certain the spiders need anything from you, of all people." brows up, eyes low, grin wide. "I guess hairier men are better at dealing with them." not that rex was anywhere near hirsute himself, but it's fun to find things to tease regulus about.

teasing certainly seemed to be the theme, with that soft scritch of fingers through his hair, before they'd dive below his loose waistband. rex stood proudly, unmoving. even leaning forward a little, letting his brother find him, get a feel of him.

"myself," he offered, considering. "one of the staff. a guest, if one was wandering through. I'm sure I'd be fine." then, he folded over a bit, to lower his face near to the shorter baliss' eye level. "why? did you have something specific in mind?"

[saltcrowns]

memories flashed through regulus' mind of his youth, when his father and rex would guide the lord down the steps through the catacombs to this chamber. a chamber that only members of their family had ever seen, deep within the mountain that their castle was built upon. those stories his father told him of their ancestor, hadrian baliss, being picked by sonatiuh to guard the entrance for eternity. to regulus, they were simply just stories but rex took this familial task seriously.

"death, darkness, i'm not particularly fond of spiders and last time i came down here i walked right through one." regulus made a face at the memory, he was almost certain he accidentally swallowed the spider from that web but tried not to think of it. he stepped into the room, it was simple and there sat two tombs. one for the first guardian, hadrian, and his beloved sabina. fingers traced over the his stone, brushing off the dust collected on his fingertips.

"no, one of us has to be into it." he said with a smirk, eying his brothers frame over at those runes. all were familiar and ones their father had worn as well. "grandpa brutus would be proud, you're the spitting image of him with all these runes." his hand went to his brothers waist, thumb brushed delicately over those pubes before looking up to make eye contact. "though he never showed so much pube." regulus said with that impish grin.

[heightofbaliss]

"but the spiders love you, reg." said with a rather amused grin, as the younger baliss really did seem to have the worst luck with them. "it's not their fault you don't love them back."

looking down at his long torso, rex rolled his tongue out slowly, and ran his thumb down the length of it. after wiping away a smudged part of a rune, he grabs his brother's wrist, and brings it to his stomach, again. unbothered if more of the markings get streaked or smeared.

"grandpa brutus didn't have any pubes. it's like he was born shaved. almost like..." he reached for his brother's shirt rather swiftly, to untuck or yank it upwards-- "you, would you look at that. fresh as a newborn babe" said even if regulus had any hair there or not. "always wondered what made you and him so hairless. like moles. hairless moles of the underworld." he tugged regulus' shirt up higher.

"at least you're a cute hairless mole."

[sweater-guys]

Casey Deidrick

[saltcrowns]

closed for @heightofbaliss location hellfire

now that everyone had returned to their home countries, regulus would be returning to his home estate of hellfire deep within the sollian mountains. the sollia family needed to spend a few days together in isolation after everything, otherwise he would have probably returned to the capital with lucy. hellfire was a captivating and beautiful sight, but just as intimidating and macabre.

just as dark and cold as it had always, there was one brother regulus knew would also be there. and he knew exactly where to find him. "you know, rexy, i don't know why you love spending so much time down here." regulus hated the family catacombs, worried a reanimated corpse would find him when he came down here, but he had to go even deeper to find his brother. down in the lowest pit of their estate. "this place has always frightened me." regulus, unlike rex, never took their family history that seriously.

[heightofbaliss]

some things were never meant to be understood. the politics of the kingdoms, for one. after such a long week of drinking, and dancing, and bowing, and swaying, and ducking under doorways that weren't made for half-giants, rex was more than hungry for something a little familiar. something dark, and deep, and warm.

something like home.

in the furthest earthen pit of the catacomb, so-near to what should be the hidden entrance to all things dead and all things burning, rex had set up his usual space. the not-quite-cavern was lit by numerous candles, and hazy from scattered bowls of incense. almost as if in a dream. with the firelight and the smoke, rex could almost imagine that the underworld was here, around him. waiting for him to find it.

"as it should," rex offered, barely looking over his shoulder. down to just his pants, he'd left his tunic and boots by the stairs up into the keep proper. across his bare torso, were painted strange glyphs and runes in what appeared to be ancient language. slightly skewed, from the angle, but he'd been using a mirror to better aim the brush, thick with ink and charcoal. rising, turning, arms open, he faced his brother. "doesn't it fascinate you? why we feel so scared, down here. what makes us want to leave." he gestures down his then-runed chest and stomach, his pants riding dangerously low on his hips, showing more than a bit of brown hair sticking out over them.

"--what do you think? too much?" said with an all-too knowing grin.

[leandertarmont]

open to people in medesi location: island of tarmont notes: dad jokes, fertility, and blood sacrifices: welcome to Tarmont

The sun rose bold and golden over the waves as Leander stood at the edge of the black sands, his bare feet sinking into the cool wet earth as the tide kissed the shore. The scent of salt and morning mist filled the air, mingling with the faint trace of incense, musk, and iron still clinging to his skin from that morning’s rites. Above, the sky stretched wide and unbroken by storm, the Gods - his Gods - were pleased.

Leander let out a deep laugh, low and warm as he stretched his arms wide, the sea breeze catching the open folds of his tunic where it hung loosely at his waist, his body bared to the sky like an offering. "The Gods are generous today," he called, his voice rich with mirth. "See how the winds favour our shores? The sails are full, the waters are calm - Ythulo sleeps well, and Afa does not rage!" He turned his head slightly, casting a look at whoever opted to wander his shores.

Leander’s gaze remained on his companion, sharp, turning to face them as he did. He let his eyes drift downward - slow and deliberate, lingering on their stomach, the Lord of Bastard's early assessment before the dark orbs wandered back up. "What business brings you to Tarmont?" He stroked his beard, then grinned. "Even in gentle tides the men of Tarmont are known for big waves." He flexed slightly before laughing at his joke, the sound rolling like the sea itself.

[heightofbaliss]

not often is it that rex gets to look almost at eye-level with someone. that being said, it only made that roving gaze more obvious, along rex's long and midlly leaner frame.

"you're not a simple man to find," rex started, voice low. enough for the both of them to hear, and maybe a few unlucky others, if they strayed too near. "or, at least I thought you wouldn't be. and yet, here you are, at my first logical stop."

rising to full height, deliberate in his attempt to loom over the other, he was only slightly disappointed by the lack of full effect. "ythulo and afa are not of the seven." counting inferna among the six was more an enjoyable jab at those who tried to curry their favor. "what brought you to invoking older names?" no judgement in the question, or at least, none based on morals. rex's gaze was steady, unwavering, jaw set under his trimmed-sharp beard, as he attempted to regard the so-called lord of bastards.

[inafieldofdaisies]