titsay
will byers stan first human second
he wasn't even looking at me and he found me
$LAYYYTER
JBB: An Artblog!
izzy's playlists!
taylor price
Alisa U Zemlji Chuda
todays bird
Keni
wallacepolsom
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Stranger Things
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sheepfilms
★
Jules of Nature
shark vs the universe
Mike Driver
Xuebing Du
seen from United States
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@notsoscarlet
SAMUEL/SAMTO FROM FIRE EMBLEM: (NEW) MYSTERY OF THE EMBLEM :: AFFILIATED WITH THE BLUE LIONS HOUSE :: WRITTEN BY IVO :: ASSOCIATED WITH THE OFFICERS' ACADEMY established 4.1.2025.
MOBILE/QUICK LINKS:
MUSE :: MUN :: STATS :: INTERVIEW :: FUNNY LINK
NOTES ON PORTRAYAL:
*: ･ﾟ✧ 90 loaded questions / interview the muse.
found on this website, so credit goes to them.
What’s your favorite strategy for avoiding tough situations?
How often do you do things just for the attention?
Would you prefer to be manipulated or to be the manipulator?
What is something someone always tells you to do more of?
What is something someone always tells you to do less of?
Who do you look to blame when things go wrong?
What is the one thing people assume about you that you wish was true?
What is the one thing people assume about you that you wish wasn’t true?
When was the last time you lied to protect your image?
How often do you put on a happy face when you’re really not feeling it?
When do you think you began putting your guard up so much?
Who made you feel most anxious when you were a kid?
How do you speak about others when they’re not around?
What aspect of your life are you most delusional about?
How often do your admit you were wrong?
Which one of your biggest flaws do you like to rationalize the most?
Is it your fear of commitment or your fear of intimacy that makes you shut down more?
At what stage of a relationship are you most likely to withdraw emotionally?
What is the one compliment you always get that you’re too embarrassed to accept, so you deflect it?
What would someone say is your worst habit?
What is the one insecurity you are pretty sure has some basis in reality?
When was the last time you felt really insecure about the parts of yourself you pretend don’t exist?
What is the most interesting white lie you’ve told?
Do you ever feel like an imposter?
Do your friends know how competitive you are?
What’s the hardest thing about being rejected?
How do you deal when you know you’re being irrationally jealous?
How do you deal when you know someone’s not willing to give you what you want?
Are you ever afraid of people knowing who you really are?
If you went to a therapist today, what would they say is holding you back the most?
When was the last time you lowered your standards just to get someone else’s approval?
Is your need for revenge greater than your need for peace?
Have you stopped trying to control things yet?
Which parts of yourself do you still seek validation for?
How do you cope with being unfairly ignored?
Do you like punishing yourself for things that are out of your control?
What does someone say is your biggest problem when communicating?
Are you okay with not knowing what happens next?
Will you ever feel okay with being imperfect?
Does sabotaging yourself give you an odd sense of comfort?
How do you feel about being disliked by some people?
What’s the strangest thing you’ve done just to avoid failure?
What is the biggest risk you’ve taken just to prove yourself?
What’s the boldest thing you do every day, just to feel like you’re still in control?
What accusation would you defend yourself most fiercely against, even though you know it’s true?
What’s the most toxic thing about yourself you actually kind of secretly like?
How much do you enjoy being in control?
When do you give yourself permission to lose control?
What guilty pleasure are you currently justifying to yourself?
What is the most passive-aggressive way you’ve dealt with your rage?
What is the pettiest and most immature way you’ve avoided losing face?
What’s the worst habit you have that rewards you the most?
How do you get your needs met when you’re alone?
What is the most ridiculous thing you’ve done to please people?
What is the most ridiculous way you’ve rebelled?
What’s your favorite way to channel your aggression?
How do you cope with being betrayed?
Are you okay with disliking someone?
What is your favorite form of self-destruction?
What’s the one thing you struggle most to manifest in your life?
What’s the one thing that you manifest so easily, people are jealous of it?
What’s the most irrational reason you’ve ever had for disliking someone?
What is one fear that you’d be ashamed of your friends knowing about?
Which one of your deepest secrets do you think is the least common?
How do people normally find out you hate them?
What is your go-to strategy to deflect criticism, even constructive criticism?
What is one thing people always get wrong about you?
What emotion motivates you the most when you’re down?
What emotion makes you want to give up?
Are people shocked when you stand up for yourself?
How often do you say yes to the things you really want to say yes to?
How often do you say no to the things that make your skin crawl?
How far are you willing to go to maintain a relationship, even an unhealthy one?
What is the worst way someone’s ever abandoned you?
What is the worst way you’ve ever abandoned yourself?
How do you entertain yourself when you’re not around people?
Are you happier alone because you enjoy being alone or because you prefer it to being surrounded by horrible people?
What habit do you know you could quit but don’t want to?
What is your favorite strategy for avoiding difficult people?
What is your favorite strategy for avoiding conflict?
What is the weirdest thing that gets you angry?
What is the weirdest thing that makes you sad?
How often do you take responsibility for other people’s crappy behavior?
When are you most likely to shut people out?
Which insecurity would shock people if they knew about it?
What do you find yourself justifying to people, even when no justification is needed?
When was the last time you tried to please someone who made you angry?
What do people often tell you need to focus more on?
What do people often tell you need to focus less on?
What is the one thing that could make you happy, but you refuse to do it because you’re afraid of what others would think?
JUNE 2025 PLOTTING CALL
Samto is Blue Lions Faculty! As such, he'll need an Unaffiliated muse for some of these.
[Any +1 - Needs Unaffiliated!]: Fuck his stupid baka life. Samto was not that kind of slave back in Knorda, but the idea of having to labor away for some noble shitheads who can't even wipe their own ass is... Humiliating. But, well, he has his orders: It's probably in your best interest to make sure he's not blowing off too hard or, um, stealing anything he thinks won't be missed.
[Faith +1 - Needs Unaffiliated!]: For reasons that should be obvious, Samto has a somewhat pointed dislike of nobles; nobles who flagrantly abuse their power over the common people, even more so. He knows better than to make a scene while on the clock, but he isn't above trying to snatch some of their ill-gotten goods for himself if he thinks he can manage it. Whether you choose to try and stop him is up to you.
[Clingy Lover]: Please. Shooters will shoot and just maybe it'll backfire horribly in Samto's face this time.
[Perpetual Stew]: WOULD. He's very used to peasant fare like this, and enjoys them more than he'd let on. Come bitch about prissy nobles with him if you want.
Worse Than Interdimensional Currency Exchange
It is a quiet society, you’ve come to learn. People keep to themselves unless they need something. This isn’t to say they aren’t wont to help one another out, mind you [...] (Authority +1) -Thread Game: At each new location, muses roll 1d20. Once a 1 is rolled, they finally find the item they need to complete the fetchquest chain!-
He’s not wrong.
It’s not the sort of thing she thinks of until it’s brought up—Emma is, through and through, the sort that believes in another until given a reason otherwise. In spite of the company that she keeps, or perhaps because of it. When Samto brings up the possibility that the people down here might have plans beyond what they let on, her first instinct is to discount it. Her second is to give it some actual thought.
And her third is to let it go. Because everyone down here has been perfectly nice so far, if a little strange, and if every time someone acted a little strange she pulled away, she wouldn’t have gotten half as far as she has.
Roll: 20
Emma is on the verge of saying something when she is interrupted by an animalistic squeal, causing her to whip her head to the right. Down the path beside a house, she catches an almost ethereal glow, though she is not sure what causes it, and the tell-tale silhouette of a pig. In the front of the humble home stands a tall and broad man tending to a small cropping of flowering plants. “Oh, look, look!” The girl excitedly directs her companion, but not waiting around for a second longer than it takes do to so.
Unintimidated by the man’s stony exterior, a skip and a hop are in her step when Emma approaches him. “Good afternoooon!” Cheerily, she greets. “Do you have any fertilizer to spare? We’re on a quest!”
The man straightens up where he stands. “A quest, is it?” He asks with a snort, looking the two of them over. A stroke of his cropped beard, a squint of his eyes. There’s something of distrust in his demeanor—but as of now, no outright malice. He considers his next words carefully. “Well, times as they are, I’m not just gonna give it to you for free, you know.”
"Eh? Hey, wait for me!"
And there she goes, running off without him! Some partner... But at least they've got some kind of lede, because she's running towards a guy who definitely looks like he's got fertilizer on hand, if the flowers and pigs are any indication. Maybe he should be a bit more surprised that someone's managed to make farming work down here, but... Well, who cares.
Samto manages to catch up to Emma right as the word quest rolls of her tongue, and— Riiiight, she's already set a pretty bad impression for the two of them, it seems. She's a nice girl, so he wishes he could say he's surprised... But he really, really isn't.
"Right, I get it." He says, trying not to push past Emma too much while also asserting himself the more savvy (and handsome, that's definitely important) party here. "It's been tough 'round here! But we can make it worth your while... I can't speak for my friend here, but I've got some money."
...Not much, but still. Just go with the flow and you'll win! Hopefully.
"So... How much you asking for, huh?"
may 2025 activity check.
activity check – passed.
skill points obtained: 1 activity: 1
skill changes:
gauntlet: D+ -> C
learned/obtained:
Killer Knuckles (pending)
he told me sweet lies of sweet loves, heavy with the burden of the truth
(continued from here.)
You look well.
"...Thanks. You too, Kris."
It's been... Hell, it's been at least a year, hasn't it? It's been so long since they last met, and that's all Kris can think to say to him? It's like he doesn't even want to talk to him, still calling him Sir like that — And he probably doesn't, knowing his luck! And...
Well, he probably deserves it. Samto knows what he is, in the end, him and everyone that made it out with him — Knorda's gutter trash, in most people's eyes. He got used to that life, in a way; mercenary work, crashing and burning without shame, and maybe it was almost fun for a while, but...
Now? Now it's been a year after the war, he's still alive, and he hasn't the slightest clue what to do with himself without a Navarre to crib off of. And it's his own fault, isn't it? He thought it was the only thing that made sense, when he made it to Grust on death's door, and now the only thing people see when they look at him is someone else.
He isn't well. He doesn't think he's been well for a very long time.
...Whatever. It's not Kris' problem anymore — And maybe it never was. Samto doesn't know, and Kris probably won't tell him if he were to ask.
"Huh? Ah, don't worry about it: I haven't really got plans or anything..." Does it make him sound pitiful? Probably. "If you're busy, I won't keep you. But... I hope you're doin' all right. And..."
His boot shifts uncomfortably in the sand, thinking long and hard about all the things he needs to say. Doing good, being honest for once in his life.
"I'm sorry about... Back then. If you still care about what I think."
@unsungblade
stab rhythm and blues, kick off your flares and platform shoes
(continued from here)
Right, well, the guy’s up and walking at least... Even if he really shouldn’t be, probably... Not like Samto thinks he can say anything, with what he’s done with himself in the past, but damn. And who does this guy think he is, not even saying a real thank you when he would have died if not for him being there? There’s definitely something weird about this kid, that’s for sure.
“Yeah, I can lead ya’ there. Might wanna take it easy, considerin’… But hey, I won’t stop you from doing what you want.”
He puts his hands up in a warding gesture almost by reflex, and turns his eye back up to the storm raging above his head: It’s bad, and it’s only going to get worse with every second they stay out here; better not waste any time.
“Name’s Samto, by the way. Now, c’mon.”
@rigelprinceofdespair
Berkut bristled. He didn't need to be guided, led around like some sheep on display. Especially by someone like this. Just from the way he talked Berkut knew his type. Gritting his teeth he turned to meet the mans eyes, before a new gust hit him and made him stumble. Barely keeping to his feet, the former heir grit his teeth.
"It's fine. I've been through worse then this. I can make it far enough to the estate." Berkut forced himself upright. Each step sent an ache through his legs, but he refused to let the pain show. Following behind this man, trying to look through the darkness to make out where they were going.
"You may call me Berkut." Every effort was spent to expel any lingering tiredness from his voice. Damn his own weakness. Everything that had conspired since this storm had been dreadful. Trapped in the cave with that prince, swept away by the storm, and to be rescued like this. Humiliation swept through him, shame and anger boiling over inside. Forcing himself to keep going forward, even as another harsh gust nearly knocked him over again.
"...Man, you're about to bowl over."
Just by the cadence of his voice, the words he uses and how he speaks them, Samto knows instinctively the kind of person this Berkut is — A noble, one who thinks he knows better just by station of his birth. Great, exactly what he needs in this exact moment.
"Even if you have, I had to pull you out of the ocean. You really think you're good to just keep walkin' after that?"
Pause. He needs to think for a moment.
"Actually, wait — How'd you even get that far out?!"
Let's Go Gambling! (buzz) Aw Dang It, (buzz) Aw Dang It, (buzz) Aw D
(continued from here)
...Huh! So, that didn't go as Samto expected it to.
Honestly, he had expected this handsome stranger to tell him to piss right off, as a lot of people back in Archanea tended to — Maybe there's just sort of a vibe coming off of him, something that makes a particular kind of person want to avoid him whenever possible...
Well, their loss. This guy seems interested in what he's got, though the way he's eyeing the die in his hand makes him look a bit like a starved animal... Normally Samto thinks he's a little more discerning about his marks, but he does, even just instinctively, find himself interested in this guy.
"Anything ya' want, baby." He says with that same sickeningly sweet-sultry tone he always uses with clients, especially the ones pleasing to the eyes — Oh, yes, back into the groove already. "I'm just here to have a good time, y'know?"
@tossup-tempest
What an odd duck, proposing a game, but refusing to name the bet. Joshua wonders if this man is just toying with him, or if he's new to this scene. He's probably not asking for anybody to show him the ropes, but in the wrong company, this kind of behavior can get a guy shanked.
(And the guy's not half-bad to look at, but Joshua's not enticed by being called baby right now. Instead of flipping some flirty switch, it only makes him...intrigued?)
"A good time," Joshua repeats lightly. He gestures to the die in the man's hand. "If you won't name the game, I will. I'm evens, you're odds. If you win, I'll wade into the ocean dressed just like this, if you'd find that fun. If I win..." Joshua tilts his head down, looking up through his lashes. He can be coy, too. "...you'll dance with me. You'll let me lead."
Oh, that’s some initiative. Samto likes that very much - Guys who wanna be on top are fun to mess with, especially when he was still doing the whole Scarlet Sword shtick. A game of dice is a bit less high-stakes than the kinds of mercenary work he was doing in Archanea, but there’s still some fun to be had in the simple things.
“Ha! Sounds good to me. See, You’re a fancy-looking type of guy, so I didn’t even think you’d wanna be seen with someone like me… But maybe I’ve got a sense for folks who are into this sorta thing?”
If he’s starting to stagger a bit, Samto doesn’t notice; propping the die against his taut thumb, he flashes a sharp grin right in his stranger’s face.
“You’re sure you’re ready?”
stab rhythm and blues, kick off your flares and platform shoes
(continued from here)
Right, well, the guy’s up and walking at least... Even if he really shouldn’t be, probably... Not like Samto thinks he can say anything, with what he’s done with himself in the past, but damn. And who does this guy think he is, not even saying a real thank you when he would have died if not for him being there? There’s definitely something weird about this kid, that’s for sure.
“Yeah, I can lead ya’ there. Might wanna take it easy, considerin’… But hey, I won’t stop you from doing what you want.”
He puts his hands up in a warding gesture almost by reflex, and turns his eye back up to the storm raging above his head: It’s bad, and it’s only going to get worse with every second they stay out here; better not waste any time.
“Name’s Samto, by the way. Now, c’mon.”
@rigelprinceofdespair
Let's Go Gambling! (buzz) Aw Dang It, (buzz) Aw Dang It, (buzz) Aw D
(continued from here)
...Huh! So, that didn't go as Samto expected it to.
Honestly, he had expected this handsome stranger to tell him to piss right off, as a lot of people back in Archanea tended to — Maybe there's just sort of a vibe coming off of him, something that makes a particular kind of person want to avoid him whenever possible...
Well, their loss. This guy seems interested in what he's got, though the way he's eyeing the die in his hand makes him look a bit like a starved animal... Normally Samto thinks he's a little more discerning about his marks, but he does, even just instinctively, find himself interested in this guy.
"Anything ya' want, baby." He says with that same sickeningly sweet-sultry tone he always uses with clients, especially the ones pleasing to the eyes — Oh, yes, back into the groove already. "I'm just here to have a good time, y'know?"
@tossup-tempest
Well, Samuel is willing to admit this to himself: Before now, he never envisioned himself wearing anything even remotely resembling a nice uniform.
The uniform he's been stuffed into supposedly marks him as staff, or at least someone associated with the Academy, but... Aw, to hell with it. If anyone's going to be a professor on a day like this, it isn't going to be him. oh, and look to the cloak slung over his shoulders! Sky-blue and littered with pinstripes, it more than compliments the beachfront! He thinks so, anyway.
(Out of all three of the characters the mun writes), Samuel is the only one who can be bothered to wear the bracelet correctly: The seashell charms joined to it are a bit gaudy, in his not-so-professional opinion, but who is he to complain? He's supposed to give these away, right? And, moreover, he's just here to have a good time!
...Hopefully.
Samto & Tiki - continued from here
There is awe in his voice at the revelation of time. She is well used to this reaction, from humans, so she pays it no mind, merely smiling, trying to imagine him among the faces in Mar-Mar's camp.
"Yes, everything is quite different now," she presses on. "I am as revered there as the Mila statues that had once dotted the land. The descendents of Lord Marth have paid me visit, here and there. Though, their company is not quite the same as the hero-king himself."
Tiki is serene in her comments, but there is envy buried deep down. To have relatives, nay, a family was quite a blessing; and, one she might never experience. It did pose a larger question to her, now that she thought about it, though. How many of Mar-Mar's allies lived on, their bloodline passing Tiki by as strangers?
She pushes a finger to her cheek in thought. "Perhaps, you too have descendents in my land. Shall I keep my eyes out for a man with your jaw, your nose and brow?"
@notsoscarlet !
It's kind of nerve-wracking, really, just how different the world Tiki knows now seems from the one he does. He does know that the Valentians don't worship the same gods people in Archanea do, but now they do? Do people in the far future still pray to Naga?
...It all hurts his head, being honest with himself. Makes him a little nervous.
"Well, I dunno..." Tiki's little comment almost comes off like a joke, from where he's standing, but he's got the nagging feeling she's really serious. "I've never thought about it before... Settlin' down with anyone, I mean."
Then, he has to ask himself whose features she'd be looking for to begin with, if he really has had a kid in her future...
"Well, anyway, it'd... It'd be nice of you to keep a look out, ya know?"
APRIL 2025 ACTIVITY CHECK:
PASSED.
Skill points obtained: 1 Activity: Any +1
SKILL CHANGES:
Authority: E+ -> D
LEARNED/OBTAINED:
Accuracy Ring
“Ominous Arena Portal” Was Not On My Bingo Card
“... You still chose to walk through the portal once you found it, Samto,” comes her voice, somewhat exhausted, but... “You’re right, though. The discussion is moot. The best we can do is work together.” She offers a smile, one that hints at warmth, a friendliness she has always tried to foster but often falters under her shaking and heavy hands.
(But, ah... why does he have to use that voice with her? She already feels bad enough that he’s been roped into this mess...)
At least he can fight. She sees the blade at his side. And if he is truly with the monastery, he must be good with it. There was a whole application process, and such, after all.
Perhaps... things would be fine, this time. It wouldn’t happen again, would it?
(“You always plan for the worst... you should relax a bit more!” A similarly gloved hand reaches out. “C’mon, Fi, there’s plenty of room by the fire!”)
No... it can’t.
Smoothly, like assisted by a breath of wind, she mounts Huxley and roams the room. Two doors. She tries each of them, but neither of them open. They have a slot for a key, but she doesn’t have anything to pick it on her, of course, nor the skills to do such a thing... “You don’t happen to have lockpicks on you, do you?” she questions, returning to the center of the room, where a chest sits in dirt. “If not... the only thing left to do is... open that.”
It has the clear markings of a trap, however. It may as well have the word ‘trap’ painted above it...
...No way she's actually falling for this. Damn, either he must be a genius, or she must be— Honestly, he isn't entirely sure. Really lonely, maybe? Either option works for him, in any case...
Oh, but he does see that look in her eyes! The kind of gaze that lets him know exactly what's going through her head as she's got her eyes turned to him: She's looking at him, sure, but she's not really seeing him, is she? Wouldn't be the first time.
And, it... It sucks, but that's the business. Clients see whatever they want to see in you, and you just gotta deal with it. Samto thinks he's gotten pretty good at it, personally.
"Nope! I quit thieving years ago, so I just... Stopped carrying them with me." He forces a bitter little laugh out of his throat. "Some luck I've got, huh...?"
The chest in the center of the room catches his eye again, and he can conclude: Yeah, that's definitely sketchy as hell. Nobody leaves treasure out like that, and he feels comfortable saying it with as much confidence as he's got in him. Still, it's not like they've any other option...?
(And, frankly, he does really want to get out of here.)
"...So, 'bout that." He gestures, loosely, to the chest. "You want me to take care of it?"
a million things i can say — but baby, i'll wait some longer
N-Normal? Really?
Is that--is that even possible?
Something twists inside of Gatrie--like a young girl twists an apple-stem, singing the alphabet to find her one true love's initial.
In the next breath, his eyes are welling with fresh tears. They burn him, all that soft tissue, and his breath is hitching in his throat--!
"Heh," he forces out a half-laugh, "y-you must be teasing."
But Samto is... handsome. Even if that's not something Gatrie would have ever said, even if it's not something he'd ever let himself think...
It's true. And there are--there have been plenty of true things that Gatrie never really understood. That he's just figured out how to live with.
Can a man like Samto... can men like Samto's plenty of comrades... can they be something Gatrie can just live with?
He doesn't know. He sniffles. He crams all manner of acrid memories back down his throat.
Gatrie lifts his beer and swallows it all in one shot. He wipes away a tear.
"I... don't think I want to be at the tavern anymore," he says, wretchedly.
"Will you walk me home?"
"'Course I will!" He says, far too chipper, without so much as a second thought; pushing his hip out slightly to draw attention to the blade sheathed there. "I used to be a mercenary before coming out here, so I know my way around a sword if you ever need it..."
Of course, he had never actually thought about what all this is gonna mean after he and Gatrie are finished with... Whatever that dude wants out of him. He knows the gaze Gatrie wears now decently well — Hungry, unsure, desperate — And though he can't presume just off that...
...Well, it isn't like he wants him. You take what you can get, Samto thinks, even if it makes you a little sad to think about.
"Tell you what: I won't even make you pay for my service... Since you're such a nice guy." He dares to tease, swiveling on his heel and reaching his hand out for Gatrie's — And grinning, perhaps a little too knowingly.
"You coming, honey?"
a million things i can say — but baby, i'll wait some longer
Samto. Gatrie will remember that—it’s a dashing sort of name, well-suited to such a colorful rogue. The kind of man who mends stranger’s hearts in taverns, who lays his strong warm hand over their shoulders…
The kind of man who commands the gaze of—of everyone?
Wetly, Gatrie blinks—but even through his red eyes, their tearful ache—even now, bereaved as he is, Samto is handsome. And bold—bold eyebrows, bold jawline, bold enough to say something like that? Here, out in public?
In the pub?
Gatrie colors, though it can scarcely be seen against his ruddy, tear-stained face. He giggles, anxiously, “you mean…?”
You mean men?
His throat works. He can’t swallow, can’t go on speaking. Nothing but soft, fluttering laughter, for far too long a moment.
His heart is thrumming, sprinting, doing little flips. To think…
“Hah,” he murmurs, exhilarated, catching at the coattails of his voice. “I-I’ve never met that sort of man before…”
It’s a lie. He has. But—but here, in the world washed clean with tears, it feels new.
No, Gatrie’s never met a man like Samto. Not like this.
...Mmh. It's cute when they try to be coy, definitely, but something feels like it's shifted, somewhere in Samto's heart. Guys like this, who fall for his blustering hook, line and sinker... It's fun, but it makes him want for something else.
Someone else — A man who he let slip through his fingers, all because he's... Himself, Samto supposes. And Gatrie is not that man. He probably never will be, and that's fine: What this guy doesn't know about his past won't hurt him in the slightest. For now, anyway. Would he be feeling like this, if he hadn't bother with Gatrie at all?
...Well, guess he'll never know!
"'Course I do. What else would I have meant, eh?" He says, leaning just a bit closer like he's telling Gatrie something truly extraordinary. It's normal for guys to feel that sorta way for each other, where I'm from..."
He's cute. Samto hopes, sincerely, that he can find someone who'll make him truly happy after this. He can't do that, he's certain of that much, but maybe he can at least give him an idea of what he wants? It's hard to say, in the end. And, wherever you go, the only way out...
"Chin up. You'll meet plenty of guys like me, if you keep your eyes open! Though, no one as handsome as me, I'd dare to say..."
Is through.
a million things i can say — but baby, i'll wait some longer
And then the strange man is touching him, stoutly on the shoulder... Gatrie almost quivers with the feel of it, the certainty. Nothing like the way Theophania had touched him, always a little reticent, never quite sure it was a good idea...
Fuck, he'd tried to convince her, really gave it his all...
He sniffles. It's just the slightest bit simpler to bear, when someone's touching him like they actually want to.
Even if it is a man. Even this man, laced as he is with roguishness...
What would people think? It's not as though the tavern's empty.
But Gatrie hasn't got the heart to care. Any port in a storm, that's something people say. Right?
He's so busy tripping himself up like this, tangling his threads, that he almost misses what the roguish stranger says. Sweet things, honeyed things. Things that swirl and coil inside Gatrie's embattled chest.
Nice name. Handsome. Pretty guy like you...
The people in this pub... they can't see what's happening, the light that's flickering inside of Gatrie's body. The stranger can't see it, either. So it's okay.
Right?
Gatrie sniffles once more, shakes his head as though to clear away the storm-clouds. Half-smiles, wet and faint like the tiniest rainbow.
"You're sweet," he mumbles. "Really, I... I bet the girls go crazy for you..."
Samto can see the diamond-lights flickering behind Gatrie's eyes, as clear as day. It's always a special treat when someone like this falls into his hands, just like it was special when it was... Mmh. Never mind that thought, actually.
"Oh, for sure." He practically sneers. "Everybody goes crazy for me once they get a good look at my handsome face."
(...all except for the one whose attention he wants the most, even now. ah, well: he fucked that one right up, and the ship's long since sailed. and it's sort of a pain he's here too, but...)
...Well, whatever. He's got a sweet catch right in front of him right now, doesn't he? He won't let it go to waste because of the past, he can't. It's... Disrespectful to the ones who didn't make it, Samto thinks, to get lost in the past, in things that can't ever happen again.
(never mind then, that the past does often feel much closer than it is in times like these.)
"The name's Samto, by the way. Probably should've told you sooner, huh? Sorry about that."
