It was rare that Shinwoo had a night where he could just make plans to go to the bar and throw a few back with Briar. So, he jumped at the invite. It was a weekday so Hyerim was at home with Sena. So, he didn’t need to rush home to do anything aside from change his clothes. He took a quick shower and changed into simple jeans and a white t-shirt. He grabbed a leather jacket and stuffed his wallet and keys into his pocket before heading over to The Ketsuki. It wasn’t his usual spot but he wouldn’t set foot in The Howler unless he absolutely needed to.
He made it to the club and spotted his friend. “It’s so weird seeing you without your uniform.” He shot him a dimpled grin as he slid onto the barstool beside him. He motioned the bartender over. “I’ll have a Long Island and whatever he’s having.” He pulled out his card. “First round is on me. So, what have you been up to, aside from keeping the streets safe?” He smiled as the bartender slid his drink his way. “Thank you.” He took a sip of his drink and turned his attention back to his friend. “So, what made you want to drink tonight?”
Briar couldn’t remember the last time he’d casually been out to the bar since he’d taken his promotion to detective. Life had, admittedly, been simpler when he was just another street cop. At least once a week, a number of them would grab a few drinks whenever they’d get off shift, just to decompress and relax after carrying all the stress that came with risking their lives busting criminals. His job now may not be as perilous on a daily basis as it was before, but Briar tended to take his work home with him, to the comfort of his study and a fully stocked liquor cabinet. On nights that were particularly bad, he would knock back a few drinks until the words on the casefiles went blurry and he was forced to turn in for the night.
So, in lieu of engaging in more questionable drinking habits that bordered dangerously on alcoholism, Briar had reached out to Shinwoo to see if his old partner had some free time. Part of him had figured that he’d be too busy between work and spending time with his daughter and he didn’t get his hopes up, but the detective had been pleasantly surprised when the man actually returned his text. Briar had resigned himself to going home with another stack of paperwork before that, but was quick to toss it somewhere onto his messy desk to go change into some clean clothes.
In spite of its unfortunate ties to a certain gang, The Kesuki was one of the only bars Briar could frequent now without feeling like he needed to immediately shower after leaving. Ghosting past the dance floor, Briar had made his way up to the bar and easily tossed a long leg over one of the high chairs to hoist himself up. He wore a simple sky blue button down that wasn’t even tucked in to a pair of navy blue slacks (oh yeah, he was really letting loose). Brown leather gloves were just barely peeking out of his back pocket as an ever present precaution, but Briar felt comfortable enough to forget about them for the moment once his first drink was in his hand.
When Shinwoo finally made it through the crowd and claimed his spot next to him at the bar, Briar flashed him a grin. “I don’t wear a uniform most days now, you know. Perks of the job.” He pointed out and gave an enthusiastic nod when the man ordered him another drink, taking a moment to polish off the remnants of whiskey still in his glass. Being someone who appreciated not beating around the bush, Briar had never enjoyed mixed drinks and preferred to delve straight into the undiluted liquor. “What you and I used to do, that was keeping the streets safe. Nowadays, I feel like I’m picking up messes that are already made.” He countered with a shrug and reached out for his new glass when it was set in front of him.
Rather than admitting the truth, that he didn’t want to spend another night drinking alone, he chose the safer, less shameful route. “I have to have a reason to drink?” He asked with a chuckle and reached out to clap Shinwoo on the back, letting his arm linger there over his shoulders for a moment before withdrawing. “No, it’s just been a while since we caught up. I hear about you through the grapevine in the department, but it’s not the same. How have you been? How’s Hyerim?”
██████████████]99% LOADING…SUSPECT INTO THE APD DATABASE…
WITNESS(ES) SAY HE REMINDS THEM OF: a worn table in a rustic cabin, meticulously pressed dry cleaned suits, and the tenacious ivy that climbs the side of brick buildings. With a slight resemblance to PAKORN THANASRIVANITCHAI of/the ACTOR.
CLICK BELOW TO VIEW ENTIRE FILE.
FULL FILE:
last name, first name: suwannarat, briar
alias: pan (codename for his job), ari (more of a nickname than an alias)
realm of birth (if earth, nationality): earth realm, thailand
age: 29
date of birth: november 23rd
gender: male
preferred pronouns: he/him
species: children of the twelve - sagittarius
occupation: police detective
sexual orientation: homosexual
VISUAL FILE:
skin color: tanned, burnt orange hue with a smattering of chocolate freckles along his face. he has the same freckles throughout his body, but has bigger white spots along his shoulders, the backs of his ears, and his outer hips.
eye color: honey brown
scars: none that have a significant story
piercings: none
tattoos: none
hair color: dark chocolate brown
abnormalities: fawn-like ears
horns/ wings/ etc: small, stumpy antlers that stick just above his hair
transformed form: he does not have a transformation.
PERSONAL FILE:
religious belief: agnostic, but was raised buddhist
secrets: teen romance can be rough, right? it’s like two colliding whirlwinds of emotions, hormones, and desires. one minute you’re together, the next you’re broken up for no reason. now when that volatility is coupled with doubts about sexuality, it’s just a disaster waiting to happen. most people didn’t accidentally melt half of their boyfriend’s face off and cause him to have to undergo grueling, expensive reconstructive surgery that would never quite make things right, though. briar had told him the gloves had to stay on, but kids were reckless and foolishly believed in their own infallibility so it didn’t take much convincing to risk it all for some skin on skin. then next thing they knew, briar was babbling some half brained excuse about a science experiment gone wrong while his boyfriend’s blood curdling screams echoed in his ears. it was believably enough… until a month after - when the swelling from some of his injuries went down - his former lover was able to unintelligibly mutter “briar did it.” then suddenly an ‘accident’ turned into a full scale investigation of malicious intent. all briar could do was tell the truth. he didn’t know which was more difficult - coming clean about his powers or coming out of the closet. but the officer sitting across from him and his distraught mother in the cramped interrogation room didn’t seem particularly disturbed by the confession. his bushy brows only furrowed in disappointment over the entire situation. in the end, briar was only charged with obstruction of justice for initially lying to police, but the damage to his reputation was irreparable. his mother decided it would be best to relocate, which is how briar came to finish his last years of high school in agdoeg.
savvies: hiking, gardening, camping, sightseeing, investigative work, problem solving, riddles and puzzles.
traits: (positive) determined, intelligent, neat freak, health conscious, animal lover, usually down to earth, assertive, responsible, (negative) sarcastic, impatient, untrusting, can have a temper when someone pushes him too far, distant, prioritizes work over everything else.
BACKGROUND CHECK:
date of birth: november 23rd
date of death: n/a
crime record: most would assume someone has to have a clean slate to enter law enforcement, but that would leave slim pickings in a city like agdoeg. briar doesn’t have any outstanding criminal record, but he did have a couple of dings on his juvenile one that were expunged once he became a legal adult and, therefore, they can no longer be found in most databases.
BACKGROUND/BIOGRAPHY:
(TW MISCARRIAGE, TW IMMACULATE CONCEPTION BY SOME STRANGE GOD XD, TW DOMESTIC DISPUTES, TW DIVORCE)
Briar’s parents had been struggling to conceive a child for many years, since their prompt marriage right out of secondary school. These sweet hearts had longed to have a cookie cutter life and family, but fate seemed to inhibit that every step of the way. His mother have seven miscarriages due to the condition of an incompetent cervix and was told many times that she may never be able to carry a child to full term. This had been devastating news to the couple, who had no means of affording everything that went into surrogacy and were now facing the reality that they may never be able to have their own children. In spite of these odds, though, they kept trying and praying that whatever Gods that were out there might grant them a miracle.
Their prayers never seemed to be answered, though, and this put an understandable strain on their marriage. It was when his mother was thirty three and beginning to lose hope that she was plagued by a strange dream. She was floating in a vast emptiness, unable to move or even scream. This might have terrified someone else, but she somehow felt safe blanketed in the darkness. It was as if the entire universe lay bare before her, starlight dancing between her outstretched fingertips. Except she didn’t have fingers. She didn’t even have a physical body. There was a sense that she had become a part of something greater or perhaps been broken down into a form akin to what they had all been before the universe collided together in some cosmic firework show to create all that they knew.
After what seemed like an eternity if time even passed in that world, the stars began to slowly take shape before her, pulled together by gravity or some other force she would never quite understand. As they converged, the light became so bright that it was nearly blinding, but she was space dust so how could she look away? She remembers trying to rationalize it with that absurd thought as the light shifted around her and the sound of harps and a heavenly chorus interrupted the sacred stillness that she’d been immersed in until then. Heralding the coming of something… or someone.
The light came together at the peak of the crescendo, shapeless but she somehow got the sense of a voluptuous form wrapped in a gown the longer she stared into it. This motherly figure bent over her and she recalled the warmth as its tendrils of light stroked over her cheek before urging her mouth open. In that moment, she didn’t feel any sense of unease as the being urged her to partake of its light. It traveled past her lips and through every corner of her being, rushing into her fingertips and even the ends of her hair. It was the first time since being in that plane that she had any sense of where she ended and the rest of the world began. The last thing she remembered was that light condensing, forming into its own little star in the lower part of her abdomen and radiating such soothing warmth…
Then she woke up and that was the first time she really had any sense of unease about the strange dream. As someone who had experienced how odd dreams could get during pregnancy, though, she took it as a good sign. Sure enough, when she took a test three weeks later, she was pregnant! Unlike prior, when she’d lost her children around the three month mark, this child was growing strong and without the complications she always worried about. Everything seemed to finally be falling into place. Their marriage and hope in the future was revitalized! And after nine months of perhaps the most physical and emotional pain she had ever been in in her entire life, she was welcoming a beautiful, healthy baby boy into the world and never once thought about the unsettling dream at the start of it all.
Admittedly, Briar was certainly a unique baby. His ears had always been a little odd since birth - bigger than usual - but his parents figured he would just grow into them and found it one of his most endearing traits. However, when he was three years old, that’s when his antlers started coming in. His mother found them one night when she was reading him a bedtime story and running her fingers through his unruly mop of wavy hair. Understandably, she freaked out and brought him to the doctor the next day, who took a biopsy and found the strange growths to primarily be made of calcium. It was unusual, but they decided to simply keep an eye on it since it seemed harmless enough. They only became more noticeable as the years went by, poking through his hair, and Briar recalls the Chinese Buddhists of his neighborhood always telling his mother it was a sign of good fortune. At the time, Briar had always thought it was annoying how they’d want to lay their hands on him, but he realized as he’d gotten older that they believed the cow was Guanyin’s reincarnated father and the stubby little nubs atop his head made them think he was blessed.
But horns and antlers are two different things - one being keratinous and, the other, bone - but he supposed it was easy to confuse them at first glance. Going into adolescence, those things grew like crazy. As if puberty and having velvety twigs growing on your head wasn’t stressful enough, that was when Briar first noticed his parents beginning to drift apart. One night, when coming home late from a friend’s house, he overheard a heated argument between them in the kitchen and his father’s accusations would forever be etched into his mind...
“You thought you could trick me forever? I don’t know who knocked you up, but I can’t pretend that thing is my son!”
The words drove through him like a knife. Yet after the initial shock subsided, Briar felt for the first time that all the little confusing pieces he’d chosen to overlook his entire life began to make sense. At first his parents had simply assumed he’d taken on more features of his mother, but his father had begun to grow distant as his otherworldly features and powers emerged. The reality was that two humans couldn’t possibly have made a half-deer-whatever-he-was and the only logical explanation was that he wasn’t his father’s at all. He only wished he’d come to that conclusion sooner instead of deluding himself and becoming foolishly attached to the man…
The divorce was relatively swift. The judge didn’t even demand a paternity test when his father rebuked having to pay child support. All he had to do was look across the courtroom and he could tell that the speckled, big eared, horned child standing there wasn’t his. It was a dirty, unjust move that besmirched his mother as a disloyal wife and watching her go through that emotional rollercoaster was perhaps the toughest thing of the whole ordeal. Thirteen year old Briar comforted her through the fits of tears and had a strong upper lip when she insisted that she’d never betrayed his father… What bothered him the most was that he couldn't believe her, but he also couldn’t be angry or blame her either. He had always been closer with his mother and he promised her in those moments of weakness that he would always take care of her.
Of course, a single mother with a bad reputation was not an easy gig when trying to support a family. They were forced to move from their smaller town into the teeming metropolis of Bangkok for her to find work and Briar was honestly quite happy with leaving the past behind him. He thrived in the city with its far more diverse population. No one looked at him like he was a freak when he rode the bus or went to buy groceries. It was the first time he felt like he could truly be himself. He had his fair share of rough patches, just like any hormonal teenager, but having otherworldly powers and no one to teach you how to use them certainly caused a few catastrophic, social life obliterating faux pas.
Teen romance can be rough, right? It’s like two colliding whirlwinds of emotions, hormones, and desires. One minute you’re together, the next you’re broken up for no reason. Now when that volatility is coupled with doubts about sexuality, it’s just a disaster waiting to happen. Most people didn’t accidentally melt half of their boyfriend’s face off and cause him to have to undergo grueling, expensive reconstructive surgery that would never quite make things right, though. Briar had told him the gloves had to stay on, but kids were reckless and foolishly believed in their own infallibility so it didn’t take much convincing to risk it all for some skin on skin. Then next thing they knew, Briar was babbling some half brained excuse about a science experiment gone wrong while his boyfriend’s blood curdling screams echoed in his ears. It was believably enough… until a month after - when the swelling from some of his injuries went down - his former lover was able to unintelligibly mutter “Briar did it.”
Then suddenly an ‘accident’ turned into a full scale investigation of malicious intent. All Briar could do was tell the truth. He didn’t know which was more difficult - coming clean about his powers or coming out of the closet. But the officer sitting across from him and his distraught mother in the cramped interrogation room didn’t seem particularly disturbed by the confession. His bushy brows only furrowed in disappointment over the entire situation. In the end, Briar was only charged with obstruction of justice for initially lying to police and required to do court mandated counceling, but the damage to his reputation was irreparable. His mother decided it would be best to relocate.
His mother thankfully was able to transfer within her company to the Agdoeg branch. It meant not only relocating in the middle of high school for Briar, but moving to an entirely new country. The level of diversity and integration of the supernatural community within Agdoeg was even better than what he’d experienced before. They were in government, owned small businesses… But not all of them were reputable or honest. Briar quickly learned that there were parts of the city that he shouldn’t venture to if he knew what was good for him. However, in spite of the seedier things going on in the underbelly, he was able to find a youth center which helped him to get a better handle on his powers and met his role model who would eventually lead him into his career as a police officer.
INTERVIEW QUESTION (PARA SAMPLE): “JUST RUN US THROUGH WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT”. - OFFICER
briar squeezed his eyes shut tight in an attempt to chase away the spots dancing across his vision from the overbearing fluorescent bulbs that bore down on the table in the center of the interrogation room. it was so intense that he could hear the hum of the electricity going to it and, somehow, he mentally processed that before the weight of the officer’s words. words he’d uttered himself many times when the roles were flipped. normally, this was the point a smart suspect would clam up and demand to talk to a lawyer, but clearly this was some kind of joke and he’d just missed the punchline. “ha. ha! very funny.” he gruffed, devoid of amusement as he reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose to ward off the pounding headache settling in like someone was playing the bass drum behind his eyeballs.
the precinct had all been out drinking the night before, celebrating closing a case that had been busting their proverbial balls for the last six months, and there was a point after countless shots of tequila that briar didn’t even know what was up and what was down, let alone why they were even there anymore. now, he didn’t doubt that many profoundly stupid things had fallen from his lips and been done, but he hardly would have thought it would be anything illegal. officers protected their own and someone less inebriated surely would have stopped him before he did anything he’d regret. trying to wrack his brain, briar bent to press his forehead to the cool metal of the table with a pitious groan. he remembered waking up in one of the cells to the sound of the door noisily being opened and before he could even get his bearings, two uniformed men were hauling him up and dragging him down the hallway toward the room he sat in now. none of it made a lick of sense.
“i’m afraid this isn’t a joke, officer suwannarat. something very serious happened tonight and we need you to tell us why.”
the brutally stern voice sobered briar up really quick and he lifted his head up from the table to narrow his eyes on the man that sat across from him, his fawn-like ears flicking in annoyance. he’d worked on the force for many years now and he wasn’t about to be hassled by some nameless rookie who was probably forced in here by his supervising officer, like a lamb being pushed into a cage with a bear. “listen- no. what is going on?” he demanded with surprising eloquence for someone who’s tongue felt like a dried up sponge in his mouth. drunk drought be damned. “am i under arrest? ‘cause if i am, you better tell me the charges or else i’m walking right out that door and finding your commanding off-”
what was likely going to be a memorable tirade was cut short as the door to the interrogation room swung open and a handful of officers poured into the small space like salmon all fighting to spawn upstream. all briar could do was stare wide eyed where he was glued to his seat and watch with no small amount of mortification while a cake was set in front of him with messy lettering iced on top that read ‘congrats on your promotion! now you’re their problem.’ feeling the mixture of rage and bewilderment quickly begin to ebb away, the corners of briar’s lips twitched into a crooked smile and he shook his head in exasperation. “you’re fucking kidding me. who’s terrible idea was this?” he demanded with a mirthless laugh as he deflated back into the hard metal chair and glanced around at the familiar faces of the men and women he’d worked with for the past ten years. god, how had he survived their crazy antics and made it this far?
“what do you mean? we had to give you a memorable send-off.” his partner mounted his defense and slunk out from the crowd to give briar an encouraging clap on the shoulder. “besides, do you know how hard it was to carry your heavy ass into the cell to pull this off? the least you could do was say thank you. geez. too good for us already, detective?”
briar should thank him. that much he’d already mentally concluded. but shoving his partner’s smug face into the cake was also a tempting option. instead, he reached up to gently pat the other’s hand with his gloved one. “never.” he assured him gently before a chorus of obnoxious coos from the peanut gallery made sure to not only kill the moment but beat it once it was down. pushing himself up from the chair, briar swayed unsteadily and shamelessly grappled a couple of his friends for balance on his route to the door. “ugh. alright, get me out of this room before i literally end someone and get stuck here forever. that cake better be chocolate, i swear-”
The ‘In-between’: (n), a place somewhere between the living and the divine where children of the gods can come and live out their royal pampering with their parents. These places exist outside of time and space, and is significantly unique to the their parent.
Briar didn’t always dream and, for that, he was thankful. Because when he did, his mind was plagued by the grisly images from countless crime scenes that inevitably followed him home from work. They were imprinted in his memory, haunting reminders of lost souls who were depending on him for justice. When he became a cop, he’d been warned about the toll it could take on you if you couldn’t compartmentalize the horrid things you were forced to confront each day. There were many officers forced into early retirement and who spent the rest of their lives in therapy because they failed to do just that. Briar, on the other hand, had spent his entire life packing his feelings into a little mental box and closing the lid tight, so he never felt particularly endangered when he’d bring case files home and peruse them at his dining room table while eating his extremely late dinner. If it ever came to a point where he couldn’t handle it, then he supposed it was good he had a therapist already.
The dreams about his cases weren’t the most disturbing ones that came to him, though. Sometimes, in the dark recesses of his unconscious mind, he found himself in the center of a dismal forest. The trees stretched like imposing shadowy monoliths draped in fog, an oppressive and foreboding presence that seemed to want to keep him from finding his way out. And he wasn’t alone...
He’d hear something rustle through the dead leaves blanketing the ground, but when he’d turn in search of the source, all he would see was the shifting gloom. Sometimes, he would think he’d spy a figure, her white gown billowing around her, flowing with an ethereal elegance much like the mist around her. Was she just an extension of it? Yet he could hear her voice calling to him in the distance like an eerie whisper of a breeze and he somehow had the feeling that he was supposed to follow it. That she would lead him to safety...
Taste it, I laced it, silhouette, you traced it. // @vcbriar
Combat boots thudded against the wet concrete. The past few days had been full of downpours and Blue could see the clouds underneath the glowing lights of the city. His day of classes seemed to move fast only to slow down when a familiar name flashed across is screen. He didn’t need more than an address. granted he didn’t even get an address, only the grey bubble over a black screen that sent him here.
He kept his mask up and head down, trudging into the Hotel de la Nuit. The decore was familiar at this point. The beautiful red accents among the grand furnishings made him feel a bit bigger than usual.
Blue didn’t even stop at the desk, only strutted his way to the elevator and picked the correct floor, a small smile across his face behind the fabric covering. Adjusting the tan suede a top his pastel locks, the matching jacket and flowing pants far from appointment attire, but he and Briar had been intimate too many times to count that he wasn’t in need of the satin shorts and blinging collars to impress.
Instead of knocking he dialed Pan’s number, placing the screen to his ear waiting for the smooth deepness of the officers voice.
Briar had become quite familiar with this particular suite at the Hotel de la Nuit. In truth, it was even more spacious than his own apartment. The entryway opened up into a modest sitting room with a plush couch and two matching armchairs on the opposite site. The wooden frame was a dark mahogany, with white and red upholstery. A see-through partition consisting of geometric designs separated the way to the king sized bed and the door leading to the luxurious bath. Aside from the small balcony, that was Briar’s favorite part about the entire place. A large glass shower and a freestanding tub that he could sink down into took up the wall opposite the vanity. Though since they’d started frequenting this hotel, him and Blue had surprisingly never enjoyed it together.
Of course, spending just a single night together every so often didn’t leave room for much exploration and that was entirely Briar’s fault. Often times, he’d be gone early in the morning to go back to the office, leaving Blue with the hotel for at least two additional nights if he chose to linger. Sometimes he would come back another evening, sometimes he wouldn’t. Other times he might come to pick Blue up for a fancy dinner and then drop him back at the hotel without any other intentions. There was no certainty or expectation, so all that was left was simply enjoying each other’s company when they both had it.
Their arrangement had been a good way for Briar to escape the stress of his job. He didn’t want to think about the piles of unsolved cases in his office or what chaos the gangs were causing on the streets... But the complicated thing of hooking up is that people so often wanted to know more than they reasonably needed to and there was perhaps nothing that Briar dreaded more than small talk. Why did anyone need to know his hobbies or what he did for a job before they got down to business? Sure, he probably could have convinced someone for a quick round in the bathroom of some dingy club, but the germaphobe in him and the desire for classy things outweighed the desperation for physical contact.
He’d gotten lucky when he’d met Blue. Briar had been very blunt when discussing his limits the first night they’d met, telling him that he didn’t want to discuss anything personal beyond their time together, and the younger man had been surprisingly agreeable. Even if he was visibly stressed when they’d met in the past, Blue never pushed him to divulge why and Briar had always found comfort in that. He spent his whole day interrogating people. He didn’t want the same done to him. Recently, though, he’d been a lot more forthcoming with his feelings and sharing little tidbits about his life. Like his favorite brand of wine or that he enjoyed reading books on rainy days. And that’s truly what he wanted between him and Blue. Only the good things. Being together without the messy nature of attachment and reveling in some of the finer things in life without getting caught up in the sticky web that was the monotony of work, allegiances, or dysfunctional families.
Briar had spent an hour winding down in the hotel room before Blue arrived, just making sure a bottle of wine was in the small refrigerator and that another was chilling on ice. Hearing his phone ring a familiar tune, a crooked smile graced Briar’s lips and he rose up from the armchair by the window where he’d been enjoying the gorgeous view to get it off the nightstand. He couldn’t help feeling giddy himself with Blue’s infectiously chipper tone coming through the speaker as soon as he answered. “A gift, huh?” He drawled curiously as he sauntered over to the door and opened it up to find the stylish male on the other side. Hanging up the phone, he let his eyes truly appreciate the sight of them there as he slipped the electronic into the back of his blue slimfit slacks. It freed up his hands to let him reach out to smooth an imaginary wrinkle in Blue’s jacket, just for an excuse to touch them. “You’ve wrapped it so nicely and everything.” He teased coyly before giving a gentle tug on the fabric to coax Blue inside away from prying eyes. When he was beyond the threshold, the brunette bent down to press a soft kiss to the shorter male’s cheek. “You look lovely. Not that you don’t always.”
Reckless was the best way to describe his actions, tonight. He’d got his hands on some coke and was higher than his fucking ego. He’d found himself in bed with some beauty for the bar before snorting more of the white powder and jumping into his car. He had no fears as he sped down the streets, weaving in and out of traffic. The red lights flashed as for a second he’d thought it was a figment of his imagination. Then the sirens began to blare and he groaned as he pulled his car onto the side of the road. He knew the drill. He knew it all too well.
Walk a straight line, answer all the questions, be charming. But still, he found himself being placed into the back of the cramped cop car. “If my car gets stolen, I’m not gonna be a very happy camper.” He rolled his eyes and let them escort him to the familiar building. The interrogation room was familiar and he crossed his legs, leaning back into the chair. His eyes flickered towards the familiar face and he grinned as if seeing an old friend for the first time in years.
“Briar, now, why would I be avoiding you? You know I never avoid a pretty face, babe.” He leaned forward and offered up a charming grin. “Are you going to frisk me?” He chuckled, shoulders bouncing slightly. “Don’t worry about being gentle. I like it rough.” He practically purred.
After not crossing paths with Alucard for over a year, Briar had almost forgotten how dangerous the vampire’s mouth could be, and not simply because of the fangs hidden behind his lips. In another life, if the two of them were in a dimly lit bar rather than a cramped interrogation room, Briar might have been quite tempted by those lascivious words, but he knew better than to play into his game. The man was so accustom to having everything his way because of who his family was and the countless times he’d gotten away with breaking the law was a testament to the Jeup’s power within the city. Briar knew that there wasn’t anything that would come from Alucard’s arrest, but it did give him a sick sense of satisfaction to see him behind bars if only momentarily.
Amusement played across Briar’s features as he got comfortable across the table from Alucard and removed the leather gloves he wore with a curt chuckle. “Well, I hope the officers who brought you in were at least competent enough to do that beforehand.” He stated matter-of-factly, though there was significant reason for him to doubt his colleagues nowadays. Even if they had a serious lapse in protocol and hadn’t searched the vampire already, it wasn’t like he needed a weapon to kill him. They both knew how unnecessarily messy that would be, though, when Alucard could simply do nothing and would make bail anyway. “So unless you’ve decided to become more creative with where you stash your coke, I don’t think you have anything hidden under there that can interest me.”
Briar shot him a smug little smile before he grabbed the file that was on the table to glance through it. Crossing one ankle over the top of the opposite knee to make a resting place for the paperwork on his thighs, the bottom hem of Briar’s suit pants hiked up just enough to reveal the patterned socks he wore. It was the one article of clothing that showed a more quirky side to the normally clean cut detective. These particular ones were a beige with red and orange leaves to signify the coming autumn. “Speeding, driving while intoxicated.” There was almost disappointment in his voice when he listed the charges off. Not, by any means, because he felt sorry for Alucard or thought he could do better. No, it was because this was child’s play. Weak charges like this wouldn’t get him anywhere. “Must have been a buzz kill when you saw those lights in the rearview mirror. It was a fun night before that, I guess?”
Patience was not a virtue Briar had been blessed with in this life, nor was hiding that fact. If there was one thing — who was he kidding? There were countless things — that rubbed him the wrong way, it was being interrupted when he was deep in thought. His former captain didn't even bother to wait for an invitation after knocking before entering his office to find Briar looming over his desk, his hands on his hips as he scrutinized the pages from his latest case file that were strewn over the wooden surface. Briar may not have admonished the intrusion with words, but the glare he cast towards him was almost murderous enough to deserve an indictment.
"Someone better be dead or dying." The irascible detective grumbled flatly and moved to cross his arms over his chest, but the captain seemed no more perturbed by the annoyed display than a parent ignoring their child's temper tantrum. And, truthfully, that's all it was. The man had known Briar for nearly eleven years now and had learned that the attempts to ward him off were merely superficial. Or perhaps it was that Briar had learned that his stubborn friend wasn't as easily chased away.
"So a patrol officer just picked up our old friend at 14th and Park and are bringing them in now. Someone else can deal with it, but I know you used to be on their case before you took this position." The captain explained matter-of-factly, as if he didn't bloody well know this was the equivalent of an expert fisherman casting an intricately designed lure. It had been over a year and a half, well before he'd taken the promotion to detective, since they last had the pleasure of apprehending this specific gang member. There was no telling what they'd been up to in all that time and the possibility of finding out was bait that Briar had no choice but to bite. "We could use someone who knows their game. Otherwise it'll just be a wash."
"As if it wasn't a wash before." Briar scoffed, not too proud to admit that their prior attempts interrogating them hadn't panned out at all like they'd wanted. Then again, if the scum of the world simply rolled over with gentle prodding, the cops wouldn't exactly have the greatest job security, now would they? So he supposed he had this gangster and their iniquitous colleagues to thank for that. Grabbing the beige blazer draped over the back of his chair with a resigned sigh, Briar tried his best to ignore the smug grin that played across the captain's features as he wrestled it on.
Hook, line, and sinker.
-----------
After arranging with his devious friend that he was definitely treating him for drinks that night, Briar made his way to the interrogation room where he knew his quarry was being held. Normally someone in his position wouldn't be wasting their time interviewing anyone booked on charges as weak as these unless it was pertinent to a bigger investigation, but this one... They were unfinished business from his lowly days as a beat cop and the perfectionist in him deeply wanted to tie up those loose ends.
The badge on the lanyard hanging around his neck prompted a soft beep from the sensor when Briar swiped it and the bolt on the door clicked back into its hollow, letting him pass through into the room that was no bigger than a modest closet. A table and two chairs were somehow squeezed in between four white, windowless brick walls, so it was near to impossible for his eyes not to immediately be drawn to the striking presence who completed the scene.
"Well, look who it is." Briar jeered tauntingly as if their meeting was pure happenstance, but they both knew better. He unceremoniously placed two bottles of water on the table before he sunk down into the chair, regarding them with an amused quirk of his lips. "We really should stop meeting like this, don't you think? You don't call, you don't text. If I didn't know any better, I would have thought you were avoiding me."
Briar would never understand old, rich men and their affinity for golf. He supposed it was because after a certain age and years spent sedentary in a desk job, it was all they could do. It was so much more than a sport or recreational activity for them, though. Many of the higher ups within the Agdoeg police department were vested members of the city's elite country club and it was no secret that their decisions were often made on the green rather than in the confines of a board room. It was also not a secret that the club touted many notable gang members as prime investors and it only took common sense to figure out that both frequenting the same place was not simply coincidence. Especially with the questionable decisions made on where money was allocated within the police department.
There was a more intricate game at work here, but it wasn't until Briar took up the detective position that he had a chance to really figure out what they were playing at. When one of his superiors invited him to tag along, he couldn't refuse the offer even if he wanted to. He owed it to his fellow officers at the bottom of the totem pole who often were the ones getting the short end of the stick with these secretive deals. While he might have looked the part with his polo and snug slacks, he was counting that stroking their egos by making his superiors feel like experts at the game compared to him might work to his advantage.
When they arrived at the first hole, Briar climbed out of the golf cart his senior had driven and moved to the back to get the bag of assorted clubs, hoisting it over his shoulder easily. The older man had already gone over to greet the others present and the detective, feeling wholly out of place, smiled cordially as he approached like this was his ideal way of spending his Saturday. Then again, he often brought his work home with him on the weekends anyway, so this wasn't much different aside from robbing him of his comfort in the form of a warm cup of tea as he went over case files.
"Everyone, this is Pan. He took over for Detective Kim." Though Briar smiled and endured the small talk after his introduction, inside he knew this was all a formality. A cleverly disguised vetting process for these bureaucrats to figure out if he was predator or prey. As he was shaking hands with the higher ups, both former and current, he found his attention drawn to a man who appeared about as young as him, but he had seen his face enough in association with rising tech and oil stocks to know that he'd been around well before Briar had begun his life in Agdoeg. Someone so deeply rooted in old money definitely set off more than a few alarm bells in the detective's head and only fueled his suspicion of the corruption in even the uppermost positions within the police. Why else would he be here if there wasn't a connection?
"I don't believe I recognize you from the department." Briar cut in shamelessly while the rest of the men were getting their clubs and thrust out a gloved hand for Mr. Moon to shake. Thankfully, a lot of players wore leather gloves to keep a better grip, so he didn't actually stand out for once wearing them. "So are you a friend of one of the commanders or just a generous benefactor?"
What brought you to Agdoeg City? Anybody interesting you've met so far?
"The accent gave it away, right? That I'm not from here?" Briar postulated with an amused smirk. Though both his Korean and English were fluent, there was no obscuring his native accent. Even if his atypical features could be brushed off as potentially mixed descent, his intonation and pronunciation of certain words stood out in spite of all the time he'd lived in the city. It was then that the realization of just how many years he'd been a resident dawned on him, a look of surprise crossing his features as he reached up to stroke his chin thoughtfully. "Wow... I don't know if this is something I'm proud to claim or not, but I've lived in Agdoeg almost as long as I lived in Thailand growing up. Maybe in a few more years when I'll have officially lived here longer, I'll actually feel like a true citizen. But somehow I doubt it. I've met a few people, yeah, but there's always a sense of being an outsider."
|| happy belated opening day to everyone! y’all can call me rae, the man behind the curtain of this lovely character. briar suwannarat is the token law enforcement officer in this crime riddled city as of now, so please be gentle with him ٩(× ×)۶ he is a child of the twelve, aligned with sagittarius, and has some unique features to prove it. he’s got big ears, all the better to hear of your misdeeds! huhu~ my theme has his profile, backstory, and personality embedded in the coding, but I’ve reposted my application information as well into an easy-read profile. however, there are more tidbits in the theme pages so please take the time to check it out if you’d like to plot. give this handy dandy thing a like if you’re interested in brainstorming something out!
is your character someone he might have arrested before or perhaps is currently investigating? are you looking to flip on your gang in the hopes of getting out? or maybe you’re trying to see if you can turn this loyal cop to the dark side. -ominous darth vader breathing- you might also be looking for some casual interactions to start without the stress of allegiances getting in the way and that is all fine, too! throw your ideas at me!
Patience was not a virtue Briar had been blessed with in this life, nor was hiding that fact. If there was one thing — who was he kidding? There were countless things — that rubbed him the wrong way, it was being interrupted when he was deep in thought. His former captain didn't even bother to wait for an invitation after knocking before entering his office to find Briar looming over his desk, his hands on his hips as he scrutinized the pages from his latest case file that were strewn over the wooden surface. Briar may not have admonished the intrusion with words, but the glare he cast towards him was almost murderous enough to deserve an indictment.
"Someone better be dead or dying." The irascible detective grumbled flatly and moved to cross his arms over his chest, but the captain seemed no more perturbed by the annoyed display than a parent ignoring their child's temper tantrum. And, truthfully, that's all it was. The man had known Briar for nearly eleven years now and had learned that the attempts to ward him off were merely superficial. Or perhaps it was that Briar had learned that his stubborn friend wasn't as easily chased away.
"So a patrol officer just picked up our old friend Zelda at 14th and Park and is bringing her in now. Someone else can deal with it, but I know you used to be on her case before you took this position." The captain explained matter-of-factly, as if he didn't bloody well know this was the equivalent of an expert fisherman casting an intricately designed lure. It had been over a year and a half, well before he'd taken the promotion to detective, since they last had the pleasure of apprehending Zelda. There was no telling what she had been up to in all that time and the possibility of finding out was bait that Briar had no choice but to bite. "We could use someone who knows her game. Otherwise it'll just be a wash."
"As if it wasn't a wash before." Briar scoffed, not too proud to admit that their prior attempts interrogating Zelda hadn't panned out at all like they'd wanted. Then again, if the scum of the world simply rolled over with gentle prodding, the cops wouldn't exactly have the greatest job security, now would they? So he supposed he had Zelda and her iniquitous colleagues to thank for that. Grabbing the beige blazer draped over the back of his chair with a resigned sigh, Briar tried his best to ignore the smug grin that played across the captain's features as he wrestled it on.
Hook, line, and sinker.
-----------
After arranging with his devious friend that he was definitely treating him for drinks that night, Briar made his way to the interrogation room where he knew Zelda was being held. Normally someone in his position wouldn't be wasting their time interviewing anyone booked on something as weak as prostitution charges unless it was pertinent to a bigger investigation, but Zelda... She was unfinished business from his lowly days as a beat cop and the perfectionist in him deeply wanted to tie up those loose ends.
The badge on the lanyard hanging around his neck prompted a soft beep from the sensor when Briar swiped it and the bolt on the door clicked back into its hollow, letting him pass through into the room that was no bigger than a modest closet. A table and two chairs were somehow squeezed in between four white, windowless brick walls, so it was near to impossible for his eyes not to immediately be drawn to the striking woman who completed the scene.
"Well, look who it is." Briar jeered tauntingly as if their meeting was pure happenstance, but they both knew better. He unceremoniously placed two bottles of water on the table before he sunk down into the chair, regarding her with an amused quirk of his lips. "We really should stop meeting like this, don't you think? You don't call, you don't text. If I didn't know any better, I would have thought you were avoiding me."
|| happy belated opening day to everyone! y’all can call me rae, the man behind the curtain of this lovely character. briar suwannarat is the token law enforcement officer in this crime riddled city as of now, so please be gentle with him ٩(× ×)۶ he is a child of the twelve, aligned with sagittarius, and has some unique features to prove it. he’s got big ears, all the better to hear of your misdeeds! huhu~ my theme has his profile, backstory, and personality embedded in the coding, but I’ve reposted my application information as well into an easy-read profile. however, there are more tidbits in the theme pages so please take the time to check it out if you’d like to plot. give this handy dandy thing a like if you’re interested in brainstorming something out!
is your character someone he might have arrested before or perhaps is currently investigating? are you looking to flip on your gang in the hopes of getting out? or maybe you're trying to see if you can turn this loyal cop to the dark side. -ominous darth vader breathing- you might also be looking for some casual interactions to start without the stress of allegiances getting in the way and that is all fine, too! throw your ideas at me!
██████████████]99% LOADING…SUSPECT INTO THE APD DATABASE…
WITNESS(ES) SAY HE REMINDS THEM OF: autumn, forestpunk, cottagegore, darkest academia . With a slight resemblance to PAKORN THANASRIVANITCHAI of/the ACTOR.
