Modern Atlas

Nathanael Ellefis Professor of Anthropology

[weighed-down-by-lead-feathers]

*appears as a merman in Nate's fish tank*

*Wonders where the hell the fish tank comes from, then wonders about the fish form and then recognizes who it is* This is rather… new. *casually leans on the edge and runs fingers down the fins* I didn’t know you had Leviathan aspirations, my dear demon friend.

[sensualitysense]

Asmodeus smile took a slight smug tinge at these words, as he knew to count himself amongst those who fascinated. The following question sobered him again, though.

"I suppose it is worth to go on for those who share my fate, who have stayed at my side for all my life, and who need me." he elaborated quite slowly. "It would be quite cravenly to abandon both my best friend and those who rely on me."

Wiggling his toes a bit more, he struck a more playful note. “And it certainly is life’s own reward to meet interesting new people, like you, my dear Nathanael.”

[weighed-down-by-lead-feathers]

He took the compliment with grace, corners of his lips curving subtly up, though eyes stayed on the page. "Loyalty," He licked the pad of his thumb and fingered the page. "Not the most shallow reason to remain."

"You continually surprise me." Nathanael curled fingers around the ankle of the foot trying to draw his attention. And they had done so successfully, of course. "The constant, yet the ever-changing. The duality in your answer seems odd, though sound. A sense of belonging versus the dynamical to engage the mind. The ever present balance."

[weighed-down-by-lead-feathers]

*appears naked in Nate's bed*

*Was getting ready to go to bed himself and walks into the bedroom, toothbrush still in his mouth* …. * stares at the shape in his bed, tilting his head just a little in question, eyebrows up in surprised question. Takes the toothbrush from his mouth and returns to the bathroom for a bit*

[weighed-down-by-lead-feathers]

"It’s bold, different, not to mention in perfect shape. You know how the crowd is opposed to uniqueness and perfection. It finds faults. Even where there are none." A smile played on his lips, brief and small, fading slowly as he waited for reactions. "Stay the morning and I will apologize by braiding it for you."

[sensualitysense]

Asmodeus muffled an amused sound into the pillow. “And I am such a crowd pleaser usually.”

He grinned at Nathanael with delight. “How could I not, with such a sweet offer on the table.”

[weighed-down-by-lead-feathers]

"Ah, but that is what makes you so interesting. See you come morning, dear Asmodeus."

[weighed-down-by-lead-feathers]

*appears naked in Nate's bed*

*Was getting ready to go to bed himself and walks into the bedroom, toothbrush still in his mouth* …. * stares at the shape in his bed, tilting his head just a little in question, eyebrows up in surprised question. Takes the toothbrush from his mouth and returns to the bathroom for a bit*

[sensualitysense]

"Is it now?" Asmodeus hummed in pleasure. "What heinous crime did my hair commit, to deserve such criticism?" 

His sigh was laced with disappointment when the touch did not continue. He batted his lashes  at Nathanael in a rather provocative manner. “Only in the best ways, of course.”

[weighed-down-by-lead-feathers]

"It's bold, different, not to mention in perfect shape. You know how the crowd is opposed to uniqueness and perfection. It finds faults. Even where there are none." A smile played on his lips, brief and small, fading slowly as he waited for reactions. "Stay the morning and I will apologize by braiding it for you."

[weighed-down-by-lead-feathers]

*appears as a merman in Nate's fish tank*

*Wonders where the hell the fish tank comes from, then wonders about the fish form and then recognizes who it is* This is rather… new. *casually leans on the edge and runs fingers down the fins* I didn’t know you had Leviathan aspirations, my dear demon friend.

[sensualitysense]

"Now, now, I am contractually obligated by my position to laud and propagate the example of this very fine gentleman." Asmodeus laughed, poking Nathanael with a toe. "It is certainly enjoyable to read as a whole…and I cannot but sympathise with the latter aspect." His grin dimished, but did not vanish completely. "The human life is so short, and fragile in most cases."

[weighed-down-by-lead-feathers]

"I would think Mister Gray agreed with you, yes," Nathanael licked the tip of his index finger and used it to flip the page, smoothing out the page where it was bound, taking little notion of the prodding toe. "And with myself, I suppose. I do seem to hold a fascination for such extraordinary characters."

"What do you suppose makes it worth such a long life? Eventually is not everything tried and looses its shine? What makes it worth for you, dear Asmodeus?"

[weighed-down-by-lead-feathers]

*appears naked in Nate's bed*

*Was getting ready to go to bed himself and walks into the bedroom, toothbrush still in his mouth* …. * stares at the shape in his bed, tilting his head just a little in question, eyebrows up in surprised question. Takes the toothbrush from his mouth and returns to the bathroom for a bit*

[sensualitysense]

"I have been fortunate enough to never have been mobbed for my wingspan, at least. This time, they only considered my braid a viable toy, I believe." One had even dared to tug on it. Maybe the metal clasp had attracted their attention, close cousins to magpies as they were.

"I see no reason to harm any animal." Asmodeus shrugged, as well as was possible in his current position. "It is the sentinent monkeys that make my fingers twitch on occassion."

[weighed-down-by-lead-feathers]

Rolling his head to the side Nathanael peered through lidded eyes at the other. One hand lifted then, reaching for his back to run fingers underneath said braid. "It is rather vexing, that hair of yours. I can't fault them for their curiousity."

His arm slid from Asmodeus' back, fingers twitching at his side. "And do I? Make your fingers twitch? I dare hope it is not in the way you are referring to this time."

[weighed-down-by-lead-feathers]

*appears as a merman in Nate's fish tank*

*Wonders where the hell the fish tank comes from, then wonders about the fish form and then recognizes who it is* This is rather… new. *casually leans on the edge and runs fingers down the fins* I didn’t know you had Leviathan aspirations, my dear demon friend.

[sensualitysense]

An excellent choice of reading material. *tucks his feet against the side of Nathanael’s hip, toes curling into the gap between body and cushion* Thank you. Pray tell, is it the titular character you sympathise with, or rather his critics? Is it the fascination with sordity that draws you to the book, or the moral lesson? *picks up his glass and smirks at him over it*

[weighed-down-by-lead-feathers]

*Levels the demon a look* Truly? *allows a smile to tug on his lip as he opens the book back at the right page* Why don't you tell me, Asmodeus? What could possible draw me, a humble professor studying humanity and its ways, to this book? Or perhaps it is not humanity at all, but rather the themes?

*pauses, then reaches for the glass and takes a modest drink, shaking his head afterwards* I read this book far too many times. I honestly couldn't tell you which aspect of it holds most appeal for me. Perhaps it is the way Mister Grey deals with a prolonged life?

[realizes]

[weighed-down-by-lead-feathers]

Hot Topic

[weighed-down-by-lead-feathers]

"No disagreement on that bit, my friend," Nathanael chuckled a bit, having nodded and hummed at all the right parts and properly listened throughout. He should be moving on, but the arguments were too well-funded for a student. It was interesting. Genuinely interesting and that was something that was… well, not exactly rare because the students bring up good points and could occasionally bring their argument well, but this was just great and he found himself rooted to the spot.

"So am I right in thinking that in your opinion Raphael then is the fraud? And any of those who work in the realistic spectrum of art?" The smile was indulgent, small but there, showing the slight challenge he had offered. "They say after all that realism is an imitation thus an illusion of nature. Should we admire the simple copies of that what we can see, such as seen in the Classic era and the Renaissance?

"Or," And now he shifted, going from crossed arms over to holding one open palm up to the other. " Is it the dreamers that we shouldn’t put on a pedestal? Abstract is after all a subjective representation of the idea of reality. Or not even of reality. Is there art when there are no rules?"

[sensualitysense]

"A fraud? Hardly." Asmodeus rested his arms on the small table before him, folding his hands restfully. "Leaving the technical skill required for the naturalistic style aside, if Raphael had just depicted beauty without inner value, his works would be frightfully dull." He took a moment to reign in his grin into something not quite unnerving. "He chose to display these values and the inherent beauty of them in an almost carnal way, with strong emphasis on the physical nature of those that hold them within themselves. Picasso, on the other hand, might as well be a representative of the logical, that deconstructs even the physical into something that has to be thought about to be understood. They are opposite ends of the spectrum, but disregarding either of them would be unhealthily one-sided." He paused for effect, then continued. “The modern mind might prefer the logical side of art, but in the end it is just that - personal preference. And while I would prefer Raphael’s works on a visual level, I am not blind enough to disregard his opposite.”

[weighed-down-by-lead-feathers]

"Interesting," Nathanael nodded in reply, considering the answers, or at least making it seem that way in the open attitude he held towards the other. "Well-argumented and taking the two points of view into account.

"What then," he continued, waving a hand at the board with the question [(Real) Art doesn't exist.] "about the original question? And consider the capital."

[weighed-down-by-lead-feathers]

*appears as a merman in Nate's fish tank*

*Wonders where the hell the fish tank comes from, then wonders about the fish form and then recognizes who it is* This is rather… new. *casually leans on the edge and runs fingers down the fins* I didn’t know you had Leviathan aspirations, my dear demon friend.

[weighed-down-by-lead-feathers]

*grumbles lightly over a bit of liquid crawling in between where the aquarium stood and the flood, but instead focuses on the folds and lines in the towels* … *eyes flit back to the book and back to asmodeus, this time on the glass* I don’t suppose so. I do have something more suited than its variant from the tap however. Care for a glass?

[sensualitysense]

I will gladly take that. *wanders over to join Nathanael, resting the mass of hair in his lap to keep from dripping* What are you reading?

[weighed-down-by-lead-feathers]

Then I do require you lift your head for a moment, dear Asmodeus. *bookmarks the page and hands the 'Picture of Dorian Grey' to the demon, lifting his head from his lap to get up* A little light leisure reading. Are you familiar with it? *soon returns from the kitchen with two glasses of mineral water, setting them on the table before settling back in the corner of the couch* 

[shewasonceanangel]

A Thing for Bookish Types

[shewasonceanangel]

Ellie didn’t appreciate being manhandled and she extracted her arm as soon as she was able, glaring a little at Nate. She’d seen something in his expression, a spark of curiosity, before he’d dragged her over here, and she wondered about it. Was he unaware that he couldn’t be easily read? True, she wasn’t a very powerful demon, and her talent lay not necessarily in reading minds but in reading desires in the mind.

"You may not be content with my presence here, but from what I can tell it’s a public space. I’m not content with you grabbing me,” she said with a bit of a bite. She retreated a step to put a bit of space between them. “And bored children aren’t really my line of work. Too young.” Her irritation turned to an appraising look. Just because she couldn’t read Nate didn’t mean that he had no desires. She crossed her arms and shifted her weight, letting one corner of her mouth lift slightly. “Perhaps if you don’t want me working on the people here at the library, I could tempt you, Nate Ellefis?”

[weighed-down-by-lead-feathers]

An eyebrow rose in reply, hands held up in an act of defense. "These college grounds are a neutral zone. For up and down alike. A sanctuary," Nathanael calmly explained. The hands were lowered, briefly rubbed together before they returned to his sides, "if I can help it."

Eyes scanned the young people around the two of them, milling about with their own agenda in mind, studying or reading for pleasure, searching for cozy corners or space to work, some rushed - the last minutes deadlines - others relaxed, taking their time to scan titles and covers. A blink and then Nathanael turned back to the demon. "You? Attempt to tempt me? I would love to see you try, my dear." He challenged with a light smirk. 

[weighed-down-by-lead-feathers]

*appears naked in Nate's bed*

*Was getting ready to go to bed himself and walks into the bedroom, toothbrush still in his mouth* …. * stares at the shape in his bed, tilting his head just a little in question, eyebrows up in surprised question. Takes the toothbrush from his mouth and returns to the bathroom for a bit*

[sensualitysense]

"Even a wit as cutting as yours needs rest; I will just assume it has departed the waking world ahead of you." Asmodeus chuckled, rubbing the pad of his thumb against Nathanael’s.

"I treated myself to a nice tea and a walk in the park, earlier. It was very pleasant, especially since had the park mostly to myself. If you disregard some truly fearless crows, at least." he told him idly. Sleep was tempting and the pillow was very soft against his cheek.

[weighed-down-by-lead-feathers]

Nathanael hummed lightly, amused in nature. "Interesting birds, crows. Once they figure out a person doesn't mean them harm they'll be bold. They must have figured you were not quite as much of a threat. This time." He inhaled, closing his eyes for a moment in which he patted Asmodeus' hand, and then shifted to his back, hands folded on top of the covers.

[reaperoftears]

Kay smirked at that, quirking a brow at his choice of words. “Careful now,” she said teasingly, though her tone was still prickly. “You sound like a demon dealing in souls like that.”

She brushed herself off, then stood in one smooth movement, impatient and fidgety all of a sudden. “How many souls have you collected?” she asked almost absently, taking a step towards one of the bookshelves lining the walls to peruse the books and various odds and ends on it.

[weighed-down-by-lead-feathers]

He watched her, patiently and silently, just for a while, letting her poke at the small instruments and souvenirs. He quite liked those. The souvenirs. But it was nothing that dated back beyond 20 years ago. "You of all people shouldn't have a problem with that." He smirked, joining her by picking up one of the more precious silver items, a simple nimble, but with intricate design. "I don't keep count, my dear, I remember each and every name that owes me, on either side, but counting would make it seem like that is my only score. I call in a favour whenever I deem it necessary."

[swordsmanshipandtea-blog]

And you never fail to confuse me, Nathanael. I fail to see the humour in this situation. -raises an eyebrow- Why what is happening tomorrow? -pauses for a minute in contemplation before placing a hand on Nathanael’s shoulder and squeezes it a tad tightly- Are you feeling well? 

[weighed-down-by-lead-feathers]

Your concern is touching, dear. *smiles, petting the hand and petting the bed next* Students, my dear Michael, these eager minds, they will fray my nerves if I don't get at least a minute of precious sleep in. Come.

[weighed-down-by-lead-feathers]

*appears naked in Nate's bed*

*Was getting ready to go to bed himself and walks into the bedroom, toothbrush still in his mouth* …. * stares at the shape in his bed, tilting his head just a little in question, eyebrows up in surprised question. Takes the toothbrush from his mouth and returns to the bathroom for a bit*

[sensualitysense]

"But the question is, is the darkness inherent in the earthly nature of humanity, or the darkness born from their fear of the same?" Asmodeus caught the questing hand and folded his own fingers around it. "Yearning for something higher is well enough. To equal it with power and status is what creates the jealousy and prideful arrogance that go with it all too often." And it certainly happened to angels and demons as well. Asmodeus saw it often enough.

He squeezed Nate’s hand.”Any suggestions? I am more than willing to let myself be distracted from this fruitless line of thought.”

[weighed-down-by-lead-feathers]

"Allow me to be honest, Asmodeus, and say that I followed little of that." There was a yawn that spilled from his lips without his consent, but he didn't let it deter him,  pushing his head momentarily deeper into the pillow. "I assure you that that is just the late hour and not my wit."

The fingers around his own were welcome, a grounding little touch that had him focus on the warmth instead of the sleep tugging on his limbs. "Tell me, dear demon, aside from your little- ... adventure, how was your day?" Nathanael tried for mundane.

[weighed-down-by-lead-feathers]

*appears naked in Nate's bed*

*Was getting ready to go to bed himself and walks into the bedroom, toothbrush still in his mouth* …. * stares at the shape in his bed, tilting his head just a little in question, eyebrows up in surprised question. Takes the toothbrush from his mouth and returns to the bathroom for a bit*

[sensualitysense]

"Because humanity always has needed justifications for excerting power over each other, to classify themselves better than their brethren in some way. It is is all to easy to condemn those so-called base impulses as vile, even monstrous, to give those abstaining a sense of superiority."

Asmodeus watched him, still thoughtful but at rest for now. “Humans tend to raise the logical mind as the pinnacle of moral opposed to the body and its inexplicable impulses, since of course what they cannot quantify or control has to be bad.”

[weighed-down-by-lead-feathers]

He shifted, eyes closing. A pink tongue peeked out to wet his lips before he spoke again. "It is not just humanity that is fond of thinking in such ways. Power is intoxicating, even for those beyond the human realm. To be better. Is that not the soul reason why there is even a darker side?" Nathanael asked, rhetorically, reaching a hand out to blindly pat his companion on the arm. "What do you say? Enough distraction for the night? Perhaps a lighter topic would suit the occasion better."

[swordsmanshipandtea-blog]

I have not thought about it, Nathanael. It appears to happen overnight from observations. -frowns- What is with your expression it is weird. 

[weighed-down-by-lead-feathers]

You never fail to amuse me, Michael *emphases the use of his full name again, laughs, and then flops particularly gracelessly on the mattress, dragging the sheets over his lower body and exhaling a tad more powerful than necessary* Lets sleep. I have a feeling tomorrow will not be easy on my nerves. Goodnight, Michael.

[reaperoftears]

She bristled, much as she tried to hide it. “What reason have I to respect one such as him?” she asked lightly, shaking her head in a way that sent her hair scattering snake-like over the couch. “No, I am doing nothing but acknowledging the way this world was made - with people like him at the top, and people like - well, you and me - everywhere else. It doesn’t take a genius to recognise the obvious discrepancy in that little arrangement.”

"Who is it exactly you’re looking for favours from, then? Do tell."

[weighed-down-by-lead-feathers]

Nathanael watched her for a moment, gaze carefully taking in her stance, but he took care not to push it. Instead he shook his head a little with a soft chuckle, amused at the reasoning. If he could he would prefer to not be part of that little mental diagram at all, instead a loose factor somewhere on the side, far away from the hierarchies. "Things be as they are. Little to change there, I'm afraid."

"As for who I'm looking for favours for? Well, having a favour open with one as high ranked and useful as him surely wouldn't be sore, would it? But I'm afraid I have to do with the odd soul left and right."