TDM #16

[duplicitymods]

« « « TEST DRIVE MEME » » »

« « « ALL ON DISPLAY

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It's discouraging to think how many people are shocked by honesty and how few by deceit. Yet, solace is found in the lies we tell each other, comforted by the peace of knowing that we're not alone in our depravity, and once on this path, sin itself becomes the lesser of two evils masked in a cloud of normalcy. This is how Duplicity has functioned since the beginning. The divide of power and social standing is overt in that Dominants influence the decisions made both publicly and privately while Submissives cater to the rules presented to them. It is the way of Duplicity to assign random designations at birth with no leeway in altering what has been given. Climate in the Up is far stricter than that of the Down; violating outlined personas for a Dominant or Submissive while in full view of others is punished by degree of infraction. In the Down, many tend to turn a blind eye to these sorts of offenses. To counteract the discovery of the Deceit Gene – a natural "negative" response to all stimuli – the L.I.E.S. program was founded. The program had been designed to introduce new subjects to the current environment and test for the Deceit Gene through immersion in Duplicity's standing society. Sexual impulses and encounters increase the chances of detecting the gene within these individuals. Participants are typically released from L.I.E.S. after a year; however, results have remained unsatisfactory and testing still continues. ... and you’re here! Finally! Welcome to Duplicity. After choosing a door and stepping through to the other side, the first thing that greets you are the enthusiastic faces of people in medical scrubs and pristine lab coats. Their enthusiasm translates to eagerness as they strip you of your clothes to perform a thorough examination—you will be healed, bathed, and given a paper gown to wear until your items can be processed and delivered to your residence later in the evening. You are also given a device that accesses the network as well as the time and location of orientation. If you enter Duplicity into the Up, congratulations! You’re a Dominant, which means you are immediately picked up by a limo after processing and taken to your high rise. Here, it is two Dominants per floor with separate apartments. If you enter Duplicity into the Down, congratulations! You’re a Submissive, which means you are directed towards public transportation with the address of the motel you’ll be living in. Here, it is two Submissives per room with a shared common space for all rooms. Enjoy your free time until orientation! Participation is mandatory by all new and old arrivals. The weather is rather cold and icy.

» » » WALKING TOUR

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The cold, icy winter weather has seen to it that there is an unfortunate interruption with the usual city tour for the newest arrivals to Duplicity. Some of the train tracks have a dangerous amount of ice coating them and sections of travel are now unavailable via train. City officials still believe that the tours are important to integrate new LIERs to Duplicity so they have organised personal walking tours held by current LIERs. New arrivals will be paired with their own tour guide; they can take the suggested path or take their barely dressed charge on a more ad-hoc tour. It might be considerate to let them change into something warmer first! Important landmarks and checkpoints like Fiddler’s Square, North Park, The Up and Down Courts, the People Zoo and of course S.L.U.T. need to be marked off on the tours but there have also been fun local stores which have set-ups for free samples and information booklets. What order and how people travel to them is up to them.

« « « GALLERIA OF SEX

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(CW: exhibitionism, voyeurism, dub/non-con) One of the stops along these new walking tours is a temporary educational art installation that has been set up to display and talk about the rich variety of kinks that are popular in Duplicity. Newcomers are invited to come inside the building, sit on the human furniture to watch and learn or volunteer to participate themselves. Each section has local LIERs and graduated citizens there to help walk those new to the program through the displays, explaining the appeal and draw of each kink. Live demonstrations or performance art are carried out by LIERs who have volunteered, been conscripted or are fulfilling a sentence that would normally land them in the People Zoo. They can and will ask anyone and everyone to step up and be part of the artwork themselves. Some of the displays set up will feature: Naked Submissives have been bound and posed with their bodies arched in visually pleasing positions. They are surrounded with candles burning around them and guests are invited to drip the hot wax across their bodies to add to the artwork that is their naked skin. Zap your lover or the volunteers with an electrical wand and discover the way it can make the skin tingle and muscles tense in just the right place at just the right moment. The image of cum dripping from a well used Submissive is considering something to appreciate visually so stations have been set up with glory holes and kneeling participants to have their faces and buttocks painted over the course of the day. A variety of whips, canes and paddles have been set out next to padded benches for Submissives to bend themselves over. The marks they leave are something to be proud of. No art display in Duplicity is complete without an ode to bondage, one room will be entirely devoted to participants being suspended from the ceiling, held in positions that will test their stamina and flexibility and leave the most gorgeous bruises. We encourage players not to limit themselves in regards to what is on display. There are many more kinks than the ones listed, and Duplicity considers all kinds of sexual acts a form of art. Photo taking is encouraged throughout the exhibition, especially when your own participation is concerned. If you missed the chance to do so, in the moment, you need not worry as the gift shop at the end of the gallery will have many different prints taken over the course of the exhibition available for purchase. Take home a keepsake of your first day in Duplicity.

« « « ICE TO SEE YOU

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(CW: exhibitionism) Winter does make it harder in Duplicity to enjoy all the pleasures of the flesh that could be on offer in the warmer months. Most who live in the city still need to wrap up with many layers when the weather turns so chilly. But that’s not saying that the city can’t find ways to help keep its residents in the mood. It will first be noticeable to those trying their hand at streaming or posting video footage onto the network. Regardless of a character's state of dress while recording, they will appear completely naked to those watching and no amount of covering up with more articles of material will change that. Others might see it as they set about on their first days getting used to the city’s layout, glancing into a shop window they will notice their own state of undress in their reflection. You might even see it in a particularly shiny bit of ice but no matter where you look, all reflective surfaces will show everyone in their birthday suits, naked as the day they were born.

« « « BLADES OF GLORY

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(CW: exhibitionism, dubcon, drugging) In a bid to encourage individuals to get out and keep active despite the chilly weather, the city has transformed one of the large tennis courts in the Up into a makeshift outdoor skating rink. In the recreation building attached to the courts-turned-rink the change rooms have been outfitted for people to change into more appropriate clothing. There is also at the front of the building an area to rent skates. Many who get on the ice see no reason to keep apart, as many contracted couples can be seen holding hands or chasing each other as they skate. In the change rooms it isn’t uncommon to see a bit of hanky panky or people getting off at helping others in and out of their skates. There also seems to be a small hot chocolate stand set up inside the building where characters can buy a warm drink to sip on while taking a break from skating. The drink may leave those that consume it feeling especially warm and frisky, with perhaps a bit of extra energy they need to burn off - skating might not cut it.

« « « MOD & OOC NOTES

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Please read carefully. On each Test Drive Meme, there will be a section noting character roles; these will vary each TDM. On an IC level, characters will still have gone through the doors but assignments OOCly are still randomized. When applying, there is a section of the application that denotes whether the character chooses "left" or "right". When participating on the TDM, there will be a third option. Players may link either a top level or a thread (five or more comments from their character) from the TDM and title the link as "Door Pass". This means that the player is choosing to take the designation that they were randomly assigned on the TDM, rather than taking the designation of a door. If the player decides to select a door rather than use the pass, then they are trying their luck; they may get the same designation they had on the TDM or the opposite. Once the application is submitted, players can't change their choice. To assign roles to characters for this TDM, use the following guide: If your character would rather have a dog for a pet they are Dominant. If they would rather have a cat for a pet they are Submissive. If your character is from a canon that has neither, pick the choice you believe they would prefer more. To Note: Characters can only swap their designation for one of the following reasons: an event occurs that allows it or there are OOC reasons that make it a necessity. Any swap always requires mod approval and each character can only ever switch once. Characters that are being reapped will keep their previous designation but players can choose to use new tdms with different designations for fun! Please remember to mark any necessary content, and have a good time!!

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» » » MAIN NAVIGATION « « «

Comments

geralt of rivia — the witcher ( dominant )

[blamedestiny]

01. WALKING TOUR

[ it is not the worst thing that he's ever done but it's uncomfortable. he is aware of eyes on him as he walks but stares forward, unwilling to allow anyone to see any discomfort.

the person walking him isn't who he would have chosen to drag him around like a pet but he's quickly gotten the hint that protestations will do little.

besides, it is, at least, a way to get a look at this place. he's refusing to think of how he's gotten here and what he's done to the world to cause it to happen and instead focusing on learning what he can.

right now, he thinks he could badly use the baths that so many people are usually trying to shove him into. it would be warm, at least.

the guide pulls a little too hard and geralt grumbles, grabbing the rope and giving it a tug until the guide ends up in the snow.

oops. ]

You tripped.

[ yes, that wasn't geralt's fault and the scowl on his face tells the guide not to try and argue. thankfully, they don't and the tour continues. ]

02. BLADES OF GLORY

[ he is not skating. geralt's fallen through the ice of various lakes and ponds throughout his life to not want to invite that if he's not going to get paid. no coin, no witcher and yes, that even extends to this godforsaken place.

instead, he gravitates towards the warm drink stand, watching people come and go with steaming mugs. he can tell that there's no alcohol added (how unfortunate) but he decides to get a cup for himself.

he sips it slowly, letting it warm him. the flavor is sweet, rich, unlike anything he's had before and he finds himself downing it quickly. the brown liquid sloshes a bit on the bottom of his cup and geralt stares at it for a few moments before throwing it out and watching the skaters idly, arms crossed over his chest.

the warmth from the drink doesn't go away, though. if anything, it increases and geralt shifts a bit, looking around to see if this is happening to anyone else. he knows what that itch is but he is going to steadfastly ignore it.

for now. ]

03. WILDCARD

[ if you'd like to do one of the other prompts, feel free to wildcard me. ]

☂ 01

[paxpenguina]

[Overall, and perhaps with increasing severity over recent months, Duplicity does take its designation system pretty seriously and citations for Dominants acting 'inappropriately' with people of the same standing are as common as citations for Submissives acting out of line of their own social station; everything goes in this city, except for transgressing the designation lines.

It's what makes this particular assignment especially interesting on the one hand and really quite suspicious on the other to Oswald--the prospect that he'll be guiding a man with an unmarked throat on a tour of the city. Okay, guide makes it sound really quite benevolent, which Oswald blatantly is not most of the time. Perhaps drag really is a better word for the whole thing, and indeed maybe he was getting a little into the role of tugging someone around and maybe he absolutely deserved his unceremonious tumble into the snow. Maybe.

Sputtering and hissing in rage and embarrassment, Oswald turns himself over in the chilly sidewalk to glower upward at the white-haired man.]

I most certainly did not!

[As if he isn't going to argue the toss as he pulls himself to a shaky stand, trying to brush away the snow as quickly as possible as he points an accusatory finger at the other man.]

If you spent less time gawking and more time walking, we'd be well on our way to somewhere much warmer already!

[blamedestiny]

Hm.

[ it's more of a grumble than anything. he's allowed this to happen without argument which is thinks is very nice of him. but, his kindness only extends so far and unfortunately, oswald had been the one closest to him when he decided to resist.

he has nothing against this man but he'd just been unlucky. the thought makes the corner of geralt's mouth lift and he almost smirks before he looks around. ]

I like gawking. [ right now, that was the truth. ] I'm a newcomer to this town, trying to get my bearings. Are you telling me that I should not be looking around? I wouldn't want to get lost later.

[ you weren't always going to be around to lead him, oswald. ]

[paxpenguina]

[In his time, Oswald has known all sorts of men; the ones who won't shut up, to the ones that are of few words. Initially, it seems like Geralt is firmly in the latter corner, which makes it a surprise when he has more to say.

Oswald's mouth pinches and shifts in a slow, irritated circle, hiding his irritation and impatience about as well as Geralt hides his. The thin, unamused smile he finally lands on arrives after a hard suck of breath through Oswald's teeth.]

Yes... You are indeed a newcomer. A newcomer, dragging your feet through the snow and cold in--[He gives Geralt a brief glance and hand gesture up and down his general form.]--not terribly much.

Were I in your position, I would suggest sorting out your priorities.

[Then, he casts a brief glance back at the group, chewing on something he might or might not want to say before he glances at Geralt sidelong.]

The official tour doesn't give a truly... authentic representation of this city, anyway.

[blamedestiny]

My priorities are sorted.

[ right now, his priorities consisted of giving oswald a hard time and trying to take in as much of this place as he can when he's dressed in so little and trying to ignore the cold seeping through the bottom of his feet. ]

And what is a truly authentic representation of this city? [ you can't say that oswald and not elaborate. now, he's interested in what the city might be hiding that he needs to know. ]

[paxpenguina]

[The claim that Geralt's priorities are on point earns him an incredibly unambiguous eyeroll and a guttural kind noise that's somewhere between a groan and a tut rolled into one.]

We'll have to agree to disagree on your priorities, on this occasion.

[Shifts his weight then, looking at the tour group that seems to be getting steadily further and further away, though after a moment he sighs in a highly put-upon kind of way, slaps one arm down at his side, then almost immediately lifts the same limb to point at the group.]

This tour will take you to several staple points of the city--[He brings his hand forward to count off on his hand]--In the Up, where you get to live by default, they will take you to Fiddler's Square, North Park, The Market, The Court House, and White Wall Bridge. The first is the Up's main promenade, the second, third and fourth are self-explanatory, and the fifth is where the city will oversee your contractual obligations.

The Down, however, is another matter. It has it's own court and jail--not as nice as the Up, of course. There's also Riddler's Square, where you can buy yourself a Marked individual, if you opted to, as an Unmarked person--[He gives Geralt a fleetingly judgemental look, almost like he had proposed doing that and not Oswald himself before he takes another deep breath in to continue.] And then... they'll take you to South Park, again, not as well-maintained as it's counterpart in the Up, then to gasp in shock and horror at the People Zoo as a motivator to do your civic duties here. The Down's Market doesn't sell organic vegetables and twee little hampers, and the Red Wall Bridge is an... alternative location to complete your contractual paperwork.

They'll also take you to the Sexual Liberation Unblocking Treatment center, a clinic to assist you should you find yourself lacking incentive to meet your quota. And no, it won't be an opt-in affair should you find yourself in that position.

[He spreads his arm out in a wide-limbed shrug.]

So there you have it! The official tour they're going to give you in a nutshell! Skipping over most of the relevant details to better enable you to stay on the straight and narrow as far as the LIES programme is concerned. Happy?

[It's not really an answer to Geralt's question, no.]

BLADES OF GLORY

[nothinglikefather]

[ Of course, if you bring your own alcohol with you, who is to stop you from adding a healthy glug of it to help keep out the cold? Jacob is used to drinking chocolate, it's been popular in England since before Tea was brought over, but it's not normally as sweet as this. Still, it's enjoyable, even more so thanks to the addition from his hip-flask, now tucked back into his long leather coat. He's layered what clothes he has: t-shirt beneath the button-up, beneath the hoodied jumper he was given at Christmas, beneath the coat he arrived with. It's a strange mix of Victorian and modern, but someone not from his world at all probably wouldn't notice such a fact. But they might notice the top hat, and the submissive mark on his throat.

He's also watching the skaters, sipping at the steaming paper cup and letting it warm him. He's got a little time to kill before he gets on with what he's here in the Up to accomplish, waiting until nightfall.

In the meantime? Why not chat to a few strangers? The city has a strange way of throwing people together anyway, he might as well actually talk to some of them too. Besides, the stranger with the shock of white hair looks like he's doing nothing more than watching the crowds. ]

Back home, people do this on rivers when they freeze over.

[blamedestiny]

Hm.

[ it might seem like that's all he's going to say but he hasn't walked away, at least. he doesn't add anything immediately, watching the skaters glide across the surface of the ice.

he tries to imagine himself doing that and shakes his head. he'll stick with walking across the precarious surfaces of frozen water. there's better use for blades than putting them on your feet. ]

Nothing like this exists where I come from. Most people tend to avoid frozen lakes and ponds. It's easier to go around then to go across and risk hypothermia.

[ geralt glances over at jacob and shake his head. ]

I suppose freezing to death is no fun for some.

[ some being 'everyone.' ]

[nothinglikefather]

[ Jacob doesn't mind the soft "hm" that is his only reply for s moment. It gives him a second to take another swallow of spiked hot chocolate, which is doing a great job at keeping him warm.]

Most of ours freeze solid enough. If it's shallow you're normally pretty safe. The Thames was so thick with ice some years they held markets on it.

[ A shrug. That hasn't happened in his life time. But he snorts with amusement at "some" rather than all.]

I'd give hypothermia a miss if you offered it me. But hopefully in this city? It's yet to happen. They think of plenty of ways to keep you warm.

[blamedestiny]

So, I've seen.

[ geralt isn't a stupid man and he's picked up on what sort of city this is quickly enough. there were worse places to be, he supposes. no one is trying to kill and no one's tried to shove him into a bath just yet.

still, he's uneasy despite the apparent kindness of the man that's come to speak with him. ]

Though, my introduction to this place was quite cold. Perhaps that was there way of giving me a reason to need to be warmed up.

[ or they'd been trying to break him down a bit. ]

I think I prefer the option of drinking and standing around, watching people nearly kill themselves on boots with blades on them.

[nothinglikefather]

[ Yet. Nothing has tried to kill him yet. In Jacob's admittedly short experience of the city, that probably won't remain true for long. Therefore, the edge of unease in his conversation partner is probably well warranted, it's just a pity considering how handsome the man is, and how Jacob wouldn't mind warming him up at all.]

I'm afraid that's what it's like. They shoved me on a train tour, and then sweeping up leaves. Not the warmest or driest day's work I've ever done.

[He laughs at that, glancing away from the makeshift ice-rink to the man.]

Not many people know what to do with a blade in their hand, never mind stuck to their foot. It's not the worst entertainment. I should probably introduce myself. Jacob. Been here about two months? Coming up three.

[lutebox]

Geralt! Geralt!

[If there were some attempt on the Witcher's part to lay low in his quiet observance, it's soon scuppered by a young man doing a fine impression of a baby deer taking its first steps across the ice.

He is, in fact, wearing skates. He is, in fact, not a complete disaster in them: the lakes of Oxenfurt froze often and it was not uncommon for young men of noble birth to show off obscenely by prancing around in balletic fashion wearing something of a similar nature. He is also, however, carrying no less than three paper cups of hot cocoa, with an empty fourth tucked into his breeches. Attempting to balance these, and skate, and wave may just be beyond even his mastery of the ice. He's veering Geralt's way at an increasingly uncontrolled speed.]

I should say this is an unexpected joy and yet I knew fate would throw us together once more, my friend. And see? All it took was an unexpected kidnapping and a number of dubious implements being inserted into-

[Amazing, really, that he manages to get out so many words before gravity overcomes joyful reunions and he pitches forward at an irretrievable angle.]

i laughed a lot okay

[blamedestiny]

[ geralt's decided that it's a talent of jaskier's to always been around when geralt doesn't expect him to be. and while the scowl on his face might deepen when he sees the younger man stumble and slip his way closer, there's a certain comfort in something familiar being here.

even if it is jaskier and his inability to be still and be quiet. but he wouldn't be jaskier if that were the case, would he?

geralt doesn't even get a chance to answer before jaskier's pitching forward, going down in a way that not even a witcher can save.

geralt waits to make sure that jaskier's going to get up (he always gets up) before saying anything. ]

I'd say it's a surprise to see you but it's not.

[ there's no heat in his tone, just acceptance. at least there's no clear and present danger that geralt has to make sure doesn't touch the other man.

now, there's just... a lot of empty cups and jaskier trying to master boots with blades. ]

So, you're here. And I bet you're enjoying yourself. How much have you had to drink, Jaskier?

[ because geralt's had one glass and he's already feeling a restless itch and here's jaskier drinking the entire stand out of business. ]

my work here is done - also I got super busy please feel free to ignore me

[lutebox]

[Jaskier rather suspects that a Witcher could have saved him from going down. In fact, as his chin bounces off the ice, he's not only sure of it but starting to feel quite indignant. What is the point of befriending surly impossible men if they can't at least see fit to hold out one muscular arm to catch you when you stumble. If he'd been a fair maiden no doubt Geralt would have thrown himself to the floor to break the fall and yet here he is, cocoa strewn to the winds.

Only one cup of it, however. The others have been miraculously saved by Jaskier sacrificing his own chin rather than allowing them to spill.

He also may have been mumbling most of the above aloud as he slowly, soggily worked out how to stand with skates on and both hands occupied.]

Of course it's not a surprise to see me. How could it be a surprise to see someone who is no doubt ever in your heart? You probably expect to see me around every tree and pine when the forest is bare.

[He tucks a cup under his chin and manages to get to his knees but no further, so takes the executive decision to act like this is just as he intended, and look up at Geralt from there.]

Enjoying myself? We're in a land with free food and no monsters, friend. Suffice to say I've drunk enough that the wench at the stall may have suggested I take a time out.

[He stocked up on that last order though. Can't outsmart him.]

[blamedestiny]

You are going to get yourself killed and it's not even going to be surprising when it happens.

[ does geralt know how that's going to happen? no, but jaskier has an inherent ability to get himself into situations that risk his life just by merely being himself.

geralt shakes his head and glances down at him. he has no idea how long he's been here but he's already a mess. it's not surprising.

after a moment's pause, geralt reaches down and offers him a hand despite his skin being warmer than usual and somehow knowing that touch is only going to exacerbate the feeling.

he thinks he can hold it off with jaskier. it's jaskier, it'll be fine. ]

[lutebox]

I've known that much since I started following a strange man into forests full of monstrosities.

[He says that quite simply, for once not affecting a tone. He's a fool but he's hardly stupid, and in the times he spends with Geralt he's making a very particular sort of choice. He wouldn't change it.]

But I shall leave behind some fantastic songs. You'd better not drop me, Geralt. This is my plucking arm.

[He boldly downs the remains of the cocoa in one cup before clasping Geralt's oversized hand like a queen stepping down from a carriage. Geralt always seems to run warm, but his skin's so flush it sends a shiver straight through Jaskier, ending somewhere between his thighs.

Must be an effect of the cold. Or a side effect of being so consistently horny it's hard to notice when that steps up a notch.

Jaskier steps up onto a skate - one leg steady, the other starting to slip the wrong way.]

Hold me - hold me!

02;

[desolation]

[ she chooses not to go upon the ice, memories of such joyous times now carried with a bit of a soured note these days (she can still hear the echoes of gwen's laughter as her friend would grip her hands and guide her upon the ice, sounds that make her stomach turn now), and instead clutches the dark silk of her shawl tighter around her body.

the scent of the chocolate tempts her, but even that holds its own warning, one of which she's not entirely sold on trying, even if she gets a cup for herself, inhaling the rich scent, one of which she doesn't doubt carries something else within.

until her eyes fall upon the silent brute with silver hair as he sips it from his own cup, up until he tosses the rest. a smirk lifts upon her lips, dress swaying against the ground as she steps in closer. ]

It isn't poison, if that's of any concern of yours.

[blamedestiny]

It's not.

[ especially now that he's downed the entire cup and tossed it away. he'd seen plenty of people drinking whatever the concoction was before he'd decided to taste it so unless everyone was going to be poisoned, he knows he would have been safe.

unless his luck was just that shit that only the small batch that he drank was poisoned. it wouldn't surprise him. but, he feels fine.

geralt sighs, turning to look over at her. in the midst of all this, she looks almost out of place. interesting. ]

I've been poisoned before. It's not kept me down yet. Most people don't know how to create a good enough poison for that.

[ not for him, at least. ]

[desolation]

[ morgana has always had the tendency of appearing out of place. once, a long time ago, it was from the royal glamour of her attire evoking the natural air of a princess, and eventually it became from the dark terror of her eyes and the gloom she often carried around with her. these days, she's still very much a woman out of her time, still caught up in the past, in more than just her attire — but it's no doubt that she isn't someone who necessarily belongs, no matter how many months have past since she's arrived.

but then, so does he, which births her intrigue as she looks him over. ]

You carry quite the confidence. I've known met like you. Most often, they've ended up dead. [ the amusement in her voice is vague enough not to confirm that those deaths resulted from her doing, but it doesn't negate the idea either.

still, there's an amused smirk as she finally brings the cup to her lips, taking a sip and swallowing. ]

But there is something else to the drink. I'm sure you've begun to feel it already.

[blamedestiny]

Have they? Well, I'm not them. They should have been more careful. I'm still very much alive if you haven't noticed.

[ he thinks she has but there was no harm in the reiteration. there had definitely been some close calls. closer than he would have lived but here he was, still in one piece and still on his feet. ]

Hm.

[ it's a gruff, ragged sound and he let's that be all he says for the moment as he peers down at the drink. it's not poison, not in the way that's going to kill him but he knows there was something else in the drink. ]

Perhaps. [ no, he was definitely feeling it but he tries to keep himself even, measured. ] If you've come over here to observe me while under the influence of whatever this is then I would tell you to find someone else to watch. I'm not exciting.

[ many people would disagree. he keeps his gaze on her though. ]

I feel fine.

[desolation]

Are you?

[ of course, it's a teasing question, even if she purses her lips almost as if she actually wonders about it. after all, life can mean many things aside from the pumping of blood and a beating heart. still, she doesn't proceed further with that questioning, setting it aside to instead focus on the drink.

she hums as if to consider his words. not a talkative man, but strong in his presence, thus sprouting the curiosity in her of what comes next — it births more excitement than he thinks. ]

Perhaps I simply want to see how long it takes for you to unravel.

[ she takes in another step closer, eyes locking on his almost daringly. ]

You hold yourself as if you believe the armor of your skin impenetrable. All the more reason why I think it'll be quite fascinating to watch when the madness takes over — when the hungry animal breaks out.

02.

[fourmarks]

One has to wonder what might happened if you chose to frown any harder.

[ there was always a reason for why she might be drawn to him. surely she wasn't there because of the happy sounds coming from the pond where the others were skating. perhaps it was the scents of the warmed chocolate. whatever the reason, there she was, a steaming mug cradled in her hands and a faint splotchy flush across her cheeks from the cold.

yennefer takes a slow sip of her drink, lets it slide down her throat to warm her from the inside out, pleased with how the warmth sits in her chest. she joins him at his left, doesn't look up to see if he acknowledges her presence. instead she keeps her gaze out on the bodies effortlessly moving over the ice, seeing their laughing faces. easy to ignore the blood, war, and fires from back home ... if one really tried. ]

You should be out there. It looks...fun.

[blamedestiny]

[ he's going to frown harder just because she mentioned it. was it possible to frown harder than he was already doing? he doesn't know but he's going to try.

as she slips in beside him, he straightens a bit but keeps his gaze forward, not wanting to be the first one to break and look. it's a struggle because a part of him wants to look, wants to see but he keeps his eyes on the ice and the people that seem to be enjoying the whole thing.

his breathing is even, quiet and he takes his time in answering her. ]

If you think it looks fun, you should be the one out there. [ that made more sense to him. ] I'm fine where I am.

[ being a glaring spectator. ]

[fourmarks]

[ all of that and here she is, casually sipping this deliciously warm drink, enjoying the richness of it. it does the job well on keeping the cold from her hands. or her fingers at least, as she’s wearing a pair of black fingerless gloves.

still, if he’s going to be stubborn and refuse to look at her then she’s going to play along to his little game. it always is a treat when he’s the first to break character, when she wins.

yen lets out a hum against the rim of her cup, sips again, violet eyes tracking someone in bright colours clearly enjoying themselves on the ice in performing spins and jumps. ]

Mm, yes. You’re fine where you are. You’re fine glaring at everyone as they pass.

[blamedestiny]

And?

[ he doesn't see any issue with what he's doing. he hasn't tried to run anyone through with a sword and no one's stopped to scream that his glaring's offending them.

he's being good, yennefer. he's standing there, taking it all in. and he's still not looking at her even if he can smell her and it's making him antsy. he's already had a cup of something that's made him restless enough that he's struggling with staying still and now she has to arrive and make it even more difficult.

he sighs, annoyed. ]

You act like I'm breaking some law. I'm not.