[It's such an easy thing, to wrongfoot him, send him mentally stumbling over himself, the initial tease leaving him vaguely flustered with a rebuke right there on the tip of his tongue (never mind that he knows what he is, knows it right down to the bones of himself, knows that Asra knows it too), but the magician continues in that light teasing tone that seems to slide beneath his skin and the things he says, it sends a slow drag of heat over the planes of his cheeks, the bridge of his nose.
Asra's eyes cut like broken glass and Julian shifts beneath their sharp edge, brings one elegant hand to his throat to slide it beneath the collar there, begins unbuttoning his coat. It's hot in here, isn't it? Surely it is.
Briefly, vaguely, he wonders if he's dreamed all this up.
Low lashes and dark looks have the pearly glint of Julian's teeth finding the flesh of his lower lip, and he moves to down the remnants of his drink in one deep pull, to give himself one moment to steady himself.
Does it work? Not really.
Belatedly, then--]
I ah, I can do intimidating.
[For about five minutes, perhaps, when free from questioning or duress or the silent promise of humiliation and pain.
He turns away from Asra's radiant face, unsteadied, calls to the bartender over his shoulder instead.]
He's being entirely unfair, Getty. I can drink along with the best of them.
[The last of what Asra says, he chooses to ignore.]
no subject
Asra's eyes cut like broken glass and Julian shifts beneath their sharp edge, brings one elegant hand to his throat to slide it beneath the collar there, begins unbuttoning his coat. It's hot in here, isn't it? Surely it is.
Briefly, vaguely, he wonders if he's dreamed all this up.
Low lashes and dark looks have the pearly glint of Julian's teeth finding the flesh of his lower lip, and he moves to down the remnants of his drink in one deep pull, to give himself one moment to steady himself.
Does it work? Not really.
Belatedly, then--]
I ah, I can do intimidating.
[For about five minutes, perhaps, when free from questioning or duress or the silent promise of humiliation and pain.
He turns away from Asra's radiant face, unsteadied, calls to the bartender over his shoulder instead.]
He's being entirely unfair, Getty. I can drink along with the best of them.
[The last of what Asra says, he chooses to ignore.]