IC contact

[thirtybits]

"This is Judah's voicemail, no need to leave your number, I'll reply as soon as I can."



text | audio | video | action

Comments

[depicted]

I'm terrified. [Dorian tops up Judas's glass.]

[thirtybits]

You should be! Which knows what could happen.

[He drinks it anyway.]

[depicted]

As the only person around here in possession of thirty pieces of silver is me, I think I'm pretty. [And Dorian, of course, tops up his own glass for the drinking.]

[thirtybits]

I could take them back. I earned that silver.

[depicted]

I won't let you take them. I like their texture. [He raises his glass in mimic of a toast, and he drinks.]

[thirtybits]

You sit around feeling them?

[Judas follows suit. Why not. It will keep Dorian happy.]

[depicted]

[And from self-satisfied cat to cat angry about being caught having fallen off the railing.]

I don't sit around feeling them. I merely have run them through my fingers once or twice. For the sensation of it.

[thirtybits]

Well, I have to admit to having done the same. I've caught myself doing it with other coins out of habit since then too...

[depicted]

Clearly it's a moneyman's thing. [Or a sinner's thing. Dorian knows well how a man's sins leave impressions on his body. Even if his sins are hidden from him, the feel remains.

Instead, Dorian lifts one of Judas's hands and takes Judas's fingers between his own.] But then, I've always enjoyed having a physical sense of things. I like to touch a thing to know it.

[thirtybits]

Hmm, something like that... [Certainly the 'sinner's thing'. It grounds him, that small recollection. A reminder to think well before acting.]

I've noticed that...you do it a lot. [He smiles a little.] It's sweet.

[depicted]

[Dorian's mouth twists, but a smile is fighting for dominance at the corners of his lips.] You seem very determined to see me as sweet.

[thirtybits]

It's how you tend to seem to me. You are very sweet to me.

[depicted]

You are sweet. [At that, he lifts the hand he holds to kiss its fingers.] And I'll concede to being pleasant, when I'm getting what I want.

[thirtybits]

[With a small smile, Judas casts his eyes down.] Then I hope I continue to give you what you want. Whatever that even is...

[depicted]

I'm certain you can work it out as we go. [Dorian turns Judas's hand over, bringing kisses down to his palm.]

[thirtybits]

[Judas' cheeks flush, right to the tips of his ears, and he seems to shrink.] I don't know, it's not that you're hard to read, but, well...something like that.

[depicted]

[Feline in his self-satisfaction, Dorian releases Judas's hand.]

Your stew is getting cold.

[The smile doesn't leave his mouth as he sits back and returns to the ful.]

[thirtybits]

I don't mind it cold. [Glad for the freedom of mind having his hand back grants, Judas sits up to return to eating.] Although that's admittedly better for summer.

[depicted]

As that was praise, I'll accept you saying it. Setting that aside, how go the crops? Recovering nicely from the accident?

[Dorian's gift is being able to act as if that 'accident' was not in fact his fault at all.]

[thirtybits]

They're better. I've managed to split and cross-plant some, so the numbers should be coming back up. I already did that with some for the greenhouse in Northtown though, so not all of them were up to it. It's something though.

[depicted]

[It is a hassle, Dorian knows, but then, Judas does love to suffer. In a way, he thinks, Judas should thank him for that disaster. He knows better than to say that.

For now.]

Did I ever mention how very grateful I am to you? I don't think I'd bother eating at all if you didn't take care of it.

[thirtybits]

--Really? I guess you probably don't need to eat after all, huh... I never really thought about that. [There's a beat before he grins.] I should stop feeding you, Romans are always strains on our resources.

I'm glad, though. You do so much for me, I want to be able to repay it somehow.

[depicted]

[Wry, he tugs lightly on a lock of Judas's hair.] You're welcome for being a parasite.

[thirtybits]

[He raises an eyebrow with the return of the grin.] All about my hair today? Thanks for being high maintenance. It paints a better picture than parasite.

[depicted]

[It startles a laugh of indignation out of him.] 'High maintenance'? Oh, I'll show you high maintenance. [Dorian gets to his feet.] Come on, help me pack this up. We're moving to another spot.