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[finalgambit]

Aventurine;

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[bsod]

[ He's about to answer that when Aventurine suddenly goes back to normal and all his flailing gets him tanged up with a lanky TV man. He ends up??? On top of him somehow??? ]

What the hell was that for!!

[ at least no one hit the floor ]

[finalgambit]

I didn't ask for this! but, look, I'm back to normal. [ and, god, does it feel good. he beams up at him, because a literal and figurative weight has been lifted off his shoulders. ] It's the climactic mira... cle...

[ it takes him a moment to realize their predicament, his smile turning into a smirk. ] ...you didn't seem like a top to me. [ says the world's biggest bottom. ]

[bsod]

[ Vox has the very brief thought about how easy it would be to prove that assessment wrong, right here and now, but he thinks better of it. He's too damn exhausted, for one, and for another, well. He's a selfish man at the center of it all, and he does enough sharing of people's affections back in Hell.

He won't put himself through that here. Friends is good. Friends is... kind of nice.

He rolls his eyes, getting an arm under himself so he can prop himself up. ]

Shows what you know.

[finalgambit]

Heh. [ aventurine loops his arms around vox's neck to yank him back downish so that they're face to screen. ] I would have thought your porno associate would be a top. All of that experience and shit. [ he gives an airy chuckle as he brushes his lips over the base of vox's screen. ]

[bsod]

[ Oh, okay, they're still doing this, he sees. ]

Don't. You've already got a thing going, and I'm not interested in sharing. You wanna be friends? We can be friends.

[finalgambit]

I... yeah, I do. [ aventurine loosens his grip but he doesn't let go. ] We don't have to go that far. I'm not trying to get into your pants... [ he sounds like a kicked puppy. ] But what's wrong with sharing a kiss?

[bsod]

Do you go around kissing all your friends or what?

[finalgambit]

I can kiss whoever I like.

[bsod]

UH-huh. Let's just keep it simple for now, okay?

[ He's having to learn to trust again. No need to make it complicated. ]

[finalgambit]

[ groans and shoves his hand straight into vox’s face. ] I ate you twice. I think we left simple in the dust ages ago… [ he tries to squirm out from under him. ] And besides, I deserve a thank you for personally saving your ass in round 2. Greed targeted you.

[bsod]

[ HEY? Vox sits up, letting him go. He wipes at his face with the back of a sleeve. IF YOU LEFT FINGERPRINTS— ]

I figured they would. The girl I took out ended up being their heart.

[finalgambit]

[ what'cha gonna do about it... voxxy? ]

It was the same girl that wanted your ass during intermission. [ pokes his chest. ] I guess that's actually double thanks. [ his smirk grows just a liiiittle bit wider. ]

[bsod]

I'm aware.

[ Makes a face. This is hard for him. ]

So... thanks. Twice over. I owe you.

[finalgambit]

… [ he didn’t need an actual thanks, but it’s kind of cute to hear him relent and give it to him. his smirk softens to a smile and he straightens his bowtie… just because he needs to fidget with something. ] You don’t owe me. It’s just a friend thing. I didn’t do it so you can owe me. I did it because I like you, and I didn’t want to see you hurt.

[bsod]

[ His gaze flicks down to Aventurine fiddling with his tie and then back up. ]

Yeah, I still don't get that.

[finalgambit]

What's there to get?

[bsod]

Everything?? Why you even like me in the first place?

[finalgambit]

I liked our back and forth. It felt... different, casual... but with a hint of malice, because we still had beef with each other for one stupid reason or another. And then in the pizzeria... that whole debacle just, didn't you think it... the whole experience... [ brought us closer together? even if only a little bit. ] And you're easy to talk to. At least I think so.

[bsod]

[ Something in his chest twists when Aventurine suggests he liked the banter, the rivalry, even the bit of malice.

Why did he have to be brought here to find this? ]

I... [ A laugh. ] I really don't get you.

[finalgambit]

...you don't need to get me. [ ... ] But [ he hesitates, ] you shared something about yourself with me, so how about I do the same?

[bsod]

No, I guess I don't.

[ Only time will tell if he actually comes to understand the way Aventurine ticks. ]

... If you want. This doesn't have to be a sharing session.

[finalgambit]

...it'll check off another box on our rom-com trope bucket list. [ maybe. he doesn't know much about these stupid romance movies, but he figures there's some trope about the rich and the poor. he might be loaded now, but it's not like that was always the case... ]

Did you ever notice my brand and, no, I'm not talking about the one this place gave me. [ he tilts his head slightly. ]

[bsod]

[ They already made it past the third act misunderstanding so it should be smooth sailing from here, right? ]

That one? Yeah, I've seen it. Why?

[finalgambit]

[ he stops fidgeting with his tie,
something he's been doing this entire time... wups. ]

Do you know what it says? [ he takes vox's claw and moves it over it, so that he's covering it. ] ...someone paid just sixty red copper coins to put a brand on me, put me in chains, only to throw me to the gallows so they could bury me in golden sand...

[bsod]

Someone... bought you?

[ Probably not too different from the concept of a soul deal, and he won't pretend that a lot of people who make such deals are treated any better.

He traces the mark on Aventurine's neck with a finger, mindful not to prick skin or draw blood. ]

How'd you end up where you are now?