IC inbox.

[viciousabyss]

ELI

@viciousabyss

☠ ☠ ☠ ☠ ☠

NAME: Eli Azrael
AGE: 40... ish
HOMETOWN: Kingdom of Solterra, Feywild

yo. its eli. hit me up.

CODE

Comments

love that for him

[exaltruistic]

( The bike and the floating and the moody look might be what some would call gap moe; Ko is endeared further. He kisses Eli on the cheek in turn, feeling himself warm immediately at the contact. )

Hello.

( His hand finds Eli's, giving it a brief squeeze. Tilting his head, he says: )

I hope the trip over wasn't an issue or anything ...

( And then he's heading inside with Eli, looking over the interior carefully. )

[viciousabyss]

No. Sorry if I kept you waiting.

[He queezes Ko's hand back and tries to smile. He is glad to see him, but it's hard to get out of brooding-mode sometimes.

They head into Cherry's Club, which is a speakeasy-style bar with a stage for performances. Currently there's a slow jazz band playing. The lights are dim and the atmosphere is relaxed with a gentle undercurrent of excitement.]

Bricks used to work here. So did my friend Tifa, who's also gone now.

[Which makes being here kind of sad, but it feels important to remember them. Also, the bar is awesome, and he wanted Ko to see it.

Eli leads them to a small table, a bit secluded and off to the side so they can have a little privacy.]

Good cocktails, if you like that kind of thing.

[exaltruistic]

( The stage and band immediately piques his interest. He watches them for a good few moments, following Eli through to the table.

To hear his loved ones have worked here ... He's had such a rough go of his time here, and Ko doesn't even know too many details. It makes him ache for Eli.

With Reiji, he can somewhat relate; going to those cathedrals and parks they used to haunt around the anniversary of his death, singing his favorite songs all alone.

He exhales a breath he didn't know he was holding in once they're seated. )

I hope being here can be something of a comfort, then. I ... don't normally drink very much, but since coming here from home, I've wanted to a little more. Can't place why.

( He's normally a wine at special occasions kind of guy and that's about it. )

[viciousabyss]

[Eli rubs the back of his neck, now realizing how tired he is. He always tells himself he can't get tired anymore because of his soul, but it's just not true.]

This place will do that to you. The stress of it. The constant change.

[He looks at the menu for a moment, thinking maybe he will indulge in a cocktail or something sweet for once, rather than just getting their cheapest ale or hard liquor or a shitty strong whiskey sour.]

How did things go with your... Atsuhide?

[He definitely pronounces it wrong. Not versed in Japanese names.]

[exaltruistic]

( Ko's gaze lingers on Eli; he looks weary, and his words certainly indicate such. He reaches out on the table idly. )

If it's any comfort, I'll be with you.

( Ah. Atsuhide. )

Atsuhide, he ... ( how to say it ) ... it's a lot for him. He wanted to take a walk for a little while to clear his head.

( There's more he wants to say, but it dies in his throat. )

I'd turned him Handead when we were much younger. We've been through a lot.

[viciousabyss]

[Eli takes Ko's hand in his.]

It is.

[He brings the hand up to his lips, kissing Ko's knuckles softly.

Ah. So that's how you say it.]

It's a lot for anyone.

[Understandable that he needed some time.]

You turned him?

[exaltruistic]

Yes. I was young, he was barely an adult. It ...

( His eyes unfocus for a moment, but come back when he continues. )

Was more out of necessity than anything else. Half-life or death.

( He laughs. It was hard back then. Strange to think about. Atsuhide getting cleaved in the head with construction debris made him feel like he was dying, the sight was so horrific. Not to mention it brought back memories of the friend who did pass.

It ended up alright, but he still remembers the taste of his blood as he bit him to turn him and save his life. )

So we've been by one another's side since.

[viciousabyss]

[Eli watches him carefully. That moment of detachment, like his mind is protecting him from a certain memory, and then a laugh right after recalling it to brush it off. It reminds him of Amos, a little bit. It's not lost on him that Ko is empathetic, and his job is helping people whose minds are messed up. People like that don't usually like talking about or focusing on their own pain.

On the other hand, Eli's empathy is incredibly selective, and the only way he's caring enough to notice any of this is that he already really likes Ko.

He squeezes his hand.]

Life-or-death situations have a way of creating weirdly intense bonds, I guess. Been there.

[Eli tilts his head.]

Are you glad he's here? Or do you wish he didn't have to go through this?

[exaltruistic]

( Ko squeezes back.

That sure is the question he's trying to figure out himself. )

I don't know. I don't want to be selfish or to see him hurt.

( His voice drops a little.

Maybe he needs a drink for real. )

At the same time, his presence is a comfort. I think at first I was just ... overjoyed not to be alone.

[viciousabyss]

You're allowed to want him here with you.

[Eli's thumb rubs over Ko's knuckles.]

Gods know I have people I miss. He'll be okay. Because he has you. I'm also happy to help him out if I can. If he's important to you, he's important to me.

[exaltruistic]

( That's a statement that helps him feel a little better, but with all the stories that he's heard of Patho-Gen, its not entirely convincing. Ko exhales and that's when the waitress shows up.

He orders whiskey and coke, since its one of Atsuhide's chosen drinks; he used to have to rely on him for what to drink back then. )

Thank you, Eli. That means a lot to me.

( There's a smile. )

Maybe we'll be able to perform soon. I'd been floating the idea solo, but having him here to sing with makes that seem more possible.

[viciousabyss]

[As the server comes to take their order, Eli makes intense eye contact with Ko and warns:]

Don't laugh.

[And then he orders a shirley temple. As a double. That's just what he feels like, okay.]

You guys are in a band or something?

[exaltruistic]

( Ko does not laugh, but the intense eye contact warning like he might laugh is sort of funny in itself. He retains his poker face. )

Not a band, more like an ... idol unit.

( "Idol unit with office and community outreach work" is the easier way to describe it. )

It started off as just us, but we've gotten a more mature sound with the addition of two others. Takakage and Shino.

( Performing with all of them once more would be the dream. His expression goes fond, nostalgic, laying his cheek against his hand. )

[viciousabyss]

[Eli represses the urge to sigh dramatically at the idol thing. Momo told him about this and Eli judged him pretty hard for calling himself an idol. He'll try to suspend his disbelief or whatever, since it's Ko and Ko is cool.]

Sounds like a band to me... [He murmurs this almost too quietly to hear, looking off to the side.]

Augmented perform here sometimes. [He gestures to the stage.] I'm sure they'd let you guys.

[exaltruistic]

Well, we don't play instruments ... Just sing and dance.

( The server comes over with drinks, then, placing them down and then departing. Ko can't help a laugh, but its fond. )

I wonder if we'd fit in here ... our sound seems pretty different.

( Given the whole EDM thing. )

[viciousabyss]

Hm.

[Eli leans his cheek in his hand and wonders whether he would enjoy a singing-dancing performance of Ko's, or find it kind of cringe.]

Different how?

[Eli had definitely never listened to EDM.

Their drinks come, Eli's looking a bit extra with its little cherry spear on top.]

[exaltruistic]

Like ... electronic? Computer-made? Instead of more traditional instruments, at least where we come from.

( Ko takes a sip of his drink. )

I think the genre tends to lend better to what we can do with our voices. It's pretty versatile.

( He pauses, takes another drink, and then shivers. )

... Don't judge me for being kind of a lightweight.

[viciousabyss]

Computer made...

[He murmurs, taking the toothpick-speared cherry out of his drink and biting it, baring his sharp teeth as he does. Eli knows a fair bit about computers from his time here, and has probably heard electronic music, but hasn't put two and two together, necessarily.]

Could you get those kinds of instruments here? Or. Those kinds of computers, I guess?

[He chuckles breathily.]

I'm five feet tall. I can't judge anyone for that. It's cute, though.

[It makes him want to get Ko sloshed just to see what he's like drunk.]

[exaltruistic]

I hope so. I'd like to get back to it as soon as I can, even if I might need help.

( There's a dreamy sort of look in his eyes briefly, before he laughs at Eli's words. )

I wish build had a little more to do with it in some cases ... Atsuhide's huge. Six foot one and he's more of a lightweight than me.

[viciousabyss]

Well, I have money, so if you find any I can help you get them.

[He says this casually, like he's saying he has carrots in his fridge at home. This is a man who definitely grew up with money. He makes a note to himself to keep an eye out for computers that can make music.

A petty jealousy flares in him as Ko mentions Atsuhide's height. Gods, tall people. They seem to exist just to make him miserable.]

He wouldn't be so tall if I drank him under the table.

[He says wryly, eyes narrowing with mock-hatred as he takes another sip of his drink.]

[exaltruistic]

Oh. That's ... thank you, Eli.

( Unexpected, but maybe he should have expected it. Seeing as he'd gotten Ko an expensive outfit on the first day they met.

Oh no. )

Well ... If I can bully him, you'll have no problem. I'm sure you'd be able to drink him under the table just fine.

[viciousabyss]

No problem.

[He hopes he gets some more money from the money fairy soon. Or whatever. Because it's not like he can easily get a job with a criminal record. He'll figure it out.]

Hard to imagine you bullying anyone.

[exaltruistic]

( Then that means ... it is working.

Ko just grins. )

He's seen the worst of my growing pains. I used to be worse as a child, I think.

( Then he finishes off his drink, making a little noise in the back of his throat. )

Oh, that felt stronger ... Don't let me get too stupid.

[viciousabyss]

Everyone's worse as a child. Imagine me as a child.

[Wait, no don't. He was awful.]

What if I want you to get stupid?

[He smiles teasingly, playing with Ko's hand.]

[exaltruistic]

( Ko does wonder what Eli was as a kid, but his teasing gets him to balk a little. )

Then I'd call you brave. I tend to get bitey, but I can't remember the last time I was proper drunk.

( Although Eli kind of likes bitey, huh. )