After talking to Jean, the party exits the smithy. Jack has, until now, been following along peacably enough, but now announces, "I'm going back to the Inn." When Cala looks torn in response, he tells her not unkindly, "You can do what you want. It's okay. Stay with them."
<.>
Orev's response is immediate, unwavered though there's a warning bite at the edge: "You'll find that's simple, Calamus." And, Looking At You Jack, "We could all use a stop at the inn.
"As I said, I'm not of a mood for bread."
Still watching Jack. Absolutely ready to strike down any argument.
(Anyway, going to the inn means Walt can refill on sausages and give his filthy romance some attention.)
<.>
It's true. Walt will get plenty of read time.
Jack stiffens and his jaw clenches, but he doesn't look at Orev. Unable to back out now, he simply turns and heads for the inn. Cala hurries to keep up with his stride, casting a bemused glance between him and Orev. For now, she says nothing, however.
Back at the inn, Jack says nothing to the party, but makes a beeline for the stairs; it could be he believes he just needs to get to his room and Orev won't follow, or that Cala WILL follow and provide a buffer if Orev is going to try and corner him.
*Cala does not, in fact, follow him. <.>
Orev hadn't anticipated the lack of pushback. He had, however, absolutely expected the boy to attempt retreat, and follows that beeline quietly, without remark. However close he's able to trail Jack, he will be following him stuck-on-you-like-glue. There isn't any need to speak just yet; best keep words behind closed doors. Well. And. He may be hoping the boy doesn't notice he's been followed.
[orev, stealth check: 19]
<.>
Yeah Jack doesn't actually notice he's being followed.
When he gets to his room, he starts to close the door immediately behind him, so make an acrobatics check to dodge or an athletics check to stop it from hitting Orev in the face.
[orev, stealth check: nat 20]
Orev soundlessly catches the door, preventing it from closing and not alerting Jack to his presence. Jack, assuming the door has closed and he's alone, heaves a sigh of relief, snatches the new hat off his head, and throws it irritably on one of the chairs in the room. His coat follows and he drops onto his bed with a weariness he didn't show at all outside. He buries his face in his hands, shoulder slumped, scrubs his palms through his hair, and then raises his head to stare out the window.
<.>
Orev is going to keep to the room's perimeter, making his way toward the chair.
He's careful with his motions; graceful, focused. And for a moment, he permits himself to stand behind the chair, observing, thinking— He'd like to draw his fingers through the man's hair.
(Thinking— Does he knows its softness?) (It seems not alien to him.)
What he does is settle a hand on Jack's shoulder, speaking soft-firm as he does—
"What was it."
<.>
Although Jack didn't perceive him, when Orev's hand meets Jack's shoulder, the man doesn't seem to startle more than a sudden tensing - almost as though he's not surprised. The only indication he gives that he might have been caught off-guard is an angry snort and a side-long glance.
It's almost bitter, the way he looks at Orev.
"You're not big on boundaries, are you?"
<.>
That's... odd.
How little the boy reacts. Orev might not have intended to give Jack a particularly heinous startle, but surely there ought to have been something more to his reaction. He blinks. Considers.
(Doesn't like the way Jack's watching him.)
"And you're not inclined toward transparency.
"You've avoided the question."
And, after a moment: "You knew I was behind you." It isn't a question. (It's. Kind of a question.)
He hasn't moved his hand from Jack's shoulder. <.>
"No." Jack doesn't indicate which un-question he's answering, but then again, he's not inclined towards transparency.
He's a gambler, after all.
He leaves Orev's hand on his shoulder far, far longer than seems reasonable before standing and moving away from the man. Folding his arms across his chest, he comments, "If you're here to ask me about your little identity problem, I can't help you."
<.>
The little shit.
He remains in place, hand shifted only enough to rest on the back of the chair, fingers tapping, tapping, claws pressing light into the fabric. Straight-faced, he offers, "I'm sure I don't know what you mean.
"No, 'Jack.' We've other concerns at present.
"What the woman in the bakery told you.
"What you were doing with Tolliver."
<.>
Jack seems thrown by this, then laughs incredulously. With an ugly sneer, he bites out, "I'd say I didn't take you for the jealous type, but it's more like I'm not sure why you think you've got a right to be jealous."
<.>
Oh, he doesn't like that.
Orev's lip ticks briefly, briefly to flash teeth before he can regain composure.
There's a question in mind: Why should Jack assume jealousy at all? Why the biting, the sneer? Just what does he know about Orev.
(And there's a question for himself: Why in fuck's name should he care. Is he jealous, and why, and what is it about this man?)
And Orev. Is going to go for cast number two of Detect Thoughts.
Which is maybe not wise and he's fairly certain it isn't wise, but that's not going to stop him.
<.>
[jack, perception check: 28]
Jack immediately starts with the PUT ON YOUR SUNDAYS WE'RE GONNA DIG A HOLE.
Orev looks as if he'd like to jump out a window.
But.
He's going to ride this out for the moment. Because he would like to trY to get a little deeper.
<.>
Jack manages his willpower save (18 on the die) and shouts, "Get out of my head!"
<.>
That's the spell done and over with.
And Orev is now clutching the back of the chair with both hands, claws clamped a little too harsh. Yes he is frustrated. (And in the back of his mind, he feels as if he's going about this all wrong, but for fuck's sake how else is he supposed to do it?)
His voice low, he offers, "As you wish."
And, "This might be simpler if you'd afford a measure of cooperation.
"We'll put it in your terms, shall we? If you're...muddling about with our potential suppliers, we'll all need to know. Simply to understand our own footing for dealing with them."
That is. Absolutely not what he's concerned about. But it sure is what he's going with right now.
day 2: a private word.
<.>
Orev's response is immediate, unwavered though there's a warning bite at the edge: "You'll find that's simple, Calamus." And, Looking At You Jack, "We could all use a stop at the inn.
"As I said, I'm not of a mood for bread."
Still watching Jack. Absolutely ready to strike down any argument.
(Anyway, going to the inn means Walt can refill on sausages and give his filthy romance some attention.)
<.>
It's true. Walt will get plenty of read time.
Jack stiffens and his jaw clenches, but he doesn't look at Orev. Unable to back out now, he simply turns and heads for the inn. Cala hurries to keep up with his stride, casting a bemused glance between him and Orev. For now, she says nothing, however.
Back at the inn, Jack says nothing to the party, but makes a beeline for the stairs; it could be he believes he just needs to get to his room and Orev won't follow, or that Cala WILL follow and provide a buffer if Orev is going to try and corner him.
*Cala does not, in fact, follow him. <.>
Orev hadn't anticipated the lack of pushback. He had, however, absolutely expected the boy to attempt retreat, and follows that beeline quietly, without remark. However close he's able to trail Jack, he will be following him stuck-on-you-like-glue. There isn't any need to speak just yet; best keep words behind closed doors. Well. And. He may be hoping the boy doesn't notice he's been followed.
[orev, stealth check: 19]
<.>
Yeah Jack doesn't actually notice he's being followed.
When he gets to his room, he starts to close the door immediately behind him, so make an acrobatics check to dodge or an athletics check to stop it from hitting Orev in the face.
[orev, stealth check: nat 20]
Orev soundlessly catches the door, preventing it from closing and not alerting Jack to his presence. Jack, assuming the door has closed and he's alone, heaves a sigh of relief, snatches the new hat off his head, and throws it irritably on one of the chairs in the room. His coat follows and he drops onto his bed with a weariness he didn't show at all outside. He buries his face in his hands, shoulder slumped, scrubs his palms through his hair, and then raises his head to stare out the window.
<.>
Orev is going to keep to the room's perimeter, making his way toward the chair.
He's careful with his motions; graceful, focused. And for a moment, he permits himself to stand behind the chair, observing, thinking— He'd like to draw his fingers through the man's hair.
(Thinking— Does he knows its softness?) (It seems not alien to him.)
What he does is settle a hand on Jack's shoulder, speaking soft-firm as he does—
"What was it."
<.>
Although Jack didn't perceive him, when Orev's hand meets Jack's shoulder, the man doesn't seem to startle more than a sudden tensing - almost as though he's not surprised. The only indication he gives that he might have been caught off-guard is an angry snort and a side-long glance.
It's almost bitter, the way he looks at Orev.
"You're not big on boundaries, are you?"
<.>
That's... odd.
How little the boy reacts. Orev might not have intended to give Jack a particularly heinous startle, but surely there ought to have been something more to his reaction. He blinks. Considers.
(Doesn't like the way Jack's watching him.)
"And you're not inclined toward transparency.
"You've avoided the question."
And, after a moment: "You knew I was behind you." It isn't a question. (It's. Kind of a question.)
He hasn't moved his hand from Jack's shoulder. <.>
"No." Jack doesn't indicate which un-question he's answering, but then again, he's not inclined towards transparency.
He's a gambler, after all.
He leaves Orev's hand on his shoulder far, far longer than seems reasonable before standing and moving away from the man. Folding his arms across his chest, he comments, "If you're here to ask me about your little identity problem, I can't help you."
<.>
The little shit.
He remains in place, hand shifted only enough to rest on the back of the chair, fingers tapping, tapping, claws pressing light into the fabric. Straight-faced, he offers, "I'm sure I don't know what you mean.
"No, 'Jack.' We've other concerns at present.
"What the woman in the bakery told you.
"What you were doing with Tolliver."
<.>
Jack seems thrown by this, then laughs incredulously. With an ugly sneer, he bites out, "I'd say I didn't take you for the jealous type, but it's more like I'm not sure why you think you've got a right to be jealous."
<.>
Oh, he doesn't like that.
Orev's lip ticks briefly, briefly to flash teeth before he can regain composure.
There's a question in mind: Why should Jack assume jealousy at all? Why the biting, the sneer? Just what does he know about Orev.
(And there's a question for himself: Why in fuck's name should he care. Is he jealous, and why, and what is it about this man?)
And Orev. Is going to go for cast number two of Detect Thoughts.
Which is maybe not wise and he's fairly certain it isn't wise, but that's not going to stop him.
<.>
[jack, perception check: 28]
Jack immediately starts with the PUT ON YOUR SUNDAYS WE'RE GONNA DIG A HOLE.
Orev looks as if he'd like to jump out a window.
But.
He's going to ride this out for the moment. Because he would like to trY to get a little deeper.
<.>
Jack manages his willpower save (18 on the die) and shouts, "Get out of my head!"
<.>
That's the spell done and over with.
And Orev is now clutching the back of the chair with both hands, claws clamped a little too harsh. Yes he is frustrated. (And in the back of his mind, he feels as if he's going about this all wrong, but for fuck's sake how else is he supposed to do it?)
His voice low, he offers, "As you wish."
And, "This might be simpler if you'd afford a measure of cooperation.
"We'll put it in your terms, shall we? If you're...muddling about with our potential suppliers, we'll all need to know. Simply to understand our own footing for dealing with them."
That is. Absolutely not what he's concerned about. But it sure is what he's going with right now.
<.>