(no subject)

[the_cupbearer]

Ganymede comes in from a different doorway this time, holding not a wine crate but a bowl full of fruit against his hip, looking somewhat more subdued than the last time he was here. He only has on one piece of jewelry, and the noise that follows him in is of children, animals, all loud and apparently happy.

In many ways things have changed, and in many more nothing has; midway through the door he stops and turns to toss an apple to a child shouting for one, tugging on the tail of his shirt. But when he sees the bar he hands the bowl over, turning back once said boy--ten or eleven, lanky and underfed by the look of him--has scuttled off. Ganymede leans back against the door and blows out a breath.

The past few months have been very tiring.

Comments

[onceaviking]

Eric is lounging on a couch, reading a book.
And then he is suddenly alert, and looking at the door.

In the direction of the lovely scent.

[the_cupbearer]

Ganymede takes a breath, and tosses his head; he's unmarked and it's unusual for him lately, he has no hickies, no bruises from vigorous sex, and he smells only of his shower.

And then he zeroes in on Eric, and laughs once. "Good to see something hasn't changed."

[onceaviking]

"Are you calling me predictable?" he asks, sounding vaguely amused.

He looks like he mostly does. Black jeans, a tight, black tank top.

[the_cupbearer]

"I am," he answers with a delighted smile. "Are you refuting it?"

[onceaviking]

"It's not an image I actively try to discourage, " Eric replies, stepping a little closer.

"It's a good starting point for really taking people by surprise."

[the_cupbearer]

"Oh, and how do you intend to surprise me?" Ganymede asks, ankles crossing as he stays leaned back against the door.

[onceaviking]

"I was thinking dinner and a movie, " Eric says, dryly.

[never_shall_yield]

'Hello.'

A newly un-handcuffed Javert walks by on the way to order food - from a rat this time, he's not that stupid - and stops at the scene.

'You look fatigued. Come and have lunch.'

[the_cupbearer]

Ganymede blinks at this several times, opens his mouth, and proceeds to shut it again without making a sound.

"...Who are you, and what have you done with Javert?" he asks instead, cocking his head.

[never_shall_yield]

'I have had the most ridiculous weekend, and cannot bother myself with stupidity. Come and have lunch.'

Also, he is very hungry, and wants any sort of conversation that is not unbearable. He could just eat on his own, but then he would be internally fuming about all the awfulness.

[the_cupbearer]

"Oh, do tell me what kind of ridiculous weekend you've had," Ganymede says, shoving himself off the door and onto his feet.

[never_shall_yield]

'If I wanted to talk about it, I would not have asked you to come and eat. Are you coming, or not?'

He does not have to, of course.

'And what's wrong? Why are there children?'

[the_cupbearer]

"There are children because there are six families staying in my house," he says lightly, falling into step. "They needed somewhere to be. I had the space."

[i_am_your_host]

The Master of Ceremonies is perched cross-legged on the bar with a glass of red wine and an herbal cigarette at hand, and a German smut magazine in his lap.

He's reading it for the articles.

He looks up at Ganymede's entrance, and is of course immediately entranced. Somehow, though, the demigod always seemed out of reach.

But he inhales sharply, taking a drag off his cigarette, and nods at him.

"And that is why I never work with children and animals."

[the_cupbearer]

He laughs at that, pushing off from the door. "You're a few steps ahead of yourself, they're living in my house." They needed somewhere to go, and he had the space. It was simple at the time, and despite his fatigue now it is still relatively so.

"How's the rag, any good pictures?"

[i_am_your_host]

"They're living with you?" he says, his brows rising and his eyes widening. "I suppose you have your reasons, so-- all right."

He sticks his cigarette between his teeth and holds up the magazine, open to a two-page spread. There's a large, well-muscled blond man wearing leather chaps fucking a slightly smaller but still well-muscled blond man wearing criss-crossing leather straps on his body and whose wrists are bound in chains.

"The usual," he quips.

[the_cupbearer]

"Six families, children included," he affirms with a wan smile. "They needed somewhere to live, and I had the space." It's the same answer he gives everyone, and it is the truth, at least for the most part.

He looks over the picture Emcee is showing him, critical as if he's studying a fine portrait; Ganymede never takes his pornography lightly. Part and parcel of having been in so much of it. (Look up some French contemporary ones, Emcee, you might get an eye-opener or two.) "Not bad, I suppose if you're into leather and bears," he quips. "Personally I've always found chaps a little annoyingly overdone, but then I like being a naked slut if I'm getting my picture taken. C'est la vie."

[i_am_your_host]

"Six-? Oof. Well, if you have the space and the means to house them, then that is as good a reason as any."

Emcee flips the magazine around and stares at the spread at arm's length for a moment.

"I've seen better composition," he chuckles. "I like their faces, though. But the whole leather fetish is all the rage in the underground in my time, so the look is very current."

Setting it back down on his lap, he takes a sip of wine, eyeing Ganymede over the rim of his glass.

"You know, at first I was about to ask, 'You've done pornography?' and then I thought better of it, because it really should not surprise me."

[the_cupbearer]

He can't help but chuckle. "I have, yes," he says. "Print, picture, video. I like sex, and I have no problem in getting paid for it."

[thewidewideworld]

It had been several years for Sinric since he saw Ganymede last. He looks up from his book with a smile and stands to greet him with a smile.

{ooc: begging slowtime.}

[the_cupbearer]

Ganymede smiles back at Sinric, sighing as he pushes off from the door and comes nearer; it's been a while since he's seen this side of the door, and while he's glad he's also tired.

"Hello, beautiful."

[thewidewideworld]

Sinric holds his hands out to take Ganymede's, smiling warmly. "I have missed you, my friend. Are you well?"

[the_cupbearer]

"I am tired," he says, but nods. "I am well, though, yes. Just busy--more people living with me than I was entirely prepared for."

[thewidewideworld]

He gestures towards the bar and offers Ganymede a drink. "You've been overrun by guests?"

[the_cupbearer]

He chuckles. "Not entirely. Where I am living now, there is war to the east, and people fleeing the country. They're having some difficulty in getting further west to Europe, and so until they have the means some of them are staying with me. Six families, with children. It gets a little busy sometimes."

He doesn't mind at all by the look on his face, the smile when he mentions his houseguests. "And you? It's been quite a while, by the look of things."