All Holden Did In Response Was Smirk. It Seemed Easy To Push His Buttons And, For Lack Of A Better Word,

all holden did in response was smirk. it seemed easy to push his buttons and, for lack of a better word, annoy him. the idea of people thanking him after they spent some time together was comical because it either meant he was that talented or he was concerned with impressing holden so he was fluffing up the truth a bit. either way it amused him.

there really wasn't a reason for him to be testing the stranger like this-- the gala was obviously designed for them to need no build, no pomp and circumstance, to climb into bed with each other. they wanted everyone to just fuck and enjoy themselves without needing the precontext of flirting and foreplay and yet holden was being stubborn... and who could blame him. a simple challenge to a stranger had earned him quite the show.

smirking, his tongue darting out to lick his lips, he watched through his mask as the man pretended to drop something so he could purposefully bend over; showing off the curve of his ass as his ample cheeks brushed teasing against holden's groin.

it didn't make him hard, but it definitely got his attention.

"you didn't need to prove anything, not really." holden teased with a smirk as he reached forward to lightly pat his right hand against the man's waist as he moved to stand up straight again. "i just wanted to see if you were good at doing as you were told." his voice dropped into a husky whisper. holding up the key he'd already grabbed to show the stranger, he let that be his invitation. he didn't say anything else, didn't ask for the man to follow him, he simply turned and made his way towards the stairwell so he could find them a room.

the anonymity of the masquerade ball was making lysander a bit bolder and so forward with the stranger. he'd never had a problem picking up bed mates but there was something about not knowing a thing about the guy you were hitting on, even their face was a mystery that brought a certain thrill to the siphoner.

there was no doubt the guy was playing hard to get, not something lysander was particularly fond of doing with whatever food it was he was about to eat… though he decided to entertain it. maybe it was those abs that was giving him the motivation to do so. "well, i don't think anyone can truly gauge my skills except for myself.. though i've been thanked by just about every partner i've ever had." he said, taking up the space between them.

although lysander didn't like the stranger trying to make him jealous, his voice remained unphased. "i didn't know people needed to prove themselves to get some action." clearly annoyed, he contemplated for a second of what he could possibly do. "alright, you want to see what i've got to offer." lysander turned around to discreetly bend over and show off his ass to the stranger, grazing against his crotch for a second while he pretended to pick something up from the floor.

early mornings were something thomas hated the most. if the sun wasn't even up, why the hell should he be? unfortunately for himself, he'd managed to fall asleep on top of someone's roof-- in his cat form, mind you-- in a rather uncomfortable position and even as lazy, and stubborn, as he was he just couldn't spend another minute there.

dropping down off the building, he stretched out and shifted back into his human form. thankfully he had thought ahead and kept his bag of clothes nearby so that he wouldn't be wandering around alexandria naked; though something told him that wouldn't be as frowned upon here as it was in the normal world.

sleepily stepping out from behind the building where he'd changed, the cat familiar was almost immediately knocked off his feet. even with his cat-like reflexes, he wasn't able to save himself. in attempting to step around whatever had just collided into his legs, he managed to step on it's tail as he fell backwards onto his butt.

laid out, back and head thudding against the concrete, he let out a whining groan and just... laid there. "ow..." he complained with a childish pout of his lips, melodramatically staying there for another moment before finally pushing himself back up again.

"well hey boy, are you the one that tripped me?" thomas questioned as his eyes landed on the dog staring at him with concern. right then and there, every ounce of annoyance dissolved from his tone and his features as he smiled at the dog and reached out to pat it on the head. "you should watch where you're going but, that's okay, you're too cute to be mad at..." and it was thomas's fault too. "are you okay buddy? i think i might have stepped on you," he continued on as he pulled himself up to sit comfortably on the ground so he could start petting the random dog with both hands. "i hope i didn't hurt you."

( Open Finlay Starter || @unveilstarters )

Early morning runs were the best. There wasn't that many people out and about. The fresh morning air also always smelt pleasant. And, if you got up early, then you would often see a beautiful sunrise. One that Finlay had managed to catch that morning from the top of a rather large hill in the woods. Today was going to be a good day. Heading back to town to grab a few supplies, he would stay in his dog form until he made it into one of the shops before he turned back. Thankfully he was wearing his enchanted clothes, Aoife had gave him, that shifted with him when he shifted.

Paws patted on the concrete as he ran down the sidewalk, his nose helping him lead the way to one of the grocery stores. That was until he collided with a passer-by coming out from around a building. With a yelp as he felt a foot on his tail. He swung around and rushed over to the other one with a whine of worry. Was the other person okay?

this was his peace. they had spent centuries together, a little over two; they had watched their homelands destroyed and lost to the carelessness of humanity, they had survived being chased from the waters and hunted for sport-- in truth, they had lived a rather chaotic life together yet it never showed in maeryne's face or how he carried himself. he was at peace, always, at akeselric's side. he was maeryne's peace; he was all the mer needed, and fought for. aksel was all aeryne wanted and he was content to spend the rest of his eternity at the other's side.

relaxing against the other's side on another one of their date nights, limbs almost intertwined as if they were young lovers or a newfound romance, aeryne welcomed the eyes on them. let them stare, he thought. let them see what they are missing out on. he knew some of their stares weren't because he and his love weren't shy and hardly kept their hands to themselves but, rather, were because of the glaring age difference in their appearances. they scandalized themselves by making assumptions of their relationship. they wouldn't be wrong, mind you, if they thought aeryne called him daddy... but they would be wrong if they thought aksel was older. appearances can be misleading.

"mhmm," aeryne hummed at the teasing tickle of his husband's lips against the shell of his ear; from the weight of his hand against his hip, holding him close against aksel's side. "careful, darling, we already have quite the audience. we wouldn't want to traumatize these poor people." he teased with a soft smile and lick of his lips. "it's not even our anniversary."

@unveiledvagabonds; for akeselric to get a little frisky with maeryne.

even after centuries — and they’ve only been together for a little more than two — akeselric had not tired of maeryne; nor would be any time 'soon' or ever, if he was being honest and if he had things his way. he just could not imagine a life without the other. though with the advent of their legs, everything had certainly been a new experience; relative to their lifespan of course.

one would not know they were hundreds of years old with the way they acted. still full of youth and energy, full of love and affection for each other — something that aksel had no trouble displaying, even in public... though you could argue a little too much.

here they were on one of their many date nights, having a quiet but romantic evening in a restaurant. much of their booth was vacant, aksel having crowded into his beloved’s personal space long ago. the merfolk was sure the couple across them were staring but he couldn’t bring himself to really care. not to mention, for anyone watching it would be obvious there was an age gap between them... but not in the way most would think. and now didn't that thought just constantly excite him. aeryne was old than him but aksel looked much older because he'd spent many years scouting and traveling the surface, returning back to the ocean sporadically, all before his husband had joined him topside.

his spaghetti laid on the plate mostly finished. his hand curved around the other's back, dipping just below the waistband and resting on the older's hip. and his lips came up to the shell of his husband's ear, “now do you want dessert, my love? i know i’ve got mine right here already.”

"i'm here because i was weak and acted on impulse." as much as alston hated humans and their destructive ways even he knew they couldn't be touched. killing one would bring hundreds more breathing down your neck, seeking what they blindly called justice even if that death was well deserved... and yet that's exactly what he did. he had a moment of lapsed judgement, he let his anger and frustration get the best of him, and because of the blood on his hands he didn't have a choice but to leave. he had to come here.

the were-bear tried not to pay him any attention, but the way he was looking up at alston and teasing him as he kneeled before him was having an affect on him. his clothes were starting to feel even tighter; it was starting to feel annoyingly hot. normally carston was the only one that made him react this quickly. rather than replying to the man's teasing, alston let out a heavy huff of his breath and purposefully looked off to the side-- refusing to look at the man again until he stood back up.

"you mean my drinks aren't enough?" he challenged with the slightest hint of playfulness in his tone at the mention of finding something to fill the other's pie hole with. tensing as the man crowded his personal space even more, alston's chest heaved as he took a deep breath in and held it as he felt the other's fingers fidgeting with the rest of the buttons on his shirt. "hey," he whispered, his voice a hushed growl, as two more were popped free and more of his chest was exposed as his shirt quickly opened more; his blush dipping past the safety of the edge of his mask to sit low enough on his cheeks that it would be noticeable now. "watch it."

his lips pulled back in another silent snarl at the mention of dancing. there wasn't enough alcohol in the world to make the bear want to dance with someone. especially not a stranger.

"you wish i'd ask you for a massage," he grumbled through a clenched jaw as he looked down at the other man. "poker... that's a card game right? don't you need more than two people to play that?"

"Maybe I will," Wolf says, lifting his chin slightly with a wicked smirk. To be honest, he is not entirely sure what his natural scent is like. But when people commented on how he smells, it was usually a compliment. He supposes it has to do with the incubus stuff. Wolf listens to that rant on humans, and honestly, that's the longest the big guy has spoken so far. Strong feelings. "Sounds to me," he says, taking a step closer to the big guy, "you don't get to take what you want and do what you want, when you want to." He maybe reading it completely wrong, but it just sounds like this guy is full of frustration and pent up energy. Like a bottle of soda someone shook too hard or a balloon about to burst.

A low rumble of chuckle can be heard from Wolf as he picks up the pieces. "I am cleaning it up, aren't I?" He looks up from below, an angle he purposefully chose for a possible sneak peek. "Don't worry, I'm pretty good at cleaning up messes, mine or other men's." One needs to be an expert in cleaning to survive as a mercenary, so he can clean anything from dirty sheets to dead bodies.

When he stands back up (and he waves off the waiter with a quick "thank you kindly"), Wolf is already somehow a little closer to the big guy. "Ah, yes, playful banter. My specialty, really. But we can always find something to shut up my pie hole with." He didn't actually think the big guy, Alston, would listen to his suggestion, but it's a pleasant surprise. He closes the gap between them, fiddling with the rest of Alston's buttons. He undoes one or two more and not so subtly checks out the broad chest. He does love a man with great tits.

"Alston, that's a powerful name." He remarks. No way to tell if that is his real name, but Wolf also gave a fake name so fair's a fair. Well, technically Bill is his go-to alias and it comes from his middle name so... not entirely fake. "Could go for a dance, but you don't seem like a dancing fella. I'd play a song or two but I didn't bring my instrument so... Or I could give you a massage. Or, I dunno, you play poker?"

🪽The flying Knight 🪽