Fifth | Audio

[strategic_guile]

[The feed cuts on and a voice starts up almost immediately.]

Soooo... [He pauses.]

I was gone for a week, like the Initiative said I would be, but I get back and it's been more like- [Hums a little, as if he's calculating it] -six weeks give or take, according to the network date here. It looks like everything caught on fire while I was gone, too. Go figure.

Not only that, but there's a flood of newbies, too, as well as people I missed from the last one. Anyone willing to give me an update? Or link me to where another thread that explains it would be fine, too.

Anyway, I'm Blaine. Good to meet the new people, and for the old crowd, I'm back.

[Feed cuts off]

[[Action available for Roommates or people who would seek him out to speak in person. All responses will be in Audio unless it's text.]]

Comments

[vaudevil]

I see.

[It then becomes apparent just how many secrets Lee has been keeping from people and he nods his head slowly.]

I wasn't sure if you had left and I was frightened by the loss. I did the one thing that I swore I would never do and that was to become involved in a monogamous relationship. Margulis and I have known each other for several months.

At first, we were just simply roommates. The more time I spent with him, I became involved with him.

[The pain he feels now by his regret in not telling Blaine about him earlier does show in his eyes.]

We...we are more than that now.

[strategic_guile]

[Blaine blinks at him, purses his lips, then leans forward a little bit.]

Wait.

[He leans back and holds up a hand.]

Monogamy? Really? That's what you're afraid to tell me? I admit that normally I'd think you were sick and hallucinating, but you're way too worried.

[vaudevil]

[He exhales slowly and takes a sip from his cup. The light sound of his cup returning to the saucer is just enough to break the silence.]

I apologize though I didn't want to seem trivial nor treat our relationship as such. I had great times with you.

[He smiles.]

And those memories will stay.

[strategic_guile]

[Blaine gives an exaggerated frown.]

You're acting like we'll never see each other again.

[He sighs dramatically.]

Unfortunately, I'm used to lovers going in and out of relationships and cutting off my supply of gratuitous and amazingly frequent sex.

[vaudevil]

Well, the sex won't be available, but I won't stop being your friend.

[He smiles and reaches across the table toward Blaine.]

That, I can assure you. You're an amazing and wonderfully fun person to have in my life and I want you to be happy too.

In fact, I was thinking of having you over for dinner so you can meet Margulis and Saori, my other roommate. She's a lot of fun and owns a tea house.

[strategic_guile]

Of course not. [He playfully bats Lee's hand down.] I'm entirely too amazing not to keep around.

[Cue smugness. Which evaporates into a curious look.] Dinner? Who's cooking? If it's him, no wonder he caught your attention. [A grin.] Is she cute?

[vaudevil]

[Lee gives a light laugh and yes, his hand is moved away.]

Yes, she is. She's absolutely adorable! We generally take turns but yes, he has wowed me with his cooking a few times. I hope you don't mind spice.

[strategic_guile]

[You said take turns and his mind went into a totally dirty place, but it's back now.]

I love spice. Everything here is pretty bland. A good tea shop would do wonders though. We have a cafe, but not a dedicated tea shop.

[vaudevil]

[Well, to be fair, Lee's mind is there almost constantly so Blaine's forgiven.]

Oh, excellent! I think you'll enjoy it. Dinner is at seven. Yes, a proper tea house is certainly needed and Saori is a wonderful hostess. I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

[strategic_guile]

I'm looking forward to it.

[He's eying Lee, speculating, and settles his chin on the knuckles of his fist as he does so.]

Tell me about Margulis.

[vaudevil]

Oh!

[He places his hands on the table with a smile.]

He's reserved, a quick thinker and he's good with a sword. Although these are not the qualities I find most intriguing about him, he's smart. He's about my age so that makes it a bit more comfortable to be around him.

When we first met, I mentioned women around him and he seemed most disinterested. It wasn't until much later that I found out that he is gay. Now, this didn't mean that once I told him that my teasing was really a means to flirt with him and I meant every word landed me into his bed, there was a lot more than just the physical attraction.

He is taller than me, much like you are, and he can be intimidating. Still, he's a very mysterious person sometimes. It's hard to know what he's thinking at first glance.

[strategic_guile]

Around your age, meaning I'm not? [That gets a more intense look.] How old are you really, then, Mr. Fairy?

[Otherwise he seems to accept the kind of abbreviated descriptions. He just wanted a base of knowledge for when they met.]

[vaudevil]

I'll be fifty come August the twenty-second.

[He chuckles softly with the admission to his birthday for the first time to anyone.]

No one else knows the date.

[Although, the little nickname could be seen as an insult by others, he's not taking it that way. Ironically, it seems fitting.]

[strategic_guile]

[Slight sputter.] Fifty. Well I'll be damned.

[Calling someone an ageless yet mischievous being seems to fit Lee entirely too well for it to be an insult. Not to mention he was almost twice Blaine's age.]

Now I'm not sure if I should feel lucky that you can keep up with me or just feel inadequate. [Laughs.]

[vaudevil]

[Lee laughs softly and turns his cup.]

Actually, I was the one that feared inadequacy. You needn't worry. Aside from the issue, I think you're pretty safe in that department.

[strategic_guile]

[Amused, he lifts his cup up to his lips to take a brief sip.]

Well, let's be honest. Neither of us really need to fear that.

[vaudevil]

Oh, this is very true. The city had a hard time keeping up with us, if I recall.

[He smirks and takes a sip.]

[strategic_guile]

[Soft exhale, almost a snort.]

See, now I'm at a loss. All the wicked thoughts I have for your birthday are off limits. Supposedly.

[vaudevil]

[A soft laugh comes from Lee. Even he's going to miss that. Still, it's good to have Blaine's company and attention still.]

Oh, I'm sure you'll find other avenues. The end is never certain and I'm certainly without an end. Basically, you'll figure something out.

[strategic_guile]

I can... [His voice trails off as he contemplates Lee, and his thoughts are heading in a decided dirty direction.]

I certainly don't want to.

[And then he settles into his chair again.] I'm adaptable, but it's still a pretty sudden change.

[vaudevil]

Well, I can't deny that my news to you is sudden.

[He leans back in his chair with a sigh and a cant to his head.]

With everything that we've been given these past few months, relationships are a challenge these days. I will be completely honest, I had thought the Initiative had pulled you to go home.

[He leans forward again to straighten himself in his chair. The entire posture seems boyish on Lee's end that denies his age entirely.]

[strategic_guile]

[He reaches for his cup.] Can't blame you for that. If I hadn't seen you in more than a month nor heard anything from you I would have thought that, too.

[He drinks for a few seconds and then pours himself some more when the cup is empty. As he does, eyes on his task, he speaks again.] It can be hard to lose people.

[vaudevil]

Yes. Forgive me for my lack of patience.

[Lee lowers his gaze. He wants to wish that he never has to deal with loss but it's not the nature of this place or how the Initiative operates. Either they work in the favor of the project or they are removed from the equation. It still didn't make it any easier to cope.]

I know I said that I would wait, but after losing Leliana, Taicea and Ghost, my heart couldn't take it. I couldn't bear to lose you too and so I hid and sought solace in the one that remained most constant in my time here.

[strategic_guile]

[Blaine was well acclimated to loss and maybe he might wish he wasn't on some days, but the worst of his losses had yet to come, though he already knew about it. He has yet to look up from his cup as he puts down the kettle and takes a sip.]

I just hope the arms you ran into don't disappear, too.

[vaudevil]

[Blain makes an excellent point and Lee is thinking about that part too. He sighs and nods.]

Yes, I've thought of that. Should he disappear, I think by that point I wouldn't care if I existed or not. Knowing him, if he heard what I had just said, he would strike me on the back of the head for being so negative.

I would like to think that he would want me to be happy and living the way I should. Perhaps then, I'll return my greatness to the public once again.