Lobby/dining room || Estinien Wyrmblood (ffxiv) @jtomotia

[wyrmbled]

What new manner of horror was this?

Estinien was sure he had just been alone, wandering the wilderness in his search for further deeds that he might do-- deeds to atone for his failures and to safeguard Ishgard's future: To avenge Aymeric's wounds a hundred times against the Ascian threat.

This was nowhere he could remember though it wouldn't have been terribly off to guess he was somewhere in his homeland or Sharlyan if not for the odd thing here or there that completely escaped his understanding. He tapped his foot impatiently for a moment and the stepped through another pair of wider doors, only to find a sweet smell drifting through the air that made his head spin. Some kind of drug? He couldn't be sure, but it put him on edge.

He was about to turn back as he passed several tables laden with food that appeared to be fresh and non-threatening, but for him nothing was ever as such. A noise made him turn to see a familiar blond head and pair of ears over the divider between the ballroom and the lobby.

"Ser J'tomo, is that you I spy?" He called out, unflinching at the rusty and hoarse nature of his so-little-used voice.

Comments

[wyrmbled]

It was almost disturbingly normal. Such things put him on edge. Surely, it meant to give them a false sense of ease before trapping them in some awful hellish--

He followed J'tomo to look at what he was referencing only to gape like a fish for several long moments before stepping away. So it was that kind of place. He'd seen such implements before, collected as evidence to be used against a man caught sleeping with a highborn lady. He knew what they were for.

"I'm afraid we've found ourselves in an establishment that is not quite the best envrons for proper gentlemen such as ourselves."

For some reason, he felt the room was rather stuffy-- and found himself eying his lance where it served as a doorstop as if to make sure that it remained firmly in place.

"I like not the looks of this, or what it might mean."

[jtomotia]

It took J'tomo a moment to glance up at Estinien when he hadn't answered right away, and cocked and eyebrow at the expression that he found his face in. He looked back down to the chest and rummaged around, trying to glean anything from its contents.

Proper...gentlemen?

It was then that his hand grabbed a rather phallic item and suddenly everything clicked. He nearly burst out laughing as he stood up, shoving the item at Estinien. "It's a box o' matin' devices! I've ne'er had a chance t' see one fer m'self, but I 'eard some ladies back 'ome talkin' 'bout m' Nuhn's box."

He tossed the toy back where it came from and crossed his arms. "Though of its purpose here, I'm not entirely sure. Is this a matin' establishment? And if so, what are we doin' here? And why are the rooms unoccupied...?"

He thought for a moment and laughed again, looking at Estinien from the side. "Proper gentleman.. I know what you got yerself into in the barracks when you was but a baby dragoon. Thinkin' about those azure blues, no doubt."

[wyrmbled]

"That is... one way to describe them." Mating? Well, he supposed Miqo'te had a culture and way of life all their own.

At the mention of the Nunh he remembered very suddenly that J'tomo's entire view of society must be very different. Nothing like the austere way of life in Ishgard and its demands on social standing.

He had passed into a moment of quiet fondness when the last comment hit him like a tonne of bricks. His jaw dropped and he took a half step back, a rare show of bare-faced emotion. How did he... know about that?


"By the Fury, must you go airing out a man's dirty small clothes like that?" Maybe J'tomo was less of a proper gentleman than he'd given him credit for, but perhaps he was silly to think of himself as one in the same breath. Estinien ran a hand back through his hair, suddenly feeling as though he was seeing the other man in a new light.

"Who... told you about all that?" He groused.

[jtomotia]

J'tomo smirked as Estinien was yet again taken aback by a comment. So the stories were true then. He had suspected as such, Aymeric's drunken ramblings seemed too detailed and intimate to be false, and he couldn't exactly pin the man for a liar or even an embellisher.

He laughed lightly as he closed the box and picked up the candle once more, having seen all the thought there was to see in this room. He wondered if the others where the same or if they featured something different.

"None other than the keeper of your heart himself. Even a proper gentleman like himself has loose lips around a bottle of wine. I might have encouraged some habits after the war in an attempt to quell my own pains."

He made his way back into the hallway and thumbed through the keys to find the next one. He wondered if it was even worth checking them or if they should just try knocking on them to see if anyone was inside..

"'ave you ever fucked him, or only fucked yourself t' the thought o' 'im?"

[wyrmbled]

He was plenty glad to leave the room and their discussion behind-- but J'tomo seemed to be intent upon wringing more out of him. He didn't like it. Estinien had never much liked being the center of attention. He had been glad for the mantle of Azure Dragoon, that he might be more or less invisible behind it. Again, he found himself longing for the comfort of a helmet to hide behind.

As J'tomo cut to the chase so very casually, he nearly wished that he had succeeded in killing or maiming the man all those years ago when they had first fought each other in Coerthas.

"Why does it matter? And-- and who talks about such things in polite company?!"

Estinien demanded as the walked, his lance still firmly in his hand. All the same, the talk of drinking with Aymeric and how easily he spoke of anything and everything in his heart was proof that he spoke true. Estinien knew him well enough. He felt a pang of nostalgia for those days, nearly Halcyon despite the awful burden he had carried.

"...T'woud never speak of such things, let alone approach him for such. It would be a scandal un-beffitting of the Lord Commander should anyone find out." He finally acquiesced, sounding morose.

[jtomotia]

J'tomo burst out laughing at that-- oh how Ishgard would be ever different from what he knew and loved of how he grew up. Ever free to explore his identity and sexuality. In his culture, it was common for one to have multiple lovers-- in fact, he was a bit of an outlier since he had been married, though both he and Sapho'li took on other partners on occasion.

"Apparently, Aymeric does. And perhaps it would serve you well to lighten up for a minute of your life."

He eyed Estinien from the side as they walked together, then down at his lance. His own was strapped to his back, though he hoped they wouldn't need them for more than door jams.

"You ever ask the Lord Commander what he wanted? If he would be willin' to endure whatever scandal befell him if it meant gettin' to return to your side every night? Sometimes I think he wishes for something of that nature to rid himself of his duty so he could run off with you to the edges of our Star." His tanned cheeks tinged red ever so slightly as he thought of all the things Ser Aymeric had detailed that he wished to do to his fellow student of the lance. "That man would do anything for you."

[wyrmbled]

Again it seemed, J'tomo unknowingly went for the jugular. He sighed as they walked knowing that none of his excuses would get through to the other man. He believed what he believed whole-heartedly and Estinien wished that he could join him in it .

Aymeric could never abandon Ishgard. He'd never forgive himself. "Don't think... I haven't imagined it. The joy he would find on the wide open Steppe-- the marvels I could show him in the Kogane-Dori markets." Estinien lowered his head.

"A shame to think that his only chance to travel came about while I was trapped in Nidhogg's clutches. That is something I find it hard to forgive. I would rather not tempt him. The thought of worsening the pain he must already feel is..." He trailed off and looked down the hall.

"Is it just me, or-- did we already pass this set of doors." Oh dear. That wasn't a good sign.

[jtomotia]

J'tomo raised a hand as they walked and placed it upon his fellow dragoon's shoulder firmly. Wordlessly, he stepped ahead, as if silently consoling the man. Seeing the two Elezen constantly chasing each other but being unwilling and unable to bridge the gap in their lives only made his heart ache. He only wished to see the two men happy. He only prayed that fate would be kinder to them one day.

"I assure you that he loved every thing he saw. Wish you could have been there to see his awe. Perhaps one day I can take over his duties so you two can share a drink or a bite at the Forgotten Knight."

J'tomo blinked at the question posed. The doors were all beginning to look eerily similar. He turned to look behind him, and it seemed as if the hallway didn't end either direction. His ears flattened against his head, unsure of what their next move should be. "Perhaps we should check another room..." He fished a key from his pocket and grabbed a random one and attempted to unlock the closest door to him, praying that they'd find something new beyond it.