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Lawrence didn't state that maybe he agreed with at least some of what the other man had to say. Rodney for all his good points judged himself in such a harsh manner that it became an example unto other people as much as his good things did. Gender, for instance and marriage. It was like being with the old women again in some ways, pleasant and nice but with problematic opinions which bled into the treatment of other people. Rodney might never raise a hand to or wish ill on others but next to him people could seem inadequate or at the very least feel that way. "I don't think he thinks I'm good." he said with a sardonic smile. "He's a good person, not a stupid one."

Harrison's opinion did get him the eyebrow again over the drink as Lawrence sipped it. "What a strange way to look at it. I use the varying degrees as data. Past a certain threshold of unpleasantness it just becomes not worth it."

Inclining the glass in Harrison's direction he said matter-of-factly. "You for instance, far too much b*****d. Too much effort. What's in it for me from you if I got away with it? Sex. Practicality. Loyalty. Cons? Murdered by an axe toting lunatic, constantly being diminished, no taste. The pros are hefty but the cons not worth it and the difficulty of the conquest is so often dictated by the sheer level of b*****d."

He shrugged his shoulders. "It's always easier dealing with the nice ones with the low self esteem. Suppose that is why Jordan ended up being too much trouble. I'd just be chasing shadows for ever."

"Being married never stopped anyone." he said sweetly. "But as I said I am not pursuing you, too much hassle. If I was well you might well think differently insofar as that "Not Interested" con on your list. All of them. But I knew from the start what I was dealing with with you."

He didn't look too bothered about the axe thing. "Well if he did you'd lose your precious little husband so I'm sure nothing of the sort will happen. Though admittedly I would be a little concerned if my significant other would go murdering someone over their ex. Are you sure there isn't still a little something between them? I mean, simply speculation but you wouldn't still want to be a third wheel who doesn't realise what he is. Jordan certainly still spoke fondly about Rep."

He finished off the cocktail, immediately regretting such a show of bravado, feeling the alcohol go right to his head and noting the warmth in his cheeks which gave away perhaps a little too much too quickly into his small and slender frame.

"But if what you say is anything to go by, I doubt he'd sleep with me anyway, he seemed somewhat interested but he'd likely simply run away from the risk. His con list is much shorter than yours generally, there are no risks, only rudeness and he actually has taste."

He trailed a fingertip around the rim of the glass and licked it lazily in a gesture that was perhaps more Butch than him. "Unlike you, you have no taste I'm afraid, it's probably terminal. But you do have smell, smell that is practically taste half the time, do you ever shower?"

"Sounds about right." Lawrence said, Rep didn't seem the sort for sophisticated plots or sneaking around subtly behind Harrison's back. It was more his speed than the other man's. "I suppose if it did happen it would be rather obvious and hah, if what you've said is anything to go by, perhaps Jordan wouldn't tolerate the risks involved with that either and would run off before anything happened to upset you. Agreeable until he's gone."

He didn't disagree about Rep's ludicrously short temper and hair trigger. "Really, simply over that? Ridiculous. I only ever met Rin once Melvin and her were long awake and together. Post whatever happened with Rep. They woke me up actually, it was just fortunate at the time they completely forgot about my true name, it might have been a little inconvenient. Was handy reference material which is the horrible part, fodder for my unforgivable little plots." he shook his head "I don't know why he still sticks around. Melvin I mean."

"Jordan though should absolutely give me a try, I'm perhaps an awful person but there is plenty I'm not awful at all at and that alone I'm told is worth everything else."

"And those, just for the record." he pointed at Harrison's shoes on the other side of the bar. "Are not functional."

And surrendering to Butch's recommendations of more drinks he said. "Ja, tack. Another something else."

“No, they certainly are not, both of the mentioned types of footwear are at least fashionable and those shoes ceased being fashionable around when Mikael was born.” The fact the alcohol was going straight to his sense of judgement was only reinforced by the fact he added “Though, despite the impracticality I do find myself partial to a pair of heels, they work wonders for the posture and calves.” The fact he had no intention of impressing or fooling Harrison only loosened his tongue.

The question about Melvin made him shrug his shoulders in obvious bafflement. “Now that.” He said. “I don’t know. I told him the truth - that I pretended to be Rin to trick him for my own personal gain and that I used him the whole time we were in a relationship. He was upset for a time but after processing it he seems to have decided.. Well I’m not sure what precisely he decided. Possibly that he could use me? Or that he could somehow monitor me and stop me from hurting anyone else. I told him I’d leave or he could leave but he wanted neither.”

At the comment about the fact he was clean he did place a hand to his chest and looked offended. “And /excuse me/, of all the myriad positive things there are to say about me you chose /clean/. Anyone can be clean, I should think my accolades are higher than that.” He looked away with slight irritation. “Though I suppose it is better than America who only tolerated me for so long because I was attentive in bed.”

He nursed the tap water while he waited on his next drink, not sure why he was even speaking to Harrison about all this, well aware it was probably tedious to the other man.

“A big plot would be something more prolonged and lifelong.” He said. “And I had big plots. Divinity. A home. Wealth. Success. Some of them I am still pursuing.”

"Well perhaps the moral thing has some bearing on it. I rather enjoy people who think they know what I am. It's usually very simple. Sasha, for instance." he shrugged.

"And for style Harrison is why."

He was distracted from his train of thought by mention of divinity, giving the other man a very intent stare. "How it happens?" he said.

“Not buddies exactly.” He said with a smile. “A one-off tryst. Technically I was Chantelle at the time, but she wouldn’t remember that. Breaking character is so rare and difficult for me but that particular time earned it.” He waved it off, unconcerned by Sasha’s relative infamy.

“It just happens?” he said, his attention almost unnerving with its intensity. “And I have only tenuously heard of them, most documents I saw touch on them only glancingly.”

Lawrence shook his head. “My hand was because I unplugged some pods to frame America. It almost got her killed but I ended up getting disciplined also. One of the options was to cut off my own hand with a very blunt knife or to end up dead. You know what Caelius is like. I took the former option.” He paled slightly despite his usual pallor and shook his head at the memory of pain, blood and bone. “I wouldn’t recommend it.”
Once again the money was grudgingly handed over for the drink and he took a sip when he’d retrieved it and his change.

The story the other man had to tell was absolutely fascinating and he listened with the sort of attention few people received, sipping his drink the whole time.

“So it’s about belief.” He said. “Belief is power. Like fear. Why do emotions hold such potency? It all seems to be interlocked with the human mind.” And for a moment it all seemed to make sense, he was a vessel, he did not produce emotions or belief like other human beings because he was destined to be the focal point of all of it, he was not a subject but a ruler, born that way. It explained everything. “That is genuinely fascinating, thank you.”

“And, death?” he asked, still curious. “Hope to never meet him frankly. Unless I’m taking his job at the time.”

"I felt like it." he said. "That's about the extent of the reasoning. Felt like it and wanted to see if I could. The death part certainly didn't scare me."

Alcohol very rapidly bypassed his threshold of tolerance and things became a little harder to grasp and self control a little harder to exert.

"So it's all right for you." he said. "I have always been solitary, even when I am surrounded by people." he put a finger on the bar. "People want a lot of ridiculous things. Monogamy. Emotions. Love. Commitment. It's all out of my comprehension. Things are bleak and my only way of dealing with it is making a little home which will probably go wrong within a week."