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 Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2021 5:42 pm
Thanks to the angle of the amphitheater Nyko didn't automatically awaken when the sun started to rise. Instead, he slept a fair bit into the morning, but when the warmth started to burn against his eyelids he couldn't fight it any longer. At first the strangeness of it didn't bother him in the least; the chill that nipped at his skin did, however. Why was it so cold in the apartment? And where were their blankets? Thessia was usually so particular about what they had since she was just as cold blooded as he was! With an irritated groan he attempted to roll over, only finding himself tangled up against her. At least that part made sense. What still struck him as odd was the hard texture of their bed. Sure, the bedding Gilly had given them wasn't plush, but it was still soft enough to support them while they slept.
Rising up on one elbow, the matorian yawned and slowly opened his hazy eyes. What he realized very quickly was that this was not Thessia and for the second time in his life he'd woken up naked next to Yunan.
Unlike the last time, however, Yunan was also very much naked.
It all came back to him in sickening rush. The performance, the drinking, the amphitheater....The amphitheater! Realizing that the sun was very prominent in the sky by now and that they were still very much public, backsides as bare as the day they were born, caused Nyko to sober. Or, well, attempt to. His head was throbbing something fierce and if his nerves didn't upset his stomach then the alcohol would have anyway.
"Yunan," Nyko hissed. When he didn't get a response fast enough he reached over and shook the other man's shoulder. "Get. Up." Nyko snatched the closest piece of clothing he could find and was aggravated to find it was just a boot - not even his at that! His hair was an absolute mess, his face had smudged eye liner and there were marks on his body that, thankfully, he couldn't see at the moment. When he shifted his legs to stand he found that he couldn't and that had way more implications than he was ready to deal with at the moment.
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Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2021 8:12 pm
Over the past couple of months Yunan had worked himself to near exhaustion. So much so that getting everything out of his system last night had allowed the businessman to finally rest. It was probably too much rest considering everything that it had entailed, including the precarious amount of alcohol that he had consumed before and during the event that had led to such a deep sleep. It was so hard to rouse with the pounding in his head, his mouth unusually dry and his body sore. Thankfully his physical capabilities weren't harmed, as attested by the readiness of his body to participate in more exercises, but his head was suffering with an infernal pounding above his right temple. The thudding made him wince, his one eye tightly shutting against the pain before sudden realization made it snap open at the same time as the other eye. "s**t." The swear left his mouth along with some choice words in Zenan before he twisted and sat up, his tongue running over his bottom lip while his mind ran to catch up with their situation. "Nicosia...no Nyko." He murmured quietly as he blinked towards the other man, a rare moment of almost warmth in his gaze before his focus narrowed into a scowl. "What in the bloody hells are we doing outside?" Oh spirits. He had drank so much last night during the performance and the rest of the evening was such a haze. What ridiculous shenanigans had he gotten caught up in last night? Even in Oba he had been more behaved while dealing with the wilder nobles! At least he hadn't gone outside to....oh spirits. Yunan took in their appearances, their bare bodies exposed to the natural elements around them, and cursed once more before snapping up to his feet. A wave of pain and dizziness made him sway on his feet for a second, but the hybrid quickly reached out a hand and pressed against the wall to right himself.
A hazy memory of pressing up another body against that very wall made him jerk his hand back against his chest, a deep violet flush decorating his cheeks as he quickly shoved that image into the far recess of his mind. He was so very sore and everything made him want to groan but Yunan simply bit his cheek and kept his noises of protest to himself. "Clothing, now." He commented without wasting a breath to question whatever the hell they had done last night. This was why he avoided cheap alcohol or perhaps even just alcohol in general from now on. Eventually Yunan had managed to find his leggings and tunic, slipped his attire haphazardly on, and tossed whatever he could find that belonged to Nyko towards the Matori. Thankful that this area wasn't currently in use by anyone, Yunan glanced about once more to double check before trying his best to arrange his clothing into a more presentable manner.
"We should try to get to my inn." He finally stated, his voice quiet and his gaze level as he shot a look towards Nyko. "It would probably be best to fix your appearance there before going to your own rooms, correct?" Yunan was quietly raging at himself for such a foolish slip up and trying to reason with it all but the lingering warmth of the other man's body only reminded him of other things which flustered him even more. He was not about to let a slip up like this ruin anything! They simply had to move on quickly before anyone realized or saw them. If anything they stayed up late in his rooms to discuss business plans which he would draft quickly after a cup of strong tea.
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Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2021 4:28 pm
"You know," Nyko hissed. He may have been hungover, but that didn't make Yunan anymore blind than he was. There was no way they...hadn't...My head is going to split open. Everytime he tried to process what happened a stab of pulsating pain would crop up behind his eyes and remind Nyko that it wasn't just his joints that ached. For a moment he nearly jumped up to help the other man as he swayed, but even the small lurch he'd given made Nyko's stomach flip. If I even so much as see another bottle...
Instead of jumping on his first thought of 'get it your own damn self' Nyko obliged and started to pass Yunan his clothing. He'd already proven just how impulsive he could be and now it was time to sober up; in more than a few ways. By the time the matorian had his clothing on he looked like he'd slept in a bush which may not have been that far from the truth. No, no it definitely started at the amphitheater and it looks like it stopped here too. That was good, at least. It was out in the open, but in an area not many others frequented. Hopefully that was a good thing...
Pulling the hood of his tunic over his head, Nyko slipped into his boots. Somehow he hadn't been able to find his socks, but he couldn't be bothered to search for them. "Mind if I take a take a bath, too? If I come back smelling like liquor Thessia is going to- s**t." Nyko slammed his now booted foot down onto the pavement, eyes as wide as his gaping mouth. "What the hell am I supposed to tell Thessia? I cheated! There's no way she's not going to know." As soon as she saw him she was going to know something was up, and if the woman happened to catch him without clothes...
Nyko ran a hand over the back of his neck and exhaled on a string of very colorful curses.
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Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2021 10:51 am
Yunan's mouth pressed into a tight line at the mention of the Matori bard's fiancée. "We were discussing plans all night, plain and simple." He commanded sharply, his golden gaze narrowing as he surveyed Nyko with an expression almost similar to both disdain and frustration. Perhaps not so much at the Matori but rather at himself for allowing such a moment of weakness to actually occur. Yunan was willing to swear off spirits for a very, very long time after what happened last night. Either way now that they were both clothed again and thankfully it was the earlier hours of the morning the hybrid felt some relief.
Still, it was best if they didn't make too much noise. Yunan placed a firm hand on Nyko's shoulder before glancing around once more. There wasn't anyone here and it appeared that they had recovered all of their belongings. If it wasn't for the disheveled appearance, the lingering smell of alcohol and the way his body ached in certain places the hybrid would have been almost inclined to argue that they had simply taken a morning stroll. Instead they now looked like two worn men who had stayed up all night partaking in heated debates over a contract or something. The very thought made him slowly nod as he finally gestured for Nyko to follow him. "I'll order some tea when we arrive at the inn and you can bathe. Spirits know we both should after arguing all night over your contract, the more heated we appear the easier it will be to ease any suspicion of anything else." His golden gaze flashed as he started to walk away. "I'm a notorious b*****d back home who is prone to forcing others to work with me all night on pressing matters. The shop is opening within a few weeks so why would I treat you any differently when discussing the opening?" They already had so much prepared so why should he allow any scandal to happen now? Yunan scowled at the very idea and if anything he would be willing to prove himself through over various means as necessary.
Spirits! Who cared if the other man was attractive with the voice of an angel? It was infuriating to think that alcohol had made him reveal himself like that and Yunan felt his mood dipping even more. At least he had the sense to try to remain in control, his mind already calculating all the possibilities and the payoffs that he would potentially have to engage in should anything foul arise out of this matter. For now he was just focused on getting them back to his inn without gaining too much attention. There was a back way which he knew would take them towards his room without having to enter the main foyer. They could talk more after cleaning up and drinking something other than alcohol to clear their minds for the day. Should he even ask Nyko if he wanted to send a note to his fiancée saying that a potential contract had him tied up all night?
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Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2021 1:30 pm
Nyko instinctively pushed Yunan's hand away, only to regret it a half-second later. He took a deep breath to steady himself when internally he was screaming. "Right, planning." His tone was mocking; scathing, even. He took a half step forward and got as close to Yunan as he dared in that moment. "Then you'd better work a little harder at hiding the bite marks on your neck. That collar isn't doing a damn thing." It looked like he'd been simultaneously mauled and suckled by a wild beast. Nyko knew he didn't look much better, but still....
Without much of a choice, the musician fell in step behind the other man. "...So you want me to be angry with you?" Nyko edged, going so far as to crane his head to the side to get a good look at Yunan with a raised brow. Clucking his tongue, Nyko straightened and thought it over as he walked. The man wasn't much on strategy, that much was obvious, but if this was the only way that things could be 'passable' without talk then he was ready to go with it.
Thinking about what he'd done to Thessia...That was just something he would need to unpack later.
"If this is how you treat all of your business deals I'm sure you aren't the only b*****d floating around." He grumbled under his breath, regardless of whether Yunan could hear him or not. Walking in step behind Yunan gave Nyko the chance to cope a peek at a firm, pert a** before turning his eyes upward. Except, really, what was a look going to hurt at this point...
"We'll have to dry out my eyes." He said at length. "Throw some dirt in them or something. And I need sound scratchy; like I've been screaming all night. When I get angry I get loud so this-" He motioned vaguely to his throat, "-isn't believable at all."
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Posted: Mon May 31, 2021 7:52 pm
"Well if you have any better ideas feel free to share." Snapped back Yunan with a glare as he tried to tighten his collar higher around his neck. The effort was in vain which only increased his ire. A frustrated sigh left his lips as he reached up and unlatched the silver hairpiece to allow his braids to fall freely around his neck hiding the damning flesh from view. What other way could they have argued to anyone who questioned their time spent last night? That they spent the night playing cards together, reminiscing about their childhoods or sharing lovely tales throughout the midnight hours? So idiotic. Yunan closed his eyes tightly against the pounding headache that tormented his entire being.
He had worked so hard to get somewhere in this place and he was not about to get deterred by some songbird. Yunan's jaw clenched as he heard the grumble and his strides only grew longer in response as he made the way towards his current dwellings. It would be a waste of his breath to even bother with petty insults. "That would be an issue if it permanently affected your voice." He wouldn't mind sacrificing another's well being if necessary but that voice was supposed to be singing soon enough for him. Yunan's lips pressed tightly together as he pondered over things. "If we have no choice then we have no choice. I could have just held you inside discussing plans...spirits know I have plenty of drafts prepared already that we could have reviewed. Less discussion and more direction obviously but if it would be more acceptable than you screaming at me out of pure rage then that's how it should be." Let others question why discussions could take place all night if they must. Why did things have to escalate to gossip just because they spent a night together?
As the inn came into view, Yunan placed a hand against Nyko's chest to stop him from moving. The hybrid took a long moment to study their surroundings before fully coming around the corner and directing them towards the back of the inn where he knew a side doorway existed. They could easily walk up those stairs without being seen since many were only stirring for the day, most too busy in the kitchens to notice a pair of men walking up to the second floor and into the room that Yunan quickly ushered them into. "The bath is the second room to the right." He stated after twisting the lock securely behind them. Thankfully Belrea had its own system for bathing with metal pipes and what not to carry the water into the brass tub instead of servants. That was one less thing to worry about at least.
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Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2021 3:39 pm
If they had actually been reviewing those drafts then things wouldn't have ended up like this. The longer he walked the more certain aches began to make themselves known, and Nyko didn't care to think about why they were there.
He'd been so distracted with his own internal thoughts that when Yunan placed a hand on his chest he wasn't sure what to do. His eyes widened, a sudden spike of excitement thrumming in his blood before the horror came back over him. It's just a door, calm down. What was he hoping for? A sudden change of heart and someone pinning someone else against the side of a building-?
Gods, I need a drink - NO! Never again.
Nyko quickly, and discreetly, crept along behind Yunan. Despite his rather bold personality he was more than used to sneaking along in back staircases. It was the same sense of secrecy now that kept his lips shut. If they were caught then no amount of word sorcery would save them from rumors.
"Got it." Without really looking at Yunan, Nyko walked towards the bath and secured the door behind him. At least for a moment he would have some privacy to think things through and calm down. As he ran the water Nyko slowly stripped down out of the clothing he'd so hastily put on. This time he took much more care to look at himself, noting every little mark and detail of it. It's fine; it was one night and it's over. From now on you'll just be more careful. Right?
Tentatively the matorian dipped a foot into the warm water and with a soothing moan he slid all the way in. "So..." He called out, leaning his head on the edge of the tub. "For the record, my name isn't Nicosia. Technically it is, in Oban ledgers, but the name my mother gave me is Nyko."
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Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2021 8:08 pm
Spirits. Yunan had just tossed his dirty attire to the corner and the sound of the other Matori bathing, or rather that initial unnecessary noise, only made things a bit more awkward for the hybrid. A soft curse left Yunan's lips before he grabbed spare clothing for both of them. His mouth twisted into a grimace when he spotted his reflection and the expression stayed until Nyko's voice floated through the door towards him. "I see." Yunan carried the clothing over one arm, his body bare of anything else save for the leggings hugging tightly against his hips, and his hand hesitated at the door for a brief moment as he pondered things.
"Through the pain of the hangover I vaguely remember something along those lines." Yunan confessed finally as he rested his hand against the door, "Unfortunately I do not have such a variation but it is curious why she would register one name over the other. " Why would a Matori woman be so concerned with listing one name over the other? The hybrid pressed his lips together thoughtfully before shaking his head and pushing the door. It was not his concern if Nyko did not wish to discuss the matter. Either way Yunan felt grimy and wanted to clean himself as soon as possible too. "I've got clothing so you can appear decent when you leave later." His golden gaze skimmed across the waters briefly before he let out a soft sigh. Honestly it was hard to tell if he was jealous of the water or the Matori in them currently. A brief flash of lust crossed his gaze before he left the clothing on a dressing table. "They usually come up with tea within an hour so don't take too long else I'll have to bathe around you." Yunan commented as he studied Nyko a moment longer before walking back towards the doorway. He supposed he could gather documents for plans while waiting on his own turn to rinse of more of the garden dirt from last night's excursion.
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Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2021 2:15 pm
Nyko stretched his long legs out as far as he could before the matorian inevitably started to slide down into the water. When it started to lap up around his ears and his knees had breeched the surface he stopped, choosing just to take a moment to relax. He knew he needed to get out soon, but honestly, he didn't see what a few moments would hurt. It was still early enough in the day that timing wouldn't matter as much so long as he was out before midday.
"Oh, did I tell you already? I couldn't remember." He raised one leg and stretched it over the lip of the tub. It wasn't much, but it was just enough to work out some of the kinks. "She didn't pick my name; our master did." Nyko took a deep breath and reached for a cleansing sponge. "If asked we were servants, but...well, you can guess what we really were." He may have said it flippantly, but the tone was anything but. When officials came to the house his mother would talk about all the opportunities they were given, how kindly they treated her son and how helpful it was to have such fine resources as a single mother. It was enough to make him sick.
Nyko had the sponge just over his inner thigh when Yunan entered and for a moment he stopped dead. The thing was he wasn't exactly embarrassed or promiscuous; just tired and a little hungry? Still, it was hard not to let that sponge hover just a little longer, especially with the way his hips were angled...
"Might as well." Nyko shrugged casually and shifted just enough to sit up properly in the water. He reached for a bottle of something close by and studied it, finally judging it to be a skin cleanser of some sort. "We've done worse; least you could do is wash my hair."
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Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2021 2:35 pm
Yunan's mouth tightened into a firm line of disapproval. "I see." He replied quietly, his gaze narrowed as he considered the sort of livelihood that the Matori had left behind when he traveled to Belrea. It was those sort of beliefs that had fueled Yunan's own actions in Oba to gain more power and wealth than those who had held their gazes far above his own head after he had moved near the region. "When I return to Oba and if you decide to return with me then I promise that none of them will ever have such control over you again." Yunan did not deny that he would perhaps control certain aspects but at least he was giving Nyko the offer rather than some set role he was to endure from birth. It was up to the Matori to follow and see what he could gain. Regardless of what anyone one else wanted the hybrid enjoyed how some of those haughty nobles came to him for aid and he would use them to his advantage whenever possible. So much for being considered a lesser being because of his mixed heritage, even Zenans had similar disrespect for him despite his father's family and their power which made his very soul smolder towards that country as well.
The next offer had Yunan pausing in the doorway, his expression narrowed with conflicting emotions as he slowly turned back around to study Nyko. "Are you so incompetent that you can't wash your own hair?" He quipped back with a raised brow. "You should be careful of what you ask because if I climb in as well then there'll be more than just me washing your hair." He promised or rather maybe threatened, a gleam in his gaze as he took a step forward and waited for a response. Once Yunan had a taste of something he liked it was hard for the hybrid to let it go. Something had been crossed last night and he was no longer in the mood to play nice for the sake of others. While he refused to let his business go in favor of his physical appetite the hybrid was determined to have both. Though admittedly in this case his threat may be as simple as having his own hair washed in turn but that was something he'd leave for the other man to decide as Yunan quietly began untangling his current mess of braids.
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Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2021 12:06 pm
Nyko didn't believe a word of it. At some point in his youth he may have been swayed by words like that from a man of affluence and worldly experience, but he'd since grown out of that naivete. As it stood he simply gave a 'hmm' of agreeance before returning to scrubbing his skin.
"So one minute I'm a valuable asset in your scheme and the next I'm incompetent." Nyko tossed Yunan a looked that radiated 'seriously?' energy. Rolling his eyes, the matorian turned his gaze to the tattoo on his forearm, tracing the swirling design with the edge of his sponge. "I thought I was being obvious enough, but apparently not."
In one fluid motion Nyko sat the sponge aside and rose from the tub enough for everything to be exposed. Whatever kind of nervousness he'd held before was on display as well, but he was nothing if not stupidly bold. "I don't care about whose contract I'm under; I've lived my entire life at the end of someone's leash so that's not what has me on edge. It's you." The matorian ran a hand through his hair which was quickly losing it's curl under the weight of the water clinging to it. "Before I talk to Thessia I want to know what this is."
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Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2021 4:46 pm
"Depending on how you act, of course." Quipped back Yunan with a slight shrug. Did he truly think the other man was incompetent? Not truly but still. There obviously was more to the request but he was just trying to brush it off with his arrogant attitude. What else should he have done? Simply jump into the tub with the other man and get to work? Oh the hair and everything else? Yunan's lips pressed into a tight line as Nyko expressed himself. Obvious enough? Hadn't they been plenty obvious last night with each other? The very thought made his body tense before the movement shocked the rebuttal out of him.
Yunan found himself quirking a brow, his arrogance currently at a loss for words with the sudden turn of events and so he simply listened to the Matori. Silence hung around them both as Nyko's request slowly started to register with Yunan and the hybrid felt himself closing against the temptation, disbelief making him wary. What would Nyko tell his dear Thessia about this? The very thought made his insides twist with mixed emotions. Yet, he found something more important bothering him - the very confession that he was disturbing Nyko's life more so than the promise of freedom. "You cannot be insinuating that you actually enjoy my presence more so than freedom....surely not." He almost breathed the words as if incredulous that this whole situation was actually happening. It was more believable that Nyko was just so frustrated around him that it forced attraction? Yunan closed his eyes for a moment while he thought. "What are you hoping for? What do you want this to be?" Because even he wasn't certain what was happening with them. He had come here for business and yet had somehow broken away from his own policies because of one stupidly bold man.
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Posted: Wed Jul 14, 2021 9:53 am
Why did I even say anything? As frustrating as it was just speaking up was incredibly embarrassing, but he had to know...Nyko just...he wasn't the type for one night stands. He liked to flirt around for the attention, but when it came to anything physical the matorian craved stability which is why he'd gone along with Thessia. She filled a spot inside of him that had been left for so long that he'd simply gone along with what she wanted, but now he was questioning a lot of things...
"Just get out," Nyko murmured and sank back into the tub. "I'll figure it out on my own." Whatever sort of mixed signals he'd received earlier seemed to have dissipated from Yunan. He sounded more put out by the effort of even speaking than anything else which just made Nyko feel stupid for thinking. As soon as he left Thessia would have to be told something; he simply couldn't sit on this. No matter the fall out he had to be honest with her and the thought of losing that sense of stability was just....
Maybe I could just drown myself.
Nyko unconsciously sank further down into the water until only his face was visible, ears and hair completely submerged.
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Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2021 3:44 pm
Yunan tensed at the dismissal before sudden fury unfurled the knot that had formed in his stomach. "No." He replied finally, his body moving as soon as the word escaped his lips. The man striped what remained of his clothing and slipped into the bathtub behind Nyko. Without addressing the situation surrounding the two of them the hybrid simply reached for soap so that he could twist it in his hands, suds filling the tub and letting out a fragrant scent. "The least I can do is wash your hair, indeed." He murmured as if resigned to whatever this was. It wasn't as if he despised the situation, more so he was just frustrated at allowing emotions to distract him from his own path.
"We'll figure it out together." He corrected Nyko before moving to try and get him closer rather than allowing him to sink deeper into the water. The hybrid could only raise a brow at the dramatics before letting out a soft chuckle. "Hurry before the suds drift away." Yunan ordered as he shifted again to try to bring Nyko back to the surface. As aggressive as he could be the swordsman was simply too tired from the events of last night and this morning to truly fight much more than this.
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Posted: Thu Aug 12, 2021 3:53 pm
No? The word was barely audible over the layer of water filtering over Nyko's ears, but he didn't really care. Yunan didn't get to dictate how he felt and just because he said something didn't make it so! If anything it just caused the matorian to sink a little further into the water, an angry little gurgle coming out in the form of a few bubbles that -
"What are you doing?" Nyko sputtered. He'd barely had enough time to register what was happening before the hybrid just got in. He popped up from his 'relaxed' position and turned around, lip curled over his teeth. To say he was surprised just to see Yunan so casually lathering soak into his hands after damn near vehemently leaving was...He's going to give me whiplash.
Nyko closed his mouth and let a huff out of his nose before turning around. He didn't exactly move away, though, as Yunan repositioned them.
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