[Open] Blood, Grit and Booze

[Breaker Cooper]

73rd Day of Roalis 2720

Breaker scratched his chin thoughtfully, the Attic, he nodded, yes he did know it.

He turned towards the exit to the fighting pit as he heard the crowd start to roar, he grinned at the sound. As Leo spoke Breaker turned his attention back to him as he outlined his plan.

"A most excellent plan for sure.” He paused to sip his ale and regarded Leo, his bullet head tilted to one side in thought. Now he certainly had a few ideas how he’d like to spend the rest of this particular evening, but he didn’t want to rush, after all like in most things that were worth doing, it was better to take one’s time.

"Well, if you’d fancy some company, good sir, I would be delighted to join you.” he glanced down at his bare chest, still spotted with dry blood.
"Though I should make myself presentable.” He tried to suppress a grin, though the light of mischief danced in his eyes again.
"I’ve a dressing room, not as grand as it sounds, mark you. Shouldn’t take me too long, if you don’t mind waitin’.”

Breaker took up his tankard and drained the last of the ale, and locked eyes with Leo over its brim, and held his gaze while he put the empty tankard back on the table top, a roguish grin pulling at his lips, though he tried to make the suggestion sound innocent.

"Of course you could join me?”

[Leander]

73rd Day of Roalis 2720

Nodding with a smile on his lips, Leander voiced his affirmation that Breaker should go and tidy himself up. The blood was growing on Leo - he decided he liked the look of a man who knew what he was doing in a fight. For a moment, his thoughts drifted to Corwynn, who he had seen in the same way (though not nearly as badly) a number of times. It was… nice to look at. The passive shook the thoughts of Corwynn from his mind though. He hated the galdor, and found that he liked even more the complete lack of field around the human he had chosen as company tonight.

“Yes, go and clean yourself up.” He bit back the urge to offer to come and help him do just that. Maybe that was a bit much. No, he wouldn’t say that. This evening was going well, he didn’t want to risk it by being too forward with his companion.

But then… he offered it for himself. And Leo’s heart stuttered in his chest. He so wanted to say yes, and the word was on his lips. But something stopped him. Nerves? Fear? What would that even look like? In a moment of panic, be blurted out, “No!” And then he swallowed, ducking his head as his cheeks flushed red, “I mean… it would be faster if you… you clean yourself up. This is hardly the place to… well we can find somewhere a bit more to our tastes, yes?”

When the fighter left to his dressing room, Leander loitered. He finished off his tankard of ale and, on a spur of the moment decision, ordered himself another at the bar, which he received and drank quickly. A bit of liquid courage could never go amiss, and Leander could use all the courage he could get. He was not new to where this night would lead, but he was new to exploring such intimacy with another man. The passive found that he wasn’t too sure how it would play out - if this was even what Breaker wanted out of tonight. He was getting all the right vibes, but Leo was nervous all the same.

The next fight started and Leander dug his hands deep into his pockets, fingers palming the coins that rested inside them as they chinked together. The current fight was slower to start, and he half watched as he continued to play out in his mind the number of ways tonight could go.

He made the decision that he did want it to go somewhere. Breaker was older, and he wasn’t the best looking man on the planet, but he was more than attractive enough for Leander. And he was a genuinely nice person, it seemed. The pair had hit it off. That much was clear.

As promised, Breaker returned in short order, clean but still glistening a little with moisture. To be expected, everyone was a little sweaty here… any longer and Leo would need a bath of his own. Maybe they could share one… well, that was a thought. “Where to? Would you like another drink? We could head to a tavern… or perhaps you’d like to see some of the rare books we keep hidden in the back of the Attic? Ones that aren’t on show to the public? I’ve been working on transcribing them.” He partially meant his words, but he also liked the excuse of seeing where the night would lead if he got Breaker on his own. It was thinly veiled, but the unspoken invitation should have been clear if Breaker was the least bit intelligent.

[Breaker Cooper]

73rd Day of Roalis 2720

The blurted ‘No’ made Breaker quirk an eyebrow, though he understood. A warm smile spread across his face, softening it someone and he nodded.
"Of course, I shall be right back.”
He had no wish to rush or scare off Leo, he was warming to him and looked forward to spending an evening in his company, whatever they ended up doing.

Breaker gave a gentlemanly bow, which coupled with his rough and still blood spattered appearance was macabrely comical. He treated Leo to another grin and a lingering look before turning and heading towards the rooms set aside for the Arena's combatants, as he went he gave Leo a full few of the great black ship with its red sails in full blow, tattooed across the width of his broad muscled back.

Once Breaker was back in the small room that served as his dressing room. He washed the dried blood from his chest, arms and face with the water in the bowl, once he was done the water and cloth were a deep pink.

He dressed in the brown pinstripe trousers, white shirt and bottle green double breasted waist he'd worn to the Arena. His tight black fighting breeches, red sash, long red socks and fist wraps all went into the basket by the door, they would be laundered and returned before his next fight. Finally Breaker pushed the heavy hobnailed boots under the bench and laced up his tan brogues. He regarded himself in the old mirror on the wall as he reapplied wax to his walrus moustache and re-curled the ends.

He chuckled to himself and shrugged, yes a dandy he maybe, but that did not mean he was any less dangerous.

As Breaker left the room he took a cigar from his waistcoat and lit it with a match.

Happy to find Leo still at the table, Breaker grinned broadly. His grin remained as Leo spoke of possible plans. The mention of the Attic and the idea of a behind the scenes look at books not yet available made his normally hard face light up with a mix of joy and excitement. However Breaker did not miss the unspoken invitation of other less cerebral entertainments that this trip could entail and grinned that same mischievous and lustful grin.

"Now that sounds like a grand idea! Perhaps we should stop off at a tavern on the way and get a bottle or two, if you like?"

On their way out of the Arena Breaker turned to Leo and said.

"Oh and please call me Bertold, all my friends do."