[Mature] It Goes Without Saying

[Leander]

73rd Day of Roalis 2720
Following immediately after this thread

The fighter returned in short order and agreed to Leander’s plan, which had his heart rabbiting up in his chest. Leo forced a smile - nervous that he was - and turned to finish the rest of his pint before slapping his legs with a sharp, “Right!” and standing up. The evening was about to get so much more interesting.

Leaving the Arena, Breaker invited Leander to call him ‘Bertold’ and Leo’s head turned right to look at the man, a much more natural smile on his face this time as he found he was included in Breaker’s list of friends. “Bertold. Well, if I had any friends, they would call me Leo. But you already knew that.” That wasn’t quite true - Leo did have friends, he supposed, but they were few and far between. Leo, Leander… even ‘Little Lion’ by some (which he hated), but he wasn’t going to tell Breaker that final nickname.

With the plan to get supplies of more alcohol, Leo guided them through Old Rose Harbour with the experience that only a regular drinker could have. He knew of all the best places to go, and chose a little tavern near the centre of the Harbour. It was a little out of the way, but it was worth it to pick up a couple of bottles. It was also one of the few places that wouldn’t refuse Leo service due to an extortionate bar tab - the passive didn’t want to be embarrassed by that tonight.

Entering the little tavern, Leo smiled at Breaker and motioned for him to follow him as he made a beeline for the bar. “Three bottles of… wine,” he decided on the spot, “To go.” As they waited, Leo turned to Breaker and muttered that he had some undrank whisky back at the Attic which they might enjoy as well. Whisky was a favourite of Leander’s… mainly because it was the most sophisticated drink he could think of and it made him feel important to drink it.

The bottles arrived in short order and Leo dug into his pockets to pay for them with his winnings from Breaker’s fight. Money exchanged, Leander picked up two of the bottles, leaving the third for his new companion to carry, and made his exit from the establishment. From there, it was a short walk back to the Attic, which was spent with Leo asking mundane questions about Breaker’s life, “So what brought you to work for the Bad Brothers?” he asked as he fiddled around in his pockets for a key to the bookshop.

It was late, and with any luck Resha was already tucked up in his bed asleep. They would have the place to themselves. Entering the bookshop once he had unlocked the door, Leo placed the bottles of wine uncaringly down on a pile of books ready to be sold and nipped into the back in search of two glasses from which to drink the wine. Returning as soon as he found them (and quickly rinsed them out), the passive smiled once again at Breaker, motioning to one of the bottles, “Will you do the honours?”

[Breaker Cooper]

73rd Day of Roalis 2720

Breaker was content to follow Leo, he knew every part of this city. He'd grown up on its street, he knew its sounds and smells, almost to the point where he knew what street he was on with his eyes closed. He could tell Leo knew the streets as well as he did, it was good to walk with a fellow native.

As they walked from the tavern, the third bottle of wine in hand, Breaker was shaken from his thoughts of the city by Leo’s question.

“Hm, good question. I guess it just seemed like a natural progression? If that makes sense? I turned my hand to a lot of things over my time, was even a pirate for a bit, wasn’t really for me. When I got back a friend of mine mentioned the Arena as a good way to make some money, as I’d always loved a scrap I went for it. I caught Hawke’s eye and he offered me a more long term job and well, as they say the rest is history.”

He shrugged, he remembered the fight well, not his first but the hardest, it had been against a Wick from the Muluku Islands. He hadn’t been a big bruiser or looked particularly dangerous and Breaker had underestimated him, which had nearly got him killed. From that day to this, that had been the last time he’d underestimated a person.

Once they got to the Attic he realized he had been there, he bought a few well read romances there a few months back, steamy ones set on a pirate ship sailing in distant tropical lands. Though they were very different from the time he'd spent on his mothers ship, a lot more bad food and worse weather, but still enjoyable.


Inside the bookshop Breaker took a deep breath of the dry slightly musty air of the place and smiled, the smell of books. As he busied himself opening the first of the bottles he looked over at Leo.

“What about you? How does a handsome and obviously educated gent like you end up down in the blood and muck like simple blunt bruisers like me?”
Breaker grinned, laughter and lust lighting his eyes as he walked towards Leo, a glass of wine in either hand.

Breaker stopped just in front of holding out one of the glasses as he took a sip from his own, his eyes looking into Leo’s.

His pulse quickened, while he had loved the idea of a private tour of the bookshop, he was near certain that that had not been Leo’s main reason for the suggestion. Though for all his mounting excitement, he didn’t assume and would not push, after all it was nice to just have pleasant company and good wine if nothing else.

[Leander]

73rd Day of Roalis 2720

Hearing about Breaker’s story showed just how many worlds were between them. The other man was a pirate, had grown up potentially around scum and never knew any different from the life of an outlaw. Leander, however, was galdori-born. He had grown up in privilege: wanting for nothing and getting whatever he wanted. All that had changed when he was eleven or so, of course, but even then, Resha had kept him clean, well-fed, and sheltered from the dark and dingy side of Old Rose Harbour.

He had ended up in Hawke’s employ through coercion rather than willingness.

“Hmm?” Leander intoned as he fiddled with the cork in another one of the bottles, prizing it away a little from the neck in order to prepare to open it and get it ready for consumption. The bottles wouldn’t last long and Leo was already a little tipsy. Opening them a little now would make it easier when it came to drinking them. “Oh, yes well. I was short on cash and forged a writ of ownership, if I remember rightly. Ended up at a table with Hawke and his right hand, Corwynn. They saw the forgery for what it was and… well for whatever reason I experienced my first… first diablerie.” It was the first time ever that he had said that word out loud, the first time he had ever admitted vocally what he was to someone.

Accepting the poured glass or wine from Breaker, Leander offered a quick word of thanks before continuing with his sad little tale. “It wasn’t pretty. But those two things caught Hawke’s eye, and next thing I know, I am rough-housed from the bar and pushed down an alleyway where Hawke politely asked me to join the Brothers.” Politely. Hawke. Sure. Leo’s laugh was dry and humourless.

Throughout his whole explanation, he had not once made eye-contact with Breaker. Realising this, he peeked upwards, meeting the other’s gaze and looking for something - anything. Maybe fear or hatred or even uncertainty.

“Shall we… shall we head into the back?” Leander led the way, through the door from which he had disappeared and reappeared earlier, turning immediately right and into a room with many shelves and a small worktable. This was the room in which Leander normally worked. On the table, which had a lantern that Leander lit, was a piece of parchment, upon which Leo had been working on copying a contract of ownership for one of the taverns in the city for Hawke. It was legally the man’s already, but he wanted a second copy of the document for… well Leander hadn’t asked. He had learnt early on never to ask the leader of the Bad Brothers why he wanted what he wanted. Leo didn’t care. It was just a job.

“Here are some of our rarest tomes. I have been working in my spare time with Resha to copy some of them. Some books should not be lost to history, they should be read, not remembered.” He pointed to one with a red binding, “This one we are particularly careful with. I don’t think there is another copy in all of Anaxas.” He took another sip of his wine and glanced over to his companion, whose eyes were wide and wondrous. He stepped to the side, allowing Breaker a closer look.

[Breaker Cooper]

73rd Day of Roalis 2720

Sipping from his glass Breaker listened as Leo told his story, it touched Breaker. He’d heard many stories from others in Hawke’s employ and they were very seldom pretty, it was a constant concern of Breaker’s. After all did he not go around the city and help folks who had been wronged or hurt and here he was working for one of the worst villains in a city rife with them? One day he knew the problem would need to be addressed.

The mention of diablerie caused a look of shock to pass over his face. He’d heard of such things, but never witnessed one, he thought that when it occurred it was dangerous and terrifying. Very little frightened Breaker anymore, but magic and all it entailed especially something as wild and uncontrolled as diablerie scared him.

"That must have been…”
Breaker trailed off, he had no words. He took another sip of wine and then nodded.
"Aye dealings with Hawke are seldom pretty.”
He understood, Breaker shook his head and let out a soft sigh. Yes, something would need to be done.

As Leo suggested retiring to the back, Breaker shook himself from his dark thoughts and mustered a smile.
"Of course, lead on.”


Breaker looked around at the books and papers arrayed on the table, he was impressed as he always was by skills he did not himself possess. All he did was break or destroy, at times he wished he could make something that people needed. His eyes opened wide when Leo indicated the red bound book, he looked at the handsome man, eyes still surprised, his voice was hushed.

"Are you sure?”
With an almost reverent care Breaker opened the book and read the first page a smile on his face, he closed it again, with the same care and turned to face Leo, he lent back against the table and drained the last of his wine and carefully placed the glass down away from the books and papers. A grin on his face.

"As fascinating as the book is, and I’m honoured you’d let me read it, I don’t think that’s the main reason you invited me here.”
He held out a hand in invitation, his eyes rooving over Leo's face and body, mischief and lust danced in his eyes and the lamp light glinted on his gold tooth as he grinned. He look a deep breath to push down the lust.
"Although if you’d rather drink wine and talk about books I’d be happy too.”

While the fire of lust burned through his blood and brain it was true, while he wanted Leo, very much, what happened next was entirely up to him and Breaker would accept whatever he decided.

[Leander]

73rd Day of Roalis 2720

Breaker did not seem surprised by the passive’s little story of how he ended up in the employ of the infamous Silas Hawke. The only moment in which Breaker had looked anything other than sympathetic - the moment when Leo had admitted his status as a passive - Leo was carefully looking away, so he never saw the shock that flew across the fighter’s face. Perhaps it was better that way: Leo did not need to know what others thought of him.

He had worked so hard to be anything other than what he was. Maybe it was time to embrace it.

“Aha, yes. Well.” He took a long swig of his drink, and stared as Breaker took a moment to look at the stacks upon stacks of books piled on shelves to breaking point. This was, ostensibly, a book shop after all. It wasn’t Resha’s main source of income, but it was a business front, and in truth both Resha and Leander were very fond of books. A small, sentimental smile played on the forger’s lips. Many a good day had been spent in the shop pouring over these books.

At least… up until Leo had discovered alcohol and fell hard into the bottle to find some relief. Since then, books hadn’t quite scratched that itch. He didn’t have the concentration anymore to devour books as he once had.

“Yes, we think so. Resha has been searching for another copy these past few years, to no avail.” Leander’s eyes narrowed as the fighter reached up and plucked the red-bound book from the shelf. He had pointed it out for Breaker to be impressed, not so that he would touch it. It was rare and priceless. However he was surprised by how delicately Breaker held the book as he flipped it open and started to read. Huh. Honestly, Leo had thought this was all an act, one to get Leo where he wanted - he hadn’t thought that Breaker could actually read. But you couldn’t feign the eyes tracing each word. He really was reading.

Leander watched and barely managed to hold in his sigh of relief when Breaker closed the book and placed it gently back on the shelf where it belonged. He stared at the book for a moment, half hearing what Breaker was saying to him. “I…” he hesitated, turning from the book of shelves to meet Breaker’s gaze once again. The fighter had not abandoned him since discovering that he was a passive - clearly Breaker was made of stronger stuff. Or maybe he didn’t have the same hatred that many, many Anaxi shared when it came to the despicable race of passives.

“No, you are not wrong,” he finally murmured, though he couldn’t bring himself to smile just yet. Something about this felt unlike his previous nights with… company. Maybe it was that he wasn’t drunk enough just yet. He downed the res of his glass of wine and immediately picked up the bottle with the intention of pouring more out for himself. “Would you care for more? I had no intention to stop the wine from flowing. But yes, showing off my collection of books was…” he trailed off, not quite sure how to finish that sentence.

Licking his lips, he glanced up at his guest. Clean of sweat and blood, Breaker wasn’t unattractive. Harsh looking, perhaps, but there was something about him that made him quite alluring. He was also… not stupid, which was something Leo had been worried about. He could fuck an idiot, but he would regret it even before the act was even over. It was refreshing to spend time with what seemed to be an intellectual equal.

He took Breaker’s offered hand without explaining himself any further.

[Breaker Cooper]

73rd Day of Roalis 2720

Breaker watched Leo as he spoke, he could feel a sense of something, maybe sadness in the handsome man’s bearing. Though Breaker knew what Passives were and that they could be potentially dangerous and unpredictable, but then so was he.

He squeezed Leo’s hand gently in his scarred hard knuckled one, he gazed into his eyes. Breaker watched Leo’s tongue as he passed it over his lips, when he spoke his voice was soft and breathy.

"Yes, more wine would grand, though as I said. If you’d rather drink and talk, rather than anything else I’d be happy with that."

He smiled warmly then, the expression softened his hard face and brightened his dark eyes. Breaker was a man of his word and after all, he hoped there would perhaps be other nights in this man’s company. After a moment the smile became a mischievous grin and the merry light of lust danced in his eyes.

"Though you are a damned handsome man, so if you ain’t against other ways to while away the evening, that would be welcome. Very welcome..."

As he trailed off Breaker raised Leo’s hand to his lips and kissed it lightly before letting it go, before finishing the last of the wine in his glass and held it out to be refilled. Regarding Leo, waiting to see what his decision would be.

[Leander]

73rd Day of Roalis 2720

Leander glanced down to his hand encased in Breaker’s surprisingly gentle grasp. Though his hands were calloused (so different to Leo’s own soft and supple digits), the touch was warm and welcoming. Dragging his gaze back up to meet the other man’s eyes, the passive bit his lower lip, for a moment all his bravado and confidence falling away into nothingness. “Yes… more wine. At least.”

He would have pulled his hand away, but instinct told him not to, and he watched, breathless, as Breaker brought their hands up so that he could place a kiss on the back of his hand. Despite his best efforts, Leander flushed, his cheeks a rosy pink as Breaker looked though his own eyelashes to make eye contact with the forger.

It didn’t require much more thought. His brain could take over but then he would be left thinking, meandering through an awkward conversation, wondering what could have been. Instead, he shut off all racing thoughts and leant forward. Leander was shorter than Breaker, so he pushed himself up on tiptoes and puckered his lips slightly, leaning in for his first kiss in far longer than he cared to admit.

The young passive was… inexperienced to an extent. A hedonist, yes, one who had enjoyed the company of women night and night again, but his time spent in the company of other men - the gender he preferred truth be told - was limited. The kissing part was easy, though. He knew what he was doing there. Breaker seemed more than willing, his hints having been not so subtle about why he had joined Leo in the Attic for the evening.

Blindly, Leo’s hand, which was still holding his wine glass, searched for the table. A couple of clunks later, he felt sure it had been found, and he released his grasp on the glass. His hands then came up, one to rest on Breaker’s chest, the other to snake around the back of the fighter’s neck, keeping him close.

Assuming Breaker allowed him, their lips didn’t collide as such, but Leo’s gently grazed Breaker’s once, twice, before he leaned in closer, taking another step forward to press his body up against the fighter’s as he deepened the kiss. His lips moved, first kissing Breaker’s lower lip, then his top, before pressing down on both and slowly opening his mouth and inviting Breaker to do the same. His tongue ventured forward, looking for its counterpart to dance with.

[Breaker Cooper]

73rd Day of Roalis 2720

Breaker stepped into Leo, his heart beat faster at the feel of the handsome man's hands where they rested on his chest and neck. Breaker growled softly in his throat as his hard arms went around Leo, one rough hand entangled gently in Leo's hair and the other rested on his lower back, drawing the other man closer against him.

He bent his head to meet Leo's kiss, Breaker's seeking tongue met Leo's and he lost himself in the kiss. At first gentle and seeking then becoming fiercer and hungrier as he lost himself in passion. His left hand roamed over Leo's back, his right moved through his hair.

When they finally parted, Breaker heaved in a great breath of air, his eyes a light with lust desire. His big hands rested on Leo’s hids as he gazed into his eyes and a grin spread across his mouth and spoke in a breathy husky growl.

"Well, what now handsome?"

[Leander]

73rd Day of Roalis 2720

They were both clearly enjoying it. Under his hand rested on Breaker’s chest, Leander could feel the other man’s heartbeat pound just that little bit harder, just that little bit faster. As the other man growled, Leo’s own breath caught in his throat. He felt Breaker’s hand snake up his back into his hair, effectively holding Leo’s head in place while the other was both parts gentle and rough against his lower back, keeping them together, holding him up.

The kiss deepened. Leo’s tongue dancing against Breaker’s, he allowed himself to be carried away by the moment. All of his worries, desires, needs, everything, it all fell away until there was nothing left but him and Breaker, standing in the dark, dusty back room of the Attic. Nothing else seemed to matter in that moment. For the first time in years, he was not even scared that his diablerie might make its ugly appearance. Nothing - nothing - could take away from this moment.

Leo even felt a pang of annoyance when Breaker finally pulled away and came up for air. When Breaker spoke, the passive barely registered the words he was saying. Leo took a deep, much needed, breath and then pushed forwards once more, claiming those sweet lips as his own again. He wasn’t ready for the kissing to finish.

“Wha’ was tha’?” Leo’s husky voice asked, his lips still brushing against Breaker’s as he spoke. He had to stand on tip-toe for his lips to meet the fighter’s and his calves were starting to cramp. Reluctantly, he finally pulled away, resting his weight on his heels rather than on the balls of his feet. His hands fell down to his sides, though they did not linger there for long. Ever consistent in his habits, Leander reached over for his glass of wine and smiled at Breaker as he took another sip of the drink.

“Kissing not enough for you, eh?” Leander’s normally clipped and refined elocution had fallen by the wayside. Were he more together, he would have noticed and even inwardly philosophised about the causes for him to slip into a more uncouth way of speaking. But he wasn’t all together. Breaker was doing something to him, something that made him far more relaxed. He wasn’t sure if he liked it or not. “Come with me.” And, bottle of wine under his arm and glass in that same hand, he took Breaker’s with his other hand and started to lead him up the stairs that would take the pair of them to his shabby little bedroom.

[Breaker Cooper]

73rd Evening of Roalis 2720

It took a deal of restraint in Breaker's part to not emediatly return to kissing Leo as the man spoke. The rough turn of the handsome man's voice had sent a thrill through the big prizefighter, it was a fairly good indication that he had gotten to this otherwise well-spoken erudite man as much as he had excited Breaker.

Breaker took Leo's offered hand, he watched the way the other man's rear and legs flex and moved as he followed him up the stairs, his grin widened and he once more had to restrain himself from reaching out, there was no need to rush after all.

By the time they reached what Breaker took to be Leo's room he was near distraction from his mounting lust. Before Leo could turn Breaker wrapped his arms around his waist, though not so tight the man could not easily step away or turn.

While his left hand squeezed Leo's opposite hip he pressed himself against him. His right hand moved up Leo’s chest and rested over his heart, with the close contact Breaker could not help but let out a deep breathy growl into Leo's ear before nuzzling and kissing his neck.

Breaker’s right hand moved to the collar of Leo's shirt and toyed with the buttons before undoing the top two and gently stroking the skin of his chest.

His hands stilled for a moment as Breaker growled softly into Leo's ear.

"Well, we seem to have arrived, though I don't see many books. What could you have in mind I wonder?" Breaker chuckled and pressed himself harder into Leo's back and nipped lightly at his ear. It was clear to both men what was on his mind.