Once a grand cathedral dedicated to the Holy Triumvirate, all that remains now are ruins ever since the religion was rejected strongly in 1823. While the religion is back in favor, the cathedral was never restored. (+3 Defense, +2 Offense)

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Re: God, Are You There? It's Me, Prosper [P] [L]

Postby crow » 10/28/2016 11:39 AM

The fact that Prosper happened to be looking out the window just then turned out to be a stroke of luck. As soon as Ryo disappeared from the bedroom, a... a face appeared, peeking out from the side. Prosper's eyes widened, first in shock and then in recognition. Their eyes met, and shortly a hand joined the face, tapping gently on the glass.

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Prosper was on his feet immediately, rushing to the glass door, opening it just enough that he could slip out himself. "What are you doing?" he demanded. He was holding onto the shoulders of a half-grown girl, messy blond hair peeking out from under her cloak. Her clothes marked her clearly as another of Elouan's servants, though her name didn't immediately come to mind. One of the newer ones, then--- not that her foolhardiness in coming here wasn't proof enough of that already. "Inna," he said, finally putting a name to the face. Her eyes lit up when he called her, so he schooled his features into a harsher expression. "You have to go. Now."

"But why? I just found you! Boy, I thought that guy would never leave." Inna took his hands in her own and clasped them together. "Everyone else thought you were dead, you know! ... Well, except Jon and Evie. And me. We knew you'd still be alive. And here you are! So who's he?" She indicated the apartment with a toss of her head.

"Leave," he said, pushing her away. He didn't know how good Ryo's senses were, but if he found her here... It was already bad enough that she was here in the first place. It would be a miracle if Elouan let this go.

But she held off against him, refusing to budge. "Where do you want me to go? I can't fly right now, you know, since the sun's up." Which was true. Damnit. Prosper dragged a hand through his hair, resisting the urge to groan. Inna took the opportunity to brush past him and plaster her face against the glass door. "Whoa... You sure are living it up, huh?"

Prosper stalked after her and snagged her by the arm. "As soon as the coast is clear, you're going. I don't care where, but you have to go."

"Why? I won't steal your sugar daddy, if that's what you're thinking. Wow, I didn't even know we could have those. The master's so harsh, I never thought he'd let go of this kind of... Oh! Are you doing it on the sly? Don't worry, your little secret is safe with me!" She saluted him with a wink and a grin, while Prosper watched on with growing dismay. How new was she, to be this perky? Especially now, when they were dying left and right, with no reprieve in sight.

A sound from below made him freeze, and he silenced Inna with a hand over her mouth. Fortunately, she complied. More fortunate still, Prosper heard the door not long after. Motioning for Inna to stay, he peered inside, then crept out of the bedroom to the interior balcony overlooking the first floor. Everything was silent, and Ryo was nowhere in sight. With a sigh of relief, he turned back to fetch Inna, but she had already followed him in and was sitting perched on the bed, legs swinging. He grabbed her by the arm again. "I'm taking you to the elevator. Don't come here again. If anything goes wrong, just... Find Jon. He'll help you."

"Aren't you coming with me? And where's your cloak, anyway?" Inna was still half distracted taking in the details of the luxurious bedroom, even as Prosper was dragging her out of it.

Prosper stilled. She made a small questioning noise, but he was silent a moment before answering. "I'm not going back," he said quietly.

Inna stopped in her tracks, staring at him. He didn't look back at her, didn't meet her gaze. "What... What do you mean, you're not going back? You have to," she said, half disbelieving still. When he made no reply, she yanked on his arm with her free hand, forcing him to face her. "You can't just leave! ... Can you?" The note of hope in her voice made him sick.

"No," he said softly. "You can't. I didn't."

"Then...?"

"I'm here because I died." There, he said it. He didn't even want to see her expression, afraid of what he would find there: disbelief, or terror, or heartbreak. This was why he shouldn't have consorted with the new servants, he thought bitterly. Offer them a little reprieve, and they get attached. He didn't blame them, but it had been a stupid thing to do; hope was useless in a place like theirs, and he knew it.

It was a long time before Inna spoke again. This time her voice was quiet too, subdued, the bright cheer all but sapped away. "What is he?" she asked.

"A god. He... brought me back." Prosper looked away, one hand playing with the sleeve of his other arm. "I'm his now."

Another pause. "Is it better?"

"... No."

Inna stared at him for a moment, something like a frown pulling at her features. "I don't know," she said at last, "you looked pretty cozy before."

Prosper's eyes snapped up. "How long were you there?" he asked.

"Oh, since... almost dawn, I think? I saw you earlier, when you were sleeping outside, but I had to collect, so I came back when I was done." Her skin, Prosper realized, was glowing slightly. It was harder to see in the full light of day, especially as pale as she already was, but her eyes were full of sparks too when he looked up into them.

Prosper sighed again, in consternation this time. "That's... Look, Inna, I can't leave, and he can't find you here. Hurry and go, before he comes back."

"You really don't want to see me, huh..." She sounded crestfallen, but this was for the best. He didn't correct her, and continued leading her down the stairs. When they passed the phone with all the menus scattered around it, left there from yesterday, Inna made her last bid for... whatever it was she was hoping to get out of this encounter. "Wait!" she said, digging her heels in. "Let's order take-out! Come on, please? I haven't had Italian in forever! I promise I'll leave right after, just let me eat!" Prosper stared at her as if she had grown a third head, but she gave him a pleading look.

Half an hour later, she was handing off part of the wad of bills to the delivery guy, and waving him a cheery goodbye.

Prosper, sitting at the kitchen counter with the pizza, raised an eyebrow at her. "You knew the address?" She had gone as far as scribbling it down on a piece of paper for him, when it turned out he didn't know it himself. She sauntered over to join him, nabbing a slice for herself and cramming it into her mouth. It should have been too hot, but that wasn't a consideration for her anymore. "You're just going to throw it back up," he said, watching her. It wasn't so much that they didn't need to eat, but rather that they couldn't anymore. He'd tried it himself, before.

Inna shook her head. "Just let me have this," she said around a mouthful of pizza. "And... I had to remember where to go when I came back, so I memorized it. Hey, aren't you going to have some? It's good."

"I'm not interested in scalding myself," he said. Still, he did pick up a slice, holding it much more gingerly and nibbling off a bit of the end. It was... greasy, but not in a bad way. There were a lot of flavors. He took another bite, and then another.

When they were done, he was as good as his word, dragging a reluctant Inna out of the penthouse and into the elevator. He stayed with her until he saw her out of the building door, and watched until she disappeared from sight. The building receptionist gave him an odd look, but he ignored her. Only when Inna was gone did he go back up, and begin the process of tidying up the remnants of the pizza. Inna had ordered a large, and eaten most of it... Prosper didn't want to think about what she was going to do later, when it inevitably did come back up. That was someone else's problem now.

Seeing her hadn't been unpleasant, exactly, but nevertheless, he was troubled. That Inna--- no, that another of his former master's servants had been here... Somehow, he didn't think this boded well for him.
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Re: God, Are You There? It's Me, Prosper [P] [L]

Postby ToxicShadow » 12/05/2016 5:51 AM

After he had already gone, the god felt a slight tug, part of his mind drawn back to thoughts of his home. It was to be expected that Ryo wouldn't leave his home unprotected, not when it housed such miraculous things as it did. Although, it was not the multitudinous valuables stashed around the apartment that he was concerned for. No, it was the relics, the gateways, that lead to the others that could not be left unprotected.

It was strange sensation that he felt. It was although Prosper's presence within the apartment grew stronger, yet, something seemed just a little off. It was a slightly different feeling. He almost turned back on the spot, but decided against it, in the end. There were things he did not know about him, still, which could have caused the difference. Prosper was changing. Not only returning to what he had been prior to his life of servitude, but, unknowingly, becoming more like Ryo, too. The god couldn't say just what sort of effects that would have, when it came to these sorts of things. Ryo was certain of one thing, though. The slight difference wasn't caused by another god appearing in his home. That would have been obvious. And he trusted that if something not so very good was happening, that Prosper would contact him.

No matter what, he'd be home again, after lunch. He didn't need to be concerned.

At work, everything went as usual. Except that Ryo was leaving the excessive flirting to the rest of the staff. He'd noticed at least a few of them eyeing him in disbelief when he turned down women that offered him their numbers or made similar propositions. There was often a handful of them that did such a thing. The staff didn't say anything, though, maybe because it meant that they were able to catch more women on the rebound from him. If he wasn't playing the game, it was all the more for them, so why complain?

Ryo's phone vibrated in his pocket even more than it had the day prior as calls and messages came in. As he continued not to respond to any of them, it seemed those contacting him were growing more and more desperate. He found it annoying and the thought occurred to him that he would have to do something about it soon. Getting a new number wasn't appealing, when it had been his contact number for several years, but it was one possibility.

Sure enough, after lunch time, he returned home. Opening the front door, he shouted out his greeting, "Honey, I'm home!"
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Re: God, Are You There? It's Me, Prosper [P] [L]

Postby crow » 12/05/2016 6:24 AM

After he had tidied up the leftover pizza box, Prosper had sat down in a dining room chair and stayed there, head in his hands, for what seemed like an age. He was aware in a detached sort of way that there were other things he ought to be doing before Ryo returned. Brush his teeth, for starters. Get dressed. Devote some thought, perhaps, to what kind of clothes he wanted to wear, if he was feeling particularly bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. What did preparing for a shopping trip entail? It was one of the things he'd forgotten, if he had ever known it at all.

He did none of those things, at least not for a while. His thoughts would not go where he wished them to. They almost did not go at all, and it felt like every time they started down a particular path, they stopped abruptly, only to meander directionlessly until they were ready to head down some new undesirable path.

He did not think of Elouan. He did not think of Inna, or of Jon, or any of the others. He sat there in the kitchen and stared at the lightless skin of his hands, and occasionally half willed himself to do anything useful.

Eventually one of those thoughts stuck, and he rose mechanically from his seat to wander into the bathroom. He put too much toothpaste onto the brush and his gums began almost immediately to bleed as he assaulted them, but at least the sensation brought some distraction from... whatever it was he wasn't thinking about. He had to rinse his mouth out eight or nine times to get the taste out.

He was nearly finished with dressing himself for the outing when he heard Ryo's voice, and nearly jumped in surprise. The detached part of him that had remembered he had things to do when he'd been sitting in the kitchen now noted that this was hardly a good sign for a felicitous... marriage, or partnership, or whatever this was. Whatever Ryo was pretending they were. The rest of him decided to ignore this, and finish shoving the shirt down to his waistline.

After a moment's debate, he made his way to the door. It made him feel like a dog, but there was no point in dragging it out and forcing Ryo to look for him; and anyway, the sensation was hardly a new one. He considered saying something in reply, but memories of the morning's events were still fresh in his mind, so he opted for silence. He merely looked questioningly at Ryo, and waited.
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Re: God, Are You There? It's Me, Prosper [P] [L]

Postby ToxicShadow » 12/05/2016 7:09 AM

He received no immediate reply.

Just inside the doorway, Ryo stood and waited for Prosper to appear. He knew where he was, thus didn't have to go looking for him, but he'd expected him to come down quickly or at least make an effort to respond. Once, already, Ryo had told him to greet him when he came home. Neither of those things occurred, leaving Ryo impatient as he waited.

By the time the other man made his appearance before him, the god seemed visibly annoyed. Especially when, still, there was no reply. "Well, aren't you a ray of sunshine," he commented, after a drawn out moment of silence.  "You're not making this very fun."

He looked Prosper up and down, deciding he was just presentable enough to go select new clothes and get changed. He certainly wasn't letting him go out to the restaurant in clothes that were large and baggy on him, so shopping was definitely first.

After his moment of assessment, Ryo turned away from Prosper and pulled the door open again. "Come on, let's go. We're wasting time," he said, ushering him through the door before him. Through the hall and into the elevator he went, trusting the other man to follow along. When they reached the lobby, Ryo greeted the building receptionist with a grin, as she stared at the two of them. She had to pry her eyes away from Prosper, having a strange look of disbelief, after seeing the two men together. She was used to seeing different women with Ryo, but not men. She would never have guessed that the odd man from earlier was with Ryo, especially.

"This guy lives with me. Treat him the same way to treat me, all right?" Ryo didn't really wait for an answer to his words, turning away from her as soon as he said them.

He crossed the lobby, toward another elevator, one which lead to the underground garage. Although they were underground, it didn't seem that way, as it was brightly lit up like a show room floor. One entire section was strictly reserved for Ryo, filled with his own shiny, extravagant cars. He was a bit of a collector.

He lead Prosper to a sleek, black luxury sports car. It was most certainly imported. Surprising as it may have been, if any thought was put into it, the god went to the passenger side first, opening the door for Prosper. "Get in," he told him, and waited for him to do just that, before closing the door and moving around to his side. When he climbed in, he glanced over at his new partner. "Ready to go?"
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Re: God, Are You There? It's Me, Prosper [P] [L]

Postby crow » 12/05/2016 11:30 PM

So they were back to this. Prosper was glad, in a lot of ways, that he was too mentally tired from what had gone before to react anymore. If he had felt more up to curiosity he might have wondered why Ryo had picked him up at all if it was going to be like this. As far as Prosper could tell, he had gotten on perfectly well before, without any hapless companion to frown over. He might have asked what, exactly, 'fun' was supposed to be.

Fortunately, he didn't have the capacity for that kind of desire at present. He followed Ryo obediently down; if he was going to be a dog, he might as well make a decent showing of it. Walking with his eyes fixed on Ryo's back, or his heels, didn't require much in terms of coherent thought.

He glanced at the woman in the lobby only when he felt he had to, when Ryo stopped and spoke to her. He read the incredulity in her face, and filed that away to mull over when he was in the mood. It didn't mean anything good, he was sure, but maybe it didn't mean anything in particular beyond the fact that he looked strange for a tenant in a building like this, which insofar as it went was true.

The car was... a surprise. An obstacle, maybe. They all were, though in retrospect he knew they shouldn't have been. Flying in broad daylight in a city like this was strictly implausible, even if it was within Ryo's capabilities, and the city itself was much too big for everything to be within walking distance. He had just never been in a car before. He wasn't acquainted at all with the way they'd become in the sixty years since he'd had any excuse to be close to one, beyond seeing their shining carapaces from aloft at night. From that perspective, they had been too small and far-away for him to make out any significant details, and for the most part they all looked the same.

It was a good thing Ryo had opened the door for him. Prosper wasn't sure he'd have figured out the mechanism in a timely manner.

Settled in the seat, he watched Ryo get in after him and said, "Yes," since Ryo seemed to want him to say something. He thought of adding something else, but there was nothing to add. Even if Ryo told him where they were going, it wouldn't have meant anything. He would have to wait until they arrived, and draw his conclusions then.
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Re: God, Are You There? It's Me, Prosper [P] [L]

Postby ToxicShadow » 12/08/2016 5:26 AM

Ryo went through the motions once comfortable in the driver's seat. He set his sleek mobile phone, a new model, safely into an otherwise empty space on the center console. Then, in a very human fashion, he buckled his seat belt neatly into place. Once it was secure, he told Prosper to do the same, "Buckle the seat belt." He assumed, after seeing him do it, his partner would know what he meant.

It wasn't as though Ryo expected them to get into a crash. He was a magnificent driver, even at speeds that were well past the speed limits imposed on the roads. However, it was for the sake of appearances; for not gaining unwanted attraction and ending up with a speeding ticket. That, and the god simply didn't want to risk Prosper getting injured, his driving skills aside. It was still a possibility that a reckless driver could rear end them at a stop light or something similar.

Once they were both buckled in and ready to go, Ryo set off. He didn't bother turning on the radio, so the drive was accompanied by silence. Prosper seemed even less inclined to communicate than usual, so Ryo decided against putting in any effort. Why should he?

About half an hour later, the two arrived at their destination, in the middle of a popular shopping district. Specifically, they came to a store that was several stories, all on its own. The single word brand name was boldly declared on the face of building. After safely parking on his own, not trusting human valet parking, Ryo declared, "We've arrived."
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Re: God, Are You There? It's Me, Prosper [P] [L]

Postby crow » 12/14/2016 9:48 AM

Though it took Prosper a moment to figure out what Ryo meant, he buckled his seatbelt without much trouble. New as it was to him, it wasn't a complicated mechanism. The car ride was a surprisingly smooth experience, though he couldn't have said what he'd actually expected. Up until today, he hadn't had enough close-up experience with cars to even contemplate the idea.

The silence wasn't comfortable for Prosper either, but for different reasons. At least part of it was Ryo's proximity. He still didn't know how he felt about the god--- the events of the past day and a half had been such a strange mix that he hardly knew what to think--- and in the passenger seat of the car he felt trapped, unable to get away. He stared out at the passing scenery with a carefully blank expression, watching the scenery pass by in a blur of colors.

It wasn't until the car rolled to a stop that he began to pay attention again. Staring up at the building looming up in front of him, Prosper's eyes went wide with undisguised wonder. For a moment he stayed like that, unmoving, taking in the scale of it and the bright glossy displays visible through the smooth glass windows. It was only with the prompting of Ryo's voice that he remembered himself and got out of the car.

Entering the building didn't make it any easier to stop staring. If anything, it became more difficult. Prosper didn't know what was more dazzling, the myriad of products on display or the lights themselves. It was overwhelming. If he had been left to his own devices, he wouldn't know where to start.
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Re: God, Are You There? It's Me, Prosper [P] [L]

Postby ToxicShadow » 12/16/2016 5:10 AM

As they entered the building, the god watched Prosper from the corner of his eyes, gauging the other man's reaction. Just inside, they were greeted with elaborate displays featuring clothing and accessories that were either freshly on the market or on sale. The combination of such things targeted two different types of consumers, and seemed to do so effectively.

Ryo lead Prosper passed the initial displays and, almost immediately, they were cheerfully greeted by one of the staff.  They were neatly dressed from head to toe, adorned in the very brand they were selling. "Welcome! What can we do for you today?"

"We're getting his entire wardrobe updated," Ryo declared, gesturing to his partner. "We'll need about a week's worth of everything, to get started." He could see the person's eyes light up upon hearing these words; they were likely to get bonuses if they had good sales.

His gaze shifted back to the man beside him, when it occurred to him that he didn't know a vital piece of information. "Do you know your sizes? Or would you prefer to be measured? Or just try things on until you figure it out on your own?" He didn't care, one way or the other, as long as Prosper was able to select clothing that actually fit him well. There would be no purpose to buying a bunch of things that weren't fitted to him.
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Re: God, Are You There? It's Me, Prosper [P] [L]

Postby crow » 05/11/2017 4:05 AM

For perhaps the first time since Prosper had come into Ryo's acquaintance, Prosper found that he was... if not glad, then at least relieved for the god's presence. Among the overwhelming colors and scents of the shop, Ryo's back was an island of clarity. Even driven to distraction as he was, following came easily, like a habit.

That is, until the woman approached. Her words brought him back to himself a little, and while he did not quite freeze, his expression settled into the dispassionate indifference that seemed to be his default. He listened without much thought to their exchange, blinking only when he found himself addressed. He shook his head; "I don't know them," he said. Even if he had ever had his measurements taken, which he hadn't, they wouldn't have been accurate now. "It would be fastest if I were measured," he offered, being not unfamiliar with the concept, though until now he had really only associated it with the rich, an idea beyond the scope of his own meager spheres of acquaintance. There had been a few of the moneyed type among his former master's servants, perhaps. Most of those did not last long; and by then it would no longer have mattered.
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Re: God, Are You There? It's Me, Prosper [P] [L]

Postby ToxicShadow » 06/03/2017 5:02 AM

"Well, there you have it," Ryo concluded, his gaze having shifted back to the staff, after hearing Prosper's response. The other man's answer didn't surprise him in the least, given that it was a logical decision.

"Right. Then, sirs, please come this way." The woman, whom always seemed to have a pleasant, professional smile on her face, lead the two of them back to the fitting rooms. Each room was stand-alone, they didn't have seperate areas for men and women, and some were large enough to accommodate more than one person. In the end, they were lead into one such fitting room, after she noted that Ryo didn't seem to have any intention of sitting outside and waiting on the comfortable, plush chairs provided. He could have, but the god decided to keep Prosper company. Although his companion's expression rarely changed, he entertained the idea that Prosper might find comfort in the foreign situation if he, something more familiar, was present.

The process went by quickly, the woman already having the tools of the trade with her, instructing Prosper as needed throughout the process. Although it required stripping down as much as he was comfortable with, it seemed to go by without issue. She took measurements for his neck, all the way down to his feet, noting each of them down on a pad of paper, and translated them into general sizes, as well. Ryo simply stayed out the way, causally leaning back against the wall of the room all the while. Once she'd rattled off the sizes, she held out the paper, unsure of which man to hand it over to, which Ryo moved to take from her.

Afterwards, it was established that she and another staff member would accompany them throughout the store. Not for the purpose of offering their input, but because of the large quantity of items they intended to purchase. As a higher class establishment, they lacked baskets or carts. Instead, the staff carried and hauled things back to check out as patrons requested it, if they did not desire to carry things themselves.

First, came the basics. Undergarments and socks, which Ryo mostly did the work of choosing, with Prosper's lack of real interest. Everything he selected, he chose mostly based on his own preferences, at least as far as comfort went. He didn't deliberately choose anything that Prosper would probably dislike, though. Since he wore boxers or boxer-briefs, he chose the same from Prosper, selecting a mixture of high grade cotton, and others that were satin. Those that had patterns were still fairly neutral, and he generally gravitated toward darker colors for these things.

And so they made their way around the store, the god doing the majority of the work of choosing one thing or another, until they came to the selection of pajamas. Ryo never bothered with such things before, with a preference for sleeping in the nude, but that wasn't the same for Prosper. Given that it was colder weather, for now, they could at least eliminate anything not suitable for the cold. Ryo also eliminated anything too gaudy or unattractive, and narrowed things down further based on the feel of the material.

Once again, as he'd done a few times throughout the store, he reminded Prosper, "If there is anything at all you want, say so." Then, proceeded to browse the available selection. While he did, it occurred to the god it would probably be in their best interest for him to choose something too, since he was catering to Prosper, to some degree, and wearing clothes to bed now. After some time, he came across a satin ensemble that wasn't awful. It wasn't plain and the pattern was a tasteful, floral design that only covered a portion of the article. It was black, with white accents, which seemed to suit both of them. Pulling it out from the display to get a better look at it, he seemed satisfied, but also turned to hold it out in front of Prosper. "Hm. Any objections to matching with me?"
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Re: God, Are You There? It's Me, Prosper [P] [L]

Postby crow » 06/08/2017 3:53 AM

Prosper hadn't expected Ryo to follow him into the fitting room, and a cursory glance at the woman's expression confirmed that he wasn't alone in this. However, he raised no protest; it was already abundantly clear that Ryo did as he pleased, and Prosper was in no position to object, especially to something so small.

He stripped wordlessly, and bore the measuring process with the same stoic impassivity that he fell back on whenever he could. The sensation was strange, but nothing more, and the clinical nature of it made it easy not to dwell upon. Indeed, standing still was perhaps one of the easier demands that had been made of him these past few days.

When it came time to choose the clothes themselves, he merely followed Ryo, much as if he were one of the employees, rather than the one for whom everything was being bought. At one point, a slightly-confused staff member asked him a few hesitant questions, to which he replied in a quiet, toneless voice. No, he didn't have a preference in fabric. Yes, this was fine. No, he didn't care what he wore. When pressed, he said at last that he preferred dark colors, and if possible, something that would not hurt him too much as he moved. At that, the woman fell silent.

He hadn't expected to be consulted on his opinion by Ryo himself. He blinked as the god held up a set of silk clothes; having tuned out his surroundings somewhat in the intervening time, it took a moment for him to focus again. Fortunately, the answer was easy: "No," he said again. One of the women--- the one who had spoken to him before--- frowned at that, and whispered something to her colleague, but he didn't catch what she said.
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Re: God, Are You There? It's Me, Prosper [P] [L]

Postby ToxicShadow » 06/12/2017 6:56 AM

"Very well." Two sets of satin pajamas, one in each of their respective sizes, was added amongst all the other articles they had already picked up. The god selected another thing or two for himself, and the rest of Prosper's wardrobe followed. Ryo didn't go out of his way to ask for his companion's opinion a second time, certain that it would have been a futile effort. It wasn't for a lack of wanting Prosper to make these decisions for himself, but because it was evident that Prosper wasn't all too capable of it. The god had to assume that, up until now, he hadn't been allowed to make any choices at all. Easing him into it, Ryo was making that effort, to a certain degree, but his logic was just to dive right in.

Ryo paid for the whole lot with a single swipe of a black and gold credit card, but not before setting a particular outfit aside, shoes and all. It was one that was on par with what Ryo was already wearing. The staff had been informed that his companion would be wearing it out. "Ah, you'll need to change before we go for dinner," Ryo had suddenly turned to address Prosper, holding out the bag that contained said outfit. "We can't have you wearing those clothes that don't fit, now that you have your own. She'll escort you back to the fitting rooms to change." He didn't go with him this time, but explicitly asked for someone to tend to him, since he doubted Prosper paid any mind when they moved around the store, and would just get lost on his own. Instead of going with him, he took that time to load up the car, with assistance from the second staff member, the entire back and trunk filled with bags upon bags, and returned to fetch Prosper when all was said and done.

It was another ten minute car ride, once again filled with silence, before the pair arrived at the glamorous upscale restaurant; it the sort of place where one would not be surprised to encounter celebrities or other famous folks. Just inside the door, which Ryo held open for his companion as he ushered him inside, he declared to the host, "Reservation for Ryo. Ryo Katsuro." It wasn't his real last name, it was more likely that he didn't have one at all, but it was one he'd been using for several years now. It didn't have any special meaning, something he just used once on a whim, and then used thereafter, as he had to, to keep up his human facade.

The man greeted Ryo was a smile of familiarity. "It's good to see you again, Sir." Once he greeted the god, his eyes shifted over to his companion. His expression was similar to that of the building receptionist, back at the apartment, evidently surprised by Ryo's company. "Are you having a business meeting today?" He ventured to ask, making idle conversation. He'd seen Ryo with various guests before, but usually on dates with women, so such was his conclusion upon seeing him with another man. "No. This is my husband." Ryo introduced Prosper in such a way without any reservations at all, as if it wasn't a fact that would alarm the staff person. The man's surprise went from surprise to complete and utter shock. All he could force out, with an stutter, was, "I-I see. Please, follow me," as he tried, and failed, to compose himself.

They were lead through the main dinning hall, up a stair case that wrapped around a column in the center of the room, and to a private dining room with a table set for two on the second floor. Everything was extravagantly decorated, but in a tasteful way. Their menus already awaited them, as did water and wine, the norm for such a reservation. The host dismissed himself from their presence quickly, declaring that someone would return soon to take their orders.

Once left alone, Ryo moved to pull Prosper's chair out for him, with the words, "Come sit," before taking the seat across the way. "This is one of my favorite places to come eat," Ryo told him, as he reached for his own menu, and casually began to peruse their current selection. "Everything is good, so order anything you'd like to eat. If you don't like something, then order something else. Don't go hungry or force yourself to eat something you don't like. Their pastas are especially popular."
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Re: God, Are You There? It's Me, Prosper [P] [L]

Postby crow » 06/13/2017 2:49 AM

Prosper hadn't thought he would be relieved when te shopping was over, but as Ryo paid, he found that he was. Something about the space, the people attending to them, and the sheer volume of things to choose from... At some point it had stopped being wondrous and started being overwhelming.

He took the clothes that Ryo gave him, and followed a woman who led him to the changing rooms. She opened the door for him, but hesitated outside it, looking as if she wanted to say something. When he stared at her, she stammered a little, and said, "I-I was... wondering if you would like assistance...?" This was the one, he recalled, who had spoken to him earlier. Now he wondered at what she had been making of his situation, what she had whispered to her coworker back then.

"No," he said, and shut the door behind him.

Perhaps that had been a hasty decision. In retrospect he was sure she didn't mean herself, specifically; there had to be men working here too, who could have been called upon to help him dress. But Prosper was aware of how much Ryo had taken care of him these last two days, and he didn't want to feel even more helpless than he already did. Surely he could dress himself. His fingers felt clumsy on the buttons of the shirt, and it was probably just as well there wasn't a tie to go with it. He had never learned these things--- never had the time. What had he worn, before Elouan had taken him? He couldn't even remember.

The car ride, no longer a novelty, managed to lull him back into a false sense of security. Then they arrived at the restaurant, and Ryo introduced him to the receptionist, and Prosper was treated to the sight of the man trying to compose himself at the news. He was beginning to get a sense that Ryo's inclination for unsettling people went beyond himself. He half expected Ryo to accompany the announcement by throwing an arm around his shoulders, or something of the sort, but it never came.

If anything, the restaurant felt even more lavish than the store. Having a room to themselves felt at once a relief, for the privacy, and an unaccountable luxury that he didn't deserve. He didn't notice Ryo's movements until it was too late. "No, please, I can---" He moved to stop the god, but it was already done: his chair, pulled out, as if he were the one being waited upon.

Prosper sat, gingerly, his eyes never leaving Ryo even with the menu laid out in front of him.

"Why are you doing this?" he said, when Ryo finished his explanation of the food. "I understand you need me alive, but isn't this too much? I'm just..." Just what? Elouan hadn't defined what they had been to him in definite terms either, but Prosper had never thought it to be anything other than slavery.

What Ryo was doing... This wasn't how one treated a slave at all. And yet, that first day, he had made it very clear that he was the one in power, how little he cared about Prosper's feelings on the matter. What could he do but be distrustful of this kindness now?
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Re: God, Are You There? It's Me, Prosper [P] [L]

Postby ToxicShadow » 06/13/2017 4:03 AM

Lowering his menu, Ryo met hid partner's gaze when he spoke. It actually came as a surprise when Prosper engaged him in conversation, after how little he'd spoken throughout their outing thus far. But, for the god, the answer was easy, not one that required any thought. "I told you, you're my wife." With that status, Ryo couldn't very well mistreat him too terribly, now, could he? If Prosper hated him, how long would they be able to survive? "I should take care of my wife, should I not?"

"You may have returned to being a human again, but since I shared my blood with you, you'll become less and less human with the more blood you drink and the more we touch." Their intimate contact didn't just generate energy for Ryo to survive and empower him, but it resonated with the god's blood inside Prosper, slowly changing him into something other than what he was. "Like me, you'll no longer be able to die, unless I cease to exist. Do you want to spend eternity with someone you can't stand to be around at all?" He most certainly didn't.

"Right now, you're fragile, like any other human." So Ryo had to protect him and take care of him. He could still lose his life and, if he did, Ryo's fate would be sealed. Without his source of energy, he would wither away until there was nothing left. "But, who knows, you might even obtain some of my powers one day."
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Re: God, Are You There? It's Me, Prosper [P] [L]

Postby crow » 06/13/2017 4:52 AM

I thought I was your husband, Prosper didn't say. That kind of talk would get him killed--- get him punished, he corrected himself. But then he caught himself again. Would it? He had thought so, on that first day, but now he wasn't so sure. He tensed at the mention of touch, but he chose not to dwell on it for the moment. That would come later... probably.

By the end of Ryo's explanation, however, Prosper was shaking his head, impatient despite himself. He had been waiting for the answer to his question, which never came. Now he asked it again: "But why go so far? You have no need to treat me as an... an equal." The word felt inadequate, but it was the closest he could think of. "I'm bound to you, and as you've said, I'm weak. Did you not choose me because I was used to service?" As he spoke, he realized the strangeness of advocating for his own mistreatment, but he needed to understand. The idea that Ryo would care about currying favor with Prosper, of all things, just didn't seem plausible to him.

As for the idea of spending an eternity with someone he couldn't stand... Prosper's gaze dropped to his hands, curled up loose in his lap. Whole, healthy, the sensation in them nothing but a comfortable warmth. If his body hadn't fallen apart, could he have borne his role into some indefinite future? He remembered how it had filled him with hope sometimes, remembering that he could die.

Perhaps Ryo had a point. It would be easier if... But his question still stood. "Why choose me, if you wanted someone you could... be happy with? You didn't even know me." He had been a convenient corpse, nothing more.
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