Re: [Gala, Capital: Burden & Damian]
Now, Burden, he knew something had happened that held importance, at least for him. He wasn't aware none that Damian was over there thinking it hadn't, and it would never have occurred to him that Damian wasn't reckoning this as meaningful. See, for Burden, this was real impactful. He'd never found himself feeling these things for a boy, and he'd been just fine ignoring all these urges since he'd left the island and ignoring them had become part of the sacrifice made for his calling. But, really, there hadn't been a whole lot of need to sacrifice before this; he hadn't wanted anyone in a way that made denying himself hard. This felt hard, this denying, and that was flooring him some as he left that bathroom. And he knew he had to focus, on account of needing to return the key without being caught.
And so out they went.
Mr. Coltan intercepted them just a ways out of the bathroom, still in the hall and away from the main gaze of the partygoers. Now, rich folks, they had being gay easier, or so Burden reckoned, since folks with money seemed to have a whole lot of things better. But he understood the look on Mr. Coltan's face as something interested as he approached Damian in that red velvet, and money or not, Mr. Coltan was still choosing to meet in a hallway and not out where everyone could see them.
Burden, he immediately regretted offering to make introductions, but his smile stayed in place, smirk and lazy and not giving a good goddamn, and he reached out and took Mr. Coltan's drink without asking if he could claim it. He raised it, barely looking at the amber liquid in the glass before lifting it in a nearly-mocking toast and swallowing it down. He deliberately walked around the man, something like stalking in limbs made for grace, and the key was transferred as he talked close to Mr. Coltan, Ben's, ear. "Ben, this here's Damian Wainright, but I suspect you know that already," he said, coming back around and standing beside Damian, empty glass in his hand.
Rich folks, Burden knew, were acquainted with other rich folks.