InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Just a wild stab in the dark"

Celebrimbor Helyanwë (suntdracones) wrote in st_margarets,
@ 2016-02-12 12:42:00

Entry tags:

character: ashton hartley, character: kane reilly, location: hydra dorm

Thread: Game Set Match
WHO: Kane & Ashton
WHEN: The night of THIS
WHERE: Foyer of Hydra dorm

Despite what some people may think - like that silly nymph! - Ashton was in better spirits since Barclay woke up. There was still a lot weighing on him, the upcoming confrontation with the Dragonslayer and Ashton's bothersome conflicted conscious about going forward being one of his biggest stressers. He also vicariously felt the pressure from Barclay's lack of magic power. But overall, with Barclay awake again, alive, the dragon was doing more social things like talking to new people who interested him in some way. Kane was the lucky recipient of the dragon's attention.

Chess had been one of Ashton's favorite games since he shifted into a human for the first time. The old man in Iceland who fed and clothed him had taught him how to play to pass the time, and when Ashton was sent to the Academy, he honed his skills with his wicked cleverness. Ashton was merciless and had built up a reputation in the school for being hard to deal with. Most people avoided him. That was how he liked it. But when Kane said he could hold his own in the game of chess, Ashton was eager to test the demon.

He had a board laid out in front of him on the coffee table between two chairs in the Hydra dorm foyer. Students filtered in and out, to and from their rooms and the rest of the grounds. Most Hydra students were quiet and not in any way rambunctious. Hydra was one of the more subdued and thereby dangerous Houses on campus. Like people avoided Ashton, they avoided Hydra unless they had a reason to be there. Kane was invited, and Ashton was expecting him. The dragon in human form and black human clothes was seated, fingers steepled together and resting against his bent knees. The board was already set up and Ashton had already chosen to be black. Now all he needed was a worthy opponent.

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theyloveme
2016-02-15 05:00 am UTC (link)

Kane rolled out of bed from his newest conquest with a kiss and satisfaction. It was the perfect time to greet someone else and for a rousing game of chess. For one, he was at his brightest when full of life force, his color healthy and his dark eyes practically glowing with pleasure. For two, with his lust fulfilled, he gave off the pheromones far less. It was subdued to a non-exist level, and would make the situation far less potentially uncomfortable. He liked setting up dates, of course, but he enjoyed the meeting of minds just as much as silky flesh.

He was a clever, clever demon. What he lacked in traditional education he made up for with shrewd skills that would make him a businessman one day, perhaps a lawyer, depending on his ambitions. He started playing chess young and he liked the challenge, reading the other person and their moves. He usually asked for more than one round, because it was necessary to watch and learn. It was why he had plans in motion before the Riveras walked into his room. Why he had balls in the air even now, juggled around with a careless ease.

Kane knew nothing about the bold and direct man who asked him for a match on the network. It was intriguing and drew him there with absolutely no protest. He was dressed elegantly in one of his suits, a deep blue color with a matching tie, and not a hair out of place even after a thorough tumble under the sheets. He was someone who liked sizing people up, so when he slid into the room, all grace and confidence, his eyes fell on the dragon. Not that he knew he was a dragon. They barely exchanged names and challenges before this plan was made.

He approached the board and the curious man, and sat down across from him, offering his hand. "Kane Reilly, officially."

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suntdracones
2016-02-15 07:18 am UTC (link)

Unbeknownst to both of them, the dragon was immune to the pheromones that the lust demon released subconsciously from his body. Dragons simply were too different a species to fall for such a human weakness. The demon's power was specialized for humans, after all. Not for dragons. And Ashton had only ever found two humans to be sexually appealing. The first had come as quite a surprise after an accidental stroke of the marks behind Ashton's ears. The next had come after first building trust and respect through a pairing of personalities. Physical was second.

Even then, dragons mated for life, and only to another of their own species. Ashton's understanding of this had progressed over time. While his heart was and would be in love with Barclay for the rest of his days, it was not the same kind of chemistry that would be shared between him and a female dragon. If there were any left in the world.

Ashton moved only his eyes to watch the demon approach. His nostrils flared subtly, breathing in his scent. It was sex the dragon smelled. Even after a shower, that kind of scent was detectable to the dragon. It was not a deterrent, however. It did not make Ashton think less of Kane. It was simply something of note that he filed away for future reference.

Accepting the human custom of the handshake, Ashton reached across the table and clasped hands with the demon. He inclined his head, noting his elegant dress and well manicured hair. James and Paxton were two names that sprang to Ashton's mind who dressed similarly: everything in its place.

"I am called Ashton." He released Kane's hand and sat back, green eyes drinking in the movements of the new arrival. "White goes first."

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theyloveme
2016-02-18 01:48 am UTC (link)

Whether Kane knew it or not, he probably always smelled of sex on a given day. He did bathe regularly and he was a very clean and crisp person, his clothing and his appearance proved as much, but he rarely went long without it. He doubted this place was going to be any different, considering how many teenagers there were clamoring around wanting a new experience. He detected no judgment or much expression on the man across from him, and that was intriguing all on its own.

He had beautiful eyes, that was the first thing Kane noticed, and he wasn't reacting at all to his presence that he could see. Ashton was unique, that much was clear. "I'm not often playing the white, so this should be fun." It wasn't really about white and black or good and white in that case, although it was somewhat of a cliche that the demon preferred black. It was a case of aggressive versus defensive playing. Although most of the time, his response was defensive. Calculated. Measured. The white would have to do.

For a new opponent he typically started with the Stonewall Attack strategy. It did require something of a risk if not played correctly, but he found it was a solid way to play both defense and offense from this position. As usual, he started with a pawn to D4. He had a few other ideas if he had to make up for Ashton's reactions later. "Where are you from, Ashton?"

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suntdracones
2016-02-22 03:54 am UTC (link)

Ashton noted the piece Kane went for first and retaliated, moving one of his own black pawns. He didn't plan on playing defense. "Iceland," he answered the demon's question. "Near Kirkjubæjarklaustur." Eyes lifting in question, whether Kane had heard of the city or not, Ashton laced his fingers together in his lap, calm and at ease on his own turf. He'd claimed Hydra dorms as his own a long time ago.

"And you, Las Vegas." Though he didn't comment often, Ashton did pay attention to the network posts when new people arrived. He was curious enough to know, but not curious enough to pursue most things further. The dragon had a handful of friends and he was satisfied with that and not looking for others. It was probably a good thing, considering how possessive he could be with what was his, including his people.

"Why are all demons coming here from the same commune?" Ashton knew very little about demon culture, besides what he'd learned in class. He knew a few demons personally. Dallas was a half-demon, but he'd ruined any trust from the dragon a long time ago. Ripley was another halfsie who had gone to live in Atlanta. Davian and Paxton were full demons. And now came Kane. A full demon also, Ashton presumed. The dragon's eyes moved over him looking curiously for any sign of horns, wings, tail, claws - anything to make him look more like the race. Demons, Ashton had learned in class, were skilled at glamours. He could be looking at a completely false image. The idea of it made Ashton's nostrils flare slightly.

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theyloveme
2016-02-23 11:37 pm UTC (link)

"I would try to repeat that word back to you, but I think I would mangle it." Kane didn't know where it was, nor did he know much of Iceland. The few times he left the United States, it was either South America or the big names like Paris and Madrid. It didn't sound familiar, so he thought perhaps it was a small place. A small place where at least one supernatural creature hailed from. He couldn't figure out what Ashton was yet. There was nothing he could tell from looking.

"That's right, the bright light city." His lips curved in a genuine smile. There was always a vague smile on his face, a careful one, a diplomatic one. But the real ones were seen more around the eyes, glimpses of sincerity on a face that wasn't made for sincerity. Kane loved his city. He loved his home and his friends and the family they made there. He was in a forced exile at the moment, thanks to his father, but he only had to wait it out. "Have you ever been?"

Kane considered the question, not offended, merely calculating. The situation with him and the Riveras was ultimately a private one, but it was a fair question. He did have wings, they were capable of being folded at the back so they didn't show when he was in public. It did make his upper body seem a little blockier than it was. He needed glamours when around normal humans shirtless. Otherwise he never needed one around other supernaturals. Lust demons rarely needed them; looking attractive was a natural genetic skill.

"It's a coincidence, surprisingly enough. I wouldn't say I'm really part of the commune, more on the outskirts. My mother owns a business in the main city, we don't visit or interact with them much. I'd never really met Davian before, and Paxton only in passing." This was all the absolute truth. Kane preferred telling the truth when there was no reason to lie. Unnecessary lies turned into mistakes. "Lust demons are considered very low in ranking." There was no bitterness when he stated that fact. He was not a power hungry person. They enjoyed the power they got from secrets and being needed in other ways at the brothel. Kane didn't plan on rising any ranks. It sounded exhausting. "Do you know much about demon culture?"

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suntdracones
2016-02-27 10:10 pm UTC (link)

Ashton didn't smile at Kane's apologetic comment about not saying the word back. Having become quite a language connoisseur since arriving to live among humans, the dragon could understand that pronunciation could be difficult. But Ashton was pleased when he got his information right, and Kane confirmed Las Vegas.

"Bright lights and casinos." Ashton answered. "That is all I know of Las Vegas. I have never been there." He had never been west of Maine, not counting a visit with an ice dragon in Alaska. Sniffing, Ashton moved another piece when his turn came up, studying the board. "It sounds very loud."

Ashton listened while Kane gave more personal information about his home and association with the commune, finding it interesting. There were outcasts in every society, Ashton had learned in his studies. Lust demons seemed to be the outcasts of the demon world, which was surprising to Ashton, considering the sexual nature of Davian. Lust demons, Ashton would have thought, would have places of special power in the society that values moral transgressions and lauds them as great accomplishments.

It was interesting to Ashton that Kane didn't seem bothered by this. He frowned at the question, leaning back and crossing his arms over his torso in a slouch, which was hard to achieve with his tall frame. "No. I only know some. Why would you be low ranking? Are not all seven deadly sins," Ashton found the right word to use, "Are they not all valuable? As are their opposite, the seven virtues? There is no virtue that is hated or ranked lower than another." Ashton had taken an interest in philosophy since coming to the Academy and his poetry often reached into the philosophical, the theoretical. Ashton had more questions than answers.

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theyloveme
2016-03-13 06:48 pm UTC (link)

Kane didn't want to offend by pronouncing it terribly, and he did hate to not sound like his smooth, collected self whenever possible. In the future he might purposely learn how to say it properly so he could ask Ashton more about it, because he always cared about the little details when dealing with other people. Sometimes it could be seen as manipulative, but his intentions were generally to get along with others. And that meant learning things that mattered to them, even small oens.

"Bright lights and casinos," Kane agreed. "Also incredible restaurants and theaters, if you like that type of thing. And clubs that are interesting or on the wicked side." He smiled, because his establishment would be called the latter for certain. It did seem like a burlesque club and nothing more on the outside, but everyone knew it was much more decadent for the right guests. "That's the main city, it's bigger than that, you can drive out to the desert. It has a certain type of beauty, some might say. It's very quiet out there." He sounded wistful for a moment; not for the desert so much as everything involving Las Vegas. It was his home. He loved it there.

Kane focused on the board and did his next move, and then his eyebrows raised at Ashton's further questioning. He was accustomed to people never questioning the ranking system for demons. It simply was, and he'd been born and raised knowing he was low compared to the others on the hierarchy. Ashton had a very interesting way of looking at it, and his curiosity grew about the man in front of him. Dark eyes lit with singular interest, and he considered his answer carefully. "The way the ranking system works is not unlike human nobility. It's about blood purity and power, but since it goes back centuries, if you're born into a low family, it's difficult to rise above your station. That doesn't stop people from trying." His father was attempting to do that.

As for the lust demons .... "Surprisingly, lust is considered base instinct to some people. They like to consider themselves above such typical desires, and that lust or decadence can distract people from ambition and power. Lust can make people do things they never would otherwise, possibly even betray their kind, or give away secrets." Kane knew for a fact that was true, since he knew all manner of secrets, as did his mother, from lounging in bed with the right people. "It's not the same type of shame or guilt that humanity feels. We're all sinful, but lust seems to be the most basic and simple of sins." And that meant everyone had it, and it could be exploited from anyone. Kane considered his people more powerful than most, it was just subtle. Maybe that was why he had no shame about it. Other demons could posture all they wanted, but everyone got down on their knees sooner or later. He just had better skill at it.

His eyes narrowed slightly, his expression warm and searching. "May I ask what you are? Your energy is very unique."

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suntdracones
2016-03-16 05:46 pm UTC (link)

"Hm," Ashton grunted and that was all the response he gave to Kane's explanation of the ranking system as he absorbed that information and processed it, comparing it to what he knew about the demons and half-demons who existed in the Academy.

As far as lust went, the dragon had experienced it plenty. Not many knew, but dragons had a trigger spot. Their scars, the starburst designs that Ashton wore in human form behind his ears, they were sensitive in a way that could immediately illicit a strong sexual reaction from the dragon. It had been something discovered by accident when Trent was still attending the school. It had almost been Trent's demise. Now, Barclay used it to tease Ashton, and Ashton had more control over it than before - especially after Claire had tried to use the marks as a way to get him to mate with her during her heat cycle.

Ashton was capable of lust without so much as a brushing stroke of the marks, however. The singular nature of dragon mating habits limited this desire to only one person, and Barclay had filled that primal need - for the foreseeable future. Ashton didn't like to think about his life after Barclay grew old and died. His witch would expire long before the dragon even looked a year older on the outside.

Frowning at the board, Ashton lifted his gaze to look at Kane, a bit surprised by the question. Surprised and offended. He was merely the mightiest of all creatures at the school! Why didn't the demon already know this? He huffed, chin tilting at a haughty angle that the dragon was easily able to fall back to. "I am a dragon."

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theyloveme
2016-03-29 03:30 am UTC (link)

Kane created lust and he encouraged lust and he felt plenty of it himself. It was necessary to his way of life. He could live off human food for a time, but the longer he went in between energy feedings, the more harrowed and exhausted he got. It wasn't as necessary as a vampire thirst for blood, but he did need it, and he craved it. At least his way of curing his desires were generally more fun and slightly less dangerous than eating people.

That being said, Kane knew what disinterest looked like, and he could sense when flirtation wouldn't be welcomed. His sense of self-preservation was untouchable. Flirting was fun, but the only thing that got as much interest from him was curiosity. This place did not seem to be boring in the slightest. As long as odd and interesting people filled the hallways, it would keep his attention, at least until he could leave. Ashton was difficult to read and get a vibe off of.

His eyebrows went up in question at the haughty look and tried his very, very best not to smile. It wasn't too difficult to control that considering instead his full attention was on the fact Ashton just gave him. He leaned forward on the chess table, dark eyes arrested, intrigued. "A dragon," he repeated. He'd never met a dragon. He knew they existed, in a general way, and heard stories about them. Kane was amused about sitting across from one of them and having no idea; how his mother and sister would laugh about this later. "That's incredible. I've never met one of your kind before." He thought they would be, well, bigger of course, but he assumed the shapeshifting was merely part of the magical package. Otherwise it would be difficult to have one stay there.

"How did you end up here? I thought dragons were very secluded." It seemed more like myths than reality, he wasn't even aware how many of them still existed in the world. "I'm doubly honored now by offering the game, it's not every day I can say I bantered with a dragon."

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suntdracones
2016-04-06 06:27 pm UTC (link)

"Of course you have not." Ashton sniffed. Dragons had once existed in higher numbers, but were still a rare sight, even in their prime before the humans turned to industrial things with the discovery of electricity and so on. Ashton himself had only ever met two other dragons in his life, and that in itself was amazing. But in the novelty was also loneliness. Ashton was still far behind, development wise, compared to other dragons his age. Those dragons had at least one parent to teach them before sending them away into the world to make their own lairs.

Ashton's eyes narrowed at Kane when he began asking questions. It helped that Kane played to the dragon's ego by saying how honored he was. That alone may have smoothed the conversation over, making Ashton more conversational and willing to share. "A Dragonslayer sent me here." Ashton fingered the armrest of his chair, tension in the angle his long fingers made against the hardwood. "It was that or he take my life. I chose to live so that I might grow strong enough to take my revenge."

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theyloveme
2016-04-08 01:38 am UTC (link)

Kane was completely spellbound by Ashton's explanation. There were few things that he loved like a good intrigue. Now he could go home and tell them about meeting a dragon, playing chess with him. He'd probably make it a little more exciting than that, but still. This was a great way to start his time there; maybe there were going to be a few things worth experiencing in this place. He was a captive audience and therefore excellent for the ego, clearly impressed by the dragon's entire existence.

"Well he's going to come to regret that one of these days." What kind of a slayer spared the life of its prey? Unless the man wanted the dragon to get strong enough to be a real threat. Unlikely. Those days were long gone, when honor and challenge was worth death and glory. "You look very strong already, but obviously this is only your human form." Kane made a move on the chess board, his smile warm. "Dare I ask if a humble demon such as myself could ever see you as your true self? Or is that a very private request? I apologize if it is." He was very good at reading people. Vanity and pride, oh that was something he knew all too well.

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suntdracones
2016-04-12 12:01 am UTC (link)

"Hn." Ashton turned his head away. The thought of proceeding with his intentions of slaying the decedent of the slayers who killed his parents had become complicated these days. Ashton disliked being in Blake's debt, but the man was responsible for bringing the magical item that had brought Barclay's mind out of the trees and restored him to his body - restored him to Ashton. Ashton didn't fully trust the intentions of the Dragonslayer, but the fact remained. Blake had saved Barclay's life.

Fortunately, Ashton didn't need to think on it for long yet, because Kane was asking another question. Dark green eyes flickered back to the demon, hostility in them. "I am not for yours or anyone's entertainment!" Ashton huffed, pupils narrowing to slits as the dragon magic worked to undo the glamour holding his eyes to human shape. But then Ashton gave a small tight smile. It was only natural, he supposed, for a person to desire to see the most magnificent species to still grace the planet. Ashton so loved to be admired. But he had his pride.

"But... perhaps one day you will get lucky." Ashton leaned forward and moved another piece on the board. In fact, if Kane was ever watching the treeline in the late hours of the night, he might catch sight of the black dragon rising into the sky.

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