fasterthanfury

[fasterthanfury]

❛ i can't remember the last time you were feeling it, ❜ francis muttered beneath his breath, eyes rolling so hard they might as well have popped out of his sockets and went tumbling across the floor. francis looked at the man, sighing, giving the shoulder he had just shaken a few knowing pats. ❛ there there, swizzle stick. i got just what you need, buddy,❜ francis cooed, leaning forward to pick up one of the dime bags on the table before them, flicking it with his fingers as if trying to activate it. ❛ all you need is a little pick-me-up to get ya goin' — stop letting the bad weeks turn into bad times, dude. you're gonna kill the buzz i've got going with all your whining.❜

"Guess I'm not feeling it," Swizz admitted, leaning back in the seat with a sigh, dreary eyes meeting his friend's. He'd rather just go home, but then he'd be alone, and then he'd be thinking too much to sleep anyway. He needed something to put him out or give him enough energy to find a distraction. "You ever just... fuck, I don't know. It's been a long week, man."

[fasterthanfury]

❛ sure you are, baby, i don't doubt that for a second, ❜ mused the man, waving off the reassurance with a wave of his hand as she sat down next to him. he knew she resented him, for reasons he didn't know because his tips alone certainly contributed their fair share to keeping a roof over her head, but she hid it well enough where he could dismiss it without bothering himself to look any further into it. francis didn't have the time to waste on that kind of bullshit. ❛ it never ends, does it ?? ❜ francis cooed, almost in taunt, sinking into the feeling of her hands on his shoulders. if only she'd swallow her pride and let him spoil her, she wouldn't have to subject herself this kind of job. not that francis saw anything wrong with it, he was a regular customer after all, but someone like meg... well, she'd be much better off entertaining him than any lowlife in this establishment. ❛ i'd buy the place for you, meg. i'd run it how you wanted, how we wanted, and the first order of business would be getting every one of those creeps on a banned list.❜

"and i've told you i'm a big tough girl who can handle it," meg said with a smile on her face. at least her version of a smile. she didn't really like the idea of another guy trying to buy her like that. the idea of selling her soul felt...wrong. even though she wondered most days if she even had a soul to sell. she walked over and sat at the seat he saved for her, leaning forward to rub his shoulders. "poor you. working so hard," she cooed. as much as francis gave her the creeps, she really didn't feel like dealing with creeps she didn't know. so she could entertain this for a little bit. whatever he thought this was. "what is your big plan for that? to keep the handsy assholes away, i mean."

[fasterthanfury]

closed starter: @swizzcheese !! location: VIP booth at topsy turvy

❛ shit, are you falling asleep over there ?? we're in a club, in the most expensive booth money can buy, and you're telling me you're BORED ?? i need you to get a fuckin' grip, man. ❜ francis sighed, sliding over from where he was sitting to get closer to swizz, clasping a firm and almost authoritative hand on the other's shoulder and shaking him a few times. ❛ hello ?? earth to swizz....the fuck is wrong with you ?? ❜

[fasterthanfury]

closed starter: @caramelxcarmen !! location: the moonlight casino

❛ — honestly, baby, what are you so worried about ?? ❜ francis cooed, resting a reassuring hand on the small of carmen's back and moving to step in front of her, tilting his head. ❛ the hard part is over, carm... you got ready and showed up. the tournament only lasts a few hours, all you gotta do is sit by me and look pretty. i think we need to get you a drink so you'll stop fussing.❜

[fasterthanfury]

closed starter: @cherrileena !! location: francis's place

❛ leena... the fuck are you doing here ?? ❜ francis inquired after opening his front door only to see jubileena. the two weren;t particularly friends, hardly even acquaintances, only knowing her to be taura's roommate and... not much beyond that. tilting his head, he folded his arms, brows furrowed in a mix of amusement and confusion.

❛ — whatever someone told you i did, i'm not gonna say i'm innocent, but i'm not going to plead guilty, either. ❜

[fasterthanfury]

❛ i'm sure it is, i've told you countless times i could take care of that, sweetheart, ❜ francis mused, eyes alight with opportunity as he sipped on the cocktail in his head. he gestured to the spot behind him, the spot it was, in fact, paying her to sit in and tilted his head. at the inquiry, he chuckled dryly, shrugging his shoulders as he swirled the contents of his drink. ❛ yeah, bit of a late start. i had some business to handle and it ran later than expected, ❜ francis sighed as if his hards day work was anyway comparable to the work of those below him. a zoom meeting with potential sponsors and a drug exchange — what a busy man he was. ❛ that all depends on you, meg — you want me to stay and keep paying you ?? keep you away from the handsy assholes with pennies in their pockets ?? you just say the word.❜

megara scoffed playfully, but on the inside she wanted to gag. she really didn't get his deal. he was just as bad as almost every guy she has ever spent company with, and yet he was weirdly respectful to her. she truly didn't know what she did to get in his "good graces." "oh you know. the man-handling is about as normal as any tuesday night." she shrugged her shoulders at that, since, well, what was she gonna do about it? she was on the clock and there wasn't enough shot breaks in the world to really make her customers any more tolerable. "did you just get here? you seem relatively clam right now." which, she knew because she has seen some crazy shit with this guy. not that often when he reserved her time, but...more in the shadows. she was at wonderland most of her time and not always on the clock. "don't tell me you're checking it in early tonight."

[fasterthanfury]

the man grinned and offered a shrug in response; if vidia wanted to believe he was anything but simple, then let her think so. perhaps it gave him a bit of an edge he wouldn't have otherwise had but... francis full and well believed he was as basic as they came. he didn't want for much, but what he did want, he got; simple. settling her in his lap, his thumb began to knead small circles on the inner side of her thigh just above her knee, tilting his head at him as amusement flashed in his features. ❛ losing my touch ?? ❜ francis inquired with a playful purr to his words, sliding his hand slowly up her leg until it was passing the hem of the dress's fabric, her skin like butter beneath his hand. ❛ — certainly not my touch. my wits, maybe, but my touch ?? ❜ francis wiggled his fingers, the pads just brushing the crease of where thigh met hip, brows raising. ❛ it'll take you asking me very nicely to do it, ❜ and by ask, he meant beg, but he was sure he didn't have to specify that and knew vidia would likely fight that. maybe she would, or maybe she wouldn't; he won either way. tilting his chin up, francis aimed to capture her mouth with his own, tasting the wine she was drink as his tongue traced her lower lip. ❛ — but not nicely works, too. ❜

"Not quite." Vidia agreed even though she had a feeling he thought differently. But the perfect dress wasn't about how short it was or how it hugged her curves, which this one did beautifully, it was so many things. While it wasn't a ten, it was close. "I don't doubt you will," she purred, taken by surprise as he suddenly pulled her down onto his lap, making sure not to spill her wine as she settled on his thigh. "Really? I would have expected you to say I looked beautiful in nothing. You're not losing your touch, are you?" She teased, sipping on her wine, her arm lazily resting on his shoulder, fingertips brushing through the hair at the top of his head. "I'm impressed, Francis, I was expecting you to lose control sooner than this. What's it going to take to get you to rip one of these off of me?" The question shouldn't have been an unexpected one, they both knew the end game of this little fashion show. But maybe he was determined not to ruin anything so egregiously. Too bad.

[fasterthanfury]

❛ what can i say, i'm a simple man, ❜ francis grinned, eyes sparkling as she bent just slightly to retrieve her wine from the table, his glass already about empty as the brunette came close enough to touch. francis reached out a lazy hand to brush along the curve of her hip, tongue running along his lower teeth as he hummed in response to the feeling of the fabric against his fingertips. temptation to fist it and yank until the seams popped was there, but he forced it back to the dormant spot in the back of his mind. no, he wouldn't tamper with this one... francis liked this dress too much, even if it wasn't necessarily the brunette's favorite. it was his, so to him, that was all that mattered. ❛ not the perfect one, hm ?? ❜ he inquired, fingers feathering lower towards the hem as his eyes shifted from her figure to her gaze, hand taunting the exposed skin of her calf before creeping back up to the pinch of her waist. ❛ if the perfect one isn't in any of those bags, i'll take you to find it,❜ the man cooed, his words soft and buttery.... contrasting the sudden and demanding pull against her waist to drop her weight down atop his right thigh so she was sitting on his lap, left hand finding a resting spot atop her knee. ❛ — but you know i think you look beautiful in just about anything.❜

"I thought you would." Vidia smirked, not at all oblivious to the way his eyes traveled over her. Red was such an easy color when it came to getting attention; it was aggression, passion - everything people looked for if one night was all they wanted or needed. On top of that, it just so happened to look incredible on her, not as good as her signature purple but nothing would ever beat that. She'd paused for only a second when he'd started commenting, taking a few more steps towards him, swinging around the table to grab her wine again on the way. Sipping on the delicious liquid, Vidia settled herself between his legs, getting just within reach of him so he could feel the fabric for himself if he wanted to. "I like it, I don't know if it's the perfect one, but it is soft so, that's something at least." Vidia didn't do discomfort...unless the look absolutely called for it, in which case beauty was pain and all that. But this one, it wasn't the most gorgeous thing she'd ever seen but it got the job done and in this case the job was to get his attention.

[fasterthanfury]

❛ megara, my favorite little hellcat, ❜ the man cooed, sitting up straighter in the chair he practically owned in the booth they should carve his damn name into. megara had been a fascination of his for a long time, but he could never bring himself to stoop as low as to pay for the woman's physical attention. sure, he paid for dances, but it was primarily to keep her in his company and away from the sticky hands of the lowlifes who frequented this establishment with stitched up pockets. francis wanted to get inside megara's head, and while money talked, he talked quite loud as well. it was clear she couldn't stand him, no matter how many silk-kissed smiles she sent his way — francis wasn't an idiot, he knew damn well those affections were towards his wallet and never towards him— he couldn't shame the woman for that, and he wouldn't, the girl had to live. ❛ — the boys in here being good to you tonight ?? ❜

closed starter @fasterthanfury location: wonderland

private dances were something meg loathed more than most, but she sucked it up for the sake of the money. cost of living was not cheap anywhere, even evermore, and she had to keep a roof under her head since it wasn't just for her anymore (thanks to her bright idea to adopt a cat). the people who normally requested these dances were...an unusual bunch and when she had to set her sights on francis she flipped her hair just so she could hide the roll of her eyes as it moved away from her face. yeah, he was a real fun one to have. he never really wanted more than...well nothing. so she supposed a freebie would be fine for tonight.

"what's the request for tonight, handsome?" she said silkily, only allowing the smallest traces of her natural sarcasm to leave her lips. "you know i never know what to expect from you."

[fasterthanfury]

francis, all things considered, was a simple man. he liked material things, he liked his drugs, he liked high-end alcohol and he liked pretty women. in this moment, in most moments, he liked women like vidia; sultry, sharp-tongued, other-wordly in all ways one could be... bonus points if they were obedient in the way she was, where she'd put up a fight but only long enough to get what she wanted. he was surface level, harmless in the grand scheme of things, so as he swirled his wine in his glass and watched as she walked away, chuckling dryly at the display of her letting the fabric fall to the ground— he almost wanted to pat himself on the back. people said he'd never get far in life because of his attitude, but looking around at where he was, what he could do, who he could do ?? francis didn't think he turned out too shabby. licking his lips as she came back out, brows rose upon seeing the intense change in color; red, god he loved his brunettes in red. ❛ oooh yes... i like this one, ❜ he purred, sitting up a bit straighter, tilting his head to the side. ❛ that color is much better, ❜ the man murmured, fingers twitching, wondering how easy the fabric would be to tear away from her body and how much effort it would take for him to do so. it would be such a shame to ruin such a pretty piece but he could always buy her another one.... ❛ what do you think about that one, baby ?? c'mere, let me see you up close.❜

Vidia hummed softly, almost in a question, as he mentioned the color, listening intently as she crossed to grab the glass of wine set out for her. Sipping on the choice he'd made, she smirked, tasting the familiar notes on her tongue. Perfect. "It does, doesn't it?" The brunette agreed, nodding at the assessment and the conclusion that she'd also come to. In any other circumstance, she wouldn't have bought it but, since it hadn't been her money, and the odds of it getting ruined anyway were high, it had been worth it. "Time for the next one." Placing her glass back down, Vidia gave him one last look before turning away from him to walk down the hallway, slender fingers sliding the straps off of her shoulders as she let the fabric fall, still in his view as she did so. What? It was fun to tease just a little bit. Letting the dress pile onto the floor as she walked into his room, Vidia grabbed another; a red this time that had rouching in all the right places with sleeves a little fuller than the last. Flipping her hair over her shoulder, she stepped back out, eyes finding his almost immediately as she took her time walking back over towards him.

[fasterthanfury]

❛ incredibly impatient, i'm just so eaggggeeerrr to the happiness my money has bought me today, ❜ francis called in playful reply, a dry laugh sounding from his chest as he took another sip of his wine. dragged his tongue along his lower lip as vidia walked out in the first ensemble. greedy eyes raked over her frame, sinking back into the couch, draping the arm not nursing his wine across the back of it. tilting his head, an impish grin ornamented his lips. ❛ not bad, ❜ he breathed, brows lifting, gaze lingering a tad too long on the curve of her hips before rolling back up to meet her face. francis smirked as she spun, pleased she had done it on her own without him having to ask, finding the whole situation fascinating in its own right. ❛ the color, ❜ the man mused, gesturing vaguely with his hands, tilting his head. ❛ can't say the color is my favorite but... the shape. it suits you beautifully, princess.❜

Walking into one of the rooms she knew exceptionally well, Vidia wasted no time taking out the different options she'd gotten; all of them were gorgeous but she wanted to build up to her actual favorite and see how far they got ( aka she wanted to start with the ones she wouldn't care about if they got ruined ). Picking one mid-thigh length cream-colored number, Vidia slid it on, loving the way the fabric hugged her curves in just the right way. Cream wasn't really her color if she was being honest but sometimes when you had a card that wasn't yours and an idea of maybe wearing it to the museum, that was enough for the hundred- or two-hundred-dollar price tag. "Someone's impatient." The brunette commented, just loud enough for him to hear, but took that as her queue to finally walk back out, taking her time to walk back towards him, stopping and doing a little spin. "Not my absolutely favorite one but I think it gets the job done, don't you?"

[fasterthanfury]

boredom of the playful domestics was already gripping at his nerves, the temptation to just say fuck-it to the whole fashion show running so strong he almost took the bags back from her to throw them across the room. maintaining his composure, or what remained of it, francis curled his lips into a tight-lipped smile. he didn't make an effort to draw her back in when she pushed away, knowing their would be plenty of time for that when the time came for it, tilting his head like some kind of demonic entity with eyes that flashed with a near villainous intent. francis needed to stop making such a habit of playing with his food, but with vidia, sometimes he couldn't help himself. he preferred when they thought they had some ounce of control before he pulled it out from under them. ❛ that i do, princess, ❜ he mused, watching her as she went, waiting until she had cleared him before moving towards his elaborate wine cellar. it almost felt ceremonious; uncorking the wine she liked, filling two respective glasses with it, pressing a powder-littered key to his right nostril, settling himself on his couch....it was as if it was a routine he practiced rather consistently. in a way, it was. ❛ — dressed ?? ❜ francis called, settling into the leather, starting the mental stopwatch in his head to see just how long he could last before her new dresses became nothing more than scrap fabric.

Keeping her eyes trained on his, Vidia reached down to shift the bags from his hand to hers, taking her time to drag her fingertips over the back of his hand before wrapping them around the fabric of the handles. A smirk returned to her lips as his nose brushed against hers and a part of Vidia hated that. She liked when Francis was mean, sometimes controlling, and even this fake show of domesticity was enough to make her want to roll her eyes. They both knew this wasn't going to last, you'd have to be delusional to think otherwise, so why bother sprinkling this on top? The hand on his chest dragged over his pecs, face inching close enough to brush her lips over his as she nodded. "What do you think?" Vidia purred, pushing against him to put some distance between them before turning on her heel to start showing off what he'd bought for her. She had to imagine they wouldn't make it past the first dress, but you never really knew. "Wine is fine, you know what I like." She calmly demanded over her shoulder.

[fasterthanfury]

francis didn't make an effort to maintain his grip on the animal, allowing it and it's obnoxiously ever-present claws to leap from his arms and onto the carpeted arcade floor. francis watched with furrowed brows as the creature ran off and out the doors of the arcade, confusion washing over him momentarily as mona made no effort to chase after him, her following words asking the silent question on his tongue. ❛ smart cat, ❜ francis mused, brows lifting in surprise, though quickly growing bored of the subject of her cat and turning his attention back to the woman who looked as if she had seen a ghost and was trying to hide it from him. when mona continued rambling on, a brow raised on his forehead, tucking the thumbs on either hand in the front pockets of his jeans. ❛ i don't, ❜ francis replied, running his tongue along the back of his upper teeth, taking in her stance — uncomfortable, for sure... though with mona, that was to be expected. he was certain he didn't fall into the wheelhouse of the kind of man a girl like her would get involved with but, it hadn't stopped her in the past. it was empowering to have that kind of impact on someone, have your presence alone be enough to make their heart-rate spike. whether it be fear, annoyance, hatred, or arousal; power was power. influence was influence. ❛ of course you weren't, ❜ he cooed, taking a step forward — if anything, to see how she reacted to the change in distance. ❛ — and i just wanted to know how you were doing, was all....but if you don't want to see me mona, you can use your words, you know.❜

welp , she got busted . should've known letting the white cat follow her everywhere would cause more trouble than good at some point , but what was she supposed to do ? locking artemis at home would be cruel , and there was no way to tell that damn creature what to do — he was as stubborn as they come ! maybe he should be in charge of finding the princess and saving the planet . ❛ francis ! ❜ mona greeted with all the trained excitement she could muster , only for the dreaded game over screen to pop up right before her eyes . yup , sure feels like it . ❛ yeah , he does ! my silly artemis- ❜ with an exasperated meow , the white feline promptly jumped out of the man's grasp and rushed out the arcade's entrance . thanks for nothing ! ❛ oh ... the good thing is he actually knows the way home , ❜ although whether he'd left to do some investigating or simply to avoid francis' concerning aura was a question mona didn't have an answer to just yet . tucking a blonde lock behind her ear , she pressed her lips together while searching for a way to not make this as awkward as she felt . ❛ i wasn't sure you still came to the arcade ... it's nice to see you though . ❜ anxiety inducing but sure , it was nice . ❛ i'm not avoiding you or anything , if that's what you're wondering . ❜

[fasterthanfury]

this was one of the many things he adored about the woman currently pressed against him, the palms of her free hands flattening against his chest, the weight of its presence not missed by the man who cocked his head to the side. the hand holding the bags shuffled them nosily, as if wanting to bring attention to the purchases he no doubt would forget about after this whole thing was over. money was expendable, infinite, and there wasn't a price-tag he wouldn't oblige to if it meant he got to keep the ever-charming vidia in his orbit. the way she submitted to his requests ( often-times with a snarky comment in tow, but nevertheless ) was the most intoxicating part of this entire thing. francis's influence was so overwhelmingly large that even the likes of vidia would bow to it if the price was right— and he made certain it always was. ❛ atta girl, ❜ the man praised, leaning to brush his nose tenderly against the tip of hers, almost domestically. they both knew francis was incapable of any sort of genuine affections, but it didn't make playing into the fantasy of it any less fun. ❛ you want anything to drink, babygirl ?? ❜

There were plenty of his surprises that Vidia liked, some more than others, but she couldn't claim to always know what he had cooking in that brain of his. The brunette knew he was keeping his distance for now, probably enjoying the view and she might have been playing it up a little as she swayed her hips with every step. Her hand was just starting to reach towards the door when he was suddenly there, beating her to it as though he was the most thoughtful guy in the world. Please. He could be thoughtful when he wanted to be and only when it worked to his advantage but Vidia was the same way. They really had too much in common; no wonder they were constantly at each others throats. A tiny sound slipped out of her as his fingers wrapped around her wrist, pulling her towards him. Her hand came to rest on his chest as she tilted her head back, eyes finding his to see the way they were filled with all sorts of expectations. "Of course, daddy. I owe you a fashion show after you bought so many things for me."

[fasterthanfury]

❛ awh, c'mon babygirl, don't act like you don't like my surprises, ❜ he taunted, finally releasing her chin as his other hand found his door handle. sliding out, francis figured he'd be expected to take the bags, scooping them up by their fancy, fabric handles with one hand. now the weight was far more noticeable— all the more fabric to decorate his floor, he supposed. locking up the car, francis followed in stride with her, but not finding it in him to rush as he got a delicious view of her ass rocking to either side as she sashayed towards the door. grinning, he came up behind her, pressing a button on his phone to unlock his front door. he stepped forward to open the door, how chivalrous of him, gesturing her for vidia to walk in first. francis didn't let her get very far before he was reaching for her wrist, wrapping his fingers around it, spinning her around and pulling into him as a unreadable gleam twinkled in his eye, the hues already darkening with intention. ❛ you're gonna be a good girl and keep that promise for me, aren't you ?? ❜

It took next to no time for them to get back to his place, a clear sign that no speed limit had been listened to because it should have taken closer to twenty minutes to get back. Not that she'd timed it, but she might have driven there herself more times than she was willing to admit. "Of course you do." Shocker. Vidia didn't completely freeze, but she stayed still as his hand gripped her chin, inhaling slowly as his finger brushed along her lip. "That's right. A promise is a promise." Not that Vidia made a habit of keeping promises for just anyone. There had to be something in it for her and this certainly qualified. Giving him one last look, a mysterious glint within her eye, the woman pulled away to open her own door this time, heading straight for the front door; Francis could handle the bags.

[fasterthanfury]

at her words, francis grinned, pressing the ball of his foot even further on the gas so the car gave a loud growl, lurching the vehicle almost unforgivably. ❛ i'm sure we will, princess, ❜ the man laughed, enjoying the ride far too much to really concern himself with what would happen once they reached their destination. vidia was an open and shut book— if that book happened to be written in two languages, one he could read and one he didn't care to learn. vidia was a delicacy, best suited being enjoyed by one that could appreciate her in her entirety. one day, she'd find that— but it wouldn't be with him, and he'd mourn the day she walked away from him for it. his tongue slid along his lower lip, turning them down the familiar culdesac his place was located on. pulling the vehicle into his driveway, finally finding it cruising in the single digits, he waited until it was in park before he turned his head to look at her, a brow raising. ❛ i prefer the element of surprise,❜ he cooed, reaching out a hand to delicately grasp her chin, dragging the pad of his thumb along his lower lip. ❛ — but i think someone owes me a little fashion show first... ❜

Vidia gave him a look, half tempted to roll her eyes at him. She knew all too well his preferred method of getting himself going and, though she didn't often partake herself, she wasn't going to give him a hard time about it. Plus, a rich kid with a coke problem? It was like every cliche in the book. But at least that meant he would have a lot of energy and Vidia had gotten a good night's sleep. "We'll see about that." She softly purred, legs crossing as she angled her slim body towards him, eyes on the road for only a second before falling onto him. Although Francis easily was the worst person she knew, by a long margin even with Jim in the running, she had to admit there was something undeniably attractive about someone who was doing what they were passionate about. Sure, he was a pretentious asshole, especially on the road, but you couldn't ignore how good he looked doing it. "Can you now?" Vidia asked, leaning her elbow onto the center console in his direction. "Care to share?"

[fasterthanfury]

once francis had determined berli wasn't going to be waking up from the drug-induced sleep he was in, the man had opted to just carry on with his own routine for the evening. he ended up streaming, not long, but long enough to keep himself entertained. he had polished off the remainder of a scotch he had sitting on his desk, made a thousand or so dollars, before calling it a night around 6 or 7am. francis found the sleep wasn't really necessary, but he took it in small doses — unlike the drugs that were what kept him awake in the first place. when he groggily walked out of his bedroom, he wasn't shocked to see berli still sleeping, but had half-hoped the youngster would have woken up and wandered off on his merry way by now. it wasn't even noon yet, and twelve hours was a realistic period of time for a kid on oxy amongst other things to spend sleeping.

francis was making breakfast, a line in, music thumping from the speakers above his cabinets. a piece of bacon hung from his mouth as he lazily poked at the scrambling eggs in the frying pan, satisfying crackles coming from the remainder of bacon that sat on the burner next to them, an aroma filling the entire place with a sense of a false-calm. false-comfort. francis's abode was anything but a place of warm and fuzzy feelings, as much as the vibe of it right now may say otherwise.

looking up at berli approached, the man pushed the remainder of the bacon into his mouth, waving a lazy hand in greeting. ❛ look who's alive, ❜ he taunted with a mouth-half full, scrunching his brows in response to the question as his gaze ran around the kitchen. ❛ uuuuuhhhh, yeah, in the fridge. i think. probably — you can check, ❜ the man pointed, though finding appliance should be obvious to anyone who knew what a fridge was. ❛ shit knocks you right out, doesn't it ?? ❜ francis inquired after a moment, switching off the burner, scratching at his chin. ❛ i coulda hosted the worlds loudest orgy in here last night and you never woulda known.❜

~

There was so much and so little happening all at once in Berlioz's mind. He was on an emotional rollercoaster of euphoric highs that came in waves. Each time he thought it couldn't get better it just did. With every wave that washed over his body the wearier he grew. Berlioz struggled to understand what Francis was saying and flinched when he ruffled his hair, both startled and not expecting it. He just as quickly sank back into his feeling of euphoric bliss though. His eyes grew heavy and he was struggling to keep them open. Every time he began to nod off something jolted him awake though. Berlioz couldn't help but crave warmth. It felt like he wasn't even controlling his body as he laid down on the couch.

Berlioz drifted off into a calm sleep. He had peaceful dreams that would be long forgotten by morning instead of nightmares that would follow him into the next day. It must have been a long time that Berli had been asleep because when he woke up the faux lighting in Francis' place was replaced with natural sunlight. He shuffled around on the couch until he found his phone. He felt groggy. Entirely groggy but in all fairness he'd barely had his eyes open at that point. When he clicked the button on the side of his phone to light it up he read the time. 11:43 am. Where had the last twelve hours of his life gone? Was he asleep the whole time? His mouth was dry, really dry and he wanted some water. Where the hell was Francis?

Berlioz finally sat up, rubbing his eyes before he could properly focus his vision on the room. The first thing he lied eyes on was the bag of oxy and white residue on the table. Berli couldn't help the itching feeling of wanting more. No, he needed water before anything. Slowly, he stood up and stretched his arms out before making his way towards the kitchen, hoping he could find Francis on the way but thinking he was likely still asleep. He'd been to Francis' enough to know where the kitchen was so he navigated there with ease. When he walked in he hadn't expected Francis to be awake. Or shirtless. Regardless of either fact Berli still needed water. "You got, like, a water bottle?" he asked.