#please take this token offering as an charm of good luck and may your finals seasons treat you kindly

[jamiesfootball]

@sighonaraa I couldn’t find drowsy : (

here is a different post-sleepy scene. have some platonic cuddles.

Between the early hour and a bastardization of new and old sensations, there was a handful of time after Roy woke up where he couldn't piece together what the fuck happened.

The dry pounding in his head was familiar; the ache behind his eyes, not. The stiffness in his knee, an old neighbor. The warmth of another body stuffed up against his chest like a greedy teddy bear, new and important.

Between falling asleep and waking up, Jamie had burrowed his face into Roy's shoulder.

For a delirious moment Roy considered just being done with it and renaming it Jamie's shoulder -- it was the same one every time.

Even the smell of his hair was familiar now; the same way that he knew his sister by the smell of antiseptic and his niece by the smell of her strawberry shampoo, he could pick out the woodsy notes of Jamie's obscenely expensive hair products. A wave of relief rolled through him at the very clear signal that, whatever else had been going on, Jamie at the very least had been taking care of himself like he promised.

And then reality tilted slightly to the left and slipped back into focus.

[blackrose-ffxiv]

Tokens of Friendship 08/21

“You were nearly civil at the anniversary. I suppose we are letting bygones be bygones?” Lebeaux Desrosiers mused as he took a seat slowly.

Daijiro Satake looks back at his cup of tea. "Are we?" he asked. "I am curious what it is that you now believe, Ser. It is difficult to be a friend to a personage who is nurturing a desire for vengeance. Is this not so?"

Lebeaux quirked a dark brow, smiling serenely all the while. “Against you? No.” A hand waved lightly to dismiss the thought. “While I still believe you overreacted, I may have responded in kind. I am willing to set the matter aside in the name of a truce.”

Daijiro takes a measured sip from his cup of green tea, then places it carefully on the table. "Then, I accept", he remarks. "To do otherwise would be dishonourable. And troublesome for us both."

Lebeaux tilted his head in acknowledgment. It was probably the closest thing Lebeaux ever came to an apology, even if it did share the blame equally with Daijiro rather than accepting a lick of responsibility for his own actions. “Indeed. There are more concerning matters at hand than one bored and curious merchant prince.” He smiled sweetly all the while. “Considering you further on the ally spectrum would be a considerable relief.”

Daijiro smiles. "I am glad that you think so", he said. "Though, I would ask, as someone further on the ally spectrum, that you hand over that ingenious device. I would also be keen to learn who made it~."

Lebeaux his head tilted somewhat. “That ingenious…” He repeated as though entirely confused. “You’ll need to be more specific. I do have a rather impressive array of beautiful tools.” He glanced aside as the tea was served. Creamy and overly sugared black tea for himself and a fresh cup of green for Daijiro. “Had. I had a rather beautiful array. Many were damaged or went missing in the aftermath of the altercation.”

Daijiro frowns a little bit. "The one that you used on my fingers", he specifies. "Ah, it would be a shame if it was lost. Did you lose all of your belongings?" The airy tone in which he inquired suggested that he might not have too deep an emotional attachment to the ten-fingered thumbscrews that Lebeaux had used on him. Or any of the elezen's other belongings for that matter.

“Ahh, yes. That. They are truly beautiful pieces of work. Not authentic, mind you, but the blacksmith I have been patronizing…” in every meaning of the word, “is incredibly talented. He recreated them from a series of diagrams and sketches. You are in luck, my friend.” Lebeaux said almost cheerfully over another sip of tea. “Those were left unharmed. I will give you one and keep the other. As a sign of good will.”

Daijiro narrows his eyes just slightly. "How considerate. Thank you", he remarked, already considering that he should try and practice the gestures for a particularly toxic spell with the fingers of his non-dominant hand. Even so, he picked up the tea with both hands. "You should really introduce me to the blacksmith too. What is his name?"

Lebeaux smiled primly. “While we have just established a truce, you will understand if I am less than inclined to introduce you to the smith who has been considerate enough to craft me whatever suits my whims. As well as there being the somewhat awkward situation of introducing you to the man who wrought that toy especially for me to use on you.” He watched the Hingan from under dark lashes, smiling sweetly all the while.

Daijiro hums. "Yes, it would be a shame if such a personage were to meet with an accident. A smiths' hands are very important to his work, are they not? I'm not too familiar with the nature of the craft." He takes a small sip from his tea. "Of course, if I were to find out of my own accord, I would not be bound by any word I might have given to you. Or is that too harshly spoken? I do not wish to foster any spirit of animosity between us, after all."

Lebeaux considered that as he sipped. “Just so. Nearly as important as a mage’s hands.” He mused, glancing down at Daijiro’s. Which seemed to have healed perfectly fine from the impressive bruising. “Not to say that should anything happen to his, it may very well happen to the one responsible as well. Or at least whoever is presumed to be responsible.” He offered just as harshly in return. “Though I could likely be convinced and he would likely be grateful for the addition income…” He smiled at Daijiro. “Yet I’ve been the only one to give a gift of friendship.”

Daijiro sets his tea down. "Hmm. This is true", Daijiro remarked. "Then, what is it that you desire, Ser Desrosiers?"

Lebeaux considered that for some time as he sipped his tea, lifting his eyes towards the ceiling as he thought silently. “You’ve made it rather clear that I’m no longer welcome at your home. I suspect patronage to the little menagerie you’re collecting would be a rather generous gift to show that is no longer the case.”

Daijiro hums. "I am not one to refuse a gift to a friend", he muses. "If it is your desire to become a member of the Guzen Mizu Shobai Host Club, then I would be happy to grant that desire. If you desire to be part of that menagerie, of course~."

Lebeaux tapped a finger lightly against the side of his cup. “Membership as a patron, so I may enjoy the company of your pets and the services included when I please.” He corrected carefully.

Daijiro chuckles. "Ah, you do not consider the gentlemen who might frequent the club to be part of the menagerie? An interesting notion." He shakes his head slightly. "Please be assured, Ser. I had no intention of putting you to work as a host. I suspect it would be a very niche clientele who might enjoy the sort of affection that you would provide." He then looks up to the servant as their tea arrived. "Ah, thank you", he said gratefully. He let the tea sit for a moment as he continued: "Of course the club has certain rules that would have to be obeyed. Not just by you, of course. By all of our honoured gentlemen."

Lebeaux tilted his head somewhat. “They may be part of the show, yet I would not want to leave any possibility of misunderstanding.” He explained with a serene smile. The last thing he needed was to overindulge in the club and wake up as part of the exhibit due to some nuance of the agreement. “I should assume there would be. Feel free to recite them for me, if you feel it’s necessary.”

Daijiro smiles faintly. "There will be no lewd displays in the lounge. No touching hosts below the waist anywhere, unless they consent to it. No harassing, blackmailing or threatening our staff or customers. And the owners' word is final." He picked up the cup, then, watching the steam spill from it, making his fingertips damp with heat. "Ah. And of course, to become a member of the club, you must choose a host, and convince that host to accept you as 'their' gentleman."

Lebeaux smiled serenely as he took a long sip of his sweet milk tea. He could be sweet and charming when he wanted to. The catch being that several had already seen his more ‘natural’ self. Daijiro himself was all too familiar with his displeasure and likely still had aches in his fingers just thinking about it. The Thavnarian boy he had tormented for a bit of fun. Rashk had been around Golden Fox and the Hingan long enough to be warned off. Perhaps it would be more difficult than he had first imagined. “Of course. There should be no trouble whatsoever.”

@grey-lotus-ffxiv  @guzenmizushobai