inbox

[ludomania]

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Felipe Asztalos, 37

I'm sorry I missed you.

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Comments

[unconscionable]

Well, what I've got is cards, if you'd like to play with me.

[ludomania]

And what would we be playing about?

[unconscionable]

I suppose that depends what I have that you want.

[ludomania]

You could make me another dagger, couldn't you? Or a set of fine dice.

A really nice chamber pot?

[unconscionable]

Bonework, then. As opposed to, you know, bone work. You can bet some of that flour, if you still have it. It turns out you can't actually grind bones to make bread.

[ludomania]

That's all? A bit of flour?

[unconscionable]

I'm not looking to win my fortune, Felipe, I'm just bored and I hate snow.

[ludomania]

[ he needs stakes to get his kicks out of this.]

Where's your sense of fun?

How about a favor? A bit of flour and a favor. It could be anything, any time you choose.

[unconscionable]

All right. We can just play for IOUs using matches or something. I can cash one in for your flour, or you can for my magic.

[ Temporarily inventing currency so they can play cards. ]

[ludomania]

[ IOUs? ]

That sounds better.

Where can I find you?

[unconscionable]

Can I come to you? My room's unavailable.

[ Trying to make it sound like a sock-on-the-door situation rather than the truth: his roommate-turned-relationship is in a mood and John doesn't feel like dealing with it. ]

[ludomania]

I'm here. Come any time.

[unconscionable]

[ John will show up not long after that, with a deck of cards and a pack of matches to stand in as the favours they're playing for, letting himself into Felipe's room. Unlike last time, he's wearing pants; comfortable but stylish clothes courtesy of Lottie's tailoring. ]

Hey.

[ludomania]

Catch.

[ Felipe's sprawled on his bed, leaning his back against the wall. there's a lot of pillows, some of them taken from other rooms. when the door opens, he tosses a small loaf of bread for John. (also stolen.) ]

I like your pants. [ he can tell good tailoring when he sees it. ]

[unconscionable]

[ John catches the bread, fumbles it, catches it again. Comes over to Felipe's nest, and since there's nowhere else to sit, just climbs on the bed. ]

Thanks. Lottie's really talented.

[ He tears the bread in half, deciding to eat a little now. ]

Are you just hoarding food in here?

[ Non-judgemental, mostly. ]

[ludomania]

[ it's definitely a nest. safe and warm. like Felipe himself. John will notice that, now that he's so close. ]

Hm, it's good to be prepared.

[ he shrugs it off as he moves to make space for John and the cards. he's stolen food little by little, from here and there, just enough to keep himself fed. he doesn't like going hungry. ]

Who's in your room? [ asked casually, but he smirks. a helpless gossip. ]

[unconscionable]

[ Prepared for what, Felipe.

It's true that now that he's actually here in the room, his decision to keep a little distance between them seems much less important. Felipe's bed is warm and cozy, the room like a safe haven away from the rest of his problems. ]

House.

[ He eats a little bread - it feels right for Felipe to provide food for him, take care of him like that. ]

Doesn't matter. Way better here. More pillows.

[ He realizes he's getting distracted, sleepy, and digs around in his pockets for the cards. ]

[ludomania]

[ all by himself? that sounds boring and sad. Felipe leans his arm on a pillow, watches John fiddle with his pockets. until now he's seemed kind of distracted, but his eyes come alive when he sees the cards. sharp, focused. ]

You should have brought him with you. I could have beat you both.

[ there's always room for more in this nest, especially if it's someone dear to John. that makes them part of the group. ]

[unconscionable]

Nah, he's in a bit of a mood.

[ John takes the cards out of their holder and starts to shuffle them lazily. ]

This snow's really got people worked up. Besides, maybe I like having just the two of us.

[ Not that he isn't willing to share with House when the occasion calls for it. But he finds right now he wants Felipe's attention, preferably all to himself. ]

[ludomania]

Oh, do you now?

[ that's funny. Felipe smiles at him knowingly. he can tell what's happening here, but he doesn't mind it. he's played this part before. ]

Give me those.

[ John's too slow. he holds up his hand for the cards. ]

[unconscionable]

[ John slides a little closer to hand them over, doesn't move back, momentarily overwhelmed by the urge to press up against Felipe and inhale the scent of him. Instead he finishes eating his bread, watching Felipe shuffle. Takes out the little box of matches and counts out ten for each of them, each a possible favour — bone dice, new knife, or other things. ]

So I was right that you play a bit of cards.

[ Since he shuffles like a pro. ]

What are we playing. Poker? Blackjack? Go Fish?

[ludomania]

[ the cards are practically dancing in his hands. ]

The first one. It reminds me of a game from back home. [ someone here already taught him how to play it. ] When I was younger I served on a ship. Nothing to do there except to pick up bad habits. [ he offers as an explanation and starts dealing the cards. ]

A bit like here, don't you think? [ trapped in the dark with people you don't really know. danger outside. rats? ]

[unconscionable]

I suppose. I've mostly been on space ships rather than the naval sort, but I see your point.

[ Cramped quarters and very little entertainment unless you made your own, though the people on his ships were usually occupied by war. Still, cards were an occasional diversion, usually with a complex deck representing the Nine Houses, the Emperor and his Saints. But he remembers the sort he's picked up here, with Queens and Jacks and Aces.

He lifts his cards, glances at them, puts them down, his strange black eyes giving away nothing. ]

fyi just gonna handwave the card things because idk them

[ludomania]

[ seriously? ]

Spaceships? You'll have to try harder than that to distract me.

[ shit, he really, really wants to know more about those. but it'll have to wait, he can't get into it now. he tries to play it cool, but he's never been good with hiding his emotions, so the corners of his lips definitely do curl. fucking spaceships!!.

he clears his throat, meets his eyes and sets a card on the bed. ]

Tell me, does everyone in your world have eyes like that or are you even more special than I thought?

[unconscionable]

[ John also continues to play poker, the card game of poker, that involves cards. And gambling. He puts forward some matchsticks. Poker! ]

Just me.

[ A cocky little curve of his mouth, meeting Felipe's eyes directly. ]

Been a bit weird being here where people just don't know who I am. Fun, though.