just gotta ignite the light and let it shine

[whattaprick]

Who: Everyone who's stupid enough to show up for this, because legal drinking ages are for people from a different century/planet.
When: Afternoon/Evening, Day 30
Where: Lakeshore
What: Local Carnival workers get wasted and set off fireworks by the lake.
Warnings: Carnival shenanigans, ie. booze, drugs, and people getting set on fire probably. Put any tag-specific warnings in your headers!

So, Wismuth happened.

Lambert's pretty willing to bet a good chunk of the Carnival is pretty happy to act like Wismuth didn't happen, but he also doesn't really care about what sorrows people are drowning or not tonight: he knows he needed this drink, and after he'd slept off the immediate exhaustion that came with running around Wismuth for nearly two weeks with the power of Creation more or less constantly burning through him, he's ready to something, anything to feel like himself again.

Fast-forward to the lakeshore. There's a huge bonfire going, a box of assorted fireworks that's been 'liberated' from wherever the hell engineering keeps their supplies, and probably a crate of wine that's going to disappear sooner rather than later. Anything else, someone's going to have to bring themselves.

[ ooc: This is a mingle log! Bring your own entertainment, food, questionable substances etc. ]

Comments

[whattaprick]

"According to the Ringmaster, you'll come out naked," Lambert informs him, not at all bothering to hide his shitty, shitty amusement at the idea. He knows that's not what Childermass means, but considering what he missed out on, he's duty-bound to inform him.

"Hearing that sure put Strange off the idea of dying."

[atouts]

Okay, that garners a smirk.

"Did it?" Childermass doesn't quite laugh but he does sound amused. "You would think he'd be more focused on having just come back to life..." That has to be quite a hefty bit of magic but, no, Strange doesn't want to be naked. "You, on the other hand, are like to stroll back to your trailer without asking for pants first."

[whattaprick]

"Why walk when I could just ask you to give me a ride to yours?" he asks, brows raised. It's a bit bold, and though he's smirking, he's also watching Childermass's expression, gauging how he takes this.

"There have to be some perks to being your kept man."

[atouts]

"Because last I checked, I don't keep your pants in my trailer," is the answer he gets. It's said in good enough humor, since he's well aware what Lambert is really getting at with that, but he just plays obtuse and raises his eyebrows right back at him.

"Or is that your way of trying to expand your closet space?"

[whattaprick]

"You already keep stealing my things," Lambert points out. Admittedly, it's mostly his shiny things, but the point stands. They both know neither of them really own a wide enough variety of clothing to fill even half a closet, let alone spill over into two.

"Besides, who said I'd need pants?"

[atouts]

"Someone who doesn't mind taking his time getting them back off of you," Childermass says, reaching back over towards Lambert and holding his hand out for the cigarette that the witcher has, thus far, forgotten about.

[whattaprick]

"Is that so?" Lambert laughs, warm and easy, and passes the cigarette over willingly enough. If Childermass wants the nicotine that badly, he can keep it; the witcher has better things to do with his hands.

And his tail. Side by side and leaning against the fence as they are, it's entirely trivial for it to slide companionably around the magician, not quite dragging him to the witcher, but the idea's there.

"Well, you don't have to wait for a special occasion for that."

[atouts]

As comfortable as it has been up until now, the tail coming up around him does have Childermass tensing up, albeit for only a short time. They're apart from the rest but not so far removed that he can ignore it. There's a furtive look given that direction, but inevitably...

Well, inevitably he just takes another drag from that damn cigarette and relaxes again, doing his best to put his usual preference for privacy away for now.

"Oh, I know," he says eventually, once he's pulled the cigarette away from his lips. The magician glances back, away from the lake. "Don't actually need to put much work into, either, knowing you."

[whattaprick]

And as close as they are, it's impossible to miss the way Childermass tenses, if briefly, or where his gaze falls. Sober, it would make Lambert frown; drunk, he just gives Childermass a frank, appraising look, head cocked slightly. He's still smiling, though there's something a touch wistful about it.

"All you'd have to do is ask." It's easier for him to say that, being mildly intoxicated, and also, having already gone the embarrassment of awkwardly pouring his heart out in front of a captive audience. Childermass can't say the same, though, and that's why he squeezes him lightly with his tail, once, then starts to slip it away.

[atouts]

It doesn't get far, though. Childermass reaches down to catch it before it does.

"It's fine," he says quietly, hanging onto the tail a little longer before letting go, leaving Lambert to decide what to do with it from there. "Though it sounds to me like you're fishing for me to ask."

You're drunk, witcher. Drunk and obvious.

[whattaprick]

A moment of consideration, and the tail resumes its former position, a little more snugly this time. If he isn't being shooed away, he won't second guess it, though the magician's next words make him grin broadly.

"And so what if I am?" he asks, mockingly. "Seems to me I do the asking often enough. Maybe I'd like to see what it's like the other way 'round, for a change."

He bats his eyes at the magician, placing a hand over his own chest and feigning a swoon. "Go on then, Master Childermass, seduce me."

[atouts]

Seduce him? Really? Childermas makes a quiet, amused sound, taking another drag off the cigarette and making a show of putting some real thought into that challenge. Not as exaggerated as what Lambert it up to, mind, but he can't help the general air of stoicism around him. It's just how he always is.

And that still comes through in what he says next, unsurprisingly, even if it is in good humor, just muted good humor. He takes the cigarette away again and asks oh-so-seriously, "Care to go back to my place and fuck?"

Yeah, it's crass and absolutely not even an attempt at seduction, but consider the audience. If Lambert gets a kick out of it, that's all that actually matters.

[whattaprick]

The ploy is effective, to no one's surprise, because Lambert has the humor of a teenager. He shakes as he laughs and doesn't bother to hide it, because that's no doubt the intended effect, but when that dies down he turns his head to bring his mouth against Childermass's ear, feigning disappointment.

"You really think I'm that easy?" They both know he is, in fact, exactly that easy, and it's not like Lambert didn't enjoy hearing that, if the way his tail squeezes around Childermass is any indication. Right now, though, it suits him just fine to keep playing at being hard to get.

"You'll have to try harder than that if you want me to give up my virtue," he says, primly.

[atouts]

"Lambert, you don't have any of that."

Which is stating the obvious because, yes, they both already know that, but alright. Childermass will try to play along, even if it is a little pointless. This all ends the same way anyhow (what an unromantic train of thought but come on, look at who it is). He won't do so without rolling his eyes and tapping the ash off the end of the cigarette as he considers what else to say...

In the end, he turns, leaning back some so Lambert's nose isn't right in his eye or something, and tries again with, "I've yet to thank you for rescuing me, Witcher. It's something I'd like to do, at length, in private." He tries to make the last part at least sound suggestive, just a little, and then raises an eyebrow. "Surely you have a moment to spare..."

[whattaprick]

Childermass could show up in a burlap sack and it would end the same way (an incredibly romantic train of thought, as far as Lambert’s concerned. His eyes crinkle at the corners as Childermass makes more of an effort, though that won’t save him from any ribbing.

“That’s more like it,” he says approvingly, grinning broad and slow. “Suggestive, but not vulgar. I suppose when you put it like that, slaying the next monster can wait.”

He steps away from the fence, but only as far as he needs to in order to turn so they’re face to face, a hand’s span between them while his tail slides along to stay as much around Childermass as it can, with the motion, and his hands come to rest so they’re resting lightly to either side of him.

[atouts]

"You would critique a proposition," Childermass says back with a faint snort, though he at least refrains from rolling his eyes over it this time. With Lambert turning to face him like that, he can only assume that, yes, it's a success, which means they aren't sticking around long enough for anyone else to decide they suddenly need to drop by Pig's paddock and say hello.

While he can't use his own shadow to get them out of there, Lambert's is free game. All it takes is one step closer to get a foot on it and then, they're gone.