[It's hard to tell what all emotions just swarmed through Astarion's brain like angry bees. Most definitely anger, the one feeling he is most familiar with; a fury not at Taryon but Johnny, and every bit of his vampiric being tells him to attack. But that is, fortunately, tempered by everything else he feels that stuns him. Hurt. Confusion. But also logic, reason, tries to contain the emotions: Taryon had said he hadn't seen him since then. (Had he been lying?) No, Taryon is a terrible liar! (Why did he invite him to his room now?) It's his room, he's allowed to invite whomever he wishes! (He should have told you he was thinking about it!) Should he have??
His expression is mostly slack as he goes through all that, eyes wide as if to match Taryon's. Then the quickest flash of angry brows. Then settling on stoic, but tense. Like a statue trying hard not to shatter.
His hand curls around Taryon's in an effort to ground himself, (and, yes, maybe possessively). Astarion breathes in sharply, then out, and obviously lies:]
[He just wanted to say hello to an acquaintance he hadn't spoken to in months, and instead he's introduced two cats that hate each other despite his wildest hopes that they would get along.
He turns to Astarion, who is clearly lying. He looks at Johnny, glaring. He could let them sit in silence and risk something worse, or he can distract them.
So, he slaps his hand on his knee and attempts to stand, but Astarion is hold his hand too tightly that Tary won't risk breaking their contact. He remains seated.] Now that we've met each other, how about we play a game of cards? Or a board game? We can even bring in Doty if we need a fourth player!
[Johnny Silverhand despises liars. Yes, sure. He had to utter a few white lies to get out of some difficult circumstances, some of which were potentially fatal, but he wasn't a blatant liar like this pale-ass elf. Astarion's fury is practically palpable at this point. It's a lot to process, especially because Taryon doesn't appear to know what to make of it.
Poor guy. Taryon looks like a deer in headlights right now. Johnny can't help but roll his eyes. He's losing his patience with this bullshit and it shows. One part of him wants to scorch earth and lay into the both of them about this whole nonsense, but that would be boring.
So why not make a game of it? A smirk curls onto his lips when Taryon mentions playing cards.]
How about Strip Poker? [He asks with a hint of sarcasm in his tone.] That way we know exactly who's workin' with what.
[He is offended, though maybe not how Johnny was aiming for. He has been naked in front of all sorts of men, so Johnny is absolutely no threat to his modesty nor his beauty. However, his mind went right to how Taryon couldn't even soak in a Jacuzzi bath with Astarion without being anxious and putting on a swimsuit. If this odd, sudden challenge was going to disconcert anyone it would be him.]
With such a childish suggestion you might as well play music so Taryon and I can play musical chairs.
Childish? [He bristles visibly after that little comment. Once again, Johnny is giving this gaudy pale elf another pointed glare.]
So says the bitchy input who's surprised his new boytoy has "friends."
[He gives Astarion one of his best alligator-esque grins before returning his beautiful guitar to its case. To be honest, he is no longer interested in playing for either of them. The mood has faded, and the vibes have been killed.]
[Taryon stiffens at the horrendous idea of Strip Poker.] No, I'm not—
[Games of a sexual nature were not designed for nerdy Roch boys. Though it's not a suggestion he anticipated, Tary can brush it off as a joke made in poor taste. After all, most of Vox Machina could be as bad as Johnny.
But Astarion. Astrion, who had to undress for others' needs and will. With scars on his back that will surely draw questions. Taryon doesn't care about the bad idea, he's worried how this will upset his boyfriend, who does not sound happy at all.
He makes a small noise, a premature attempt to speak. His head swivels between the two men.]
Really, I'm not angry. I don't like either od those ideas, so maybe we can try something else...?
[His eyes widen again as this man calls Taryon a...a boytoy? Oh, his instincts are burning inside of him, but he just calmly, if in a very biting tone, replies:]
I'm sorry, of course we can try something else, since Taryon obviously can have as many friends as he pleases and have them over to play games or listen to music. [He looks at Taryon, an eyebrow raised.] Tell me, my dear, do you have many friends that call you a "boytoy"?
[Johnny is literally dripping with sarcasm at this moment. Astarion's entire demeanor is a red flag. This guy seems as controlling and narcissistic as some of his exes. Johnny avoids relationships like the plague because people always think they own him. It's one of the reasons why Johnny typically avoids having a relationship with others, especially with manipulative fucks like Astarion.
After fighting tooth and nail for his freedom from the military and then the record labels, Johnny isn't about to do it all over again thanks to some clingy fucker with an attitude problem. Fortunately, he doesn't have to worry about that, but Taryon should start thinking for himself.]
That is until you find some way to start a problem because you're jealous.
[He searches his jacket's pockets for a cigarette. These two irritate him so much that he needs to smoke.]
[There are some serious conversations he must have with both of these guys, but that has to wait until they're separated. One of them has to leave first, or Taryon has to tell both of them to leave his room and he'll spend the night alone. Then, he has to figure out how to confront his friends without wishing to be swallowed by the ground.
Like Johnny, he needs something in his mouth to handle all this. He twists the top of the bottle of peach tea and takes a big swig of the subtle, sweet drink.]
...I have be called a pretty boy by my friends. I thinks that's close enough. [A forced grin directed at Astarion. Gods, it feels like he's on the verge of slapping Johnny. When did he get so jealous? He used to think that the only issue was being oblivious to Astarion's flirting back then.]
I'm sorry for...[shit, who should he apologize for?] All this. I thought this would be a fun time to get to know each other, but...
[Putting him on thr spot with no warning ears that he doesn't have hours to prepare a speech. He has no argument that can calm both of them, and now they're arguing about his feelings while he's sitting right there. Maybe not out of malice, this isn't his father planning an arranged marriage purely for financial gain behind his back, but Taryon is being flung back to the not so distant past when his thoughts were irrelevant. He was the heir, a thing to show off to other families like the expensive furniture. Or he was the intruder to an established mercenary group who was both a figure of ire and of entertainment.
He's not someone filling the role of a naive damsel about to be swept away by a rogue. He takes another large gulp of the tea.] You know, you don't have to fight over me. I am literally an adult and I'm fine with dating who I want and having friends over. I think that's normal? Inviting people over? [A side glance at Astarion, then a questioning looking at Johnny. He surely must have had a more normal childhood to better answer this.]
I'm sorry, was I out of line for finding it startling that the guest my boyfriend had over was someone that he fooled around with at a party? [Was he not allowed to have any sort of feeling about that? Yes, he had been eying Johnny when he saw him in the room before he even remembered who he was, but it wasn't as if he had laid in with the cattiness or secretly mouthing death threats to the man behind Taryon's back.
He stands, gathering up his kit.]
If I'm the problem here, I'll take my leave. It's not my home, after all, and far be it for me to dictate myself Taryon's keeper. [He looks at Taryon.] I have no reason not to trust you.
[And it's true, Astarion doesn't. Taryon liesexaggerates his tales, but he isn't, well, he's not like Astarion.]
Boyfriend, this. And boyfriend, that. [Johnny sighs with frustration as he places the cigarette in his mouth. He takes a second to light it before continuing.] I didn't even know you existed.
[Which is rather telling, especially since Taryon seemed to omit that information. That's why Johnny gives the blond such a withering glare. Why the hell didn't he mention Astarion before? Like, what is his angle here? Johnny doesn't like getting dragged into bullshit, unless it's his own creation, so he's a little surprised by this turn of events.
Anyways, back to the drama.]
Also, the term "fooled around" is quite broad in this context. Maybe a few flirty jokes and some kissing—that's it.
[He gives Taryon another menacing look. Yeah, he's pissed. Beyond pissed. It's a miracle that Johnny didn't just pick up his guitar case and smash it into someone's head at this point.]
You didn't even get to first base, choom!
[When Astarion begins to gather his belongings, he blows a puff of smoke into the air. Johnny doesn't care who leaves at this time. He's tired of everyone and everything associated with this "lover's quarrel." Johnny fucked supermodels and celebrities back in the day. He was a literal sex icon in the 2020s. So he already had his fun, so all of this just feels meaningless to him. Taryon is a nice guy and all, but he doesn't even hold a candle to Alt.]
You know what? Fuck you both, I'm out.
[With that said, he gets up and reaches for his guitar case.]
[With each word, Taryon winces. At each farewell, he grits his teeth. He fucked up. He made a horrible mistake. He should have told Johnny right away that his boyfriend might stop by. He should have told Astarion that he was inviting someone over.
But did he have to? Why couldn't they stop sniping at each other? Or technically, they have. They just learned that someone else is to blame.
He stands up, unplugs his music player, tucks it into his drawer, puts away his deck of cards, and plants the bottle onto his nightstand.]
Alright. You two can leave my room. [His voice is not raised, nor is he making himself quiet. It's the gentle tone he uses when he's not trying to brag or impress others.] I can spend the day with Doty.
[Johnny's unimpressed expression suggests that he no longer wants to speak. Fuck, he doesn't want to be around people anymore. However, the change in Astarion's tone, combined with the inquiry, catches him off guard.]
What?
[He places his distinctive sunglasses back on his face. These are his "fuck off" sunglasses. They are pretty stylish.]
No! No, he didnt-- he said you didn't have sex, so...
[His voice peters out as he tries to remember what all was said that night, before Astarion had interrupted Taryon's story. Had his mind, so broken by decades of planning so salaciously, filled in the gaps as if Taryon had said it so directly?]
[Tary is deliberately turning his head to the window and avoiding either of their faces. Did he tell something more serious happened to Astarion? Has his mouth run off with embellishments to make himself more impressive and skilled? He didn't even know he had to hold back, he wasn't even aware of Astarion's feelings.
But Astarion assumed something. Yes, they didn't have sex, but what on earth was he imagining? Taryon turns to check Astarion's expression: unsure, also recalling what was said that night.
Taryon's brown furrows.] What did you think we did?
[He lets out a long-suffering sigh before taking a much-needed drag on his cigarette. This is the longest fucking day of his life. Even longer than the time V decided to help Judy save Clouds hookers from the Tyger Claws and nearly got his head blown off.
This is the pits.]
Welcome to another drama-filled episode of Watson's Whore. I'm your host, Johnny Silverhand.
[Sarcasm aside, Johnny keeps on smoking with a look of genuine fatigue on his face.]
[Taryon isn't sure if he should he angry at Astarion or at himself. This whole thing is a mess. He doesn't respond to his leaving, though he gives Johnny an equally tense at his comment.]
You can leave, too. We'll...I'll talk to you later.
[He holds out a hand towards the door.]
But you really didn't have to call me all those things.
[Honor? Honor. Yeah, whatever. Johnny is so sick of these medieval twinks he could hurl. He waves Astarion off with a cheeky wave before turning his frustration directly towards Taryon.]
How about you try being honest with folks before attempting to act self-righteous, asshole.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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His expression is mostly slack as he goes through all that, eyes wide as if to match Taryon's. Then the quickest flash of angry brows. Then settling on stoic, but tense. Like a statue trying hard not to shatter.
His hand curls around Taryon's in an effort to ground himself, (and, yes, maybe possessively). Astarion breathes in sharply, then out, and obviously lies:]
No.
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He turns to Astarion, who is clearly lying. He looks at Johnny, glaring. He could let them sit in silence and risk something worse, or he can distract them.
So, he slaps his hand on his knee and attempts to stand, but Astarion is hold his hand too tightly that Tary won't risk breaking their contact. He remains seated.] Now that we've met each other, how about we play a game of cards? Or a board game? We can even bring in Doty if we need a fourth player!
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Poor guy. Taryon looks like a deer in headlights right now. Johnny can't help but roll his eyes. He's losing his patience with this bullshit and it shows. One part of him wants to scorch earth and lay into the both of them about this whole nonsense, but that would be boring.
So why not make a game of it? A smirk curls onto his lips when Taryon mentions playing cards.]
How about Strip Poker? [He asks with a hint of sarcasm in his tone.] That way we know exactly who's workin' with what.
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[He is offended, though maybe not how Johnny was aiming for. He has been naked in front of all sorts of men, so Johnny is absolutely no threat to his modesty nor his beauty. However, his mind went right to how Taryon couldn't even soak in a Jacuzzi bath with Astarion without being anxious and putting on a swimsuit. If this odd, sudden challenge was going to disconcert anyone it would be him.]
With such a childish suggestion you might as well play music so Taryon and I can play musical chairs.
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So says the bitchy input who's surprised his new boytoy has "friends."
[He gives Astarion one of his best alligator-esque grins before returning his beautiful guitar to its case. To be honest, he is no longer interested in playing for either of them. The mood has faded, and the vibes have been killed.]
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[Games of a sexual nature were not designed for nerdy Roch boys. Though it's not a suggestion he anticipated, Tary can brush it off as a joke made in poor taste. After all, most of Vox Machina could be as bad as Johnny.
But Astarion. Astrion, who had to undress for others' needs and will. With scars on his back that will surely draw questions. Taryon doesn't care about the bad idea, he's worried how this will upset his boyfriend, who does not sound happy at all.
He makes a small noise, a premature attempt to speak. His head swivels between the two men.]
Really, I'm not angry. I don't like either od those ideas, so maybe we can try something else...?
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I'm sorry, of course we can try something else, since Taryon obviously can have as many friends as he pleases and have them over to play games or listen to music. [He looks at Taryon, an eyebrow raised.] Tell me, my dear, do you have many friends that call you a "boytoy"?
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[Johnny is literally dripping with sarcasm at this moment. Astarion's entire demeanor is a red flag. This guy seems as controlling and narcissistic as some of his exes. Johnny avoids relationships like the plague because people always think they own him. It's one of the reasons why Johnny typically avoids having a relationship with others, especially with manipulative fucks like Astarion.
After fighting tooth and nail for his freedom from the military and then the record labels, Johnny isn't about to do it all over again thanks to some clingy fucker with an attitude problem. Fortunately, he doesn't have to worry about that, but Taryon should start thinking for himself.]
That is until you find some way to start a problem because you're jealous.
[He searches his jacket's pockets for a cigarette. These two irritate him so much that he needs to smoke.]
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Like Johnny, he needs something in his mouth to handle all this. He twists the top of the bottle of peach tea and takes a big swig of the subtle, sweet drink.]
...I have be called a pretty boy by my friends. I thinks that's close enough. [A forced grin directed at Astarion. Gods, it feels like he's on the verge of slapping Johnny. When did he get so jealous? He used to think that the only issue was being oblivious to Astarion's flirting back then.]
I'm sorry for...[shit, who should he apologize for?] All this. I thought this would be a fun time to get to know each other, but...
[Putting him on thr spot with no warning ears that he doesn't have hours to prepare a speech. He has no argument that can calm both of them, and now they're arguing about his feelings while he's sitting right there. Maybe not out of malice, this isn't his father planning an arranged marriage purely for financial gain behind his back, but Taryon is being flung back to the not so distant past when his thoughts were irrelevant. He was the heir, a thing to show off to other families like the expensive furniture. Or he was the intruder to an established mercenary group who was both a figure of ire and of entertainment.
He's not someone filling the role of a naive damsel about to be swept away by a rogue. He takes another large gulp of the tea.] You know, you don't have to fight over me. I am literally an adult and I'm fine with dating who I want and having friends over. I think that's normal? Inviting people over? [A side glance at Astarion, then a questioning looking at Johnny. He surely must have had a more normal childhood to better answer this.]
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He stands, gathering up his kit.]
If I'm the problem here, I'll take my leave. It's not my home, after all, and far be it for me to dictate myself Taryon's keeper. [He looks at Taryon.] I have no reason not to trust you.
[And it's true, Astarion doesn't. Taryon
liesexaggerates his tales, but he isn't, well, he's not like Astarion.]Goodbye.
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[Which is rather telling, especially since Taryon seemed to omit that information. That's why Johnny gives the blond such a withering glare. Why the hell didn't he mention Astarion before? Like, what is his angle here? Johnny doesn't like getting dragged into bullshit, unless it's his own creation, so he's a little surprised by this turn of events.
Anyways, back to the drama.]
Also, the term "fooled around" is quite broad in this context. Maybe a few flirty jokes and some kissing—that's it.
[He gives Taryon another menacing look. Yeah, he's pissed. Beyond pissed. It's a miracle that Johnny didn't just pick up his guitar case and smash it into someone's head at this point.]
You didn't even get to first base, choom!
[When Astarion begins to gather his belongings, he blows a puff of smoke into the air. Johnny doesn't care who leaves at this time. He's tired of everyone and everything associated with this "lover's quarrel." Johnny fucked supermodels and celebrities back in the day. He was a literal sex icon in the 2020s. So he already had his fun, so all of this just feels meaningless to him. Taryon is a nice guy and all, but he doesn't even hold a candle to Alt.]
You know what? Fuck you both, I'm out.
[With that said, he gets up and reaches for his guitar case.]
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But did he have to? Why couldn't they stop sniping at each other? Or technically, they have. They just learned that someone else is to blame.
He stands up, unplugs his music player, tucks it into his drawer, puts away his deck of cards, and plants the bottle onto his nightstand.]
Alright. You two can leave my room. [His voice is not raised, nor is he making himself quiet. It's the gentle tone he uses when he's not trying to brag or impress others.] I can spend the day with Doty.
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[Astarion holds up his arms as if telling everyone to hold still because he heard something.]
All you did was kiss?
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What?
[He places his distinctive sunglasses back on his face. These are his "fuck off" sunglasses. They are pretty stylish.]
He told you something different?
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[His voice peters out as he tries to remember what all was said that night, before Astarion had interrupted Taryon's story. Had his mind, so broken by decades of planning so salaciously, filled in the gaps as if Taryon had said it so directly?]
...so I had assumed...
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[Tary is deliberately turning his head to the window and avoiding either of their faces. Did he tell something more serious happened to Astarion? Has his mouth run off with embellishments to make himself more impressive and skilled? He didn't even know he had to hold back, he wasn't even aware of Astarion's feelings.
But Astarion assumed something. Yes, they didn't have sex, but what on earth was he imagining? Taryon turns to check Astarion's expression: unsure, also recalling what was said that night.
Taryon's brown furrows.] What did you think we did?
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This is the pits.]
Welcome to another drama-filled episode of Watson's Whore. I'm your host, Johnny Silverhand.
[Sarcasm aside, Johnny keeps on smoking with a look of genuine fatigue on his face.]
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It doesn't matter what I thought, does it? I was wrong. Your honor is still intact, Johnny.
[He pauses as he lays his hand on the doorknob, and he glances over his shoulder at Taryon. His face is as flushed as a vampire spawn's can be.]
I'll speak to you later, Taryon.
[And with that, he slips out the door.]
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You can leave, too. We'll...I'll talk to you later.
[He holds out a hand towards the door.]
But you really didn't have to call me all those things.
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How about you try being honest with folks before attempting to act self-righteous, asshole.
[He flips Taryon off as he strolls out.]