penpoint | noct inbox

I'm willing to answer three of your questions truthfully in exchange for fifteen minutes of Synchrony.

This offer expires in five minutes.

I think that sounds like a fair arrangement. Allow me to ask one question before Synchrony, and I can ask the others after.

Cutting it awfully close, aren't you?

What type of Synchrony do you prefer?

I had to think about it.

[ we all know he did not, in fact, think about it; what he didn't think about was that he'd have to consider the type of synchrony ]

Honestly, I'd prefer to earn a decent amount of Manna quickly. Simple things like holding hands isn't going to cut it.

Unfortunately, that level of production only comes with a legitimate emotional connection. It can't be falsified.

I've tried.

I guess that means Synchrony will have to happen more often.

[ And it's not that he can fake caring about someone anyway, so this was going to be the case for him regardless. ]

I don't think I've given you my information as to where I'm staying. I'll let you in. Since I'm trusting you to thoroughly answer my questions, I won't short-change you on Synchrony, either.

Then we understand each other.

...You said you wanted your first question up front?

Naturally.

I do. But you can answer when you're here, or on the way here.

The question was: were you ever clearly given information as why you were forced into a locked room mystery?

...

You realize that you're asking a question I can reasonably answer with nothing more than a yes or a no.

I want to be clear about your intention, so there's no ambiguity about whether I've fulfilled the terms of our arrangement. You're only asking me to confirm or deny?

Yes, I am. It impacts my line of questioning.

Edited (wow, grammar ) 2021-02-11 05:31 (UTC)

Then my answer is yes.

Then I expect I'll see you soon.

[She doesn't answer, of course. She simply lets the message go to Read status and leaves it alone, and follows the directions he's afforded her to make her way to his residence. Despite the fact that she's making arrangements to meet and presumably attempt Synchrony with someone whose face she's actually never even seen, she's not particularly worried. Truth be told, she's not even putting that much stock in the notion that it's going to work at all, to begin with.

But an attempt has to be made, sooner or later, and so much the better that it be with someone who can, if nothing else, be trusted to be mercenary. That's safer than someone full of soft words and gentle glances. Better a business transaction that benefits both of them than...risking something else.

So she arrives, with her collar turned up and her boots cuffed at her knees, and raps on the door with one gloved hand while she waits to be admitted.]

[ Since he's expecting her, he doesn't let her wait outside his door for long. Just a second or two. It's interesting, meeting someone for Synchrony that he'd never met. But she has said a few things to him that seem interesting, and that mattered more to him that anything.

Synchrony and information. Synchrony, which he needs to buy art supplies, and information to create the artwork he likes. He considers how he'll speak with her. He likes that there's no misconceptions about what he has to offer her.

He opens the door and steps back to let her in. ]

You're fast.

[ Fast enough, at least. They didn't have a scheduled meeting time, but she wasted no a second getting here. He liked that. It was important to be diligent about business. ]

I don't make it a point of waiting until thirty seconds before an offer expires.

[She visibly looks him over once he answers the door — there's no point in hiding it, since he should be expecting her to size him up, and she fully believes he'll be doing the same as soon as he gets a glimpse of her. A little taller than her, but not enough to tower, that's good. Fit; he's proud of his musculature about the abdomen, if he's so willing to show it off. Long-fingered hands, fitting of an artist. They look fine and deft.

He's not...unattractive. Still, objective observation alone isn't enough to produce Synchrony; there has to be some form of emotional rapport, too. She half wonders how he expects to pull it off.]

How do you intend to go about this?

I like to seriously consider something before I decide.

[ As if he isn't always making reckless and stupid decisions. The reality is - he's still figuring out Synchrony. He's barely good at liking people he actually cares about, someone he has no connection to - he's not going to be able to fake it. He's done just well enough to maintain, but that's it. And he knows that if they want a halfway decent production, they're going to have to do better than holding hands.

He doesn't seem to mind being looked over. He's doing the same. After all - if they are making one arrangement like this, it would possibly be something they'd be doing in the future. It would be good to have reliable people who don't need him to care on a deeper level. He reaches to hook a finger into the collar of her shirt leaning towards her. ]

Why don't we see if me kissing you produces any Manna first. I have a feeling anything less than that will be negligible.

It won't.

[Although — the way he takes hold of her so effortlessly, like he's entitled to do it, makes a thread of memory stir inside her. It's hard to say whether it's a positive feeling or a negative one, but it's — it's something. It's something that connects, or at least has the potential to. She has no particularly strong feelings about him either way, but she does have opinions about the person he reminds her of.

And maybe...

Maybe that will help. Maybe that memory, that association, will be the bridge needed to create the foundation of a connection here. Maybe projection is the first step to crossing the chasm at all.]

Synchrony won't begin if I'm nothing to you.

[And yet she lets him draw her in, thinking idly of spiders and flies.]

You have to want something.

But I do want something.

[ It's not that he strictly wants her, though. He wants what she has to offer him, he wants her for how she is valuable to him. Her stories, her life experience, the Synchrony itself is also valuable. He also thinks she's going to be a bit of fun. He doesn't have to care deeply about someone to not want something from them, right? ]

You wouldn't be here if I didn't.

[ But the experience is locked behind the door of needing to actually perform Synchrony. Do it successfully. ]

You're not nothing.

[ She's so, so much more than that. He hovers in close, lingers to her. Should he whisper sweet nothings? That's not really how he works. But if he has to -- he absolutely will. He doesn't think she wants it either, though. ]

That's nice of you.

[She doesn't mean to...mean that, honestly, but to her surprise, she actually sort of does. You're not nothing is the sort of phrase that you say offhand, and mean it in a very casual and obvious sort of way, except that then if left alone it sinks deeper and deeper until it means something much more powerful than it was ever intended to.

Maybe it's because of that, that she decides to save him the trouble of debating. He's close enough that it isn't much trouble to lift her chin and tip her head a little to one side. Her mouth fits surprisingly well against his. It's softer than she'd thought it would be.]

[ Huh. Nice? It was simply honesty, which is why it's so odd to him that she points it out. He assumed that she had already knew something like that. People, inherently, have value to him. Though it is usually in what they can offer him for his stories. If that's all it takes to connect, then its not as hard as she made it seem for him.

He doesn't dislike the kiss. There's a softness to her touch that surprises him a little bit, though. She just seemed a bit...rough around the edges. He doesn't mind of course, not that he thinks he would have minded either way.

He doesn't consider the possibility that the words had any impact. She had to have had something in mind. She doesn't seem to be the type swayed by pretty words. But they don't know each other very well, so it's hard to say. Regardless, he can feel that soft, warm feeling of Synchrony. It starts small, but it's there. Focus.

His finger in her collar relaxes and his hand shifts up to rest on her cheek. It's all an experiment, really. See what works, and what doesn't. Will this help them form a greater connection through Synchrony simply by increasing contact between the two of them? He guesses he'll find out.

He's eager to deepen the kiss, just a bit more. After all, if it's fifteen minutes, it should at least be a little bit fun, right? He presses his tongue to her lips, not waiting to make the silent request. ]

[They're both curious, aren't they? And maybe that will be enough of a connection, the two of them mutually committed to this pursuit, not because of affection but because they're working together toward a shared goal. It's fine to feel her heart rate skip up a bit in pace; that's only natural from the reduction in oxygen and her body's other physiological responses. She's comfortable enough with it that she doesn't have to wallow in denial or try to shelter behind sterile justification of pure objectivity; being kissed creates sensation, and it'd be ridiculous to try to deny that rather than simply embracing and moderating it as-is.

She would like this better, she decides vaguely, if there were a wall behind her, so she reaches for a fistful of his shirt and draws him blindly back with her until she feels her shoulderblades hit a vertical surface. It's better to not feel as though her back is exposed while she's distracted, and even if it comes with the sensation of being a little trapped, that's not an issue. She could break his hold on her easily, if he tried to keep her here against her will.

The only other adjustment she makes is to his hand, taking it by the wrist and moving it from her cheek to the juncture beneath her neck and shoulder, but pushing his fingers beneath the layer of her jacket rather than over. The weight of his hand can be felt more intensely when it's just the thinner barrier of her shirt between it and skin; it's a touch less innocent, and she likes it better that way, too.

Beyond that, though, it's easy to surrender a little. Easy to open her mouth when his tongue drags across her lip. Easy to keep her eyes closed and focus on the growing Synchrony between them, and simply take stock of what happens.]

[ She has things he wants to know, and its plenty to keep him interested in her for awhile. Especially if they turn his gain of knowledge and their exchanges in Synchrony into something like this. Something-for-something. She's no fool. She knows what she has is valuable to him, and she doesn't give him it without him offering a little something.

Then, there's other things he learns from her, simply because of Synchrony. They aren't about her, but rather this place. It's not like he's engaged in Synchrony with many people since he arrived (though he notes, it wouldn't be a bad idea even if only to see how it differs). That smallest bit of want there - even on the most basic feeling of curiosity - is enough.

Her tug is easy to follow, so he falls into step with her because he doesn't mind being led along here. Falling into line is easy when you're enjoying yourself.

His hand finds its place easily, thumb brushing over the flesh on her neck before he settles in. Just a moment to tease her. It's rare for him to have people this close to him. His tongue moves past her lips, interested to explore.

His free hand shifts, fingers tracing over her throat. The touches are light and soft. As if he's trying to get a feel for how she'll react to him with his hands on her skin. ]

[This is the first time a boy has put his tongue in her mouth. It's the first time anyone has, frankly, but she's not going to dwell on that. It's...odd, a little, but she would've hated it more if he'd done it without the implicit request first. She'd known what was coming, even if she hadn't been altogether prepared for the actual sensation.

It's a little frustrating that she doesn't know what to do, besides just...letting him kiss her. There's only so much one can pick up from media, and she doesn't have experience to draw on to guide her through what she likes and what she doesn't. Maybe she's supposed to be passive and let him do as he pleases, but it's hard to imagine someone like him being satisfied with that. The last thing she wants is to put him off by acting like a cold fish or a useless ingenue.

Still, there are her hands. One is still on his chest. Maybe — maybe, she considers, and then doesn't finish the thought before simply moving her gloved hand across the plane of his chest, feeling him out. There's muscle beneath his baggy clothing; that's a bit of a surprise. Maybe it feels good for him, if she moves her fingers like that; it's sending little shudders down her own spine, the way his hand keeps grazing her body where she's sensitive.

What could happen, she wonders? What will he look like, if she tries to make him shiver, too? Maybe there's a way. She'll have to touch him to find out.]

[ She's engaged, he notices. Which is good. If she hadn't been, he definitely would have lost interest fast. People who are interested are far more interesting. And it isn't that he has much experience, limited to a couple quick engagements for the sake of experience, really. So rather than drawing on what he has limited knowledge of, he draws on his desire to experience things. He doesn't need to know exactly what to do, he just needs to know what he wants. It's how he's always worked.

Right now, he wants to see how she reacts to touch, what she'll allow of him, what he can press, what he can test.

She seems to be doing the same, and he appreciates that she wants to explore. They're alike like that, aren't they? There's a soft, pleased sound that escapes when her hand moves over his chest. He clearly enjoys the additional contact, and even the brief increase in Manna between the two of them isn't needed to notice.

He does notice she's enjoyed those touches, light and intentional. So, he'll give her more, tracing his thumb over her jawline. His hand, positioned under her jacket, doesn't move much but his fingers wonder. They explore what's within reach right now, what he can feel through the thin fabric of her shirt.

He considers what parts of her he wants to explore next while his hand keeps busy. ]

[It's like — it's like a massage, sort of, but more possessive. That's the best way she can think of to describe it, how he's keeping his hands fairly stationary but still going out of his way to make the way he's touching her emphatic. There's plenty to catalogue and consider, but in the moment and for later — liking this, not caring for that, having no preference whatsoever about something else that on its face she might've thought she'd have a stronger opinion about. The holding is nice. The fact that the way he touches her seems to be more for her benefit than for his — that, she approves of.

And it gives her ideas. Lends guidance, about what she might try herself. She finds she likes his deft, long-fingered hands, so having them on her is exciting. She ought to figure out what he likes about her in return, and do more of it.

His face, she decides eventually. He's proud and confident and keeps himself clean-shaven, without razor burn or blemishes that might suggest a lack of care for his skin. Doubtful he ever lets anyone touch his face. She wouldn't, outside of a moment like this. Such a thing would be far, far too intimate.

So, carefully, she brings her fingers up and runs just the very tips of them around the shell of his ear, down to where the lobe comes close to his jaw, and strokes them down at a languid pace toward his chin. It's not quite to the point of holding his cheek in her hand, but the suggestion of it is there, and she keeps her touches so light as to be barely suggestions — tempting him, taunting him, waiting to gauge how he'll react.]

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