Day 265 - Friday, September 12th

[papalobo]

[A Chinese man who is definitely a mature adult and not a teenager checks in to the Hyatt, one of their more exclusive rooms, along with his half-white half brother who is also certainly not a teenager and most definitely not the notorious gang leader wanted on suspicion of a September 11th New York City bombing in retaliation for an angry rogue sect of anti-American zealots.

The entire suite floor has been rented out, and it requires a special key card in the elevator and on the stairs to enter that floor. But they can rent one of the still very luxe rooms directly beneath.

A familiar white limo is in the car garage, though the opportunity to gawk or investigate is slim, between the security cameras and live guards.

There's still no contact from Max, but the Department of Homeland Security has become involved, and has begun to enter Ash's territory with intent to arrest any known figures within his gang to bring in for questioning.]

Day 284, Wednesday, Oct 1st

Comments

[sentimentalstoic]

Thank you for that.

[Ash is certainly not happier out here. Thus, the difference in paintings must mean either they were taken out first by Max who had escaped, or they were taken in as evidence of.... No, it'd have to be quite a stretch, but the police weren't known for being the most prudent sort.]

[jadedlynx]

Not what you thought you were signing up for, huh?

[sentimentalstoic]

I'd planned to do a character performance at the prison tonight, so yes, different than I expected, but I've enjoyed your company just the same.

[jadedlynx]

I don't just mean tonight.

[sentimentalstoic]

Do you think I'm disappointed?

[jadedlynx]

We've had one date and a few phone conversations.

[ He's not sure, but Ash wouldn't blame him if he was. ]

[sentimentalstoic]

Are you disappointed with that?

[jadedlynx]

[ Ash isn't looking in his direction. ]

It feels pretty unfair to you.

[sentimentalstoic]

[He tries not to chuckle, and it doesn't leak into his voice, but Ash can sense the tremble of laughter from his body.]

Then I'll fight for you a little more.

[jadedlynx]

It is a question, not a call to action...

[sentimentalstoic]

Even if you've been busy, the fact that you worry about whether you're satisfying me means you need more assurance from my end. It seems I was a little too respectful of certain boundaries.

[jadedlynx]

You always seem satisfied.

[ Ash's head falls back to lay on the couch. ]

You don't show anything else very often. It's hard to know how often you feel anything else.

[sentimentalstoic]

[A hand casually rests on his thigh, a consoling pat. He doesn't seem to be leading to anything higher or more raunchy than that, taking a casual sip of his brandy once more with the other hand.]

That speaks to how happy you make me.

[jadedlynx]

It's not just toward me.

[ Ash shrugs. If Blanda really is happy with it, he isn't going to push him to be otherwise. ]

But if you're happy with how it's going...

[ He smirks into the glass. ]

I must be a really good date.

[sentimentalstoic]

If I always seem contended with you, even if not towards you, that probably says something about you.

[jadedlynx]

Nobody doubts you're in love with the Chinese princess either, even before the sex tape.

[sentimentalstoic]

Nobody?

[jadedlynx]

Nobody that doesn't know you're actually with me.

[sentimentalstoic]

[Something about that is funny enough that he cannot resist leaning in to kiss the top of his head.]

[jadedlynx]

[ Instead of being endured, he scowls. ]

Have you ever taken a bullet to the head? There's a part of your brain that makes you feel normal emotions.

[sentimentalstoic]

Do you want to see me unhappy?

[jadedlynx]

No.

I'm saying if you are, you don't have to hide it.

[sentimentalstoic]

[Ash is worried about him, worried he's not doing enough to keep things balanced. But at a time like this, isn't it natural to let things be about Ash and his needs? The best way to make him feel a little more balanced is likely to make just a bit of a pest of himself. Not enough to trigger guilt regarding his actual lover (a low bar, if even going to see him, under Blanca's abilities, is not doable), but enough to be a little annoyed, to offset the odd debt he must feel for the sin of relying on another human being. So he'll take another kiss, before slipping an arm around him.]

Thank you.

[jadedlynx]

[ He knows it's likely the low mood that has him questioning this. A nap was nice, but it doesn't erase the past two weeks. ]

Do you watch movies?

[sentimentalstoic]

Not often.

[Overly affectionate stroking of a hand along his arm is probably a little too obvious in now wanting to emphasize that he enjoys just having Ash there, that Ash is under no obligation to do anything to entertain or please him while he's here.]