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

[jadedlynx]

I trust the guys I have over those bases, but that door was even locked to Max.

[ So, that was the right call. Ash didn't want other people to see them. They were meant to hopefully get out feelings that can't be expressed with words before they're expressed in nightmares.

Good call, Max.

Ash slides into a seat. Busy day or not, he can sit for breakfast.

... And he doesn't want to jump into it yet. That won't change later, but ten more minutes won't hurt. ]

[sentimentalstoic]

I'll have to earn your forgiveness for seeing, it seems.

[Setting the toast points and caviar in front of him, Blanca turns to begin making a turmeric Turkish, as a digestive morning drink, as well as to have his back turned to allow Ash some privacy to collect his thoughts for the day.

Asher keeps trying to jump on the counter, only to be calmly placed back on the floor each time.]

[jadedlynx]

Better you than them. All they needed was more ammo.

[ Around the third time, Ash sends a look as if asking if Asher's crush is still in place.

He's a cat, he doesn't really expect to be understood, but it's still amusing. ]

[sentimentalstoic]

[Seeing that look, Asher seems ready to leave Blanca's side to trot over to Ash and try to hop up on the counter next to him instead. He'll come annoy Ash, for being so cheeky.]

Your feelings don't exist to hurt you. Nor should your expression of them be punished, anymore.

[jadedlynx]

[ Oh? He remembers he exists now? ]

That's a heavy topic to have over breakfast.

[ His eyes stay on Asher. ]

That might not be why they exist, but you know that's how assholes use them. The humiliation is almost as hot for them as sticking it in.

[sentimentalstoic]

[Gonna try to steal off Ash's plate, though.]

Three months ago, I'd have cautioned you to flush such sensitivities, even if it would be a shame for the art world. All the more as you have no intent to ever share them, even anonymously.

[jadedlynx]

Sensitivities, huh? When you say it, it sounds like I'm allergic to grass.

I should've burnt them after. But they'd be there even if I didn't paint anything. The difference is I wouldn't have used an outlet.

[sentimentalstoic]

There's a reason you didn't burn them. You're not someone so impractical as to only lock them up rather than destroy them, if it was all the same to you.

[jadedlynx]

They weren't finished.

[ Some were so abstract that a finish was hard to pinpoint. Some seemed did seem to be finished. ]

[sentimentalstoic]

Have you destroyed any yet?

[jadedlynx]

Yeah. There's a firepit off to the side. I use it when something feels finished.

[sentimentalstoic]

[Wordlessly, he sets a warm, thick Turkish tmeric coffee with the texture of a creamy milk in front of him. He will pour himself a cup of that, while he's at it.

Asher tries to eat Ash's caviar from his toast.]

[jadedlynx]

[ If it's Blanca, this is real caviar so it's just as safe in very small amounts as it is for humans. After taking a bite of his own, he breaks off a very small piece for Asher. ]

Only bite. I'm not having everybody in the house at risk of too much sodium.

[ But with Asher getting a small bite, Kuro needs the same. ]

[sentimentalstoic]

[He does, and he is nuzzling Ash's feet on the floor to remind him.

Blanca doesn't remark on Ash talking to cats.]

[jadedlynx]

[ The bigger issue would be for the cats to talk back.

Kuro gets a special seat in Ash's lap. More than the food, his focus is on the coffee. ]

[sentimentalstoic]

[Despite having previously attempted to make himself scarce, out of things to make, Blanca does sit down to dine with him, keeping quiet to let Ash think, if he wishes.]

[jadedlynx]

[ It's not as if he can turn off his brain, but his thoughts are background. Ash has already planned the day ahead of him so there's no need to spend what time he has this morning thinking the same kind of thoughts. But, he is quiet. Neither man believes in the need to fill the silence, especially when the silence is comfortable.

He owes Max for hiding the paintings. That much is a small relief but a relief all the same.

Which makes the meal go by relatively fast. He stands to take the dish to the sink. ]

Asher likes you.

[sentimentalstoic]

Are you sure? He may just be a friendly cat.

[jadedlynx]

He puts up with me to live here, and he tortures Max to pass the time. I'm sure. Maybe he hopes you'll kill Max for him.

[sentimentalstoic]

I doubt he can afford that.

[jadedlynx]

Don't tell him, or it might break his heart. Ice shatters more easily.

[ In spite of saying this, he runs a hand along Asher's back. ]

[sentimentalstoic]

[Asher allows Ash to touch him.]

He's you in cat form, is he?

[jadedlynx]

[ How blessed. ]

I make my own money. He freeloads.

[sentimentalstoic]

I have my doubts you could afford for me to kill him, either.

[jadedlynx]

I'm not going to ask your going rate for killing my boyfriend, but it's good that it's so high.