TRP: Abel and Gwydion (Gambling)

**Lina:**

 [SETTING: The Pinch O' Salt gambling house.]

It had been a while since Abel indulged in gambling. Mostly
he came here because he remembered they served some of the finest barrel-aged
whisky he'd tasted in Skyport, and for a reasonable price too. He ordered his
drink at the bar, then took a seat as a spectator at once of the dice tables.
He'd start by just watching, then see whether or not the urge to join the game struck
him.

**Mink:**

 It was crowded like it usually was, but Gwydion gave little
thought to the people he walked around. He needed a drink or two, and maybe
something more.He hadn't been to
the gambling den in awhile and it seemed like it would suit his needs just
fine.

It was hopefully far enough --

A familiar head dragged him from his thoughts. It was almost
funny to bump into Abel into here, of all places.

He stepped past the people to slide onto a chair beside
Abel. "It's more fun if you play."

**Lina:**

 Abel glanced at Gwydion, surprised. Oh. Well, not the
company he would have chosen for himself, but it probably wasn't a bad idea to
get to know one's new housemate better. Even if there was something unsettling
about said housemate.

He felt like he shouldn't stare at Gwydion directly for too
long. He turned his attention back to the game. "Cheaper if you
don't."

**Mink:**

 "Good thing there are always ways to get more
coin." Gwydion flashed Abel a smile before he looked to the dealer to have
a cup and three die passed to him.He
also inclined his head towards Abel to have the dealer slide him a set as well.
"My treat."

**Lina:**

 Abel shrugged and scooted himself closer to the table. When
the next round began, he sipped his drink and let Gwydion pay his ante of one
copper. They and the other three players cupped their dice, shook, and checked
the results.

A one, two, and a four for Abel. He scooped his dice back
into the cup and turned it upright on the table, folding. Then he sat back with
his arms crossed to watch and see what sort of gambler Gwydion was.

**Mink:**

 The dice rolled and were caught. Gwydion glanced at his and
covered once more. He was aware he was being watched as he placed his bet, a
decent amount though nothing to write home about.

"You can burn a hole in someone's head like that,"
he commented with a soft laugh as the dice were finally revealed. His dice
weren't quite as high as another player's. He popped the dice back into the
cup; he could try again later.

The elf tapped his fingers lightly on his staff. "I
need a drink. How about yourself?"

**Lina:**

 Abel tapped a finger on his empty glass, considering. It was
damn fine whisky. "Sure." He got up to head for the bar and tilted
his head that direction, inviting Gwydion to follow him. "Are you a whisky
drinker? I recommend the twelve-year. The fifteen's a bit cloying for my
tastes."

**Mink:**

 Oh, a tiefling after his heart. Gwydion slipped off the
chair to follow Abel to the bar and he ordered the recommended drink.
"Come by whiskey often in your...travels?" he asked once he had
received his drink, spinning it lightly on the table. He took a swallow. Not
bad.

**Lina:**

 "Not nearly often enough. The amount of garbage wine
I've made myself swallow just to get drunk on occasion." Abel smiled
faintly and shook his head. "That makes it all the more rewarding to find
a gem like this. Do you come here often?"

**Mink:**

 "No, but I was in the mood for...pleasant company,"
Gwydion answered with a smile.And
it looked like he had found it, for the time. "You? I'm beginning to think
this is your second home."

**Lina:**

 Huh. Maybe Abel had misjudged this guy. The obsession with
corpses was a little weird, but Abel had seen worse. He relaxed into his seat,
leaning one elbow on the bar. "Still getting used to Skyport again, after
my time away. This is just a place I know I can rely on for a good drink."

**Mink:**

 "Good drinks always help, and good company."
Gwydion tipped a wink at Abel before taking another drink. He was going to need
another shortly. "How long were you gone?"

**Lina:**

 "About a year. Staying at the Sanctuary with my
sister." Abel sipped his drink and studied the wall at the back of the
bar, which had suddenly become fascinating.

**Mink:**

 "You have another sister?"

**Lina:**

 Abel arched an eyebrow. "I do. But I was referring to
the one you've already met. She was living at the Sanctuary of Eldath."

**Mink:**

 "Huh." That was something he didn't know.
"Isn't your family full of surprises." He chuckled and finished his
drink, tapping the glass to have it refilled. He glanced towards Abel's to see
if it need refilled as well. "How many siblings do you have?"

**Lina:**

 "Four. Two brothers, two sisters. I'm the oldest. Yourself?"

**Mink:**

 "None." Once his glass was refilled, he took a
drink, surveying Abel over the rim before he set the glass down. "Is one
locked away?"

**Lina:**

 Abel considered the question, then frowned slightly.
"Why do you ask?"

**Mink:**

 "You asked me about a spell the other night."

**Lina:**

 That kind of locked away. For a moment Abel had wondered if
Gwydion knew something he didn't, if Gabriel had finally landed himself in
prison and even Mother couldn't do anything to help him.

But no. Gwydion had something else in mind entirely. Abel
tried not to let it fluster him.

"No." He shifted on his stool so he was no longer
facing Gwydion head-on. "No, that was unrelated."

**Mink:**

 He had brushed against something with his answer, but
Gwydion couldn't be certain what. He watched Abel turn away before he leaned
lightly against the counter. "Unrelated to your family or do you just want
to learn something new?"

**Lina:**

 Abel tried to think of a suitable way to answer. One that
wouldn't invite more questions. He paused to take a drink, first. "Heard a
wizard once bragging he could trap people's souls in a cage. I thought it
sounded like bullshit, but I never forgot it. Always had it niggling at the
back of my mind."

**Mink:**

 Gwydion doubted the story. It may not have all been all a
lie, but..."Do you remember the wizard?"

**Lina:**

 Abel shrugged. "Some magic showman at a carnival. A
charlatan, for all I know."

**Mink:**

 Abel didn't let up and Gwydion had to take a drink to stop
from clenching his jaw. "Shame." A smile pulled at his lips.
"Are you sure you aren't interested in something new?"

**Lina:**

 Abel drummed his nails on the bar. He eyed Gwydion for a moment.
"Maybe I am. What is it you have to offer?"

**Mink:**

 Gwydion propped his arm on the counter and rested his head
on his hand. "Anything you can dream of," he answered, his smile
widening.At least there was some
promise to scraping together this evening now. They had wandered into dangerous
grounds only to pull back.

**Lina:**

 "Mm." Abel focused his attention on his whisky.
Damn, it was like the other day with that tiefling girl, all over again.
Feeling a spark of interest, then having it squashed out. He pondered forcing
himself to pursue it anyway, to see if he could make it ignite.

He lost track of how long he'd been sitting there in
silence. "What do you think of the whisky?" he asked, just for
something to say.

**Mink:**

 Gwydion let the silence fall, nursing his drink as he sat up
fully. His gaze wandered along the bar, the bartender, and Abel. The tiefling's
was weighed down by something, but prying....well, that could end badly.

"Not bad." He smiled. "If you want truly good
whiskey you need to go north." He finished off his second - third? -
glass.He declined a forth as he
turned in his seat to face out towards the room. He rested back against the
counter, his elbows resting on it. "What are your plans for the rest of
this evening?"

**Lina:**

 Abel forced himself to turn back to Gwydion. What the hell,
the night was young. He'd make himself have some fun, one way or another.
"I was planning to just finish my drink and head home. But you sound like
you might have something else in mind."

**Mink:**

 Gwydion tapped his nails on the edge of the counter. "I
have several things in mind." He shifted his position to better face Abel,
eyes flickering over the tiefling. "But they might cost you."

**Lina:**

 "What is that supposed to mean?" Abel asked
coolly.

**Mink:**

 "Not a thing. All I meant was one kiss and we can get
this night started." Gwydion arched an eyebrow. "Did you think I
meant something else?"

**Lina:**

 Abel felt the heat rush to his face. Yes, indeed, he'd
thought Gwydion meant something else. "One kiss, and then what?"

**Mink:**

 Oh...Abel blushed. It was hard to tell with some tieflings,
but there were always ways to tell. "And then we'll see what comes
next."

**Lina:**

 "You're a poor salesman, Gwydion. Come on. Talk it
up." Abel faced away from the bar, leaning against it casually, and
polished off his drink.

**Mink:**

 "You don't like surprises?" Gwydion let out a soft
sigh before he leaned in closer to Abel, resting one hand on the counter behind
Abel's back.He often preferred
taking it slow, teasing out the kisses with promises of what could come, but
Abel, as he said, was a hard sale.

"If you really must know..." He dipped his voice
low to whisper within Abel's ear. "...afterwards I had hoped to take you
upstairs..." Most certainly not back to Azriel's, not with Abel's family
running around. "...and see if that blush extends all of the way
down..." He danced his fingertips up along Abel's thigh as he spoke the
words before he slid his palm inwards, stopping just shy of the tiefling's groin.

**Lina:**

 Abel smiled, took Gwydion by the wrist, and removed
Gwydion's hand from his leg. "You don't leave much to the imagination, do
you?"

And he certainly wasn't making things difficult, either. If
Abel wanted to, he could get laid tonight, easy as that. So, did he want to?
That was the question. Well, that and did he want to with Gwydion, which...
well, Gwydion was an attractive man. Abel'd had worse. He'd also had better.

**Mink:**

 Gwydion didn't pull back as his wrist was gripped, letting
Abel continue to hold it if he wanted. "You must have had a very
disappointing life if you believe that is all someone can imagine," he
said with a smile.

**Lina:**

 Abel pushed Gwydion's wrist away. He peered into his whisky
glass, tilting it back and forth and watching the last dribble of liquid slide
around. He spoke in a low voice. "I don't want to start any rumors. Go pay
for the room. Come back and tell me the number. We go up separately."

**Mink:**

 He could work with that. Gwydion grabbed up his staff he had
resting nearby to do just as he was requested to do. "231," he said
softly once he reached Abel once more. He ordered a drink to go before
departing for the room.

Now, this was different. Waiting for someone in a room
instead of being the one to meet someone there. He rested his staff on the wall
far from the door and swallowed the whiskey.

**Lina:**

 Abel waited a few minutes before following Gwydion upstairs.
Ordered himself another drink, and got through half of it before leaving his
seat.

He drank quickly, though. He didn't want Gwydion to think he
was standing him up. That would just be rude.

He made his way upstairs and found room 231. The door was
unlocked, and Abel let himself inside. It was a fairly nice room. Not the most
luxurious, but clean. Quiet. Thick walls, seemed like. The bed was actually
wide enough for two people to lie comfortably side-by-side. Abel had been in
more squalid places where you had to squish.

But he was going to do his best not to think about other
times, other places. He swallowed the rest of his drink and set the glass on a
table. "So," he said. Fuck. He hadn't done this kind of thing in
years. Gwydion seemed to have it under control, though.

**Mink:**

 Gwydion had managed to roam the bedroom and finished most of
the drink by the time the door swung open and Abel came in. He flicked the lock
on the door once he was near enough to it; there was no need for unnecessary
Intruders.

"So." Gwydion rested his drink on the table beside
Abel's.He surveyed the tiefling for
the briefest of moments before he stepped closer to him. "How about that
kiss?"

**Lina:**

 Abel took a step toward him.

**Mink:**

 Gwydion very nearly laughed when Abel just took a step
towards him. He just managed to keep the look off his face except for a faint
smile. He slid a hand to the back of Abel's neck, running his thumb across the
front to press the tip beneath Abel's chin.

He gave the smallest of pauses before he caught Abel's lips
in a kiss. The taste of whiskey lingered on the other, but below that was
something much more raw...much more alluring. His free hand came to rest at
Abel's hip, pulling the tiefling until their bodies were flush together. Oh, he
wanted more.

**Lina:**

 Abel pushed back against Gwydion, kissing him harder. He
wanted to shut his mind up, but it was challenging. The alcohol wasn't helping
things along like he'd expected it to. He tried to focus on the sensations, the
smell and the taste, but it was too new and foreign. Distracting. He couldn't
relax into it.

He needed to get into his body, then. Get out of his head.
He slid his hands to Gwydion's waist and tugged at his tunic, loosening it from
its belt.

**Mink:**

 Gwydion slid his hand up to tangle his hand within Abel's
hair, deepening the kiss as he guided Abel backwards towards the bed. His other
hand mimicked Abel's, sliding along the tiefling's waist to tug out the clothing
that was in his way. Once the tunic was free of the belt and pants, he ran his
hand upward to trace over Abel's stomach beneath the clothing.

**Lina:**

 Abel sat on the bed and pulled Gwydion down with him. This
was fine. He could make this work. He'd feel better after he did. It was like
having a river to cross, and once he was on the other side, he wouldn't even
remember what all the fuss had been about.

He tugged Gwydion's shirt off and tossed it onto the floor.

**Mink:**

 Gwydion followed Abel's touches until his shirt was being
pulled off and thrown aside. What it was, he couldn't pinpoint, but it made him
pause in his movements as he rested a hand on Abel's thigh. He stole another a
kiss before asking, "Are you sure about this?"

**Lina:**

 The arousal Abel had managed to work up faded away quick,
when he heard that. He sighed.

"Don't take it personally," he said. "It's...
been a while." Though for most people, that would probably make them all the
more eager. Ah well.

**Mink:**

 It was disappointing, but Gwydion dropped his hand away and
he put a little bit more distance between himself and Abel, to give the tiefling
more space.

"Nothing personal taken." He smiled, this time
with no hint of teasing or seduction. He leaned back on his arms, stretching
out his legs. "If you don't want to or aren't sure then we're not going
to."

**Lina:**

 Oddly, Gwydion's easygoing acceptance and his apparent
concern for Abel's enjoyment made him more attractive. Still, if the most
seduction-happy person in Skyport was suggesting that they stop, it was
probably a sign that they should stop.

Abel couldn't deny feeling some relief, when he realized it
wasn't going to happen. "Maybe another time," he said, not sure if he
meant it or not.

**Mink:**

 "You know where I live." Gwydion winked and stood
up to retrieve his shirt. He tugged it on. He grabbed up his staff. "How
about one more round of dice?"

**Lina:**

 Abel took a deep breath in and out, and nodded. "Yeah.
Dice sounds good."

[end]