[Yuri's mix of seductive and threatening is like a double-edged blade that only he's worked out how to wield. Balthus isn't the first person to be mystified by it, but not many men are consistently so unaffected by Yuri's wordplay. Usually, he appreciates it-- that Balthus isn't duped by his dressed-up sentences, or maybe they just don't do anything for him-- but right now, it makes Yuri feel a prickle under his skin that he doesn't have a name for.
Balthus catches up easily. There's not much ground that eleven extra inches of height can't make up for. Sometimes Yuri finds that frustrating, if he's trying to outpace him. He ends up half-jogging in front of Balthus taking easy strides to keep up every time they argue, and it doesn't do much for his case. They don't argue much lately, though, and Yuri appreciates Balthus keeping by his side.]
Hah. As if anything could damage my credibility with the citizens of Abyss.
[Not that they don't see and appreciate what Balthus does for them, too. That's immediately evident when they stroll into the inn, and all the bar rats greet him enthusiastically. Yuri has to step out of range of a full, sloshing mug when Balthus bumps fists with someone, and he huffs and steers him along to a table tucked into the far corner of the inn.]
Too much fighting? For the King of Grappling? Never thought I'd hear that out of you, either.
[Even the reminder of the world they now live in isn't enough to dampen Yuri's spirits. They're getting a lot of looks from around the room-- he hasn't made an announcement about the deal yet, but Yuri bringing strange merchants down into Abyss certainly hasn't gone unnoticed, and gossip travels fast in the underground.
Or maybe they've have just seen that Yuri's smiling.
The bartender drops them two tall mugs of a sweet-smelling mead, unbidden. By scent alone, it seems higher quality than anything that's been poured in the Wilting Rose before.]
I'd be content to forget all about it, for tonight. Hopefully this'll help.
[Yuri punctuates his statement with a long sip from the mug, and a sigh of content.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2020-07-12 01:56 am (UTC)Balthus catches up easily. There's not much ground that eleven extra inches of height can't make up for. Sometimes Yuri finds that frustrating, if he's trying to outpace him. He ends up half-jogging in front of Balthus taking easy strides to keep up every time they argue, and it doesn't do much for his case. They don't argue much lately, though, and Yuri appreciates Balthus keeping by his side.]
Hah. As if anything could damage my credibility with the citizens of Abyss.
[Not that they don't see and appreciate what Balthus does for them, too. That's immediately evident when they stroll into the inn, and all the bar rats greet him enthusiastically. Yuri has to step out of range of a full, sloshing mug when Balthus bumps fists with someone, and he huffs and steers him along to a table tucked into the far corner of the inn.]
Too much fighting? For the King of Grappling? Never thought I'd hear that out of you, either.
[Even the reminder of the world they now live in isn't enough to dampen Yuri's spirits. They're getting a lot of looks from around the room-- he hasn't made an announcement about the deal yet, but Yuri bringing strange merchants down into Abyss certainly hasn't gone unnoticed, and gossip travels fast in the underground.
Or maybe they've have just seen that Yuri's smiling.
The bartender drops them two tall mugs of a sweet-smelling mead, unbidden. By scent alone, it seems higher quality than anything that's been poured in the Wilting Rose before.]
I'd be content to forget all about it, for tonight. Hopefully this'll help.
[Yuri punctuates his statement with a long sip from the mug, and a sigh of content.]