palacechristian (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
palacechristian) wrote2005-04-22 09:09 pm
palacechristian) wrote2005-04-22 09:09 pm
Entry tags:
Playing Games. [Christian/Johnny/Adrian/Harry]
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"You two decide what we're playing and set it up." Christian nodded toward the console which was half-hidden behind a walnut dresser. "While I order us some popcorn and soda. Oh, and remind me to get a new console ordered. Either that or have Obie surgically lowered so he can't break things."
He wandered over to the in-house com on the wall, having left his own at the Gatehouse and placed the order, returning to the family living area and plopping himself down onto the couch. Watching Johnny and Adrian 'discussing' what they were going to play, he looked up and saw Harry wandering across the opposite corner of the big room, apparently intent on stealing something from the mini bar. Christian narrowed his eyes. "Keeping up with the Joneses there Harry?" he called out, pointing at his cheek.
Harry started, not expecting to be noticed, straightening up and shifting the handful of orange juice bottles he was juggling. "Hmm? Oh that. I got something I deserved is all. 'Sides, you should see the other guy," Harry grinned. "Looks just the same."
"Jeez." Christian face-palmed. "You're even starting to sound the same. Orlando said the exact same thing!" He grinned wickedly. "Hey Adrian! Look who it is."
Johnny, who'd been about to grouch at Christian about blaming poor Obie for the console when it'd been left hanging off the edge of the coffee table where anyone could've knocked it off, glanced up at Harry and then turned to stare. "Harry? What happened? Are you okay?"
Adrian slipped a chip into the slot, having arbitrarily decided on a shooter, with him and Johnny stand Christian -- which was only fair since Christian had been in the army -- glanced up and spotted Harry. He bounced to his feet and charged across the room, yelling, "Harry! Hey, you look awful! How are you doing? Wow, that's a lot of orange juice! I remember you really like it but boy that's a lot! Where've you been? I've been here for days and we haven't run into you yet!"
Harry debated between trying to put the juice down just in case Adrian pounced, and putting it down, which pretty much guaranteed he would. He held onto the juice. "Hey there- and thanks for the compliment, by the way. Always nice to know I've still got my looks. I'm doing brilliant thanks, and I didn't know you were here. And it's a lot of juice because I've run out, and I need to stock the fridge." Harry finished, knowing he likely hadn't answered half of what he'd been asked.
Adrian bounced in place a few times, then rolled his eyes and gave Harry a huge hug, bottles and all.
"Give him a break, Adrian." Christian chuckled. "Poor sod's probably got the world's worse case of shagger's back. Been locked in his suite with Orlando for two days. Stands to reason." Harry pulled a face, but Adrian did back off, even if it was only to drag Harry, bottles and all, into the general living area. Christian moved his feet so Harry could sit down.
Johnny grinned and scooted over to make room for Harry, who unloaded his bottles onto the side table and settled down on the carpet. "Want to play with us? You can be on our team, 'cause otherwise Christian's gonna kill us both in like four seconds."
"Hey, he will not!" argued Adrian. "We have this one at home and I've played it a lot. Bet it takes at least eight seconds for him to nail us!" He giggled and flopped down on Harry's other side.
"Why do I not want to be involved in a conversation with a time frame for how long Christian's going to nail you two," Harry murmured, hiding a grin.
Adrian leaned against Harry's shoulder and laughed. "Too late! Covered that already!"
"You have a dirty mind." Christian told him straight-faced. "Why, I'll have you know, we do other things! We . . . umm . . ." he pretended to think. "Yeah." Christian gave up and reached behind him, hand on his lower back. "Think I'm feeling a twinge or two as well." He punched Harry lightly on the arm. "So, how are you? And please notice I'm not saying 'Told you so.'"
Harry snorted and rolled his eyes. "Why am I not surprised seeing as the moppet nymphet was involved," he said, ruffling Adrian's hair. "And it doesn't count as not saying it if you say you're not saying it," Harry pointed out. "And I'm fucking brilliant. He's fucking brilliant. Everything is fucking brilliant and perfect. And Willow has almost forgiven us. Maybe."
"Willow's been kind of mopey, but she was perkier today," Johnny offered. "She likes having you both around." He handed Harry a controller, obviously assuming he'd agreed to play, and ran through character set-up, selecting weapons and such. "And I'll have you know that Christian and I had a wonderful nap in a spa the other day, with no fucking at all. Of course, we had to bring in reinforcements to do it, but still, it counts."
"Yeah." Christian decided to ruffle Adrian's hair as well. "Guy is a great reinforcement, isn't he." He paused for a minute then said to Harry, "Don't suppose you've been keeping up with latest events have you? Did anyone slide a note under your door, telling you 'bout Will leaving?"
"Guy? Him I don't think I know... wait- he's Orlando's diva- right?" Harry said, mostly to himself, trying to see if he could place a face to the name, his head snapping up suddenly as Christian continued. "I beg your pardon, what the fuck?"
Johnny nodded and leaned against Harry. "His mum wrote to him," he said, his voice low and dull. " She decided he's worked off enough of their Debt and she's making him get married, and he has to go 'cause he's Dnaran and has to obey his mum."
Harry opened his mouth, then snapped it shut again, not entirely sure what to say. "That's awfully fuckin' sudden, isn't it? I mean, they have heard of such a thing as manners in Dnara, I'm pretty sure. Anna's pretty well behaved, when she isn't trying to, y'know, kill them." Harry scowled.
Adrian sat and listened, fiddling with his controller, changing the color of his guy's uniform over and over. He'd never met Will, but from the way the others were talking about him he'd been a pretty fun guy. And another libertine! Adrian's main regret over the whole thing was that someone who was probably really, really fuckable had left before he'd even had a chance with him, although he had enough tact -- yeah, even he had some -- to know that saying so out loud was probably not a great idea. And anything that got Johnny this bummed had to suck, just 'cause.
"Sudden is Ellen's favorite method of attack." Christian said, his expression dark at the mentioning of Will's mother's name. "She's an utter cow of a woman, wouldn't surprise me if she didn't have some scheme going on. Hypocritical bitch!" he added under his breath.
"Don't keep it hidden, Christian- tell us how you really feel now," Harry murmured, the seriousness of his tone not at all matching the words. "Don't they live somewhere out in the arse end of Dnara? What the hell is Will going to do in a place like that?"
Christian shrugged. "Whatever Ellen tells him to do. He's Dnaran, Harry. Boys obey their mothers. She's arranged a marriage, probably the first of many."
Harry shook his head. "It's not right." He looked over at Christian. "I know I'm not telling you anything you don't already know, and god knows I'm no one to talk about family commitments and duty and all that shite, but it's shite. He won't be Will."
"Being raped is what he's doing," Johnny snarled. "And I don't care about how Will's 'choosing' to go along with it," he added, with a glance up at Christian. "When someone gets you to 'agree' to fuck by threatening you with something worse, that's still rape. She's got to have something on him just to get him to leave here, and one marriage after another to girls his mum picks out just 'cause their families are paying for him? I can't believe he'd agree to that on his own. Not Will. It's not right."
Christian couldn't hide the wince at the unknowing accuracy of Johnny’s words. But the smile he gave Johnny was soft, albeit sad. "I know that's what it sounds like, but what it is, is tradition. Well, at least the obedience part is. The multiple marriage thing is something unique to the religious sect the family belongs to. They don't all practice it, but sons are rare enough that someone as avaricious as Ellen wouldn't pass on it." He leaned forward and stroked Johnny's hair. "Will's an adult and he made an adult decision to comply with his mother's wishes. His . . . reasons for that choice are his own."
"I don't care whose tradition it is, I don't like it. She's treating him like a stud stallion, shuttling him around to as many mares as he can service for the fees. I don't know Will like you do, but he told me some things about when he was a kid and I can't imagine he can be... be himself when he's there. It's not right," he repeated. He leaned into Christian's stroking, accepting the comfort even while he rejected his arguments.
"He's not." Christian bent down and whispered into Johnny's ear. "But there's not much we can do about it. Ellen has a hold on him that's firmer than anything we could say."
Between the vehemence in Johnny's words and tone and the look on Christian's face when he said it, Harry decided to back down. There wasn't anything they could do about it at this point anyway. "I don't agree with it either, Johnny. But arranged marriages are hardly unusual among the noble classes," he reminded gently. "It's not the same thing."
Johnny shook his head. "I wouldn't mind if it were just that. Christian's getting married, but it's not going to change his whole life. We'll still be together and he'll still be himself. But Will's mum doesn't like who he is." He paused for a breath, then continued a bit more slowly, "Will told me once that he stopped at a kid's house after school 'cause it was raining, and saw cartoons for the first time. He went home and pulled his first ever prank, like he saw on the vid, and just 'cause of that his mum wouldn't let him go to school any more, ever. Can you imagine someone like that..." he paused again, his mouth open, searching for words, "someone like that liking who Will is? It's not like she's going to marry him to someone, then let him move in with his wife and live his own life. She's just renting him out and he'll be under her control for however long she can make money off of him. She'll squish him, kill everything about him that makes him Will."
Christian opened his mouth to respond but shut it again, a movement out of the corner of his eye drawing his attention. His father stood in the doorway, fingers clenched around the handle, his face white. Marton caught his look and shook his head, backing slowly out of the room and quietly closing the door behind him. Christian bit his bottom lip and then, letting out a long-held breath, he smiled. "Let's play, shall we?" he offered.
"You two decide what we're playing and set it up." Christian nodded toward the console which was half-hidden behind a walnut dresser. "While I order us some popcorn and soda. Oh, and remind me to get a new console ordered. Either that or have Obie surgically lowered so he can't break things."
He wandered over to the in-house com on the wall, having left his own at the Gatehouse and placed the order, returning to the family living area and plopping himself down onto the couch. Watching Johnny and Adrian 'discussing' what they were going to play, he looked up and saw Harry wandering across the opposite corner of the big room, apparently intent on stealing something from the mini bar. Christian narrowed his eyes. "Keeping up with the Joneses there Harry?" he called out, pointing at his cheek.
Harry started, not expecting to be noticed, straightening up and shifting the handful of orange juice bottles he was juggling. "Hmm? Oh that. I got something I deserved is all. 'Sides, you should see the other guy," Harry grinned. "Looks just the same."
"Jeez." Christian face-palmed. "You're even starting to sound the same. Orlando said the exact same thing!" He grinned wickedly. "Hey Adrian! Look who it is."
Johnny, who'd been about to grouch at Christian about blaming poor Obie for the console when it'd been left hanging off the edge of the coffee table where anyone could've knocked it off, glanced up at Harry and then turned to stare. "Harry? What happened? Are you okay?"
Adrian slipped a chip into the slot, having arbitrarily decided on a shooter, with him and Johnny stand Christian -- which was only fair since Christian had been in the army -- glanced up and spotted Harry. He bounced to his feet and charged across the room, yelling, "Harry! Hey, you look awful! How are you doing? Wow, that's a lot of orange juice! I remember you really like it but boy that's a lot! Where've you been? I've been here for days and we haven't run into you yet!"
Harry debated between trying to put the juice down just in case Adrian pounced, and putting it down, which pretty much guaranteed he would. He held onto the juice. "Hey there- and thanks for the compliment, by the way. Always nice to know I've still got my looks. I'm doing brilliant thanks, and I didn't know you were here. And it's a lot of juice because I've run out, and I need to stock the fridge." Harry finished, knowing he likely hadn't answered half of what he'd been asked.
Adrian bounced in place a few times, then rolled his eyes and gave Harry a huge hug, bottles and all.
"Give him a break, Adrian." Christian chuckled. "Poor sod's probably got the world's worse case of shagger's back. Been locked in his suite with Orlando for two days. Stands to reason." Harry pulled a face, but Adrian did back off, even if it was only to drag Harry, bottles and all, into the general living area. Christian moved his feet so Harry could sit down.
Johnny grinned and scooted over to make room for Harry, who unloaded his bottles onto the side table and settled down on the carpet. "Want to play with us? You can be on our team, 'cause otherwise Christian's gonna kill us both in like four seconds."
"Hey, he will not!" argued Adrian. "We have this one at home and I've played it a lot. Bet it takes at least eight seconds for him to nail us!" He giggled and flopped down on Harry's other side.
"Why do I not want to be involved in a conversation with a time frame for how long Christian's going to nail you two," Harry murmured, hiding a grin.
Adrian leaned against Harry's shoulder and laughed. "Too late! Covered that already!"
"You have a dirty mind." Christian told him straight-faced. "Why, I'll have you know, we do other things! We . . . umm . . ." he pretended to think. "Yeah." Christian gave up and reached behind him, hand on his lower back. "Think I'm feeling a twinge or two as well." He punched Harry lightly on the arm. "So, how are you? And please notice I'm not saying 'Told you so.'"
Harry snorted and rolled his eyes. "Why am I not surprised seeing as the moppet nymphet was involved," he said, ruffling Adrian's hair. "And it doesn't count as not saying it if you say you're not saying it," Harry pointed out. "And I'm fucking brilliant. He's fucking brilliant. Everything is fucking brilliant and perfect. And Willow has almost forgiven us. Maybe."
"Willow's been kind of mopey, but she was perkier today," Johnny offered. "She likes having you both around." He handed Harry a controller, obviously assuming he'd agreed to play, and ran through character set-up, selecting weapons and such. "And I'll have you know that Christian and I had a wonderful nap in a spa the other day, with no fucking at all. Of course, we had to bring in reinforcements to do it, but still, it counts."
"Yeah." Christian decided to ruffle Adrian's hair as well. "Guy is a great reinforcement, isn't he." He paused for a minute then said to Harry, "Don't suppose you've been keeping up with latest events have you? Did anyone slide a note under your door, telling you 'bout Will leaving?"
"Guy? Him I don't think I know... wait- he's Orlando's diva- right?" Harry said, mostly to himself, trying to see if he could place a face to the name, his head snapping up suddenly as Christian continued. "I beg your pardon, what the fuck?"
Johnny nodded and leaned against Harry. "His mum wrote to him," he said, his voice low and dull. " She decided he's worked off enough of their Debt and she's making him get married, and he has to go 'cause he's Dnaran and has to obey his mum."
Harry opened his mouth, then snapped it shut again, not entirely sure what to say. "That's awfully fuckin' sudden, isn't it? I mean, they have heard of such a thing as manners in Dnara, I'm pretty sure. Anna's pretty well behaved, when she isn't trying to, y'know, kill them." Harry scowled.
Adrian sat and listened, fiddling with his controller, changing the color of his guy's uniform over and over. He'd never met Will, but from the way the others were talking about him he'd been a pretty fun guy. And another libertine! Adrian's main regret over the whole thing was that someone who was probably really, really fuckable had left before he'd even had a chance with him, although he had enough tact -- yeah, even he had some -- to know that saying so out loud was probably not a great idea. And anything that got Johnny this bummed had to suck, just 'cause.
"Sudden is Ellen's favorite method of attack." Christian said, his expression dark at the mentioning of Will's mother's name. "She's an utter cow of a woman, wouldn't surprise me if she didn't have some scheme going on. Hypocritical bitch!" he added under his breath.
"Don't keep it hidden, Christian- tell us how you really feel now," Harry murmured, the seriousness of his tone not at all matching the words. "Don't they live somewhere out in the arse end of Dnara? What the hell is Will going to do in a place like that?"
Christian shrugged. "Whatever Ellen tells him to do. He's Dnaran, Harry. Boys obey their mothers. She's arranged a marriage, probably the first of many."
Harry shook his head. "It's not right." He looked over at Christian. "I know I'm not telling you anything you don't already know, and god knows I'm no one to talk about family commitments and duty and all that shite, but it's shite. He won't be Will."
"Being raped is what he's doing," Johnny snarled. "And I don't care about how Will's 'choosing' to go along with it," he added, with a glance up at Christian. "When someone gets you to 'agree' to fuck by threatening you with something worse, that's still rape. She's got to have something on him just to get him to leave here, and one marriage after another to girls his mum picks out just 'cause their families are paying for him? I can't believe he'd agree to that on his own. Not Will. It's not right."
Christian couldn't hide the wince at the unknowing accuracy of Johnny’s words. But the smile he gave Johnny was soft, albeit sad. "I know that's what it sounds like, but what it is, is tradition. Well, at least the obedience part is. The multiple marriage thing is something unique to the religious sect the family belongs to. They don't all practice it, but sons are rare enough that someone as avaricious as Ellen wouldn't pass on it." He leaned forward and stroked Johnny's hair. "Will's an adult and he made an adult decision to comply with his mother's wishes. His . . . reasons for that choice are his own."
"I don't care whose tradition it is, I don't like it. She's treating him like a stud stallion, shuttling him around to as many mares as he can service for the fees. I don't know Will like you do, but he told me some things about when he was a kid and I can't imagine he can be... be himself when he's there. It's not right," he repeated. He leaned into Christian's stroking, accepting the comfort even while he rejected his arguments.
"He's not." Christian bent down and whispered into Johnny's ear. "But there's not much we can do about it. Ellen has a hold on him that's firmer than anything we could say."
Between the vehemence in Johnny's words and tone and the look on Christian's face when he said it, Harry decided to back down. There wasn't anything they could do about it at this point anyway. "I don't agree with it either, Johnny. But arranged marriages are hardly unusual among the noble classes," he reminded gently. "It's not the same thing."
Johnny shook his head. "I wouldn't mind if it were just that. Christian's getting married, but it's not going to change his whole life. We'll still be together and he'll still be himself. But Will's mum doesn't like who he is." He paused for a breath, then continued a bit more slowly, "Will told me once that he stopped at a kid's house after school 'cause it was raining, and saw cartoons for the first time. He went home and pulled his first ever prank, like he saw on the vid, and just 'cause of that his mum wouldn't let him go to school any more, ever. Can you imagine someone like that..." he paused again, his mouth open, searching for words, "someone like that liking who Will is? It's not like she's going to marry him to someone, then let him move in with his wife and live his own life. She's just renting him out and he'll be under her control for however long she can make money off of him. She'll squish him, kill everything about him that makes him Will."
Christian opened his mouth to respond but shut it again, a movement out of the corner of his eye drawing his attention. His father stood in the doorway, fingers clenched around the handle, his face white. Marton caught his look and shook his head, backing slowly out of the room and quietly closing the door behind him. Christian bit his bottom lip and then, letting out a long-held breath, he smiled. "Let's play, shall we?" he offered.