text | un: fotia

[burningfree]

[It was like, 3 in the morning, and Lio was laying in bed while restlessly typing this on his phone, the subject of the post laying next to him and almost certainly drooling in his sleep.]

To whom it may concern.

If you see an idiot firefighter running around the city shirtless at any point, look with your eyes, not your hands. Actually, I'd prefer if you kept your eyes above the chin.

He's mine.

[Happy first day of Sanguis!]

Comments

[sassian]

Oh, do tell.

Yes, I am speaking honestly. I have little to gain by rumor-mongering, at least in these circumstances. Though, really, you are likely to give the game away yourself, making such open proclamations.

locked;

[burningfree]

I haven't been a member of common society in over a decade. Longer, actually, now that I think about it.

[Lio is locking this conversation now, so others (Galo) don't stumble on it.]

And to be honest with you, I think it's a bit late for that. I gave the game away about eight hours ago when I kissed him.

I still don't need him to know how deep that attraction goes. Not yet.

Re: locked;

[sassian]

That sounds rather like the introduction to an interesting tale...

But is he the sort to use that sort of thing against you? If he is, I should advise you have nothing more to do with him, however pleasant he is to behold. Plotting and scheming to stay one step ahead of the opposition is thrilling for a time, of course, but it gets ever so exhausting in the long term.

[burningfree]

Are you actually interested? I won't bore you if you're feigning interest.

Also I'm surprised you care that much about my love life...

No, he isn't the kind who use that sort of thing against me. He's the kindest, most genuine person I've ever met. I'd just be embarrassed if he knew how highly I thought of him. He also doesn't need his ego stroked nearly that hard.

[sassian]

I am nearly always bored. It could prove to be a relief.

It is not a matter of caring. I merely grow weary of seeing the same mistakes repeated in front of me over and over again. Lives are short. One ought make the most of it.

On the matter of ego stroking, you may be right, though I know not the man in question. The less said of other sorts of stroking the better, as I hardly know you any better.

[burningfree]

If you say so.

It has to do with those flames I told you about. There were people in my world who could awaken to an ability to produce said flames - people known as the burnish. I was one of them. We were driven from society often on pain of torture or death. I was only a child when I awoke to my flames, and I ran.

Lived in the desert for at least ten years. Became the leader of a resistance group known as Mad Burnish. Needless to say, didn't spend a whole lot of time around the regular population, so I missed out on a lot of basic luxuries - references to popular culture included.

Also, that is so very inappropriate. I didn't honestly expect jokes like that from you. You're pretty funny.

[sassian]

Ah, I see. The details are new, but the tale familiar. Those with extra-ordinary ability are persecuted by those without, oppressed and driven to exile. A folly mankind is wont to repeat time and time again. But you speak of it in the past tense? Has this power been lost to you?

A sense of humor is vital to longevity, I find. With no better recourse, one may as well laugh at life's folly.

[burningfree]

I already told you I'd lost my flames, Emet-Selch. Or, it would be more accurate to say that I lost access to the flames I had been borrowing from another, though I wasn't entirely aware my flames weren't my own until recently.

The way you speak, you're making yourself out to be an ancient man. Though you're certainly older than me, I'm starting to wonder just how much older...

[sassian]

More and more interesting! From whence were your flames borrowed, if I might ask?

Yes, my youthful looks belie my true age. Though I know not your exact age, I do not hesitate to assume myself far, far older than you.

[burningfree]

Aliens from another dimension.

Don't worry if you don't know my exact age - that makes two of us. You'd think I would be surprised, learning I'm talking to some ancient being, but I've already spoken with someone over two thousand years old, so honestly I'm feeling relatively jaded now.

Especially given he seemed to like your comment about 'Snacc', whatever that means. I'm assuming you two know each other.

[sassian]

Ah, otherworldly things can be quite troublesome... but it seems yours were useful instead. How fortunate!

Yes, Ardyn has become a dear friend of mine during my stay. I can scarcely describe how pleasant it is to have someone to relate to! Though I do predate him bite quite a considerable number of years.

[burningfree]

[Of course Emet-Selch would just readily accept that explanation no questions asked. This man was so strange. Lio almost found it charming.]

... Let me guess, you're over three thousand years old.

[What the actual hell? So much for being jaded.]

[sassian]

Quite so. Why, my thousands are but a distant memory... How very nostalgic!

[burningfree]

You're just messing with me now.

[sassian]

Believe what you will.

In any case, good luck with your secret love affair.

[burningfree]

That's what liars say.

Also, it isn't an affair!

[sassian]

And just what sot of phrasing would have won your trust?

My mistake. Your innocent, youthful fling.

[burningfree]

Perhaps if you hadn't referred to being 'thousands' of years old as nostalgic. Or had attempted to defend your lie even slightly.

It isn't a fling, either.

[sassian]

I have no lie to defend, and I have every right to be nostalgic about my early thousands. The world was a far better place back then.

Your budding romance, then? Or is it more of a delicate courtship?

[burningfree]

Right.

How old are you, exactly?

Yes, fine. We'll go with 'budding romance.'

[sassian]

"Old enough to know better" is the usual reply to such a question, is it not?

There you have it. Being honest with one's self does tend to make many things in life easier.

[burningfree]

You must realize being obtuse is only going to make me question you further.

You were the one who called it an 'affair' and a 'fling.'

[Oh, wait, he was talking about their... first meeting... when Lio had insisted that there wasn't anyone he wanted to Moonlace with. That he didn't want to do anything with Galo...

He winced.]

I gave up on lying to myself about it approximately one week into living with him. And kissed him one week after that. I'd say I have a better track record with self-honesty than most.

[sassian]

Question and doubt me all you like. Your opinion of my age matters little.

Well then, congratulations are in order. Perhaps two or three weeks time you will even be able to speak with him on the matter.

[burningfree]

You're funny. Ten minutes ago you were concerned with whether or not he was good enough for me and now you're mocking me. What happened? Are you mad cause I called you a liar?

[To be fair to Emet-Selch, Lio did pretty much buy that he probably was ancient as hell. He just figured he was messing with him about being more than 'a few thousand' years old.]

[sassian]

I believe I told you already that I was not concerned, but rather irritated by watching mortal beings endlessly repeating the same mistakes throughout the ages.

[He deleted "lesser" and replaced it with the more innocuous "mortal" after deciding he was also weary of dealing with that particular flavor of outrage.]