The Drow Queen of Glaley [Very NSFW]

[Coquette Blacquin]

"That seems reasonable. I am certainly not one to spoil the surprise," she says, feeling a little ill. Did I just make a deal with a devil?

[NPCs]

"So we have an agreement?" Tenachka asks, offering her hand along with a chilling smile. 

[Coquette Blacquin]

Coquette hesitates. She almost stops, pulls back. But then she flicks her eyes to the image of Claudia, covered in semen, being fucked into oblivion, displayed for all to see. 

"Agreed." Her hand grasps Tenackha's and she gives a single, firm shake. 

[Coquette Blacquin]

Bull can't sleep.

That's a common problem around here. It's too quiet. Or it's loud, but the wrong kind of loud. It's crickets loud and other people sleeping loud, not household-at-night loud. Thankfully, he's got something interesting to entertain him until his body surrenders to the inevitable and passes out. 

"Checkmate." Cedric places his queen down on the chessboard. "I win again."

[The Iron Bull]

"Cedric, we're friends, right? Good friends, stalwart companions, laddie-dah, laddie-dee and so forth, yeah?" He leans in, covering the board in shadow as he squints at Cedric. "Can pawns really capture a dead knight's horse to promote?"

[Coquette Blacquin]

"Oh yes," he lies seamlessly. "It was added to the ruleset after the Glalian Council met and deliberated some thirty years back. It must not have traveled to Alessa yet, is all." 

Still, he pushes the board to the side. "Hey," he says, glancing up at Bull through his lashes. "Wanna do something else for a bit?"

[The Iron Bull]

"I'm not playing checkers with you again," Bull says instantly as he flops back on the ground to stare up at-- The imisy minotaur squints and suddenly there's a glorious starry night above them. "Or anyone. Fucking weird diagonal skittery movements mess with my head," he finishes in a mutter. 

[Coquette Blacquin]

Cedric comes around to lay down against his Bull, his head on Bull's shoulder, snuggled in close. "No, I was thinking something.... else." So saying, he lays a hand on Bull's pants, right over his crotch. 

[The Iron Bull]

Caught of guard, Bull can't stop himself from jerking away from the touch. Conflicted and emotionally off balance, he opens his mouth to make a joke, offer a distraction, defuse the situation somehow and...

Nothing.

[Coquette Blacquin]

Cedric looks hurt, then blanks his face, sitting up. "How about... we could read a book?"

[The Iron Bull]

"Books are good," Bull blurts out, voice cracking. "Yeah, we could... read. Yes. Rap- ead?"

[Coquette Blacquin]

Cedric sighs, looking down at his lap. "I'm sorry," he says quietly. "I should have guessed that... what she did... would change things between us. I won't ask again."

[The Iron Bull]

Bull flinches, then his head pops up. "Wait, she did?" Who is he talking about? Which 'she?'

[Coquette Blacquin]

Cedric glances at him out of the corner of his eye. "You know. Her. Varisia." The name is dripping with contempt and hatred when he says it. 

[The Iron Bull]

Bull stares at Cedric blankly for a moment, then his eyes widen. "Ced, no, it's not like that! It's not--" Bull has to look away, swallowing repeatedly. Made mute by nausea for the moment, he just gestures weakly towards the other man.