Author:
Cas
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Date Posted: 16:47:40 05/15/02 Wed
While Cas waited for Kisa’s answer to his offer, he watched Eremis grab his sketchpad and make his shaky way back to the couch, where he retrieved the charcoal pencil. “It’s too damned hot,” he blurted out, his voice unnaturally slow and slurring as he tried to speak around the drugs and alcohol coursing through his system. “You two can fuck your brains out right here if you want because I need to go out for some air anyways.”
Cas opened his mouth to object but then closed it with a sigh. He had to admit that if Kisa offered him enough money and demanded they do it here and now, he’d say okay. Somehow, though, this would feel like less of a home if he were turning tricks in it. He really wished Eremis hadn’t given him permission to do so; his friend’s disapproval would really have been the only thing holding him back, since he couldn’t say no to gold when it was flashed under his nose enough.
He watched the healer stumble toward the window and crawl out, the late night breeze ruffling his long blonde hair back behind his bare shoulders. Raking idiot, he thought, his mouth twitching into a frown. The dumb-ass is dripping wet in his own sweat, so he goes to sit outside. If he catches a raking fever I’ll kill him!
Not only would they not have enough money to pay a real healer, but Cas didn’t want to have to sit by the bedside of his feverish friend. He liked Eremis more and more each day, and knew he’d be worried sick himself if the silly healer became dangerously ill. Maybe that was part of the reason for why he was trying so hard to wean him off the drugs. Sure, the shit cost an arm and a leg—but it was just plain bad for Eremis to keep doing them, no matter how you looked at it.
“Hmm,” Kisa spoke up, drawing his attention again. “Looks like you’re not too cute enough that your little sex bunny won’t be making you sleep on the couch tonight.”
Cas frowned again, trying to figure out what the hell she was saying. And why was she calling Eremis his little sex bunny? She WAS talking about Eremis, right? He rolled his eyes, then, suddenly realizing something. Crazy redheaded lady—she was dead drunk! It was the only obvious conclusion, since he’d already told he that he and Eremis were just friends. Plus, she hadn’t responded to his offer yet, either. The silly grin on her face gave him the impression that she was trying to be teasing, or coy, or something, but he really wasn’t sure quite what. Why the hell would she be trying to tease him? HE was the one trying to attract her, right?
Well, maybe she wasn’t drunk. Maybe…maybe it had suddenly dawned on her that she didn’t have enough money to afford him! A wicked grin curved onto his face, making him look more than a little devilish, especially with the two small horns on his head. That was just too damned bad for her, then. He wasn’t no dockside sailor’s boy; he was upper-class, all the way. Whenever he was working on his own, he never charged less than fifty, which was just under half of Sebastian’s rate, if he remembered right. Sure, he’d do the odd blowjob for less than cheap when he was feeling desperate, but these weren’t exactly desperate times.
He had to pause to wonder why the hell he’d been so desperate to get their landlord to rent him this room, but nothing came immediately to mind. Oh well. They had a place to stay now, and that’s all that mattered.
When Kisa moved to stand by the windowsill, he watched her carefully, trying to tell if she were drunk or high. In the end, he decided she either hid it well, or really was just seriously broke. He honestly didn’t think she was stupid enough to come on to him, and then expect him to accept—for free! Cas hardly ever had sex for free. There was just no reason to, unless it was with another whore. And lately he wasn’t even sure if he could be persuaded to make it with one of his own, either.
“Maybe you should go check on him,” Kisa was saying, her eyes focused on Eremis’ shadowy figure. “Make sure he doesn’t fall off the side of the roof and hurt himself…or something.”
Cas stood up, feeling a tad shaky himself, and moved to stand beside her. “Right,” he said, giving her a crooked grin. “And, uh, why don’t you go ahead and have a bite to eat yourself. Make a cup of java, too, while you’re at it. Ain’t nice to come over to somebody’s house and get wasted without making sleeping arrangements first, ya know.”
He shook his head at her and crawled out the window himself, balancing his way across the wooden plank as if it were second nature for him. He padded over to Eremis, his bare feet making hardly any noise at all on the stoney rooftop. Another grin stretched over his face when he saw that the healer was sitting down, the sketchpad in his lap opened to the drawing he’d made earlier.
“Trying to find some inspiration or something?” he asked teasingly, nodding at the picture as he sat down beside his friend. He drew his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them while turning his head to regard Eremis curiously.
“You know, I really do think you’re something. You’re a regular artist, Eremis, you really are. Maybe tomorrow I’ll buy you some oil paints and an easel, then you can really get serious about this kinda stuff. What do ya think? Would you like that?”
He paused as if to wait for a reply, but just as the healer opened his mouth, he went on. “Matter of fact, I think I kinda liked having my picture done. I’d probably be the only model that’d work for free!” He laughed, because for some reason that was absolutely hilarious at the moment. “Anyway, them nobles pay lots a money for shit like that. Maybe you could start turning that talent of yours into profit, if you had a mind to.”
There was silence, then, for at least a couple seconds, but Cas broke it once again. “And maybe if you didn’t really wanna go public, you could, you know,” he shrugged and smiled, “Just draw some for fun. Hell, that ugly ass apartment of ours needs decorating anyway.”
The wind picked up a bit, ruffling even his short, spiky hair, and he shivered a little. “Hey,” he added, his tone of voice a touch gentler, “It’s a little chilly out here. You wanna go inside now, huh, Eremis? I guess if you want, I can go get your shirt for you and maybe a blanket. It’s just…probably not a good idea to hang out here like this while you’re…you know, not yourself.”
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