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[pharmacy]

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Quentin Smith, 23

letters ◇ thoughts ◇ dreams

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[ludomania]

[ will they ever have a conversation without distractions™. ]

Are they sick?

[pharmacy]

[ah, there's the hook ]

sure
I mean we can't really die, right? lmao

[ludomania]

[ Quentin!! his stomach sinks at the answer. the connection intensifies as he turns his full attention to the younger man. ]

Hey.

Hey, are you okay?

[pharmacy]

Yes
yeah
I mean I'm sad and scared and pissed about it, but wtf am I supposed to do?

yours all came back fine, right?

[ludomania]

[ what the fuck did they do at the castle that had the Duchess murder them. skip the dessert? this is officially the angriest he's felt about the Duchess during his time here. ]

You could have told me about it.

[ honestly a little upset that Quentin didn't. because obviously everything should be about him. ]

But yeah, they did. I'm sure your friends will be back too. They'll be fine. It just takes time and you need to be patient. I can help you pass the time if you want. Anything you need.

[pharmacy]

Kinda seems like you have a lot going on, I didn't want to pile on

If you're offering, I would fucking love to drink about it
You can teach me to play one of your stupid games

sorry: COOL games
I'll pay attention and everything

[ He will not. ]

[ludomania]

You can always talk to me.

As long as you don't insult my games we'll drink all night. You don't have to be alone.

Just give me a moment to find what we need.

→ tavern

[pharmacy]

take all the time you need, I'm finishing up out here 
I'll see you at the tavern

[ His funds are modest, but you can really get away with modest if you're not very picky and not very happy. Good company is half the battle, anyway, and Felipe is always good company. Quentin's warm feelings for him might waver if he ever looked too closely at them, but there's a tacit agreement between them so far: when you look away, I look away. It may not be wise, but it feels safe, at least. 

[ He is definitely questioning his feelings when Felipe tries to explain scoring on this card game. This is the third time. He's about three drinks in. His mouth has been hanging open this whole time, eyes glazed over as he tries to listen, but then some absolutely nonsense catches his ear-- ] 

Wait, what? When the fuck do you call trump, how do I know what trump is? 

[ Dropping his hand face up on the table, Quentin slouches back into the booth with a petulant, coughing whine. His knees bump Felipe's under the table, once accidentally and then again and again on purpose. ] I can't hear this, who makes up these rules? Who has the time?

[ludomania]

I told you. Three times.

[ Felipe lets out a frustrated noise when Quentin shows his hand, the sign that the game is definitely over. despite the circumstances Felipe was ready to take this seriously, hoping to get a new opponent of Quentin, but it looks like he has to admit defeat even before finishing one proper game. he gathers the cards into his hands from the table and begins shuffling them – not for another game. just to calm his nerves. ]

We should try another game. One that doesn't involve cards.

[ under the table he hooks Quentin's leg with his own to stop him from the bratty kicking. ]

All we need is a bottle.

[pharmacy]

[ He wants to learn! He wants to learn, and he’s miserable over not learning, but the different between sets and runs and matches and trumps is too much to keep in his head right now and—and Felipe proposes a simple alternative. He likes simple.

[ Quentin’s eyebrows raise, knees pinch around Felipe’s and tug as he winds his fingers around the bottle at the table. Wine, sharp-tasting and strong, just enough to pour half a glass for Felipe and half for himself. He shoots his own. It isn’t fine stuff. The bottle, he sets between them officiously. ]

Teach me. I swear I’m listening.

[ludomania]

[ that's what Quentin has been saying this whole time and Felipe could swear he didn't hear a thing. he laughs at the serious look on his face and attempts to knock his knees back. ]

Lucky for you, it's fairly simple. You tell me three things about yourself, one of them being a lie. I'll try to guess which one and...

[ he shrugs and gestures at the bottle. it's not difficult. everyone has probably played it before. ]

I'll start, yeah? [ he holds up three fingers, lowering one with each fact. ] I've stolen from my father, I've been married and I've stolen from the Duchess.

[pharmacy]

[ His mouth lilts open for a minute. Oh, he knows this game! He likes this game. But the last thing that Felipe says is less fun than the other two. His voice drops low. ]

Felipe, tell me you didn't steal shit from her.

[ludomania]

Weren't you listening? You have to guess.

[ he reaches over the table to flick his forehead gently. ]

[pharmacy]

Okay, fine, the lie is--hey! [ He slaps at Felipe's hand, anyone's bet if he actually makes contact. ] --that you stole from the Duchess, what the fuck would you even take? I couldn't even leave the tour without someone grabbing my fucking ear.

[ludomania]

[ even if he's drunk, his hands are too quick for that. he nudges the bottle toward Quentin, grinning at him like a fox. ]

Wrong, now it's your turn. But you have to drink first.

[pharmacy]

My t--no, you have to explain, right? [ That's not in the rules at all, no. He takes his penalty drink without complaint, but he's still scowling when he sets the bottle back in the middle of the table. ] I get to follow up. You can't just drop bombs like that. What was it? Is it on you? Wait--you never got married?

[ludomania]

[ usually, explaining is part of the game, but it just hit him that Quentin is going to give him a hard time for stealing from the Duchess, so he decides it's no longer relevant. ]

You're using up all your guesses if you keep talking. [ he makes a face in answer to the questions. starts fiddling with his earring. ] But you got it right, finally. Do I seem like the marrying type?

[pharmacy]

Yes. Yeah, you seem like the two-divorces type. You seem like you could get anyone to marry you.

[ Good diversion. Quentin's head tips back as he considers his three things, ankles cross behind Felipe's, one foot wiggling absently. ] Mmm. Okay. So--

I went to school for psychology. I can't cook for shit. I didn't have any broken bones as a kid.

[ludomania]

[ maybe he was engaged a couple of times. the story doesn't tell. ]

You're obviously a great cook. If you're not, I don't know how you're going to cook me breakfast.

[ joking – or is he? Felipe smiles as he tries to figure out the lie. he's clearly having more fun now that they're actually playing something and he's desperate to win as usual. ]

The first one could be true for all I know, but I refuse to believe that you could have made it through your first clumsy years without falling on your face every other day. It's the last one.

[pharmacy]

[ His lips curl tight and tickled, fingers stretch out to inch the bottle closer to Felipe. ] Never made it to college. I did, however, have a dad that was never less than six feet away from me. Hard to get hurt too bad when you're being watched like a hawk.

And I think you're really gonna like having fruit and cheese for breakfast.

[ludomania]

College? What? I don't even know what that is. [ he snatches the bottle and takes a swig to drown out his annoyance. they should be both using concepts that can't be misunderstood. otherwise there's no point to the game at all. the bottle makes a noise against the table as he sets it down carelessly. ]

Your dad sounds sweet. Shame he didn't teach you how to cook. I might just have to find some other place to sleep. [ definitely a joke, but he's feeling petty enough to aim low. ]

[pharmacy]

Are those your three? Because I'm sure he does sound sweet, and it's definitely a shame--but I know the last one is fake as fuck.

[ Hopefully. The implication that Felipe is keeping him company tonight is fucking great as far as Quentin is concerned. ] Come on. Your turn, we're tied so far.

[ludomania]

[ they're only tied because Quentin's lie didn't make any sense to him! ]

It was just the practice round. Focus. [ actually, he wants the opposite, so he moves his foot. begins rubbing their ankles together while staring deep into his eyes. ] I have a half-sister who's two years younger than me. I haven't slept with my roommate. My favorite pastime back at home was hunting.

[pharmacy]

[ Focus, but on what? Those little facts are harder, nothing bombastic to cling to or get a distinct feel of. One hand drifts to his mouth, teeth nipping at the skin around his thumbnail. The other slips beneath the table and pokes at Felipe's kneecap. Hold still. ]

Who's your roommate? The one that--came back. Right?

[ludomania]

Mavis. [ he gives Quentin a warning look. no more questions. but he supposes it's fair that they're thinking of the same person, so he'll let it go this time. ]

Do you know her? [ he reaches his hand under the table too. tries to grab Quentin's. just another game they're playing. ]