(Percy could understand how it'd make no sense for someone surrounded by people who had little to no food. It's not like he didn't get that. He grew up poor and living in New York City. He saw people starving on the streets all of the time. It's not like he was a vegan or preaching it, merely explaining it because Gyro asked. He thought some of the ideals were right but most of the execution wrong. Simple as that. Not that Gyro seemed to not get that part.
As for the rest of it, well. Miscommunication, really. Percy's loud and passionate but he's also not dense and stubborn enough to ignore when someone else is talking. He listens when Gyro starts to speak, looks at him and sits there quietly, not interrupting, because it's important to listen and he understands quickly enough that he misunderstood Gyro. Percy's a good kid, is the thing. He has a good heart and it's in the right place, even if he fumbles a bit with it and winds up getting more snarky than thoughtful.
After Gyro finishes talking, Percy rubs at his chin thoughtfully and stares briefly at the fire.)
I think you're right and I think you're wrong. I agree that people are always going to do bad things and that it sucks. But I agree that that's what free will is about. I know a perfect world is impossible- trust me on that. But I do thing people can change. I think people can change for the better, even the majority, even if it means that there will still be bad people. I get that. I do. I agree too. Evil is always going to exist.
I never said it wouldn't, you know. Just that people could change. Cause they can. It's dumb to say they can'. I mean, you don't know the future yet but people outlawed slavery, fought for the rights for African Americans, fought for the rights of women, and are fighting for the rights for gay people. I mean. It's slow and there's always crap and racism and sexism still exist but...things are better because people started to change. Bad stuff will always exist, people who want to hurt animals or people who want to hurt people for being different. Dude, the monsters in my world, the ones I fight? They don't die. They turn to dust and it takes years for them to reform. Wanna know why? It's cause they're more of a concept than a living blood-thing like you or me. Evil is a concept you can't kill. You can only push it out of the way for a while. I get that. Trust me, I really do.
(His voice is softer than before, his knees bumping together. He looks at Gyro and offers a genuine sort of smile.)
I'm sorry. That I called you close-minded. I can get riled up sometimes and jump to conclusions. I uh. Get in trouble for that a lot. But I am sorry. I didn't mean to jump to any conclusions with you. I know you're a cool dude.
(He means it too. He didn't mean to offend Gyro or insinuate anything - though he knows he did. He wouldn't even say he didn't. He's done it before and would likely do it again. Percy doesn't always think. He feels and then does. He tries to do what he thinks is right and sometimes he messes up. He's still learning though, still a kid, and at least he can admit when he's wrong and he had been in the wrong. To an extent, anyway, in having gotten worked up.)
I guess the subject just hits close to home, you know? It isn't personal. I shouldn't have made it personal. But I guess some things are hard to not make personal.
[Yeah and Gyro grew up pretty well off honestly. He was a servant of the king after all. But just because he knew what it was to have a house and food on the table, didn't mean he lived in luxury. And it didn't mean he didn't see the down trodden starving and sick in his family's clinic. He saw it more often than he liked.]
[He's happy though that Percy stops to listen to him. After all, a passion like that in the kid could mean they'd fall into interrupting eachother and eventually whatever sort of friendship this was would've crashed and burned. Gyro didn't show this happiness, but he felt it, and again would fall back to listen to Percy again, the fire crackling on. Valkyrie couldn't help but worry a bit at the 'vibes' gotten from that direction, but so like a horse to leave whatever was going on to who was involved. If anything he moved to stand a little closer to Blackjack as they rested and continued their own far less vehement conversation.]
Yeah, I'm not going to argue on that. 'Course people can change like that, but not everyone, and so in a way we don't change completely. Maybe saying 'people don't change' is a bad way of presenting it. I shoulda said 'they won't change completely' how about that?
[A breath at that though. It really means something to hear what he does. That things got better for people, that slavery stopped being a thing, that things changed for African Americans (though he does flinch a little at that term, people still had a bad way of speaking in his time after all, it's weird to hear someone casually use 'African Americans'.) It's weird too to hear about gays getting rights, he never even considered that but that did lead people to getting incarcerated in his time, even killed... it was a problem, a big one, it all was. But hearing that it does change in a version of Earth made him feel a bit more relaxed. It might in his own then, he hoped so. It didn't change his opinion on things though, after all, he'll stick by 'people don't change completely'. He's really not a pessimist though, it's not like he thought things couldn't change at all large scale.]
[He's even more happy to see that Percy understands him though. Gyro's a good person too, even if he can be an ass sometimes, but that was usually just for laughs. They're both good hearted and he felt like they'd be good friends. So it's nice to see he was right and they this conversation didn't spiral down into something they couldn't reverse. After all, some of the biggest feuds were sparked from merely a misunderstanding.]
Heh, yeah? Maybe it's too late, you already said it. I'm close-minded, am I??
[Said as he smiles back and moves to shove a hand at Percy's head before sitting back again and taking another drink of his flask. He wipes at his mouth with the back of his wrist.]
It's a crack. [A breath, pointing to him.]
A crack in your heart made by 'sentimentality'. But don't worry, that's a part of life too... [Staring into the fire.] No matter what anyone tells you.
(That was true enough. Percy had seen people as passionate as he was dissolve into pretty awful people because they let their passion control everything. He didn't think that was right either. He tried to listen to everyone. The kid even felt compassion towards his own enemies and not just the big ones. The foot soldiers, the ones at the very bottom just trying to do what they could do. Of course he's felt hatred towards people who had wronged him. He's wanted people to pay the price for taking the lives of those he's loved but he's also understood people just as much as he's resented them. Things were never black and white in his world. He thought listening was important though. That listening was half the battle of changing for the better- whether himself or others.
He grins at Gyro then and gives a nod.)
Yeah, I think 'people won't completely change' is fairly accurate. I can get behind that statement.
(He could too. He isn't the sort of person to just agree to avoid confrontation. It's more than obvious now that he isn't. He thinks that's a better way of putting it, that's all. People don't change was way too stringent and allowed no wiggle room. 'People won't completely change'? Now that fit the bill. Percy was trying to remind himself too that Gyro was from the past. One of his good friends Nico was also from the past and far enough from the past that he didn't understand certain things in the new world. He had to remind himself to give Gyro some wiggle room. It wasn't fair to think Gyro would automatically get certain aspects of the current world. But it was clear that Gyro was a certain sort of goodness that ran through human life and could result in change. Maybe not Gyro himself but Gyro....he didn't seem bad. Not even slightly. And Percy thought that even the smallest bits of good accounted for a lot. A man who diligently took care of his own horse, a man who helped others at a clinic.
He didn't think Gyro was pessimistic. Not really, not after they discussed things in greater detail. He would maybe peg him as more of a realist. Which Percy could respect. Percy himself was a bit of an optimistic realist. He wasn't completely blind to the faults that lay in the system of basic human comprehension.
Percy smirks a bit and pops his chin into his palm.)
Oh, super close-minded. I can't believe you don't even get the vegan life style.
(Completely teasing now and it's more than clear from the tone of his voice. He outright laughs at the shove to his head and yeah, things are just fine between them. He really did like Gyro.
He looks at Gyro, blinking sea green eyes. He looks down at himself, like he would be able to see his heart if he tried hard enough. He looked over at Gyro again then. Eventually, he grins, a soft sort of grin.)
[It was true his mindset was a lot different from Percy's. Really, Gyro was heavily forward thinking in his own time, and often marked as eccentric or stupid because of his choices. He just came from a whole different time, the sort of time where people still called native americans 'indians' because they didn't know any better, and sometimes he wouldn't know any better either. It was just how it was. Not everyone did things out of malice, sometimes it just never seemed harmful enough to stop. It was a completely different world back then after all.]
[Either way it's why he didn't just leave the conversation where it had been even though normally? He would have. But when he knows something it happening between him and someone else, he still wants to preserve it. It's just a good thing he has an easier time talking about this sort of thing than something really personal about his own feelings or history. It was a difficult thing to get Gyro to talk about how he felt on a more specific and personal level. What his opinions were here was personal, sure, but not to the same degree. It wasn't like he was talking about his feelings on his father, or what family or love meant to him. Those things came harder to him.]
Vegans just sound like assholes freaks. I bet they're green coloured and their teeth fall out, nyeh-heheh.
(Percy could honestly empathize with that. Mostly everyone he met assumed he was a complete idiot. Damn, even some of his long-term, good friends thought he was a complete idiot. He's been called stupid more than anything else in his entire life and really, he doesn't care. He'd rather be called stupid or ugly or whatever else before he was called something like disloyal or a liar. Percy was smart though. He was aware and observant and he knew Gyro was from the past and that things Gyro said and did had to be taken with a grain of salt. Which Percy was fine with doing. Outdated mentality didn't mean a bad person and it didn't even mean a stupid person. He got that.
Percy's glad Gyro had preserved it. Chances were good Percy would have cooled off later then regretted being dense. It was a lot better this way. He wasn't used to adults talking to him like that either and it shifts his respect towards Gyro. Percy was a relatively open book. The kid didn't have many secrets. It's hard to when you were as passionate as he was. But there were things that he carried with him that he'd be more reluctant to share.)
Um well, you're not wrong. They're not green colored or anything but uh, they're not always smart. Some of them are actually stupid enough to put their dogs or cats on vegan diets and it's kind of like, stop?
(He's quiet after that, looking at the fire. Then after some time of silence, he grins over at Gyro and pokes him in the shoulder. No touch laws, sure, but they're completely alone.)
Hey. You know, you're probably one of the first adults that isn't completely backwards that I've met.
[Luckily Gyro's sort of a kid at heart so he can meet him half way more than a usual adult can. He's willing to be as stupid and silly as Percy is but at the same time doesn't mind buckling down on certain topics if it seems like ignoring them's going to be an issue, because he's pretty damn good at ignoring things and moving on too. But this was a less 'personal' topic and thus something easier to tackle. That and Gyro's gotten far better at communication now after being here for so long. He's started to understand how to better treat people, and how to speak to those he feels are becoming close. Percy's already falling onto that list.]
Whaaaat, dogs and cats don't eat that shit more than humans don't. [Baffled by that, it sounds like a damn lie. But-]
Hnf- humans are always thinking they know better, don't we?
Hm-?
[A glance over. That's right. No touch laws in Midas but look where they are. No one's out here, it's one of the perks of coming out this far. And so when he's poked, he grins, and lifts a hand to shove back against Percy's shoulder.]
(Yeah Gyro really does seem the type to be a bit more kiddish than full-blown adult. It probably did factor into why Percy didn't feel too awkward around him. That was definitely a good thing though. He liked to think that they were going to be good friends. Percy had a big heart, generous and endlessly open to whoever was a good person and had good intentions. Those were the kinds of people he liked to surround himself with. Gyro was a pretty nice staple into that sort of group.)
Oh trust me, I know. I hate that stuff. Like it's cool if you wanna change your diet but don't force that on animals. They don't have a say. Same with kids. (Percy is completely with Gyro here. The only part of veganism he even remotely supported was the general intention of wanting better treatment of animals. Otherwise? No.
He laughs then, smiling bright.)
Honestly, yeah. People are really good at being arrogant.
(Percy laughs again when Gyro shoves him back, laughs even louder than before, and he's automatically glad that Gyro isn't shy to touch. Not for any perverse reason. Percy was a teenage boy is all. He sometimes showed his affectionate through dumb shoves and hair ruffles. Not that he'd ruffle Gyro's hair. Gyro's hair was the play-with kind of hair, not the ruffle. Not that he was about to tell Gyro that.)
You don't think I'm cool, huh? I'm the coolest person I know.
[Said as he takes another drink of his flask and offers it again.]
Sure you don't want any? I have water and some beer too, up to you. [Said as he pushes himself up and moves back to Valkyrie and gives him a pat, apologizes for 'interrupting', and goes to look around in his satchel. He pulls out what looks to be a coffee pot, a water skin, and a small cloth bag.]
Think I got some Amaretto in here too... [Mumbles to himself as he continues to look.]
It's okay. I don't think I'm all that cool either so I'm not really the president of what is or isn't cool.
(At the offer, Percy shakes his head.)
No thanks. The drinking age is 21 and I'm a few years off from that. My mom would have a hernia.
(Not really. She wasn't the type to get mad or yell at him but she'd be disappointed and that would be significantly worse. Blackjack wasn't bothered by the minor disagreement between the men. He knew his master enough to know he wouldn't start anything serious and he was used enough to general confrontations like that. When Gyro came over, he gave a pleasant whinny of acknowledgement and nudged at Gyro's side, sniffing for treats.)
Some Amara-what? (Percy asks from where he is, not having really hard Gyro all that well.)
There's a 'cool president'? Why's no one told me??
Nyeh- heh, drinking age where?
[What a cute thing to reply with though. He won't push it on him anymore. He WILL keep trying to find everything to make a-]
Ah ha! Amaretto, it's an almond liquor. If you're Earth side, it's usually from Saronno.
[Said as he lifts a small bottle out. He'll quickly click a greeting against his teeth at Blackjack, give him a wink. The bottle is tucked under and arm and he'll move back into the satchel to remove a packet of dates. Hope you like these, they're Valkyrie's favorite, he'll mumble and give him one, giving one to Valkyrie as well before he puts them back and moves back to accompany Percy by the fire. He sets everything down and moves to start preparing the coffee pot, filling it with water.]
You drink coffee? Or are you not old enough for that too?
Cause you're not in deep enough to be told. It's a complicated thing.
In New York. And present time. I'm not so sure what the drinking age is from when you were around.
(He looks thoughtful for a moment but knows it's a lost cause. He was awful at school and school never covered 'drinking age laws' way back when. The only drinking laws they covered were bootleggers and then the speakeasies.)
Ohhhh. Of course.
(Almond liquor. He knew that. No he didn't. But he's going to nod his support anyway. Blackjack perks his head up, ears flicking about madly.
What you...? What this! Ayyyyye boss!
Percy looks over but sees that it's only a date so he snorts, watching as Blackjack doesn't even wait for permission to eat and just dives right on in and munches on the date.
Valkyrie, my man, you got some STELLAR taste that was ugh- the stuff of dreams. You gotta another? Hey....hey! Where you going?
He calls after Gyro but of course, Gyro would hear nothing but a little bit of shuffling around on Blackjack's end. Percy laughs at his horse's despair.)
He liked the date. And is sad you left without giving him more.
(A beat. He looks at the coffee and then at Gyro.)
I know you envy my youth and vitality but harsh man, real harsh. It's okay. I still think you look good for your age. Women are probably into the silver fox thing sometimes.
Was never a big deal. [Near 1860 was when they started to establish drinking laws, but even then it wasn't as heavily enforced in his era. It wouldn't start to be a big push to getting away from liquor until closer to the 1900s and nearing the 20s. So he'll just shrug, setting the pot down on the fire, sparks crackling up from it and spiraling up into the quickly darkening sky.]
[Gyro chuckles at the comment about the date, glancing back. He'll see Valkyrie nudge at Blackjack's neck a little, pushing the end of his snout near his neck in comfort.]
We can't mate, not here. But I'm guessing your guy, that Percy, you lot live over in that fancy city, do ya? So he probably still gives ya a lotta grub, eh? Don't work like that hea.
[It may sound rather sad to both Percy and Blackjack, but it's the truth. Gyro can't hear his horse to know that Valkyrie's understood so well, so he'll mention it himself as well. Still... it'd really mean something were he to know that Valkyrie realized that it wasn't because Gyro was punishing him that he had to be scarce with things like treats. it'd mean something that Valkyrie understood what his master was going through, and the lack of funds he had here.]
That's the only bag for the month, not sure if I'll afford more next one either. [A shrug, pouting as he looks to Blackjack.]
Sorry for that, Blackjack.
[Really sorry actually, but, he tries not to dwell on it. He looks back to the fire, chuckling at Percy's words.]
Women are into me fine, and not a grey hair yet, you wanna look? I pluck them out and use them to floss, nyo-hoho! Fuuuu!
[He swats at that hand, shoves him again, and this time ruffles Percy's hair too. He sure is okay with touching, and Percy has very ruffle-y hair.]
Doubt you want it spiked though, yeah? You're lucky, this stuff took me a while to find, good enough without spirits.
That makes sense. I don't really know when drinking ages started becoming a big deal. Maybe it's because kids started being stupid and killing each other or because they drove drunk. That seems to be the main reason but I don't really know?
(He had never really had a huge urge to get wasted or anything and he was sixteen. Two years off from the old age of drinking. Twenty-one seemed so far off and old to him.
Blackjack looks at Valkyrie and snorts. One thing about Blackjack? He's a natural glutton. Doesn't even need to be spoiled that way.
No way. Boss gives me only what I need and a teeny bit extra on the side. He's all picky on my diet. Says I'd get fat otherwise.
Which in Blackjack's case? He absolutely would. If Blackjack could, he'd likely do nothing but eat sugar cubes from dusk til dawn and splurge a bit between on anything else.
Percy does notice though and glances over before at Gyro. He's aware enough about how mongrels couldn't afford much. Percy grew up dirt poor and that wasn't really something he was surprised about. He still had no idea what to do with the money that he had been given. He hadn't splurged at all. The most he had done was eaten out a lot until he actually figured out how to make food in his place.
But he also gets that most people don't really enjoy hand-outs. He didn't either but it was aggravating to know that someone like Gyro and his horse were just squeaking by. He considers this closely.)
What do you do for Valkyrie? I mean, like, living wise? Does he just stay with you at your place?
(It was a genuine question as much as it was a mildly prodding one. Blackjack mostly flew around. Pegasi weren't fans of stables and needed to be able to stretch their wings far more than regular horses had to stretch their legs. But otherwise, he stayed in Percy's place and that wasn't all that horse friendly in atmosphere.
Aw it's okay, man. Don't sweat it.)
That's - gross. And also sad. I have gray hair but that's totally not my fault.
(He pouts a bit and rubs his fingers through the streak of gray hair in his hair by his temple. Stupid titans. Then Gyro is ruffling his hair and Percy whines though does absolutely nothing to stop it.)
Awww c'mon. My hair's already a total mess. Ugh ew. Why do you drink anyway? It tastes so bad.
[Said with a raised brow. Because they sure as hell do. Makes you wonder why alcohol is legal at all. Sure it won't be for a bit, but it turns out we find out during that period that you can't just take something like from the public, it'll raise crime rates. They'll get it anyway, that and it'll sap money from the economy. So dangerous? Seems like that's not really why people get shit taken away, not really.]
[But yeah, kids do tend to be stupid on a wider level with it. Doesn't seem to stop Amoi from letting them drink though.]
You'll get fat, really? Ya dill! How do ya get fat when we're movin' around all the time, yer favorite things to hitch and bog down?
[Said with a lower of his head and a whinny and huff, laughing at the idea of it. Valkyrie was a very healthy horse, treated that way and in habit. He's not the sort to eat himself huge and takes a lot of enjoyment in moving around. You can tell by how often he moves and how easily, he's very similar to his rider in that respect.]
[Despite the comment about the dates, Gyro doesn't really seem that distraught or bitter about it. It was a normal sort of life, to struggle a bit, wasn't it? A cowboy life, even if he was in no way an actual cowboy. But he wasn't the sort to whine or dwell on his problems, he just did what he had to do to get over them. He sure wishes opening his clinic had made it easier to take less help though... it did a little, but not as much as he'd like. It would if he upped his prices, but what's the point when he wants to keep his clinic more accessible to the Mongrel populace?]
[He takes a drink of his flask, turning the kettle a bit and whipping his hand slightly to get the heat off his palm.]
Mnh well- yeah, depending on where I am, he's in there with me. Most places don't stop him at the door, they don;t know what to even do about a horse and most of the time they think I some how got ahold of a digital version. [Makes them assume he's a pet then though, a lot of the time, and then it fucks him over ugh.]
Still do now, he used to only live in my apartment too, I got a bigger one when I showed up, first floor. But now... a friend of mine got me set up with a small stable at my place here in Diedo. [A pause, sighing out of his nose before he looks down to the fire, busying himself a little by stoking it.]
Big help, stable's a lot better on his hooves. [So he... took it, grinned and dealt with the help. But this place has shown him through constant pressures to be a little more accepting of things like help. Friends often... did that sort of thing anyway, he learned that too. Though he only ever took help when it was associated with Valkyrie or that clinic of his. Otherwise? Nope.]
Nyeh- huuu, you got grey hairs?? Then you have more than me! You're a god's son, right? Maybe you're a liiiar too and you're really like eighty in my own world's years.
[Moving to ruffle his hair again but he stops short this time, psyche-ing him out and hissing a laugh through his teeth.]
You think so? Well I like the taste sometimes, and if I don't like it, I like the feeling afterwards. Being drunk can make things a whoooole lot better. [A shrug.]
Not all the time though. [He's not some alcoholic after all.]
Besides, a little red wine's good for the heart, didn't you know?
(Percy actually laughs at that, loud and bright and completely genuine. Most adults almost never want to admit that they act stupid and kill each other. He definitely, definitely likes Gyro.)
Oh, no, they do that too but adults really like to point out the mistakes of kids and act like they're the ones doing a worse job of things.
(Percy has no idea why they don't take it away or at the very least regulate it better. He had no idea why age reflected responsibility. His stepfather had abused alcohol and wound up abusing everyone else in the process and he was plenty old enough to be more "responsible" than that. It's not like Percy had any ideas of how to fix the system though and really, a bunch of dead kids still wasn't enough to make people wonder about how they ought to start changing the laws around alcohol. Who knows?
Kids were definitely a little stupider. But adults had the years of experience that made it look real bad when they were the idiots. Besides, some adults acted like they couldn't possibly be stupid ever.
Nah I don't think he means fat literally. I think he means I'll get sick on stuff. He's not wrong. One time I found an ENTIRE bag of sugar cubes and puked my brains out after. I got impulse control issues.
Blackjack says this rather solemnly. He might have something of intellect but when push came to shove, he was still a horse. He wasn't the sharpest horse either. Definitely not stupid but very much needed Percy there to keep him from eating badly because he would otherwise simply because something tasted good. Percy knew this well enough about his pegasus. Blackjack was very healthy as well because of Percy's critical eye.
That was the truth enough. Percy understood it. There had been plenty things he just dealt with because there was no other choice. Hell, the kid still had his old converse that were riddled with holes and falling apart at the seams. But in the same instance, he now had money and wondered what help he could do with that.
At the mention of stables, Percy looks over, surprised.)
There are stables here? Did they build it or something?
(There's genuine interest in his voice. It wasn't like Blackjack really liked the floors in his apartment either. Generally speaking, pegasus didn't like enclosures in general. Pegasi stables usually had openings or at least easy access to the outside world so they could stretch their wings. They weren't domesticated like normal horses. You couldn't just train one to keep it around permanently. They had to explore, had to fly, but they would come back if you were an owner worth coming back to.)
I've mostly been letting Blackjack roam. Pegasi need that. They're not completely like normal horses.
(Percy pouts at being called a liar and for a moment, he looks genuinely offended. For just a moment though. Being called a liar was one of the greatest insults in his books but it's pretty evident Gyro is kidding so he eases up.)
Nah. Just sixteen, unfortunately. But yeah. See?
(He turns his head around so that he was looking over his shoulder and so Gyro could see the dull grey strip that slid through his hair.)
It's not like I was born with it. Got it on a quest.
(A hellish quest but seeing as he has a grey lock to prove it -he doesn't need to say that.)
Adults like to feel big too, most of the time they're not, even if they are. There's a lot of assholes out there.
[Yeeeep. He's met a plenty, hell, he IS one of those assholes himself at times, maybe even all the time. But he's met a hell of a lot more adults he didn't like than kids, that's for sure.]
[A glance over, he shakes his head.]
No stables, not in Midas. The one I have is for a single horse, another one might fit, but not for a long term setup. ...He built it, just for Valkyrie.
Unfortunately I can't let him roam like Blackjack. He's too easy to steal. [And sell, or... eat. A digital animal roaming around alone would be stolen too, but once they found he was REAL it was even more of a reason to take him. Gyro didn't want that to happen. Valkyrie wasn't like Blackjack who could fly, or like Liger who was deadly and riddled with fangs and claws. He'd try to get away but he'd still probably get caught... The idea already has him feeling uncomfortable. Plus Gyro had a hard time leaving Valkyrie alone anyway, he liked to roam and stuff too, sure, but Valkyrie was a very social creature.]
Pegasi do? Well he can roam my way if he ever wants to.
[Yeah, he didn't mean the liar thing, he's pretty casual right now as he sits back, waiting for the kettle to boil. He'll look over to Percy though when he brings attention to that patch of grey and frowns, puckering up his lips as he leans a little closer to get a better look.]
Magic? Stress, fear? Lots of things could cause it. Looks neat though, you're .01 percent old, nyeh-heh!
Yeah, true. [Leaning away again.]
Plenty's healthy, how's that an argument against having a drink once and a while? Drink if you want to, don't if you don't, just don't be an idiot whether you do either one or you'll get your ass kicked.
Yeah, yeah they do. You know, not that I thought you were a jerk or anything before, but this whole self-aware thing is really making me like you more.
(He's not even trying to be a little shit nosed brat. He means it. Most adults loathed to admit the fault in their generation. Sure kids were real idiots but that wasn't to discredit all the adults out there who were just as big of idiots without the excuse of lacking experience that kids had.
Percy hums in thought, wondering if there was a way they could set up some sort of real stable system. He had the money....The means, however, was a totally different question. Did they even sell construction supplies or anything?)
No, I'd imagine. Blackjack mostly roams in the sky, not the ground.
(Which was a given but Percy felt the need to clarify anyway. Even if he wanted Blackjack to stay, he still wouldn't. It wasn't quite fair to the horse. Blackjack knew better than to just fly down into populated areas. After all, their camp had been on Long Island Sound and just outside of New York City. Blackjack had flown over the heart of the city plenty of times but knew that if he wanted to land, it was wiser to land on high skyscrapers' roofs and the like. Out of sight completely.)
He probably will whether or not I tell him to.
(Percy laughs a bit at this and glances over at Blackjack and Valkyrie.)
Not gonna lie, he'll probably fly out to hang with Valkyrie a lot now that he knows he's here.
(He tips his head to allow Gyro a better look. He wasn't self-conscious of the grey hair nor was he proud. It was just something that was there. Not with indifference but...muted feelings.)
Uh. Magic and stress? I don't know really. You know the story about the titan Atlas who held the world up? Yeah, well.
(Percy shrugged his shoulders and lifted his arms up as if to imitate the famous depiction of the story.)
For three or so minutes anyway.
(It had been enough to leave permanent damage though. In his hair but also in his head a little. Not that he talks about that sort of thing ever.)
Well anything's healthy in moderation or so they say. How can you be an idiot by not drinking?
(He's not even being preachy. He's just curious how that even works.)
Self aware? [A brow raise at that, pursing his lips to the side before he shrugs and takes another drink, leaning to finally pull the kettle off just as it starts to whistle. He busies himself with preparing two cups of coffee after that. The steaming liquid is poured into two very rustic looking clay cups though Percy will find when he takes the cup it's some how cool in his hand though the liquid's far from drinkable yet.]
[Gyro leans back a little, pouring some of the amaretto from that separate bottle into his own cup, making a smell of almonds rise into the air along with the smell of coffee.]
[As for self-aware? He's never really heard that term before, not really, it's a weird one though he got the meaning quickly. If anything it just meant 'not stupid'. He knew how adults could be, and while pride ate a part of his heart as it did any man, he was smart enough to know he was just as capable of either side of right and wrong like any man as well. While his dad taught him to not be compassionate, he also taught him to be logical and humble. He didn't live up to it all the time, but he still had it drilled into him.]
Well land or sky, he's welcome. Though I better give you my schedule to tell him or he'll come by when Valkyrie's still stabled.
[He works after all, often too. He didn't keep Valkyrie cooped up too long, but he had to when he was gone and when no one else was around to take care of him. The number of people he entrusted Valkyrie to was very few after all, less than fingers on his right hand.]
[A glance over again after he's done inspecting that patch of hair. Close enough Percy'd feel his breath on his neck, but only for a moment.]
In your world... no way! Wasn't Atlas a titan? One of 'endurance', how'd you manage that? You're not buff at all, I could pick my teeth with those arms.
[Said with a smirk as he takes another drink and sighs at how it's temperature and liquor burns his throat and belly. Gyro shakes his head, barking out a small laugh.]
How can't you? The smartest people can be idiots after being sober all their lives, it's human nature. [People are dumb, you can get outta being dumb, sure, but everyone has their moments, even sober. You could manage smart while drunk too, not everyone turned into a full moron after all. Hell... Gyro got a little 'smarter' sometimes when he drank, he sure got better at communication and 'feelings' talks. Not a lot better, but better than he was any other time.]
Yeah, sure. I like people who can admit stuff about themselves or people who are associated with them.
(Kind of like how he could admit he himself was a bit of a dumbass sometimes. Not in so many words but the sentiment was always there. Granted, he wasn't nearly remotely stupid as he thought he was or as everyone else thought he was but hey, point still stands.
Percy isn't too shocked by this. Between the technology and his own naturally heat resistant skin, things like hot coffee normally don't bother him much. He even gives a sip of the hot coffee and seems utterly un-bothered by it. The taste is okay enough. Percy wasn't the biggest fan of coffee but this was a comfortable tasting brew that he really didn't mind sipping at.)
That would actually help a lot, thanks. He's a real smart creature so he'd be able to go by on a schedule.
(Percy doesn't offer help right then. Doesn't actually think to. Gyro seemed like he had things sorted out but really, if Percy knew, he would have gladly helped. He had helped with the stables back at camp and took care of Blackjack.
While Blackjack might be more wild than domesticated, his mane was perfect, combed out and gorgeous in silkiness. His coat and wings were always neat and his hooves were spotless. Not that they were particularly hard to clean since he was an air beast but still. He even had nice teeth. Percy wouldn't mind in the slightest taking care of Valkyrie for Gyro while he worked. Not like he was doing anything anyway most days besides training. He doesn't offer though. Not right now.)
Yeah? I just said he was a titan, didn't I? I told you. I'm a demigod. I think you're severely underestimating the 'god' part in that.
(Percy doesn't seem offended though. He grins. He's really not buff but he's far from lanky too. He leans back and raises his arm to flex his bicep muscle. He's got those nice muscles, the kind of muscles that make the arm holes in t-shirts tight and snug around the shape of them. His thighs are killer and his abdomen is tight and solid, as are his pecs. The kid, without clothes on, is not too unlike classical Greek statues of divine male figures.
He laughs a little bit and shakes his head.)
I don't really get that but I guess so. Isn't that just being stupid by nature though? I don't see how it's relevant to sobriety.
(But he wasn't really arguing it. What did he know about the world of drinking? He takes another swig of coffee.)
I'll let you know then, a lot of my times used up, but after work I wouldn't mind the company.
[Clinic took up the majority of his mornings and middays, unfortunately without another doctor on staff yet, it could take his nights too, and while the nurses were also able to take certain house calls, he had to take the most. So yeah, a lot of his time. It made it hard to pick up his own hobbies again, and he's lucky he hasn;t gotten a call since he's come out here with Percy.]
[Ugh... he takes a drink just thinking about it, letting it burn his tongue a little.]
Does a Pegasus ever get sick?
[Because while Percy isn't going to offer his help just yet, Gyro will offer his if need be. After all, he is a doctor, and he's had to take to being a horse doctor too, considering there are no vets here, and those that would qualify are way out of his budget.]
Yeah so? Different gods do different things, don't they? You said it yourself, you're not really good with music, and I doubt Aphrodite could hold the world up so well, same with you. Heh- a little time though, sure, three minutes you said? I could believe that.
Nooote to self, no arm wrestling with Percy.
[He'll lean over, offering a puckered, playful smirk as he pinches at Percy's flexed arm. Pinch pinch.]
What?? That IS my point, people are going to be stupid no matter what. Alcohol just makes it fun to sometimes.
Makes sex better too.
[Said with a matter-o-fact shrug as he takes another drink of his italian coffee.]
No it's not, not as good as it could be, but I'll take what I can get.
I should come by and bother you too sometimes then.
(Percy was actually a little bit lonely himself. He had made friends, certainly. But he was also used to living in a camp that did daily activities together. He wasn't awful all alone but he definitely had a bit of an ache to....to do more things with other people. This right here was really nice even. Hanging out with Gyro just casually. Even if it had gotten a little sour for a moment there - even that was preferable to silence. Blackjack was great company but Percy wasn't selfish enough to hole Blackjack up inside with him. They did hang out a lot but the pegasus needed his wings room and honestly, Percy needed company that wasn't just a horse. There was only so much they could do and talk about, after all. He was still very much an animal.
At the question, Percy looks over at Blackjack curiously.)
I've got no idea. I imagine they can. Can you get sick, bud?
(Pssssh? Who? Me? Nah, boss, I'm too tough for germs.
That sounded fake but okay. Percy just sighs affectionately at his pegasus, shaking his head.)
He can probably get sick. Maybe it's just harder for him to.
(Percy grins at Gyro then, not even remotely offended.)
You're not wrong at all. I don't know if it's a demigod thing or a particular demigod thing. I mean I'm one of the big three's kids. Technically stronger than other demigods. My friend whose a child of Athena was holding it up before me. It's why I took it in the first place so she get out. I mean technically us demigods are meant to be durable and go to all kinds of vicious wars against monsters and titans. So maybe it has to do with our parents or maybe it's got to do with our blood.
(He really doesn't know. Most kids do have ADHD and dyslexia who are demigods, both of which actually aid them in battle and quests so it wouldn't be hard to believe that they could hold up the world - all of them- despite their parents.)
I wouldn't throw away Aphrodite so easily. She's still a goddess and I think there's a serious power in love.
(Which maybe sounded corny but it was true, wasn't it? Percy had gone through literal hell out of love for his mother, love for his friends.
Percy laughs loudly then and swats at Gyro's pinching hands.)(A total joke but maybe- no.)
All right, fair.
Wait -what? Seriously? But I've heard that alcohol can kind of make it hard to get- you know. Up.
(Or stay up. He doesn't actually remember but he definitely remembered that in health class- the few he had attended- there was a lot about how alcohol could make sex bad.)
I've got two places in Midas, I'll give both to you. When I'm at work though, Valkyrie will only be at the one in Diedo.
[A slightly confusing setup, yes. But either of his roommates sort of fucked off a good deal, had their own things to do. Yata had work and it was often he went to Tanagura to visit a friend, and Jin... well Jin was in Tanagura a lot. So Gyro was in either Midas location, both private housing, when he felt like it. Sometimes when he went to the place in Diedo and no one was there, he'd try the place with Yata and Yata was there, and maybe he just wanted that company. Gyro was good at being a longer, raised to be, but he didn't prefer it. And so he means it when he says he'll give him his addresses, he'd like for Percy to visit.]
That right?
[Glancing to Blackjack himself.]
Well if he does, you know where to find me. I doubt he's that much different from Valkyrie in there. [He's thinking... more fragile bones, faster digestive system, and possibly thicker yet lighter muscles? Hard to say, he'd have to get a look inside to know for sure, which is easier for him than it sounds.]
The 'big three'? Poseidon, Hades, and Zeus?
[Is what he figures anyway. Gyro takes another drink. He's really starting to feel the warm from the liquor now, his vision blurring a little, gaze stuck on the fire and watching it dance. His posture calms a bit too, and a slight red flush starts to colour his cheeks, it'll be hard to notice with the red glow of the fire against him though.]
Love, heh- guess so, it's all we wrote about. [We as in Italians, he chuckles at his own joke, soon moving to point his cup at Percy once.]
Who're you even talking to, old people? If it's too hard for you just tell the other person to do something sexy, it'll get there. [Driiink.]
(Percy doesn't question it. He himself back on his home planet had two homes technically speaking. Percy would visit anyway. He made the assumption that they were now friends which meant that time together would be a thing. He was far from a stray. It's not like he would randomly show up constantly but he'd make an actual effort to be friends with Gyro, to keep an established relationship of sorts going. He liked him and wanted to visit. So he would.
Simple as that.
Percy shrugs and glances over as well. Blackjack looks very proud of himself. Divine blood. It made sense. Percy barely ever got sick either so he could buy that.)
No probably not. Maybe bones and some other structural stuff but I doubt anything organ wise.
(And only because whenever he rode Blackjack, Blackjack felt light. Percy had ridden a normal horse and knew the difference. Subtle but prominent when you rode two of them. If Gyro ever got the chance to ride Blackjack, he would no doubt be able to tell the difference in a heart beat as well.
Percy gives a slight nod, looking away for a moment. Some of that unease was still present. Being a child of the Big Three was extraordinarily dangerous. Even his name, Perseus, was dangerous.)
Well yeah I mean people start wars over love. And like, there's those mortal human women who find the strength in them to lift their car off a baby trapped under it or whatever. I mean sure that's probably mostly adrenaline but...I guess some people could argue love is all chemical but in my world, nothing's just science. All gods.
(He has no idea what he's trying to say. Maybe that he has faith. He doesn't understand that though. It was hard to use the word 'faith' when talking about something you knew to be true. Faith felt like something you had to believe in, not something you knew. No one said that they had faith in the sky being blue.)
No? Like, science teachers. (Percy pouts a little.) I heard older boys say something about 'whiskey dick' before though.
(In the locker room at school. He heard lots of other stuff too but you know. He wasn't about to bring it up.)
I heard in general that older people's stamina and sex drive is normally worse off too.
(Percy says this lightly and now he's just being a little shit.)
[And he won't explain it either. It's an odd situation that reveals more about his emotions concerning some people than he'd like to tell someone. And Percy doesn't push it, so good. Sure you could eventually get answers if you were persistent enough with Gyro and he grew to know you well enough, but pushing him also had a high possibility of pissing him off.]
[So yeah, become his friend and maybe then, right? He might find out anyway.]
[Valkyrie's pretty calm right now, having gotten a good deal of his initial excitement out already. Still, he doesn't stand next to Blackjack for too much longer before he's trotting away. He'll egg on the pegasus to run around with him a little, far enough to not bother Gyro and Percy of course, though not far enough to be out of view.]
[Gyro smirks at his horse before glancing back to Percy and finishing off his coffee just as a warmth of the liquor really starts to settle into his skin and posture.]
To lift a car off a baby?? Wait I've heard things like that. Mother's are the scariest things in the world when they wanna be.
[When they have to be more like. The words make him pause for a moment, a silence moving over him has thoughts of his own mother pass through his mind. A mother he... doesn't remember the name of anymore... His brows furrow, it's very subtle, but there enough to notice if Percy's looking before he adjusts in his seat and breathes in deep.]
Aaahh isn't science 'just gods' too? It's all made by them, if they're real, if you believe them. Even the science you know's somethin' they made and set up, and magic's just science we haven't gotten to figuring out yet, ya know?
Whhha- [A look over to him.]
Whiskey dick?? Nyo-hohohaha no way! Are you kidding me? Good thing I drink gin!
[More laughing, his golden teeth shimmering in the fire's light as the sky starts to really get dark now, going from red to purple to dark blue.]
I don't have any problems with my setup up... [Said as he looks over to him with heavy lids. Call them bedroom eyes if you want but it's really just the alcohol mellowing him out. He does lean a liiiittle closer to Percy though when he continues. Maybe he's poking right back at him though, possibly aiming to make Percy slightly uncomfortable in retaliation for the slight at his damn age again.]
And for stamina? I've run 'round the track more times than most I've "raced with".
(Percy's not much of a pusher. He is when he's closer with people but only to an extent, only if he genuinely feels like it's something that needs to be discussed. The kid's a good friend with good intention and for now, he's more than content to just get to know Gyro better and let this thing develop naturally between them.
It takes absolutely no time at all to get Blackjack to take off after Valkyrie. Blackjack is young and wild and adores any chance to dance around. He sweeps delicately up into the air and flies over Valkyrie low enough that he can lean down and playfully nip at him before landing a few feet away. He's just as aware of staying near the two men as well but he's down for some playing.)
Yeah, I don't know. It's like a brain-adrenaline thing? I dunno.
(He really doesn't. Percy genuinely is not text-book savvy. If only because most of school information doesn't stick well and he also has a shit time reading. But he has heard that before.
Percy does notice. He watches closely and where he might fail in some areas of expertise, he excels in several more. Observation is one of them and considering the topic of mothers, well. His own mother is an amazing woman and easily the nicest person he has ever known in all of his life. He adores her but he's also not stupid enough to think every kid's relationship with their mother is quite so simple or pleasant. Percy casually knocks his knee gently against Gyro's and it's this quiet little sign of support.)
Oh it's totally true. It's just funky thinking about in detail, you know?
(To him it was anyway but he could see like, Athena being responsible for science or whatever.)
I'm pretty sure it isn't just with whiskey.
(But Percy is grinning all the same. He personally thought alcohol tasted foul and good job Gyro for imploring that on him.
What Percy doesn't expect is to be looked at like that. He's been with enough people now, even slightly, to kind of pick up on the look at it surprises him. Even more so when Gyro leans towards him. Percy feels suddenly hyper-aware of their closeness and feels surprised when - when well, he realizes he wouldn't completely mind. With Gyro.
It takes him a moment to respond, a bit dazed, and he slowly nods.)
Huh? Oh, yeah. I don't. No. I uh...
(He really sucks at metaphors on the spot.)
I usually...need a few...laps in the pool myself?
(See that wasn't so hard. Not the best but neither was Gyro's so there. But he means it. He orgasms more than once. His masturbation sessions usually involved anywhere from two to three and sometimes even four times. He's a teenager whose all too virginal and a demigod.)
And if you're sure man. I mean, about your set up. It's okay if it's nothing like mine. Youth isn't forever so I can't hold that against you.
(Okay, now Percy's just being coy and..maybe..something else.)
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As for the rest of it, well. Miscommunication, really. Percy's loud and passionate but he's also not dense and stubborn enough to ignore when someone else is talking. He listens when Gyro starts to speak, looks at him and sits there quietly, not interrupting, because it's important to listen and he understands quickly enough that he misunderstood Gyro. Percy's a good kid, is the thing. He has a good heart and it's in the right place, even if he fumbles a bit with it and winds up getting more snarky than thoughtful.
After Gyro finishes talking, Percy rubs at his chin thoughtfully and stares briefly at the fire.)
I think you're right and I think you're wrong. I agree that people are always going to do bad things and that it sucks. But I agree that that's what free will is about. I know a perfect world is impossible- trust me on that. But I do thing people can change. I think people can change for the better, even the majority, even if it means that there will still be bad people. I get that. I do. I agree too. Evil is always going to exist.
I never said it wouldn't, you know. Just that people could change. Cause they can. It's dumb to say they can'. I mean, you don't know the future yet but people outlawed slavery, fought for the rights for African Americans, fought for the rights of women, and are fighting for the rights for gay people. I mean. It's slow and there's always crap and racism and sexism still exist but...things are better because people started to change. Bad stuff will always exist, people who want to hurt animals or people who want to hurt people for being different. Dude, the monsters in my world, the ones I fight? They don't die. They turn to dust and it takes years for them to reform. Wanna know why? It's cause they're more of a concept than a living blood-thing like you or me. Evil is a concept you can't kill. You can only push it out of the way for a while. I get that. Trust me, I really do.
(His voice is softer than before, his knees bumping together. He looks at Gyro and offers a genuine sort of smile.)
I'm sorry. That I called you close-minded. I can get riled up sometimes and jump to conclusions. I uh. Get in trouble for that a lot. But I am sorry. I didn't mean to jump to any conclusions with you. I know you're a cool dude.
(He means it too. He didn't mean to offend Gyro or insinuate anything - though he knows he did. He wouldn't even say he didn't. He's done it before and would likely do it again. Percy doesn't always think. He feels and then does. He tries to do what he thinks is right and sometimes he messes up. He's still learning though, still a kid, and at least he can admit when he's wrong and he had been in the wrong. To an extent, anyway, in having gotten worked up.)
I guess the subject just hits close to home, you know? It isn't personal. I shouldn't have made it personal. But I guess some things are hard to not make personal.
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[He's happy though that Percy stops to listen to him. After all, a passion like that in the kid could mean they'd fall into interrupting eachother and eventually whatever sort of friendship this was would've crashed and burned. Gyro didn't show this happiness, but he felt it, and again would fall back to listen to Percy again, the fire crackling on. Valkyrie couldn't help but worry a bit at the 'vibes' gotten from that direction, but so like a horse to leave whatever was going on to who was involved. If anything he moved to stand a little closer to Blackjack as they rested and continued their own far less vehement conversation.]
Yeah, I'm not going to argue on that. 'Course people can change like that, but not everyone, and so in a way we don't change completely. Maybe saying 'people don't change' is a bad way of presenting it. I shoulda said 'they won't change completely' how about that?
[A breath at that though. It really means something to hear what he does. That things got better for people, that slavery stopped being a thing, that things changed for African Americans (though he does flinch a little at that term, people still had a bad way of speaking in his time after all, it's weird to hear someone casually use 'African Americans'.) It's weird too to hear about gays getting rights, he never even considered that but that did lead people to getting incarcerated in his time, even killed... it was a problem, a big one, it all was. But hearing that it does change in a version of Earth made him feel a bit more relaxed. It might in his own then, he hoped so. It didn't change his opinion on things though, after all, he'll stick by 'people don't change completely'. He's really not a pessimist though, it's not like he thought things couldn't change at all large scale.]
[He's even more happy to see that Percy understands him though. Gyro's a good person too, even if he can be an ass sometimes, but that was usually just for laughs. They're both good hearted and he felt like they'd be good friends. So it's nice to see he was right and they this conversation didn't spiral down into something they couldn't reverse. After all, some of the biggest feuds were sparked from merely a misunderstanding.]
Heh, yeah? Maybe it's too late, you already said it. I'm close-minded, am I??
[Said as he smiles back and moves to shove a hand at Percy's head before sitting back again and taking another drink of his flask. He wipes at his mouth with the back of his wrist.]
It's a crack. [A breath, pointing to him.]
A crack in your heart made by 'sentimentality'. But don't worry, that's a part of life too... [Staring into the fire.] No matter what anyone tells you.
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He grins at Gyro then and gives a nod.)
Yeah, I think 'people won't completely change' is fairly accurate. I can get behind that statement.
(He could too. He isn't the sort of person to just agree to avoid confrontation. It's more than obvious now that he isn't. He thinks that's a better way of putting it, that's all. People don't change was way too stringent and allowed no wiggle room. 'People won't completely change'? Now that fit the bill. Percy was trying to remind himself too that Gyro was from the past. One of his good friends Nico was also from the past and far enough from the past that he didn't understand certain things in the new world. He had to remind himself to give Gyro some wiggle room. It wasn't fair to think Gyro would automatically get certain aspects of the current world. But it was clear that Gyro was a certain sort of goodness that ran through human life and could result in change. Maybe not Gyro himself but Gyro....he didn't seem bad. Not even slightly. And Percy thought that even the smallest bits of good accounted for a lot. A man who diligently took care of his own horse, a man who helped others at a clinic.
He didn't think Gyro was pessimistic. Not really, not after they discussed things in greater detail. He would maybe peg him as more of a realist. Which Percy could respect. Percy himself was a bit of an optimistic realist. He wasn't completely blind to the faults that lay in the system of basic human comprehension.
Percy smirks a bit and pops his chin into his palm.)
Oh, super close-minded. I can't believe you don't even get the vegan life style.
(Completely teasing now and it's more than clear from the tone of his voice. He outright laughs at the shove to his head and yeah, things are just fine between them. He really did like Gyro.
He looks at Gyro, blinking sea green eyes. He looks down at himself, like he would be able to see his heart if he tried hard enough. He looked over at Gyro again then. Eventually, he grins, a soft sort of grin.)
Yeah, I know it is. Thanks though.
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[Either way it's why he didn't just leave the conversation where it had been even though normally? He would have. But when he knows something it happening between him and someone else, he still wants to preserve it. It's just a good thing he has an easier time talking about this sort of thing than something really personal about his own feelings or history. It was a difficult thing to get Gyro to talk about how he felt on a more specific and personal level. What his opinions were here was personal, sure, but not to the same degree. It wasn't like he was talking about his feelings on his father, or what family or love meant to him. Those things came harder to him.]
Vegans just sound like assholes freaks. I bet they're green coloured and their teeth fall out, nyeh-heheh.
No problem.
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Percy's glad Gyro had preserved it. Chances were good Percy would have cooled off later then regretted being dense. It was a lot better this way. He wasn't used to adults talking to him like that either and it shifts his respect towards Gyro. Percy was a relatively open book. The kid didn't have many secrets. It's hard to when you were as passionate as he was. But there were things that he carried with him that he'd be more reluctant to share.)
Um well, you're not wrong. They're not green colored or anything but uh, they're not always smart. Some of them are actually stupid enough to put their dogs or cats on vegan diets and it's kind of like, stop?
(He's quiet after that, looking at the fire. Then after some time of silence, he grins over at Gyro and pokes him in the shoulder. No touch laws, sure, but they're completely alone.)
Hey. You know, you're probably one of the first adults that isn't completely backwards that I've met.
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Whaaaat, dogs and cats don't eat that shit more than humans don't. [Baffled by that, it sounds like a damn lie. But-]
Hnf- humans are always thinking they know better, don't we?
Hm-?
[A glance over. That's right. No touch laws in Midas but look where they are. No one's out here, it's one of the perks of coming out this far. And so when he's poked, he grins, and lifts a hand to shove back against Percy's shoulder.]
That's because I'm really cool, nyeh-heheh!
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Oh trust me, I know. I hate that stuff. Like it's cool if you wanna change your diet but don't force that on animals. They don't have a say. Same with kids. (Percy is completely with Gyro here. The only part of veganism he even remotely supported was the general intention of wanting better treatment of animals. Otherwise? No.
He laughs then, smiling bright.)
Honestly, yeah. People are really good at being arrogant.
(Percy laughs again when Gyro shoves him back, laughs even louder than before, and he's automatically glad that Gyro isn't shy to touch. Not for any perverse reason. Percy was a teenage boy is all. He sometimes showed his affectionate through dumb shoves and hair ruffles. Not that he'd ruffle Gyro's hair. Gyro's hair was the play-with kind of hair, not the ruffle. Not that he was about to tell Gyro that.)
Uhhhh....huuuuuh.....Suuuuuuure you are.
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[Said as he takes another drink of his flask and offers it again.]
Sure you don't want any? I have water and some beer too, up to you. [Said as he pushes himself up and moves back to Valkyrie and gives him a pat, apologizes for 'interrupting', and goes to look around in his satchel. He pulls out what looks to be a coffee pot, a water skin, and a small cloth bag.]
Think I got some Amaretto in here too... [Mumbles to himself as he continues to look.]
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(At the offer, Percy shakes his head.)
No thanks. The drinking age is 21 and I'm a few years off from that. My mom would have a hernia.
(Not really. She wasn't the type to get mad or yell at him but she'd be disappointed and that would be significantly worse. Blackjack wasn't bothered by the minor disagreement between the men. He knew his master enough to know he wouldn't start anything serious and he was used enough to general confrontations like that. When Gyro came over, he gave a pleasant whinny of acknowledgement and nudged at Gyro's side, sniffing for treats.)
Some Amara-what? (Percy asks from where he is, not having really hard Gyro all that well.)
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Nyeh- heh, drinking age where?
[What a cute thing to reply with though. He won't push it on him anymore. He WILL keep trying to find everything to make a-]
Ah ha! Amaretto, it's an almond liquor. If you're Earth side, it's usually from Saronno.
[Said as he lifts a small bottle out. He'll quickly click a greeting against his teeth at Blackjack, give him a wink. The bottle is tucked under and arm and he'll move back into the satchel to remove a packet of dates. Hope you like these, they're Valkyrie's favorite, he'll mumble and give him one, giving one to Valkyrie as well before he puts them back and moves back to accompany Percy by the fire. He sets everything down and moves to start preparing the coffee pot, filling it with water.]
You drink coffee? Or are you not old enough for that too?
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In New York. And present time. I'm not so sure what the drinking age is from when you were around.
(He looks thoughtful for a moment but knows it's a lost cause. He was awful at school and school never covered 'drinking age laws' way back when. The only drinking laws they covered were bootleggers and then the speakeasies.)
Ohhhh. Of course.
(Almond liquor. He knew that. No he didn't. But he's going to nod his support anyway. Blackjack perks his head up, ears flicking about madly.
What you...? What this! Ayyyyye boss!
Percy looks over but sees that it's only a date so he snorts, watching as Blackjack doesn't even wait for permission to eat and just dives right on in and munches on the date.
Valkyrie, my man, you got some STELLAR taste that was ugh- the stuff of dreams. You gotta another? Hey....hey! Where you going?
He calls after Gyro but of course, Gyro would hear nothing but a little bit of shuffling around on Blackjack's end. Percy laughs at his horse's despair.)
He liked the date. And is sad you left without giving him more.
(A beat. He looks at the coffee and then at Gyro.)
I know you envy my youth and vitality but harsh man, real harsh. It's okay. I still think you look good for your age. Women are probably into the silver fox thing sometimes.
(He pats Gyro's shoulder sympathetically.)
I'll try some coffee.
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[Gyro chuckles at the comment about the date, glancing back. He'll see Valkyrie nudge at Blackjack's neck a little, pushing the end of his snout near his neck in comfort.]
We can't mate, not here. But I'm guessing your guy, that Percy, you lot live over in that fancy city, do ya? So he probably still gives ya a lotta grub, eh? Don't work like that hea.
[It may sound rather sad to both Percy and Blackjack, but it's the truth. Gyro can't hear his horse to know that Valkyrie's understood so well, so he'll mention it himself as well. Still... it'd really mean something were he to know that Valkyrie realized that it wasn't because Gyro was punishing him that he had to be scarce with things like treats. it'd mean something that Valkyrie understood what his master was going through, and the lack of funds he had here.]
That's the only bag for the month, not sure if I'll afford more next one either. [A shrug, pouting as he looks to Blackjack.]
Sorry for that, Blackjack.
[Really sorry actually, but, he tries not to dwell on it. He looks back to the fire, chuckling at Percy's words.]
Women are into me fine, and not a grey hair yet, you wanna look? I pluck them out and use them to floss, nyo-hoho! Fuuuu!
[He swats at that hand, shoves him again, and this time ruffles Percy's hair too. He sure is okay with touching, and Percy has very ruffle-y hair.]
Doubt you want it spiked though, yeah? You're lucky, this stuff took me a while to find, good enough without spirits.
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(He had never really had a huge urge to get wasted or anything and he was sixteen. Two years off from the old age of drinking. Twenty-one seemed so far off and old to him.
Blackjack looks at Valkyrie and snorts. One thing about Blackjack? He's a natural glutton. Doesn't even need to be spoiled that way.
No way. Boss gives me only what I need and a teeny bit extra on the side. He's all picky on my diet. Says I'd get fat otherwise.
Which in Blackjack's case? He absolutely would. If Blackjack could, he'd likely do nothing but eat sugar cubes from dusk til dawn and splurge a bit between on anything else.
Percy does notice though and glances over before at Gyro. He's aware enough about how mongrels couldn't afford much. Percy grew up dirt poor and that wasn't really something he was surprised about. He still had no idea what to do with the money that he had been given. He hadn't splurged at all. The most he had done was eaten out a lot until he actually figured out how to make food in his place.
But he also gets that most people don't really enjoy hand-outs. He didn't either but it was aggravating to know that someone like Gyro and his horse were just squeaking by. He considers this closely.)
What do you do for Valkyrie? I mean, like, living wise? Does he just stay with you at your place?
(It was a genuine question as much as it was a mildly prodding one. Blackjack mostly flew around. Pegasi weren't fans of stables and needed to be able to stretch their wings far more than regular horses had to stretch their legs. But otherwise, he stayed in Percy's place and that wasn't all that horse friendly in atmosphere.
Aw it's okay, man. Don't sweat it.)
That's - gross. And also sad. I have gray hair but that's totally not my fault.
(He pouts a bit and rubs his fingers through the streak of gray hair in his hair by his temple. Stupid titans. Then Gyro is ruffling his hair and Percy whines though does absolutely nothing to stop it.)
Awww c'mon. My hair's already a total mess. Ugh ew. Why do you drink anyway? It tastes so bad.
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[Said with a raised brow. Because they sure as hell do. Makes you wonder why alcohol is legal at all. Sure it won't be for a bit, but it turns out we find out during that period that you can't just take something like from the public, it'll raise crime rates. They'll get it anyway, that and it'll sap money from the economy. So dangerous? Seems like that's not really why people get shit taken away, not really.]
[But yeah, kids do tend to be stupid on a wider level with it. Doesn't seem to stop Amoi from letting them drink though.]
You'll get fat, really? Ya dill! How do ya get fat when we're movin' around all the time, yer favorite things to hitch and bog down?
[Said with a lower of his head and a whinny and huff, laughing at the idea of it. Valkyrie was a very healthy horse, treated that way and in habit. He's not the sort to eat himself huge and takes a lot of enjoyment in moving around. You can tell by how often he moves and how easily, he's very similar to his rider in that respect.]
[Despite the comment about the dates, Gyro doesn't really seem that distraught or bitter about it. It was a normal sort of life, to struggle a bit, wasn't it? A cowboy life, even if he was in no way an actual cowboy. But he wasn't the sort to whine or dwell on his problems, he just did what he had to do to get over them. He sure wishes opening his clinic had made it easier to take less help though... it did a little, but not as much as he'd like. It would if he upped his prices, but what's the point when he wants to keep his clinic more accessible to the Mongrel populace?]
[He takes a drink of his flask, turning the kettle a bit and whipping his hand slightly to get the heat off his palm.]
Mnh well- yeah, depending on where I am, he's in there with me. Most places don't stop him at the door, they don;t know what to even do about a horse and most of the time they think I some how got ahold of a digital version. [Makes them assume he's a pet then though, a lot of the time, and then it fucks him over ugh.]
Still do now, he used to only live in my apartment too, I got a bigger one when I showed up, first floor. But now... a friend of mine got me set up with a small stable at my place here in Diedo. [A pause, sighing out of his nose before he looks down to the fire, busying himself a little by stoking it.]
Big help, stable's a lot better on his hooves. [So he... took it, grinned and dealt with the help. But this place has shown him through constant pressures to be a little more accepting of things like help. Friends often... did that sort of thing anyway, he learned that too. Though he only ever took help when it was associated with Valkyrie or that clinic of his. Otherwise? Nope.]
Nyeh- huuu, you got grey hairs?? Then you have more than me! You're a god's son, right? Maybe you're a liiiar too and you're really like eighty in my own world's years.
[Moving to ruffle his hair again but he stops short this time, psyche-ing him out and hissing a laugh through his teeth.]
You think so? Well I like the taste sometimes, and if I don't like it, I like the feeling afterwards. Being drunk can make things a whoooole lot better. [A shrug.]
Not all the time though. [He's not some alcoholic after all.]
Besides, a little red wine's good for the heart, didn't you know?
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Oh, no, they do that too but adults really like to point out the mistakes of kids and act like they're the ones doing a worse job of things.
(Percy has no idea why they don't take it away or at the very least regulate it better. He had no idea why age reflected responsibility. His stepfather had abused alcohol and wound up abusing everyone else in the process and he was plenty old enough to be more "responsible" than that. It's not like Percy had any ideas of how to fix the system though and really, a bunch of dead kids still wasn't enough to make people wonder about how they ought to start changing the laws around alcohol. Who knows?
Kids were definitely a little stupider. But adults had the years of experience that made it look real bad when they were the idiots. Besides, some adults acted like they couldn't possibly be stupid ever.
Nah I don't think he means fat literally. I think he means I'll get sick on stuff. He's not wrong. One time I found an ENTIRE bag of sugar cubes and puked my brains out after. I got impulse control issues.
Blackjack says this rather solemnly. He might have something of intellect but when push came to shove, he was still a horse. He wasn't the sharpest horse either. Definitely not stupid but very much needed Percy there to keep him from eating badly because he would otherwise simply because something tasted good. Percy knew this well enough about his pegasus. Blackjack was very healthy as well because of Percy's critical eye.
That was the truth enough. Percy understood it. There had been plenty things he just dealt with because there was no other choice. Hell, the kid still had his old converse that were riddled with holes and falling apart at the seams. But in the same instance, he now had money and wondered what help he could do with that.
At the mention of stables, Percy looks over, surprised.)
There are stables here? Did they build it or something?
(There's genuine interest in his voice. It wasn't like Blackjack really liked the floors in his apartment either. Generally speaking, pegasus didn't like enclosures in general. Pegasi stables usually had openings or at least easy access to the outside world so they could stretch their wings. They weren't domesticated like normal horses. You couldn't just train one to keep it around permanently. They had to explore, had to fly, but they would come back if you were an owner worth coming back to.)
I've mostly been letting Blackjack roam. Pegasi need that. They're not completely like normal horses.
(Percy pouts at being called a liar and for a moment, he looks genuinely offended. For just a moment though. Being called a liar was one of the greatest insults in his books but it's pretty evident Gyro is kidding so he eases up.)
Nah. Just sixteen, unfortunately. But yeah. See?
(He turns his head around so that he was looking over his shoulder and so Gyro could see the dull grey strip that slid through his hair.)
It's not like I was born with it. Got it on a quest.
(A hellish quest but seeing as he has a grey lock to prove it -he doesn't need to say that.)
I've never been drunk. (Obviously.)
I guess but so are a lot of other things?
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[Yeeeep. He's met a plenty, hell, he IS one of those assholes himself at times, maybe even all the time. But he's met a hell of a lot more adults he didn't like than kids, that's for sure.]
[A glance over, he shakes his head.]
No stables, not in Midas. The one I have is for a single horse, another one might fit, but not for a long term setup. ...He built it, just for Valkyrie.
Unfortunately I can't let him roam like Blackjack. He's too easy to steal. [And sell, or... eat. A digital animal roaming around alone would be stolen too, but once they found he was REAL it was even more of a reason to take him. Gyro didn't want that to happen. Valkyrie wasn't like Blackjack who could fly, or like Liger who was deadly and riddled with fangs and claws. He'd try to get away but he'd still probably get caught... The idea already has him feeling uncomfortable. Plus Gyro had a hard time leaving Valkyrie alone anyway, he liked to roam and stuff too, sure, but Valkyrie was a very social creature.]
Pegasi do? Well he can roam my way if he ever wants to.
[Yeah, he didn't mean the liar thing, he's pretty casual right now as he sits back, waiting for the kettle to boil. He'll look over to Percy though when he brings attention to that patch of grey and frowns, puckering up his lips as he leans a little closer to get a better look.]
Magic? Stress, fear? Lots of things could cause it. Looks neat though, you're .01 percent old, nyeh-heh!
Yeah, true. [Leaning away again.]
Plenty's healthy, how's that an argument against having a drink once and a while? Drink if you want to, don't if you don't, just don't be an idiot whether you do either one or you'll get your ass kicked.
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(He's not even trying to be a little shit nosed brat. He means it. Most adults loathed to admit the fault in their generation. Sure kids were real idiots but that wasn't to discredit all the adults out there who were just as big of idiots without the excuse of lacking experience that kids had.
Percy hums in thought, wondering if there was a way they could set up some sort of real stable system. He had the money....The means, however, was a totally different question. Did they even sell construction supplies or anything?)
No, I'd imagine. Blackjack mostly roams in the sky, not the ground.
(Which was a given but Percy felt the need to clarify anyway. Even if he wanted Blackjack to stay, he still wouldn't. It wasn't quite fair to the horse. Blackjack knew better than to just fly down into populated areas. After all, their camp had been on Long Island Sound and just outside of New York City. Blackjack had flown over the heart of the city plenty of times but knew that if he wanted to land, it was wiser to land on high skyscrapers' roofs and the like. Out of sight completely.)
He probably will whether or not I tell him to.
(Percy laughs a bit at this and glances over at Blackjack and Valkyrie.)
Not gonna lie, he'll probably fly out to hang with Valkyrie a lot now that he knows he's here.
(He tips his head to allow Gyro a better look. He wasn't self-conscious of the grey hair nor was he proud. It was just something that was there. Not with indifference but...muted feelings.)
Uh. Magic and stress? I don't know really. You know the story about the titan Atlas who held the world up? Yeah, well.
(Percy shrugged his shoulders and lifted his arms up as if to imitate the famous depiction of the story.)
For three or so minutes anyway.
(It had been enough to leave permanent damage though. In his hair but also in his head a little. Not that he talks about that sort of thing ever.)
Well anything's healthy in moderation or so they say. How can you be an idiot by not drinking?
(He's not even being preachy. He's just curious how that even works.)
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[Gyro leans back a little, pouring some of the amaretto from that separate bottle into his own cup, making a smell of almonds rise into the air along with the smell of coffee.]
[As for self-aware? He's never really heard that term before, not really, it's a weird one though he got the meaning quickly. If anything it just meant 'not stupid'. He knew how adults could be, and while pride ate a part of his heart as it did any man, he was smart enough to know he was just as capable of either side of right and wrong like any man as well. While his dad taught him to not be compassionate, he also taught him to be logical and humble. He didn't live up to it all the time, but he still had it drilled into him.]
Well land or sky, he's welcome. Though I better give you my schedule to tell him or he'll come by when Valkyrie's still stabled.
[He works after all, often too. He didn't keep Valkyrie cooped up too long, but he had to when he was gone and when no one else was around to take care of him. The number of people he entrusted Valkyrie to was very few after all, less than fingers on his right hand.]
[A glance over again after he's done inspecting that patch of hair. Close enough Percy'd feel his breath on his neck, but only for a moment.]
In your world... no way! Wasn't Atlas a titan? One of 'endurance', how'd you manage that? You're not buff at all, I could pick my teeth with those arms.
[Said with a smirk as he takes another drink and sighs at how it's temperature and liquor burns his throat and belly. Gyro shakes his head, barking out a small laugh.]
How can't you? The smartest people can be idiots after being sober all their lives, it's human nature. [People are dumb, you can get outta being dumb, sure, but everyone has their moments, even sober. You could manage smart while drunk too, not everyone turned into a full moron after all. Hell... Gyro got a little 'smarter' sometimes when he drank, he sure got better at communication and 'feelings' talks. Not a lot better, but better than he was any other time.]
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(Kind of like how he could admit he himself was a bit of a dumbass sometimes. Not in so many words but the sentiment was always there. Granted, he wasn't nearly remotely stupid as he thought he was or as everyone else thought he was but hey, point still stands.
Percy isn't too shocked by this. Between the technology and his own naturally heat resistant skin, things like hot coffee normally don't bother him much. He even gives a sip of the hot coffee and seems utterly un-bothered by it. The taste is okay enough. Percy wasn't the biggest fan of coffee but this was a comfortable tasting brew that he really didn't mind sipping at.)
That would actually help a lot, thanks. He's a real smart creature so he'd be able to go by on a schedule.
(Percy doesn't offer help right then. Doesn't actually think to. Gyro seemed like he had things sorted out but really, if Percy knew, he would have gladly helped. He had helped with the stables back at camp and took care of Blackjack.
While Blackjack might be more wild than domesticated, his mane was perfect, combed out and gorgeous in silkiness. His coat and wings were always neat and his hooves were spotless. Not that they were particularly hard to clean since he was an air beast but still. He even had nice teeth. Percy wouldn't mind in the slightest taking care of Valkyrie for Gyro while he worked. Not like he was doing anything anyway most days besides training. He doesn't offer though. Not right now.)
Yeah? I just said he was a titan, didn't I? I told you. I'm a demigod. I think you're severely underestimating the 'god' part in that.
(Percy doesn't seem offended though. He grins. He's really not buff but he's far from lanky too. He leans back and raises his arm to flex his bicep muscle. He's got those nice muscles, the kind of muscles that make the arm holes in t-shirts tight and snug around the shape of them. His thighs are killer and his abdomen is tight and solid, as are his pecs. The kid, without clothes on, is not too unlike classical Greek statues of divine male figures.
He laughs a little bit and shakes his head.)
I don't really get that but I guess so. Isn't that just being stupid by nature though? I don't see how it's relevant to sobriety.
(But he wasn't really arguing it. What did he know about the world of drinking? He takes another swig of coffee.)
This isn't bad, by the way.
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[Clinic took up the majority of his mornings and middays, unfortunately without another doctor on staff yet, it could take his nights too, and while the nurses were also able to take certain house calls, he had to take the most. So yeah, a lot of his time. It made it hard to pick up his own hobbies again, and he's lucky he hasn;t gotten a call since he's come out here with Percy.]
[Ugh... he takes a drink just thinking about it, letting it burn his tongue a little.]
Does a Pegasus ever get sick?
[Because while Percy isn't going to offer his help just yet, Gyro will offer his if need be. After all, he is a doctor, and he's had to take to being a horse doctor too, considering there are no vets here, and those that would qualify are way out of his budget.]
Yeah so? Different gods do different things, don't they? You said it yourself, you're not really good with music, and I doubt Aphrodite could hold the world up so well, same with you. Heh- a little time though, sure, three minutes you said? I could believe that.
Nooote to self, no arm wrestling with Percy.
[He'll lean over, offering a puckered, playful smirk as he pinches at Percy's flexed arm. Pinch pinch.]
What?? That IS my point, people are going to be stupid no matter what. Alcohol just makes it fun to sometimes.
Makes sex better too.
[Said with a matter-o-fact shrug as he takes another drink of his italian coffee.]
No it's not, not as good as it could be, but I'll take what I can get.
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(Percy was actually a little bit lonely himself. He had made friends, certainly. But he was also used to living in a camp that did daily activities together. He wasn't awful all alone but he definitely had a bit of an ache to....to do more things with other people. This right here was really nice even. Hanging out with Gyro just casually. Even if it had gotten a little sour for a moment there - even that was preferable to silence. Blackjack was great company but Percy wasn't selfish enough to hole Blackjack up inside with him. They did hang out a lot but the pegasus needed his wings room and honestly, Percy needed company that wasn't just a horse. There was only so much they could do and talk about, after all. He was still very much an animal.
At the question, Percy looks over at Blackjack curiously.)
I've got no idea. I imagine they can. Can you get sick, bud?
(Pssssh? Who? Me? Nah, boss, I'm too tough for germs.
That sounded fake but okay. Percy just sighs affectionately at his pegasus, shaking his head.)
He can probably get sick. Maybe it's just harder for him to.
(Percy grins at Gyro then, not even remotely offended.)
You're not wrong at all. I don't know if it's a demigod thing or a particular demigod thing. I mean I'm one of the big three's kids. Technically stronger than other demigods. My friend whose a child of Athena was holding it up before me. It's why I took it in the first place so she get out. I mean technically us demigods are meant to be durable and go to all kinds of vicious wars against monsters and titans. So maybe it has to do with our parents or maybe it's got to do with our blood.
(He really doesn't know. Most kids do have ADHD and dyslexia who are demigods, both of which actually aid them in battle and quests so it wouldn't be hard to believe that they could hold up the world - all of them- despite their parents.)
I wouldn't throw away Aphrodite so easily. She's still a goddess and I think there's a serious power in love.
(Which maybe sounded corny but it was true, wasn't it? Percy had gone through literal hell out of love for his mother, love for his friends.
Percy laughs loudly then and swats at Gyro's pinching hands.)(A total joke but maybe- no.)
All right, fair.
Wait -what? Seriously? But I've heard that alcohol can kind of make it hard to get- you know. Up.
(Or stay up. He doesn't actually remember but he definitely remembered that in health class- the few he had attended- there was a lot about how alcohol could make sex bad.)
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[A slightly confusing setup, yes. But either of his roommates sort of fucked off a good deal, had their own things to do. Yata had work and it was often he went to Tanagura to visit a friend, and Jin... well Jin was in Tanagura a lot. So Gyro was in either Midas location, both private housing, when he felt like it. Sometimes when he went to the place in Diedo and no one was there, he'd try the place with Yata and Yata was there, and maybe he just wanted that company. Gyro was good at being a longer, raised to be, but he didn't prefer it. And so he means it when he says he'll give him his addresses, he'd like for Percy to visit.]
That right?
[Glancing to Blackjack himself.]
Well if he does, you know where to find me. I doubt he's that much different from Valkyrie in there. [He's thinking... more fragile bones, faster digestive system, and possibly thicker yet lighter muscles? Hard to say, he'd have to get a look inside to know for sure, which is easier for him than it sounds.]
The 'big three'? Poseidon, Hades, and Zeus?
[Is what he figures anyway. Gyro takes another drink. He's really starting to feel the warm from the liquor now, his vision blurring a little, gaze stuck on the fire and watching it dance. His posture calms a bit too, and a slight red flush starts to colour his cheeks, it'll be hard to notice with the red glow of the fire against him though.]
Love, heh- guess so, it's all we wrote about. [We as in Italians, he chuckles at his own joke, soon moving to point his cup at Percy once.]
Who're you even talking to, old people? If it's too hard for you just tell the other person to do something sexy, it'll get there. [Driiink.]
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(Percy doesn't question it. He himself back on his home planet had two homes technically speaking. Percy would visit anyway. He made the assumption that they were now friends which meant that time together would be a thing. He was far from a stray. It's not like he would randomly show up constantly but he'd make an actual effort to be friends with Gyro, to keep an established relationship of sorts going. He liked him and wanted to visit. So he would.
Simple as that.
Percy shrugs and glances over as well. Blackjack looks very proud of himself. Divine blood. It made sense. Percy barely ever got sick either so he could buy that.)
No probably not. Maybe bones and some other structural stuff but I doubt anything organ wise.
(And only because whenever he rode Blackjack, Blackjack felt light. Percy had ridden a normal horse and knew the difference. Subtle but prominent when you rode two of them. If Gyro ever got the chance to ride Blackjack, he would no doubt be able to tell the difference in a heart beat as well.
Percy gives a slight nod, looking away for a moment. Some of that unease was still present. Being a child of the Big Three was extraordinarily dangerous. Even his name, Perseus, was dangerous.)
Well yeah I mean people start wars over love. And like, there's those mortal human women who find the strength in them to lift their car off a baby trapped under it or whatever. I mean sure that's probably mostly adrenaline but...I guess some people could argue love is all chemical but in my world, nothing's just science. All gods.
(He has no idea what he's trying to say. Maybe that he has faith. He doesn't understand that though. It was hard to use the word 'faith' when talking about something you knew to be true. Faith felt like something you had to believe in, not something you knew. No one said that they had faith in the sky being blue.)
No? Like, science teachers. (Percy pouts a little.) I heard older boys say something about 'whiskey dick' before though.
(In the locker room at school. He heard lots of other stuff too but you know. He wasn't about to bring it up.)
I heard in general that older people's stamina and sex drive is normally worse off too.
(Percy says this lightly and now he's just being a little shit.)
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[So yeah, become his friend and maybe then, right? He might find out anyway.]
[Valkyrie's pretty calm right now, having gotten a good deal of his initial excitement out already. Still, he doesn't stand next to Blackjack for too much longer before he's trotting away. He'll egg on the pegasus to run around with him a little, far enough to not bother Gyro and Percy of course, though not far enough to be out of view.]
[Gyro smirks at his horse before glancing back to Percy and finishing off his coffee just as a warmth of the liquor really starts to settle into his skin and posture.]
To lift a car off a baby?? Wait I've heard things like that. Mother's are the scariest things in the world when they wanna be.
[When they have to be more like. The words make him pause for a moment, a silence moving over him has thoughts of his own mother pass through his mind. A mother he... doesn't remember the name of anymore... His brows furrow, it's very subtle, but there enough to notice if Percy's looking before he adjusts in his seat and breathes in deep.]
Aaahh isn't science 'just gods' too? It's all made by them, if they're real, if you believe them. Even the science you know's somethin' they made and set up, and magic's just science we haven't gotten to figuring out yet, ya know?
Whhha- [A look over to him.]
Whiskey dick?? Nyo-hohohaha no way! Are you kidding me? Good thing I drink gin!
[More laughing, his golden teeth shimmering in the fire's light as the sky starts to really get dark now, going from red to purple to dark blue.]
I don't have any problems with my setup up... [Said as he looks over to him with heavy lids. Call them bedroom eyes if you want but it's really just the alcohol mellowing him out. He does lean a liiiittle closer to Percy though when he continues. Maybe he's poking right back at him though, possibly aiming to make Percy slightly uncomfortable in retaliation for the slight at his damn age again.]
And for stamina? I've run 'round the track more times than most I've "raced with".
[One orgasm usually just wasn't enough, ya know?]
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It takes absolutely no time at all to get Blackjack to take off after Valkyrie. Blackjack is young and wild and adores any chance to dance around. He sweeps delicately up into the air and flies over Valkyrie low enough that he can lean down and playfully nip at him before landing a few feet away. He's just as aware of staying near the two men as well but he's down for some playing.)
Yeah, I don't know. It's like a brain-adrenaline thing? I dunno.
(He really doesn't. Percy genuinely is not text-book savvy. If only because most of school information doesn't stick well and he also has a shit time reading. But he has heard that before.
Percy does notice. He watches closely and where he might fail in some areas of expertise, he excels in several more. Observation is one of them and considering the topic of mothers, well. His own mother is an amazing woman and easily the nicest person he has ever known in all of his life. He adores her but he's also not stupid enough to think every kid's relationship with their mother is quite so simple or pleasant. Percy casually knocks his knee gently against Gyro's and it's this quiet little sign of support.)
Oh it's totally true. It's just funky thinking about in detail, you know?
(To him it was anyway but he could see like, Athena being responsible for science or whatever.)
I'm pretty sure it isn't just with whiskey.
(But Percy is grinning all the same. He personally thought alcohol tasted foul and good job Gyro for imploring that on him.
What Percy doesn't expect is to be looked at like that. He's been with enough people now, even slightly, to kind of pick up on the look at it surprises him. Even more so when Gyro leans towards him. Percy feels suddenly hyper-aware of their closeness and feels surprised when - when well, he realizes he wouldn't completely mind. With Gyro.
It takes him a moment to respond, a bit dazed, and he slowly nods.)
Huh? Oh, yeah. I don't. No. I uh...
(He really sucks at metaphors on the spot.)
I usually...need a few...laps in the pool myself?
(See that wasn't so hard. Not the best but neither was Gyro's so there. But he means it. He orgasms more than once. His masturbation sessions usually involved anywhere from two to three and sometimes even four times. He's a teenager whose all too virginal and a demigod.)
And if you're sure man. I mean, about your set up. It's okay if it's nothing like mine. Youth isn't forever so I can't hold that against you.
(Okay, now Percy's just being coy and..maybe..something else.)
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Maybe let this one end, just due to age so we can start something new? That cool?