1437/To The Winner Goes The Spoils

To The Winner Goes The Spoils
Date of Scene:	13 July 2017
Location:	Unknown
Synopsis:	Summary needed
Cast of Characters:	Daken, 1166, Cypher

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Daken has posed:
The auction has ended. The Boys and Girls Clubs certainly raised a lot from their bachelors and bachelorettes. One overwhelming victory was the amount raised by Dick Grayson, won by Daken...another was Thomas, a more modest amount but also won by Daken. Yet another was Daken, a surprisingly high amount for a newcomer, especially such a distinctive-looking one. He's not to everyone's tastes, but apparently he got the crowd extremely hot and bothered, somehow.

But he'll cross that bridge when he gets there, and he'll take photos, and play through a dinner with whoever ended up buying him. Probably make them pay for Dick and Thomas too -- he's good at persuasion.

After all was said and done, Daken took the shots required by the auction, then went back to his well-kept penthouse. Not technically his, but the one providing it would never dream of taking it away. Daken's just too likable...especially when he turns on the chemical charm.

He left a message for Thomas, figuring the younger man wouldn't be too into texting. There was something about how whole...mien that seemed to indicate that just wouldn't be him. And then, thinking of it, he texts up Doug. That boy needs some fun. He snaps a selfie, lying there in quite a large bed, looking perfectly, photogenically ruffled, making a slightly goofy smooch-face. There, that's about dorky enough. He sends it on to Doug with an invitation to meet the next evening.

When it comes around, Daken's looking a little slicker than usual: sleek materials, shirts that at least button halfway up, pants that are tailored but not so tight that they're almost behind him...they're going out for dinner, and then they'll see where the evening takes them. He doesn't have a watch, of course. That would spoil the lines. But he can tell by the sky that it's about time for them to meet.

Toro (1166) has posed:
Thomas Raymond had to ask a person on the street what a Google Map was, and that was a whole new level of embarassment. But now he thinks he has the hang of things. So at the appointed time, he shows up in the lobby and calls the penthouse elevator, tapping in the code he was given. "I think that is right," he mutters, then waits on the elevator, looking around the lobby which is quite a bit more uptown than he was used to.

Cypher has posed:
When Doug gets that text message, he looks down at it, and the first thing that comes out of his mouth is 'Uh'. I mean, sure, Daken was nice enough, but... he sighs, and says, "Ramsey, what is it with you and getting the attention of dangerous people? Even BEFORE you were dead..." He shakes his head, and then sighs, and since a good guest should always bring SOMETHING...

He shows up, dressed in his plain street clothes since he doesn't have a suit, with one of the Lila Cheney LPs he bought during his last daytrip to New York under one arm. This one's 'Rocket Boy'. Whenever Doug listens to it, it makes him nostalgic, for various reasons.

Daken has posed:
Daken figures the concierge will point them the right way. Then he wonders if either of them will actually *ask* the concierge. Maybe Thomas -- he's old-fashioned, so he could manage. Doug? Maybe not so much. But the directions are clear enough. Probably.

It's enough for Daken to end up on the elevator down, face brightening when he sees Thomas as the doors open. "Oh. Welcome! Hey!" He laughs pleasantly and walks out, holding a hand before him for Thomas to take. And then he spots Doug and lifts the other hand to wave him over. Timing. At least neither of them was especially late, fashionably so or otherwise.

Toro (1166) has posed:
Thomas Raymond is surprised, but takes the hand and shakes it - he looks over and past, then, at Doug whom Daken also seems to know. "Hi," he says as the young man comes over. "Thomas Raymond," he says by way of introduction, offering his hand to Doug as well.

Cypher has posed:
Doug reaches out to grip Thomas's hand, and he shakes, firmly. "Ah, hm -- Doug Ramsey." He says. He looks up at Daken, and then says, "You're a friend of Daken's too?" He pauses, and then he says, "Oh! I figured since you invited me here, I should bring something. First footing and all that. I know you like Dazzler, but are you a Lila Cheney fan?" He holds up the album. "The best song on it is 'I Will Steal Your Heart' but the whole thing's just great."

Daken has posed:
Daken gives Thomas a squeeze of the hand, pleasantly, before releasing him and turning to Doug, letting the two get past introductions. "I haven't heard enough of her," he answers, grinning and motioning to the elevator. "I thought we could have drinks before heading somewhere. And we could decide where we're going. I've got a great sound system up here...I hope you two don't mind, I thought maybe you'd have more fun if it's the three of us." Which was genuinely thoughtful; one-on-one with Daken is kind of intense.

Toro (1166) has posed:
"Oh it's, um, cool," Tom says as he gets into the elevator. "Sorry, I didn't know we should bring gifts. I can get your first couple of drinks, though, if that's OK." He mmms as he looks around, staying quiet on the ride up as most people tend to do. After a bit, though, he glances at the CD. "I have never heard of her. Is she good?" he says.

Cypher has posed:
"Oh yeah... she's..." He pauses, and rubs the back of his neck, and says, "Well I mean she's really popular in the Antares Nebula..." He says, "I guess she's kind of an indy act. I used to have all her albums. ...Used to." He says. "But I found a few of them in this record store in New York a few days ago, and I even bought the duplicate copies! I wonder what happened to my old ones. They were autographed..." He blinks. "Oh. I'm not old enough to drink."

Daken has posed:
"I can't let you give me the album forever, but sharing music? That's a gift." Daken leans closer to Doug as he says it, then stands back straight as the elevator rises. "We're going to my place for drinks. Which means they're on the house and nobody checks ID." He flashes that grin again, and the elevator dings crystal-clear as the doors open.

It's not a long walk to the door, and Daken apparently left it unlocked, because he just turns the knob and pushes in. The place is really pretty breathtaking. Unquestionably expensive. "So what's your poison? I've got it all."

Toro (1166) has posed:
Thomas Raymond is both a little awed and uncomfortable - he's seldom been in the midst of such wealth. "Ah, un, technically I am not exactly sure... but.. um, beer, if you have any?" he says. Curious, he looks at Doug."What happened to your old collection? Fire?"

Cypher has posed:
"Oh." Doug says, "No. I had..." He thinks about how to say this, his expression darkening just a touch, "An extended health problem, and I was away for a few years. I only just came back. A lot of my stuff got packed away, or given away, or sold." He shrugs his shoulders. "I'm kind of starting all over, you know?" Then he cants his gaze down, before he looks up, and then says, "I don't know... could I just have some seltzer?"

Daken has posed:
"If you wanna be a total wimp, sure." Daken wiggles his eyebrows at Doug, then breaks out into laughter. "Of course you can have seltzer, I'm just kidding. Seltzer and a beer, coming right up!"

He heads into the kitchen area, open and bright, and gets into the fridge. There we are: a nice craft beer, good and stout. And...seltzer water isn't there, that's on the small wet bar. But the place has a wet bar, even if it's a small one. That's impressive. Daken drops off the opened bottle of beer with Thomas, before heading over and picking up the bottle of seltzer, then placing a couple of ice cubes in it and topping it off by spraying the seltzer into it. He brings it back to Doug, holding it out.

"Here you go. And if you change your mind and decide to live a little...I make a devastating Tom Collins."

Toro (1166) has posed:
Thomas Raymond gives a quiet nod to Doug. Obviously he's touched on something here the younger man doesn't want to talk about. So he drops it, and looks back to Daken when he takes the beer. The taste throws him a little, but in a good way - he looks surprised that beer could actually taste this good! Almost as good as the Germans made it! "Wow, this is really good! Thank you!" he says, taking another pull from the bottle.

Cypher has posed:
Doug raises the fizzy water to his lips. "Thank you." He sips, and then says, "Sorry, I'm just..." He says, before he looks around and then changes the subject, "Gosh, this is a really NICE place." He paces the room, and then eyes a woodcut on the wall, "Oh, wow! Is that a Moronobu?" He says, "It must be worth a FORTUNE." He sips his seltzer again, thoughtfully, as he examines other pieces of art in the apartment.

Daken has posed:
"I thought it was good too." Daken wanders over to the fridge and takes out another bottle, this time for itself. He opens it and takes a swig, strolling back to join Thomas again, now that Doug has started to wander. "Glad you like it."

Then he's getting all the questions. Daken takes it in stride. "It's not an original," he answers. "Good imitation, though. I wanted a shunga piece, but they didn't have any, so...I settled." He smiles a thin, wide smile nonetheless. "You know Japanese art. That's hot."

Toro (1166) has posed:
Thomas Raymond holds up a hand to Doug. "It's cool, um, dude. Really." And he does look impressed at Dough's knowledge. He frowns a little to hear it's Jap art, but, no, they are allies now. Right? He takes another pull from his bottle, clearly enjoying it.

Cypher has posed:
"Oh, yeah, I learned a little about out back when I was a student, I got to study there for a month." Things were done, the Silver Samurai was fought, good times were had all around. But it makes Doug nostalgic for something that might never have been the way he remembers it, all over again. "I always found the language conveyed in the Japanese woodcuts really beautiful. It spoke of romantic longing for a past that never really was, and they all knew it, and that just made them long for it more." He looks to Thomas, and says "Ah, sorry. I've been informed by some people in the know that I am a colossal nerd."

Daken has posed:
"Isn't that art in general? Images that idealize from one perspective or another? Some of the best art -- *most* of the best art -- tends to show how things ought to be, or should've been." Daken has surprising levels to him. He takes another gulp of beer, only slightly smacking his lips after he swallows. "Of course, then there's the shunga, which is just filthy dirty sex. More my speed." And there's the probably expected casual playing-off of any depth he shows.

"I don't think there's anything shameful in knowing things," Daken offers to Doug. "So you're intelligent. It's attractive. You shouldn't apologize for it."

Toro (1166) has posed:
Thomas Raymond blushes a little as his host mentions the, um, porn. Or what he assumes is porn. He sips his beer and watches the exchange between Doug and Daken, not exactly knowing if he's missing something here or not.

Cypher has posed:
Doug Ramsey is quiet, for a time, and then he says, "That is and isn't true. Art can also be used to shock, or provoke, or at the crudest level, it's simply vulgar language, an attempt to say something that offends for its own sake." He finishes his seltzer water, and then moves to set his glass down on the wet bar. He glances between the two of them, and then puts his hand over his eyes, and lets out a ragged sigh. "*Daken*..."

Cypher has posed:
Then he switches to immaculate Japanese. <I'm still sorting out the way I feel about a lot of things, Daken. I'm very flattered...>

Daken has posed:
"It still idealizes it from that perspective though...don't you think so?" Daken swishes the beer around in the bottle, expertly deflecting the admonishment. Of course, he doesn't care if he's scolded. That was kind of the point of saying things. "Otherwise, why say it at all?"

<I get it, I get it!> Daken answers, in Japanese with the same fluidity. <I'm just honest. You're a hot guy.> And he lifts his bottle to Doug, before glancing to his side at Thomas. "So, Thomas! You went all quiet. What are your thoughts on art? Anything you particularly like?"

Toro (1166) has posed:
Thomas Raymond tenses a little as the pair lapse into Japanese, but he forces himself to relax. Allies. For decades, now, he understands. He settles back into the amazingly comfy seat. "I guess I just know what I like," he says with a smile. "I haven't been in many art museums, except a few in Germany or that big one in Paris." Thwarting Nazi thieves, but still, it counts.

Cypher has posed:
When Daken responds, Doug has the decency to blush just a bit and go to get more of that seltzer. He adds like three wedges of lemon to it, and then sips it. Sour enough to pucker his mouth. That's better. "I'm sorry." He admits, a soft sigh and a roll of his eyes going with it, "This is all untraveled ground for me. I used to roll with a bunch of friends, and I was the one in the back nobody ever paid attention to."

Daken has posed:
"Oh yeah, the Louvre! Great place. A little mainstream." Daken lightly kids, which hopefully the others will get. He's certainly managing approachable tonight, and the pheromones don't hurt. With Doug, though, he'll probably understand the pheromones trying to communicate things to him, like they're whispering sweet secrets in his ear.

"I feel like you would really like my Tom Collins," Daken notes, after seeing the citrus monstrosity Doug returns with. "I have good gin." But he won't press the invitation, even if he is proud of his mixing skills with that one beverage. "That just means you never encountered people with enough good taste to notice the best. Simple as that."

Toro (1166) has posed:
Thomas Raymond flashes a quick smile. "I kinda know what that was like. Everyone except my buddy was all older and.. it was kinda strange, sometimes. Frustrating." He finishes off his beer, and licks his lips slightly. "Now that was a humdinger," he says. Yep, he actually used that word.

Cypher has posed:
Doug Ramsey looks down, and then runs his fingers through that thick shock of gold hair, "I- I- I don't think that'd be a good idea, Daken. It's probably best if I stay sober tonight, especially if I'm going to catch the late bus out of the city." He drains his second glass of seltzer, and then wrinkles his nose at the distracting sourness of it, before he says, "Besides... I had a bad experience with booze once." Did he? Or was that in another lifetime?

Daken has posed:
A hum...dinger. Daken turns his head to stare at Thomas for a few seconds, as if he can't believe he's heard someone use that term unironically for the first time in decades. Because in fact he's just heard someone use that term unironically for the first time in decades.

Daken breaks into pleasant, bright laughter and takes another sip of his own, still only about halfway down. Not that it does much of anything for him, so he kind of has to be drinking for the taste.

"You're not gonna get *blotto* off *one drink*, Doug. But I'm not gonna force you." Daken figures he probably *could* coax Doug into it, but it's more trouble than it's likely worth, especially since his pheromones don't always work exactly as intended on him. "And really, the bus? I'll hire you a car. Thomas, you good for travel? We could make it two. Or get a limo!"

Toro (1166) has posed:
"Oh! Im, um, took the bus and subway here," Tom says. "I don't have a license in this state, yet." He looks a little embarassed about that. "Not that I need it, since I don't have a car, though."

Cypher has posed:
"It's not that long of a trip!" Doug says, "There's a shuttle service..." He runs his hand down his face, and says, "This is..." He gestures, "I guess I'm just feeling a little overwhelmed, is all. I mean, you get it -- right? Limos and penthouses and Japanese woodcuts and wet bars... I'm just the son of a CPA from Salem Center, at heart. That's all." Which is a half-truth. But Doug IS feeling a little overwhelmed...

Daken has posed:
Daken leans against the counter, what would probably be called a "breakfast bar" by someone trying to sell a client on the place. He looks around, finishing off his bottle and setting it empty, there on the bar. It makes a little sound. "So...shall we go someplace delightfully lowbrow? I know some great bars. Or we could find a greasy spoon. All-night diner or something. You can't turn around without hitting like a half-dozen in the city. Or all-night pizza. All-night curry."

Daken shrugs his shoulders in a slow roll, showing off muscles even under the sleek clothes he wears. It's all light of fabric, since it's summer, but it's darker, richer, more intense coloring. "You tell me. I want you both to have a nice time."

Toro (1166) has posed:
Thomas Raymond shoots a sympathetic smile to Doug. "My mom and pop were scientists. Didn't make a lot, though; government didn't consider them to be working on anything practical." He perks up at the mention of a diner. "Well, that might hit the spot. A good burger!" He pauses. "I've never had curry. Is that good?"

Cypher has posed:
Doug pinches the bridge of his nose. .oO(I should go home. What if I'm missed? I shouldn't push it too hard. Does Miss Pennyfeathers have food? Of course she does...) He sighs, and then lets out a slow breath, before he shakes himself out, and says, "How about Thai?"

Toro (1166) has posed:
Thomas Raymond walks into the tavern, the young man looking a little apprehensive. He's actually been here before, a few times, a couple of lifetimes ago - but he was with Steve and Bucky and a few others who also knew the place and grew up near here. Now, it's all changed of course. Cleaner. Nicer. No longer the warren of crime and decadency it was back then. He's a little stunned at first. That mirror was not there. There were not so many beer choices. But.. the general shape of the place, that's stayed the same. He relaxes, a tenseness draining out of him he hadn't realized was there.