03.2023 | WELCOME BACK! Hello friends old and new! I'm so excited to welcome you all back to SITW! I've made some changes to the plot and added the ability to play supernatural charcaters! So come and check it out! I can't wait to jump back into this little town with all of you!
A strange history surrounds the town, it is a place where mysterious and supernatural things have been known to happen. The reputation of the town reguarly draws in visitors and newcomers alike. While some residents avidly believe in the supernatural, others are far more skeptical. What do you believe?
Elrond carefully set two glasses and a water pitcher on the table. He mumbled a thank you before sitting in the chair Tristan had pulled out. He let them both settle in at the table. Mostly because he was a bit stun locked by the revelation that Tristan had been on a multi-day trek. Or more confused about the casualty with which he spoke about it. Elrond found even a few hours of hiking exhausting; he had trouble imagining that he would be so composed after three days of walking in the snow. He wasn’t certain from Tristan’s blunt delivery if it was something which the man considered totally normal or if he simply was being very open about his personal situation.
Elrond poured himself some water and ate a bit of the pasta as he considered how to address it. Should he push for more details? No, that would be a bit much, he decided. It wasn’t as though Tristan had already agreed to stay. He decided he would at least encourage the man to use the room tonight. Even if he hadn’t taken a liking to Tristan he wouldn’t be so comfortable knowing that a man was sleeping outside in the cold. He settled for “Well ... .even if you don’t take me up on the offer…you should stay for tonight at least. You must be…tired from all that walking.” Tristan was certainly interesting company. He seemed to have an air of mystery about him. “You don’t need to agree to anything right away of course…..just…think it over.” He added with a friendly smile.
Post by Tristan Morrigan on Dec 10, 2023 3:58:00 GMT
Tristan relaxed at the table, glad to sit down a bit more comfortably with the man and enjoy a meal. But as much as he was always starving, he waited patiently for Elrond to eat first. He wasn't kept in suspense for very long, picking up his fork and digging in eagerly. It was a simple meal, but also a very nicely home made one. He poured himself some water once Elrond was done.
The werewolf had a knack for having food in his mouth whenever it became his turn in a conversation where he was eating. Some of this was bad luck. Some of this was his poor timing of when to take a bit. He licked sauce from his lips and hummed thoughtfully. "That is very kind of you, Elrond," he said slowly. "I am a little." He usually slept under the stars, but he decided against saying that aloud. Either way, a roof was more than he was used to and honestly, spending a winter inside was an idea he was warming up to. Especially as the pasta was perfectly acceptable.
And then thinking he was in the clear, he took another bite as the man told him to think it over. Of course, he already had and he hadn't even seen the room. As long as there was space to lay down in, it would suit his needs. He had a few questions of his own first though. "How much and when do you expect rent? And is a car necessary?" He had more about the shared space, but was aware enough to pause.
Right. How much. Elrond normally loved numbers but he was terrible at bargaining or haggling. It was only one room and he certainly didn’t want to charge the man any more than it would cost if he was staying at the motel for an extended stay. “....Let’s say 400 a month? That would include utilities. And a car isn’t strictly necessary but I would recommend getting one. Might be hard to hold a job without one. This town is fairly spread out.” He should know, he had to take taxi's quite often. It added up over time. Elrond sheepishly added “It would certainly help with getting groceries. I haven’t been able to drive for quite a few years…” It seemed like a big ask but at least if Tristan didn't decide to stick around for too long he wouldn't have to walk for days. He thought for a moment and added “The first rent could be due starting after you find a job. After that it would be due on the first of the month.” It made him uncomfortable to take money from a man who admitted he had been presumably sleeping outside for unknown circumstances.
He ate a bit more of his pasta as he waited to see if that would be acceptable. Elrond would be a bit happy either way to be done with that part of the conversation. It seemed like a very reasonable offer considering the area but then again he was lucky to have been well off most of his life.
Post by Tristan Morrigan on Dec 10, 2023 6:27:28 GMT
Tristan had a decent concept of money. Basic financials were simple enough. Things like taxes, mortgages, stocks...all of that was a bit above him. But 400 a month, for a bed and utilities and the privacy was well enough. Plus, he didn't mind paying for the companionship and sex.
While Elrond said the car was not necessary, he also made it clear he would like to go shopping in a car. Perhaps that wasn't necessary, but it was something he could do that was nice. And he had a point, it would help him with holding a job in town. While he planned to walk into town tomorrow, doing so every day would take a lot of time. "Four hundred, first of the month," he repeated. He presumed cash, to keep things simple.
Tristan polished off the rest of his pasta, tempted to get seconds, but at least initially, he didn't want to overstep. "How would you like to handle food?" He didn't ask about the community spaces otherwise, considering he had no physical possessions nor the urge to have many. To be honest, he didn't even have a phone at the moment.
Elrond was surprised at how easily Tristan agreed so quickly but pleasantly so. It seemed that the man’s mind was more or less made up. He had a tendency to get attached very easily. He finished off a bit more of his own pasta and made a thoughtful “Hm….” It hadn’t occurred to him to think of how they should operate in the kitchen. He was happy to share meals. Having a roommate might give him the opportunity to make some meals that he hadn’t bothered with in a long time. It was a practical question. A boundary past roommates had broken before. It didn’t matter to him so much now considering that he was enjoying the opportunity to share a meal. “I hadn’t thought about that much…generally I don’t mind if things in the kitchen are used. If you do use anything just remember to tell me if we run out of something and put everything back where it was.” He had memorized his organization of the items so the prospect of going into the kitchen for something and not knowing where it was annoyed him more than sharing. He thought for a moment. Because Tristan had been somewhat straight forward in his questions he hazarded it might be a good idea to bring up that he liked a bit of company. “It would be nice if we could eat together sometimes….maybe trade off who is responsible for cooking?” He offered a hopeful little smile. It would be nice to have someone to cook for him every so often. Even though he still liked cooking to some degree he still appreciated not having to do so. “Any other questions?” He asked before actually finishing his food. He couldn’t see with enough detail to tell if the bowl was empty but it sounded like Tristan had stopped eating. “Are you finished with the bowl? There was a bit of leftovers if you would like some more…” Elrond was actually the type to forget about leftovers in the fridge until they went bad. So perhaps having a roommate with a big appetite would keep the fridge clean.
Post by Tristan Morrigan on Dec 10, 2023 8:17:35 GMT
It might have been a strange circumstance, but the werewolf often found it difficult to say no to company. While he was used to being a lone, Tristan didn't enjoy the solitude. He was therefore loath to turn down such a comfortable offer.
The werewolf thought of food often. Almost more important that a place to lay his head was how he acquired his next meal. Or snack. Or second helping. He appreciated the order that was applied to the kitchen and more than happy to respect the man's wishes in his own domain. "I will return items to their proper place," he promised solemnly. That seemed easy enough in exchange for use of the kitchen and items in it. Knowing the man was blind didn't much change how he might otherwise conduct himself, at least not in general. Certainly, it would be a learning experience, but Tristan preferred to keep things neat and tidy when possible.
"I do not often cook. But I can follow a recipe," he said, attempting to make it clear he was not opposed to the idea. Cooking for one was always less practical. Two was better. With his appetite, it was more like cooking for four.
He wasn't yet certain if he had other questions. While there had been plenty of times he had lived with others, it was different when part of a pack or when he stayed at hostels or hotels or the few times he had squatted in abandoned (and not so abandoned) buildings. "Would it be possible to borrow linens. And some soap? For tonight." He didn't exactly have blankets or pillows or personal grooming supplies. It had been a few days since he showered, but thankfully, wolves didn't sweat and while he smelled of earth and a little of wet fur, he was at least aware enough of his own scent to know it wasn't bad enough for the human to be able to tell. Still, closer proximity living conditions.
"I would," he said, much more quickly than some of his other replies. He was, if nothing else, very food motivated. "I eat a lot," he added as he got up and took his bowl back to the kitchen, emptying the rest of the pasta into it. He returned and sat back down. Some bread would have been nice and more filing, but he was just glad of the free meal. He finished up his second helping much faster, resisting the urge to lick the bowl clean. Once he was finished, he collected both of their bowls and brought them to the sink. He rinsed everything and placed what he could in the dishwasher before locating the dish soap and sponge to begin cleaning the pot and the stove. "Where does this go?" he asked, not having recalled where Elrond got the pot from and not wanting to mess up his system.
Following a recipe was more than most people could do. It certainly was enough for Elrond. If anything it gave him the idea that he might be able to ask Tristan to help him cook some recipes he had been curious about but hadn’t tried. Now that his sight had become less precise at best when he encountered an entirely new food he had to rely on descriptions of what the final result was supposed to be. Which was fine if all he needed was the taste, that was normal. For things like baked goods it made it a little more complicated for the in between steps.
His expression softened as the man asked about borrowing some basic necessities. “Of course, I should have some extras in the hall closet.” He certainly hadn’t noticed any foul odor coming off of Tristan though he wouldn’t have minded if Tristan smelled a bit sweaty. Elrond chuckled softly at the enthusiasm with which Tristan went to retrieve seconds. He supposed the pasta must have tasted alright then. He also found a big appetite sort of endearing. To his surprise Tristan was finished with his second helping in double time. What’s more, the man cleared the table. He turned toward the kitchen when he heard the sound of the running water with a bit of an impressed smile. If nothing else the man was a very polite house guest. He was beginning to notice a trend of old school manners. His new roommate was turning out to be just the sort of person you would bring home to the parents. Except that everything about this situation was something he knew would earn him a lecture even at this age. At the question of where ‘this’ went he squinted at the item Tristan was holding up. It was a sort of grayish blob, so likely a pot. “Ah, the pots? Lower cupboard second from the fridge. Above the third label if it’s the sauce pan, fourth for the deeper pot.” There were a number of braille labels. He had gone a bit overboard with the label maker in the kitchen but having the labels around the house helped for when he forgot. Even he couldn’t necessarily memorize an entire house of mostly new household items. “Thank you for cleaning up, you know, you might be the most polite house guest I’ve ever had.” Not that his family didn’t mean well. They just had their own notions about what being considerate was.
He stood and stretched, “Right then, There’s a guest bathroom so you can use that for a shower if you like. ”
Post by Tristan Morrigan on Dec 10, 2023 9:33:20 GMT
Tristan had room for thirds and fourths, but he wasn't about to raid the man's fridge after he was so polite in opening him home to him. Considering the verbal agreement to be roommates, while Elrond had opened up a lot personally to him, not just with his home but with himself, Tristan felt this had all been a bit one sided. While he could get a suitable look at the man and found him more than acceptable, Elrond didn't have that luxury. But he would broach the subject once finished with his meal.
The confusion was understandable. Tristan frowned at himself. 'This' was far to vague a term to be using. He might not be very vocal, but that did not excuse him from being better with his choice of words. He was a man of few words due to solitude and poor social skills, not because he lacked in vocabulary or disliked people. "The pots," he repeated softly, more to make clear to Elrond he realized his mistake. He took both and opened the indicated cupboard, scanning the labels and quickly understanding why the man gave the numbers. Tristan, unsurprisingly, did not read braille. But the directions were clear enough, and he nested the pot and pan in their respective homes.
"You cooked," he said simply. He didn't recall much of his childhood these days, but that had been a rule. One that had always served him well. Especially in times when some of his other habits were harder to take, the easy way he assumed a household task and other chores won him a lot of hearts. He wiped down the excess water from the sink and finished cleaning the stove before returning the soap and sponge to their original places, more or less.
Tristan returned to the man, watching him stretch and finding the display more than a little exciting. He stepped in front of him rather close and held out his hand. "Shall we shake on it? I am happy to put something in writing tomorrow," he suggested, more to assuage any concerns on Elrond's part. This close, he could breathe in the man's fancy cologne. Under that was his more natural scent. Of ink and paper. Of cinnamon and summer nights. This close, he could hear Elrond's heartbeat, just a tad fast, anxious about a stranger, but still comfortable and relaxed and ready to wind down for the night. This close, it was impossible to ignore those sad blue eyes and resist the urge to run his hands over his pecs and biceps.
Elrond didn’t begrudge the small mistake. He knew there would still be small mistakes no matter how careful Tristan was. He hadn’t been expecting the man to come so close just to assure him. It was nice to see him this close up. He could make out more of the nuance of Tristan's hair and jaw, his lithe frame. All too happy to do so Elrond took the outstretched hand and returned a firm shake “Gladly. Certainly We can leave any pesky paperwork for later.” He imagined that Tristan would need at least the house address for job hunting. He was vaguely aware of the notion that he would shortly be placing a huge amount of trust in Tristan seeing as he wouldn’t be staying up all night. Even so he had found himself so endeared to Tristan that he had full faith that the man only had good intentions. He did notice how warm Tristan’s hand felt against his in passing. He was someone for which attraction slowly creeped in under his nose. Elrond wasn’t so good at recognizing how quickly he had taken an interest in someone until it was ‘too late’. Tristan was much the same. Some might have called it falling for a sob story or maybe even some sort of savior complex but he was just hopelessly endeared. How could he not be when those big brown eyes were focused on him in a way that made him feel like he was the only person in the world. Well, there were in fact no other people around for quite some distance. Still it was a sort of intense unblinking stare that made him feel....special...desired even. He tried not to let any fantasies take over. This man had been nothing but respectful. It felt rude to assume anything.
Post by Tristan Morrigan on Dec 10, 2023 10:23:32 GMT
More than ensuring Elrond got a good look at him, his nearness was selfish. And a little bit due to not always grasping where one person's personal space started and ended. That bubble was a lot different for werewolves.
He smiled slightly at the handshake, the tow men trading firm grips and a warm touch. The moment seemed to stretch, brown eyes locked on blue. Tristan breathed through his mouth to better taste his scent. It was different, but one he imagined he could get used to.
Tristan had build many close relationships in his time. Some took longer than others and often he didn't catch on in a very timely manner to other's emotions. Hence usually he left it up to the other part to come to him. But Elrond...some of it was the ask for a roommate, and some it was his difficulty with sight that pushed Tristan to be more forward. He didn't release Elrond's hand. Instead, he took it with his other hand, carefully running his fingers up Elrond's forearm and biceps. His touch was soft and exploratory, wanting to encourage a similar response.
He wanted to do so much more but he didn't wish to overstep if the man wasn't in the mood.
Elrond’s heart certainly sped up at the unexpected soft gesture. He swallowed and offered the sort of half smile of someone confused but certainly interested in where this might be going. His brow furrowed slightly and he softly hesitantly asked “What…are you doing?” Because while the touch was quite nice it wasn’t a gesture that made any sense to him. He almost looked to see if maybe he had gotten pasta on his arm. It would have been an awfully sensual way to point out a bit of stray food.
Perhaps he hadn’t mistook the look the other man was giving him at all. The thought had him a bit flustered already. His body unconsciously leaned in as if to allow more of the exploring touch and he didn’t release their hand held together. His own free hand however was haltingly held between them not initiating any touches just yet. Elrond was aware he was giving a bit of mixed signals more out of confusion than any real desire for the touches to stop.
last edited Dec 10, 2023 19:39:48 GMT by Elrond Toal
Post by Tristan Morrigan on Dec 10, 2023 20:54:19 GMT
For the werewolf, sex was both very personal and romantic, as well as a very normal positive action. It wasn't strange to him to offer consensual physical contact and support and encouragement in the form of sex just like someone else might offer a hug. It was his belief that a lot more people would be a lot happier if they felt comfortable with themselves and felt sexually fulfilled. He might have his own preferences when it came to a committed life partner, but that had taken him quite a long time to figure out and he still generally enjoyed pleasing other people.
He didn't think anything of the extended physical contact, except that Elrond had asked for companionship. The hesitant question was not a no, but nor was it a yes. It was not the green light he had been expecting. Still, the man smiled and leaned into the contact, his touch starved body very clearly demonstrating his need. Tristan could hear the quickening of his heart. Tristan slid his hand higher, over his shoulder to cup his neck, thumb resting along the muscles there. "Offering companionship," he said simply, dark gaze level and searching the other man's expression, despite knowing he was a terrible read of such things. He was very handsome and his uncertain excitement was only more endearing. He wondered how long it had been for the man, but that hardly mattered.
Tristan pulled Elrond's hand closer so he could press it against his own chest, so the man could feel his own calm heartbeat. Not that the man had to touch him at all. If he simply wanted this to be one sided, that was perfectly fine.
So he hadn’t been wrong about the sensuality of the touches. He raised his eyebrows and made a small “oh”. He felt conflicted. Elrond had hardly even known Tristan for a couple of hours. That and Tristan was going to be paying him to stay here. He wasn't so pleased by the power imbalance here.
Then again it had been a loooong time since he had had that kind of company. With Tristan pulling his hand closer those healthy doubts. His hand met the warmth of Tristan's chest and forgot all his reservations. He relaxed a little but his heart was beating so loud that he almost wouldn't have been surprised to find out Tristan could hear it. He ran his hand appreciatively over the other man's chest. Feeling the shape and warmth of it through Tristan's shirt. Then he ran his hand up to trace his shoulder and neck. He entwined his fingers in the man's dark brunette hair and moved oh so close. For a moment he simply took in Tristan's face. Not that he needed it but he confirmed his suspicions that Tristan was very handsome. The man's sharp features suited his somewhat straightforward personality. He gave in to temptation and rather than ask any other questions he met his lips to Tristan's. It was soft and a bit clumsy.
Post by Tristan Morrigan on Dec 11, 2023 0:47:12 GMT
The werewolf understood very little of any social power imbalance. Physically, he was the dominant party by a comfortable margin without the use of his wolf form. While he presumed Elrond wanted this sort of arrangement, he had chosen to make his stance clear by being the first to offer, rather than wait for the man to ask. He was very okay with offering his body and other skills to the handsome human. The question of payment didn't factor in.
He could feel Elrond relax physically in his arms and let go of his hand on his chest to brush his fingers against his waist and pull him closer. His touches were soft, not because he was uncertain or because he preferred to be gentle, but because he wanted to take things slow for the man. Tristan stood still, letting Elrond take his time, not wanting to disrupt the man from getting to see him with both his limited vision and his hands. Though this close he long to taste him and was both surprised and glad that Elrond did not keep him in suspense.
Their lips met and Tristan eagerly pulled the man against him, pressing their bodies close, his own kiss conveying a sharper hunger. His hand around his back gripped the man's shirt tightly as he sought to deepened their kiss, a low growl of need rising deep in his chest.
He melted against Tristan’s hunger, wrapping his arms tighter around Tristan in turn. Even if he had any doubts the level of desire being communicated in that grip was irresistible. Hearing someone growl at him with need satisfied some part of him he hadn’t realized until then. Now that he felt the warmth of Tristan’s body pressed to his there was no chance he could reverse course. Elrond eagerly returned each gesture with clumsy enthusiasm. There was something a bit amusing about the vague taste of the pasta dinner still lingering in their kiss. The humor of it was just about the only thing that anchored him enough to realize they were still standing more or less in the dining room. With a reluctant noise he broke the kiss and with a breathy voice added “ Perhaps um….we should move to a bedroom?” Not that there was really any more chance of them being seen in the dining/living area than from one of the bedrooms. Elrond just still felt that uncanny sense of unease from doing something so intimate out in the ‘open’ rather than ‘private’. Though there was a part of him that almost hoped Tristan might just bend him over the table right here. It had been a long time after all. Certainly enough time to acquire a few fantasies.