8319/The Devil You Know and Love

The Devil You Know and Love
Date of Scene:	19 October 2021
Location:	The Griffin
Synopsis:	A rare and precious quiet moment between friends.
Cast of Characters:	Thomas Blake, Saeko

---

Thomas Blake has posed:
Thomas Blake climbs the stairs after Mairin leaves. He hears gentle, loud snoring coming from his room. Good. What he has to discuss is not for Satana. In fact he feels like a creep for thinking this way. He quietly enters Saeko's room, purposely letting her see him in the mirror for a moment before he hugs the lovely creature.

It is a warm, but strong hug. Somehow not a prelude to carnal relations. Blake has different degrees of hugging. He strokes one ear and says, "Thank you for healing me... you're the only one who's ever gentle with me. It means a lot. Satana is... passionate but, she's not gentle. I forgot what gentle was. You bring out another side of me. I'm sure Satana would hate it." he kisses her softly on the cheek and releases. She can step away or face him and return the hug. Or port away he guesses. He's pretty sure she won't port. He breathes in flowers and clean woman scent.

Saeko has posed:
Saeko hadn't really expected to 'have' a room, after all she had grown accustomed to bending a little fortune and staying in luxury hotels when she needed a place on Earth to stay before meeting Satana and then Thomas...but she wasn't complaining. It was likely modest by comparison, mainly used as a place to keep her gifts from the pair and other trinkets that caught her fancy, but indeed a simple mirror held her focus as she rested in her usual attire, an equally simple hairbrush currently being drawn through her raven locks when she spots Thomas' approach and that embrace from behind.

"It is my pleasure," she offers, a little smile as she turns her head to look at him over her shoulder and shrugs. "It is a simple difference really, I inflict harm on those who deserve, or who make a foe of Inari and myself. But Tenko...me, I am...Well, I think it is in my nature."

A beat, she grins, "And I am 'somewhat fond' of you."

Thomas Blake has posed:
Thomas Blake strokes Saeko's cheek. then he rests his forehead on her shoulder. "I don't think Mairin likes me very much. I think she looks down her nose at me. I never should have offered to help her friend. I kept Satana off her twice now. Next time she ticks Satana off I guess we'll see what magic she knows. The soul fire still burns me. She said it was just the last licks but I think it was worse than that. Would you give my back another look?" He steps back and pulls his shirt off, wondering if a follow up visit is included in his omelette from dinner?

Saeko has posed:
"I think she's terrified," Saeko answers lightly, "Satana almost certainly hasn't helped. Couple that with some paranoia and well...she's almost certainly wondering what might happen when the other 'foot' falls." A shrug from the fox, she turns towards Thomas as he removes his shirt, offering a little musing smile.

"Soul fire, little or not, is meant to burn one's very being. I can imagine a little pain sticking in your mind..."

Thomas Blake has posed:
Thomas Blake shakes his head. "I realize she could probably end me whenever she wanted but I felt soul fire from her. This... floored me almost. It was far worse and I don't like it. Is she weakening me, breaking me down? I don't like that idea." He frowns as her fingers explore, gentle as she is. The butt of the khukri knife worn on his back sticks up from its sheath.

Saeko has posed:
A little lift of her fingers, lazily tracing of his skin, the Kitsune chuckles lightly. "At time, she weakens you...but you know this. To 'sip' from the soul is to weaken someone for a time. You know well what would happen if she took it all from you."

She trails off, leaning in and resting her arms against his back, her chin resting on her shoulders. "But that is the nature of it all, of being with her. For all her temper or passion, she clearly does not mean to end you."

Thomas Blake has posed:
Thomas Blake nods. "I don't THINK she means me any harm but... she didn't take any soul energy from me... for a while. No, if she ends me it'll be accidental. I just... feel this is different. The fire feels different to me. Something made it cut right through me this time. I thought I was actually building up a resistance to her magics. And as for the pain... I felt pain before." He turns around and places the kitsune's hands on the three scars cutting across his chest. 'Between you and me... getting these scars really hurt. A lot."

Saeko has posed:
"It wasn't fire meant for you," Saeko reminds him, her hands tracing over the scars. If she knew a means of erasing them it seemed she had no intent on doing so. They were part of who he was after all...

Instead she lifts a hand, cradling his cheek lightly. "Perhaps then, you should focus on things that make you feel better?

Thomas Blake has posed:
Thomas Blake takes Saeko's hands in his and runs his other hand along her cheek and down her neck. "I don't fear Satana because... I can't fear her and be with her. I don't fear you because in your heart, you are gentle and I do not intend to give you a reason to be otherwise. I think I will focus on someone who makes me feel better. Unless you have other plans?" He sits on the edge of her bed and rests his head against her belly and sighs happily. So different.