DOING SOMETHING UNHOLY

[tensions]

THE BODY SHOP ( justin, intersex!monty ) A reality where deviancy is the privilege of the wealthy and the powerful. Monty has a little secret and is trying desperately to be good but the man who owns them is has some other ideas.

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[perjury]

"Is that right?" is all he says but then Henry continues to stare, the corner of his lips quirking up just so as Justin speaks. He doesn't respond immediately to anything else, allowing, purposefully, the space between them to drag and just slightly fester into the realm of vague discomfort before he speaks again, voice suddenly quite loud, "Ok. Then I've got a game for us to start. It's called truth or dare. You were a child once so I'm sure you've heard of it."

Henry scoots closer, an action that for anyone else might make them appear incredibly childish and messy, and yet makes him appear confident and impish. "I'll start. Why did you agree to see me tonight? You already have two other registered Companions." He holds up a hand, palm facing the other man. "Don't ask me how I know that. I just do."

[blessed_is_he]

He chuckles softly, not at all put off. The registry was a proprietary system, but it was only difficult, not impossible, to gain access to the information there, particularly for someone already in the system. Justin's entire history was available there, the contracts entered into, the relevant parties and the duration for each. He had little to hide, within the system, though most people doing research via normal channels would trigger an alert notifying him of their being granted access and stated purpose or intention.

But there were always other ways to find out such things, if you were determined, resourced, persistent, or nosy enough. He had a guess for which most applied in this case.

"It's been a while, but don't I typically get a choice first in this game?" He asks pointedly, but doesn't linger. "Truth, then. Curiosity, mainly. Very few people choose to approach me the way you did. I'm familiar with a few of your previous Patrons as well, and you've come up in conversation more than a few times." His gaze and tone are both perfectly steady, his mouth still quirked in an amused smile, as if daring Henry to consider his response.

[perjury]

"Yeah well," he shrugs one shoulder, "it's never any fun playing by the rules."

He listens, letting Justin finish instead of interrupting (which he was wont to do) and nods as if the answer were somewhat acceptable to him. For now. "Right. So you were bored. And I bet you're the kind of person who'd do anything not to be. Right? Wait, you don't have to answer that. Yet. Next round, maybe."

Henry almost laughs, the sound of it nearly escaping him but he steadies his face again after a moment and he leans closer, as if he himself were a magnifying glass. "Okay. My turn. Dare."

[blessed_is_he]

He stays silent throughout Henry's response, his expression not changing in the slightest at his conjectures, but it is clear he is listening with utmost attention, his gaze steady and knowing.

There is the briefest, slightest pause when Henry tosses the metaphorical ball back to him, but it's not hesitation so much as consideration.

"Do you have your phone with you? I dare you to dial up the last person you called and give me the phone."

[perjury]

Henry's eyes brighten instantly. "Of course I do," he says, and reaches over to the nightstand to tug his phone out from the flimsy and frayed wire it was charging itself on. The screen flashes with an influx of messages, which he ignores.

"Oh, he's gonna hate this," Henry says, grinning, mostly to himself as he redials the last number on his call list (which also happens to be the second, third, and fifth number as well).

Once the electronic ringing begins, he offers the phone over to Justin.

[singinthestorm]

There is almost always a moment - often just a split second - when seeing 'Henry Ghersinich' on his phone screen caused Joshua Archer's blood pressure to spike. It was nearly an autonomic reflex at this point, considering what shenanigans past phone calls from Henry had resulted in.

But one thing Joshua had never really been good at was ignoring someone potentially in need.

"How much am I going to regret taking this call?" He asks, without preamble, only subconsciously registering the quality of the silence on the other end.

[blessed_is_he]

He notes Henry's boyishly gleeful expression as he accepts the phone, not glancing down at the screen. Whoever is on the other end picks up after only two rings, and his sigh is nearly palpable, even transmitted via airwaves.

It was also vaguely familiar.

"Not too much, I hope, Mr. Archer," he replies, revising his own internal estimation of the man lounging on the bed only a foot or so away from him.

The only hint of something amiss on the other line is a very slightly longer than usual silence - not even a cough or sharp intake of breath - until Justin hears:

'Would you mind putting Henry on the phone, s- Mr. Baruch?'

He raises an eyebrow and offers the phone back to the subject of the conversation. "Put it on speaker," he says, just a subtle hint of command in his tone, loud enough to be heard by the receiver.

[perjury]

"Put it on a speaker, please," he teases. "The contracts aren't signed. Don't think you can boss me around yet." But he winks. It's clear there's something about it that he liked.

Then, Henry clicks the speaker button and practically sings, "Joshua, hey. What did I tell you? I went out looking for trouble and I think I found it."

[singinthestorm]

"Congratulations," he replies, his voice dry; he can hear the overtones of the few syllables echoed back at him due to being on speakerphone. In a way he's almost relieved. Whatever else Justin Baruch was, within the community it was known that he could generally be relied upon to at least embody the 'consensual' of the usual three principles. Given Henry's history and his seemingly unplumbed depths for bad decisions, that was a huge improvement.

"Did you go looking for trouble, or did you obligingly giftwrap yourself and wait on its doorstep for it to trip over you?" His words are deliberate, meant for more than just one pair of ears.

[perjury]

"What's the difference, Joshy?" he coos with an overdramatic sigh.

Suddenly, an idea seems to strike him.

"We're playing a game right now. Why don't you help me pick the next stage? Should we go truth or should we start to get really irresponsible?"

[singinthestorm]

"How old are you?" He asks, rhetorically, but there's no sting even in the seemingly catty words. "If you think dares are inherently more irresponsible than truth, I think you may be in over your head."

There is a brief, pregnant pause, and then sighs, audible through the connection. "Go on then," he says, the slightest undertone of laughter in his voice. "Enjoy yourself," he adds, and it is not fully clear who he is directing that towards.

[blessed_is_he]

"Thank you, Mr. Archer," he replies, all smiles, but also a clear dismissal, and it's clear the man on the other end of the line feels the same, as the screen blinks with the line cutting off.

He holds the phone back out to Henry. "My turn again, isn't it? Dare, then, since you seem inclined to try to force my hand, Mr. Ghersinich."