Behind The Veil

[Mateus Santigo]

Mateus looked deeply at the redhead tapping out a beat as he did so. Much to the Akashic's considerable irritation there was plenty of truth to what Rory was saying. He couldn't help but wonder what terrible crime he had committed in a past life to deserve to be teased so. With an audible sigh of disappointement he broke the bad news to Serg.

“Sergei dear,” he began but was cut off.

“Oh don't start with the whole 'dear' thing or you'll have him assuming we're engaged or something, rather then just roommates with benefits.” interjected the Cultist.

Mateus waited a full ten seconds just staring in irritation at his roommate, contemplating briefly the value of the benefits vs the downside of being constantly interrupted. Sergei seemed to take the hint and shut his mouth so the other man could continue. He of course smiled like an asshole afterwards which didn't earn him any brownie points. Did he not remember that Mateus had bought the bed and Sergei had the couch?

“As I was trying to say. I think he's serious about the oath. Aren't you Rory?” he asked, the Akashic aiming the question at Rory but getting a reply from Sergei instead. The man must really love that couch.

“Well it's not like we can't work with that. I mean time flies when you're having fun and getting to know someone doesn't honestly take that long. But more importantly working under the assumption, Rory, that you have no intention of have a gay old time with us tonight I am still more then willing to answer any questions about what a gay old time might actually involve. If of course you do change your mind tonight then again, perfectly willing to give lengthy and rather memorable demonstrations.”
the half-Russian said looking resigned, then hopeful, then resigned again, “But I suspect that won't be the case.”

“Oh you Russians are so fucking morose sometimes you know that?” said Mateus picking up where Sergei had left off, apparently neither of them intend on letting Rory actually answer any of the questions they were asking, “Rory if you'd like to stay and have a drink then let's just do that. Ask your questions and we'll answer them. If you find you'd like to get to know as better some other time after tonight then I forsee that option remaining open in the future. I personally wouldn't mind getting to know you a little bit better myself, and not just in the Biblical sense.”

“There are no pansexual Brazilians in the Bible.” Sergei taunted. Mateus just continued to switch between looking put-upon and slightly mortified. They both did what they usually did when the other was becoming insufferable, they drank.

[Rory Wallace]

Others who had homoerotic thoughts and desires were often times willing to look into it or at least seek it out, Rory was not like those others though. He had come close to actually acting on those thoughts when he was much younger, then his crush died. Since then, he has done his absolute damnedest to ignore those thoughts, those fantasies, and those desires. Since he first came to the States, he had been seemingly wavering in his ability to ignore them. He had managed to ignore them while working around plenty of other attractive men, more than a few of which had hit on him. He had managed to say no to those feelings while being propositioned by ‘clients’ who thought he was a prostitute as well as a stripper.

The actual physical mechanics involved weren’t what he was curious about, not entirely anyways. He was curious about it and interested in the mechanics to an extent, sure. His mind didn’t completely process how it could be enjoyable, and he was curious about what it was like. But the biggest thing that vexed him about it all, had more to do with what it would mean. What it would make him. How these two and others could be so clearly open and confident about it. He had plenty of opportunities before now to actually experience the act, but no opportunities yet to get answers to the bigger questions involved. What would he be afterward? How was it okay to do something entirely selfish that was only about pleasure and had nothing to do with procreation?

With the way that Mat and Sergei were going back and forth, if he had any doubts about his assumption that the two were together, he would have forgotten all about them. The two went back and forth like an old married couple. Then of course, as usual, something comes along that completely shakes up what had become fact just become fact in his mind. At least according to Sergei they weren’t actually together. The confusion that came from this was written clearly on his face. But he didn’t even get the chance to ask the question it brought to mind as the two just kept going back and forth before he had a chance.

So in the absence of having a chance to answer the questions he was asked or a chance to ask the questions that he wanted to ask, he just kept quiet and drank some more. Surprised a second and third time again, with how the drink was actually decent. Whatever it was, he didn’t know, but it was a pleasant surprise all the same. Far more fruity tasting than damn near anything he had ever drank before, which would have made him assume it would be bad, but it actually wasn’t.

When both Sergei and Mat, seemingly in unison, decided to get drinks of their own, Rory finally had a chance to ask what he wanted to. So he did just that, the usual confidence with which he spoke…the confidence that came from being a real predator, a warrior even, was shaken thanks to how unsure he was of himself in this entire situation. Life didn’t usually have him in such foreign situations, so that much had clearly shaken his confidence, both his voice and body language showed that much. “Aye, would nae have made it if’n me wasn’t serious with it. Even if me wasn’t though, consequences for breaking it would make me serious with it…“ A nervous chuckled followed that. He knew he couldn‘t say much more about it and just hoped they wouldn‘t ask, especially since he had probably already said too much about it, to a pair of humans. “Are you two…together then? If not, y‘certainly act the part.”

The Fianna kept going then. Instead of stopping to let them answer. Only because more questions were on his mind and now that he was talking again, he wanted to ask at least some of them before they started going back and forth without him having the chance again. “So where’d you learn to fight like you did back then, Lad?” The memory had come back to him earlier on and since he didn’t remember much beyond the fighting in the graveyard, well why not ask? Besides, it made for a break between more difficult questions he wanted to ask. That one was an easy topic for the Fianna. The break it gave allowed him to formulate the next question that would be more difficult to ask. “What’s pansexual, figured you two were gay?” The label was something he had been wondering about, it stuck in his mind and so had to be asked. Of course there was more he wanted to ask, but he also wanted to hear answers to the questions he had already asked, so he could wait before asking the rest.

[Mateus Santigo]

Since the questions seemed mostly directed at him Mateus picked them up before Serge could get a word in edgewise. It was better for everyone that way.

“Well let's start with the easiest of those questions. The fighting that I do is called Capoeira and it's a martial art developed in Brazil. It's based on a combination of combat and dance. We had to pretend it was a dance originally due to the slave owners. We were trying to keep it from them so we could use it to fight back one day, and so we covered up it's real applications with dance. To this day it's still best done to music or some other kind of rhythm.” he said with a bit too much pride for an Akashic. Capoeira, like all movement had it's origins with Do, but the South American was particularly prideful about his people's contributions. After all anyone could learn how to throw a punch, only a Brazilian would think to do it music.

“As for the pansexual thing. Well pansexual is a term that get's used for people who don't really care about the sex or gender of their sexual partners. I like Sergei and I'd have sex with him if he was a boy or a girl, it doesn't really matter. Too me it's all just pleasant friction.” explained Mateus, before Sergei took over for the last question.

“We aren't together as in dating. We're more like friends with benefits. We have sex with each other, and other people, because it's fun not because we love each other or anything like that. Ergo the asking you to bed. Haven't you ever had a friend that you had sex with but weren't dating? You aren't one of those people who thinks that the only reason for sex is to have babies are you?” asked the Russian Slut, like it was an accusation.

“Oh and unlike loose hips over there, I am actually gay. I only like men, but I find I have enough options to keep me happy. Next questions and can I freshen your drink?” added Sergei as an after thought.

[Rory Wallace]

Rory nodded along as Mat answered what Rory thought of as the easiest question. It made since that a Brazilian would practice a Martial Art developed there. Martial Art’s of the disciplined variety was something that Rory never really understood. In his mind, it was the discipline and training involved was so anti-instinct that he couldn’t fathom how it would actually be useful in a fight when instinct kicked in so strongly. Fighting and fucking were the same in that regard, it was all instinctual in the Fianna’s mind. Gut instinct kicked in for both and the body obeyed, it was that simple. And if it didn’t work, you got hurt in a fight or you were lousy in bed, then you learned and adapted based on that past experience. Training was something done to learn a new skill, training was done for things that weren’t instinctual. Sure, maybe very early have some basic training for fighting, if just to learn how to properly throw a punch, but not as a lifelong thing even after those basics were known. The only conclusion that Rory had regarding Martial Arts was that humans were too far removed from the Wyld and Gaia to listen when instinct kicked in…so they needed serious life-long training just to be able to fight.

Regardless of all that though, he couldn’t argue with the results. The fact of the matter was, from what he remembered anyways, Mat had serious skill when it came to fighting. He looked good doing it to. Hearing the explanation for how he fought and learned to fight in that fashion, well it all made far more sense to him now. More than that it also explained why he looked as good as he did when putting those skills to use. It was intended to be a dance, so of course it would look good when put to use.

The answer as to the meaning of pansexual, that didn’t make a lot of sense to the Fianna. Not caring about someone’s gender? How did that work? There were a lot of differences between men and women, when you were talking about being involved with them physically well…they made a huge difference. Ignoring the differences of genitals, there were also mannerisms and personality differences between the genders that were pretty big as well. He couldn’t imagine someone who didn’t see those things, the very idea of ignoring such large aspects of a person seemed just downright disturbing for Rory. Saying you didn’t care about someone’s gender was all fine and well and about as politically correct as PC was. Of course the problem with actually not caring about someone’s gender in regards to being with them, meant not caring about the person in Rory’s mind. Women were raised differently than Men, they had different values and ways to handle situations instilled in them from a very young age, if you ignore that…what’s left?

Instead of voicing his opinion on that though, he kept his mouth shut. Aside from his own problems with the very idea of it, he also found it difficult to believe that anyone could ignore something that was such a significant aspect of a person’s identity. So while Mat claimed to be that way, Rory didn’t believe it at all. Why Mat would lie about it? Rory couldn’t even guess at that, so instead of asking anymore questions about it, he just let it drop and kept his mouth shut about it.

Sergei’s taking over with the answers was something that Rory figured would mean he would actually understand these answers better. For the most part he did, until the questions were asked and then his idea of understanding the answer went away. He hadn’t fucked his friends, for the most part he could honestly even say he hadn’t wanted to either. A number of them were all Garou, and there was a law against that. The rest…well there was generally other complications involved that prevented him from even considering such. As far as the women he did fuck, well they weren’t friends. For a large number of them, he didn’t even know their names. The rest, he just didn’t see again. How could that even work anyways? He couldn’t imagine that the friendship really stayed much of a friendship after-wards.

Then came the next question, thanks to his previous line of thinking, he did actually take a minute to think about it. Sex was for procreation, sure it was fun and pleasurable but at it’s core, sex was for procreation. Yet despite the fact that he had slept with plenty of women, he had no children to show for it. So what was the point then? What was he doing in sleeping with all those women, if no children were born from it? Sure, sex was a big part of life and a big part of what made life worth living. But he had been taught that sex was for procreation. And here he was having engaged in a considerable amount of it, without any procreation involved. As far as he knew anyways…he couldn’t even remember most of the women he slept with, so how would he really know if any of them ended up pregnant? What would he even do, if one had contacted him after-wards and claimed to be pregnant with his child? He knew what he was taught and raised to do, but could he actually go through with it?

Of course, as he was learning was usual with these two, he didn’t get the chance to answer before more was being said and asked. At least this time though, the answer didn’t throw his mind for a loop or make him start questioning things he knew so clearly before. Sergei was gay, it was simple and easily understood. It raised no questions. He gave a shrug as he held out his drink for Sergei, “Aye, much appreciated, Lad.” He waited until Sergei had taken his drink before continuing on, “Far as the rest of what y’asked…have ne’er slept with any o’me friends. Or dated for that matter, would nae know how to go about that much, truth be told. As for sex only being for making babies, well…it is.” He didn’t feel the need to expand on that last bit, because frankly he wasn’t even sure if he believed it anymore or not. He still thought it was the case, but considering the life he led, there was something wrong with the idea or with him. Either way, it was nothing he was confident in saying anymore of, so he didn’t.

[Mateus Santigo]

Between Rory's statement and Sergei's laughter, Mateus divined that now was not the best time to pick up the conversation. Like many gay men Serge had a sore spot when it came to sex for reproductive purposes. The sex is for reproduction only, argument had been used for so long to oppress his end of the human sexual spectrum that there was no way the Akashic was going to deprive his homosexual friend the pleasure of telling Rory off. Instead Mat went about fixing more drinks and prepping some food, anything to be out of the line of fire.

Sergei laughed bitterly at the redhead's foolishness. He was angry there was no way around that, but he was so used to this sort of bullshit that he tried not to be to cruel to Rory...tried. “You're a fucking idiot if you actually believe that. Seriously, if sex is just for reproduction then why do we orgasm? Most mammals don't orgasm, sex isn't fun for them, it's just about breeding. And yet we orgasm, we also masturbate, but perhaps I shouldn't be including you in that we, you are Catholic. Tell me did you get this idea from those fucking eunuchs in Rome or did it come from any of the other countless bullshit factories that spew that filth into the world? Don't answer that yet I'm not done yelling.” ordered the Cultists who at this point had definitely raised his voice.

“The worst part of that bullshit belief, aside from the fact that it oppresses everyone involved and has been used to justify genocide so often the numbers would make the fucking Jews look tolerated, is that it makes people into lousy fucking lovers. People who have sex solely for reproduction suck at sex. They are usually wretched, barely a step up from rapists, all because they can't handle the simple and self evident fact that sex can in fact be very very pleasurable. Oral sex isn't for reproduction. Fingering a girl ain't for reproduction, frankly any fondling isn't necessary or desirable, as it makes baby fucking Jesus cry! If I tell you nothing else of value tonight then for love of sex try to remember that it's FUN, and some people like me do it just because it is FUN.” he said going from fuming to slightly calmer.

Meanwhile Mateus mourned his lost evening and any chance he had of convincing Rory to stay. He knew full well that you attracted more flies with honey then you did with vinegar and Sergei's were anything but honey. “Anyone want some food?” he asked in a last ditch effort to break the tension. He doubted it would work, but it was worth a try.

[Rory Wallace]

That laughter that erupted from Sergei, like a rock suddenly impacting through a window, felt insulting to the Fianna. He was able to take a joke or two at his own expense though, so he didn’t make a fuss over it. He didn’t get the joke, but frankly since he had the feeling that it was at his expense, he didn’t particularly want to understand the joke. If just because, had he understood it, there was a fair chance he would be more offended from it and he had no particular reason to want to feel offended by a joke. So he was actually glad he didn’t understand the joke.

When Sergei finally started to speak and not just laugh at him, the anger was clear to the Fianna. Another man might have backed down and apologized, tried to take back what was said that caused this anger. Another man might have stormed off upon being called a fucking idiot. Rory was not those other men though, he didn’t quickly try and apologize. Neither did he storm off in a pissy mood. Instead of all that, he squared his shoulders and stood his ground as though he was facing an impending fight. He wasn’t necessarily about to throw a punch or such, but he was physically prepared as though he was expecting one. Mostly because he was. Angry words more often than not led to fighting in Rory’s experience, so rather than be taken by surprise from it, his body stiffed and prepared for it.

Rory didn’t flinch when Sergei’s voice raised as he continued with his angry lecture. The Fianna might not know what believed regarding sex being for procreation anymore, not as he once did just a few minutes ago anyways. But he did know what anger was and what it was like and what it led to. He knew this anger he felt from Sergei wasn’t the sort that would mean a few punches were about to be thrown. Mostly because that hadn’t happened yet. In his experience if a fight was about to begin, it would have. It wouldn’t just be yelling. That didn’t mean this anger couldn’t erupt into a fight, but just that it wasn’t going to this second. At least not until Sergei was done with his angry yelling and lecturing.

…And then the yelling stopped and no punches were thrown. It was almost a let down, he liked fighting so he wouldn’t of minded it. He didn’t necessarily want to fight Sergei and probably Mateus, but it felt lacking after all that yelling to not lead into a good fight. There were other thoughts that came to mind about what he’d want to do with these two, but after being called a fucking idiot? Not as much anymore. He wasn’t walking out the door from it, but he didn’t figure he would be staying much longer either. Especially not after he opened his mouth again.

“That’s where your wrong though, Lad. Just because it’s for procreation does nae mean it can nae be enjoyable. Sex is sex. Few things let y’feel as alive, but it does have a purpose. It does create life. It’s about life, Lad. It lets you feel alive better than most everything else and it creates life. Anyone who tries to say sex is nae enjoyable or should nae be enjoyable isn’t doing it right. But you asked if it was for procreation and it is. But that does nae mean it shouldn’t be enjoyable.” He was sure his argument failed. In large part because he was both trying to disagree and agree with Sergei. After saying all that, he couldn’t help but break into laughter as a result. Mostly because of how bad it was of an argument. He had to laugh about it and when he did it was, surprisingly enough, in a jovial manner. Mostly because he was arguing something he wasn’t even sure about anymore and only half arguing it in the first place.

[Mateus Santigo]

“Oh I agree with you that sex can be for reproduction. There are of course other ways of reproducing other then sex, but even I can see that they wouldn't be as much fun as sex. Where I disagree with you is that sex is only for reproduction. Sex can be just for the enjoyment. Even you agree it's fun, and it's not like you won't make more sperm, you are a man after all. And what a man I might add.” Sergei said giving the Galliard a simply scandalous wink. He had the hots for Rory and wasn't about to let that fact fall by the way side.

“Sex between two or in this case three men is the kind that is just for pleasure. You do it because it makes you feel alive. Then again maybe it's the word that's wrong here. Sex is for procreation it creates life as you said. What me and Mat do is fucking, it creates pleasure and passion. We fuck because it's fun and because it's a good way for men to get to know each other. Women have to use all sorts of words to learn about someone, men can just get to know someone through learning how they like to be touched.” Sergei said trying to be reasonable. He also happened to take a step closer to Rory putting himself well within touching distance to further tempt the man with what he said next.

“Aren't you curious about what it might be like to touch another man? Haven't you ever wondered how much more a man might know about pleasing other men? It's not like you took an oath not to fuck people you didn't know well, you said you wouldn't have sex, and you can't get me or Mat pregnant I promise you that. Although you'll enjoy trying, I promise you that too.” he said getting just a little bit closer but once more not touching him. The first touch would be Rory's decision, that was the nature of consent.

[Rory Wallace]

Rory was bothered by the change in word choice. As a tale singer, he was well aware that different words had different meanings, it was a knowledge he had put to use more than once for the express purposes of making others understand and experience what he was describing. So when Sergei changed the word he was using from being “sex” into being “fucking”, Rory was well aware of the different meanings the two words had. Sure, both were essentially the same act. But one was decidedly less concerned with reproduction than the other. One was a regular part of Rory’s life in the past, the other he had never had. Rory might’ve bedded more women than he could ever remember, but he had only ever fucked them. Sex was something he had never done.

That one single word choice suddenly altered the entire mood of this line of the conversation for the Fianna. His oath was taken specifically because of fucking. He had almost fucked a Garou, come dangerously close to doing so. In fact the only thing that stopped him was the fact that she was completely wasted at the time. If not for that, if she could have consented, he would have fucked her in a heart beat. He wasn’t consciously aware that she was Garou, had never seen her before in his life. But that wasn’t an excuse afterwards. That was why he broke down and went into depression until he took that oath. It was the knowledge of what he would have done, had it not been for the highly specific situation, that drove him into willingly taking an oath that would have him castrated if it were broken.

This man, this Sergei couldn’t have known any of that though. He couldn’t have known how the simple change of the term for it, would suddenly affect the Fianna. Had he known, Rory was confident he never would have changed the term he was using. The word change suddenly made this something he could and would do. It also suddenly made this something he couldn’t and wouldn’t do without knowing Sergei and probably Mateus better. It wasn’t just the issue of knowing them better, it was the issue of being absolutely one hundred and fifty percent positive that neither man was Garou and in that, knowing if either man was kinfolk. It was a level of knowing them that couldn’t possibly be achieved upon the first meeting. While he might want to get to know them better and from what was said, both seemed willing on that end, he highly doubted either would want to get to know him still in the future. He suspected that it just wouldn’t be worth the effort for them and he completely understood that view since prior to his oath, he hardly ever so much as learned his future bedmates names, much less who they were.

The argument was good though, the Fianna had to give the Russian that. His argument was persuasive, very persuasive. Rory understood that he could even learn a thing or two from the Russian when it came to making a persuasive argument. It was helped by just how attractive the Russian was, and Rory couldn’t help but admit that much. The fact that it was also forbidden probably added to just how attracted he was towards Sergei. It was harder to ignore that when Sergei moved closer to him.

It proved difficult, to say the least, for the Fianna to not take some action. In large part because of Sergei’s moving closer but also because of the very persuasive argument he was making. It was the sort of temptation that Rory absolutely fucking hated to resist. Why? Because one aspect of Stag’s tribe was taking advantage of life as much as possible, for as long as it was possible. It was an aspect of Stag’s tribe to live life as much as possible and take advantage of every second of every day, as much as possible. Which meant in Rory’s mind, fighting and fucking in equal proportion for the sole purposes of feeling as much alive as possible. Unfortunately since his oath, he hadn’t done any fucking. Sure, he had opportunities for such before, but his oath kept him from acting on any of them.

…And then Sergei was moving ever closer, tantalizingly closer. All the while asking questions that were further persuasive. Rory was tempted, oh how he was tempted. His mind was at war with his body and instincts. Instinct had him reaching out to touch Sergei‘s chest, his mind made him stop just short though. His mind made him clench his fist and let out a down right frightening growl of frustration as he took a few steps away from Sergei. Instinct and body said fuck the oath, his mind reminded him of the consequences for that though. “Aye…want to, Lad. Am curious about it. But me oath does mean me can’t. Consequences for breaking it are too great to do so, nae even to know what it’s like.” His shirt went back on.

He could just come out and ask directly what he needed to know in-order to stay within what his oath demanded and not violate that pact he had made, but that would defy the spirit of the thing in his mind and that was the real purpose of it. “Was good meeting you though Lads, but me should probably go before me does something I’d regret.” If neither made to stop him with either word or deed, he would be on his way out the door and looking for a fight very quickly. Gaia help whoever he ended up fighting with too, if they couldn’t fight properly well…it was highly likely that with how frustrated the Fianna was right now, he would kill them.