Part 11 - Training[NSFW]

they01/25/2020

----------------

A day has passed since Thomas's party. After a slightly tipsy discussion, the bandaged man suggested coming to his abode! Certainly, it was a larger space for discussion (though, to be quite honest, he felt the need to show off to Thomas in his drunked state his glamorous home). However, after sobering up (and sleeping in), they realized they haven't quite cleaned up their main room. Currently, the bandaged man is rearranging the main room, tidying it up for his soon-to-be guests; they have their jade covered desk put against the opposite wall, and the rosewood mannequin holding Charlemagne and a few bits and bobs of Polythremi clothing is tucked behind it. The arm of the mannequin is raised, pointing at the diagram pasted on the wall above it; a large mural of pictures (bottles of souls, the bare gaze of a devil, a cross crossed out in red ink, and, strangely, a piece of folded paper), covered in a Violant-penned "WHAT TO DO IF YOU'VE MADE A DEAL WITH A DEVIL". The bandaged man is staring at the diagram, musing.

The Bandaged: . . .hm. Too cheeky, I think.

The bandaged man pulls out their pen, and writes a star near the title, before writing on the bottom of the mural.

The Bandaged: -Muttering.- . . .not. . .guaranteed. . .to help. . .one's. . .circumstances. . .there. Absolved of liability.

***

The boy01/25/2020

Thomas and Able are heading up the stairs, both young men complaining about the length at which the stairs go up for. Able seems to talk at length about the bandaged, annoyed at his behavior more recently than ever. Able talks more and more, nearly yelling at they reached the top of the stairs.

Able: AND THEN, THEY HAD THE DULLEST IDEA TO TRY AND PUT IT BACK, AS IF I WOULDN'T NOTICE???? Thomas: -amused.- It sounds like a right handful. You and Virgil will at least have something to talk about. Able: Oy, I don't need to think about "connecting" with a demon. Thomas: He's a devil, dear.

They head to the top of the stairs, and Thomas stares.

Thomas: Do they not know what doors are?

Able rolls his eyes, climbing into the window.

Able: If he did I wouldn't even be here..

they01/25/2020

The bandaged man is still writing on the mural at the wall opposite from the open window, scribbling some last second notes.

The Bandaged: -Muttering.- Never liken a devil to goats. . .that's impolite. . .have perfect manners. . .ah, you're here!

The bandaged man turns around, wearing their usual attire of layers of clothes.

The Bandaged: Ah! Welcome to your introduction to infernal affairs! Come, inside! Take a seat. . .er, on the ground.

The boy01/25/2020

Thomas follows Able, climbing through the window. He is, more dressed than he usually is, a dark suit as is common among other londoners. He ignores the bandaged man, heading towards the wall where he is, while Able finds a place to sit and does so.

Thomas: You're too vague.

Thomas points out. Finally acknowledging the bandaged man.

they01/25/2020

The bandaged man's expression sours.

The Bandaged: Now, my diagrams are perfectly adequate, thank you. Observe. . .

The bandaged man points at the images in series with their Violant-tipped pen, holding their other hand to their chest.

The Bandaged: Observe the three things one should always do; never bring a cross around devils. It does nothing to them, and you'll only serve to offend them. Always bring a gift! They like souls, but a higher quality, tortured soul speaks to them.

The bandaged man pauses, before glancing at Able.

The Bandaged: . . .er. . .hm. You're a fairly, er. . .tortured individual, so this might not be viable for you, unless you happen to have a queer soul? . .hm..

[

1:34 AM

]

The bandaged man clears their throat.

The Bandaged: Er, and lastly! Don't comment on their eyes! It bothers them greatly when you see past their attempts to fit in polite society.

The boy01/25/2020

Thomas points to the diagram, and then slumps his shoulders.

Thomas: You are almost correct. Do you know why you should do these things? Being polite, acting properly, gifts? These are all circumstantial! And!

Thomas points at Able.

Thomas: This one is particularly slow at learning vague things. You need to explain to him why these things are. Take a gift, for example. Gifts can be appreciated, or highly offensive depending on What you bring.

Thomas sighs, pinching the bridge of this nose.

Thomas: Now, before we start on things such as complex behaviors.. We need to focus on this boy's table manners, and then move onto how he should word himself. Lest he agrees to something else..

they01/25/2020

The bandaged man tuts.

The Bandaged: Alright. I'll concede, but I'm getting some blasted usage out of my diagram.

The bandaged man points at the bare gaze of an anonymous devil.

The Bandaged: The first thing you need to be aware of is that devils have a history of tyranny; under such rule, they were forced to have immaculate manners. . .at the table, in conferences, at meetings, they were required to have the utmost perfection in manners. Those who failed in this regard were. . . The Bandaged: . . .well, devils can't die, but you must have some fascination with the idea that they would like to.

The boy01/25/2020

Able is nodding, paying attention to their words, but wincing at the thought of a devil wanting death over whatever they were punished with. Thomas nods.

Thomas: Indeed. You do not have to fear that you may be.. Dragged away. Unless! You are acting impolite. In your case it will be a task of helping you learn about the proper clothing to wear, and the proper usage of utensils. Virgil will expect you to stumble and certainly waste no time to take advantage of this.

Thomas vaguely waves at the bandaged's odd wall of.... "Diagrams."

Thomas: You will need to learn how to sit, as well... your posture is fairly... hm. That can be arranged as well.

Thomas watches as Able looks very confused, trying to sit up more straight?

Thomas: We have five days. We will portion each day into a specific type of knowledge that you will need, and a final review before the dinner. We will not tolerate slacking in this class, and I will be here to make sure you wake up on time..

they01/25/2020

The bandaged man claps, a manic energy overtaking them.

The Bandaged: Ah, fantastic; you can be my teaching assistant!

The bandaged man runs over to the diagram pasted on the wall, flipping the pasted images over; they then start writing on the reverse side of the paper, turning to speak to Thomas and Able as they do so.

The Bandaged: I believe that, given your general unkemptness, it'd be best if we started with appearance. Dressing up nicely, avoiding slouching. . .you know, respectable things, that don't betray that your occupation is as a thief!

The boy01/25/2020

---

They started on his appearance, a lot of the hassle being getting his hair to stay down, though it never particularly worked. The day was filled with sore backs and an exhausted Able. He was made to sit up straight for his entire lesson, getting a fairly harsh lecture when he slipped up. Thomas made sure he also spoke clearly when talking. No muttering, and eye contact was fairly crucial. He had to be strict, as to have him do these things, even when Thomas or the bandaged weren't looking. Thomas had him carry books, and move them from each side of the room, watching his gate to get a feel for where those flaws lie. Able seemed to favor his left leg a lot, so Thomas made sure to correct that when he moved. This was a fairly annoying day for Able, all whilst listening to the bandaged and Thomas argue about history over practical. They spent a great deal of time on how he should wear a suit as well. Thomas was annoyed, seeing as they had nothing under it. He had the bandaged get one for the boy and they set him straight, teaching him how to adjust his cuffs and not to fuss with his pants even when he was itchy. The day ended fairly quietly, everyone being tired, groaning and heading to bed. Thomas had merely just passed out onto Able's bed, though Able didn't really care at that point.

they01/25/2020

---

The next day, the trio worked on devil history, and the culture that developed. The bandaged man was particularly excited in talking about this; apparently, he had spent some time at the Brass Embassy and had worked with several infernal diplomats, and was in need to flaunt this information. Apart from the occasional embellishment, the bandaged man recounted an excellent history of the devils; while typically depicted as goat demons in the church's books, the history of Hell was primarily with shapeless forms acting under a caprine authority, the former Prince of Hell. Whether this Prince of Hell was Satan, or merely a very prominent devil in the system of aristocracy isn't made clear; what is clear is that the devils eventually grew tired of this and revolted, overturning the aristocratic devils and running them out of Hell. Afterwards, when London has fallen, they've decided to spend some time among Londoners. . .why they want souls, however, isn't clear. The bandaged man made a heavy emphasis on how the devils rejected all titles of royalty, and why devils have such cordial relationships with societal dukes, duchesses, and the like. In his own words, "never, ever refer to a devil as a 'sir', 'lord', . . ." and so on; apparently, the devils are still upset about the old aristocracy and have rejected all nobility in their society. After the lesson, Able was forced to take an extensive, in-depth quiz on the history of devils; he had spent nearly two hours (without breaks!) reciting the chronological history of revolt in Hell, and explaining why titles are extremely frowned upon. The day ended with mental exhaustion; while the bandaged man was fairly energetic and Thomas moreso strict about knowing which titles to avoid, Able was entirely drained of energy. As soon as the bandaged man began shutting off the lights, Able could feel himself falling asleep halfway down to his bedroom.

The boy01/25/2020

The third day was a bit more stressful for Able, as Thomas had set up an entire dinning table, drilling him on various techniques on how he should and when, speak. He was rather ruthless, never stopping one particular scenario until he got Able to agree to something. Each of these little lessons ended with a lecture on what he did wrong and how to improve. He was firm, and encouraged Able to ask for more information if he felt himself confused. This made it go smoother, but every mini scenario got more and more stressful for Able. Thomas was satisfied enough with the four he did, and went back to teaching him more common things, like how to hold his napkin, and where to set his utensils. If he was offered meat he would be better off sticking to bread. Thomas had then brought over the bandaged to help discuss what gifts are acceptable, and why. He also went over when to compliment a devil to be charming, but not overbearing. Thomas did give some specific advise for dealing with Virgil in particular, as he was fond of more light pleasantries, but will certainly be aggressive when it comes to getting what he wants.

.

[

2:46 AM

]

Thomas outlined a few key points in how to talk, and how to never be certain of anything. He talks about his own experiences, though merely to scare Able into not taking risks. He was allowed to state things. He gave an example. "If a devil asks you if you want something to eat, you must speak clearly as to what you want to eat, in case he is slipping something uncouth in his words. If you want what they are offering, say, bread. You must state "I would like some bread, thank you." No affirmatives." Thomas uses bandaged as an example of how not to behave, though the man seems to take great offence to this. The day ends with Thomas writing down some situations for Able to remember, and to ask him if they had any confusion. Thomas stressed this, harshly, that being embarrassed was no excuse for not asking questions. Able sleeps, harder than usual, he doesn't even have the chance to dream.

[

2:49 AM

]

-----

[

2:55 AM

]

The next day, Able looked absolutely run down. Thomas briefly discussed with the bandaged, suggesting that they take a break. The bandaged fussed, but with able being unable to focus he wouldn't learn much. So they both agreed to take a day off, at least to relax and recharge. Able grumbled something about a bath, and Thomas got very excited. He hadn't had a private bath since.... oh since that one little fling. Such a kind man, he reminisced. They all started towards the bath, and when it was full, Able just laid in the water, looking beat to the core. Thomas starts to undress, getting into the bath slowly as they shudder. A nice warm, private bath. This was fairly nice.

Thomas: Ah, I see why you tolerate him so much. mmm...

they01/25/2020

The bathroom door is rattling as the bandaged man undresses. . .

The Bandaged: -Muffled.- Now, I'm coming back, there's no need to be. . .attaCHED. . .ah, there we go. . .

. . .before opening briefly, the bandaged man stepping into the bathroom with nothing but their bandages on.

The Bandaged: -Walking over; pushing Able and Thomas aside.- Oy, move over; I need a lot more room than you two.

The boy01/25/2020

Thomas moves, but only because he didn't want to be pushed out, sinking further into the bath, this was still nice. Able gripes.

Able: You've never complained about sharing space before.

He thinks about all the time the bandaged man got too close when he was studying, or otherwise pressed into Able when he was just standing around.

they01/25/2020

The bandaged man slips between Thomas and Able, laying on their back as they do so.

The Bandaged: Sharing room space is very different from sharing bath space. . .ahh. . .besides, I need extra space, unlike you. . .

The boy01/25/2020

Able groans, too tired to come up with a good retort. He just relaxes, trying to get all of his muscles to untense. Able feels along his arms, and is generally grabbing along his body to try and get most of it to relax. Thomas looks over the bandaged man at Able. Interesting, he thought.

Thomas: Hm, suppose the posture drilling was a bit too much? Able: I'll survive.

they01/25/2020

The bandaged man snorts, sinking into the water even more.

The Bandaged: Pah. . .you're gonna need more than survival to. . .er. . .survive. . .hm. Analogy wasted. . .oh, but the water's so nice. . .relax yourself. . .

The boy01/25/2020

Thomas: Mmh, it very much is. Much better than the public baths.

Thomas moves around the bandaged, leaning into Able.

Able: No. Thomas: Dear I'm just going to do your shoulders. Able: . . .Fine.

Thomas starts rubbing Able's shoulders, and they seemed to relax a bit more. Thomas does take this opportunity to get closer to Able, who gripes only a bit.

they01/25/2020

The bandaged man glances at Thomas edging towards Able, and chuckles, sliding (floating? It looks like they're gliding effortlessly in the water. . .) to push against Able's other side.

The Bandaged: Ahh. . .bare touching. How scandalous.

The boy01/25/2020

Able groans, not really in the mood for this sort of attention. Thomas doesn't let that stop them, slowly moving their hands to massage along down his back.

Thomas: You're always so tense.. Able: Ggf, well stretching is a bit of a hazard here...

Thomas moves his hands around Able's waist, moving to tepidly touch along Able's stomach hair.

Able: What are you doing?

they01/25/2020

The bandaged man titters, seeing Thomas touch Able's abdomen in such a roundabout way.

The Bandaged: Aw, I was going to go for that. . .well, no matter. . .

The bandaged man reaches over, lazily draping a hand onto the middle of Able's chest,

The Bandaged: No need for subtlety, after all. . .

The boy01/25/2020

Able is hoping maybe they'll get bored if he doesn't react. He assumed maybe they were trying to just rile him up, though now with multiple sets of hands on him he feels very annoyed.

Able: I am not a Pet. I do not need such attention. Thomas: Mh, you're free to stop me dear.

Thomas runs his hands along the hair on Able's abdomen, sighing a bit wistfully. Able tries to think about his options. He was still a bit sore, so prying them off was a hassle, but it may be his only option.

Thomas: All that whining for nothing?

they01/25/2020

The bandaged man rubs their hands along Able's chest, sliding over a little more; as they do so, Thomas and Able can see his body from the waist down shifting under the water, a blackening mass spreading in the water.

The Bandaged: Aw, come now. . .you've been learning so well, you deserve good attention. . .

The boy01/25/2020

Able, annoyed, takes one of both Thomas's and the Bandaged's wrists, pulling them away. He starts moving away from them both to the other side of the bath.

Able: No, thank you. Both of you all can deal with your own indecency without me.

Thomas huffs.

Thomas: Well. Disappointing..

they01/25/2020

The bandaged man sits back, sighing.

The Bandaged: Ah, but I have so much to giiiive. . .

The bandaged man leans back into the water, a hand draped over their forehead and their other hand moving to the bandages on their chest; they tug at it, exposing a rift of black tendrils wriggling in the water as they sigh dramatically.

The Bandaged: Tending to so many needs, and never having enough time for them. . .so much frustration, so much need. . .and yet you won't receive? You cruel charlatan, you. . ..

The boy01/25/2020

Able looks unamused, leaning into his own side of the bath, sighing. Thomas however turns around, joining in the little act, touching the bandaged's leg.

Thomas: Oh you poor man, look at you, a mess of desires.

Thomas is getting closer to the bandaged.

Thomas: A sad fate, indeed.

they01/25/2020

The bandaged man settles in the bath, glancing at Thomas.

The Bandaged: Ah, yes. . .too eccentric for polite society, and too respectable for a fling. . .it's a perilous life of. . .oh. . .

The bandaged man sighs, dramatically holding their head back and pushing their chest up a little; the tendrils are starting to migrate, undulating under the bandages as they wriggle downwards towards their groin.. .

The boy01/25/2020

Thomas gets closer, his hand smoothly rubbing along the bandaged's leg, getting closer and closer to his groin, humming.

Thomas: Surely a man like you needs a more regular bouts of attention, hm?

Able looks over, then away, seemingly disinterested.

they01/25/2020

The bandaged snickers, before sitting up, musing nonchalantly.

The Bandaged: Yes, and rightly so. . .you'd think someone would recognize such need, but apparently he's not good at picking up clues. . .ah, oh well. . .

The bandaged man sinks back into the water, pushing down just a bit further than usual so their thighs brush against Thomas and sliding their groin closer to his face.

.

The boy01/25/2020

Thomas moves both of his hands along the bandaged man's thighs, before pressing their hands into his groin, groping and feeling about gently.

Thomas: How dreadful, I certainly cannot just watch you suffer like this.

they01/25/2020

The bandaged man snickers, lounging in the water; below, their groin undulates, the tendrils wriggling out between the bandages but not doing much more.

The Bandaged: Heh. . .something tells me that it's not because you pity me, but because you're interested in doing much more than watching. . .

The boy01/25/2020

Thomas grins, grabbing tendrils in their hand, massaging them a bit before leaning into the bandaged man.

Thomas: Oh? Certainly I don't know what you mean~

He doubles down on pressing his hands into the man, groping and guiding their hands along the length of the tendrils.

they01/25/2020

The bandaged man sighs; at Thomas's touch, their tendrils slither upwards, growing quickly and wrapping wetly around Thomas's hand.

The Bandaged: Mmhh. . .uh huh. . .because, surely, you know nothing about satisfying tentacles. . .

The boy01/25/2020

Thomas is staring directly at the Bandaged, humming. He pumps his hands along whatever tentacle will sit still enough to let him do so. He sighs, pressing into the man.

Thomas: Now, now, no need to be so vulgar... unless that's what you crave, hm?

they01/25/2020

The bandaged man snickers, pushing their hip upwards slowly until their groin presses against Thomas's hand; as soon as it does, several tentacles spring up, curling around his wrist as they sit back down, sighing.

The Bandaged: Mmh. . .so polite, for someone who thinks he's subtle about what he wants.

The tentacles wrapped about Thomas's wrist start pulling towards, leaving a slick sensation over their hand as it starts pulling them in rather harshly, their hand feeding into the writhing mass at their groin. . .

The Bandaged: Now, get down there.

. . .the tentacles have advanced to Thomas's arm, pulling their torso down harshly.

January 26, 2020

The boy01/26/2020

Thomas gasps before being pulled under the water but doesn't seem to fight the bandaged man's tendrils. Thomas grips the mans thighs pressing his mouth against his member, eagerly taking the whole thing in one easy movement. It is hard to ignore how many times he's done that before. With Thomas firmly hilting the man with his mouth and throat, he sets to playing and massaging the tentacles. He occasionally weaves his hands through them, trying to give them all at least a little attention.

they01/26/2020

The bandaged man groans, moving a hand to the back of Thomas's head and pushing their head down. The tentacles in Thomas's grip writhe, wetly splitting apart and coming back together with Thomas's fingers in-between as his hands get covered in a slick, black fluid. He feels a wet pressure around his face; tentacles are slithering forward, suckering onto the sides of his head and tugging his face deeper into the writhing mass.

The Bandaged: Ah, there we go. . .some nice silence. . .mmmhhh. . .how long can you stay down there, I wonder. . ?

The boy01/26/2020

Thomas is seemingly happily moving his head along the bandaged man's member now, his tongue moving along a bit laxly. He can't exactly hear the bandaged well, though he suspects some sass. Thomas is giving the tendrils a lot of hand attention, gripping and rubbing, wanting to coax the man to be a bit rougher. He wasn't sure if it was a good plan, but he had plenty of time before he started to pass out.

they01/26/2020

The bandaged man sighs contentedly, pushing their hips up into the water; as they do so, their groin bandages shift around as thicker, longer tentacles force their way through. The tentacles writhing around Thomas sucker onto his lips, pulling at the corner of his mouth and forcing juuust enough space for two smaller tentacles to slip into Thomas's mouth. Immediately, the tentacles part Thomas's mouth before thicker, more slick tendrils cram themselves into his maw, stuffing their mouth full. . .

The Bandaged: Mmhhhh, there we goooo. . .

. . .before suddenly forcing into Thomas's mouth, almost punching the back of their throat with the eagerness they wriggle down; everything (the tendrils and the bandaged man's cock) slowly throbs inside of Thomas's mouth, putting pressure against the inside of their cheeks and throat.

The boy01/26/2020

Thomas gags, which doesn't do much beyond letting air out, bubbles floating to the surface. He doesn't seem to get distraught over it, but his time was cut. He can feel his face burning. Ah, now this was proper filling, he thought to himself as he presses deeper into the man's groin. He grips the bandaged man's legs tightly, merely to keep himself steady. Thomas relaxes his throat, his tongue only writhing more, though it wasn't able to do much with so many tendrils. Able from across the room is looking disinterested, gently scrubbing his body down laxly.

they01/26/2020

The bandaged man sighs contentedly, lifting their legs up and hooking it around the back of Thomas's neck.

The Bandaged: . . .mmmrh, you can take more, right?

The bandaged man pulls their leg down, forcing Thomas's head to be pushed further into the writhing mass of tentacles; likewise, the tentacles inside of Thomas's mouth push forward deeper, punching past their throat and starting to fill out their throat visibly. Inside his mouth, he can feel tendrils splitting and reforming around his tongue, keeping it trapped in a thriving mess of mucus-lined membranes.

The Bandaged: . . .mhhh, 'course you can. . .mmhh!

The bandaged man grabs Thomas's head, and pushes his head even deeper; Thomas's entire head is almost entirely inside the bandaged mans's torso, and they can feel tendrils wrapping around the entirety of their head and suckering hard, keeping his head locked in place. Meanwhile, he can feel the tentacles inside his mouth start pushing forward, slithering deep into Thomas's throat and squirming down Thomas's esophagus. Each movement forward brushes against the back of his throat, forcing his gag reflex into overdrive as the bandaged man groans eagerly.

The boy01/26/2020

Thomas squirms, gripping at the bandaged man's tendrils around him. He gags, unable to stop himself from choking, but very clearly doing nothing to pull off. Instead he places his feet firmly on the bottom of the bath, as to push himself deeper. Able, from across the room, groans.

Able: Oy! I don't want to share a bath with a corpse, you got that?

they01/26/2020

The bandaged man snickers, grasping Thomas's head from behind.

The Bandaged: Mmh, I'm not the one digging their heels in. . .bother him, not I. . .mmmphhh. . .

Down below, tendrils are forcing themselves into Thomas's mouth; many smaller tendrils are punching their way past Thomas's lips (mainly due to him pushing himself deeper), before quickly swelling as they pass his teeth, bloating out his cheeks before forcing their way down into Thomas's throat, choking them as they burrow deeper, deeper. . .

The Bandaged: . . .he seems to be into it, though. Why, you never told me your friend was aroused by dying, Able. . .

The bandaged man lowers their grip on the back of Thomas's head, moving their hand to wrap around Thomas's neck. They hum contentedly, squeezing his neck moderately.

The Bandaged: . . .hmmm. . .he got it all way past his voicebox. . .mmmf.~

The boy01/26/2020

Thomas wriggles into the bandaged, and seems to shudder at the hand at his neck. He feels fuzzy, his head getting lighter as he pushes further. He seems like he's fading a bit.

Able: I don't know anything about that, However we still need him if I'm going to make it through the dinner.

Able hisses, annoyed how lax the bandaged man was being about this.

they01/26/2020

The bandaged man sighs, puling on Thomas's neck and pulling him deeper into the crevice of their groin.

The Bandaged: Mmh. . .just a little bit. . .longer. . .mmh. . .mmmmmmmhhhhh. . .~

Down below, the tendrils inside of Thomas's mouth and throat swell slowly; they start bloating his maw, almost distending his jawbone as his mouth fills with thick, sticky tentacles throbbing to full size. In his throat, Thomas can feel immense pressure against the walls of his mouth, his gag reflex going out of control as his throat convulses and he feels himself trying to cough the intrusion out; yet, it stays, the bundle of tentacles in his throat swelling to a massive degree (a visible bulge appearing in the area right under his chin). . .

The Bandaged: . . .mmph! . . .God. . .mmmhhhh! . .hope you don't mind if I. . .hhff. . .break him, Able. . .ahh, mmh! Mmph!~

. . .before suddenly Thomas feels a warmth running down his throat and building pressue in his mouth; the tendrils lodged in his throat are throbbing, pouring sludge directly down his esophagus while the bundle of tendrils in his mouth throb and force his jaws open just a tad with each pulse of oil-thick sludge coating his teeth, cheeks, tongue. . .

The Bandaged: Mmmhhhyyyeahhh, there we gooooooo. . .~

. . .the sludge forces its way past Thomas's lips, dripping down his chin in mucus-y ropes floating in the water; it tastes like saltwater with honey stirred in. Vaguely sweet, but the brine-like taste is almost overpowering to the point of choking Thomas out (that is, choking moreso than the existing intruders in his throat).

.

The boy01/26/2020

Able gets out of the bath, griping to himself as he starts to leave. Thomas seems to be in a half blissed state, but seeming to struggle with his own body both needing air and trying to reject the fluids pouring into him. He had to focus hard to allow any of it to stay down. As soon as he felt himself full enough he started pulling off, slowly, as too much movement outwards could make him vomit. He gasps, heavily, feeling like he'd need more of a proper bath after this.

Thomas: Ggf! Hhh.. Mmm... Seems you've learned a bit too much, hm?

they01/26/2020

The bandaged man sighs, leaning back into the lightly soiled bath as they do so.

The Bandaged; Mmh, you're not the first I've had affairs with, freckle face.

The boy01/26/2020

Thomas starts washing himself, though not sure if this water was good for that anymore.

Thomas: Dear, if you wanted to kill me all you have to do is ask.... and pay upfront~

***

they01/26/2020

The bandaged man snorts.

The Bandaged: Hah! Like you wouldn't pay for this yourself.

The boy01/26/2020

Thomas scoffs.

Thomas: I would only do such with a specific man. You are not him.

they01/26/2020

The bandaged man mockingly gasps, sitting back in the water.

The Bandaged: What? How dare you have ridiculously high standards!

The bandaged man chuckles, sinking into the water; as they do so, they slowly fall apart, their midriff separating as the tentacles relax and separate their body into loosely connected pieces.

The Bandaged: Ah, but nevermind that. . .come. . .relax. . . ---

The next day, after Able's. . .less than ideal bathing experience, he was made to sit through a particular lesson. The bandaged man is co-teaching with Thomas; the subject? The history of Scarlet Saints, and their peculiar status. The bandaged man went at length discussing the idiosyncrasy of the scarlet saints; while traditionally associated with those devils who can keep a position within the ecclesiastical authority, the bandaged man made it very clear that the title is more colloquial than official. A Scarlet Saint was merely someone who had a balanced relationship between the church and Hell, and could be a repentant devil, a successful spirifer, or even a middle-man acting as mediator between church and Hell interactions. That being said, the bandaged man emphasized that Virgil is a particularly special case; he was a devil who rejects certain teachings of the church, and yet still manages to keep their deacon position. Perhaps due to a convenient removal of those angels that would decry him? . .the bandaged man shrugged. Currently, the bandaged man is gesturing at a blurry portrait of Virgil from the chest up, the image already scribbled over with some doodles of crooked crosses and a face with horns.

The Bandaged: Now, you've had a very good look at the devil during the party last week; do you recall any sort of fidgeting he's done with his sleeves? Anything like that?

The boy01/26/2020

Able is sitting, now in a proper desk, and is trying to take notes, but they are merely adequate. He looks up at the bandaged man, and shakes his head.

Able: No.... I tried not to make a lot of....eye contact..

Thomas made a note of this for something he would need to review before the dinner.

they01/26/2020

The bandaged man tuts.

The Bandaged: Ah, well, if. . .no, when you do. . .don't make any comment on his eyes.

The bandaged man moves to the diagram, drawing along the deacon's arm; they scribble a two-tined fork, and a spoon that's been cut into a curve.

The Bandaged: Well, it's said that the deacon always carries on them two tools. You're aware of a spirifer's fork, yes?

The boy01/26/2020

Able shrugs.

Able: No?

they01/26/2020

The bandaged man sighs, before gesturing at the two-tined fork they've drawn.

The Bandaged: Alright, well. . .I suppose you wouldn't imagine as such, considering that devil's don't typically need them to take souls, but it's what ordinary folks like you or I use if we want to probe someone's soul out of their body.

The bandaged man points at the picture of the deacon with their pen.

The Bandaged: I'd advise you to keep a. . .very close eye on his fidgeting. . .call him out, but don't be impolite. Remember, you agreed to a dinner at Dante's, but that doesn't mean he agreed to not take your soul in the process; by the time he's taken it, you'll be. . .well, you'll be so light-headed you'll agree to anything he suggests. . .hm. . .

The bandaged man pauses, before looking at Able gravely.

The Bandaged: . . .don't let that happen.

The boy01/26/2020

Thomas gestures at the drawing.

Thomas: He is a very specific type of devil, though. His position creates a social barrier for you in public spaces. However, despite this, since you will be heading to Dante's grill you will have to be on your best behavior, he will likely not be the only one watching.

Able nods at the bandaged, and continues taking notes.

Thomas: The deacon, may tolerate you, but the social pressure around him will not.

they01/26/2020

The Bandaged: In simpler words. . .he's a nice devil. The ones in Dante's are not.

The bandaged man gestures at the diagram, pointing at the spoon cut into a crook.

The Bandaged: Yes, well. . .oh! While you're there, do me a favor and see if the rumors about this devil are true; I've heard that Virgil. . .don't call him that, by the way. . .that Virgil has a crook. Devil's are primarily known for taking souls, but a devil that herds souls back? . .I'm curious.

The bandaged man clears their throat, before smiling crookedly.

The Bandaged: Ahem, when you're certain you can pull that off without ending up a part of the eleven per cent.

The boy01/26/2020

Thomas waves vaguely.

Thomas: Yes, well, nice relatively speaking. You will be more keen to try and keep the conversation going, he loves to engage in more polite company.

Thomas moves over to check Able's notes, humming. It seemed he was paying attention, though his handwriting was dreadful.

Thomas: I would stick to less... complicated questions, though.

Thomas looks up at the bandaged.

they01/26/2020

The bandaged man leans against their diagram.

The Bandaged: Well, a respectable conversation isn't going to occur from inquiries of name. . .title. . .er, whatever it is that polite society talks about.

The bandaged man leans against the curved wall, smearing the Violant sketches a bit.

The Bandaged: Though, whenever we talked, he always seemed more interested in hearing about me, and. . .hm. . .well, about me.

[

3:58 PM

]

The Bandaged: Ah, he always liked it whenever I talked about the Surface and. . .

The bandaged man pauses, sighing briefly.

The Bandaged: . . .and. . .er, yes. Maybe you could try and preoccupy him with personal stories?

The boy01/26/2020

Thomas sighs.

Thomas: You are a special case. He will not be as interested in your student as he is in you. Now! Back on topic!

Thomas moves towards the bandaged man.

Thomas: Scarlet sainthood is a particularly difficult title to deal with. Even more so with the deacon, as he will be even more vague as to what he wants. He is, however easily distracted by talk of the church, but you may have to ask vague questions yourself.

they01/26/2020

The bandaged man raises their pen suddenly, spattering Violant ink all over the floor.

The Bandaged: Ah! But not so vague that the deacon is able to interpret it in a way that benefits himself! Your questions are invitations, and you best make sure you're not allowing him too deep into your house or. . .or some analogy like that!

The boy01/26/2020

Thomas looks down.

Thomas: Clean that up before you start a fire. However he is correct, your best bet is to try to not ask any questions, but sometimes you must.

they01/26/2020

The bandaged man tuts.

The Bandaged: Oh come now, it'll only start a fire if it's arranged badly.

The bandaged man pauses, before shuffling their feet along the splatter of Violant ink, soaking it along the hem of their loose robe.

The Bandaged: . . .oh! Have you decided on a gift to bring?

The boy01/26/2020

Able looks up, looking off to the side.

Able: er....

Thomas looks back at Able.

Able: Well I'm... not sure yet..

they01/26/2020

The bandaged man winces through their teeth.

The Bandaged: Well, you better decide soon. It's almost. . .what, two days? Tomorrow? I don't. . .recall actually. Hm. Well, in any case, you need to make sure it's something nice.

The bandaged man scribbles on the wall, drawing poor sketches of bottles of souls, sherry. . .

The Bandaged: Something nice enough to not be insulting, but not so nice that he can recognize that you're a brown-nose.

The boy01/26/2020

Thomas turns to the bandaged, leaning in to talk quietly.

Thomas: Perhaps we should handle the gift, it is not as if he has....... a lot.

Thomas glances over at Able, who seems to be thinking.

they01/26/2020

The bandaged pauses, looking at Thomas before speaking loudly.

The Bandaged: Why're you talking so quietly? What? We? You think I just have a stockpile of brandy and sherry to sweet-talk the devils? You can handle that, thank you very much; I'll just deal with the clothing and tidying Able up.

The boy01/26/2020

Thomas sighs.

Thomas: Ah, fine. I have extra stock, at any rate.

Able is squinting at the two men, wondering why devils would need a gift anyway.

they01/26/2020

----

The entirety of the next day was an absolute blur. In the span of ten hours, Able was tested continuously on his manners, his knowledge of devils, his poise, and his humility. The first two hours were dedicated to etiquette at the table. The bandaged man has setup a ridiculously long table (how he got it into the Spire is unclear), on top of which were a variety of cutlery, plates, and the like. Thomas had asked Able which fork was the salad fork, but, before Able reached out to touch an iron fork, the bandaged man had screeched; he had failed (according to the bandaged man) because he had neglected to bathe before entering the restaurant. The rest of the hours flew by with mind-numbing review over how to tell a pickle fork apart from an olive fork, how to hold a knife properly so as to not slip in buttering bread, and to be absolutely certain the deacon is not reaching for a spirifer fork laid among the cutlery as a disguise. The next hours were spent on history; the bandaged man had pasted many, many documents all over the walls (pictures of flames, of aristocracy, of bottles of souls, and the like) and ordered Able to sort them into order. . .until Thomas intervened and argued that such imagery was vague and, frankly, not useful for learning. The time was spent with Thomas holding a mock-interview with Able, pretending to be a demon interested in having its history traced (though he had tutted when Able made the mistake of calling him "sir" twice); the bandaged man pouted in the corner, muttering about how his lesson would've been wonderful. The hours after that was focused on physical acuity; the bandaged man had set a pile of books onto a small tray, and balanced the tray on top of Able's head. Thomas then directed him to walk a path around the circular room, and to not let any books slip, let alone fall. The most amount of time was spent on items falling, cursing, and sore back muscles; this was the longest lesson yet.