48 Young and spry

Illysa looked over her shoulder and saw that the Doctor and the Inquisitor were standing at a distance. With a nod of understanding, she said, "I'll look after him."

"Atta lassie," Julian grinned, feeling rather satisfied with her upbringing. "Our beloved Inquisitor and I will be right at your heels after we make sure that the parameters are safe." He shot her a playful wink.

Illysa didn't really trust him but she also didn't really care. It was said that young people are better at adapting to another person's pace and Illysa was undoubtedly a prime example. She had gotten quite used to the Doctor's antics.

With a playful salute, she disappeared beneath the floorboards.

As soon as she disappeared, Julian felt that the world was swaying, a fist in his collar that flung him against one of the shed's wooden walls. A mounted deer head shook from impact. Though in truth, Leonel did not put that much force behind his hand, it was merely that the walls were poorly built. He leaned over the Doctor, close enough that warm breath tickled Julian's cheek.

"You—" he began with a low rumbling voice.

But Julian found that he was too amused for patience, cutting the Inquisitor off with a mischievous grin, "Did you really think that pinning me down was a viable method of interrogation? I thought you'd have known by now that I—"

But he was hardly the only one skilled at cutting other people off and Leonel promptly finished the Doctor's sentence, "You enjoy this, I know."

Julian raised a brow. A finger hooked his chin and before he knew it, Leonel was pressing into him, their lips colliding for a deepened kiss. His mind churned and he thought that a young man's libido was truly a fascinating and terrible thing! To even take advantage of the defenseless elderly when given the opportunity.

A leg slipped between his own, a groan slipped Julian's lips when his crotch is so rudely pressed against. "You," he hissed, breaking away. But he couldn't quite keep his expression annoyed, looking more amused than anything, "To think the great Inquisitor has even less self-control than a dog!"

Leonel glared before breaking off with a scowl. The loss of warmth was a little sad, but Julian found himself much more intrigued by his companion's expression to care, leaning over and around the grumpy younger man for a better look.

Leonel crossed his arms in displeasure, "You keep dodging my questions, it's only natural that I get annoyed."

"What, so you saw it right to put out your frustrations and poor little old me?" 

"Yes," Leonel shrugged like the damned entitled brat that he was. "It's not like you're going to give me a straight answer anyway, so I might as well get something out of your company."

"Ah, but my dear Leonel, you merely had to word your questions a little better and I may have divulged the information that you sought," he snickered, "there's no need to sexually harass a crippled old man."

Leonel narrowed his eyes, "Alright, why don't you divulge that information to me now?" 

Julian smirked, leaning in and whispered something into the shell of Leonel's ear.

"You—" Leonel hissed. There was a complaint sitting just on the tip of his tongue but he was ruefully interrupted by a sharp impatient voice that came from below the floorboards.

"How long will you two take?" Illysa cried from below, "You must see this!"

"Oh! Of course, of course, we're coming, my dear!" Julian shamelessly chirped, pushing Leonel aside to make it to the opening beneath the ground. There was a dim light coming from below but with Julian's poor eyesight, he opted to summon his own magelight, a bit brighter to help his descent.

Leonel grumbled in displeasure but there was little he could do. Holding back both his gripes and his sexual frustration, he followed the Doctor down the shaft.

There, an impressive sight greeted them both. 

The hidden basement was very basic, but it was expansive enough to hold a very impressive stock. Within piles and piles of wooden crates, hundreds of goods were stored.

"The Boss won't let me off," Marik explained, "until I've sold this entire inventory to the Duke Opheron."

The inventory apparently meant a ton of illegal Blueiron weapons!

Julian couldn't be more thrilled, "Marvelous! Then consider us enlisted. We will definitely help you out!."

"This is completely out of the question!" Leonel hissed at the same time.

…

They bickered all the way back home. 

Home was a tiny rented hovel that was located at the edge of Pyrpara slums. It didn't host much and had a small lobby, an even tinier kitchen, and two closet-sized rooms that they fashioned into bedrooms; one for the men and the other for the women.

In hindsight, they probably could have found a cheaper place deeper in the slums but now only was it not safe, it was easier for Julian to get customers in this place as well. He operated from this temporary home of theirs, offering his shabby skills as a physician for dirt cheap prices. The affordable price was an instant hit among the locals, after all, it isn't often that common folk got such easy and available access to a physician. 

Of course, on that day, a telling 'Closed' sign was hung on the door, warning off customers while Leonel and Julian met with Marik. 

It had been late enough by the time they got back that Anderina was already asleep, still recovering from her affair back in Fauster.

She was doing considerably better but still needed some time to recover her full strengths. 

The two men and Illysa grabbed some stale bread and salted ham to eat before retreating to their respective rooms. 

Julian had complained aplenty being shoved into a small space with one offensively tall Inquisitor but in truth, the arrangement wasn't the worst he had to deal with. Leonel was neat and he didn't smell, so sleeping next to him on a cramped bed usually came without many complaints. Usually.

Currently, they were still rather heated about Marik's plea, unable to decide on one thing or another. Julian hummed as he plopped himself down on the hard mattress. "Did you not see all those Blueiron weapons? I was not aware that the Black Lily Alliance was so bountiful in their resources. Think about it, Leonel. They could afford an absurd service price. This is an opportune moment to take advantage!"

Leonel scowled as he sauntered over next to Julian, sitting right next to the Doctor on the bed. 

Julian quipped his brow, watching as Leonel's hand fell upon his lame leg, gently caressing the edge of the Blueiron clasps. "You imbecile," he chided, slowly moving to peel apart the armor with feathering gentleness. "You're just inviting trouble at this rate. Did you really believe that the money is going to be worth the effort?"

Julian frowned and kicked at Leonel's feet, annoyed with the soft touches. If the bastard was going to help him take off his Blueiron armor (or grope him, or both) then he should get on with it! Or just leave Julian alone. "Stop dawdling! And what are you even talking about, my poor idiot? Of course, the money will be worth it! Think of what I can get with money."

Leonel narrowed his eyes. He pushed Julian down on the bed, which incited a low chuckle from the older man. This bastard, Leonel thought, really just wanted to stir trouble for trouble's sake! Julian, Leonel had grown to learn, was absolutely insane. And yet, Leonel couldn't leave him alone. "Do I even want to know?"

Laughter was about Julian's lips, his armored leg nudged Leonel in the chest and the Inquisitor climbed over him to properly peel off the Blueiron armor. Though this improved product was a lot lighter and flexible than his old one, it still bore commendable weight and the straps dug deep enough to bruise. 

He couldn't help but wrap his palm around that thin leg. Julian flinched, his lips pulled in agony but that mirthful smirk was still etched in his features. "Well first, I will invite you on a trip to the most refined and extravagant brothel in all of Arcadia! And hopefully sate that dreadful libido of yours. Get a break for my old bones, hm?"

Leonel narrowed his eyes, his grip tightening around Julian's leg.

"Ouch! You damned beast, what are you unhappy with? Use your words like a man instead of tossing me around and abusing me." Julian hissed and flailed, waiting until Leonel loosened his grip. But that giant gorilla palm of his never really left Julian's thigh, as though a promise, or a threat.

Julian huffed, unhappy. "If you must know, my current goal is to acquire an Eternal Blue! You must know of such things, yes?"

Leonel raised his brow, his annoyance eased into curiosity, "And what would you need an Eternal Blue for?"

The Doctor rolled his eyes, "Use that big boy brain of yours, my dear! What do you think? It will be the crowning jewel of my Blueiron Leg, and then I could pretend that I'm young and spry like the rest of you!"