Crystal comes to Kaze's Sanctum

[Kaze]

Kaze listens intently when Crystal tells him again his grievance, like Kaze hasn't quite been understanding it so far. It sounds almost like Crystal feels his Awakening should be a call to something greater, like a quest or like Stan Lee says, 'With great power comes great responsibility'. He wonders if Crystal had an 'Uncle Ben' experience, where he lost something or someone precious using his great powers for self gratification and deeply regrets it. If so, he hasn't decided to put on tights and become a vigilante, so he doesn't know what to do with it. Or maybe he knows what he would do, if it weren't against the rules? Or just the Abyss being out there...Spider-man didn't have to worry about maybe unleashing the Abyss on the world every time he went out web slinging....

Kaze laughs out loud when Crystal says it isn't a competition on who's working less hard to get the good things they got!

"So...maybe you're saying, you had a balance, like you were feelings your life situation was about right for the natural talent you had, or comfortable with being ahead, and being Awakened threw that balance off? Like...now you feel like there should be...more to life?" Kaze ventures.

"Oh." Kaze says when Crystal asks about the Abyss and using higher magic. "I...well, you know...you can absorb it, Paradox. You don't have to let it happen. I did that. More times then it worked, actually, when I was experimenting. I was pretty beat up, afterwards, for a while. And I'm a pretty quick healer even without magic."

Then Crystal tells him his True Name. Or at least seems to. Kaze has a hard time accepting that he just really did that. He finds himself hoping Crystal just gave him another false name and said it was his True Name. He can't actually remember anyone sharing their True Name with him...like...ever. Whoa. He starts taking into account that Crystal-- 'Michael'?--might be more drunk than he appears!

"Wow." Kaze says, stunned. "Um...'Michael'. I...no one has ever told me their True Name. Ever. And actually, I haven't told anyone either. I mean, at first, there were people who know, sure. But I never have told anyone who didn't already know." He says, still sounding stunned. "I...wow. I don't want to make it something you don't mean, but...I'm honored that you trust me with it."

[Crystal]

Kaze summarized Crystal's thoughts - but he's been around this himself a lot and now it just felt like they were talking in circles. The Obrimos has given him some good new angles to think about, so maybe this was a good time to drop this. "I don't know what I'm saying. Yeah, maybe. Look, I don't want to make this into a therapy session. Thanks for your insight and all."

He didn't even go into the absorption stuff - technically he knew about that, but since lost control that night, I would do him no good if it happened again.

If Crystal realized the gravity of his confession or its effect on Kaze, he didn't show. He shrugged. "Yeah, I mean why the hell not. As I've said: you don't have a single bad bone in you and I spend too much time lying about shit. I like you, Kaze. And I know that I can come off a bit.. superficial or whatever, so I thought a little bit of trust goes a long way." Nope, he clearly didn't consider all the implications and dangers of that.

"Anyway. Who's up for another drink and an in-depth dive into your blossoming relationship with an actual Vampire-lady? I am!"

[Kaze]

"Okay. Hey...if you ever want to talk about...anything that, you know, happened..." Kaze says, smiling, "I have a couple more bottles of whiskey around, and I never drink by myself."

Nonetheless, despite his intuition telling me that there is indeed an as yet unprocessed 'Uncle Ben' moment in Crystal's Michael's past, Kaze goes along with the subject change.

"Good idea!" Kaze says, smiling and pouring out another round.!

"So, yeah. I mean, except us having an open, mutual agreement that we don't ask pointed questions about each others business or associates...it's pretty chill. We mostly just talk on the phone and text, you know?" Kaze says good naturally attempting to defuse the drama around his relationship with Jenna.

"Hey, how about you? Um, that guy...I forget his name...I think he knew the blue haired girl? The werewolf? I think he was totally checking you out...I saw him at a museum once, with Jenna. He gave me his card...um, I think he's a lawyer."

[Crystal]

"Tempting offer. I'll consider it." But maybe the Mastigos has past the sweet-spot of being tipsy where he was in a sharing mood. Sure felt like the defenses were going up again.

He gladly took the refill and pointed at Kaze. The finger wasn't wholly steady anymore. "So taking it slow and mainly talking. Do you have expectations? Does she?" Something occurred to him. "Do you think this would even.. you know, work?" The last question was visualized by pointing at Crystal's crotch.

It took a few seconds to realize whom Kaze was talking about. The evening was pretty much burned into Crystal's memory, but at the same time he was kind of hazy when it came to details. Something inside of him just recoils at the thought of visualizing that wolf again.
He went through the list of possible men: the seemingly homeless dude (seemed a bit unhinged, definitely wouldn't have been able to check the Mastigos out subtly), the pale goth (seemed to kind of disappear in the shadows and was therefore uninteresting), the short balding guy. Bingo! That one tried to talk him up while he tried not to slip up and tell some strangers about the Truth and all that jazz.

Wounded pride was pretty low on the list that made that particular evening uncomfortable, but it was on the list. "Eh, I gave him my number. If he was interested he'd have texted me already." Or, considering his age: called. "Are you just trying to set me up with anyone possibly into men we run into?" Some day he would have to let the Ex-Arrow in on the secret that was hookup apps - if he really assumed Crystal was lacking in that department that day came probably sooner rather than later.

[Kaze]

Kaze nods as Crystal Michael forestalls any promise of sharing details of his past tragedy.

Kaze laughs out loud at Crystal Michael pointing to his crotch in question! "Yeah, well I don't know about yours, but yes, I am pretty sure we could if we wanted to." He says, still laughing.

He raises his hands up as if to show he is unarmed and not intending any attacks when Crystal Michael asks if he's trying to set him up!

"Nah, I'm not going to be 'that guy'; the one who is trying to set all his friends up just because he's not single anymore!" He says. "Besides, Jenna and me...yeah, I guess it's kind of implied we aren't seeing anyone else. Neither of us has brought it up though."

He shrugs, "I was honestly just wondering if I read that right; I mean, the guy really did seem like he was into you." Kaze explains.

"So...not to be a jerk about it, but do you have a read on Anima at all? I mean, not his sexuality, per se, but in general. I was blown away when he said I am like, one of his only two friends! I mean...I haven't been much of a friend to him that I can remember." Kaze asks, feeling like some friendly gossip might help Crystal Michael center a little bit.

[Crystal]

There was this gotcha!-moment Crystal was waiting for. Despite more or less dodging the topic, Kaze seemed to have slipped up. "Aha! So you're not single anymore which means this is serious to you!" The triumph (and the alcohol) made the Warlock's voice a bit louder than necessary and to celebrate he toasted at the Obrimos and took a hearty sip. He wasn't entirely sure why he was dogging Kaze so much about admitting clearly to the relationship or why he wanted more details. He didn't have the muse to discern his drunk-logic anyway.

Besides, Kaze was equally relentless. Crystal shrugged in one big motion, spilling a bit of whisky onto himself and quickly licking it from his hand. "As I've said: he's got my number and him not reaching out is a pretty clear sign in my book. Even if I had his number, why would I text? 'Hey, I'm the guy at that freakshow-bar you hit up but once you got sober you realized I'm not your type after all. Wanna hang out and talk about why you ghosted me for weeks'?" The fact that they were talking about this middle aged, balding guy like he was the best Sacramento had to offer struck Crystal as funny. Yeah, he had a weird and broad taste in men, but why did Kaze think it would be a good fit?

When Kaze changed the person of interest Crystal's first thought was that this really was a weird version of hiring a matchmaker, but luckily the Apostate quickly got to the point. "Anima? Frankly, I haven't exchanged a single word with that one. Hey, if that's par on course with everyone else, maybe you're his friend just by..." a finger was circling in the air while he looked for the right word, "by virtue of being the only one to talk to him? I mean, you do seem to get along great with everyone." Yes, with rising blood-alcohol-levels and growing distance to unsavioury topics the Mastigos actually grew more relaxed - with a huge possibility to grow too relaxed in the future. "Why are you asking?"

[Kaze]

Kaze laughs at Chrystal Michael's triumphant declaration!

"Okay, yeah. You got me. She's special." He admits.

"The thing is..." Kaze says thoughtfully, and looking at Chrystal Michael with direct eye contact, "I know this is going to sound hokey, but...every relationship I have is serious. I mean, no one is a throw away person, whose feelings don't matter, you know?"

He shrugs. "But yeah. Jenna is...I really do like her. Talking with her, spending time together...I really find myself looking forward to it, like, when's the next time we can, you know?"

Kaze is quiet during Chrystal Michael's saying again that the guy from the Nexus just isn't into him.

Then when Chrystal Michael talks about Anima specifically how he doesn't know him, and suggests that Kaze gets along with everyone, which is not true, but not necessarily something Kaze wants to get into, Kaze sighs.

"Okay. Point, I guess. I try to maintain some kind of relationship, line of communication with everyone." He admits. "I try to respect everyone too. I mean, the way I look at it, not showing respect for someone lowers me, not them." He says.

"I don't really connect with everyone though. Like Guru. I like him alright, but...I don't feel like I really connect with him."

[Crystal]

Crystal listened to Kaze's hokey sweet and naive stance on relationships and nodded sagely. "I understand that and I won't be asking any more intimate questions about you. Just, you know, take care and if you ever need advice don't ask me." He winked and added "or ask me and do whatever's the opposite of what I told you. And in case you're losing sleep over it: if you ever see that guy again you can tell him I said hi. Happy?"

He was asked his opinion on someone, but why?
"So that's the reason you're asking about Anima? Did he disrespect you?" This conversation felt incomplete to the Mastigos' tipsy mind. Maybe the Obrimos was willing to fill in the blanks. When they talked about Guru Crystal was ready to disagree. "Hey, Guru is a great guy!" But then he realized that beside that drug fueled evening out he hadn't spent a single minute with the Shaman. Huh. "I get what you're saying though."

Then he had an idea: maybe this was the time to spill the tea on every other Awakened.
"While we're at it: what's the deal with Aurora? She seems rigidly uptight and overly carefree at the same time. I can't get a good read on her." That was maybe a little less tactful than he could have phrased it, but it was his idea to lubricate the conversation with booze.

[Kaze]

"Uh, sure. Okay." Kaze says, smiling as Chrystal Michael says he won't ask for more intimate details.

"What? No! Well, okay maybe yeah, but it didn't bother me, and that's not what I mean." Kaze answers when Chrystal Michael suggests that Kaze brought up Anima because he felt disrepected.

"I was just surprised when Anima said me and Aurora were like, his only friends. I mean...he acts weird, like he's got no real filter or idea how to act socially...but he's never did anything to really tick me off." Kaze says. "I guess I was just shocked that seemed to be all it took to be on his short list of friends. Actually, I figure if he's going to think of me that way, just because I'm not being actively mean or ignoring him, I should probably make an effort to get to know him better."

Kaze smiles when Chrystal Michael gets what he means about Guru. Nice guy, apparently, but not really someone you feel like you really know....

"Oh, Aurora? She's awesome. She just...well, don't ever try to bullshit her, that's all." Kaze says helpfully.

[Crystal]

Aha, it seemed like Kaze got his first taste of fame - sort of. How others would think you're their friend just because you were sociable and interesting. "I mean if he's too much just tell him to fuck off. You know, in a Kaze-approved way. You don't have to be friends with everybody and you can't care for everyone else." Conveniently ignoring that Crystal had used that help for the last.. three or four glasses of whisky. "You don't need to put in any effort if you don't feel like it. Some people just don't click with you, and that's okay."

See, he could also dispense some sage advice.

The Mastigos cocked an eyebrow when Kaze talked about Aurora. Who did like to get bullshat? Bullshitted. Whatever. "Uh-huh, care to go any deeper than 'she's awesome'?" A disarming grin was flashed to show that it's all in good fun. "For instance - what do you think does she want out of all of this?" Another big swoop with his arm, this time without spilling anything. "And no, I won't accept 'ask herself' as an answer - she's not here, you are."