(no subject)

[wanderingsin]

By the time Sin makes it back to his building, the heavens have opened and he's soaked to the skin. He had shed this jacket and wrapped it around this violin case to protect it. His white buttoned shirt is see-through with rain but fortunately his brocaded waistcoat, fitted and a little hipster, keeps the curves of his chest protected from view.

He fumbles with his keys, water dripping off his long mane. He's in such a hurry to get out of the rain he barrels inside, heedless.

Comments

[bigarmy_strangepants]

And right into a denim clad,wall of a man who is standing in the entrance hall, listening to the landlady rant about dog tirds, of all things, and grinning down at Sin.

His neighbour Ragnar.

[wanderingsin]

The fast moving object meets the immovable wall. And bounces.

Sin lands on his rump with a huff, clutching his violin to his chest rather than trying to break his fall.

He lays there for a moment and laughs. What a way to end a day like today. By making a complete fool of himself.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"No need to fall on your knees before me," Ragnar laughs, and extends a callused hand to help Sin up.

The landlady keeps on talking for a few seconds, then stops and looks bewildered.

[wanderingsin]

"With abs like those, what choice do I have?" Sin quips back, then flushes as he realises he said that out-loud.

He lets Ragnar pull him. "Mrs Dallas, good evening." He gives the landlady a little nod, hiding behind his dripping hair.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

Ragnar smirks widely, and gives a chuckle, then lightly dusts Sinric off.

"Oh dear, is your violin all right?" Mrs. Dallas asks. She never minds him practising and often stresses how much she enjoys hearing music in her house, so the concern is genuine.

[wanderingsin]

"I'm sure it is." Sin reassure her, resting the case on a table to open and check it anyway. "I suspect this case is more resilient than I am."

His fingers caress the curves of the violin lovingly before checking the bow is still firmly in place. "Nothing dented but my pride."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"Does it need stitches?" Ragnar says, grinning.

[wanderingsin]

"I'm not sure about stitches but a soak in a hot bath and warm drink might salve it considerably." He smiles softly, careful not to drip too much on the foyer rugs.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"Last I checked, the boilers were running fine and purring like kittens," Ragnar says. The boilers, as old as the house, are a bit temperamental.

"And we're all glad, what with this weather," Mrs. Dallas adds, appreciatively patting Ragnar's biceps. She has to reach up high to do so.

[wanderingsin]

"Music to my ears." Sin smiles. "Then I should go up and dry off without delay, lest I leave puddles on your lovely rugs, Mrs Dallas."

He gives Ragnar a quick sideways look, inviting him to walk up with him in order to escape whatever rant the landlady was on before Sin made his dramatic entrance.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"I'll get you some hot coffee with something," Ragnar says, taking up the clue. "I'll see about that dog tomorrow, Mrs. D., promise!"

[wanderingsin]

"You're too kind. Good evening, Mrs Dallas."

He takes his case and dripping jacket and heads up the rickety stairs, humminging the familiar notes made by the creaking treads.

He doesn't speak till he reaches the first landing, out of sight of the foyer and their landlady. "Sorry for running into you, Ragnar. But it seems I timed my prat-fall well."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"Yeah," Ragnar says, scratching his beard a bit ruefully. "She's a nice old lady, but how long can you talk about dog shit? I'll give that guy a pack of baggies and tell him to use them or else, case closed in five fucking minutes. Man."

[wanderingsin]

Sin curls his hair back over one ear, water beading at the tips. "How long had you been trapped there?"

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"No idea," Ragnar says. "Would be rude to look at my phone, wouldn't it? Entirely too bloody long. Ages. Aeons."

[wanderingsin]

Sin giggles as they come out onto the landing they share. "Then, for once my clumsiness came in handy rather than just bring a danger to myself and others."

He unlocks his door, setting his violin case down just inside, putting it somewhere safe. He smiles to Ragnar. "Can I beg you for that offer of coffee? I've a rather long night ahead and I'm all out."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"Co ing right up', Ragnar says, turning towards his own door. "How much of something else do you want?"

[wanderingsin]

"As much as you're willing to add?" He answers with a sweet smile. "Thank you, Ragnar. It's been a rather odd day."

He leans on the doorframe, not entering without permission. "How are things with you? Other than being trapped by one of Mrs Dallas' rants."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"Coffee first, chat later," Ragnar grins. "Get rid of your wet clothes and leave your door ajar."

And he vanished into his flat.

[wanderingsin]

Sin nod and slips into his flat, leaving his door slightly ajar

He changes quickly, hiding behind the ornate screen that separates the bathroom area from the rest of the single room. The last thing he needs tonight is someone seeing him topless. Even Ragnar.

It isn't something he really wants anyone else to know. Athelstan finding out was hard enough, no matter how kind the young artist had been.

He wraps his silk robe around himself, tying it tightly and moves to sit on the bed, toweling his hair. He glimpses himself in the mirror, his hair a mess of wet curls. Did he really look like one of Botticelli's figures? Or was it just a line.

Gods, he'd spent lets than 15 minutes with the man but Dr Fell's words had gotten into his head. He stares at the mirror, not really seeing, just spaced out in his own thoughts.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"Earth to Sinric, please come in," Ragnar announces, cheerfully, sticking his head into the apartment door. Aromas of coffee and alcohol waft into the room.

[wanderingsin]

Sin blinks and comes back to himself with a small smile. "But the Earth is so blue and there's nothing I can do."

He gets up, draping the towel over a chair. "Thank you, Ragnar. You're a lifesaver."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

Ragnar offers a large, steaming mug of strong Italian coffee, dosed liberally with Bailey's, and then leans against the wall while sipping from his own. "You say you're off again, after -- this?"

He shakes his head.

[wanderingsin]

He hugs the mug like a lifeline. "I should. I've got classwork to do and a composition to finish. I could probably get away with a couple of hours' sleep. The rehearsal studios are accessible 24 hours a day and if I go after midnight, I'm more likely to get one to myself."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"If you want to sleep first," Ragnar grins, "you should probably not drink that."

[wanderingsin]

Sin hunches around the mug and hisses like a cat. "My precious!"

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"No?" Ragnar says. "Okay, coffee Gollum Sin is scary, so you keep that mug, good Gollum, nice Gollum!"

He pretends to be frightened, eye glittering blue with playful amusement.

[wanderingsin]

"Coffee. Coffee." Sin mutters in the Gollum cough, his own eyes glittering.

"Seriously, I'm okay. I mainline so much coffee during exam period I barely wake up for anything less than a triple shot straight to the veins."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"And keel over on the spot when the caffeine is withdrawn?" Ragnar chuckles.

He takes a sip of his own, followed by a beatific smile.

"I love my macchinetta."

[wanderingsin]

"Searing headaches." Sin admits. "I become a very unpleasant person to be around. I promise to go shopping tomorrow so you and the others don't need pitchforks and torches to get me out of the building."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"Get the espresso made by Polo from just outside Venice, it's the best," Ragnar says. "Gives your poor brain the kick it needs to get into non-gollum mode."

He takes another sip of his own, and smiles again. In his pocket, his phone whistles lewdly.

[wanderingsin]

"Hmm, Venice. I need to go back there. I've only had a chance to visit once since I moved here. But I'll remember that."

The lewd whistle raises an eyebrow from Sin. And an smile.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"Lagertha," Ragnar says, rolling his eyes.

Nobody had ever seen Ragnar's fiercely independent girlfriend from back home in Sweden, but she's a constant presence much of the time. They fight and make up via WhatsApp, and sometimes, Ragnar goes out and gets drunk and says nothing the next day.

Doesn't stop him from being terribly flirty, though.

[wanderingsin]

"I'm still half convinced Lagertha is a Swedish word for 'all my girlfriends'." Sin teases. "I'm sure you must have a few."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"Yeah, hard to believe all that is only one woman," Ragnar sighs. "On the other hand, if there were more than one..."

He shudders dramatically.

[wanderingsin]

Sin laughs warmly. "Really? You seem a man who likes a challenge."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"Hence," Ragnar says, "one Lagertha. But please, one is enough."

He pulls out his phone, looks at it, and rolls his eyes again.

[wanderingsin]

"Should I let you go and deal with your Lagertha?" He asks, half teasing. "Or would you rather I provide a plausible excuse not to answer?"

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"I'll deal with her," Ragnar decides. "She'd only start sending more messages, and nasty emoji."

[wanderingsin]

He nods and finishes off the coffee, handing it back to Ragnar with a smile. "Thank you so much for the coffee. Oh, and before I forget-"

He dashes back into his room, searching under piles of books for an envelope. "I don't have money to repay you for fixing my shower so I hope you might like this instead?" Inside is a ticket to the Biennale Ball.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"Oh yes!" Ragnar says. "As long as I don't have to wear a tuxedo?"

[wanderingsin]

"Oh no! It's not that kind of party. More... a street party in fancy dress." He smiles, very much looking forward to it.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"Oh, I can just put on my helmet with the horns and have the prettiest people all over me?" Ragnar laughs. "Oh yes please!"

[wanderingsin]

Sin laughs. "You in a furry jerkin with your biceps out, they'll be all over you."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"Like bloody barnacles," Ragnar says, finishing his own coffee and holding out his hand for Sinric's mug. "Erm, good luck with the music?"

[wanderingsin]

"Tell me you wouldn't love it." Sin grins, fingers brushing Ragnar's as he returns the mug. "Thank you. Good luck with Lagatha. And thank you for the coffee, it's helped a lot."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"I'll totally love it," Ragnar agrees, smiling deeply into Sin's eyes before leaving for his own apartment, closing the door as he goes.-

[wanderingsin]

Sin shakes his head and closes his own door slowly. There's something infectiously joyful about Ragnar he enjoys far more than he should.

But distracted enough for one day, he strips off and runs himself a bath in the old chipped enamel tub, letting the coffee and alcohol work on him before he goes back to work.