The SS Praetomat

[HumanSanity]

Hakketomat didn't really give many craps about Trading Cards. He sort of knew that Shy Guy was cool because he had collected all of the TITO Knights (except Alkasia) and that @thx1138 and Louisistan cared about it (although, Hakke didn't care too much what Louis thought, after all it was widely known that Aschente was Louis' favorite XOXOXOXO).

But every since a few weeks before he had seen praetor in the hallway, his mind was wild with lust. That leather jacket and tight white T-shirt covering dreamy pecs and his stoic, heroic poise... all left Hakke in a daze. I mean, Kanta Hame was the kind of boss who executed people with a Nagant M1895 revolver. But praetor. Prae would be the kind of boss who executes people with assertive expertism, kindness, and smooth wheeling and dealing.

Hakke didn't know much about praetor besides he was a cutie and his sister's name was Emily (oh the name Emily!). But one thing Hakke did know about praetor was he knew about these Trading Card things. As a result, Hakke started to slink over to the Trading Cards table sometimes. Hoping to pick up tips and tricks, and maybe a bit of magic to woo Praebae (or maybe even "Baetor"?) with.

Obviously, he couldn't hang. Like when 9003 started saying random things about "Bank inflation" he was wayyyyy out of his depths, although resolute in his opposition to Fris' schenanigans. But, despite all that, he stuck with it. Maybe, just maybe, if he collected cards (off of just his main) he could impress Baetor/Praebae.

I mean hey, at least he'd get points for being cute? Hakke showed up at the Trading Cards table about 30 minutes before he knew Praebae would arrive and pulled out his phone to check his reflection, making sure his vampire snaggle tooth would match his outfit and his hair to be "cute" and not "creepy".

After checking his reflection, he looked at the table in front of him in confusion. "Ummm..." he said awkwardly. @thx1138 sighed and showed him how the "Market" tab worked. Hakke was staring at the table, which he understood functionally none of, when praetor walked in and sat down right next to Hakketomat.

[Hakketomat]

Despite Hakketomat's extensive military service as a TITO Commander that only the most disciplined could achieve, he could not keep composure. He felt sweaty and his clothes started to stick to his body. praetor noticed this and looked at Hakketomat with a patronizing look.
"Geez! A deodorant wouldn't hurt, you know" he said to Hakketomat.
It felt as if the ground disappeared underneath Hakketomat. He tried to get up as fast as he could but Praetor's comment made him feel dizzy and he bumped into Louisistan causing Louis to spill his card deck all over the table.
"What's gotten into you" Louisistan demanded from Hakketomat.
Hakketomat hurried away from the table. He found a spot under a stairwell where he could hide.

[HumanSanity]

As Hakketomat sat underneath the stairwell, the world moved on around him. Sorya mocked Evil Dictators Happyland. Tuga Nation's Dragon pretended he had the heart to burn something down. Lenlyvit tried to have a whole conversation in panda emojis.

No one noticed Hakketomat sitting, crying in the stairwell. Alone. Distressed. Upset. Sad. Mad. Loving. What even are all of these emotions? He had never felt something like this before. How much ground work had he undone by spilling his cards everywhere at the trading card table?

As he sat there, curled up, moaning (cartoonishly), Sorya walked up to Hakketomat.

"What's wrong?" the gentle Sorya said

[Tuga Nation's Dragon]

I do have a heart to burn things down... I'm a Dragon after all

[Gorundu]

Nervous newcomers are nothing new to praetor. Cards can be a very stressful game, and not everyone plays it with as much composure and ease as praetor. He paid no attention to the nervously sweating vampire seated next to him, until he noticed the stench. Clearly, he had chosen the wrong seat today. But it wasn't like he was going to be here for long. So he just shot the vampire a patronizing look.

"Geez! A deodorant wouldn't hurt, you know" he said, as his eyes fixated back to the trades on the table.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the vampire stepping hurriedly away from the table. He let out a small sigh. Some people just couldn't handle the pressure on the table. But at least there's no stench anymore...

Wait...he wouldn't have left because of that passing remark, would he?

No, he assured himself, it was innocuous enough that no one could have taken it as an insult.

Clearing these distracting thoughts from his mind, praetor went back to trading. He has bank to make.

[praetor]

After a couple lucrative rounds of card trading during which praetor had made a profit of several bank, legendaries and a couple of kurikos, out of the corner of his eye, Praetor noticed something unusual.

Somehow, for some reason, a paper boat was sailing—over carpet somehow—towards his table. Trailing behind the boat (that was somehow floating?) was the vampire which had hurriedly vacated the table not long ago.

As praetor casually placed a bid on an Eluvatar, he curiously watched the boat take a seat (and how does a boat take a seat he puzzled over) just to his right with the sweaty vampire taking place to the right of the boat.

Watching as 9003 started to bid on a McMasterdonia, praetor felt a pleasant sensation. Curiously flitting his eyes around the table, they landed out the most recent couple joining the table. He paused a moment to consider whether the boat and the vampire were an item, and if so, how would that work? Praetor wrinkled his nose and discreetly sniffed in the direction of the vampire. That was not the smell from the vampire he had smelt earlier.

What was that new endearing smell coming from the vampire?

[HumanSanity]

Hakketomat lowered his head shamefully. He was worried he’d already blown his chances with praetor, while giving Sorya some high quality black mail material in the process. His secret passion was, well, secret.

Meanwhile praetor began to watch the vampire carefully. The paper boat handed the vampire a pen to lodge his bids with. Praetor watched. No tenderness in the touch. No eye contact. No pause. No tension. There was nothing there. Sorya was the best friend a vampire could ask for, no more or less.

Praetor pinched one of his own cards in between his fingers and tapped the edge of it on the table, slowly flicking it with his fingers so as to turn it around. What was his next move? What did he want? He had 22 of these things. One could go to a cute little vampire, ya know?

With a flick of his wrist (and 0.50 Bank in fees) Praetor shot a Praeceps Over to the vampire. It fell into Hakketomat’s hand and he paused, shocked.

[HumanSanity]

Hakketomat stared back at praetor. He was dumbfounded. What was happening? Validation? Kindness? All from this super-vampiric, human, gorgeous, handsome, studly man with all the knowledge of trading cards and the ways to a vampire's heart.

"Is this for me?" Hakketomat asked Praetor.

"Of course" Praetor said. He picked up a half bank coin from in front of him and held it in his palm as it was swallowed into the void.

"It's just for you. I don't share myself with just anyone." He said

Praetor pushed his folding chair back. Vampires amongst humans are generally tall, but Praetor was taller than Hakke and he was unaccustomed to that - a feeling that became more pronouned as Praetor assumed his full height.

Praetor walked over to leave the room. Hakke stayed facing the table, terrified to look at Praetor, as Praetor walked towards the door he paused his stride about 6 inches away from Hakke's shoulder. Praetor reached down and rested his hand on Hakke's shoulder. Hakke shuddered, his heart racing, unable to move.

Just once, Praetor lifted his hand and then set it back down. Was that a pat? Hakke couldn't even process it correctly.

Praetor resumed walking, leaving the door without a trace or a sound.