#jamesxtiago

You: He wrecked his brain, trying to come up with an intelligent answer, but the alcohol was still making it rather hard to think. "Ah," he said, biting his lip, "that would be, uh... well, I wanted to matter. To have my skills be used for a greater good. I found I had no future in the navy. Wasn't where I belonged. So I figured I'd try my luck here."

Stranger: "I see," he gave a nod. This answer was evidently one which was under the influence of the alcohol, though he supposed that it was close to what his sober answer would be. "That's all, then? No other influences, anything of the like?"

You: James was silent for a little while, figuring there was probably something else, but he couldn't come up with anything. Then he shrugged. "Does it really matter? I'm in now." He longingly stared at the glass so close near Tiago's lips before tearing away his gaze again, looking out the window. "No matter what happened today... I do intend to give this job my all, you know. I may have said some stupid things but you'll have to bear with me; I can be rather stupid sometimes. A little rash. Hotheaded. That's me."

Stranger: "You are correct there, I suppose. Once you're in, there's no easy way out of it all, really. And no need to worry about that," Tiago gave a good-natured chuckle, giving a slight shake if his head. "We all have our faults, our vices, and the like. It's just something that we must get used to, and they can certainly be used to our advantage, if used correctly."

You: He allowed himself to chuckle, too. "I suppose not today, though," he said. "I'm sorry you have to see all this. I promise it only gets out when I'm drunk. I'm usually not so fond of the whole talking thing." He wanted to curse himself, but vaguely remembered that Tiago had already reassured him quite a few times that it was alright, that he wouldn't hold it over him. Maybe he should just try and take the initiative back and make sure his last impression for the day would be a - as far as possible - good one. "If you're done with that drink you might consider going," he said, nodding at him, the words a little hesitant on his tongue because he really didn't want him to leave. "I'll go take a shower and go to bed. I'll see you at work in the morning."

Stranger: "Of course, of course," he agreed, finishing off the rest of his drink and getting to his feet. "I should probably be off to sleep, anyway, for it's going to be quite an interesting day of training tomorrow. Rest would be a good idea. I just hope that you'll be alright at work, for the training's going to be rather vigorous and the like."

You: James grimaced, getting to his feet - a little easier than before, but his footing not quite as stable as usual. He walked past Tiago and gestured for him to follow him, opening to door to the hallway. He leaned against the frame, watching him. "Yeah, I'll be good in the morning," he nodded. "Either way, for what it's worth... I had a good time tonight."

You:He impatiently tapped his fingers on his desk, glancing at the clock again. If the new recruit didn't arrive /very/ quickly, he'd be late. Only a few more minutes until he'd have a legitimate excuse to put down his role as a mentor. He was most definitely not looking forward to this, but M had insisted, appealing to his ego that he was the best they had and that only the best would do for this promising new agent. In the end he'd given in, not wanting to make a bad impression now that he'd finally become a 00, but he hoped to God that this so-called Bond would be worth his time.

Stranger: He'd been reduced to jogging through the Vuaxhall building, heels clicking against the tile as he rushed past Garrison employees, ignoring the odd looks and noises of disapproval. The sodding tube had been eighteen minutes behind schedule, and the Quartermaster had taken his time. The lifts had a que as he rounded the corner to them, growling with irritation. He pushed past the waiting suits and took the stairs, slightly winded by the time he reached the doorway to Silva's office. He cleared his throat and straightened his cuffs. "Bond reporting."

You: "About time," he said, frowning as he glanced from the clock to the new agent. "You barely made it, but I expect you to not leave me waiting the next time you are to come in." He looked him up and down, noting his hurried state. "You seem a little out of breath. What happened, you walk all the way over here? I do believe you have a good excuse for being this late, hm?"

Stranger: His eyes flicked to the clock and back, "Twenty-six seconds shy of a 'late' status." He angled his jaw up, smoothing his tie down. "Your complaints would be better addressed to the London Transit Authority," he said as he slid an easy hand into his pocket, keeping his eyes fixed on the man M had assigned him to shadow.

You: He laughed. "Oh, you're one of those, hm. Well, alright then. You do seem to have made an effort to get here in time. I can appreciate that." He got up from his seat, walking around his desk and extending his hand. "Nice to meet you, James."

Stranger: He took it, giving a firm shake before sliding his hand back into his pocket. "M is rather fond of you," he said easily, sweeping his eyes across the office, "You've quite the record."

You: Tiago mentally complimented James on his strong grip, noting that it matched his confident stature. "Ah, she's told you a little bit about me, hm? And yet you've agreed to take me on as your mentor? I am intrigued." He leaned back against his desk, folding his hands in front of him. "You don't seem like the average rookie that normally comes through these doors, James." He tilted his head to the side, studying the man opposite him. It didn't seem like he was acting arrogant for no reason; it appeared to be his default state, and Tiago had no doubt he'd have the skills to back it up.

Stranger: He took the seat opposite Silva, his posture erect as touched the tips of his fingers together, elbows propped on the armrests. "Forty six confirmed hand-to-hand kills, twenty-six for twenty-six completed missions, fifteen live captures and successful intel from the Chinese in the last eighteen months," he rattled off steadily, "I would be a fool to pass up the opportunity."

You: He couldn't contain the smile that appeared on his face. Oh, Bond was /definitely/ worth his time. "Yes, you would've been," he agreed, nodding. "I'm so very glad you didn't, though; you and I both know that a very promising career in MI6 lies ahead of you. And who else better to guide you along that path than me, hm. I doubt I could teach you much when it comes to required skills, but I'll see what I can do."

Stranger: Bond gave him a tight nod, letting his hands fall to his lap as he let his gaze linger around the man's office. "I'd be grateful, to say the least. Chumped-up police work is getting tedious." He said with a frown, thinking back on his most recent assignment. His fingers twitched and he looked back to the man.

You: "Ah. Yes, I can only agree," Tiago nodded. "I have to say, I was a little... /reluctant/ to take this position, for I, too, prefer going out into the field... but it is as it is, no? I'm glad every word about you seems to hold up. I wouldn't have settled for any less, mind you. I'd hate to let my skills go to waste."

Stranger: He smirked at the man then, blue eyes snapping to hold the steady gaze of brown. "Always glad to oblige. Do tell M to add a gold star to my record, will you? She's about ready to feed me to the wolves, I'm afraid," he said with a half-smile, eyes glinting.

You: He snorted. "Yeah, she says that a lot," he said absentmindedly. "But if it helps - just over two years ago she told me I'd never get anywhere and the only reason she'd ever make me a 00 would be if I became twice as useless as I was then. Ah, memories... now look at me. Supervising you. It's funny how things work out. I'll be sure to put in a good word for you if I feel like you've earned it. Up until now it's been all talk, yes?"

Stranger: "Disappointingly so," Bond agreed, leaning forward in his chair. "Have something?"

You: "So glad you asked." He stood upright and walked towards the door, beckoning for James to follow him. "Mind you, there are just some mindless basic tasks that will have to be fulfilled, no exceptions for anyone, I'm afraid."

Stranger: James rose without a word, easily falling into step beside Silva. The man was well built of course, roughly James own height. He moved smoothly, his suit tailored expertly, making him feel the slightest bit under dressed in his off-the-rack fittings.

You: Tiago had been instructed to let Bond pass through the physical tests first, and so he led him to the MI6 gym facilities. Tanner stood there waiting for them, clipboard in hand, nodding as he acknowledged the 00 agent, James in tow. "So this is him?" he quietly asked Tiago, who smiled in response. "The one and only. Now, let's get started, yes? James, this is where I hand you off. Mr Tanner here will take good care of you."

Stranger: He gave a tight nod, stepping forward to accept Tanner's hand. "Let's get this done," he said with a faint smile.

You: Tiago retreated to the sidelines, watching James as he went to carry out these silly exercises. It was a formality, really; it wasn't like they would've let him into MI6 if they'd had any doubt about his physical abilities. But still, they were here, they had to do this - and so they would be doing this. He was glad this was on Tanner, though; Tiago could only take so much boredom.

Stranger: He ran the veritable hamster wheel, going through the motions tethered to wires as they put his body to the test. The event left him sweating and bored, to be honest.

You: It didn't take too long before it was all done, but Tiago had somehow almost managed to fall asleep - he just wasn't made for sitting and watching. Well, one could argue that, considering his side specialty of hacking - but at least /that/ could be as thrilling and exciting as chasing suspects. Wordlessly he'd gestured for James to follow him again after Tanner had given him the OK. He was supposed to take him to his psych tests now but really; he's probably had them days before joining MI6, too. There really was no point, they might as well call it a day. "So James," he asked him as they stood outside, "Do you feel like paying a visit to our local shrink? Or would you like for me to just sign off on whatever papers need to be signed and get out of here?"

Stranger: "I love the Queen and sleep just fine at night, your signature would be appreciated," he replied, glad to be once more in fresh clothing.

You: He laughed. "Good answer. Just wait here, okay? Just... wait... here." He scuttled away, rounding a few corners until he was where James was /supposed/ to be, and kindly but determinedly explained to the shrink that he'd already assessed that James was fit for duty - waving away any remarks that aside from being a hacker and an agent, he couldn't possibly also be a psychologist. He didn't mention to him that he saw a reflection of himself in James; the reason that he'd decided giving James a pass on this one being that if he turned out to be MI6's best agent, so could he. Besides, if push came to shove and the shrink went to M, there was really nothing she could do - she'd promoted him to the 00 ranks and then forced him to take on a rookie, knowing full well that this was likely to happen. After all was done he came back to James, clasping his hands behind his back, rocking backwards and forwards on his feet. "Well, that's settled, all's done," he said, smiling at him. "Now I don't know about you, but I think I've deserved a drink after this day, hm? Nothing more exhausting than watching a man go through all these tedious assignments..." He winked at him.

Stranger: James barked a laugh to the ceiling, taking note of the man's easy slide into casual boredom. He looked anything but an agent, so at ease with his movements. The deception was genius. Silva was an actor, a dangerous one at that. He flashed the man a grin, dipping his head in agreement. "I rather think so, yes. Have something in mind?"

You: "Oh, I didn't realize you were planning on joining me," Tiago said in mock surprise - it couldn't have failed James that he'd been asking him along, their day together far from over. And it most certainly hadn't; for James had invited himself - or so it seemed. "But if you insist, I know this great little place, not far from here." He may indeed not be a qualified psychologist, but he was very interested in picking James' brain over a drink, wondering what went on beneath that hard exterior.

Stranger: "I insist," he agreed with an easy smile, cataloging the man's reaction with rapt attention. This was going to be an interesting tenure indeed. "The closer the better. Ready?"

You: "Well then!" Tiago turned on his heel, heading for the exit, figuring they just as well might walk over there. It was only a few blocks away; he usually frequented the place after an especially long hard day at work. It was one of the first times ever he'd invited someone over, though. He liked to keep this little secret to himself, but he felt James was somehow worthy of being introduced to that little part of his life. He recognized something of himself in him; figured he might use it to get a little closer, figure out the person behind the agent.

Stranger: He fell in step absently as they moved through the halls of MI6. He noted the interesting mix of reactions to his mentor. Some giving an open, honest smile as their eyes fell to him, others scowling, some passively ignoring him. Spotty history with the agency, then. He'd garnered friends and turned some wary along the way. The sun had already set by the time they pushed out into the street, the London air tinged with a bite of coming frost. He pushed his hands into his pockets, settling into the silence as they walked.

You: Tiago hummed some old-fashioned tune quietly as they advanced through the streets, not in the least bit bothered by the silence. He was already planning out various questions to ask him, wondering what tactics would work best - James would undoubtedly know if he interrogated him, but he was /dying/ to know more about who he was. Or maybe he just shouldn't try too hard, he thought, entering the street where his favorite pub was located. Just see what would happen. "Here we are," he smiled as he stopped in front of it, turning and gesturing James inside.

Stranger: He smirked at Silva's choice, pushing open the familiar doors. He said nothing as he smiled at the bartender, moving to a booth he preferred at the back. The location gave them eyes on every possible entrance and exit, sat far enough away from the kitchens that it was quiet, and foot-traffic was low. He took a seat, unfastening the buttons of his suit coat as he settled in. "Nice place," he said with an easy smile, stretching an arm along the back of the booth.

You: Tiago stopped and stared at him for a little while, taking note of the smile plastered on his face. The bastard. "You could've said something," he sighed, settling himself down. "Though I must admit that you have good taste. Hm." He looked at him. "I do wonder how I've never run into you here. Because I'm fairly certain I would've remembered you if I did."

Stranger: James shrugged, raising a hand to the barkeep. "Been a while since I've been in, I suppose," he replied casually, eyes following the barman as he made his way to their table. He gestured for Silva to place his order first.

You: "Hm." Tiago hummed, his eyes still on the other man. Yes, he was absolutely /positive/ he would've remembered him, because this was one of his favorite places to prowl for company for the night. And if he'd ever seen James here, he certainly would've taken a shot at him. "The usual," he told the bartender, knowing what the look on his face probably read. He wasn't about to correct him though.

Stranger: "Triple whiskey, keep it dry," he said without taking his eyes off of Silva. When they were left alone once again, James took the opportunity to open. "You've an interesting mix of relationships at headquarters."

You: He chuckled. "I do, don't I. Yes, well, that happens. Some will respect your achievements, others will be jealous. Being the best comes at a price." He shrugged. "You'll see." He fell silent, awaiting the bartender to return with their drinks - when he did, he raised his glass to his lips, took a sip, then grinned and continued, "There's also - oh, maybe I shouldn't tell you that. It would be unbecoming of me."

Stranger: He quirked a brow and spread his hands, "Unbecoming often defines me, please continue." He kept his eyes on his mentor, sliding the pad of his thumb around the rim of his glass where it sat -untouched- on the table.

You: Tiago smirked, resting an elbow on the table between them, leaning forward to whisper, "Let's just say I didn't call all of them back after, as I promised..." He sunk back into his seat, grimacing. "Some did not take it well."

Stranger: It took several heartbeats for his meaning to sink in before James' eyes darted to Silva's lips and back. He cracked an honest smile, laughing as he rose his glass. "I see," he said jovially before throwing back the amber liquid. The empty tumbler clinked hollow on the table as he set it down.

You: He grinned, a little glad that he'd never run into him before, now; it would've made for an awkward first meeting if he had. He honestly seldom knew the names of those he went home with, so if he /had/ had the opportunity of coming along James, it wouldn't have factored into his decision of mentoring a certain James Bond by just hearing the name. He did, however, not miss the little glance he threw him; for a second thinking that /the night was still young/... but immediately set aside the idea, shaking his head at himself. As honest to god attractive he was, training him meant he'd prepare him to trust him with his life - he couldn't very well start off by ruining every chance he had at making this job a success by seducing him on the very first day.

Stranger: James tipped his hand in the air for another drink, relaxing slightly as the familiar warmth of his drink spread across his stomach, fanning out pleasantly along his limbs. "I've a deception to confess to," he said with a half-smile. He tapped his finger against the table as he forced himself to hold Silva's eye, "M was insisting on 002 for my training. I bullied her into you, instead." His face fell passive as he watched for the reaction, curious as to what the man would say.

You: He raised an eyebrow at the confession. "Oh? Right you are, of course, 002 couldn't possibly hold a candle to me... but what made you so certain I was the right man for the job?" His fingers played with his glass, turning it around and around on the table as he returned James' stare. This was rather odd. M had given him the impression that he'd been first in line for this task, she'd certainly told him so... had she manipulated him into accepting by saying it could only be him? Had /James/ actually manipulated her into doing that? He was confident he wasn't lying, so then why...

Stranger: "Your name at the top of her list. Perhaps she forgot I have the capacity to read, after all my field training," He nodded again as his drink was replaced. "Took me a while to work out why she scratched it off. Still working on that, actually, but I have theories. Double-oh two has a bland record among agents. He's good enough, but only just. You, on the other hand." He trailed his fingers down the damp sweat of the glass, limiting how much he was willing to say on the matter.

You: He just stared at him, fingers subconsciously stilling around the glass. "I would very much like to hear those theories," he said slowly, tilting his head a little to the side as he leaned forward, "but I'd be even more interested to hear why /you/ wanted /me/... this can't be just about my superior qualities, is it, James?"

Stranger: He didn't lean away, but it was a near thing. Silva had gone for the heart of it without preamble, catching him off guard. His eyes narrowed slightly as he studied Silva's face, silent far too long for casual conversation. His heart rate was up, he was sure. His hand began to tremble against the glass, which he snatched up with a little too much purpose, a bit of the liquid spilling over the edge. He downed the lot, exhaling after a burning swallow to still his nerves. "They stand alone, certainly," he evaded.

You: Tiago didn't move, only leaning back when James tried to steer his attention away from the subject at hand, a mocking expression on his face. He didn't say anything, however, just brought his drink to his lips and slowly, very slowly drank its contents, his eyes all the while trained on the other agent. When he finally set down the glass, waving carelessly for the bartender to bring him another, he placed both his elbows on the table and rested his face in his hands, a lazy smile playing on his lips. "Cut the crap, James."

Stranger: He kept his features carefully trained, cracking a half-smile at the agent. "Astute." he said as he carefully laced his hands together, sliding them closer to Silva on the table. He leaned in as though he was about to whisper secrets, ducking his head and turning his lips from the watchful eyes of others. "Bugger off, Silva." He gave him a tight nod, a broad smile on his face as his nerves hummed and his heart hammered against his ribs. That had been a very, /very/ near thing. He slid back against the booth and raised a brow.

You: "Hm." He wasn't impressed, not in the slightest, but also knew pushing the subject wasn't going to do him any favors. He wondered what his game was, wondered what he'd been so close to spilling - aside from his drink, which he found highly, /highly/ uncharacteristic of the usually so composed agent. The sudden decrease in distance between them had gotten to him, though; but he thought he was doing a rather good job at hiding it - for a second the air between them had seemed to spark with something, but even if he were to trust his intuition, he couldn't do anything about it. "Fine - don't tell me. I'll find out, sooner or later... maybe when I do you'll wish you /had/ told me, hm, save you the embarrassment of this coming back to bite you in the arse."

Stranger: "I'm rarely embarrassed, even when it may be warranted," he countered, noting the open disapproval. Time to change tactics. He adopted a playful smile, sliding his empty glass along the wood between his hands. "Perhaps it was your social reputation that gripped my attention," he said slyly, the thumbs of his hands still shaking as they had nothing to steady them between the slide of the glass.

You: He glanced down ever so briefly, the movement of James' hands distracting him; then looking up at him again to meet his gaze. It didn't mean the smile on his face was any less captivating though. Now it was getting interesting."Oh?" he murmured, accepting the drink handed to him without so much as looking up or thanking the guy who brought it over. "What about it?"

Stranger: "I like a man who writes his own rules," he said easily, tipping his head to the side very slightly in a subconscious effort to slow his heart rate. It was true, after all. Silva was on M's list, clearly in her preferred circle, only he cause havoc on a regular basis. He leaned back, the buzz humming warm and constant in his veins now. He deliberated before ordering another drink, cautious of his control. He fervently hoped Silva hadn't taken note of his absurd hands yet.

You: Huh. James seemed to settle down a bit, which didn't rhyme with his eccentric behavior earlier on. Tiago frowned, not sure he knew where this was going. He didn't like not being sure of something. "Of course you would, you do the same yourself, that's hardly new information... which causes me to wonder /why/ you keep dancing around the subject. You know, I wouldn't pay it any attention," he thought aloud, drinking from his - how many had it been already? - glass, noticing that James' was empty yet again - might that be a playing a part in this, too? - "were it not for the fact that you're making such an effort to make me believe it's nothing important." He downed his own drink, threw another glance at James, and then ordered two more drinks, figuring there was no way he was going home yet. With some luck, James would be staying, too. If only he could find a way to get that information out of him he so desired... he unknowingly sighed, knowing that if James was /anything/ like him, that could prove to be quite difficult.

Stranger: /Too obvious, James/ he chastised himself. Silva opened another round. James took a moment to collect himself, sweeping his eyes over the slowly growing crowd. He stretched his arm along the back of the booth again, hitching an ankle on top of his knee. He'd exposed too much already, whereas Silva was still the man he'd met in headquarters. He narrowed his eyes in thought, glancing at the man from the corner of his eye as he feigned distraction with some other patron that saddled up to the bar.

You: Tiago swallowed as James repositioned himself, his posture now open, inviting - had this been any other person, he'd by now have suggested to get out of here, that kind of body language universal for whatever was nagging at the back of his mind. He half cursed himself for ordering those drinks now, forgetting in the process of trying to get James to open up, he was also setting /himself/ up for possibly disclosing anything that was better left unsaid. As an MI6 agent he'd been trained to withstand the most gruesome of tortures, but it proved to be almost as hard to bite his tongue now that the booze was really getting to him. His eyes followed James' gaze and for a second he was about to ask him if that was his type, but he decided against it, fingers now tapping restlessly on the table next to his empty glass.

Stranger: "He's going to shoot his dick off, what an idiot," he said, voice low as he tipped his head toward the man at the bar, a weapon obviously tucked into the front of his trousers. He looked back to Silva, an easy smile on his face. "So you said 'yes' to M's request when she assured me you'd turn me down. What's that about?"

You: For a second he was completely clueless on what James was talking about; then he looked back and laughed. "If he does, he deserves it." He met his eyes again, blinking just to get him a /little/ more into focus, the fast movement of turning back catching up to him - maybe it was best if he left that last drink where it was. Then James started talking again and he willed his brain to resume thinking. "She likes painting a bad picture of me, so she can keep me all to herself," he murmured, voice low. "She was quite adamant about me taking my duties as a 00 seriously, so I can't imagine her steering away..." He fell silent. "I /can't imagine/," he repeated, slightly offended at this slipping by him. "Jesus Christ Bond I'm not that easy to manipulate, even if I've had a few drinks. It doesn't matter why I wanted you, what matters is why you wanted /me/. I think I may have mentioned that before."

Stranger: "Is this how you managed to woo the Chinese?" He said with a bit of a laugh, keeping his tone obviously humorous. "What matters is relative," he said before tipping his fourth -and final- drink back. "You were the one, so I made sure it happened."

You: He scoffed, slowly losing what little of his patience he had left. "I can assure you, this is most certainly /not/ the way I've seduced the Chinese, or /anyone/ for that matter. Trust me, you'd know if I -" That was more than enough, Tiago, he decided, not going to give him any ammo he could use against him once they were sober again. He knew damn well he couldn't ask James head-on what he was still hiding from him, but he couldn't think of a way to accidentally get him to admit to it - he still had far too good a handle on things. "It matters to /me/, you hear that?" he muttered, briefly glancing at him before looking away again. "But alright then. I'll stop asking. You know, I don't even care - you wanted me as a mentor, I begrudgingly accepted, and now here we are. Hm? Very simple. Not complicated at all."

Stranger: His eyes narrowed as Silva's easy demeanor tanked. /Well done,/ he thought. He set his jaw and looked sharply away as he said simply, "You are the most like me." The shaking of his hands was lost to him in his distraction.

You: Yeah, well, /that wasn't really news, either/, he thought, groaning just slightly in frustration. "And how /so/?" He asked yet again, shifting in his seat, feeling his knee bumping into James' as he slumped down, spinning the glass in his hands. He was really getting a little desperate now, about to threaten him that if he didn't tell him everything he hadn't told him before, he'd go to M and ask her to terminate his duties as a mentor.

Stranger: He swallowed thickly, noting how they now touched at the knee without moving away. He slid a shaking hand down his face, licking his lips before catching the lower one between his teeth. "You know what it is to be alone," he said slowly, refusing to meet Silva's eye.

You: He didn't acknowledge it, nor did he deny it - just wondered how the hell he recovered that information. It didn't matter though - at least not as much as the fact that he was now on the verge of finding out what he'd been so reluctant to confide in him. That - and his eyes had unwillingly been drawn towards his face, taking in the way his tongue darted along his lips. He waited for James to continue speaking, in the haze of booze suddenly thinking a bit more clearly, noticing all the little signs that indicated he was now finally speaking the truth.

Stranger: "And you know what it is to bleed," he said, packaging many meanings into a single sentence. He set his jaw and forced himself to look back at Silva, ready for the man to react in any number of ways.

You: "Hm." He blinked as James' eyes returned to rest on his, a little lost for words - maybe he wasn't sobering up after all. "I suppose so... but I fail to see the relevance of this. Just what are you getting at, exactly?" He shifted again, only slightly this time, becoming aware of their legs still touching - yet he didn't do anything to sever the contact, feeling that was the least of his concerns right now.

Stranger: "Which lends to the thought that you've figured out how to restrict yourself. You know how to keep yourself from burning it all to the ground," he rocked his head to the side as he spun his glass. "Gives me the idea you're...in control," he dropped the word heavily before bringing his eyes back to the man again.

You: His mouth dropped, but only slightly - though probably enough for James to have noticed. "Well..." he slowly said, drawing out the word as to buy himself some time, "...you're not wrong." He wasn't specifying about /what/ James hadn't been wrong, but figured it would be clear, under these circumstances. He wasn't even entirely sure he was interpreting this correctly, either; and it would be very, /very/ uncomfortable if he jumped the gun on this and totally misunderstood him.

Stranger: He gave him a tight nod, exhaling a shaking breath as he thought better of his drink limit and waved down the barkeep again. "Good," he said simply, running his tongue along his bottom lip again, sliding his foot forward where it rest against Silva's.

You: Oh, /shit/, he was saying what he thought he was saying... at once his initial attraction returned and hit him with full strength, overriding the alcohol still heavily coursing through his system. This was everything he had /not/ expected to happen, and for a second he thought he might have imagined it; but then his muscles tensed at the increased physical contact and he knew, /no/, he was most definitely /not/ imagining this. God, when he'd thought that maybe he could figure out what James was about, he wasn't expecting /this/. How very, /very/ fortunate though.

Stranger: James took the drink from the barkeep, never letting the full glass hit the table. He tossed it back in one go, forcing his breathing to remain even as Silva was silent. He let his eyes slide away from the man, tracing the lines of the table as he turned the glass upside down and pushed it away.

You: He couldn't hold back a smirk at his nervousness, despite his own very much racing heart. "Now now," he said, eying the glass, voice a little hoarser than he'd intended. "Be careful with that. You still need to get home..." Honestly, at this point he didn't even know why they didn't just pay and leave, but somehow he kept waiting for James to take the initiative. He was the one who started all this, after all. Part of him pondered ordering another drink, too; but he thought better of it - he was already inebriated enough as it was, and it wouldn't do any of them much good if neither of them could get to their feet later on.

Stranger: His eyes darted to the glass before returning to Silva with a shrug. "Home. Park bench. Alley. Matters very little to me."

You: That was /it/. If they were to have any chance to even get out of here without causing some sort of scene, they had to leave /now/. Tiago abruptly stood up, locking eyes with him to indicate his intentions, then set off towards the exit. Somewhere along the way he alerted the bartender to put it on his tab, though he was sure he'd already made sure of that - like he'd said, this was far from his first time here. Something about /this/ particular first time felt very exciting though, and as ice cold air hit his heated skin outside - however doing nothing to relieve him - he waited for James to join him.

Stranger: He noted the look just before the man rose, turning his back. He smirked and tossed a handful of bills on the table for his share, sliding his hands along his trousers to dry them before he rose himself, striding into the night air. He pulled in a deep breath, letting his eyes fall closed a moment before looking for Silva.

You: Something dark glinted in his eyes as he noticed him, still controlling every instinct to not just slam him against the wall for everyone to see - M wouldn't be amused if he'd managed to land himself in jail on similar charges as on previous occasions /again/. "So," he forced out, low voice thick with arousal, watching him from a little distance - his control would fade the second he was able to get his hands on him. "Where? Go back to my place?"

Stranger: James tipped his head just down the street. "I'm there. Last one on the right, if it's all the same to you."

You: Tiago would've agreed, had his voice not decided to stop functioning - instead he started walking, briskly, hands in his pockets clenched into fists - he couldn't see James from this angle, which was good - just the mere knowledge that he was right behind him, added to the fact that they were currently heading to his place - it was driving him crazy. He couldn't even be bothered to entertain the thought that he should /not/ be doing this, that this was exactly what he'd set out to prevent, but to fucking /hell/ with it all, he couldn't say no if he wanted to. Not anymore. Not now that he'd put the idea in his head.

Stranger: He followed the man, noting Silva's whipcord-tight posture as they moved through the dark street. His heart rate kicked up as the promise of a worthy fight made itself clear. Silva's record lent to a promising evening, an interview with several of his bedfellows making James' mouth water as he drew out the key and slipped it in the lock, stepping back for Silva to enter first. "Home sweet home," he said smoothly, hiding his shaking hands behind his back

You: He was amazed that James was even able to open the door in his current state, considering that he himself felt pretty riled up; then took a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself down a little - no good getting lost in the moment and forgetting it all the next morning. He walked inside, shrugging off his coat as he went, dropping it rather unceremoniously somewhere along the way, not caring where or how it ended up. He turned around, looking at James, /looking/ at him, for the first time since the pub, the first time since he'd made that incredible revelation.

Stranger: He stood casually in the dark entryway, backlit by a large window. One hand slipped into his pocket, the other hung easy at his side. He'd put his cards in Silva's hands. He waited to see what he would do, ready to spring into action at the slightest provocation.

You: He didn't know whether he was surprised or not at this, James having somehow returned to the cool, collected agent that had walked into his office the very same day. Yet somehow it made all the difference in the world - it was the confident, even a little arrogant attitude that had gotten him interested in the first place, now coupled with all the endless possibilities that had been revealed to him just minutes ago. Was it because they were now at his place now? His rules? Either way, it was becoming too much, and he walked back over to him, closing in until the only way for James to move was back against the now closed door.

Stranger: He gave no ground as he met Silva's eye. "As I've said, control is an issue for me," he said, voice dripping with innuendo. "Where you've mastered it." he bit off the last word with a click of his teeth, waiting.

You: He smirked, coming to a still close, /very/ close to James. "Control is a tricky game..." he breathed, staring hard into those flashing blue eyes as he managed to keep his hands to himself. James was making it increasingly difficult though. "Are you sure you want to play?"

Stranger: He took the little ground that remained between them, holding his eye. "Very." he breathed.

You: "Well then," he exhaled, the desires threatening to overcome him, wondering how much longer he could stand it - if James had requested for him personally, with this very idea in mind, shouldn't that give him the upper hand, seeing as up until a few days ago he'd never even heard of him, let alone seen him? But James wasn't budging, and neither was he, and he was so close he could almost feel the heat radiating off of him, or maybe that was just his imagination, because it was getting too hot in here and his body was screaming for him to do something, anything, to relieve the pressure building up inside of him.

Stranger: James hitched an eyebrow at Silva's lack of reaction. He swallowed thickly before sliding a single hand up to unfasten the buttons of his suit coat, letting the material fall open to show the crisp oxford shirt beneath. He then tugged at the knot of his tie, loosening it from his neck before undoing the knot entirely, letting the ends of the thing simply lay draped over his chest. He dropped his hands back to his sides, waiting.

You: At this his mind shut off and he was no longer thinking about anything other than finishing what he'd started, reaching out and grabbing his shirt and pushing him roughly back against the door. For a second he hovered over him, breathing fast and ragged, but then he forcefully claimed his lips with his own, body flush to his.

Stranger: James growled low in his throat as his back hit the door. God he loved it when he could be with a man, violence was never a consideration. He kept still for several moments as Silva kissed him before pushing back off the door, struggling for dominance where he did not want it, testing the other man to see his follow-through.

You: A surprised smirk made its way to his face as he felt himself getting pushed back, this being highly new to him - usually when others requested his services they let him be in charge, unconditionally; but this, he hadn't expected this. He wasn't about to go down without a fight though, a wicked grin on his face as he look James in the eye. "So this is how you want to play it?" he said, panting, moving up his hand to rest on James' jaw, fingers strong and possessive. "Show me what you got, then."

Stranger: Oh and James was /hooked,/ damn the man. His jaw locked in a vice grip and a dare in his ear, he thrust his hand straight up under Silva's, dislodging his fingers as his other hand knocked flat into his chest -staggering the man back a pace as James advanced.

You: The smirk never fading from his face he watched as he came onto him while he regained his posture. He could either meet him halfway or wait until he got to where he was, and easily decided on the latter; it was his turn now, his turn to initiate, and he would be /very/ happy to reciprocate.

Stranger: He crowded the agent up against the wall, palms flat against the plaster on either side of Silva's head as he crashed their lips together, knee sliding forward to slip between the man's.

You: So /this/ was what it felt like to be the one being pushed against the wall, he vaguely noted amusedly. Well, couldn't say it was all that bad... there was something absolutely thrilling about James turning the tables on him like that; what had at first been hot anticipation over doing to him whatever he desired, had now rapidly grown into the excitement of not knowing what was about to happen. It didn't mean he wouldn't have any say in the matter though. This time his other hand shot up to grip his lower jaw, yanking his face away from him as he sought his neck, using lips and teeth to make sure he left at least a mark or two.

Stranger: James yielded, groaning low in his chest as Silva bullied him away and latched onto his neck none-to-gently. He curled his fingers in the material of Silva's shirt, roughly bunching the fabric as the feel of teeth on skin distracted him from the upper hand for the moment.

You: He hadn't believed it to be possible, but somehow the sound that escaped James managed to turn him on even /more/. In one swift movement he removed himself from the wall, using the momentum and the position of his hands to turn them both around, slamming James back where he'd stood before. His fingers had by now left his face, busying himself with the buttons on James' shirt, an impatient hiss escaping him as they didn't open as quickly as he'd liked.

Stranger: His fingers shot up to tangle in Silva's perfect hair, mussing it as his nails grazed against scalp. He tipped his head back against the wall, beyond aroused at Silva's expert recoup of the upper hand. His hips rolled forward against the air as his breathing stuttered in his chest.

You: /Interesting/, for now James seemed to be perfectly fine with being on the receiving end of things... he didn't even bother with the last buttons anymore, yanking open the shirt and finding his way back to James' lips, one hand slipping underneath the fabric, finding hot, sweaty skin as well as well-defined muscles. The other hand started working on his belt, a growl escaping him as he bit his lower lip, James' accepting behavior not at all slowing down his actions.

Stranger: He'd caught his breath -along with the need to be sure he'd put his faith in the right man- as Silva rumbled his disagreement with James' belt. He pulled away from the kiss as he snatched Silva's wrist at his trousers before wrenching it up and twisting, spinning the man as he placed a hand at his back, leaning over his shoulder to whisper, "I like this game," against his ear.

You: He couldn't get out more than a scoffing "Heh" at James' actions, cringing a little at the position his arm was twisted in - but not complaining, not at all. Although he was dreadfully missing the skin-on-skin contact they'd shared before, this appeared to be very promising, too - he gave a little struggle, knowing that it was pointless in the grip James held him in, but he knew it would convey his intentions nevertheless.

Stranger: "Oh, come now. Double-oh against a tactical agent? I shouldn't have a chance," he whispered, grazing his teeth along Silva's ear, daring him to make a move.

You: A shudder coursed through his body at the outrageous provocation alongside the teasing at his ear and for a moment it slipped his mind that he actually wasn't trying to /kill/ James - he cast a quick blow backwards with his free elbow, hitting James in his midriff, knocking the wind out of him - not enough to effectively paralyze him, but enough to weaken his grip. He turned and shoved him back up against the wall again, a hand around his throat, eyes shining with triumph. "What makes you think you did?" he chuckled darkly.

Stranger: His pupils blew wide as he was muscled back into submission, a wicked smile playing at his lips even as he struggled to breathe. That was more like it. He wrapped his hands around the wrist at his throat, struggling against the grip.

You: "Oh?" he taunted him. "Don't tell me you don't know how to get out of this, James... I'd be so disappointed if you couldn't." He moved closer to him, breath hot and thick on his ear as he continued, "you /have/ a chance, I suggest you take it..."

Stranger: /Damn the man,/ he thought as he suddenly lashed out, completely unable to resist a dare. His arm darted along Silva's until he caught the man just at the side of his neck, wrenching his body to the side as he slammed the man back, his foot sweeping in front of him to stagger Silva's footing. He put several paces between them as his eyes flashed with delight, enjoying the game more than he should he was sure. "Come on the /agent/," he taunted, dropping the register of his voice on the title, "Chances are the last thing I need" he sneered as he motioned for Silva to advance him -if he dared.

You: He was fairly sure he should be feeling pain at this point, but every feeling he experienced was mixed in with the others and none of them felt anything but good, and all he could do was move a hand through his hair, laughing, out of breath as he regained his composure. Tonight couldn't have taken a better turn. He watched James beckoning for him to come closer, knowing that that was exactly what he wanted - nevertheless he was unable to not give in. He lightly stepped forward, within his reach, body tensed and ready for action, awaiting his move.

Stranger: James waited, noting the way Silva laughed in apparent delight at their current situation, shirt hanging open haphazardly as his chest rose and fell with his wild breathing. Achingly aroused, hands at his side as he willed the man closer.

You: He walked up to him, all the way up to him without so much as reaching out, hands even /folded/ behind his back as he closed in on him. Some of his hair was by now sticking to his forehead, mingled with sweat, and he was sure his reflexes would be kicking in at any moment, but still he walked up to James without any attempt of starting another fight. His eyes were drawn towards his bare chest though, noticing the way it heaved, his hands twitching to pin him against the wall again - but he thought better of it, awaiting what James would do now that they were almost nose to nose.

Stranger: The hands clasped calmly behind Silva's back ripped some feral noise from James. He reached out and grabbed Silva's face in his hands, bringing their mouths together in a desperate kiss, a crash of lips and tongue and teeth as his body trembled.

You: Every last bit of resistance crumbling down he removed his hands from behind his back at last, but not to gain any sort of control over James this time - instead he leaned his forearms on the wall on either side of him to support himself, feeling that if he didn't, his knees would give way at the sheer ferocity of that one kiss. This kiss was a whole other battle in itself entirely, and though he was standing his ground as well as James was, it was still happening on the other agent's terms - and he just let it happen, pressing himself up against him, relishing the full-on contact between their bodies, extremely well aware of the way James responded to him.

Stranger: He slipped a hand up Silva's back, letting it come to rest at his neck while he fisted his hand in the material of Silva's shirt. He pulled the man flush against him, rolling his hips up as he groaned with the friction of it.

You: He thought maybe a slight moan escaped him as James pulled him even closer, but he wasn't sure; what he did know though was that his hand was traveling down again, resuming its previous work on James' belt, still holding himself steady against the wall with his other arm; the cool, rough texture slightly burning his skin, but he couldn't care less.

Stranger: He tore away from the kiss, tipping his head back to the wall to breathe as Silva's fingers traveled along his belt. "Fuck," he breathed, a rare explicative falling from his lips as his heart raced.

You: He could have cracked some wise-ass remark at that comment but it didn't even occur to him; fingers instead loosening the belt until it finally opened. His lips moved around James' jaw and sought and found his ear with his teeth as he pressed a leg in between his, fingers now returning to his own shirt, which felt like it was clinging to his own damp skin.

Stranger: James bat them away as he made swift work of Silva's shirt, pealing open the fabric as he rolled his hips against the man.

You: For everything that had happened so far he was actually the first to discard his shirt /entirely/, though it didn't cool him down in any way. He returned to his previous position, arms on either side of James, his slight height advantage very obvious like this. Closing his eyes he was breathing hard as James pressed into him, feeling that even in this position he still held some kind of power over him, a shiver pulsing through his body as all his senses were being stimulated, threatening to overcome him.

Stranger: James hissed lightly as Silva dropped his shirt and crowded back over him, nipping roughly at the man's jawline as their chests came together. He let the power-struggle hand between them for now, enjoying the feel of the other man looming over him, the tingle of memory at the man's hand wrapped around his throat.