It was so much noise… so much sun. When he thought about being human, Tempus never imagined it would be quite so… well disorienting.<br/><br/>Timing had been everything, but luckily Tempus was the master of time. He stood shirtless on a podium to be sold, his muscles glistening with sweat and bulging with each fidgeting movement. He knew he wouldn't remain on the market for long; someone was going to snap him up immediately, with his muscles and good looks. Although there were many comparable men there in looks or strength, none of them came close to matching Tempus in pure desirability. Anyone who saw him ogled at him like a creature they'd never seen. He looked more like a gladiator than a slave, and that was partly the point.<br/><br/>His eyes strained against the sunlight to peer into the crowd, but it was hard to miss the sight of that pure soul that approached. As he'd predicted, Eryx was there that day. He'd managed to get the date perfectly. As much confidence as he'd held in his own abilities, Tempus was flooded with relief when he saw the beautiful face of the man he wanted to get close to. All this work… the demeaning act of becoming a slave… it was all in an effort to get close to the elusive jockey that now stood meters away at the front of the crowd with his attractive comrade.<br/><br/>From the way they looked at him, he was quickly convinced his plan would succeed. Both Eryx and Airlea seemed taken with him from the moment they saw him. Perfect. Now he'd only need to wait for them to make the purchase. How long would that take again? A grimace tugged at his lips and part of him wished he wasn't bound to this human form. If only he could just move time forward a little… to skip past the blazing sunlight and unwavering chatter of the crowd. But Tempus was a patient man. He would wait it all out, because in the end it would be worth it.<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center">===============​</div><br/>"He's not spoken a word since we've had him, but he's obedient and can lift more weight than many of the other slaves that have come through here today. I'm sure you'll be very happy with your purchase." The seller spoke as he handed the finished papers over to Airlea. "He's not listed with a name; I'll leave that to you to fill in on his papers if you like, unless you can get him to talk." He patted Tempus's chest before stepping back. "Take care."<br/><br/>As soon as the man was out of sight, Tempus turned his gaze to the two much shorter individuals standing next to him. Eryx barely made eye level with his chin, but his smaller stature probably made him a better rider when it came to competition. Of course, Tempus couldn't help but to be stricken by how attractive he was up close. He wasn't after romance, but damn if he couldn't resist staring. Only seconds after someone claimed he didn't speak, Tempus spoke.<br/><br/>"My name is Tempus, miss." He directed this at Airlea with what was meant to be a respectful node. He attempted to put a hint of charm in the friendly smile that spread across his face, but it was never quite as genuine for women as it was for men. He wasn't above trying to use his looks to manipulate her, however.<br/><br/>"I never thought I'd be in the hands of such a fine, respectable woman." He needed to test the water… see which compliments would work and which were too far. He understood people well enough, but society changed so much, he could never be certain without trial and error. "And of course," He nodded respectfully to Eryx, deciding to play a small game, "You've found a beautiful man to wear on your arm, haven't you?"<br/><br/>He knew from watching and waiting that Eryx had little, if any interest in women. Not that Tempus was certain Eryx shared his taste for men exclusively, but he knew for certain that the relationship between Airlea and Eryx was strictly platonic. He only wanted to see how they'd react to someone who assumed they were together. Even worse, he wanted to see how Eryx would react to being placed in the role of a trophy, rather than an equal or higher partner in the relationship.