[ he just groans and drops his face into her shoulder again.
a little petulantly, but there's no actual heat to it: ] 'm always, to my very soul, a bird.
[ a dumb little iron crow who likes fetching shiny trinkets for the people it cares about, or, apparently, a big raven that does the same. ] A bird taking a vow of chastity, or - y'know. Whatever it is. Vow of - championing. Whatever.
he mutters something into her shoulder that sounds like a swear word and the word monk to someone with very sharp elf ears and then lifts his head again and sighs. glad lup just spoils aquila on instinct. that gravelly tone continues as he waves a gloved hand. ]
Nah. 's a temple with a blood pool in it. Different. [ and then, he adds, breezily; ] Only one reason I'd go to the chapel with a veil on.
ear flicks. this lup has not even considered marriage in any fashion whatsoever which is why she quickly fucking rockets away from the concept like a cat confronting a cucumber. nope! goodbye! she doesn't even think people love her, this is is too much.]
Uh huh. Have fun with that. Hopefully someone out there is into hotel employees...
this is going to be one of those things that he jokes about and then screams about internally for the next 24 hours, actually. a very classic aquila running his mouth before his brain situation, but the joke was already out of his mouth. if his face feels a little hot through the veil where it's still half mushed in her shoulder, don't worry about it. ]
Yeah. I hear some people think the faceless thing's sexy.
[ thanks glad for that glad they'll just :contemplates: for hours weeks from now
anyway. very primly: ] Mine's a uniform, so it's different.
[ there's something right about a wizard in fancy swooshy robes and a [redacted] in a uniform but that's neither here nor there. ] Less space for things or people to get lost in. I've heard you looked very attractive in your robes, though, according to your files.
[normal people might not catch it, because she's very good at hiding her tone, but - aquila knows her. files or no. so they'll notice her voice getting a touch more strained.]
I'm stunning no matter what I wear. [a pause.] I should probably try and find more outfits to wear, actually.
[she squeezes his hand back, and finally pulls away. she looks tired, and her eyes are still a little red from the crying, but she gives them a smile anyway.]
If you somehow manage to make me look terrible, I'm filing a complaint.
[ it is affection week, so - his other hand comes up, briefly, and thumbs under her eye. very clearly, and obviously, he hates this, hates how tired she looks, hates that she's had things to cry over here. lup's right. it was scary. every week is scary. every day that goes by gets scarier, and being powerless and unable to do anything about it is maybe the worst part. ]
I'm sure Gems'll listen to it. [ teasing. aquila sounds fond, there, half mischievous, half warm. he's also very fond of gemini. ] But, I think that'll be impossible, anyway. Gonna have to get off of me, though.
[ get it, they're a bird. playfully and flirty - lup can't see aquila's face or possibly know who's under there, obviously, but there's a mischievous twinkle in their eye you could hear in their voice, gravelly or otherwise. ] Sit on me anytime you want.
[ terrible.
they stay on the ground for a moment, just looking up at her, before they start to get up too. ]
[ok well it doesn't matter how sad she is, sit on me anytime you want gets her to gigglesnort. they start to get up, and when they look at her next she has her fingers in a V sign and she's stuck her tongue between them.
[ SHWJTKHSH GOD HELP you know there are many problems with having to keep your face covered as a faceless NPC, especially when you are very cute and your face is a gift, but this is one of those moments where aquila is actually very glad for the veil because there is no way in hell their ears don't go red.
he mutters Lup as he gets up fully, brushing himself off, and then, a little more roguishly charming as he valiantly reclaims his dignity and his lie with a - ] Whoa, hey, don't threaten me with a good time.
[ ...but lup probably knows aquila so it is probably clear that was embarrassing for his little baby liangese tendencies he's pretending not to have. ]
[buddy the number of times you have done that gesture for her, your ears shouldn't be red!!
but she knows they are, even if she can't see, and snortlaughs, dropping her hand.]
Not like I'm going to see you out of that uniform any time soon, if things keep going the way they're going. [she puts her hands in her pockets.] ... Halfway there though, right?
We'll see if any contracts get followed through on.
[ look!!!!!! sometimes!!! you aren't expecting it!!!
he will let lup have her little victory though, elbowing her a bit before folding his hands behind his back for a moment - and then taking on a more relaxed posture, letting some of the tension in his shoulders melt out. lup might also notice when she looks up that she's... looking up a little more.
anyway. ] Probably not. I'm a dedicated bird. Lots of work to be done. [ thinks about how little aquila eats
anyway ] But, hey, if it changes? It's a date. [ you can almost feel the wink.
more seriously, though. they adjust their gloves briefly and go for the door handle, glancing back. ] Halfway, yeah. Feels like twice that. What do you mean by that?
Nothing. I just don't trust anything with this amount of power to keep its end of the bargain in a way that isn't - y'know, monkey's paw. I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop.
actually because she's following she might see a pair of shadowy wings coming from their back; they're off the ground a bit that way. ]
Mm. [ a thoughtful noise. ] Never want to follow the track of an overturned cart. What kind of information have you gathered on something or someone so powerful so far?
Almost nothing, actually. I know that something powerful exists and that he coerced me into a contract. [she says, with an annoyed little ear flick.]
It doesn't sit well with me to go in and get what's mine and then get out. You know that. [... that being said.] But I can't fight anything if I don't know what I'm fighting against.
Not that that's what I'm doing. [covering her ass here...]
[she rubs at her face.] I have to be entertaining. But that doesn't mean I'm safe, and it doesn't mean Taako is safe, either. There's no guarantee I'm going to be able to be in the lobby by the end of all of this. So maybe I just won't ever get to leave.
Nothing in the contract says I have to kill someone, but it sure does imply that it'd be better for me to do it. And that's - not even accounting for the people who got killed without killing, themselves. They're just screwed, under this contract.
... There's a lot to unpack, with the contract. Might be a good idea to do that with the others. [ she'll feel like aquila glances at her again, out of the corner of their eye. ] Not us.
no subject
a little petulantly, but there's no actual heat to it: ] 'm always, to my very soul, a bird.
[ a dumb little iron crow who likes fetching shiny trinkets for the people it cares about, or, apparently, a big raven that does the same. ] A bird taking a vow of chastity, or - y'know. Whatever it is. Vow of - championing. Whatever.
no subject
A vow of chastity. Oh boy, how will you ever survive?
[this is funny for many reasons] Maybe I shouldn't, uh, keep you from the chapel... you really need to be there, right?
[stop]
no subject
he mutters something into her shoulder that sounds like a swear word and the word monk to someone with very sharp elf ears and then lifts his head again and sighs. glad lup just spoils aquila on instinct. that gravelly tone continues as he waves a gloved hand. ]
Nah. 's a temple with a blood pool in it. Different. [ and then, he adds, breezily; ] Only one reason I'd go to the chapel with a veil on.
[ Sir. ]
no subject
ear flicks. this lup has not even considered marriage in any fashion whatsoever which is why she quickly fucking rockets away from the concept like a cat confronting a cucumber. nope! goodbye! she doesn't even think people love her, this is is too much.]
Uh huh. Have fun with that. Hopefully someone out there is into hotel employees...
no subject
this is going to be one of those things that he jokes about and then screams about internally for the next 24 hours, actually. a very classic aquila running his mouth before his brain situation, but the joke was already out of his mouth. if his face feels a little hot through the veil where it's still half mushed in her shoulder, don't worry about it. ]
Yeah. I hear some people think the faceless thing's sexy.
[ he prods at her side, a little playfully. ]
no subject
You're really out here stealing my whole thing. [she teases, squirming when he pokes her.] I wore the robes better.
no subject
anyway. very primly: ] Mine's a uniform, so it's different.
[ there's something right about a wizard in fancy swooshy robes and a [redacted] in a uniform but that's neither here nor there. ] Less space for things or people to get lost in. I've heard you looked very attractive in your robes, though, according to your files.
no subject
I'm stunning no matter what I wear. [a pause.] I should probably try and find more outfits to wear, actually.
no subject
he finds her hand, and gives it a tiny squeeze. ]
Y’know. One of my many talents, as a bird of many feathers, is picking out nice clothes. You wanna do a little shopping?
no subject
[she squeezes his hand back, and finally pulls away. she looks tired, and her eyes are still a little red from the crying, but she gives them a smile anyway.]
If you somehow manage to make me look terrible, I'm filing a complaint.
no subject
I'm sure Gems'll listen to it. [ teasing. aquila sounds fond, there, half mischievous, half warm. he's also very fond of gemini. ] But, I think that'll be impossible, anyway. Gonna have to get off of me, though.
no subject
anyway, aquila brushes at her eye, and she breathes in slow. okay.]
Right! You're a pretty comfortable chair, you know. [but she will get off them.]
no subject
[ get it, they're a bird. playfully and flirty - lup can't see aquila's face or possibly know who's under there, obviously, but there's a mischievous twinkle in their eye you could hear in their voice, gravelly or otherwise. ] Sit on me anytime you want.
[ terrible.
they stay on the ground for a moment, just looking up at her, before they start to get up too. ]
no subject
teehee]
no subject
he mutters Lup as he gets up fully, brushing himself off, and then, a little more roguishly charming as he valiantly reclaims his dignity and his lie with a - ] Whoa, hey, don't threaten me with a good time.
[ ...but lup probably knows aquila so it is probably clear that was embarrassing for his little baby liangese tendencies he's pretending not to have. ]
no subject
but she knows they are, even if she can't see, and snortlaughs, dropping her hand.]
Not like I'm going to see you out of that uniform any time soon, if things keep going the way they're going. [she puts her hands in her pockets.] ... Halfway there though, right?
We'll see if any contracts get followed through on.
no subject
he will let lup have her little victory though, elbowing her a bit before folding his hands behind his back for a moment - and then taking on a more relaxed posture, letting some of the tension in his shoulders melt out. lup might also notice when she looks up that she's... looking up a little more.
anyway. ] Probably not. I'm a dedicated bird. Lots of work to be done. [ thinks about how little aquila eats
anyway ] But, hey, if it changes? It's a date. [ you can almost feel the wink.
more seriously, though. they adjust their gloves briefly and go for the door handle, glancing back. ] Halfway, yeah. Feels like twice that. What do you mean by that?
no subject
she follows them, and then, waving a hand.]
Nothing. I just don't trust anything with this amount of power to keep its end of the bargain in a way that isn't - y'know, monkey's paw. I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop.
no subject
actually because she's following she might see a pair of shadowy wings coming from their back; they're off the ground a bit that way. ]
Mm. [ a thoughtful noise. ] Never want to follow the track of an overturned cart. What kind of information have you gathered on something or someone so powerful so far?
no subject
It doesn't sit well with me to go in and get what's mine and then get out. You know that. [... that being said.] But I can't fight anything if I don't know what I'm fighting against.
Not that that's what I'm doing. [covering her ass here...]
no subject
they huff a little. ] Mm. Well... is fighting whatever it is the only option? Know that sounds kinda dumb, coming from me.
no subject
The only other option is to just do what I'm told.
no subject
Clarify - uh. [ great acting ] - Make it a little clearer for me. What do you mean by what you're told?
no subject
[she rubs at her face.] I have to be entertaining. But that doesn't mean I'm safe, and it doesn't mean Taako is safe, either. There's no guarantee I'm going to be able to be in the lobby by the end of all of this. So maybe I just won't ever get to leave.
Nothing in the contract says I have to kill someone, but it sure does imply that it'd be better for me to do it. And that's - not even accounting for the people who got killed without killing, themselves. They're just screwed, under this contract.
no subject
... There's a lot to unpack, with the contract. Might be a good idea to do that with the others. [ she'll feel like aquila glances at her again, out of the corner of their eye. ] Not us.
1/2
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)