Seasons: IC Contact/Continuations

[abnormalizes]

This is Evangeline! Sorry, I'm a little busy right now, but leave a message and I'll get back to you as soon as I can!

Comments

[splittingheadache]

Mm... I-
I agree, I'd enjoy that quite a bit...!

[Like he's enjoying this scritches, in fact.
He's starting to lean on her further... if they're not careful, he honestly might just topple into her lap -]

[abnormalizes]

[scritchscritchscritchscritch]

I like spending time with you! Even when we're not fucking, shocking as that may be.

[splittingheadache]

Ah - but I like it when we do that, too...

[Cheat Code That Makes Louis Say Things Without Thinking apparently unlocked!!

He's leaning partway towards her lap, now, as if he wants to lay in it but has just enough self control to not do so fully.]

[abnormalizes]

I do too, but it goes without saying!

[She pats her lap invitingly. You know you want to lay here.]

[splittingheadache]

...

[Okay, fine. She wins!
He'll go ahead and gently lay his head in her lap, looking up at her so sweetly.]

... You are miraculous, Evangeline. Have I told you that?
I ought to, if I haven't.

That I could treat you so horribly, yet you deign to keep me around... my actions have been disgusting, yet you insist on trying to see through them... and -

C-could you... scratch my other horn? Please?

[abnormalizes]

[She brings both hands up to scratch both of his horns simultaneously. Get affectioned, loser.]

I don't know about miraculous, but thank you for saying so. Maybe I'm just very stubborn and I don't want you to go away.

[splittingheadache]

[Oh, don't mind him, then - he's gonna turn a little so he's on his side, facing her stomach.
Just enjoying those scritches even more.]

Either/or. Regardless, your patience and willingness to martyr yourself by befriending me is indicative of a saint - so my use of "miraculous" still stands.
At least by Catholic standards.

[abnormalizes]

[The scritchings will continue! Morale seems to be improving, let's keep going with this.]

I'm not an expert on religion, but don't saints have to not fuck? Or is that just priests?

[splittingheadache]

Mmm... just clergy, as far as I am aware. Nuns count, priests count, but saints?
I do believe there were saints that had children.

You only become a saint after death, after all.

[Eyes are fluttering shut as he talks, nice and comfy cozy with all these scritches...

To think this is the guy who bore into her chest with his bare hands and ate her still-beating heart, huh.]

[abnormalizes]

[What if we didn't think about that? What if we just moved past it and pushed it from our minds?]

Oh, well, that's alright then. I'm not willing to give up sex for sainthood, but if there's no conflict then that's fine.

[scritchscritchscritch]

You're so cute. You know that?

[splittingheadache]

I don't know what you mean. I've done nothing worth being called cute...

[Says the one who is all cuddled up and fluffy and soft and so happy to be getting scritches.
Him? Cute? Perish the thought.]

[abnormalizes]

You're being cute right now. I'm looking at the evidence.

[so many scritches]

[splittingheadache]

I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm the furthest thing from cute.
This would be like telling the lion that gut you last friday that it was cute and you like how cute it is.

[Leaning RIGHT into those scritches. Maybe even cuddling up to her stomach more.
It's like he's a little dog that just realized it likes having its tummy rubbed or something.]

[abnormalizes]

You're cute and I like how cute you are. [No hesitation.

...Wait, important realization: she grows another arm so she can scritch both horns and play with his hair at the same time.]

[splittingheadache]

[- Okay, that's it--

He's gonna reach out and wrap an arm around her middle so he can cuddle up in her hold.
Take that.]

You are either foolhardy or braver than anyone else in Ellipsa, Evangeline.
And I am starting to think I ought not take this for granted. Where else will I get such care and touches, otherwise?

[abnormalizes]

Possibly both!

[Cuddle all you want, Louis. She makes another arm so she can hug him back.]

You don't have to do anything special to earn it, if that's what you're getting at.

[splittingheadache]

Mmm... I wouldn't say that - more that it's stupid if I keep trying to push you away.
You've proven to me that you don't care if I ruin you, or corrupt you, or otherwise.

...

And, truthfully, the whole time you were reviving... I had been thinking about what it would be like to turn into stone.
You are the only one who reaches out to me first, you know. Everyone else, I would have to ask...

[And from the way he trails off, moving to press his face against her, it's clear he does not want to ask anyone, ever, if he can help it.]

[abnormalizes]

Oh. That makes sense…. I don’t want you to go through that.

[She holds him a little tighter.]

I’d definitely appreciate it if you didn’t try to push me away. It’s clearly not going to work.

[splittingheadache]

Evidently not.

[Muffled, gently, against her stomach.]

To your credit, you are a hell of a burr when you wish to be. I don't think I could get rid of you if I tried.
And trust me, I did try.

Not even sinking to my worst was enough. You're far too resilient for your own good.

[abnormalizes]

Your worst isn't the worst thing that's ever happened to me. For better or for worse.

[This versus being killed by something that looked like her mother? Versus having to work around her crush's corpse for a whole day before someone got around to cleaning her up? She'd absolutely take this again.]

[splittingheadache]

Well, what a way to make a man feel he's underperformed.

[Said as he turns his head enough that she can partly see his face, the small grin curling the edge of his mouth making it clear he's joking.

But then he's burying his face against her again, wrapping his arm around her a little more snugly.]

I will... try not to do anything like that again.
To you. I cannot promise this for everyone.

But I can promise this for you.

[abnormalizes]

Thank you.

[She holds him just a little tighter.]

I trust you, Louis.

[Despite everything.]

[splittingheadache]

You shouldn't.

[His voice is soft, and he pauses for a moment... before moving to sit up, pulling himself into her lap even more purely so he can wrap his arms around her neck.
A nice, snug embrace and nothing more.]

... But I'm going to be selfish and be glad that you do.
Ah, though, this does make me realize something in terms of trust...

Neither of us will be breathing a word of this to others, correct?
We will not tell a soul. I certainly won't, at any rate -
The risk of Chipp learning about it is far too high, and if he hears about what I have done... I fear the "starter apartments" wouldn't last, considering I live there.

[abnormalizes]

[Well, if he's going to do that, then she's going to lean down to kiss him briefly before straightening back up.]

Of course not! I really don't want to tank your reputation like that. Chipp isn't the only one who'd be upset.

[splittingheadache]

...

[Getting a kiss after all of that gets him to pause for a moment, clearly a mix of shocked and startled that she'd even consider it - let alone actually go through with it.
But after a moment of deliberation... he leans up so he can return it.

Equally brief, of course.]

It is not my reputation I care about in the slightest... the safety of others is my chief concern.
Chipp isn't the only one who would want my blood on their hands, this is true - and there are quite a few people here that are the scorched earth type.

I would not want the starter apartments, all the parks that I sleep in, as well as all of Stormreach decimated merely because I spend time there.

...

And... I would not want Rinku to know. Despite what I threatened... I do care about her and her wellbeing, as well.
But please do not tell her that. I don't need her calling me a friend, too.