terrariums | Inbox for Duplicity

Is that so? I hope I'll be able to meet your expectations, then!

[Surely they must be high expectations indeed, if Jade is willing to forfeit months of his time with a trusted partner to take a chance on him instead. He's touched!]

I could hardly deprive you of your work or your wages! I'm sure I'll build my own nest egg soon enough. I daresay there's plenty of room for all your things, as well.

[The apartment will look more like Jade's than his own for a while, won't it? He hardly minds; it will be nice to have the place not look so barren However, there is one more person they should probably consult: the fluffy beauty perched in Jade's lap. Rook looks down, meowing softly and offering her a hand.]

Do you mind living with a stranger, if you have more room to play?

[ Jade watches as Rook's hand extends to the cat on his lap, Fishcake's nose sniffing at the hunter's glove with a cautious expression. Ear flicking at his words before she headbutts his palm and an inquisitive mew. ]

I can handle the paperwork if you would prefer. [ Since he does remember that Rook doesn't touch the stuff if he can avoid it. ] It isn't as if I would be able to enter any clauses that would cause you inconvenience even if I wanted to do so.

[ But he could give himself some more liberties... not that Belial denied him anything before. ]

Oh, good! Then we're all in agreement.

[Rook smiles warmly, offering Fishcake head rubs as he considers the offer. For the moment, at least, it seems they're all one little family now!

As tempting as the offer is, though..... The more he thinks about it, the wiser it seems to refuse. Not on account of being worried about Jade tampering with the terms, as much as he realizes the man probably would like to. But he needs to step up and take some responsibility, doesn't he? Delegating menial bureaucratic tasks like paperwork can wait until after he's proven himself a Dominant both fit to and committed to taking care of a Submissive. To send him on his own would just be..... sloppy. Not necessarily callous, perhaps, but not conscientious, either. That's the sort of thing he needs to pay careful attention to now, isn't it? Status is everything in this city.]

Better to handle it together, I think. What would our hosts think of me neglecting my duties to you before the contract was even drawn up, let alone signed? We would both suffer from my reputation slipping by such carelessness.

[ ~~She won't enjoy her new playmate Rook-Tsum-san for the first few days, but at least she'll get even more pampered food-wise to make up for it.~~ ]

That is wise of you... once we are more established it will become more natural for you to rely on me for such things.

[ He's handled these sort of things for all of his contracts before, but it's somewhat of a relief(?) all the same. That type of initiative is what he preached to the Dominant before. The fact he can agree to the importance of their reputation as a pair brings him some comfort, too.

While something like this won't get them in trouble, it's still a small thing others could take note of. Jade runs his hand along Fishcake's back, ignoring the way her back claws dig into his thigh as she raises her body into his palm. ]

...Living together will give us more opportunities to talk about home, too. I hope you will not find taking care of me too bothersome.

Oui! It's important to set a precedent first, before you can safely deviate from it.

[~~It'll all be okay in the end. She'll get good food and a partner for mayhem, once the dust settles.~~ It's only natural to accept the wisdom of your seniors, isn't it? If he strives to properly embody the status and ideals of a Dominant as Jade had advised, just as Jade exemplifies a by-the-books Submissive, they both only stand to gain from it. They'll make a beautiful pair that everyone admires, won't they? Model citizens, through and through.]

Bothersome? Please, it will be a pleasure. Your stay over was such fun!

[Is that a looming threat of more intensive pampering in his future?]

[ ~~Say goodbye to your makeup brushes now, Rook.~~ Oh, dear. He had enjoyed doing that, hadn't he? Even though Jade enjoyed it in his own way, he has already considered what it might be like to be contracted and living with Rook full time.

He'd have to put more care into his appearance, as they've discussed. At least he would have easier means to access the other man's cosmetics and watch him work on himself more often, too. ]

I suppose I won't need to ask to come over to practice after all. I look forward to learning from you.

[ And he finds he means that surprisingly easily, even if the pampering part might be a bit much to get used to if Rook insists on making it any sort of regular occurrence. ]

[~~He salutes you, little fallen friends!~~ Is Jade truly ready to find out just how much satisfaction he takes from doting on his friends? Jade may not need to get used to grand gestures like a hundred poems extolling his beauty, or an entire opera performed for his enjoyment, but..... Little gestures will surely keep cropping up, all the same. Interesting bits of forage left on his bedside table, for example, or homecooked meals brought right to him while he's relaxing after a long day, or massages whenever he's looking a little stiff. And of course, the endless amounts of casual affection. He doesn't mind hugs from behind when he least suspects them, does he? Or getting draped on when he sits on the couch?]

And I from you, as well! What should we do to celebrate the occasion, hmmm~?

[No, Jade, you don't get to argue this point. You are worth celebrating, your inclusion in his life is worth celebrating, and he is not taking constructive criticism at this time. You're getting fussed over whether you like it or not.]

To celebrate?

[ He blinks, hand coming up to his lips to cover the way his lips pull at the suggestion. Not in distaste, but rather more surprise. Fishcake only yawns, seemingly content exactly where she is on the lap of her father on top of her new step-father's lap. Does he really get a choice with the casual affection when he's already putting up with this right now?

Ignoring the fact he gave up the struggle the moment Rook grabbed him by the collar like a disgruntled cat. ]

Oui! You celebrate life changes like getting a promotion or graduating, don't you? Isn't it fitting to then celebrate entering a contract like this one, as well?

[No. No, Jade absolutely does not get a choice in any of this; he'll take his cuddles and like them, as and when they happen. Is Rook sparkling, or is he just that ~~shoujo~~ enthused?]

I suppose I have seen others celebrate when they have been with their Submissives for an extended amount of time...

[ Not that he and his longest contract ever did that, but maybe at a 'year' they would have? Though he's seen plenty of others celebrate their Submissives over far less if he thinks about it... His hands move to cover the cat in his lap's ears as he speaks. ]

We could go to eat once everything is finalized?

[ Her eyes light up anyway before she starts purring and rubbing against both of Jade's hands. ]

(ooc: would you be cool with me submitting them on the contract/housing pages? :> )

Exactly! Why wait for a milestone, when we can set the mood right from the start?

[Have some joy in your life, sir. Clearly you sorely need it? And it would be just cruel not to celebrate with such a darling little lady too, wouldn't it? Rook laughs fondly at the failed attempt to hide their plans, reaching out to give her a reassuring pat.]

Maybe we can bring a little something back with us, hmmm?

(OOC: Heck yeah go get that bread /o/)

[ It's funny how the mention of food seems to bring her face fully into Rook's hand, giving him just as affectionate nuzzle as she does Jade's palms. Pleased as punch at the concept of getting something from this new person that her owner 'brought' home.

Jade lets out a sigh, but his features only soften a little. ]

Her standards are rather high for a feline... [ Especially compared to her mother who he has literally seen eat garbage. ] I may have spoiled her.

( ooc: Their fate is sealed. >:3 )

Oh, is her palate too sophisticated for a restaurant? I could find her something better, if you've turned the poor dear into a gourmand.

[Rook just laughs at that, stroking her face and scratching under her chin. Why not get the answer straight from the horse's mouth, as it were? Just listen to the cute little hunting trills he can make!]

Do you like organs?

[If Jade thinks he's spoiled her, how bad will it be if he saves her some of the viscera from his hunts?]

[ She chirps in response, purring even more fondly into the attention. Jade can't help but chuckle as he flicks at her tail, earning a playful swat of her paw in exchange. How had they gotten to this point today? An semi-arguement turned serious turned... this.

Despite himself he still feels a little better, though. ]

If I am unable to get food for her from Idia-san or Floyd I often let her out to hunt. Though I have caught her a few small creatures in the forest on occasion.

[ Not being able to purchase even catfood without a Dominant is cruel, so he has to make sure she is well fed. ]

Fish is a popular choice and easy enough for me to procure, but I strive to vary her diet.

Not to worry, she'll be well-provided for. As will you, if I have anything to say about it.

[Which he imagines he does, once they take care of the paperwork. Isn't it a strange position to be in? At home, dating your employer would be nearly unthinkable, utterly scandalous, a gross abuse of their power over you--something liable to get you both into a good deal of trouble. Yet, here? The balance of power still remains overwhelmingly in his favor, even so. What a truly strange place this city is. He'd never even imagined he might end up getting so intimate with his classmates in anything beyond his daydreams, yet look at them all now.....

If Jade thinks he's escaped an uncomfortable conversation with even such a happy distraction, though, then he's sorely mistaken. If anything, now it just means he has even more grounding to harass the poor merman.]

Now, then! With that settled, shall we speak of the future?

Yes, we should.

[ Taking care of him... perhaps more literally than his previous contracts. What a strange feeling and position to be in. Would he need to assign Hayato to be Rook's main 'boss' since he's now his Dominant? Would the city view their relationship as imbalanced even in that case? No, he thinks they likely won't care about that much unless Jade actually tries to abuse anything.

Which other than being a harsh trainer, he doesn't have much interest in throwing around his 'influence' when he's being so aware of his image in the city. ]

Please tell me what you know.

Trickster tells me that you, Monsieur Spontané, and Roi d'Effort were instrumental in uncovering the truth of Roi d'Or's madness. Thanks to a daring ploy by Roi d'Effort, Monsieur Multi revealed that he had been controlling him, turning the other students against him with his cruelty. The six of you defeated Monsieur Multi after he Overblotted, and tried to put the entire Scarabia student body under his control.

Some time after that, the culture festival was to be held, including the SDC. Surely you recall attending the last? Roi du Poison was quite particular about his team this year, as we were to face off against Roi des Neiges. In the end, myself and Monsieur Pommette joined Roi d'Or, Monsieur Multi, Monsieur Heart, and Monsieur Spade to train with him in Ramshackle Dorm for over a month. Trickster and I could both see how much the pressure was getting to Roi du Poison, but there was so little we could do to stop him from Overblotting as well..... Not when he didn't want to take our hands. We managed to protect Roi des Neiges, at least. Deuce coming into a magnificent unique magic almost certainly saved our lives.

Hardly a week after that, the entire school was thrown into chaos. Monsieur Peluche had grown berserk from eating crystallized blot and been taken into custody, and the school was invaded by special forces that abducted him, alongside all the students who had Overblotted this year. I rushed off alongside Trickster and Monsieur Pommette--well..... No. I took off on my own, and they caught up and forced me to take them along. Forgive me, both of you! .....Anyway. We set out to find and rescue the others from the mysterious Island of Woe. We had believed they would simply receive intensive study and blot treatment before being released from STYX, but Roi de Ta Chambre and Monsieur Marionette Overblotted together. They longed to throw open the gates to Tartarus, and flood the world with tens of thousands of Phantoms. We divided ourselves into teams to battle our way deep into Tartarus until we reached the Underworld that lay at its heart. There we finally defeated them, and brought everyone home safe and sound--especially thanks to Monsieur Pommette's splendid unique magic, and Roi du Poison's selfless courage. It seems through the sheer power needed to defeat him, a new self was awakened within Monsieur Marionette as well. He has a heart of sorts, now--and so, Monsieur Wonder is now enrolled as a first year student on his own merits.

[This is a lot of talking, isn't it? Even for someone who can't shut up to save his life, summarizing as much as he can bring himself to. Whew! Give him a second to catch his breath and regather himself.]

That is more or less where my own story ends, I fear. Not long after we were asked to begin choosing our internship sites for next year, Monsieur Curiosité invited everyone to a farewell party in his honor, before he dropped out of school. He tells me that at the party, Roi du Dragons Overblotted unexpectedly and plunged us all into a deep magical slumber, but I arrived here the night before the festivities. I do hope everyone is alright..... Short of some miraculous outside intervention, I can't imagine what could save us from such dreadfully powerful magic.

[ ~~And then Jade read Rook's app to the game~~

While Rook talks and talks, Jade simply listens. Hand resting on the now positively unconscious feline curled on his lap. Whether she was bored or simply comfortable he cannot say... but at least he finds himself pulled into Rook's tale. Even the parts he knows of from hearing it from Idia and Jamil (back when he was here) don't compare to this level of summarization.

Though Idia hadn't told him that much, all things considered. Just that his Overblotted and still is...and that it is important that he remains so despite how it affects others. ]

I see... So Vil-san also Overblotted, then. That must have felt dreadful to you.

It was truly heart-rending. I know that none of us could possibly have taken his pain from him, of course, just as I can't relieve you of yours, but..... To see him try to save himself at the last moment, once it was far too late..... What a haunting spectacle. Like a classical tragedy played out upon a stage.

[Does it make more sense why he pursued you so fiercely now, Jade? He spent weeks helplessly watching his best friend's slow descent into madness from a front row seat, then plunged into a den of Phantoms full of the collected anguish of tens of thousands of people hardly a week later. He's been quietly shaken, to say the least, no matter how doggedly optimistic he remains.]

[ He'd asked for Rook to bring this all to him and if he were a better man maybe he would feel some guilt for it, but as it is it's exactly what he wanted. Even if he's never been the sort to be particularly good at comforting people, Rook is 'his' Dominant now, so as his Submissive should he not make some effort?

So he places his hand on Rook's cheek. Stroking just below his eye with a gloved thumb. ]

I doubt it brings comfort, but Idia-san has provided Floyd and I devices to track our blot-levels. I admit I have been less dutiful with wearing it as I should be, but... [ How could he when he could feel and taste it? Why let the one person letting him help them be allowed to worry or be annoyed with him? The scolding for not wearing it far outweighed that risk in Jade's eyes. ] ...for the duration of our contract, I can wear it dutifully.

Please do. Now that you're mine, I don't intend to let you go without a fight.

[Oh, is that a gentle flicker of possessiveness helping sweep those memories to the side? Or perhaps simply recontextualize them? Rook smiles in spite of the grim topic, turning his head to nuzzle into Jade's hand and press a kiss against his palm.]

What do you think? Will knowing what's to come help you better understand the others?

[ Even if Jade doesn't look affected, he's sure the other can feel the way his words made his pulse jump. Leather of his gloves be damned, but he doesn't pull his hand away. Instead letting Rook move into it as he wishes. ]

It is... quite a bit to take in.

[ Though he doubts it will help him truly understand any of them, he can at least offer his own brand of... empathy, rather than pity. And sympathy for those that he can't explicitly understand like with Idia's unique situation. While it doesn't solve the root cause of his own discontent, it still does give him a little more peace of mind. ~~Minus the whole potentially being trapped forever in whatever situation Malleus puts them into in the future, that is.~~ ]

I can't say it will help, but it is a step in that direction.

I can only imagine how overwhelming it must be to hear about all at once, rather than gradually over time. What a shock!

[Rook's smile warms in private satisfaction, feeling Jade's pulse race beneath his cheek. It's certainly worth being a little more protective than he otherwise might feel the need to be, to make sure Jade knows he's loved, isn't it? Jade may not be the best at taking care of himself, but he's hardly made of glass, either. He'll need to find a careful balance, watching over him while still giving him the space he needs.

For now, though? Maybe less space, and more cuddles. More claiming Jade's hand for wordless affection, and more shamelessly exploiting this strange compulsion for his own advantage.]

What else do you suppose might help, in that case?

[ While morays may be more solitary creatures, Jade has found the distance between himself and others difficult. A bridge he can't cross or a stitch he can't mend. Not because of necessarily deceit on his part (though that certainly doesn't help; he's fully aware of how he carries himself at the College and here in Duplicity), but from the simple fact that they don't need or want to.

Surely they would make the effort if they wanted to be closer to him?

His lips part to speak before closing wordlessly when it feels too raw to say. ]

... Can I think on that answer for a while?

Of course. But promise you'll let me know before you sleep for the night?

[Not some nebulous "later" that might never come. A specific time frame, to give him the time and space he needs, without giving him enough leeway to squirm his way out of it. That's what Jade needs right now, isn't it? A loose, gentle grip, perhaps, but to be held onto nonetheless, to keep him from slipping away entirely. Will they still feel this compulsion by that hour? He can't help but hope so.]

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