terrariums | Inbox for Duplicity

[ 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.]

Are you hoping to pry some more honesty from me tonight, my Dominant?

[ A hand holding onto him might be right. Something to keep him holding onto the shore despite the call of the darkness--no, blackness below the surface.

But he still hopes this has all long faded by then. And certainly by tomorrow... ]

Heheheh..... And what if I am, mon contre-courant? Would that truly be so terrible?

[Rook's smile turns mischievous, gaze pointedly sly where he peeks out from Jade's hand.]

In spite of how generous you seem to think I am, I'm terribly greedy, didn't you realize? If I get to have you, I want to have all of you. I intend to learn everything about you, until I know every corner of your heart and soul even more deeply than you do.

[ This is a new side of Rook. Not so far off of what he's used to of him, but something much more... intimate. Targeted, even. He can only imagine how he must treat the other's here, too, even if they aren't his on paper the way Jade will soon be.

His fingers shift to pinch the hunter's cheek. Hard. ]

Then wouldn't it be more satisfying to learn that through means of your own instead of relying on the poisonous bite of winged rodents?

[Rook only laughs aloud at that, clearly delighted to have earned the protest in spite of the way Jade scolds. How could he not be, when Jade is usually so stoic?]

That's exactly why I'm saving the interesting bits for later, and taking care of all this right now. It seems to me you might find it something of a relief to have the choice of talking things over taken away from you, if you find it distressing enough to leap out a window to avoid a conversation. Am I wrong?

Fortunately I have no interest of jumping from the 13th floor.

[ The floor he's on currently is nothing--he was easily half the length down in his own height alone... but Rook's place is considerably higher up. So high they likely don't even allow the windows open much more than to allow in a breeze.

His pinch relents, thumb brushing over the reddened skin. If Rook thought to he could make their contract rather... difficult with a clause that demands Jade's honesty with him at all times or something similar, but Jade dare not mention anything like that here. ]

What do you consider interesting? You have already slept with me.

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