terrariums | open; 2024

[Bullseye. What satisfying shots! And what excellent trophies Jade is leaving in his wake. He wouldn't mind keeping such a beautiful knife for himself, and he definitely wants to have a little rummage through that bag to see what Jade had brought along. Even better, he hardly has to follow far to see Jade dive straight into the lake. Well, now..... Is this their ultimate destination, and he's already won what Vil wanted him to come here for? Or is Jade merely trying to hide in his native environment, to throw him off the trail long enough to make good his escape?

He can see the disturbance in the water Jade leaves, but it's far too murky to make him out beneath the surface. So..... Rook doesn't bother trying. He takes his time retrieving his arrows instead, scooping up that fallen knife, freeing Jade's bag from where it dangles. He takes them with him instead, clambering high into the branches of one of the trees ringing the clearing, and he waits with bow in hand.

Only a fool would blindly shove their hand into their quarry's burrow, once they'd run it to ground. Cornered prey bites, and fighting in their preferred terrain without being adequately prepared is a recipe for failure. There's nowhere for Jade to escape to that he can't survey from here, after all--he has to come out sometime. And if he doesn't.....

They had been fully aware that his stalking would inevitably lead to some body of water. He had come prepared. If Jade makes him wait too long, he might just have to drink his potion and follow him in.]

Below the water's surface is surprisingly clear. Something Jade always liked about this place even before he discovered the treasure trove that grew nestled in its depths. His hands immediately move to his belt to work the leather through the buckle. It's critical to remove his pants before he transforms... lest he ruin them and have to return to the dormitory in the nude.

He might prefer to be naked, but the embarrassment it would pose for Octavinelle's image isn't something he can ignore.

It is risky to to strip down in this situation, but he had little choice if he wanted to remain below the water's surface to potentially outwait the man undoubtedly lingering nearby. Once his boots are kicked off the eel's pants are quick to follow and as he brings his legs together Jade doesn't bother to chase them up to the water's surface.

A moment later his shirt and overshirt follows, breaking the tension of the murky water.

His gills fill with water that is less than ideal, but it is still considerably better than the burning feeling of drowning. How ridiculous... a merman failing so spectacularly that he drowns. Teal dances along pale skin, returning it to its true glory--a blissful sheen that brings with it the comforting relief of hydration that no human moisturizers could ever truly hope to replicate. ~~Even if they wring his brother dry every now and then so Vil can rub his goo on his face.~~

It's a shame that the potion to regain his human form is now likely in Rook's hands... but Jade is honestly more upset about his collection of spores and mushroom prints potentially having been stabbed through by the hunter's well shot arrow. For a few long moments Jade lingers near the bottom, but eventually he moves up to peek just above the surface. His aural fins perking up past the water, careful not to rise up more than just his eyes.

It's too quiet, but he's certain the hunt for him isn't over. ]

[Oh, is that--? Heh, of course it is. If he was so inclined, he could probably collect those clothes breaking the water's surface. He could just leave, and potentially strand Jade in his hiding place, half-nude and nearly helpless. How would he manage to make it back to campus, slithering pitifully along the forest floor with an eel tail, and struggling to breathe with gills instead of lungs? Does he still have his magical pen on him, to make it possible at all? His cell phone, to call for help? Or is it all in this bag?

For a moment, the cold and calculated hunter in him actually considers abandoning Jade. It would be the ruthlessly efficient option if he truly wanted to bring their hunt to a close, after all. Even if Jade chose to linger rather than take his chances on land, one or two powerful lightning spells cast straight into the water is probably all it would take to make the curtain fall. But he's not here to be efficient, let alone ruthless. This romp is a passion project, a bit of fun Jade is taking a little more seriously than he'd expected. He would genuinely mourn the loss of one of his favorite prey.

A fin peeking out of the water gives him a small target, but not one he particularly cares to take a shot at; unless he wanted to try and land an arrow straight through an eye, it would no doubt just go sailing uselessly into the water. So Jade intends to outlast him, does he? Rook pitches his voice to project it down to the water, even as he slips a hand into his pocket. One more playful prod, just to make his intentions clear, and he's going in after him. Ready or not, here he comes!]

Shy indeed..... why, is this what you were yearning for, all along? A secret rendezvous to have me all to yourself, just you and me? I thought you'd never ask.

[ Rook's voice immediately draws Jade's eyes, his left eye even more luminous beneath the shade of his bangs.

Clothing is hardly the issue here. If Rook snatches them up then he need only go to his secret supplies that he keeps buried nearby to replace them. His phone is unfortunately tucked away in the bag in the other vice-warden's hand, but he could make do without that. However, the potion was a little more pressing of an issue... He could survive on land for a few hours without water, but slithering himself down the mountainside isn't high on his list of priorities today. At least the pen tightly gripped in his webbed hand would be able to keep him moist if it truly came to that...

Jade's tail breaks the water's surface, curving and motioning toward himself--akin to a finger urging the other to come over. It is hardly a taunt if the other is already planning on joining him, isn't it? ]

[Still not a word, hmmm? This is objectively a terrible, horrible idea. He already has everything he needs. He should just toss Jade's potion into the water, and return to Pomefiore to announce a tentative mission accomplished. Transforming and abandoning the high ground, so to speak, immersing himself in a foreign environment that gives all his advantages away to Jade..... It's reckless, foolish, leaving himself dangerously vulnerable. Jade has already proven he has the resolve to seriously injure him, after all--perhaps even kill, if his knife had landed true.

Then again, in the end, is he really anything more than a reckless fool who loves the dangerous thrill of the hunt? He already has everything he needs, but not everything he wants. He wants an excuse to use his potion. He wants to become something, someone entirely new. He wants to see Jade up close in his all his natural, true beauty, existing as he should where he belongs.

Funny how he almost never seems to bare any skin from the neck down, yet Jade's first time seeing any of it, he gets to see all of it. A touch of magic is all he needs to divest himself of his clothing in moments; Rook abandons his uniform in the branches with Jade's bag, already nude and shameless as he drops down from his perch. He brings nothing but his magical pen and a potion, knocked back in one gulp as he slides into the water.

What a strange feeling. He feels..... almost too buoyant, expansive, as though his body is unfurling like a sigh of relief. The water tastes green and musty even before his head is anywhere near the surface, a pale blue bioluminescence rippling instinctively over his skin the more he immerses beneath such murky water. He may have to start fighting for his life within moments, but until then? He actually feels surprisingly good. It's almost as though this is already natural. What must it feel to turn into a beastman? A fae? A ghost? A direbeast? Maybe he should invest in studying how to make these potions for himself.....]

[ There are times where words are unnecessary. While Rook may love the sound of his own voice (which admittedly Jade has found he's rather fond of by now), there is an equal importance of understanding one's prey enough to pursue them in total silence. Then again... Jade isn't simply a beast--wild? Most certainly, but just a beast would be an insult.

As Rook's clothes fly from his body in an flash Jade doesn't resist the urge to examine him. The various scars freckled across his form are nearly invisible, but the picture they paint sends a rush through Jade long before the potion touches the hunter's lips--he knows how to struggle.

Skin is painted in vibrant colors to bring Rook's form both closer and impressively different from his own. A dark teal tongue brushes over a plethora of too sharp, too many fangs as Jade allows himself to sink back beneath the water's surface. His natural tone might be suited perfectly to the ocean, but less so for a beautiful mountain lake. Fortunately the abundance of fauna, moss, and aquatic plants gives him potential to hide. Though from the familiar shape of the tentacles replacing his target's lower limbs (although their size is remarkably skewed) brings him pause.

Would Rook understand how to use his new appendages? The power that the merman has witnessed real ones use to avoid capture or to ambush and entangle their own prey?

Had he practiced? When would he even have the time? ]

Oya, oya... What an interesting form you've been given, Rook-san. May I ask what you intend to do with me?

[When would he have the time, indeed? After this little scuffle, he intends to make the time. To give up this wonderful new feeling after just an hour or two seems tragic beyond measure. To say nothing of giving up the chance to see Jade like this.....

Oh, he's positively breathtaking. Jade has always been handsome, but this is the missing piece he'd always known of logically, but could never quite grasp emotionally. His heart (hearts? Now that he thinks to focus on the sensation, it's bizarre) feels as though it's skipping a beat. He had had something he'd been planning to do, hadn't he? Some sort of playful banter for Jade? Something? In a rare instance of Rook actually finding himself at a loss for words, all of it floats away as effortlessly as he and Jade bob beneath the water now, before any of it ever manages to reach his lips. Rook simply openly stares instead, silent and captivated.]

[ Such stunned silence earns a laugh, a small stream of bubbles erupting from the gills nestled firmly between the moray's ribcage. Clawed fingertips move to trace along the lighter color gracing Jade's abdomen, accentuating the sturdy abdominal muscles there. Various teal freckles scatter across him leading into deeper, darker hues--all parts that aid in his natural defenses. ]

Speechless? Fufu~ I had not thought it possible.

[ His tail flicks, easily moving the water around him as if it wasn't there at all. Jade knows better than to slither closer, but it's tempting when his reward would be the chance to admire such a spectacle. ]

I imagine your hearts are racing.

[ He'd torn apart enough cuttlefish in his time to know exactly how their unique organs look, feel and taste. Would Rook's blood have the same salted tang? ]

[Hah, what must Jade think of him now? ~~This is an extremely inconvenient time to have a monsterfucker crisis over how his friend is secretly obscenely hot. Somebody help him, this is the one situation he actually wasn't prepared for.~~ Just sitting here gaping at him like some witless trout..... He must look like an absolute buffoon. It's impossible not to follow Jade's claws with his eyes, lingering over powerful muscles, elegant and adaptive coloring, a sleek tail that seems to stretch on for miles..... Every inch of Jade is perfect. Perfectly gorgeous, and perfectly deadly. He can't imagine changing a single thing.

Rook can't help a soft self-deprecating laugh once he finally finds his voice again, spreading his hands; his tentacles fan out along with them in a helpless full-body shrug. Caught red-handed, is he?]

You read me like a book, Monsieur Prémédité. Forgive me, I hadn't realized you would be so beautiful.

This is a rare opportunity. I suppose you have not had much chance to appreciate my kind so close before... I appreciate your compliment.

[ Because in Jade's mind that's what it is, despite his own--~~confused, questioning--come to think of it, is this technically interspecies? Would his parents find that attraction shameful? Surely, it was nothing more than a passing silly human 'crush'~~--feelings on the matter. Rook is obsessed with beasts of all sorts who surely would admire any other merfolk with the same slack-jawed awe.

Though being admired so unabashedly... it stirs something in him. It's different when those foolish first-years stared he and Floyd down earlier in the year. ]

This form suits you, Rook-san. I will have to be careful not to admire you too closely.

Merci~ I find it quite agreeable as well. By all means, admire as closely as you'd like; I could certainly watch you swim you all night. Vraiment enchanteur.....

[One tentacle stretches out mock-sneakily to curl around Jade's free hand, grasp too slack to be even remotely threatening. After all, Jade being close to him means he's close to Jade, as well--and even stunned by the merman's elegance, he can't fully shake the desire to capture his prize to enjoy at his leisure.

His family would probably laugh if they saw him now, wouldn't they? What would it be, "boys will be boys" perhaps? Or maybe "it's only natural"? Even if they didn't share his aesthetic attraction, they would surely understand it, wouldn't they?]

[ At this distance most spells would work just as effectively against himself than just the 'merman' before him. It's a dangerous game he's playing today, but he would be lying if he claimed to dislike it. If he were to let Rook too close it would be easy to drive his pen into Jade's gills and twist--tentacles ensnaring the moray before he could even twist himself away.

That is if Rook could effectively control even a portion of those powerful new appendages with even a fraction of the prowess Azul can. It's a risky bet, but there is some safety in the knowledge that even if Rook wanted to injure or kill him it would be, as Cater often says, a 'bad look'.

Webbed fingers spread when the tentacle takes his hand so gently, almost as if the vice warden simply planned to kiss the back of it. Jade takes the risk to move effortlessly closer, though the hand holding his wand does move to flick some teal strands of hair from his face. Is it a subtle reminder that this could change at any moment? Possibly. ]

Would Vil-san be disappointed in you wasting your evening? I imagine the deadline for your 'project' is drawing near...

[ His tail moves then--edging in closer until it can brush against one of the cuttlefish's strikingly vivid tentacles. Like this can he feel how cool to the touch he is? It's sticky, but he isn't worried about that prospect of all things running Rook off. ]

[Taking Jade's hand like this certainly feels like he's kissing it, with that stimulating hint of salt tinging along his skin. He can't help but wonder, would it taste the same if he actually did kiss him? Would Jade even like that? He doubts his teeth are as sharp as Jade's, but he could probably do some damage, if he wanted to. If he had the chance to. Down here, his body is as new as though he were a child again. He might be able to clumsily latch onto Jade with those tentacles, might even be able to instinctively wield some impressive strength from them.....

Even so, it probably wouldn't be anything Jade couldn't effortlessly handle, especially with his magical pen at the ready. Right now, he's largely at the merman's mercy. Maybe that's why it feels as though he's pushing his luck, curling a few tentacles to caress the tail that nudges at them. How hard would it be to engulf him with these, with a little practice? ~~Does this count as feeling him up?~~]

Heheheh..... Roi du Poison knows he can trust my process. When have I ever let my Queen down before?

[Read as: Vil probably would be disappointed, but odds are he won't pry that far unless Rook volunteers that information. Why should he, when he'll produce results whether he wastes his time playing with Jade or not? He'll just come back to the lake in a day or two to collect his prize while Jade is otherwise occupied, and Vil will be both happy and none the wiser.

Although..... it does feel a little sad, thinking that he won't need to dog Jade's footsteps so closely anymore. Just because he doesn't need to doesn't mean he doesn't still want to. Suppose he does keep going, once Vil has what he needs..... what should his new project be?]

[ Every instinct inside him tells him that letting those inexperienced tendrils bump against and coil in his space is a poor means of self-preservation. Fortunately, the logical side of himself wins out over instinct--a striking difference between himself and his twin.

Rook won't kill him and a little potential maiming doesn't concern him so long as they both can leave this mountain alive. Preferably still able to walk. ]

All of this for bloomed algae? It isn't here, you know.

[ Because while this lake does hold some wonderful algae that he enjoys to use in his terrariums... it's actually a small side pond a little ways off that the hunter is after. While Jade is certain Pomefiore doesn't need a substantial amount for their cause, it's much more amusing to enjoy their frustration from the sidelines. Plus it needed time to bloom and spread before collection. The small bit of it that Jade did attempt to transplant in the lake was taking so much time to bear hypothetical fruit he's already accepted it as a lost cause.

But the lake itself isn't wasted. Jade's tail brushes more firmly against the tentacles to admire their texture before coiling around a few... it isn't octopus, but it's only natural that he'd consider taking a bite. Would the delicate suckers on the edges of them leave welts the same way Azul's would? Could they squeeze him tight enough to make his ribs collapse from lack of room> No... it's more likely they could leave deep, aching bruises though.

His hand extends to rest on Rook's scarred chest, tip of a claw tracing over a mark long healed over. As calm as Jade's expression is, he can feel his cold, slow heart beating faster. Can that tentacle around his hand and wrist feel it? ]

I am afraid you have wasted your time today.

Have I, now? You really think so?

[Rook just smiles mischievously, tentacles curling lovingly around the tail that ensnares them. There are plenty more where that came from, after all--and uncoordinated though they may be, they all seem very interested in touching him now that Jade is getting bolder, stroking and squeezing sleek muscles in clear admiration.

Jade's pulse thrums beneath the tentacle wound around his wrist--quicker even than it had been during their chase, he suspects. That's a little thrill in and of itself, isn't it? That this kind of closeness can be even more exciting, even if they aren't struggling for their lives? Rook hums appreciatively under the delicate touch of a claw, leaning in to touch their noses together. Silly Jade, doesn't he realize by now that the algae is the pretext he'd needed?]

Algae or none, I think tonight has been tremendously fruitful~ ♥

[ He wants to taste Rook's skin between his teeth. Maul his face so that everyone would know how much of a mistake tangling with one of the twins is, but as he smashes their mouths together he decides this is good enough. Though just because his intentions are kinder doesn't translate to his needle sharp teeth being any less of a danger. Jade wants to bury them into bioluminescent flesh to suck him dry and sate the only drive he can even begin to equate what he's feeling to.

His tail tightens harshly around the tentacles in its grasp, even as the others so lavishly curl and brush against his far too long body.

It's short-lived and when it breaks his mismatched eyes linger on Rook's face with a familiar curiosity. Like he's watching a struggling fish rather than a living breathing (sort of) person in front of him. His hand slides up a well-toned chest until he can hook his arm around the hunter's neck to edge him closer. ]

You might regret this, Rook-san.

[Oh, he thinks he likes this. It's overwhelmingly satisfying to have more than two hands to touch with, and the way it feels when Jade squeezes him..... It's a strange, alien ache, distinctly different to feel himself merely being compressed, rather than the pain of such strain being taken by his bones. But the way Jade kisses--

That sort of primal hunger sends a shiver straight down his spine, frightening and thrilling in exactly the right ways. Vil is going to be distraught if he comes home torn to ribbons, isn't he? He still has Pomefiore's image and reputation to maintain. Rook does his best to be careful, to spare himself from those deadly sharp teeth; even so, it's hard to be mindful when it suddenly feels like they're trying to devour each other whole.

Rook swallows back a whimper of protest as Jade pulls back, instead letting out a shuddering sigh as he allows Jade to reel him in close. Should he regret this? It's hard to believe so, when he mostly just doesn't want "this", whatever it is, to be done as quickly as it had started. What's with that expression, anyway.....?]

By all means, enlighten me. Why would I regret it?

[ From this distance Rook's eyes are enchanting. Such a striking green in comparison the darker, chilled waters they find themselves coiled up together in... it almost makes him feel a little nervous.

Webbed fingers slide through blond hair, curling what strands he can around their clawed tips. It's selfish to do something like this, but he doesn't wish to pursue this any further with only his assumptions.

This close and this intimate... and with that striking green looking directly into his own gaze. Briefly he ponders using his own unique magic here--to ask the vice any question he pleases (and there are many...)--but that would likely drive a wedge between this contact he doesn't want to end.

Jade tears his eyes away with a sigh as his hand comes up to cup his own cheek. ]

Merfolk are very particular and possessive regarding their mates. I would loathe for you to regret stepping into such a commitment unknowingly.

[ His tail tightens again, this time inching up Rook's elongated torso in hopes to collect more of him to hold.]

[It would be a waste to spend his unique magic so recklessly, wouldn't it? He might get one of the answers he seeks, but this playful hunt of theirs might also turn deadly serious. Or would it be stranger if there was no hunt at all? Would it be worse to see his ever-present smile wiped away, or to look into the eyes of someone so fascinated by everything, and see no interest or regard reflected in them at all?

There are other, more pleasant ways to coax answers out of each other, if it comes to that. Jade looks away, and Rook tucks his face against Jade's shoulder to muffle his giggles, relaxing into the coils sneaking their way ever higher. It might be a little sticky, it might be a lot dangerous--but it's hard to deny how cozy Jade's embrace is. How often is it that anyone trusts him enough to let him be this close?]

Oh là là, I had no idea merfolk moved so fast! Humans usually spend a while making up their minds. But it wouldn't be unknowing if you told me all about it, would it?

[How interesting, he's probably the last person anyone should look to for a commitment, at this point in his life. Is he going to get a crash course on merfolk romantic cultural customs?]

[ Perhaps it's a foolish teenager's excitement pushing this on so quickly, but the possibility of leaving the College without even a thorough exploration of what humans have to offer feels like a disservice.

But separating ideals from home and embracing ones from another is difficult to do completely. The twins would need to find their own mates someday and while Jade had originally resigned himself to the very real possibility that he would need to find someone to carry on the family business first, he doesn't think Floyd would mind if that time came now rather than later.

Well. He might have some complaints, but that was more Floyd's personal judgment on what Jade could possibly see in such a noisy seagull. ]

It differs depending on the species...

[ Jade's neck cranes to give Rook access, tail settling comfortably around the blond's waist with more than enough length to spare for tentacles to cling or attach to. Tips of claws toy with blond strands--such a rare color back home. ]

But with my own, we are rather particular. We prove ourselves to our partner through battle, acts of bravery, or elimination of the competition... I have always found my Father's scar caused by Mother's claim of him to be rather romantic.

That does sound romantic.....

[And not entirely dissimilar to beastmen practices in some parts of Sunset Savannah, now that he thinks about it. Maybe that's why it feels almost unnervingly comfortable and familiar--why he had apparently nearly slipped into that role without even meaning to. Of course Jade is going to assume he's coming on ridiculously strong, after how heavily he's stalked him--to say nothing of the knife and arrows that had been exchanged mere minutes ago. He may as well have kicked down the door with a bouquet of roses in hand. Hah, does stopping short of hitting Jade mark him as sappy and sentimental, then? Or merely weak-willed and unserious about his pursuit? What must Jade assume about his relationship with Vil in that case, going to such lengths simply to please him?

He wonders what other humans in the college might even be emotionally capable of giving Jade (and Floyd, presumably) what he would want. (Speaking of competition. It really is so easy to simply step back and reframe things.....) Wouldn't they be more comfortable looking to Savanaclaw's rough and ready student body, particularly the beastmen? A scion of Pomefiore surely must seem disappointingly frail and frivolous in comparison to someone like Leona or Jack.

Or maybe he's simply overthinking all this. It's all too easy to let his mind wander, wrapped up so snugly and enjoying the taste of him on his lips while Jade plays with his hair.]

Humans aren't usually prone to such grand gestures, in my experience. Although, so many of the books and plays I loved as a child were absolutely full of them..... I suppose that must make merfolk relationships sound like a fairytale romance to me.

The lack of obvious interest is something that surprised me upon coming to land, though I had never thought I would find someone that captured my interest.

[ And who seems to be interested in him. Grand gestures aside so many humans seemed so ashamed or embarrassed by their affections.

It's true that Rook's antics came off as more frustrating to most people--blatantly annoying or frustrating... but to Jade they are simply parts of his charm. A strong hunter is a provider, and he hadn't even noticed anyone in his part of the sea who quite held a candle to Rook's prowess yet. Initially it was difficult to dismiss Rook's antics due to nature, but as Jade grows to know him more he finds it impossible to ignore.

His tail tightens more, silently amused at the feeling of Rook's lower body molding to his hold. It's easy to imagine his human bones splintering beneath it, but perhaps that could come another day. Jade leans in to brush his own lips against Rook's vibrant colored neck, his teeth quick to follow with a gentle nip to test the waters. ]

Although... my kind's commitment might be outside your preferences.

[ If Rook's intense passion for so many is anything to go by, though Jade at least has enough common sense now to know that Rook's interest and personality is quite different than outright attraction. ]

Edited 2024-04-06 03:27 (UTC)

It's silly, isn't it? So many of us fear rejection so deeply, that plenty of humans can spend years testing the waters and hesitating to jump in.

[Even he finds it absurd, from the inside looking out. Doesn't even unrequited love has a bittersweet beauty to it, painful though it may be? Or has he simply watched so many tragedies unfold on the stage that his views on the matter are permanently skewed? They may not be romantic in nature, but he still faces rejection so often he's learned to brush it off with a smile.

Not that he's facing rejection now. Far from it, given the strength with which Jade grips him; Rook purrs appreciatively at the exploratory touch of lips and teeth, fingers threading through Jade's hair as though he means to hold him there. This really is a dangerous passion, isn't it? They both know full well what he's like. How does someone so easily enchanted measure up against the possessive commitment of a merman? Is it wrong that some deep, dark part of him is curious how much he would suffer, if it all went wrong?]

Well..... who knows? I daresay it's worth a try to see how it goes, so long as you don't expect anything binding right away. Maybe you'll even surprise us both, and win me over completely?

[Now wouldn't that be a shock to everyone who knows him? Even Rook genuinely isn't sure if he's capable of the sort of depths of devotion that has eyes for nothing and noone else. Or is that an absurd role reversal, given he's been the one pursuing Jade so doggedly until now?]

[ All of that is far too wasteful. While Jade might struggle with expressing his true self often (something Floyd and Azul have been working on with him ever since Azul's... incident), hesitating over something so impractical for so long seems incredibly foolish. At worst they would receive a rejection and be able to move on. Or perhaps the object of their affections already holds them on a pedestal they're too cautious to shake.

It's different than this case where Jade simply bided his time to ensure that they were in a suitable setting to make the proposition. Surely. Not at all nerves that he misunderstood Rook's demeanor as actual hunting mishaps.

The next nip to the hunter's throat is sharper and quickly followed by a dark teal tongue before Jade speaks against his skin. ]

I understand land dwellers do have different courting methods...

[ Another sharp nibble. If they were both merfolk perhaps he'd take that type of comment with more offense, but all things considered it is a fair request. Rook's heart is so overwhelmingly full all of the time, though it wasn't impossible for noone else to be interested in him. ~~Admittedly, Jade doesn't consider that as a possibility for himself, either.~~ ]

So long as you do not intentionally make me jealous.

[ His grip in Rook's hair relents, but only so his hand can trail down to his neck. Clawed fingertips pressing just lightly above where, were he still human now, his jugular vein would reside. ]

Or I may have to punish you.

Mmmmm.....

[Oh, now this is nice. Dangerous, but nice; he wonders if Jade would so readily bare his throat for him, the way Rook does now. Rook squirms a little in his hold, breath catching sharply as Jade's attention grows more ~~sinister~~ focused; his tentacles flex and cling instinctively where they're curled around him, tooth-ringed suckers latching onto sleek scales.]

Perish the thought. And if I want you to punish me, even without ruffling your scales?

[Does that mean he should stop his observations of the others? Floyd, Azul, even Leona or the fae in Diasomnia..... Hah, as if those two wouldn't complain to Jade about him lurking to watch over them. As if someone like Leona would ever give Jade cause to be jealous. Far more likely that he would start sending Jade texts along the lines of "come pick up your damn hellbeast he's ruining my nap". Even his relationship with Vil has a completely different tenor.

No, he doesn't think they're likely to run into any problems in that regard. If anything, it's far more likely that others would have eyes for Jade, considering how often people find Rook even just expressing himself to be off-putting. How many people might already have their eyes on a seemingly perfect gentleman like him?]

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

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject