![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
[ Arthur will also find a small, kind of flat gift waiting for him in the dorm, with a note: ]
Dear Arthur,
Merry Midwinter!
I hope this present is pleasant and nothing too silly or nefarious...
-Oriphi
[ Inside is a pack of moisturizing sheet face masks, the kind that have a cute (?) animal face printed onto the sheets. ]
Dear Arthur,
Merry Midwinter!
I hope this present is pleasant and nothing too silly or nefarious...
-Oriphi
[ Inside is a pack of moisturizing sheet face masks, the kind that have a cute (?) animal face printed onto the sheets. ]
[ He takes it, offering the gift which RNG says is a succulent in turn. ]
And a happy holiday to you as well.
And a happy holiday to you as well.
[ OH CUTE. After tearing away the wrapping, he cups the little potted plant in his hands ]
Oh, look at this. 'Tis perfect.
Oh, look at this. 'Tis perfect.
[ He opens his in turn, brightening. ]
Look, Conductor! You could do this with Da Vinci.
Look, Conductor! You could do this with Da Vinci.
I'm glad it was something good. One never can tell what is in these packages.
Have you gotten anything else worthwhile? Tighnari gave me a terrarium of small plants. Now I can add this to the collection.
Da Vinci gave me a fuzzy blanket. I like it. It is verrrry warm.
[ ping! a message from "Plagiarist"! ]
Arthur?
[ that's all, for about ten minutes. then: ping! ]
I need to show you something.
Arthur?
[ that's all, for about ten minutes. then: ping! ]
I need to show you something.
Yes, my sky?
[ Sprezzatura don't leave him on read for TEN MINUTES. Now he's worried. ]
Is everything alright? Where are you?
[ Sprezzatura don't leave him on read for TEN MINUTES. Now he's worried. ]
Is everything alright? Where are you?
I am at pool hall.
[ this is not gonna bode well when those feathers erupt, but for now, she is simply drinking and spinning her wheels ]
All is
[ a DELAY ]
well. Come see me?
[ this is not gonna bode well when those feathers erupt, but for now, she is simply drinking and spinning her wheels ]
All is
[ a DELAY ]
well. Come see me?
[ All is well? (X) DOUBT. ]
I am on my way.
[ And sure enough a short bit later, he appears at the pool hall, peering around as he enters. ]
Sprezzatura?
I am on my way.
[ And sure enough a short bit later, he appears at the pool hall, peering around as he enters. ]
Sprezzatura?
[ she hears him enter. her heart begins to pound. at her place at the bar, she cuts the silhouette of a woman slouched over the countertop, her hair and dress draping like a waterfall. turning towards his voice—one hand cradles the blood vial where it sits. ]
Arthur.
[ —wobbles. ]
Arthur.
[ —wobbles. ]
[ He closes the space between them quickly, bringing a hand up to steady her. ]
I'm here, my sky.
I'm here, my sky.
[ she's got that too-familiar alcohol flush in her cheeks ]
You look so... you look so stern. Did you run?
You look so... you look so stern. Did you run?
When you didn't respond right away, I thought something might be wrong.
[ His other hand cups her cheek. She's so, so warm. ]
[ His other hand cups her cheek. She's so, so warm. ]
N... [ "no, nothing."
she can't. she can't make the lie happen this time. her voice simply quavers and fades into a thready exhale. Mammon, there's never more than a moment anymore that there's something "right".
without a word, Sprezzatura pulls the stoppered vial forward. it drags across the counter, glass on granite. there's a label tacked to one side: S.V. Oripathy, it reads. ]
she can't. she can't make the lie happen this time. her voice simply quavers and fades into a thready exhale. Mammon, there's never more than a moment anymore that there's something "right".
without a word, Sprezzatura pulls the stoppered vial forward. it drags across the counter, glass on granite. there's a label tacked to one side: S.V. Oripathy, it reads. ]
[ Oh, Sprezzatura. He wants to pull her into an embrace. He nearly does, if not for the vial suddenly offered in his direction. He frowns. ]
What is this? "Oripathy"?
What is this? "Oripathy"?
[ this is a woman who does not deserve a hug, arthur. ]
Take it. Take it from me. [ and this is a tone which brooks no argument. in truth, her hand has started to shake there upon the countertop, so that her nails jitter against it, but she can't back away from this ledge now that she's peered over. gravity has her. ] This wretched blight that has broken down so much of me.
Take it. Take it from me. [ and this is a tone which brooks no argument. in truth, her hand has started to shake there upon the countertop, so that her nails jitter against it, but she can't back away from this ledge now that she's peered over. gravity has her. ] This wretched blight that has broken down so much of me.
[ He doesn't care if she deserves it. She clearly needs it. ]
... Alright.
[ Take it he does, turning it over in his hand. He knows blood when he sees it, but what that possibly means, he cannot even begin to guess. ]
Now will you tell me what this is?
... Alright.
[ Take it he does, turning it over in his hand. He knows blood when he sees it, but what that possibly means, he cannot even begin to guess. ]
Now will you tell me what this is?
[ there's a tension to her jaw when he takes it; her eyes are fixed on the vial. fixated. there—it is out of her hands, literally, and into another's. he doesn't appear to have any open wounds, and she's stoppered the bottle as well as she can.
still, her fingers twitch like they wish to snatch it back. ]
Cancerous particles, transmitted through bodily fluids.
still, her fingers twitch like they wish to snatch it back. ]
Cancerous particles, transmitted through bodily fluids.
[ Well, no he's not currently at risk of anything. But also: what the hell. ]
What?
[ He looks down at the vial again. ]
"S.V." Seven hells, is this your blood?
What?
[ He looks down at the vial again. ]
"S.V." Seven hells, is this your blood?
[ is the heat in her face from the alcohol or the shame or the anger? she wobbles on her stool and grips at the smooth countertop with her claws. ]
Correct. [ even her voice is huskier than its usual fare; she's been at it a while before sending that message, it'd seem. ] My blood, from when oripathy was killing me. [ she steels herself, adding an edge to her voice. ] You must take it far from me.
Des... [ "Destroy it, if you must." that's what she wants to say, yet she can't force that past her lips any easier. is she a Scribe or not? does she truly live now only to destroy every speck of knowledge and opportunity she comes across?
lowers her temple into the support of one hand ] Mmhh.
Correct. [ even her voice is huskier than its usual fare; she's been at it a while before sending that message, it'd seem. ] My blood, from when oripathy was killing me. [ she steels herself, adding an edge to her voice. ] You must take it far from me.
Des... [ "Destroy it, if you must." that's what she wants to say, yet she can't force that past her lips any easier. is she a Scribe or not? does she truly live now only to destroy every speck of knowledge and opportunity she comes across?
lowers her temple into the support of one hand ] Mmhh.
[ He notes the "was" with some amount of relief, though logically he knows it must be a thing of the past, elsewise they both would have much bigger problems to deal with right now.
He tucks the vial away, letting it nestle alongside his soul crystal. ]
Sprezzatura, I need you to tell me what's going on. Is this blood a danger to you?
[ It's potentially a danger to anyone, just by virtue of what it is, but why does SPrezzatura want it out of her presence specifically? ]
He tucks the vial away, letting it nestle alongside his soul crystal. ]
Sprezzatura, I need you to tell me what's going on. Is this blood a danger to you?
[ It's potentially a danger to anyone, just by virtue of what it is, but why does SPrezzatura want it out of her presence specifically? ]
[ she watches the vial disappear with a strange tension in her features. her claws curl against the countertop.
why did she do that? why did she give it up? ]
It—it tempts me. What I could learn from it, if I only... kept it. You know how we scholars are.
why did she do that? why did she give it up? ]
It—it tempts me. What I could learn from it, if I only... kept it. You know how we scholars are.
Page 9 of 23