Court of the Fallen was created in October of 2018 by Odd, Honey, and Crooked.
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Tilting her head as she hears the aviator out, Isla shouldn't be surprised that it is, in fact, drugs that contribute to Ever's lowered inhibitions, but to listen to him, it's not the only reason. "Well, I hope the world is treating you kindly out here, out of your own head," she says with a warm smile, though in itself she considers her question answered.
As for what brings her out this way, she gestures to the satchel over her shoulder, opening it to show him the herbs inside. "Nothing nefarious I'm afraid. The clinic was low on a few supplies, so I came out to see what I could find." Closing the satchel again, she glances to the horizon to check how long she's actually been away.
"I should be getting back soon, probably. Do you want to walk with me? Or are you happy out here?"
I'll take a bruise, I know you're worth it When you hit me, hit me hard
"I think it's treating me the same as it always has. I'm just...experiencing it differently."
Peering into the bag she opens as if the depths of the cosmos might be inside rather than a few bundles of herbs, the aviator raises his eyebrows and nods. 'If I see any of those along my way, I'll pluck them for you.' He offers, and though Everest doesn't reach for his notebook with panicky need, he does commit to memory the things within Isla's bag.
"I'll walk with you if that's alright." Standing, Everest straightens his shirt as best he's able given the incorrect assignment of the buttons, before effortlessly looping the strap of his guitar over his shoulder to allow it to lay flat against his back. "I am planning on taking Mateo's schooner to King's End. The House of Midnight, I believe you're familiar? You don't happen to know the way, do you?"
the boards will still creak the leaves will still die
"Oh - that's very kind of you." Isla smiles to Ever, and although she's not entirely sure of his current state of mind (or rather, how likely he is to remember any concrete details) the Remedy will accept whatever he's able to collect up. She'll be able to separate any useful herbs from generic seaweed by now, she hopes.
Rising to her feet as well, she brushes off her skirts and gives an amicable nod to his suggestion that they walk together, beginning to pick her way across the breezy cliffsides back towards Torchline proper. "You are? That's quite adventurous," she says of the House of Midnight, smiling at the familiar name.
"I do know the way, yes. I helped to build it," she continues, a fond smile touching to her lips. "Would you like me to draw you a map? It isn't a difficult flight, I don't think."
I'll take a bruise, I know you're worth it When you hit me, hit me hard
"Is it?" Tilting his head slightly, Ever has to shade his eyes as the light glints off of Isla's horns, casting phantasmic colours and patterns dotting across the bridge of her nose before fracturing and nearly blinding him.
"A woman of many talents." He says knowingly before shifting slightly at her side that the sun was behind her. "That would be very helpful. The other sky pilots don't know the way as they only stop at the port." They'd also made a show of acting ignorant as to the reason he might want to visit the brothel, not that he'd been trying to hide it of course, though he found their cawing incredibly unhelpful.
"I was hoping I might engage in some of the services there for educational purposes." Everest explains casually. "I've never had sex before, and from what I've learned from Mateo over the years, I believe I've missed the window of youth when learning by trial and error is acceptable."
the boards will still creak the leaves will still die
"A woman with a very specific set of talents that work in a variety of settings," Isla corrects, shifting her satchel on her shoulder and seeming content to stroll back towards Haulani at a pace that suits the aviator. "I don't believe it's far from the port. You just need to head inland, towards Meadowreach. I can mark out a route for you when we get to the clinic," she explains.
The Remedy hasn't had any intention of asking what business Everest might have at the House of Midnight - but honestly, to hear that he's decided to visit to actually use the brothel is something of a surprise, and she blinks at him for a second, as if trying to decide if she's heard him correctly. "Oh," she says. "I mean, I don't think there's an upper age limit on learning." For sex or any other subject, for that matter.
"I suppose a brothel is as good a place as any other..." There's a multitude of things she might have added; personal opinions, questions, concerns, but gods if she is pitifully unversed on the subject of Everest Hart to know where to begin or why.
I'll take a bruise, I know you're worth it When you hit me, hit me hard
'Ah, my mistake.' Ever says gravely, touching his fingers to his heart in apology.
Bobbing his head in easy agreement as if they were talking about the state of local produce rather than his want of popping his cherry, Ever shrugs. "No, but I do think the ways in which you go about it should probably be a bit different. At least from what I understand of sex and how it can complicate things, I would rather learn the best way I can." Which, you know, did seem reasonable enough.
"Mmm, that's what I thought as well. I was going to go to Molly's in Stormbreak, but it's unclear to me if sleeping with the same people as Mateo is bad form. Not only that, but as it's one of his places of work, it seems a bit invasive." Just because the botanist wouldn't mind didn't seem a particularly good reason to think it was a good idea.
"Besides, surely an establishment run by two Frey-demigods must provide good services?" Looking at Isla, the rise of the aviator's eyebrows seemed to silently wonder if she'd ever partaken.
the boards will still creak the leaves will still die
Tilting her head and desperately trying to understand the Ever of it all when it's a subject like this, Isla furrows her brows and takes a second to choose her words carefully. "That's no bad thing," she concedes. "But sex can complicate things regardless of whether it's good sex or not. Unless you are trying to learn it as a skill to use?" Which, for performers and prostitutes very much like those who work at Molly's or Midnight's, yes, it would probably be a good idea.
Wishing she might be able to reach into her head and physically slow down the thoughts fighting for purchase, Isla lets out a soft laugh without really knowing why. "I woudn't know personally," she says of the House's services, "but I imagine so, yes. I just... this feels very academic for an act that is anything but." Isla doesn't know the polite way to say you have never had sex, so you don't know what the fuss is about yet, so this will have to do.
I'll take a bruise, I know you're worth it When you hit me, hit me hard
"Use?" The aviator's brows flinch together for a moment as he looks at Isla, puzzling out her meaning. For all the leaps and bounds he's made, there are still parts of the world that he's simply too naive to immediately grasp. "No, I don't think so." As for complications, he exhales and nods. "Emotional ones, you mean? I have heard that. Mateo says that there are many he enjoys having sex with but who have gotten attached even if they had promised not to." Shrugging if only to communicate his complete ignorance on the subject, he continues to trudge back toward the clinic.
"Well, I know in theory how it works, but...well, take kissing for example. I knew how that worked too, until someone kissed me and I realized how little I did know. Some of it I'm sure will come with experience, but until I have muscle memory to rely on, I'm not sure academic is such a bad thing to be." It's all very matter-of-factly said, as if Ever was saying he was thinking of taking up painting and had been studying for it where Isla was saying he just needed to go out and do it.
"Mateo has also said women can be more difficult to please." Though his cheeks should have been pink with shame for asking such a thing, the colouring on Ever's skin was merely sunkissed instead of ashamed. "Do you think that's true?" Isla was a woman, after all.
the boards will still creak the leaves will still die
"Right. Well," Isla says, because blurting out oh, that's good is something she does at least know not to do, "if that's the case, I'm not sure how much generic practice you need. Sex is something that most people do with only a few select people. And that sexual relationship can develop and look different, from person to person." How are they having this conversation?
Then Ever is moving on to kissing, and Isla's furrowed brow is almost comical as she tilts her head, wanting nothing more than to take a penlight and peep into the aviator's brain and what the fuck it's thinking. "Okay but... it's not about doing the right things. It's about doing things that feel good. For you, and for the other person," she attempts. Gods, does she attempt.
Clearing her throat brusquely as they pivot onto women and their fuckin needs, the medic laughs and rubs at her forehead. "I think it very much depends on the sexual partner," she says, restating her earlier point. "And that goes for men and women."
I'll take a bruise, I know you're worth it When you hit me, hit me hard
"That's another thing I've found confusing. I think I've heard in equal amounts—" And truly this says more about the company he keeps than anything else. "—that sex can be just for pleasure as much as for intimacy in a relationship." Again he turns his big blue eyes toward Isla, as if she might instantly know the ratio between casual and meaningful sex, or to point him in one direction or the other.
"That's what I don't know yet." He says with a sigh, rubbing at his shoulder vaguely where a burn is starting to set in. "And even when things have felt good, I haven't always known how to replicate them." This is where, without saying precisely with who, Ever explains how he'd tried to chase the ghost of arousal he'd felt when kissing Mateo, and how his fingers had scoured the botanist's body in search of it, but to no avail. "That might have also been the drugs, though."
Biting thoughtfully at the inside of his lip, entirely unsure with whom to place the bulk of his trust, Ever nods. "Well, I hope I'm good at it. Or that I can learn to be. I think I would enjoy making people feel good in that way."
the boards will still creak the leaves will still die
"Well that's because it's true," Isla says, thankful at least to know one answer in this slew of questions, glancing up at the aviator as they head off the grassy cliffs and down onto a proper pathway. "And neither one is wrong or right, it's personal preference. You just need to decide what's more important for you, or if either one is particularly important."
On the list of things she'd expected to hear today, Everest Hart's so anyway, makeouts is not on it, Isla blinking politely as he explains and teasing a lock of hair out of her face. "Maybe you don't know yourself enough yet," she suggests with a gentle shrug. "The only way to find out is to try different things, I suppose. So... I guess that brings us back to educational visits to the House of Midnight." Smirking, she hasn't realised she's been helping him to make his point until she does.
Grinning now, she nods in agreement. "A lot of people do," she says - enjoy making people feel good, she means. "I'm sure you'll find what you're looking for."
I'll take a bruise, I know you're worth it When you hit me, hit me hard
Humming a note of agreement as he sips in a breath of sea air, his senses lazily noting the way the saltiness had given away to dry grass, purple fog dulls the aviator's need to reach for a notebook and record each and every suggestion, though his fingers do itch at his sides for want of something to do.
"That's what Mateo said as well." That he didn't know himself, though from what Ever knew, Mateo was suggesting that he just masturbate a bunch. Which, not a terrible idea in the big scheme of educational exercises. "I thought so too. I took a leave of absence from work and told Flora I wouldn't be able to help with the bar for a while." He explains. "I thought at least a few weeks of studying? Or..' Frowning, not quite knowing how to capture what it was he'd be doing at the brothel, he looks apologetically at Isla.
"If not there, where?" The aviator agrees with a grin, as Isla comes around to his way of thinking. It might seem overly academic and analytical, but truly there was a lot to think about. At least for a man of 22 who didn't have the luxuries of a boy of 15 fumbling about for the first time.
the boards will still creak the leaves will still die
"Wise words from a man not known to be all that wise," Isla says, and though she might be throwing minor shade in Mateo's direction, it's with an affectionate smile that she speaks about the botanist. And while the doctor wouldn't normally be sure about leaving work and other obligations in lieu of sexual exploration, taking time for oneself is important, and so she can only nod along with Ever's explanation.
"Well, many people cultivate their relationships, which might lead to intimacy and sex. Others go out looking for pleasure, but by meeting people at bars or other places where inhibitions might be low." Or, as with the brothel, one could simply pay for it. Whatever floats one's boat, and so on.
Heading up the steps now and into the skyward section of Haulani's city, Isla shields her eyes from the sun beaming overhead. "When are you thinking of heading out?"
I'll take a bruise, I know you're worth it When you hit me, hit me hard
"Even a broken clock.." Ever says, a touch uncertainly. The haze of Dahlia's kiss had done a great deal for the aviator, but it hadn't necessarily helped his understanding of expressions.
As they begin the uphill portion of their walk, Everest shifts the guitar on his back to free his shoulders somewhat before wiping at his brow with the back of his hand. "I appreciate your insight into all of this. I know some people find it an uncomfortable topic." When he was much younger he'd asked to watch Remi and Ronin have sex, much to the horror of everyone involved.
"If you can draw me up a map I might leave tonight." Not because he was overly keen to lose his virginity, mind. "It's really beautiful to fly at night, and much easier despite the darkness. " Less traffic, you understand.
the boards will still creak the leaves will still die
