copycat

// you've got your finger on the trigger //

It is a fair point, one that the butcher nods to with that same sharp edged grin. As Charlie finds a place to stand, Astaroth delves a bit further into the temple, hand running along the side of the wall as he listens. Only when he’s halfway in the middle of the back wall does he turn toward her, tail flicking lazily behind him as his grin is cast toward her. “Correct. Admittedly, the bloodlust will be the easiest part for me.” He doesn’t know how much of a secret his proclivities are (and if he were a bit less oblivious he might realize she already knows what kind of preferences he has).

“Consecrating, however, I wish to defer to your judgment.” He inclines his horned head, the light of a nearby wall sconce casting his shadow impossibly tall and pointed thanks to his horns.

As her idea becomes painted in his mind, his dark gaze follows her gesture from her manicured hand, his grin sharpening ever so slightly. “Ooh, a brilliant idea. Perhaps we may be inclined to add ruby clusters as well to make it more of a focal point?” He suggests, to break up even more of the strict appearing architecture but while keeping some of it more modern for whatever proclivities may require a flat wall or rooms that Charlie has planned.

Maybe he’s just imagining the brilliant wooden floors, prim and pristine until they reach closer to the shrine, where it’s broken up and decorated on the border with rubies and the earth beneath them, glittering and casting hues of red across the room.

Astaroth

// but your trigger finger's mine //

they say I did something bad, so why's it feel so good?

"And is that just because you like to be more private with certain aspects of your worship, or..." Having turned towards him, Charlie's tail flit behind her small body as she eyed the Butcher with a bright and inquisitive stare. Though he hadn't answered her tea question the way she thought he would have, he also seemed to hint often enough at his other proclivities making Charlie wonder if he was as closed off about talking about it as she'd originally thought.

Maybe she'd just ask.

"If I scheduled an orgy here in the Temple, would you cum come? Would you want to come?" The clarification comes on the heels of a smile, if only because Asta seemed the type to step out of his comfort zone if his help was requested.

"Mmmmmm, yes." Clasping her hands together, the priestess can already imagine how it might look: an otherwise orderly space ruined by their goddess' love for entropy, stones and earth everywhere broken only by towers of rubies. "We could have large vats of oil so there's always a fire." Charlie suggests, not only because of the ancients' relationship to fire, but because of how cleansing it could be, depending on what sorts of activities were engaged in at the shrine.

// you've got your finger on the trigger //

“More careful, I suppose.” Astaroth answers with that same sharp grin, even if it seems a little less genuine this time and a hint more closed off – one that falters ever so slightly with the raise of his brows at her bluntness – though truthfully needing it in order to understand just what Charlie is getting at.

A deep chuckle leaves him and he looks back toward the wall, a touch awkward and out of place, formulating the words in his mind as to how best to explain himself. “I have never participated in one, however... I would give it a chance for our darling Dygra.” The butcher admits, before he sweeps his dark gaze back over toward her and tilts his head. “But I must admit that I am not much of a sexual person unless the mood strikes – which is unfortunately not all that often.” The words fall from his lips a bit awkwardly, but he pushes through them in the effort to explain, to make it make sense (even if it doesn’t in the face of what Dygra stands for).

He will need some extra encouragement, which he doubts Charlie would have any difficulty in providing.

Looking around the temple once more, he finds his steps bringing him back toward her, lingering on the space where the shrine would sit and the extras that Charlie adds – vats of oil for fire, for cleansing, and truly it sounds perfect. “Lovely.” He agrees with a sharp grin. “Once LongNight is over I intend to collect obsidian from the Climb to carve into the shrine. Would you like to assist with that?” And maybe with their carving, they can carve out the space in the floor when half the world isn’t frozen where it’ll be placed.

Astaroth

// but your trigger finger's mine //

they say I did something bad, so why's it feel so good?

"I can do careful." Not knowing entirely what it meant, Charlie was still undeterred. If he often went too far, there were ways of ensuring things didn't get out of hand. Or, if that was his thing, well...Charlie could provide for that as well.morgen.

Stepping closer and peering up at him so that the rest of the Temple might not be drawn to their conversation by the loudness of their voices, Charlie nods. I would give it a chance for our darling Dygra. That's more or less exactly what she'd imagined, and while she certainly appreciated his willingness, the priestess was just as concerned with him enjoying himself. "And...is there anything in particular that makes the mood strike?" Nearly on her tiptoes as if her eagerness had made her body slightly buoyant, the little blonde raised her eyebrows. "Or rather, make it not strike?"

Then again if he wasn't particularly keen on joining, perhaps he could stand guard? There was nothing at all wrong with watching, after all.

"Oh! Of course!' Charlie chimes instantly, her smile wide and her blue eyes already dancing with delight.

// you've got your finger on the trigger //

Dark eyes track her as she steps closer, loosening a touch of tension in his shoulders at the kindness she offers with closing the distance so their voices aren’t carried as far – a feat that has him meeting her part way with where he bends to meet her, sharp teeth still flashing a surprisingly easy grin despite the topic. (He’s simply good at keeping it plastered into place). “Typically the adrenaline of sating my bloodlust helps it strike.” He admits, a realization that he’s only lately come to realize.

As for making it not strike, well, that’s a whole other can of worms. “I am not that inclined to be touched without my knowledge or my personal initiation.” His smile twists a bit apologetic at that, despite having no reason to. He’s entitled to feel how he wishes to, and it’s only Danta that has managed to break through that mold of getting away with it.

Not that he’s going to look into that too close.

Her acceptance of his offer to collect the obsidian is met with a wide grin that seems more genuine at least and his head tilts gently. “Beautiful, then that portion is settled.” Lugging it back and carving it and turning the Temple into exactly what Charlie had envisioned, shrine and all.

Astaroth

// but your trigger finger's mine //

they say I did something bad, so why's it feel so good?

"Oooooooooooh." The priestess purrs. Not at all offput by the violent nature of it, instead her face is positively alight with approval as she nods. "I can certainly see why being careful would need to factor in." She murmurs, before nodding thoughtfully as if imagining different scenarios where in things might go better or worse depending on how it was handled. "And, uhm..." Based on one of their previous outings, Charlie has an idea about what the answer to her next question might be before she asks it. "..are you usually the only one who walks away when the mood strikes that way?"

Indeed he has no reason to be apologetic, and if she could have reached (and if he hadn't just said he didn't like to be touched without his permission), she might have playfully pinched his lips closed. Instead, she merely gave him a stern shake of her head. "If you've never been in an orgy before it might be difficult to give the sort of sweeping permission needed." The priestess reasons before shrugging. "But if it really isn't the sort of way you want to worship, we can find other ways for you to be involved." Maybe Asta could pour the wine and ensure that everyone stayed hydrated.

"It's all about what brings you the most pleasure, and if this isn't it, then it isn't it."

// you've got your finger on the trigger //

A hum of agreement slips from the butcher’s lips, nodding in spite of himself when it comes to being careful. “I have been offered a muzzle once before, for caution.” As she could likely see the sharp points to each and every one of his teeth and not just the fangs extended by him becoming Ancient. A rite of passage from when he was simply just a normal human cannibal, the filing of his adult teeth.

But he’s gotten better with that. Or, more likely, Danta has gotten better at recognizing the signs to prevent him from going too hard. Both of which are things he does not admit to.

Nodding lightly to her next comment, he pauses as if trying to figure out just how to answer that particular question. “Yes. Unless the other person is particularly forthcoming.” Yes, he prefers his control over situations, but he also isn’t the one to fully strike unless there was some semblance of taunting or teasing beforehand. That’s precisely how Danta got him into this confusing mess.

The stern shake of her head is admittedly a bit surprising, and Astaroth blinks at her for a moment before his smile widens. “You are truly a gem, Charlie.” So saying, because he can see the way she hesitates from touching him, true to his word he initiates with the lift of his hand to her jaw in a gentle and tender squeeze. “I find the most pleasure in blood and carnage.”

Astaroth

// but your trigger finger's mine //

they say I did something bad, so why's it feel so good?

"I wonder..." Tapping her foot softly, Charlie narrows her eyes thoughtfully up at Asta. "..do you think Dygra would give us a room in the Temple where there weren't any consequences? Where pain and pleasure existed, but death didn't? Where things would just...I don't know, reset upon leaving?" Not just for the reasons the Butcher might be inclined to use such a room for, but given how hotheaded they could be as a race, being able to pummel the shit out of someone might go quite far to settling disputes, especially if there were no lingering consequences.

Rolling her tongue against the roof of her mouth to simulate a literal purr, the little ancient tilts her chin up and into Asta's touch with utter delight. "Then blood and carnage you shall have. You can leave all that messy touching to the rest of us." She hums. For a moment her eyes slip shut, enjoying the warmth of his hand the way a cat might. 'And if Danta were to join one or both sessions, would that be alright with you?" Keeping her eyes closed just in case the Butcher's normally effortless smile were to faulter, when she does go to open them, it's with an obvious fluttering of her lashes.

// you've got your finger on the trigger //

Her suggestion is met with pure delight and admiration glimmering in his gaze, the grin still on for show as he imagines it. “My, what a horrifyingly beautiful idea.” And he means it – to get out all the anger and pain and frustrations without consequences for such feats? Where destruction could be wrought without anything lingering? “We should ask her, don’t you think?” And what amount of chaos that would bring – to disrupt the natural order of life within the room, if death were not a worry no matter what one did.

His hand is warm as it cups her chin and cheek, remaining there briefly to offer his appreciation with the brief chuckle that escapes him. He’s about to answer when she mentions Danta’s name, and despite her eyes being closed to not see any faltering, there is none to be had even in the gentle touch to her face before he brushes back a lock of her blonde hair behind her shoulder.

If anything, when she opens her eyes and he withdraws his hand, it’s with a dark brow lifted in confusion with the grin still in place. “Whatever Danta wishes to do is of his own volition. I am not his keeper.” Gods knew he’d stumbled in on quite a few events Danta had been a part of that made literally zero sense to him, and he’d been internally too mortified to ask.

Astaroth

// but your trigger finger's mine //

they say I did something bad, so why's it feel so good?

'We should!' Charlie agrees emphatically, clearly pleased as punch (and my, what an odd expression that is). "But not until we've already finished this. No need to be greedy." She murmurs, gesturing around the Temple and nearly dropping to her knees right then and there to begin work tearing up the floor. Better to wait until after LongNight was over, she silently reasons; that way she could disintegrate and dispose of the ash and dust without fearing turning to stone.

"Juuuuust checking!" Charlie sings as she crinkles her nose affectionately up at the Butcher. Whatever was going on with Danta and Asta, so long as she gave them each the opportunity to opt in or out as they chose, the blonde would otherwise let them seal their own fates. Mutual satisfaction was important to Charlie, yes, but so was letting the people around her manage their own lives.

"I'll start planning all of this." The consecration of the ground. The destruction of the flood. Their bloodlust. " Whenever you're ready to start, you just let me know, okay?" Unable to reach up to kiss Asta given his height, instead Charlie blew a kiss made of fiery in his direction that floated up towards his cheek.

~FIN