i can't help it if i want to kiss you in the rain, so
Flora beams at him without hesitation, glass lifting again as if the idea has already been filed away for later, and she nods decisively. "With Hadama stepping down and now Stormbreak trying to fall out of the sky, the bar has been aggressively shoved to the side of my desk," she says, rolling one shoulder as if the weight of it all can be casually shrugged off. "But when I get around to it, you and Asta are absolutely who I am calling for your expertise and vibes, both."
Her eyes roll skyward at his commentary on the Grounds, affection threaded through the motion as she takes another sip of her cocktail. "I think the Grounds is one of the best regions," she says easily. "If I weren't queen of Torchline, I'd come and live under your rule." At her friend's mangled name, Flora nods once, lips curving. "Sohalia is very good like that."
She drinks again as he starts in on Kai, one brow lifting at the casual dismissal of context, though she lets it slide with a small shrug. When his hands make the point unmistakably clear, a snort escapes her before she can stop it, horrified and amused all at once, and she bites at her lower lip as her nose wrinkles affectionately. "Yeeeeeeah," she admits, amusement bright in her eyes as she winces. "I am sure he loved learning about that." The wink is returned without shame, fond and unapologetic. "I'd asked him if he wanted to go through all the people we have slept with," she adds lightly, lifting one shoulder. "He said no, so.."
But as Danta keeps talking, her smile begins to falter; not disappearing, but tightening, her eyes widening as the shape of it all sharpens into something less funny. She is already inhaling to ask what the context actually was when he reaches the end of it, and the word manicure lands like a dropped plate.
Her glass nearly follows it.
Flora fumbles, catching it just in time, red lips pulling into a hard, unamused line as she slams it down on the counter. "He said what." The kitchen feels colder all at once. Spice puffs out a small breath and skitters away, wisely removing herself from the blast radius as Flora’s aqua eyes turn sharp and unmistakably icy. "First of all," she says, voice clipped now, fury contained rather than loud, "don't worry. I'm absolutely going to murder Kai on your behalf."
She exhales through her nose, then moves without thinking, stepping in close until she is standing between Danta’s knees, leaning into him with familiar ease, an arm looping around his waist in a hug. " Second," she continues, looking up at him, "I'm really sorry he said any of that. He is sort of old-fashioned about things, but he shouldn't have told you how to live your life." She nudges him gently, affection settling back into place where anger cannot quite reach. "Especially when you and Asta are the best couple."
Her eyes roll skyward at his commentary on the Grounds, affection threaded through the motion as she takes another sip of her cocktail. "I think the Grounds is one of the best regions," she says easily. "If I weren't queen of Torchline, I'd come and live under your rule." At her friend's mangled name, Flora nods once, lips curving. "Sohalia is very good like that."
She drinks again as he starts in on Kai, one brow lifting at the casual dismissal of context, though she lets it slide with a small shrug. When his hands make the point unmistakably clear, a snort escapes her before she can stop it, horrified and amused all at once, and she bites at her lower lip as her nose wrinkles affectionately. "Yeeeeeeah," she admits, amusement bright in her eyes as she winces. "I am sure he loved learning about that." The wink is returned without shame, fond and unapologetic. "I'd asked him if he wanted to go through all the people we have slept with," she adds lightly, lifting one shoulder. "He said no, so.."
But as Danta keeps talking, her smile begins to falter; not disappearing, but tightening, her eyes widening as the shape of it all sharpens into something less funny. She is already inhaling to ask what the context actually was when he reaches the end of it, and the word manicure lands like a dropped plate.
Her glass nearly follows it.
Flora fumbles, catching it just in time, red lips pulling into a hard, unamused line as she slams it down on the counter. "He said what." The kitchen feels colder all at once. Spice puffs out a small breath and skitters away, wisely removing herself from the blast radius as Flora’s aqua eyes turn sharp and unmistakably icy. "First of all," she says, voice clipped now, fury contained rather than loud, "don't worry. I'm absolutely going to murder Kai on your behalf."
She exhales through her nose, then moves without thinking, stepping in close until she is standing between Danta’s knees, leaning into him with familiar ease, an arm looping around his waist in a hug. " Second," she continues, looking up at him, "I'm really sorry he said any of that. He is sort of old-fashioned about things, but he shouldn't have told you how to live your life." She nudges him gently, affection settling back into place where anger cannot quite reach. "Especially when you and Asta are the best couple."
