i want my life to look like sunflowers and leather

Flora

Flora’s grin flickers wider at his response, her fingers drumming lightly against the table as she tilts her head. "Fine, fine," she relents with an exaggerated sigh. "If you ascend to godhood, I’ll accept your judgment on Torchline versus the Greatwood. But only then." She winks, watching as he sets up his workspace, her gaze flicking curiously to the strips of leather, the bits of silver and gold, and—most amusingly—the wire-rimmed spectacles he slips onto his nose.

"Nnnnnnnnnnn," Flora whines, because as much as she's absolutely down to continue stringing out this joke, he really could be a ghost. "I mean...I did see you at the Festival, though," she points out, damned well knowing that she hadn't seen him speaking to anyone thanks to the argument that had immediately broken out between her dad and brother. "If you really were a ghost, I bet you died falling down a hill like the one I found you on, only no one came to help, and so now you do nice things for people who do stop to help you—" You know, like making necklaces into bracelets. "—and then haunt the ones that don't."

She leans forward slightly, watching as he works to remove the mageglass from its setting. The way his fingers move is methodical deft—and despite the obvious fever still lingering in his eyes—his hands are steady. "Most things alone, huh?" Flora muses, her tone playful, and perhaps a touch suggestive before she folds her arms comfortably across her chest, and glances around. "So if you had all the time and resources you needed...what'you think you'd want to build?"

Fatefully, I tried to pick my battles 'til the battle picked me
Misery, Like the war of words I shouted in my sleep

Code stolen from Queen Sky

NIKI

"Noted," Niki says with a decisive little nod in her direction. "Until then, the jury remains out." In his opinion, anyway. Flora has already made her preference clear between the two regions, and you know, given that she's the queen of one of them, he can't say he really blames her. Dropping his gaze back to his work, he only offers a small smile in response to her dramatics - but yes, he really could still be a ghost Flora - and uses the pliers and a pair of tweezers to free the mageglass, setting it down and the necklace aside.

"Would you prefer gold or silver?" he asks, only to tilt his head at her (creative, granted) story about his imaginary death and subsequent hauntings. "You are assuming that I am a ghost who is capable of doing nice things," he says reasonably. "Perhaps this bracelet will end up cursed. Or perhaps I put you to sleep as soon as you walked into the house, and now you are stuck here forever." You know. Normal things.

Humming the affirmative - and completely missing the suggestive lilt to her voice given his concentration - Niki moves onto the leather as Flora asks her question, the boy scoffing under his breath. "A better leg, for a start," he says without looking up. "After that, perhaps something that would protect the Greatwood from harm." Like armour for an undead grizzly bear, or a lightning rod that can store and shoot electricity.

stay your pretty eyes on course
keep the memories of who i was before

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Flora

Flora wrinkles her nose at him, her expression caught somewhere between exasperation and amusement; she'd win him over to Torchline, she was sure of it. "Silver," she answers immediately, no hesitation. Silver always reminded her of thunder and the sea, of storm-washed skies and the glint of moonlight on restless waves—perfect for Jack.

Leaning back against the table, she tilts her head at Niki, her grin quick and playful. "Well, you’re capable of being touched, so why shouldn’t you be capable of doing nice things?" she counters quickly as if those were the same type of thing. "Besides, you seem like a very clever ghost. And if I can come back from the dead so easily, I can probably beat a little curse."

At his next comment, she gasps dramatically, pressing a hand to her chest. "Wait, wait, does this mean you like me? You wanna keep me around?" Her brows lift in mock surprise before she grins, waggling her eyebrows at him and spreading her arms, threatening to wrap him up in a hug. She doesn't of course, not given the delicate work he's doing, but hey, if he wants to lock her in his home forever, he'd better know ahead of time what that entailed.

But then his words shift the conversation into something weightier, and Flora’s grin softens, her teasing energy dimming just slightly as she frowns. She glances toward his leg brace, considering it with new scrutiny before her voice drops to something quieter, more careful. "What happened to it?"

Fatefully, I tried to pick my battles 'til the battle picked me
Misery, Like the war of words I shouted in my sleep

Code stolen from Queen Sky

NIKI

"A good choice." There's nothing in Niki's expression to indicate that he'd have said the same if she'd chosen gold, but between you and I, he does prefer silver. Meticulously putting away the gold pieces and working, now, with a thin and delicate silver chain alongside the leather, he's concentrating too hard to look up from his work, but he can hear the playfulness in Flora's voice.

"What an odd remark," he says, lips quirking up in a smirk. "People who are capable of being touched are also capable of doing awful things. More to the point, who said ghosts were stupid?" And yes, for the record, he'd prefer to be incorporeal and still have his mind intact, much to the surprise of absolutely nobody. "I suppose we will have to see once this cursed bracelet is completed." Flora Cursebreaker.

He does look up at the movement that suggests she might be coming in for a hug, Niki stiffening as if to protect the careful work he's doing more than himself, but then the Doubletake seems to settle. "I did not realise I had given you the impression that I did not like you, Flora," he says quietly.

Ah, but then there's the leg to talk about, Niki scrunching his nose and giving a simple shrug as he glances down at the brace. "I honestly do not remember," he tells her. "It could have been something I was born with, or it may have happened when my parents died. It was like that when I arrived at the orphanage, but I have never been able to place it. It is like an injury that did not heal, or some sort of malformation. The brace helps me to bear weight on it."

stay your pretty eyes on course
keep the memories of who i was before

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Flora

Flora’s grin widens as she watches him work, the meticulous way his fingers move over the silver chain and leather strap not inspiring the sorts of thoughts one might expect from her, but merely simply appreciation. "Alright, but we're talking about ghosts," she reminds him, voice lilting. "Are they capable of being touched and being nice? Maybe there’s some kind of ghost rule that says they can’t, which is why it’s always the mean ones that can walk through walls and make shit float." She gestures vaguely with one hand before rolling her eyes at him. "And obviously ghosts are as smart as they were when they were alive—I was trying to pay you a compliment, Niki."

At his stiffening, she stops, arms dropping back to her sides as she chuckles at him, thinking her point has been clearly made. "There’s a difference between liking someone after being around them twice and wanting to lock them up in your house forever," she points out with a teasing arch of her brow. "Gotta ease into that kind of thing."

His answer about his leg wipes away some of her mischief, though, and she leans a hip against the table, nodding slowly as she absorbs the information. She keeps most of her thoughts to herself, assuming that if it could have been healed, it would have been already, but the fact that he doesn’t even know what caused it gnaws at her curiosity. That was the sort of thing that sounded like a curse. Or the sort of thing a ghost might say because they'd forgotten portions of their life. "Does anything besides the brace help?" she asks after a moment. "Like heat or cold, or tonics?"

Fatefully, I tried to pick my battles 'til the battle picked me
Misery, Like the war of words I shouted in my sleep

Code stolen from Queen Sky

NIKI

"You cannot say things like some kind of ghost rule and then follow it up with an obviously," Niki tells her, playfully affronted by her clash of logic and vague guesswork. "Perhaps you should ask your father and he can supply us with a final verdict. He likely has more experience around ghosts than either of us." Or does he? Niki's small smile seems to suggest, the boy having been busy affixing the chain to the leather straps so they fall in a way that will appear aesthetically chaotic when worn.

"And you say that, but what if this is only the second time you have been around me?" he inquires, adjusting his glasses and letting that thought stretch out, that perhaps Niki has been ghost-stalking Flora around for longer than she knows before finally deciding to make his presence known. "I could have decided long ago to keep you here forever."

Sitting back for a breather, Niki flexes his fingers and wrists a few times and blinks over the rim of his glasses to let his eyes focus on something distant for a couple of seconds. "Heat helps," he says with a nod. "If I am in one position for too long it can get stiff - pause for laughter," he says dryly, clearly aware of the painful innuendo of such a remark. "So heat helps to keep the joints moving as they should. I cannot confess to have tried any tonics, and I feel cold enough on an ordinary day."

stay your pretty eyes on course
keep the memories of who i was before

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Flora

"Can't I?" The queen purrs, entirely unbothered by the dissonance of her argument, before she's gasping and pressing a hand dramatically to her chest, staring at Niki with exaggerated horror. "Oh my gods," she whispers, aqua eyes going wide with playful shock. "Have you been following me around this whole time? Just... lurking in the shadows? Watching? Waiting?" Her voice drops to a conspiratorial murmur as she leans in slightly, her expression shifting from teasing to something entirely salacious. "Gods the thing you must have seen, and heard."

The fact that she even has to second guess whether or not he was being serious is what gets her. Niki’s humour is so dry, so straight-faced, that there’s just enough doubt creeping in around the edges of her thoughts to make her frown at him, as if trying to solve a puzzle she hadn’t realized existed. Because if he was a ghost and had been trailing around her, she'd have known, right? Or rather, Jack would have known?

Right??

Shaking her head, she huffs out a laugh, wanting to swat his arm in mock frustration but resisting. "I honestly can't decide if I want you to be a ghost now." Flora had met plenty of people with sharp tongues and quick wit, but Niki’s brand of humour—so dry it cracked—was something she hadn't realized she needed in her life until now.

Her grin lingers as she watches him flex his fingers, only to let out a delighted bark of laughter when he pauses to acknowledge his own joke. "You really are full of surprises, huh?" She snickers, shaking her head. " We'll have to get you up for a stretch break then. Wouldn't wanna leave you too stiff, after all." Flora adds with a wink.

And maybe it’s a little too easy to fall into this rhythm with him, but she likes the way their banter bounces back and forth—sharp, playful, and with just the right amount of absurdity to make her forget having died not too terribly far away from where she currently stood.

Fatefully, I tried to pick my battles 'til the battle picked me
Misery, Like the war of words I shouted in my sleep

Code stolen from Queen Sky

NIKI

Flora's dramatics earn a gentle raise of one of Niki's eyebrows, his head tilting to the side as if really considering all the things he'd undoubtedly seen and heard during his time as her ghost-stalker. "A ghost never reveals his secrets," he tells her, the words curling around the smile tugging at his lips. Is that true? Is that another ghost rule? Does it matter if it isn't, given that they have taken to making it up as they go along? That's up to you, Flora.

"Why would you want me to be a ghost, though?" he inquires, dry humour melting into curiosity as he takes her up on her suggestion for a stretch break, Niki turning in his seat and letting his bad leg prop out before him so he can adjust the brace and ensure it hasn't grown too - yes - stiff. "You would expect this to be less of a problem if I was," he adds, gesturing to the leather and metal wrapping his lower leg. He also doubts ghosts can get fevers either, but he decides not to bring that up.

"Can I get you anything to drink?" he asks belatedly, as if just realising he's forgone such politeness to get straight to work. "Apologies for not offering before."

stay your pretty eyes on course
keep the memories of who i was before

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Flora

Flora’s aqua eyes widen as if his refusal to reveal his secrets is all the proof she needs. "Ah-ha!" She exclaims, snapping her fingers. "See? That’s exactly what a ghost would say." She points at him accusingly before crossing her arms, clearly pleased with this victory.

His question actually gives her pause, though, and for a moment, she tilts her head, considering. "Well, if you are a ghost, maybe that’d mean you’d stick around longer," she muses, twirling one of her curls absently between her fingers. "But if you’re not, then at least I don’t have to learn necromancy to keep you around, which would probably be way more effort than just, you know, getting you to like me enough to stick around on your own." Though, given their respective personalities, it'd be just as easy to think that learning necromancy would be easier than somehow managing a friendship.

The queen is about to say something else when he shifts to adjust his brace, and this time, her gaze catches properly on his face; the slight feverish flush to his cheeks, the faint lines of exhaustion pulling at his sharp features, the sheen glazing his eyes. At his offer of a drink, her brows draw together slightly, and instead of answering, she frowns. "I think the real question is: is there anything I can get you?" She gestures vaguely toward him, not wanting her concern to be taken for condescension. "Tea? Soup? A blanket? Someone to dramatically fan you while you lounge like a frail prince?"

She leans in slightly, lowering her voice to a mock-conspiratorial whisper. "Not saying it should be me, obviously. But maybe the ghosts who clean this place could lend a hand."

Fatefully, I tried to pick my battles 'til the battle picked me
Misery, Like the war of words I shouted in my sleep

Code stolen from Queen Sky

NIKI

"Is it? How would you know such a thing? Perhaps you are the ghost," Niki fires back, his tone remaining as mild as ever, though there is evidence of a slight smile still on his face. "Though I do wonder why you are so invested in keeping me around. I am many things, but an athlete is not one of them, Flora. I can assure you that I will not be running far." Chuckling he sits himself back up in his seat and turns back to the table to examine the pieces of metal and leather once more.

"Besides, you know my name and where I live, and we have already established that I am not one for travelling. You know where to find me, should you ever wish to visit. There are more than enough necromancers in this building as it is." Taking a slow, deep breath and rolling his shoulders as if to rid them of any gathering tension, Niki is about to proceed when Flora is the one offering to get him things, the boy blinking in surprise.

"I do not believe anyone has ever referred to me as a frail prince," he says with a wry smile. "I will be quite alright. I prefer coffee any way. This should not take too much longer, besides. After that perhaps we can go and get something together?" Assuming Flora agrees, Niki pushes up the sleeves of his sweater, revealling finely calloused hands and forearms littered with heavy scarring, and takes up his tools to reset the mageglass.

stay your pretty eyes on course
keep the memories of who i was before

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Flora

Flora laughs, rolling her eyes as she gestures vaguely at herself. "Please. If I were a ghost, I’d be way more dramatic about it." She presses a hand to her chest, tilting her head back as if overcome with sorrow. "Wailing in the halls, knocking over expensive glassware, whispering sweet nothings into the ears of unsuspecting men—" Her aqua eyes flick back to him with a smirk. "And then jump scaring them when they get up in the middle of the night to pee." You know, the usual.

At his dry remark about not being much of a runner, she snickers, tapping a finger against her chin in exaggerated thought. "I dunno, I mean..I want to keep you around because I like you," she admits with an easy shrug. "Not like that, obviously," she adds quickly, rolling her eyes as if the idea of romance or anything else between them is laughable (and not for the reasons you might be thinking). "I just… like you. You're unlike anyone else I’ve met." There’s no flattery to it, no over-the-top dramatics—just a simple, matter-of-fact truth.

"And since you refuse to admit you're sick, I guess I’ll have to keep you alive long enough to make sure you don’t keel over on me." Her smirk returns as she straightens, tilting her head toward the door. "So yeah, coffee sounds good. We can grab something after."

For now, though, she watches as he gets back to work, her gaze flicking between his hands and the pieces of metal and leather on the table. She’s careful not to stare too long at the scars lining his forearms, though they don’t go unnoticed. Instead, she just leans back against the table, letting the silence settle comfortably between them before nudging at the topic once more.

Fatefully, I tried to pick my battles 'til the battle picked me
Misery, Like the war of words I shouted in my sleep

Code stolen from Queen Sky

Flora

Flora scoffs, rolling her eyes as she gestures vaguely at herself. "Please. If I were a ghost, I’d be way more dramatic about it." She presses a hand to her chest, tilting her head back as if overcome with sorrow. "Wailing in the halls, knocking over expensive glassware, whispering sweet nothings into the ears of unsuspecting men—" Her aqua eyes flick back to him with a smirk. "And then jump scaring them in the middle of the night when they get up to pee." You know, the usual.

At his remark about not being much of a runner, she snickers, tilting her head as she shifts slightly against the table, watching him with a softer gaze. "But I mean...I want to keep you around because I like you," she admits with an easy shrug. "Not like that, obviously," she adds quickly, rolling her eyes playfully. "I just… like you. You're not like anyone else I’ve met." There’s no flattery to it, no over-the-top dramatics—just a simple, matter-of-fact truth.

As for necromancers? The queen raises a brow. "Wh—how many are there?" She wonders, blinkly flatly in his direction and resisting the urge to look nervously over her shoulder.

"And since you refuse to admit you're sick, I guess I’ll have to keep you alive long enough to make sure you don’t keel over on me." Her smirk returns as she straightens, tilting her head toward the door. "So yeah, coffee sounds good" For now, though, she watches as he gets back to work, her gaze flicking between his hands and the pieces of metal and leather on the table. She’s careful not to stare too long at the scars lining his forearms, though they don’t go unnoticed. Instead, she just leans back against the table, letting the silence settle comfortably.

Fatefully, I tried to pick my battles 'til the battle picked me
Misery, Like the war of words I shouted in my sleep

Code stolen from Queen Sky

NIKI

"More dramatic?" Niki echoes, and though his expression doesn't change as he examines the materials before him, there's something pointedly teasing in his tone. Granted, he eats his words as Flora clarifies with something, yes, very much more dramatic than her flamboyant mannerisms. "Wailing in the halls could make for a decent wake up call," he considers. "And are you saying you would only haunt men? Men with expensive glassware?" Not that he's judging, but it would be good to know if he plans not to be haunted by Flora if and when she ever becomes a ghost.

Pushing his glasses further up his nose and getting out a slender length of twine and a leather needle, Niki falls quiet both to listen to the Doubletake and so he can add a few stitches to the bracelet and to add a clasp. "Oh. Well, I am glad to hear it," he says. "I like you too, Flora." As for his being sick and refusing to admit it, Niki scoffs and replaces the needle with some other small pliers. "I spend the majority of my time fighting off some illness or another. If I stopped whenever I was unwell I would never get anything done," he says, all too reasonably.

Content to fall into their comfortable silence, the necromancer works dilligently to incorporate the mageglass into his creation, sitting back at last to hold it up for Flora to examine. The necklace has become a bracelet crafted in a mixture of delicate silver chains and braided leather. The large piece of mageless sits incorporated as the centre piece, but a few other small, tempered pieces of silver dangle from the chain, like small coins. "Would you like any amendments?"

stay your pretty eyes on course
keep the memories of who i was before

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Flora

Flora raises her eyebrows at him, a slow, knowing smirk curling at the edges of her lips. "Oh, babe, if you think this is dramatic, you have no idea what I’m capable of," she teases, tapping a ringed finger against the table. "I’d be the most extra ghost. Haunting exclusively in silk robes, wailing in heartbreak, demanding people set out offerings of gold and chocolate to appease my spirit. And no, I won't commit myself to haunting just one type of person." She winks, tilting her head as if already plotting out her spectral reign of terror.

Hearing Niki admit he likes her too earns a warm grin, but his offhanded acceptance of always being sick makes her nose wrinkle in displeasure. "So what, it’s just another thing you’ve always had to deal with? Like your leg?" she asks, her voice softer now, laced with something between curiosity and concern. "Because I gotta say, that sounds like a pretty shit deal." And no, she doesn't say it with pity, but with the kind of honesty that suggests she fully believes the universe was being unnecessarily unfair to him, ghost or no.

Stepping up to inspect his work, Flora’s expression brightens as she takes in the bracelet properly. "Damn, Niki," she murmurs appreciatively, fingers reaching out to gently touch the braided leather, the carefully incorporated silver and mageglass. She gives his shoulder a small, approving squeeze, her rings warm against the fabric of his sweater. "You’re amazing at this." Her gaze lingers on the dangling silver accents, her lips pursing slightly in thought before she glances up at him with a sudden spark of mischief. "Do you have something I can use to etch a little flower onto one of these?" She gestures toward one of the coin-like pieces.

Fatefully, I tried to pick my battles 'til the battle picked me
Misery, Like the war of words I shouted in my sleep

Code stolen from Queen Sky