only seconds to draw me in

// you knew who I was //

Danta can't help the sly smile that creeps across his face as Flora speaks, his eyebrows raising and his elbow propping on his desk so he can cup his chin in his hand. "Either it's so much of a party that the booze washed the memory away, or it's not as grand as you claim, because we were there for Longnight last year, if you recall. It's where we were first introduced to your darling beau." And they had argued, if Danta remembers correctly, because he and Asta had been trying to eavesdrop from the hot tub.

Content for Deimos to take his place as their wildcard but affectionately rolling his eyes nevertheless, the Maverick slouches back in his seat and watches as she grabs up the envelope. "Mm? Oh, no, it's not that," he assures her with a wave of his hand. "He's fine around crows these days, Moira and I included. Shamelessly, I just want to get to the Temple and back to deliver this without him snarling at everyone I walk past. Is that terrible?" He laughs.

Dantalion

// with every step that I ran to you //

flora

Flora blinks, one eye squeezing shut as her hand lifts to scratch lightly at her temple, the memory clicking into place with a soft, drawn-out, "Oh riiiiight." Her mouth curves into a broad smile, a laugh slipping free as she shakes her head. "And Charlie harassed everyone as a dragon," she adds, the image clearly resurfacing in full colour now. Her gaze flicks back to him, bright again. "I can't believe I forgot. Well, does that mean I’ll see you two again this year?"

As he explains, she nods with exaggerated understanding, the motion just shy of theatrical before it melts into a grin. "Oh no, of course it’s not terrible," she says easily. "I remember how Ronin used to be when I was growing up, so honestly, say less." The amusement lingers as she tips her head, considering it for half a second before her smile sharpens. "I wonder if we can get them both some sort of calming spray," she muses. "You know, like they do for puppies? Just.. a really strong version or something."

i scream for whatever it's worth
"i love you" ain't that the worst thing you've ever heard?

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

// you knew who I was //

"She certainly did," Danta agrees with a grin. "And I don't expect a baby will stop her from doing the same this year, given the time and inclination." Speaking of their own visit, the theocrat nods agreeably and shrugs. "I don't see why not," he says. "As long as we're able to get things ready here for everyone who doesn't get to lay on the beach at Longnight, you should definitely look forward to a drink or five in our company."

Seeming to deflate with relief at her understanding - if only secondary - of his predicament, Danta's smile is a mix of affectionate and exasperated, and he settles back in his seat like Flora has just given him permission to be a little exhausted by it. "I mean, Asta is just a big puppy when you think about it and his fyrhund shift," he says with a laugh. "It's an idea though, honestly. And for all of my dramatics about it, I know it wears him out as well, to be such a monster all season."

Dantalion

// with every step that I ran to you //

flora

Flora snickers, the sound slipping out quick and bright before she gives a faint, exaggerated shiver, her shoulders lifting as if she can physically shake off the memory of Charlie giving birth. "Yeah, I’m going to go ahead and not stand that close ever again to a pregnant woman during a baby shower."

Her brows lift as she glances at him, something a little more conspiratorial settling into her expression. "I meeeeaaan, there’s no reason all of the Grounds can’t come," she offers, tone only half teasing before it softens into something more open, more genuine. "My beach is your beach."

The shift in him doesn’t go unnoticed, and Flora exhales quietly, some of the playfulness easing as she tilts her head, nodding once in quiet understanding. "I’m sure PMS is absolutely not comparable," she says, her mouth curving wryly as if she’s already bracing for the argument, "but I can promise you it’s no fun not having full control over your emotions and reactions to things." She shrugs, one shoulder lifting as her gaze drifts briefly to one of his bookshelves. "Honestly, if someone could just drug me and make it go away, I’d be all for it."

i scream for whatever it's worth
"i love you" ain't that the worst thing you've ever heard?

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

// you knew who I was //

"I'd like to say that sort of thing doesn't happen often, but honestly that was the first baby shower I've ever been to. Maybe the woman always gives birth in the middle of it," Danta says without trying to hide his amusement. "And I'm afraid to say there are a lot of reasons why the entire Hollowed Grounds can't come to your Longnight celebration, most of them involving them having their own jobs and lives and all that boring nonsense. But I'll be sure to extend the invitation." He winks.

Perhaps surprisingly, Danta only shrugs at the comparison of hormonal deer season to PMS - it isn't as though he knows how either one feels, after all - but she does make a good point, and he huffs out a long sigh. "Surely some mage or demigod has emotion calming powers," he says. "Either that or I'll start microdosing him with dreamdust to see if it helps." His laughter suggests he's not entirely joking, but perhaps his mind will have changed by next year.

Dantalion

// with every step that I ran to you //

flora

Flora’s nose wrinkles immediately, her expression tightening in open, unfiltered horror at the thought. "Absolutely not," she says, the words landing flat with conviction. "If I ever have to do that, there will be exactly zero people watching, except those qualified to drug me and then pull the baby out." Even Kaisel was optional.

The mention of jobs earns a dramatic roll of her eyes, her shoulders rising and falling in an exaggerated sigh. "Right, of course. Responsibilities," she says, like the word itself is a deeply inconvenient reason the entirety of the Grounds couldn't just abandon their lives and come and party in Torchline for a week.

Her mood lifts just as quickly, a grin slipping back into place as she leans in a fraction. "My brother can absolutely hook you up if you need a steady supply," she says, tone bright with easy confidence. The thought catches, her head tilting slightly as she considers it more seriously. "And honestly, I bet he could make it into a pretty nice tea too."

i scream for whatever it's worth
"i love you" ain't that the worst thing you've ever heard?

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

// you knew who I was //

"I couldn't have said it better myself, and I certainly won't be doing that at all unless Dygra's sense of humour grows particularly twisted one day." And even then, whatever mistake or demigod results from it will be lovingly delivered to the Temple to be raised, sans his involvement or knowledge.

Nodding with an exaggerated combination of agreement and exasperation, Danta gestures around at the Dusklight. "At least this place tends to run itself during Longnight, so you can probably expect to see your two favourite Grounders." That being himself and Asta, of course. "No Dreamdust needed for him during Deepfrost at least - you'll be prodding him to keep him awake."

But for next Leafchange? Flora makes an incredibly interesting (and lucrative) potential offer, Danta raising a brow interestedly. "Let him know that if he has the urge to experiment, he's got two willing Ancients ready to test it. Or at least one of them, if Asta doesn't want to get involved until it's ready to drug him properly."

Dantalion

// with every step that I ran to you //

flora

Flora chuckles, the sound softening as she shakes her head. "Well, with the season he’s had, he’s probably earned himself a proper sleep," she says fondly, lips quirking at the thought of Asta finally being able to shake off Leafchange.

Her grin returns as she nods, thinking of how Mateo would likely quite enjoy the challenge. "I’ll absolutely pass that along," she promises, already half-turning away from the desk as the conversation begins to wind itself down. She pushes off the edge with a light shift of her weight, straightening as her attention flicks back to him.

"Okay, that’s all my gossip," she says, brushing her hands together lightly as if closing the topic with a neat little snap. "So unless you’ve got anything juicy, I should compass back to Torchline before Kai writes me a novel on our parchment."

i scream for whatever it's worth
"i love you" ain't that the worst thing you've ever heard?

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

we're born at night, so much of our life

"Earned it and then some," Danta agrees with a scoff. "I for one am looking forward to not being prodded awake, if you catch my drift." The fanged grin on his lips gives him away, because the Maverick clearly doesn't mind one bit how Asta chooses to wake him up or with what body parts.

As Flora starts to ready herself to leave, Danta follows suit and rises to his feet, brushing a bit of ash from his lap where he'd 'filed' some of his letters away. "No gossip here I'm afraid. You were here for all of the latest drama. Oh, but our fountain works now, so if you get any cuts or bruises, feel free to try the wine," he says.

"If you'd be a dear and tie that letter to me and open the window, I'll let you be on your way." Winking, Danta promptly shifts into a darkly feathered crow, wings shifting as he stands on the desk and looks up at Flora expectantly.

Dantalion

is just carvin' through the dark

flora

Flora’s eyes widen with immediate, delighted understanding, her smirk arriving a second later as her gaze flicks over him with all the restraint of someone who absolutely catches his drift and is deciding, generously, not to make it worse. "Yeah, I bet you’ll be relieved for, like, a week, and then.." She lets the rest hang between them, brows bouncing with a level of suggestion that does all the talking her mouth mercifully doesn’t.

At the mention of the fountain, her smile turns briefly curious, filing the information away beneath useful rather than dramatic. "Oh? Great, good to know."

When Danta shifts, Flora’s brows lift again, but her hands are already moving, careful and precise as she secures the little envelope to him. "Hold still,"” she murmurs, fingers making quick work of the tether before she steps back to check that it won’t slip loose mid-flight.
Satisfied, she crosses to the window and pushes it open, letting the Dusklight’s muffled noise breathe into the office around them. Glancing back over her shoulder, she tips the crow a wink. "If I see Asta on my way out, I’ll tell him you’re very much still tied up in what you’re doing so he doesn't come looking and find you've escaped."

i scream for whatever it's worth
"i love you" ain't that the worst thing you've ever heard?

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

we're born at night, so much of our life

Danta does indeed hold still, but only after fluttering his wings a touch and preening at one loose feather until it sits right. Once that's done, though, Flora will be able to secure the missive to his leg without too much trouble, and he clacks his beak at her in gratitude to watch as she goes to open the window for him. Her parting remark earns her the closest thing to a bow that corvids can give, and he winks back at her before taking off for the window.

"Best," he croaks as he departs. It can be construed as Danta wishing her the best or saying she's the best, but either way it seems to be positive. Whether Asta manages to keep himself away from the office before he gets back is something only the Maverick and the butcher will know in the end, but Flora can rest easy, at least, in knowing she's definitely done her part.

~FIN

Dantalion

is just carvin' through the dark