dancing after death

now take what i offer, straight up the nose, down the throat

it's a bearable bruise on your conscious

She moves like water beside him, cuddling up to him and he lifts his head slightly to accommodate a space for her head, his arm wrapping around her side to hold her close as she speaks. “You should try asking more often.” He rumbles to her, somewhat amused before he presses his cheek to the top of her head. She had a tendency to assume when he had a tendency of being unpredictable, and so it doesn’t surprise him that she didn’t think she needed to ask.

Her comment about being a good father causes another snort to leave him. “I suppose.” He agrees quietly, but doesn’t dwell on it. Instead, the conversation shifts and he finds his gaze lingering on the ceiling when she comments that they were both reckless, his shoulders rising and falling in a shrug. “Then we’re both at fault.” He answers her. They both had that burden to bear, both were at fault.

but don't it feel good? don't you feel calmer?

i am the way and the life in the best looking truth

phoebe Sleep and I shall soothe you, calm you, and annoint you ”That sounds like a lot of extra work.” she mumbled jokingly against his chest. But it was true enough. She should have asked. It was a hard thing to remember when you were so certain you already had the right answer. For the moment she simply enjoyed laying there, wrapped up in his arms, his familiar, smoky-masculine scent encapsulating her senses, intermingled with the various oils she had applied. If only…that was the synopsis of their love story. If only. ”I’m doing an awful job of comforting you aren’t I?” she said with a sigh, feeling her emotions settle back into place. Slowly but surely she was getting better at pulling herself back together when she felt like falling apart – and Jata made it so easy. He was strong and steady, a stabilizing force in the wake of her emotional tremors. But she couldn’t rely on that, or him, because he wasn’t hers. Not anymore.

now take what i offer, straight up the nose, down the throat

it's a bearable bruise on your conscious

“It’s a good thing you’re a hard worker.” He offers quietly, his hand rubbing against her shoulder gently, breathing in the scent of lavender and other familiar scents he’d spent months smelling. A deep sigh leaves him, though, and he squeezes her shoulder gently again, turning his head toward her just enough.

“You’re doing fine.” He offers unhelpfully, close enough that his lips brush against her blonde hair. At least this way he wasn’t opening up another bottle, had something and someone else to focus on, keeping himself away from dwelling in his thoughts.

but don't it feel good? don't you feel calmer?

i am the way and the life in the best looking truth

phoebe Sleep and I shall soothe you, calm you, and annoint you She groaned quietly, but didn’t argue. She was a hard worker. She knew she would try and question more. But it was one more thing to remember in the long list of things she was trying to remember to be a better person as of late. He would call her on it though if she tried to make an excuse, even in jest. He’d always been good at it. Her eyes fluttered closed briefly, lashes brushing against his shoulder as his lips pressed against her hair. ”So long as you’re happy with it.” she said softly, a small smile on her lips. Though now she was at a loss. Things were so familiar, his scent, the feel of him against her side, the way he propped his head on her head with his lips…and back with they had been together, she could have guessed what would have followed. She knew the set up and the game and his tendencies…but as familiar as so much of this seemed, she now wasn’t certain. Lusea was gone, but they weren’t together, and for all that felt the same, she did not know anymore how things might end…and she hated herself for being excited about the uncertainty.

now take what i offer, straight up the nose, down the throat

it's a bearable bruise on your conscious

It’s familiar in the way that they’d spent months this way. But it was different too, because he was different and she was different, and while they could mesh and shift just like they could before, he was more open, more brash than before. He lead a Guild of Devils. His goals weren’t the same as they were before. And she had a life settled here, what would happen when they found the ocean?

He can feel her lashes flutter against his chest, and he shuts his eyes too and breathes her in until she comments and a quiet huff of laughter leaves him. “Why do I need to be happy with it?” He asks her softly, failing to see where the line had been drawn to where she cared about what he thought about it at all. But he pulls her in a bit closer, arm tightening around her body to pull her in closer. “You’ve always had a tendency of doing whatever you wanted, so long as it made you happy. So don’t start now in caring what I think about it.” He teases her, a wry smile on his face.

but don't it feel good? don't you feel calmer?

i am the way and the life in the best looking truth

phoebe Sleep and I shall soothe you, calm you, and annoint you ”Because you’re the one who needs the comforting, so you need to be happy with it.” she said with a small smile against his chest. Her own arms tightened around his waist ever so slightly as he pulled her closer. Phoebe basked in it, the warmth, the comfort, feeling as protected and cared for as she hoped he felt with her doting and care. It was restful in a way, a sort of rest she hadn’t really gotten since LongNight. She was too busy to just stop and be. But of course, he had to tease her. She gasped in fake outrage and playfully smacked his chest. ”Clearly you’re confused and talking about yourself, Prince Selfish-Rich-Boy.” she teased back, a light laugh parting her lips briefly.

now take what i offer, straight up the nose, down the throat

it's a bearable bruise on your conscious

He snorts to her initial comment, a smirk crossing his face. He supposes its true enough but hearing her say it sounds a small amount ridiculous. But he doesn’t comment on it, shoulders rising and falling in a small shrug that should move her slightly with the movement. Instead, he simply absorbs her, sharing the warmth, sharing the comfort of the silence that stretches between them.

Until she calls him Prince Selfish-Rich-Boy and his lip curls slightly, turning his head away from her and exposing his neck. “Ack.” He pauses, though a quiet chuckle leaves him. “I thought you were supposed to be comforting me. Not attacking.” He uncharacteristically whines to her, a smirk crossing his lips as he turns his head back to look at her.

but don't it feel good? don't you feel calmer?

i am the way and the life in the best looking truth

phoebe Sleep and I shall soothe you, calm you, and annoint you Phoebe snickered as he whined, tilting her head up to see him more clearly. Of course, as he turned his own head, this resulted in her grinning lips brushing against his exposed neck, but she didn’t think too deeply on it. ”Oh, I’m sorry, did I offend you, your highness? How dare I.” she said, over-emphasizing her sarcastic tone. ”Terribly bad manners to point out your flaws to your face. I’ll make sure to just gossip behind your back from now on.” she said with a snicker. Sure she was teasing him, but it was all in good fun, and he seemed to be amused by it. Why not, then? She was here to cheer him up after all. But with her face now lifted, as he turned his head back, they were nearly nose to nose. Whoops.

now take what i offer, straight up the nose, down the throat

it's a bearable bruise on your conscious

He had opened himself up for it, for the retort, but he doesn’t expect to feel the brush of her lips against her neck as she speaks, as he tries to focus on that instead of the feeling and thoughts that go along with the start of that. A can of worms he doesn’t want to open. And so he snorts to her. “A small amount of offense has been taken.” He sarcastically replies back, a smirk crossing his lips as he tilts his head back toward her.

Her head is lifted, and she speaks, and they’re close enough that their noses can brush, and he breathes her in and forgets momentarily to respond to what she says. Luckily for him he has a quick mind, and he lets his gaze linger on her face, searching her eyes, following the bridge of her nose. “I’m afraid complaints will have to be swiftly dealt with.” He teases back, winking to her, before withdrawing his face from hers a fraction.

but don't it feel good? don't you feel calmer?

i am the way and the life in the best looking truth

phoebe Sleep and I shall soothe you, calm you, and annoint you She can’t help the light laugh that escapes as a retort quickly rises to the surface of her mind, and even more quickly leaves her lips. ”My sincerest apologies, your excellency I forgot how fragile the royal ego is.” she said dryly, the grin on her lips and playful hint in her tone indicating this was all still in the name of fun. And lifting his spirits. But for a moment stillness passes between them. They are both caught off guard by the sudden closeness of their faces. His gaze bores into her, pinning her in place as she watched with her wide, honeyed eyes. Helpless, like always, unable to do anything but await his lead, the palest of blushes rising in her cheeks…and then he pulled back. It was expected. It was wise. But her eyes showed briefly the tiniest hint of hurt at the action. No one liked rejection, even when warranted, even when the offer had been unspoken, ungiven, unintentional even. ”Swiftly dealt with, hm? Oh no, the Puddle is going to punish me for hurting his feeling.” she teased right back, taking his usual nomer of the Flood and twisting it to a diminutive.

now take what i offer, straight up the nose, down the throat

it's a bearable bruise on your conscious

“Your excellency?” He snorts, a dark brow lifted in response. A new royal nickname of sorts the Korofi man has never heard of, but it fades from his mind as soon as he withdraws his face from her. He can see the fraction of hurt there, and he doesn’t comment on it, unsure and uncertain as shadows begin to sweep in yet again — like they had been with Hotaru before her comment captures his attention.

Did she just call him a puddle?

His gaze snaps back to her, dark brow raised as he sits up slightly until he’s looking down at her, almost covering her slightly, his other arm blocking the other side of the bed. “The Puddle?” He rumbles, though his lips quirk with a small smirk. His face nearing hers again but staying away by a few inches. “Now my ego’s truly hurt.”

but don't it feel good? don't you feel calmer?

i am the way and the life in the best looking truth

phoebe Sleep and I shall soothe you, calm you, and annoint you Phoebe nodded as he questioned the honorary title she used. "The royal family was regularly addressed by ridiculously lavish titles like that. Clearly your people were lacking some sophistication." she said with a haughty sniff, before giggling lightly. But apparently her nickname really got his attention, and the dark look he gave her as he rose above her made her heart race. Still, she couldn't stop her giggles as her head hit the bed that was now beneath it. Sunjata had been scary once upon a time, but now? It would take a lot for her to take his piercing glares seriously. "Oh, I'm sorry. I misspoke. The Droplet." she said with a snicker, patting his chest.

now take what i offer, straight up the nose, down the throat

it's a bearable bruise on your conscious

“Clearly.” He rumbles back with a playful lilt to his tone, head tilting slightly as he considers it. She’d heard snippets about his family, sophisticated was a long way from what he considered them, but for the sake of it he plays along. Until she calls him a puddle, at least, and then he’s rotated their position so he can look down at her, dare her, challenge her to call him a puddle again.

Only she doesn’t. She calls him a droplet instead, and he sighs heavily, a scent of smoke and sandalwood as he shakes his head to her. “I would choose your nicknames wisely.” He offers her, a quirk of his lip again as she bats at his chest, eyes following from her face to the arms that he’s blocked with his torso. “The more you hurt me the more you’ll have to make up to me.” His gaze lifts to hers with a challenge.

but don't it feel good? don't you feel calmer?

i am the way and the life in the best looking truth

phoebe Sleep and I shall soothe you, calm you, and annoint you "Oh, I am choosing them very wisely, the Splash." she said with a smirk that melted into a giggle. But now she was rather thoroughly pinned. Phoebe couldn't physically overcome Jata under even the slightest of circumstances so even with his less than restrictive position, she may as well have been restrained. Her head tilted slightly at him, curious as to what he was thinking in the moment. The games were the same, but their situation wasn't. But did that really matter? Then came the challenge, and her heart raced for a moment. "Make up to you, huh?" she said. For a moment she hesitated, only to calculate the risks of what might follow, because despite being named for water she was indeed playing with fire. But then her brown eyes narrowed ever so slightly, the tiniest of challenges back at Jata. "Too bad you're just the Trickle and not the Flood or something, because then I might be intimidated."