CHARACTERS: Drift and VARIOUS LOCATION: around the station DATE: Mid February CONTENT: That post-mission funk WARNINGS: EDIT: ah shit the robots are fucking again
[ Although Yennefer is less familiar with the beverage being made, something about it attracts her notice ā the absolute pungency that fills the space in the kitchen where she is currently standing off to one side, turning over what she believes to be an apple between both hands without actually having bitten into it yet. In spite of the mess being one of the more popular spaces on the station in terms of people coming and going, few of them seem to stop and speak with one another even in passing ā which strikes her as somewhat strange, but certainly not enough to involve herself in any of those interactions when she has no personal stake or firm opinion in the matter.
She scrunches up her nose at the burned smell, once and then again when it only seems to worsen, and glances up from her seat in an attempt to track it to its source, potentially even with the aim of trying to get rid of whatever's creating such a foul odor.
What's more, the man responsible for having made this concoction seems entirely oblivious to the stench he's created, and Yennefer glances over him with a slightly raised duo of eyebrows, bracing one hand against the kitchen block that stands between them before looking between him and the mug he's set down that has clearly been untouched. ]
And you've crafted something that smells absolutely horrid. Are we beginning by stating the obvious? [ She doesn't snap about it, not when her earlier argument with Billy had been the primary conductor for most of her frustrations, and not when the drink in question can be easily disposed of if necessary. ]
[ While she didn't chew his head off his shoulders, the woman who came into the kitchens arrived with a fire already lit under both heels. Drift slowly closed the book he had been reading, as though she was a sound triggered incendiary device. After everything he's seen, why not?
Easy as it would have been to go on the defensive, Drift is quick to remember that she is new. That her toss of the coin hadn't landed in her favor and she arrived when the others were disinclined to roll out the welcome wagon. ]
Not a coffee drinker? I'm right there with you. [ Drift replied to be congenial and hopefully inject some needed levity into the situation. ]
Most people here are addicted to the stuff you'd think they took it intravenously. I can make you something else.
[ It's not a judging question, but one voiced with a modicum of curiosity; if he has made the drink solely with the intention of warding people off, then that she could understand.
What comes as more of a surprise to her is learning that there are those who actually prefer this drink, and in response she reaches for the mug, fingers wrapping around the warmed ceramic and lifting it up toward her nose for a discerning sniff, which immediately prompts another expression of disgust, and she places it back down even more quickly than she had first plucked it up. ]
Does this place have anything that even remotely resembles tea?
People have a wonderful turn of saying about attracting more flies with honey than vinegar. [ Drift was incredibly cautious of his word choice here. ('People' and not 'humans.') While he never exactly lied about who or what he was, he preferred to ease people into the idea overall. Newcomers had enough on their plate, and it was near-impossible to read the room how they could digest 'living machine' on top of everything else.
He pushes himself up from the table and moves with the purposeful caution of a man who knows he's being gauged. Casual but steady movements as he steps around the kitchen island and reaches for the tin labeled 'TEA' on the counter. ]
Unfortunately, most here love the vinegar. [ He holds the tin by its base after screwing off the twist top. Inspecting it for a moment too long as if trying to divine its contents. ]
...Very Berry, Passion Mango Twist, Sleepy Time, or Black?
And really all you've ended up with are a lot of flies. [ It's a saying she's heard some variation of before and never truly understood, personally, even if she does know the meaning behind it. Then again, this is a woman who has never worried overmuch about needing to attract anyone ā and those times she has have usually been paired with her trying to win them to her side with another ulterior motive in mind.
If she'd noticed the tin he gravitates toward before, she doesn't comment on it now ā but she wouldn't have said anything even if it had escaped her attention, merely noting the location of where it sits on the counter before he reaches it and then listening to the selection he lists off. ]
The berry, I suppose. I'm not looking to sleep, though I don't know how anyone could so much as tell the time of day from where we are. [ Even simply being able to the sun's placement in the sky would be more helpful; the closest thing she's found to the outdoors here, for now, is the sunlight room, and that is just a very well-crafted illusion. ]
Hey, I like some of those flies. [ Drift feigned offense with a hand coming to his chest. This followed the script he expected from someone guarded, processing an incomprehensibly strange and difficult situation. ]
You're not going to get much trying to guess the time when we're nowhere near a sun. [ Moving back to the kitchen island, Drift gingerly dropped a 'very berry' tea bag into the mug before going to turn on the electric kettle. ] My advice is to just sleep when you're tired. Eventually, your circadian rhythm starts to sync with the others.
[ When the electric kettle starts to whistle, Drift takes it off its stand. Hot water drowns the bag and an artificially sweet but pleasant floral smell cuts through the acrid coffee scent. One side of Drift's mouth ticks into a half-smile as he slides the mug to the woman with the casual air of a bartender of her familiar dive. ] Space will do that.
The more they hover around, the easier it is to pretend they're not there? [ She presses her lips together ā but there's tension there where amusement starts to lift the corners of her mouth upward before she can maintain a fully neutral expression.
Meanwhile, everything he divulges to her is about what she expected, with no significant surprises except the last reveal, and even then, Yen's confusion quickly manifests into something nearer to incredulity, her gaze drifting around them before returning to the steaming mug of tea being placed down in front of her. The scent, the sensation of the cup's warmed exterior against her fingers ā these are physical things she can focus on while the conceptual notion of literally being among the stars ricochets around inside her thoughts. ]
Well, that answers the where of it all. [ It's too hot for her to drink immediately, but bracing both of her hands around the mug itself is a minor comfort in the interim while she attempts to process. ]
You don't seem discomfited by our current predicament. So when did you arrive?
[ That isnāt a protest, but in the admittance of it sheās likely divulged more about herself than she meant to; later, sheāll be more than willing to fault distraction, thoughts pulled between the present conversation and the grand concept of occupying somewhere previously unknowable. ]
Long enough to have witnessed whether retrieving theseā¦ orbs has led to any reward? [ Her eyebrows arch inquisitively over the rim of the mug as she ventures a small sip. ]
I'm old. I've stopped trying to overthink every interaction and gaming every conversation a long time ago. I'm either played the fool or not. I just give a chance and go from there.
[ Drift's ageless, handsome face flashes a wane smile as he cups his hand around the still empty mug he had set out next to Yennefer's if just to do something with his hands. ]
All we know so far is that they grow in strength together.
[ Neither does she, but then again, she wouldnāt; enchantments and Chaos have done the work of making her appear far younger than she is, although thereās always a dead giveaway in the eyes, the place that can never disguise where the years have been endured.
The tea is good, if not as sweet as she prefers it; sheād underestimated how the reassurance of having something warm to drink would ease her, shoulders dropping some of their tension. ]
So theyāre stronger upon a confluence. That would potentially signal why theyāre desired so badly ā and why the powers responsible for our being here are willing to strike a bargain with those who fetch their total number. [ Another sip. ] I presume no oneās been told what that number is.
I think of it like this ā [ Drift reaches across the island and pulls the little metal wire holder of stirrers, sugars, and creamer cups. He takes four creamers out and sets them out in a line. ]
So far, there have been four orbs [ He sets four of the cups in a neat row. ] As we've come to understand, they all have their own unique personalities, goals, and abilities. My working theory is they're a gestalt intelligence. Individually unique but brought together ā
[ Drift splays his hand so a finger is pressed down on each cup set out on the table. He clenches his hand into a claw and all the cups come together in a messy clutter. ]
[ As rudimentary a visual as it is, it does go a long way in helping her piece together what occurred before her arrival ā moreso than anything else sheās learned merely from eavesdropping in communal spaces or making other casual conversation.
She reaches out to collect one of the sugar packets herself, turning it over before tearing it open and pouring its contents into her tea - though not before making a partial mess on the island with small granules spilling in the process. ]
And the more orbs that are recovered, the stronger this so-called intelligence, or presence, could possibly become. Which begs its own question.
[ She eyes his clutched hand and the milky drops leaking from between his fingers. ] What sort of being comes into existence when the total convergence is achieved?
[ Sheās assuming that she isnāt the only one here whoās agreed to such terms ā although the specifics of it, the regret sheād put forth to undo, is a truth known to no one else here that sheās aware of.
Moreover, she hasnāt learned of anyone elseās, although perhaps thatās the point. No one with any serious regret weighing on their conscience would bare that indiscriminately; besides, Yen herself rarely chooses to share anything so willingly unless itās in pursuit of something sheās deemed more valuable to her than momentary honesty. ]
For the bargain that we've all struck. [ Drift points out, not unkindly. He momentarily forgets how gendered words work as he leans on his crossed arms. He smells lilac, gooseberries, and some floral fake tea.
He puts down his mug and leans over the thin wall of heated steam Yennefer's tea gave. ]
I want my wife back. You'll find most of us will do anything.
[ She doesnāt withdraw as he inclines himself forward in her direction, but thatās only because sheās looking too ā at the steadiness in his features, or the fact that she hasnāt seen him consume any of the drinks heās prepared himself since she started paying notice. ]
Most isnāt all.
[ The tea goes ignored, in the meanwhile, but sheās still holding onto it with a hand. ]
And āanythingā can include a great deal more than some are prepared to give.
I think I should let you get your bearings before we start debating the ethics of sacrifice to undo whatever tragedy in our lives was the hook that lured us here.
[ Drift's voice lightened and he offered a polite if distant smile as he spun the empty mug on the counter like a toy top. Fidgeting that he almost makes look like a skill as he catches it near the edge of the counter every time without looking. ]
Especially considering we haven't even gotten to telling each other our names. I can be a bit much with the naval-gazing but I'd like to think I have some manners. I'm Drift.
Or, perhaps there's no better time to learn where we all stand on the subject before we're sent out on another collection effort.
[ But that isn't the tone of a woman who's attempting to press the issue further, and she ventures another sip of tea, finding it much more to her liking now with the addition of the sugar. It's also just at the precipice of lukewarm, meaning she might abandon it before finishing the remainder of the mug's contents. ]
You did offer to make a complete stranger a drink already. [ She hasn't overlooked the trajectory his mug takes, managing to make it into his hand without any fumbling. ] Yennefer.
Well, I am happy to report the majority of us have yet to reveal any well-concealed inner demons that would have them selling us all down the river. The bad news is this could merely be because we don't know our chances for success. Faith in either making it out alive, each other, or both is the rope bridge keeping us tenuously safe from sinking that low so far.
I'd like to think it's because you can't be a complete monster and hold regrets at the same time. [ They were both feeling each other out, and maybe her comment had been rhetorical he didn't mind giving her his two cents. She wasn't falling apart at the seams, so that was good. They needed cooler heads. ]
You're new, you didn't want coffee, and I was happy to oblige. Not that you seem to have any issue drinking tea a stranger made you. [ Drift lifts his empty mug and tips it casually against the rim of Yennefer's in the approximation of a toast. ] Yennefer.
I hope you'll understand why I can only consider that a mild consolation. [ But whether everyone has their own individual motivation for wanting to ensure the success of these expeditions or have since come around to the idea of selflessly acting on behalf of their fellow orbers, she hasn't been present long enough to notice firsthand.
He's given her much to think about, but has also been more forthcoming than anyone else she's encountered here and seemingly without expectation of his own ā which would normally raise her suspicions, but given the number of thoughts currently fighting for space in her awareness, she's not so sure she has the room to force in a little distrust alongside it. ]
It is rather difficult to ruin tea. [ Violet eyes follow the mug's movement up the length of his arm to his face again. ] I thought it was considered bad luck to toast with an empty cup.
You'll find any silver linings in this situation you've found yourself in are only mild. [ Drift shrugged. There was no accusation in his words, only the perceivable truth coming from experience. ] Making it any harder on your first day would be senseless and cruel.
[ When Yennefer sniffed out a hint to his real nature, Drift only stared passively back at her. He didn't think he was hiding, just not making a difficult situation worse with an appearance she might not be prepared for. ]
I thought that was toasting with a glass of water? [ If he sounded genuinely curious and confused, it's because he was. ] Humans have a superstition for every occasion, I suppose.
Has anyone ever told you that you might be too kind for your own good? [ That isnāt her calling attention to any perceived failing on his part, but sheās still largely unused to anyone wanting to do nice things for her out of a purely altruistic sense, so her initial tendency will always be to downplay that discomfort.
The manner in which he answers her question-that-isnāt-a-question attracts her curiosity in a very specific way ā itās how heās chosen to position himself as existing separate from humanity, as though it isnāt a race he belongs to himself. No one would necessarily be able to look at Yennefer and see someone who isnāt wholly human, but her enchantments do hide the most obvious proof of her origins, save the eye color that few others have.
Still, she finds she must ask, but phrases it in a more roundabout way rather than demanding an explanation. ] ā¦ and what would you call yourself, if not human?
Not for my own good. [ Was his knee-jerk non-answer because a lifetime as long as his crowded with skeletons left a lot to make up for. While he tended to wear whatever mask an encounter called for, he was no less genuine in his approach. He never thought it was duplicitous to want to be kind or liked. ] If that kindness is thrown back at me, well, I say that says more about the other person's characters than my own.
[ They both study each other for a moment that ticks just a second or two beyond what would be considered polite, but who could blame them? Drift had admitted to not being human, and he couldn't deny her shockingly violet eyes are more than just a conversation piece. ]
Very old and disinclined from revealing too much about myself to new faces when they're already processing enough. Pleasent and equally curious as present company may be.
Kindness is often wielded though, isnāt it? [ As a means to an end, or with the intention of seeing that favor returned someday. Even the manner in which heād phrased it, as something to be volleyed, speaks volumes on its own.
She isnāt scouring over him, but maybe now lingering in her glance, considering facets of his appearance that she might have overlooked before due to an onslaught of other sensory details. Her own features might be less telling had she chosen to have the enchanter change her eye color too, but sheād refused to let that happen.
In answer to his response, she drops her head slightly, more of an acquiescing nod than anything that holds defeat, but a smile ticks up one edge of her mouth. ] And the truth is no one whoās ever known me for any great length of time would be inclined to refer to me as pleasant. But who knows. [ She reaches for her mug to take one more sip, lips pressing together now that itās too tepid. ] Maybe youāve caught me on a good day.
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ximilialog2022-02-13 07:36 pm
no subject
She scrunches up her nose at the burned smell, once and then again when it only seems to worsen, and glances up from her seat in an attempt to track it to its source, potentially even with the aim of trying to get rid of whatever's creating such a foul odor.
What's more, the man responsible for having made this concoction seems entirely oblivious to the stench he's created, and Yennefer glances over him with a slightly raised duo of eyebrows, bracing one hand against the kitchen block that stands between them before looking between him and the mug he's set down that has clearly been untouched. ]
And you've crafted something that smells absolutely horrid. Are we beginning by stating the obvious? [ She doesn't snap about it, not when her earlier argument with Billy had been the primary conductor for most of her frustrations, and not when the drink in question can be easily disposed of if necessary. ]
no subject
Easy as it would have been to go on the defensive, Drift is quick to remember that she is new. That her toss of the coin hadn't landed in her favor and she arrived when the others were disinclined to roll out the welcome wagon. ]
Not a coffee drinker? I'm right there with you. [ Drift replied to be congenial and hopefully inject some needed levity into the situation. ]
Most people here are addicted to the stuff you'd think they took it intravenously. I can make you something else.
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[ It's not a judging question, but one voiced with a modicum of curiosity; if he has made the drink solely with the intention of warding people off, then that she could understand.
What comes as more of a surprise to her is learning that there are those who actually prefer this drink, and in response she reaches for the mug, fingers wrapping around the warmed ceramic and lifting it up toward her nose for a discerning sniff, which immediately prompts another expression of disgust, and she places it back down even more quickly than she had first plucked it up. ]
Does this place have anything that even remotely resembles tea?
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He pushes himself up from the table and moves with the purposeful caution of a man who knows he's being gauged. Casual but steady movements as he steps around the kitchen island and reaches for the tin labeled 'TEA' on the counter. ]
Unfortunately, most here love the vinegar. [ He holds the tin by its base after screwing off the twist top. Inspecting it for a moment too long as if trying to divine its contents. ]
...Very Berry, Passion Mango Twist, Sleepy Time, or Black?
no subject
If she'd noticed the tin he gravitates toward before, she doesn't comment on it now ā but she wouldn't have said anything even if it had escaped her attention, merely noting the location of where it sits on the counter before he reaches it and then listening to the selection he lists off. ]
The berry, I suppose. I'm not looking to sleep, though I don't know how anyone could so much as tell the time of day from where we are. [ Even simply being able to the sun's placement in the sky would be more helpful; the closest thing she's found to the outdoors here, for now, is the sunlight room, and that is just a very well-crafted illusion. ]
no subject
You're not going to get much trying to guess the time when we're nowhere near a sun. [ Moving back to the kitchen island, Drift gingerly dropped a 'very berry' tea bag into the mug before going to turn on the electric kettle. ] My advice is to just sleep when you're tired. Eventually, your circadian rhythm starts to sync with the others.
[ When the electric kettle starts to whistle, Drift takes it off its stand. Hot water drowns the bag and an artificially sweet but pleasant floral smell cuts through the acrid coffee scent. One side of Drift's mouth ticks into a half-smile as he slides the mug to the woman with the casual air of a bartender of her familiar dive. ] Space will do that.
no subject
Meanwhile, everything he divulges to her is about what she expected, with no significant surprises except the last reveal, and even then, Yen's confusion quickly manifests into something nearer to incredulity, her gaze drifting around them before returning to the steaming mug of tea being placed down in front of her. The scent, the sensation of the cup's warmed exterior against her fingers ā these are physical things she can focus on while the conceptual notion of literally being among the stars ricochets around inside her thoughts. ]
Well, that answers the where of it all. [ It's too hot for her to drink immediately, but bracing both of her hands around the mug itself is a minor comfort in the interim while she attempts to process. ]
You don't seem discomfited by our current predicament. So when did you arrive?
no subject
About five months now.
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[ That isnāt a protest, but in the admittance of it sheās likely divulged more about herself than she meant to; later, sheāll be more than willing to fault distraction, thoughts pulled between the present conversation and the grand concept of occupying somewhere previously unknowable. ]
Long enough to have witnessed whether retrieving theseā¦ orbs has led to any reward? [ Her eyebrows arch inquisitively over the rim of the mug as she ventures a small sip. ]
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[ Drift's ageless, handsome face flashes a wane smile as he cups his hand around the still empty mug he had set out next to Yennefer's if just to do something with his hands. ]
All we know so far is that they grow in strength together.
no subject
[ Neither does she, but then again, she wouldnāt; enchantments and Chaos have done the work of making her appear far younger than she is, although thereās always a dead giveaway in the eyes, the place that can never disguise where the years have been endured.
The tea is good, if not as sweet as she prefers it; sheād underestimated how the reassurance of having something warm to drink would ease her, shoulders dropping some of their tension. ]
So theyāre stronger upon a confluence. That would potentially signal why theyāre desired so badly ā and why the powers responsible for our being here are willing to strike a bargain with those who fetch their total number. [ Another sip. ] I presume no oneās been told what that number is.
no subject
I think of it like this ā [ Drift reaches across the island and pulls the little metal wire holder of stirrers, sugars, and creamer cups. He takes four creamers out and sets them out in a line. ]
So far, there have been four orbs [ He sets four of the cups in a neat row. ] As we've come to understand, they all have their own unique personalities, goals, and abilities. My working theory is they're a gestalt intelligence. Individually unique but brought together ā
[ Drift splays his hand so a finger is pressed down on each cup set out on the table. He clenches his hand into a claw and all the cups come together in a messy clutter. ]
Thwip ā Convergence.
no subject
She reaches out to collect one of the sugar packets herself, turning it over before tearing it open and pouring its contents into her tea - though not before making a partial mess on the island with small granules spilling in the process. ]
And the more orbs that are recovered, the stronger this so-called intelligence, or presence, could possibly become. Which begs its own question.
[ She eyes his clutched hand and the milky drops leaking from between his fingers. ] What sort of being comes into existence when the total convergence is achieved?
no subject
The more orbs that are brought together the stronger our chances, but I can't tell you how many or what the outcome will be.
[ He stares down at the slowly spilling creamer bleeding out into rivulets that merge and branch out before being swept away by the towel. ]
That's the gamble we're all taking.
no subject
[ Sheās assuming that she isnāt the only one here whoās agreed to such terms ā although the specifics of it, the regret sheād put forth to undo, is a truth known to no one else here that sheās aware of.
Moreover, she hasnāt learned of anyone elseās, although perhaps thatās the point. No one with any serious regret weighing on their conscience would bare that indiscriminately; besides, Yen herself rarely chooses to share anything so willingly unless itās in pursuit of something sheās deemed more valuable to her than momentary honesty. ]
Do you think it will be worth it? In the end?
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He puts down his mug and leans over the thin wall of heated steam Yennefer's tea gave. ]
I want my wife back. You'll find most of us will do anything.
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Most isnāt all.
[ The tea goes ignored, in the meanwhile, but sheās still holding onto it with a hand. ]
And āanythingā can include a great deal more than some are prepared to give.
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[ Drift's voice lightened and he offered a polite if distant smile as he spun the empty mug on the counter like a toy top. Fidgeting that he almost makes look like a skill as he catches it near the edge of the counter every time without looking. ]
Especially considering we haven't even gotten to telling each other our names. I can be a bit much with the naval-gazing but I'd like to think I have some manners. I'm Drift.
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[ But that isn't the tone of a woman who's attempting to press the issue further, and she ventures another sip of tea, finding it much more to her liking now with the addition of the sugar. It's also just at the precipice of lukewarm, meaning she might abandon it before finishing the remainder of the mug's contents. ]
You did offer to make a complete stranger a drink already. [ She hasn't overlooked the trajectory his mug takes, managing to make it into his hand without any fumbling. ] Yennefer.
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I'd like to think it's because you can't be a complete monster and hold regrets at the same time. [ They were both feeling each other out, and maybe her comment had been rhetorical he didn't mind giving her his two cents. She wasn't falling apart at the seams, so that was good. They needed cooler heads. ]
You're new, you didn't want coffee, and I was happy to oblige. Not that you seem to have any issue drinking tea a stranger made you. [ Drift lifts his empty mug and tips it casually against the rim of Yennefer's in the approximation of a toast. ] Yennefer.
no subject
He's given her much to think about, but has also been more forthcoming than anyone else she's encountered here and seemingly without expectation of his own ā which would normally raise her suspicions, but given the number of thoughts currently fighting for space in her awareness, she's not so sure she has the room to force in a little distrust alongside it. ]
It is rather difficult to ruin tea. [ Violet eyes follow the mug's movement up the length of his arm to his face again. ] I thought it was considered bad luck to toast with an empty cup.
no subject
[ When Yennefer sniffed out a hint to his real nature, Drift only stared passively back at her. He didn't think he was hiding, just not making a difficult situation worse with an appearance she might not be prepared for. ]
I thought that was toasting with a glass of water? [ If he sounded genuinely curious and confused, it's because he was. ] Humans have a superstition for every occasion, I suppose.
no subject
The manner in which he answers her question-that-isnāt-a-question attracts her curiosity in a very specific way ā itās how heās chosen to position himself as existing separate from humanity, as though it isnāt a race he belongs to himself. No one would necessarily be able to look at Yennefer and see someone who isnāt wholly human, but her enchantments do hide the most obvious proof of her origins, save the eye color that few others have.
Still, she finds she must ask, but phrases it in a more roundabout way rather than demanding an explanation. ] ā¦ and what would you call yourself, if not human?
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[ They both study each other for a moment that ticks just a second or two beyond what would be considered polite, but who could blame them? Drift had admitted to not being human, and he couldn't deny her shockingly violet eyes are more than just a conversation piece. ]
Very old and disinclined from revealing too much about myself to new faces when they're already processing enough. Pleasent and equally curious as present company may be.
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She isnāt scouring over him, but maybe now lingering in her glance, considering facets of his appearance that she might have overlooked before due to an onslaught of other sensory details. Her own features might be less telling had she chosen to have the enchanter change her eye color too, but sheād refused to let that happen.
In answer to his response, she drops her head slightly, more of an acquiescing nod than anything that holds defeat, but a smile ticks up one edge of her mouth. ] And the truth is no one whoās ever known me for any great length of time would be inclined to refer to me as pleasant. But who knows. [ She reaches for her mug to take one more sip, lips pressing together now that itās too tepid. ] Maybe youāve caught me on a good day.
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