[ it's weird how quickly she got used to having... well. a roommate. it's not like it's the first time, after all; she'd slept in the same room as neptune and jupiter, gender roles be damned. after all, they could only afford so many counselors to keep watch-
-but this isn't about that, and it's not about them. it's about astarion. it's about the fact that she's been sharing a bed with him for... what, weeks now? and how it's only gotten more and more calming. it's about the way he's seen her change from form to form, helped her put herself into shapes more and less human each time they've tried. she's woken up nude in his arms enough times to stop apologizing - to stop caring, even.
she hasn't even bothered to put a shirt on for the night. it's only as the sun sets and the gentle light of the moon filters in that she finally pulls herself upright. ]
Hey. [ she stretches her arms and wings behind her head - not a single sign of nerves in the action. ] There's supposed to be a little festival thing tonight, right? Because of the meteor shower?
[ It’s been a little strange for Astarion as well how quickly he’s gotten used to this. Sharing a room with someone isn’t that new for him - in fact, the opposite was true, having a room to himself was much newer. Save for the current “favorite”, the vampire spawn were all forced to share a single small “dormitory”, so sharing with five other people with only the raggedy blanket on the bed to call his own was his norm. No the strange part was willingly cohabitating with someone and sharing a bed and not… feeling disgusted by it. The first nights were awkward and a bit of a struggle, no matter how much he tried to hide that it was, but at some point it just… clicked. He got used to it. Used to just existing with someone without… anything sexual behind it. Without any strings.
He’s currently reading a book in one hand when Venus rises. (One of the things living together has ultimately revealed about him is how lowkey and quiet his actual hobbies are. He likes to read, he can often be found with a needle, making alterations to the tailor provided clothing, sometimes he stares a little too long at a paintbrush in someone else’s hand before moving on) He’s fully clothed himself, but in his lighter, casual under clothes. ]
Is there? [ His ass ain’t ever paying attention ] Hopefully not as rowdy as that last festival.
[ It wasn’t even that rowdy you’re just a spoil sport ]
[ he's reading again. he always looks cute when he's doing that. picturesque, even. even a few weeks in, there's still something magical to waking up to this room - her radio disassembled and wired all around the quarters, dozens of eyes taking in every part of the room at once (and astarion especially). ]
I mean. A bit hard to beat that, right? I'm all out of eggshell.
[ her voice dips a bit, mimics astarion's ups and downs - and she gestures with a hand as she makes the joke, completing the impression. but there's no way to mistake the dumb giggle afterwards as anything but venus. ]
...I kind of want to go. Do you want to come along?
[ It looks like he's about to turn the page, when really he's dog earring a page so he can turn his attention more properly to her (it's a book from the royal library, he doesn't care enough to use a book mark). He freezes in place when she asks him that though, before eventually looking up at her. ]
If I wanted to be bitten right now, I could literally just stay at home?
[ but it's clearly meant as a joke, and after a moment she sighs, shaking her head. ]
...I like March. I mean, I really do? She's great. And she's high energy, and cute, and pretty, and if we went out, I know she'd take me to see every single thing and share drinks and take pictures. And I'd have fun. Really. I would.
[ there's a "but" hanging in the air - an obvious hesitation. after a moment, her shoulders slump, and she finally just says: ]
I just... thought it might be nice to go with you. There's one or two things I wanted to see, and then it'd just be... You know. Relaxing. And dark, too, so you wouldn't have to bring the parasol.
[ "I just thought it might be nice to go with you."
He almost asks again if she's sure. Like, really sure. But he stops himself from doing so, wisely thinking better of it. He's gotten a bit better at that lately. ]
Well...
[ He clears his throat, before setting the book down and moving to stand. ]
The comfort of night does sound alluring. And who am I to turn down the request of such a lovely young lady?
[ he's not allowed to ask if she's sure about these things! that's her job. duh. then again, it seems like they've both influenced the other in their own ways, bit by bit. even a week ago, she wouldn't have managed to riposte against his little flirt with her own- ]
I guess you'd be the same person who turned it down two days ago? [ the request to go check on her garden plot, of course. at day. when he was in the middle of doing his own things. ] I don't want to impose, of course. I'm sure your book is every bit as exciting as, uh-
[ a snort-giggle. dammit. she's breaking character. uh. ]
-as exciting as catching a meteor with the devil? [ still giggling, with that stupid little grin on her face: ] Damn it. That would have been really good if I hadn't cracked. It'd have been good, right?
Haha! Yes. I'm getting a good grade in. Sass? I guess??
[ she twirls into the air from the covers, parts of her body still ethereally passing through while others take peachy tones. it doesn't take long for her to get dressed - the small advantages of technically wearing men's styles, even if it's hard to mistake her for anything but Girl these days. a simple bra, then tights, a shirt, vest, shorts, suspenders - boyishly cute, girlishly sweet. an erasure of the boundaries between. each piece of clothing defines her as "human-ish," each drawing lines where her skin should be and where hair stops being "light" and becomes "strands-"
until finally, she's standing on her own two feet, ready and waiting for astarion to be ready. like this, she could almost pass for human - if it weren't for the two grand wings tucked at her back, the glow to her skin, the way eyes occasionally peek from under fabric at the world outside. ]
God. I'm never going to get used to this? Haha. [ but she's not complaining, and when she does a little twirl on one foot - effortlessly kept aloft even as she wobbles - she finally turns to face astarion. ] How do I look, my dear?
[There’s a knock at her door, sometime on the 1st.
Alesha… isn’t sure how this is going to go. She’s still reevaluating her behavior after no less than Gold Ship and Yayoi called her out for having her head up her class, and given all that the self proclaimed enemy of a hateful God chose to be, honesty seemed the best policy.
So the gift under her arm has green wrapping paper decked with boughs of holly, rather than any dodges about Yulehearth warmth.]
Huh? Oh, sorry, um- Sorry, let me just see who it is. Coming?
[ there's a few seconds' pause - a fiddling at the lock, then a creak as venus pushes the door open. she looks - more human than she did at the grand brawl. more defined. a humanoid body, one that resembles the girl alesha saw in rosavelle and makes the differences stand out even more starkly. skin that glows bright, like warm gathered starlight. eyes that curiously watch on her bare hands, under the unbuttoned collar of her shirt, on a shoulder peeking out. and above all, two grand wings, held behind her and watching.
...also the expression on her face when she realizes who she's talking to. that one's new. ]
Oh. Um. Hi. [ a beat; a few of the eyes glance down to the wrapped gift, but the ones on her face stay locked on. ] ...everything okay?
Better than I was last year, so to speak. Got my head screwed back on a bit by some friends I made here.
You look... you look good. Happier and a lot more composed than last I saw you.
And happy new year, and...
[She glances down at her package, and then back up at Venus.]
...I had half a mind to give this to you under the pretense it was for some winter holiday on Mundus, but let's not kid ourselves. I had Christmas in mind and so would have you. So a belated Merry Christmas, this is for you.
[And she thrusts forward the shallow, wide cylinder of a gift.]
[ she clears her throat - keeps the door half-closed as alesha keeps going. as tempting as it would be to point out she was getting attacked and stepped on the last time they saw each other, it seems less than helpful right now. so she just nods along as alesha says things, and pretends she understands the mundus thing, and-
oh. wait. what? ]
Wait. Um. Are you sure? [ she doesn't look upset. more confused than anything. ] I feel like. We talked about the whole "being the devil" thing? I think we did, at least. And I sort of thought by now it was obviously not a metaphor?
Devil you may be, but you're the devil from a world that would throw my daughter into the Pit with you and where the Church calling you evil is a badge of honor.
So if you need to claim that for yourself, hell, I understand "not gay as in happy but queer as in fuck you," and I won't argue the point. I'll still give you a Christmas present and wish you well, and thank my God that He didn't make me choose between love and faith.
[ venus just... sort of stares at alesha. for a moment, she glances down - gently shakes the package, looks at it with more than a few eyes. but the eyes on her wings still stare at alesha, and after a moment venus asks- ]
Is this like... some kind of self-congratulatory mission thing? Like, "we talked to the heathens, and we have shown our kindness with deeds, so we can pose for pictures and say we understand them and move on?" Is that what this is about?
[ she doesn't even sound angry. just... confused. confused and a bit tired. ]
Venus, give me some credit. I thought you might like these, if you as the Devil can still appreciate them.
[It is 'these.' 'they' rattle against the side of a tin.]
...maybe a month ago it would have been like that, honestly, but maybe now, with the scabbarded sword mostly out of my ass, I want to actually understand.
[ she'd asked yayoi to go with her to the hot springs. so far, so good. she'd worked out roughly what she'd wanted to say. she'd even told her the honest truth: it's easier to go to a place like this with someone else who gets it. not that anyone in rosavelle would mind, just... you know. just in case.
it's not like it wasn't true. and- she's happy she asked. she wants to iron things out between them. all of that's true. unfortunately, it's a bit hard to focus on the upsides when you're trying to bathe next to the bustiest girl in the city. good god. she can see her from literally every angle at once. ]
I... hadn't really considered we'd need to take a bath before bathing?
[ ...maybe she should see if she can make her boobs a bit bigger. like, every now and then. just when she feels like it. ]
[This is, of course, the one aspect that makes perfect sense to her. Yayoi is still a little bit nervous, but... With Miss Devil, there's nothing to fear. Right? But still... She glances around nervously.
... She tries to tell herself Miss Devil isn't ogling her chest. That's just having eyes on everywhere.]
[ look. she's really trying not to, yayoi? but it's kind of hard. they've got their own gravity, ]
Absolutely not? I mean, I- I had to shower with the boys when my dad signed me up for football, but. I've never been somewhere public, like... you know. [ a wing extends, gestures behind her. ] This.
[She sighs, and is just going to wash up quickly, throwing water over herself.]
The idea is that if everyone's soaking in it, it's gross if you get the water everyone's in dirty. Public baths are all I could use while I was homeless, so...
[ well, this is off to a great start. she winces, shakes her head, tries to move on rather than dwell on the rougher parts of yayoi's past. ]
I mean, I guess it makes sense? Bathing to get clean is like... I mean, you're basically soaking in your own dirtiness. So I guess this fixes that, right?
[Did she say something wrong...? She takes a moment. Should she not bring up being homeless? Or... should she not bring up Miss Devil being American? Is that a bad thing?
It's probably the American thing. After all, Miss Devil definitely doesn't seem like she likes her home much...]
Yeah, exactly. You're supposed to shower before you soak, the bath part is to relax.
[She... does seem to be having trouble with just how long her hair is, but it's fine.]
...I hope that part's actually relaxing, at least.
[ she's not ashamed of her body. far from it. she's delighted in who she is - what she is. but sitting next to yayoi, amidst all the other women who look - well, normal, compared to her...
it's a bit frustrating, in a way she can't quite voice. ]
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CLOSED (ASTARION); mild nudity mention!
-but this isn't about that, and it's not about them. it's about astarion. it's about the fact that she's been sharing a bed with him for... what, weeks now? and how it's only gotten more and more calming. it's about the way he's seen her change from form to form, helped her put herself into shapes more and less human each time they've tried. she's woken up nude in his arms enough times to stop apologizing - to stop caring, even.
she hasn't even bothered to put a shirt on for the night. it's only as the sun sets and the gentle light of the moon filters in that she finally pulls herself upright. ]
Hey. [ she stretches her arms and wings behind her head - not a single sign of nerves in the action. ] There's supposed to be a little festival thing tonight, right? Because of the meteor shower?
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He’s currently reading a book in one hand when Venus rises. (One of the things living together has ultimately revealed about him is how lowkey and quiet his actual hobbies are. He likes to read, he can often be found with a needle, making alterations to the tailor provided clothing, sometimes he stares a little too long at a paintbrush in someone else’s hand before moving on) He’s fully clothed himself, but in his lighter, casual under clothes. ]
Is there? [ His ass ain’t ever paying attention ] Hopefully not as rowdy as that last festival.
[ It wasn’t even that rowdy you’re just a spoil sport ]
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I mean. A bit hard to beat that, right? I'm all out of eggshell.
[ her voice dips a bit, mimics astarion's ups and downs - and she gestures with a hand as she makes the joke, completing the impression. but there's no way to mistake the dumb giggle afterwards as anything but venus. ]
...I kind of want to go. Do you want to come along?
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With... me?
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Are you sure, darling? Wouldn't you rather go with one of your... more "fun" friends? That March girl, perhaps...?
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[ but it's clearly meant as a joke, and after a moment she sighs, shaking her head. ]
...I like March. I mean, I really do? She's great. And she's high energy, and cute, and pretty, and if we went out, I know she'd take me to see every single thing and share drinks and take pictures. And I'd have fun. Really. I would.
[ there's a "but" hanging in the air - an obvious hesitation. after a moment, her shoulders slump, and she finally just says: ]
I just... thought it might be nice to go with you. There's one or two things I wanted to see, and then it'd just be... You know. Relaxing. And dark, too, so you wouldn't have to bring the parasol.
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[ "I just thought it might be nice to go with you."
He almost asks again if she's sure. Like, really sure. But he stops himself from doing so, wisely thinking better of it. He's gotten a bit better at that lately. ]
Well...
[ He clears his throat, before setting the book down and moving to stand. ]
The comfort of night does sound alluring. And who am I to turn down the request of such a lovely young lady?
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I guess you'd be the same person who turned it down two days ago? [ the request to go check on her garden plot, of course. at day. when he was in the middle of doing his own things. ] I don't want to impose, of course. I'm sure your book is every bit as exciting as, uh-
[ a snort-giggle. dammit. she's breaking character. uh. ]
-as exciting as catching a meteor with the devil? [ still giggling, with that stupid little grin on her face: ] Damn it. That would have been really good if I hadn't cracked. It'd have been good, right?
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Yes, sweetheart, it would have been. But you've convinced me either way.
Give me a moment to get ready and I'll be good to go whenever you are.
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[ she twirls into the air from the covers, parts of her body still ethereally passing through while others take peachy tones. it doesn't take long for her to get dressed - the small advantages of technically wearing men's styles, even if it's hard to mistake her for anything but Girl these days. a simple bra, then tights, a shirt, vest, shorts, suspenders - boyishly cute, girlishly sweet. an erasure of the boundaries between. each piece of clothing defines her as "human-ish," each drawing lines where her skin should be and where hair stops being "light" and becomes "strands-"
until finally, she's standing on her own two feet, ready and waiting for astarion to be ready. like this, she could almost pass for human - if it weren't for the two grand wings tucked at her back, the glow to her skin, the way eyes occasionally peek from under fabric at the world outside. ]
God. I'm never going to get used to this? Haha. [ but she's not complaining, and when she does a little twirl on one foot - effortlessly kept aloft even as she wobbles - she finally turns to face astarion. ] How do I look, my dear?
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Belated christmas cookies
Alesha… isn’t sure how this is going to go. She’s still reevaluating her behavior after no less than Gold Ship and Yayoi called her out for having her head up her class, and given all that the self proclaimed enemy of a hateful God chose to be, honesty seemed the best policy.
So the gift under her arm has green wrapping paper decked with boughs of holly, rather than any dodges about Yulehearth warmth.]
no subject
[ there's a few seconds' pause - a fiddling at the lock, then a creak as venus pushes the door open. she looks - more human than she did at the grand brawl. more defined. a humanoid body, one that resembles the girl alesha saw in rosavelle and makes the differences stand out even more starkly. skin that glows bright, like warm gathered starlight. eyes that curiously watch on her bare hands, under the unbuttoned collar of her shirt, on a shoulder peeking out. and above all, two grand wings, held behind her and watching.
...also the expression on her face when she realizes who she's talking to. that one's new. ]
Oh. Um. Hi. [ a beat; a few of the eyes glance down to the wrapped gift, but the ones on her face stay locked on. ] ...everything okay?
no subject
You look... you look good. Happier and a lot more composed than last I saw you.
And happy new year, and...
[She glances down at her package, and then back up at Venus.]
...I had half a mind to give this to you under the pretense it was for some winter holiday on Mundus, but let's not kid ourselves. I had Christmas in mind and so would have you. So a belated Merry Christmas, this is for you.
[And she thrusts forward the shallow, wide cylinder of a gift.]
no subject
[ she clears her throat - keeps the door half-closed as alesha keeps going. as tempting as it would be to point out she was getting attacked and stepped on the last time they saw each other, it seems less than helpful right now. so she just nods along as alesha says things, and pretends she understands the mundus thing, and-
oh. wait. what? ]
Wait. Um. Are you sure? [ she doesn't look upset. more confused than anything. ] I feel like. We talked about the whole "being the devil" thing? I think we did, at least. And I sort of thought by now it was obviously not a metaphor?
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So if you need to claim that for yourself, hell, I understand "not gay as in happy but queer as in fuck you," and I won't argue the point. I'll still give you a Christmas present and wish you well, and thank my God that He didn't make me choose between love and faith.
no subject
Is this like... some kind of self-congratulatory mission thing? Like, "we talked to the heathens, and we have shown our kindness with deeds, so we can pose for pictures and say we understand them and move on?" Is that what this is about?
[ she doesn't even sound angry. just... confused. confused and a bit tired. ]
no subject
[It is 'these.' 'they' rattle against the side of a tin.]
...maybe a month ago it would have been like that, honestly, but maybe now, with the scabbarded sword mostly out of my ass, I want to actually understand.
Early January
it's not like it wasn't true. and- she's happy she asked. she wants to iron things out between them. all of that's true. unfortunately, it's a bit hard to focus on the upsides when you're trying to bathe next to the bustiest girl in the city. good god. she can see her from literally every angle at once. ]
I... hadn't really considered we'd need to take a bath before bathing?
[ ...maybe she should see if she can make her boobs a bit bigger. like, every now and then. just when she feels like it. ]
no subject
[This is, of course, the one aspect that makes perfect sense to her. Yayoi is still a little bit nervous, but... With Miss Devil, there's nothing to fear. Right? But still... She glances around nervously.
... She tries to tell herself Miss Devil isn't ogling her chest. That's just having eyes on everywhere.]
Have you never been to a public bath before?
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Absolutely not? I mean, I- I had to shower with the boys when my dad signed me up for football, but. I've never been somewhere public, like... you know. [ a wing extends, gestures behind her. ] This.
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[She sighs, and is just going to wash up quickly, throwing water over herself.]
The idea is that if everyone's soaking in it, it's gross if you get the water everyone's in dirty. Public baths are all I could use while I was homeless, so...
no subject
[ well, this is off to a great start. she winces, shakes her head, tries to move on rather than dwell on the rougher parts of yayoi's past. ]
I mean, I guess it makes sense? Bathing to get clean is like... I mean, you're basically soaking in your own dirtiness. So I guess this fixes that, right?
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It's probably the American thing. After all, Miss Devil definitely doesn't seem like she likes her home much...]
Yeah, exactly. You're supposed to shower before you soak, the bath part is to relax.
[She... does seem to be having trouble with just how long her hair is, but it's fine.]
no subject
[ she's not ashamed of her body. far from it. she's delighted in who she is - what she is. but sitting next to yayoi, amidst all the other women who look - well, normal, compared to her...
it's a bit frustrating, in a way she can't quite voice. ]
no subject
You okay? You having second thoughts or something?