[she knows that to some degree he's just teasing her (maybe) but she supposes that as she starts to approach the end of her drink, she. can't really stall that much more. fine. whatever. she's feeling warm after all the hail whatever, she can do this.]
... you should've started using my name earlier. [that literally has nothing to do with the task but. like. honesty, right?] It was so frustrating that you gave me an inappropriate title for so long, even though I called you by name but I...
I guess.... I wanted to work with you... properly - like equals. [she huffs, slightly irritated.] For a while. And every time you called me by a nickname, I got annoyed! Especially since you always called Akira by name! What's up with that, if you're going to rely on me, use my name...!!
[SHE IS SO DUMB AND SHE IS JUST SAYING WHATEVER COMES TO MIND]
... but it's been - good to work with you. I know that especially lately, you've - really endured a lot. And I've dragged you into a lot of problems, not even on purpose just - because you're by me. I don't want to do that anymore. I hate people who cause you trouble because of me. I wouldn't blame you if you thought that it was more trouble than it was worth.
[ . . . but he didn't, right? that's why he stuck around. and maybe that's why her tone sounds slightly awed.]
... it hasn't been that bad though, for me. Since it's you. And I hate you a lot less than most people here. [she actually likes him quite a lot. she actually dares to glance up to meet his gaze.]
I'm glad I've met you. I hate that it was here, in this place, in these circumstances - but I...
You've made this place bearable.
I want to keep meeting you, again and again - in places outside of here. So you have to live - because I meant what I said, that I don't want to lose you. I can't.
- something nags in the back of her head. leave nothing unsaid. she pauses, her fingers play with the cup in her hand, tilting it to look at the liquid inside even as her face gets warmer and the words leave her mouth - ]
It's - complicated. To get involved with me. I don't recommend it to anyone, and I think even after this, you couldn't be blamed for not wanting to deal with nobility courtship when - I don't even... want to deal with nobility courtship....
[ . . . ]
Maybe if things were different, I wouldn't have minded.... trying more....
[ . . . . . . . . . is this cup empty who knows she's going to try to drink more anyway and look directly into the mug so she doesn't have to see his face wow, isn't that wonderful]
[ it probably is a little rude. but still, he does lili the courtesy of listening all the way through to the end, without interrupting her. he takes a sip of his drink at the start, but puts it down when she really gets into it.
... ]
I wouldn't compare anything to Akira. He got called by name because we've already been through this once, so it's kind of a high standard to aim for out the gate, even for you.
[ ...
there's still a lot said there, but that's... mostly the first thing he needs to make a counterpoint to. it really is impossible to judge how he acts with akira with most other people, simply because of that extended period of time they'd been literally relying on each other in a life or death situation. it's double that of most of the other people here.
and then he leans forward on the counter -- ]
You're really stubborn, and kinda stupid about really obvious stuff. [ wow ]
But I kinda like that. You do too much, give too much away and keep thinking you're falling short. It's gonna burn you out someday unless you learn how to cut it out but... it's not bad to be someone who tries really hard and draws people in.
I just think those people end up hurt a lot worse than those who don't.
It's not like I care about being dragged into problems. I put myself into them half the time anyway. I don't like seeing you become the camp punching bag because you care though, and you got that care thrown back in your face by people who were manipulating the situations to save their own feelings.
Even if you're the kind of person that can look death in the eye without blinking, or the sort of person who'd run around camp, opening their wounds because you're trying to help someone else, or get info to help someone else, it doesn't mean you have to shoulder everything and take all the blows people aim at you by yourself, y'know.
Don't punch me for this. I haven't actually sparred with Ookurikara yet so I can't blame any injuries on him.
[ but lili will get maybe? a second or two to wonder what's going on, before he leans over the counter and kisses her.
nothing long, or drawn out. just a simple kiss that last maybe a second before he pulls back. ]
Complicated doesn't bother me. But I don't actually give a shit about noble customs, and I don't think you should either. Doesn't sound like the sort of thing you'd do.
[ ... ]
But you don't have to read into it. You said about you and Ookurikara, and where you stand and I'm not gonna step all over that. [ it's... literally in their court and he likes and respects them enough not to mess with it. ]
[her immediate response is to pout when he calls her stubborn and stupid - but she can't help but be a little startled when he keeps going. when he says he likes that. there's a lot of concern in his words, and a lot of care to them that she didn't expect. ash really is a wonderful person, isn't he? someone who she thinks is a little protective of her, and she wishes that she could figure out how to assure him that she'll be fine.
(traitorously, she thinks that it's unfair he didn't warn her. if this was going to be the only kiss they ever got, maybe she wanted to know. maybe she's wanted to kiss him for longer than she thought.)
and every reasonable response or word that she was going to say flies out of her ears as she turns entirely red, her hands flying up to her face to try to hide.]
[ there's just this pause, and in a romance movie the music would swell and there'd be soft lighting and everything.
but it's not, so what actually happens is ash just laughs, leaning forwards to bump his forehead against hers -- or against the where her hands are probably covering it, just for a second. and then he pulls back. ]
[honestly she already feels plenty loose-tongued so. as she raises her head, hand coming up to fix her hair self-consciously, she answers:]
No.
[ . . . . . ]
.... no matter what Kara says though - I... have to care about noble customs. [to bring it back to what he was saying after he -
yeah, she could barely hear it. but it's sort of too important to brush off.]
I have to use whatever I can to gain control of my lands, so... I can't just date or marry who I want. And it's not... fair to you to ask you to deal with all that if you don't want to.
[even once kara is more comfortable with sharing, if that ever happens.]
So I can't ask you to.
[even if lili wants everything she can get her hands on - she thinks she has to let this go.]
I think caring about them to the point they stop working out for you is one thing, but don't get so wrapped up in noble customs they smother you, alright?
[ she's a noble, yeah. his nickname was enough to remember that, but lili doesn't act like any noble he's run across. even out of the decent ones. ]
Nobles can be the worst kinds of people. Don't end up that way. [ there's something very serious in his voice -- and she's seen a little of why, but that's part of it, and doesn't fully reflect the years of just... total power nobles had over erebonia. to the point that the only option for anything resembling equality was to support a man with more ambious expansion projects and more manipulative ways than erebonia had ever seen. ]
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[ he slides the drink along to her
sippy sippy, lili ]
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she's stalling.
but also liquid courage so how about - ]
Winter's then?
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[ he sips his own drink. ]
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[she also keeps. sipping.
wow the stalling.]
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[ wow
the stalling. ]
Winter's fine.
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[THE STALLING.]
Even if it's conditional! Promise you'll contact me if you survive!
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Alright, alright. If I survive whatever shit’s coming my way when I get back, I’ll send you a message.
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[she seems satisfied.
sippy.]
You want me to go first, huh.
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You suggested it.
[1/2]
[she knows that to some degree he's just teasing her (maybe) but she supposes that as she starts to approach the end of her drink, she. can't really stall that much more. fine. whatever. she's feeling warm after all the hail whatever, she can do this.]
... you should've started using my name earlier. [that literally has nothing to do with the task but. like. honesty, right?] It was so frustrating that you gave me an inappropriate title for so long, even though I called you by name but I...
I guess.... I wanted to work with you... properly - like equals. [she huffs, slightly irritated.] For a while. And every time you called me by a nickname, I got annoyed! Especially since you always called Akira by name! What's up with that, if you're going to rely on me, use my name...!!
[SHE IS SO DUMB AND SHE IS JUST SAYING WHATEVER COMES TO MIND]
... but it's been - good to work with you. I know that especially lately, you've - really endured a lot. And I've dragged you into a lot of problems, not even on purpose just - because you're by me. I don't want to do that anymore. I hate people who cause you trouble because of me. I wouldn't blame you if you thought that it was more trouble than it was worth.
[ . . . but he didn't, right? that's why he stuck around. and maybe that's why her tone sounds slightly awed.]
... it hasn't been that bad though, for me. Since it's you. And I hate you a lot less than most people here. [she actually likes him quite a lot. she actually dares to glance up to meet his gaze.]
I'm glad I've met you. I hate that it was here, in this place, in these circumstances - but I...
You've made this place bearable.
I want to keep meeting you, again and again - in places outside of here. So you have to live - because I meant what I said, that I don't want to lose you. I can't.
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- something nags in the back of her head. leave nothing unsaid. she pauses, her fingers play with the cup in her hand, tilting it to look at the liquid inside even as her face gets warmer and the words leave her mouth - ]
It's - complicated. To get involved with me. I don't recommend it to anyone, and I think even after this, you couldn't be blamed for not wanting to deal with nobility courtship when - I don't even... want to deal with nobility courtship....
[ . . . ]
Maybe if things were different, I wouldn't have minded.... trying more....
[ . . . . . . . . . is this cup empty who knows she's going to try to drink more anyway and look directly into the mug so she doesn't have to see his face wow, isn't that wonderful]
1/2
... ]
I wouldn't compare anything to Akira. He got called by name because we've already been through this once, so it's kind of a high standard to aim for out the gate, even for you.
[ ...
there's still a lot said there, but that's... mostly the first thing he needs to make a counterpoint to. it really is impossible to judge how he acts with akira with most other people, simply because of that extended period of time they'd been literally relying on each other in a life or death situation. it's double that of most of the other people here.
and then he leans forward on the counter -- ]
You're really stubborn, and kinda stupid about really obvious stuff. [ wow ]
But I kinda like that. You do too much, give too much away and keep thinking you're falling short. It's gonna burn you out someday unless you learn how to cut it out but... it's not bad to be someone who tries really hard and draws people in.
I just think those people end up hurt a lot worse than those who don't.
It's not like I care about being dragged into problems. I put myself into them half the time anyway. I don't like seeing you become the camp punching bag because you care though, and you got that care thrown back in your face by people who were manipulating the situations to save their own feelings.
Even if you're the kind of person that can look death in the eye without blinking, or the sort of person who'd run around camp, opening their wounds because you're trying to help someone else, or get info to help someone else, it doesn't mean you have to shoulder everything and take all the blows people aim at you by yourself, y'know.
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Don't punch me for this. I haven't actually sparred with Ookurikara yet so I can't blame any injuries on him.
[ but lili will get maybe? a second or two to wonder what's going on, before he leans over the counter and kisses her.
nothing long, or drawn out. just a simple kiss that last maybe a second before he pulls back. ]
Complicated doesn't bother me. But I don't actually give a shit about noble customs, and I don't think you should either. Doesn't sound like the sort of thing you'd do.
[ ... ]
But you don't have to read into it. You said about you and Ookurikara, and where you stand and I'm not gonna step all over that. [ it's... literally in their court and he likes and respects them enough not to mess with it. ]
[1/3]
(though she supposes, isn't that his point?)]
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smooch?
smooch?]
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(traitorously, she thinks that it's unfair he didn't warn her. if this was going to be the only kiss they ever got, maybe she wanted to know. maybe she's wanted to kiss him for longer than she thought.)
and every reasonable response or word that she was going to say flies out of her ears as she turns entirely red, her hands flying up to her face to try to hide.]
..... Ash!!!!
[SHE'S WHINING. SHE CAN'T DO ANYTHING BUT WHINE.]
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but it's not, so what actually happens is ash just laughs, leaning forwards to bump his forehead against hers -- or against the where her hands are probably covering it, just for a second. and then he pulls back. ]
Yes, Lili?
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Stop flirting with me! You know we can't!
[WHINES MORE aaaaaAAAAAAAA. she drops her hands... sort of.]
You're horrid! Be nice to Kara! He said he doesn't want to share!!
[AND YET.]
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[ he pokes her on the now exposed part of her forehead. ]
I know. S'why I'm not gonna do anything more than that.
[ AND YET, INDEED. ]
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[STOP, THAT'S EMBARRASSING. she swats at his hand but it doesn't help because it. definitely reveals how red her face is. she hates him. wow.]
Just - stop!! Just stop talking for a bit!!
[SHE CAN'T CATCH HER BREATH]
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[ but. hey. alright. he mimes zipping his mouth shut and then holds up his hands. he's quiet. ]
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she just
glares at him to make sure that he stays quiet and then just. sinks her head down on the counter. making a little bit of a pitiful noise.]
Do I need another drink to keep having this conversation...
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I don't know, do you?
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No.
[ . . . . . ]
.... no matter what Kara says though - I... have to care about noble customs. [to bring it back to what he was saying after he -
yeah, she could barely hear it. but it's sort of too important to brush off.]
I have to use whatever I can to gain control of my lands, so... I can't just date or marry who I want. And it's not... fair to you to ask you to deal with all that if you don't want to.
[even once kara is more comfortable with sharing, if that ever happens.]
So I can't ask you to.
[even if lili wants everything she can get her hands on - she thinks she has to let this go.]
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[ she's a noble, yeah. his nickname was enough to remember that, but lili doesn't act like any noble he's run across. even out of the decent ones. ]
Nobles can be the worst kinds of people. Don't end up that way. [ there's something very serious in his voice -- and she's seen a little of why, but that's part of it, and doesn't fully reflect the years of just... total power nobles had over erebonia. to the point that the only option for anything resembling equality was to support a man with more ambious expansion projects and more manipulative ways than erebonia had ever seen. ]
...
'Sides I'd be a terrible noble.
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