[How dare she crit hit him right in the heart? Henry feels that telltale twang in his chest, and releases her hand just so he can loop his arm around her middle as they walk, instead.]
And you make me so happy because of it. Thank you.
[ it is a tiny flat; barely three rooms. everything is a ceaseless mess of clutter and the everyday life. how Henry stands it is beyond her; even she struggles from time to time.
the instant they are across the threshold, she glances at him. forget taking off her coat or shoes—straight to her desk. ]
[A barely-three-room flat is leagues better than the giant underground lab of HNL. He has very little reason to complain, except for sometimes the messes, which… he tries to straighten up… as much as he can.
He’ll take off his coat and close the door behind him as she beelines to her desk. There, atop her wizard’s clutter, rests a small rectangular wooden box tied neatly with a plain red ribbon.
…One small mushroom familiar holds it up, offering it while proclaiming: ta-daaa! Two others sit at the edge of her desk and swing their little stubby legs excitedly.]
[ she makes no indications towards subtlety at any point in her life. her desk can barely be seen at all beneath the weight of its contents—baubles, books, empty and forgotten teacups that Henry has yet to unearth. if nothing else, the place has all the feelings of a home. of being lived-in. it is not HNL, and it is not the Creel house.
she crosses the room briskly, surveys the box in the mushroom child's hand—
a red ribbon?
turns her face sharply towards him as she takes the box in hand. ]
They're not "things", Sprezzatura. And that was only the one time.
[And it was worth it, wasn't it?
Within, the gift is wrapped in silken cloth. Unwrap it further, and she's presented with a deck of cards, each card face a different, painterly illustration.]
I'm not sure, but I think they're supposed to be magical. But that's more up your alley than mine.
[The little mushroom blinks and makes an “ehhh??” sound, but doesn’t try to take it again.]
Really?
[So it’s not just a mild object he’s given her; it has actual power, the kind that he can’t help but be curious about. At his core, he is still called Vecna for a reason.]
Well, there are plenty of cards, so I'd guess there's a little bit of something in-between, too. Something that could be beneficial to us, if it's as powerful as you claim.
[Woaahhhhh! says the mushroom who was still standing. The other two sway, still seated, though one gets a pile of papers slid onto its head.
For Henry, these feels like a conflict that would rear its head in Shadowpeaks again. One not wanting the other to be harmed; one indignant that the other might even suggest it for the sake of themselves.]
If you're putting yourself at risk, then I'm going to do it with you. [He is jumping to the conclusion that they're totally going to try this magical deck out, because isn't that what wizards (real and honorary) do?] How does it work?
I’m not a wizard. I don’t pretend to understand any of the magic in this world. I just knew the cards were arcane, but I didn’t think we were talking world-altering power.
[He figured like, wow, maybe a fancy cantrip or twenty. Sprezzatura likes those, right.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
vecna) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
finalflight2024-12-26 07:22 pm
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And you make me so happy because of it. Thank you.
[For saying it aloud. And... for everything.]
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clears her throat, leaning her head just so towards him. ]
Oh. Hurry us up, would you?
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We’re nearly there.
[Indeed, they are! Whatever their living situation may be, he will be a gentleman and open the door for her once they arrive.]
It’s waiting on your desk.
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the instant they are across the threshold, she glances at him. forget taking off her coat or shoes—straight to her desk. ]
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He’ll take off his coat and close the door behind him as she beelines to her desk. There, atop her wizard’s clutter, rests a small rectangular wooden box tied neatly with a plain red ribbon.
…One small mushroom familiar holds it up, offering it while proclaiming: ta-daaa! Two others sit at the edge of her desk and swing their little stubby legs excitedly.]
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she crosses the room briskly, surveys the box in the mushroom child's hand—
a red ribbon?
turns her face sharply towards him as she takes the box in hand. ]
Where did you say you got this from?
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One might assume Henry tried to explain it wasn’t a birthday gift, but it didn’t stick in their empty little heads.
He steps closer, smiling.]
I told you. Just some locals who needed my abilities. Why?
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[ "these things" being the mushrooms.
...gives the ribbon a tug. eager despite herself. ]
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[And it was worth it, wasn't it?
Within, the gift is wrapped in silken cloth. Unwrap it further, and she's presented with a deck of cards, each card face a different, painterly illustration.]
I'm not sure, but I think they're supposed to be magical. But that's more up your alley than mine.
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puts the deck down and immediately takes a step back ]
You got this? Where did you get this?
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Henry, meanwhile, isn’t sure that’s the reaction he anticipated. Doesn’t she like magical things!!!]
What’s wrong? Do you recognize it?
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Magical decks are intensely dangerous things!
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Really?
[So it’s not just a mild object he’s given her; it has actual power, the kind that he can’t help but be curious about. At his core, he is still called Vecna for a reason.]
How dangerous are we talking?
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It could change worlds! Or break them.
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Well, there are plenty of cards, so I'd guess there's a little bit of something in-between, too. Something that could be beneficial to us, if it's as powerful as you claim.
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Or something which could destroy us to our very base elements.
[ in the musing tone of a woman weighing her chances. she is not immune to the lure of the arcane.
obviously. ]
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Though there is one sticking point that will put a complete stop to even the idea of experimentation, and it comes to him in the next moment.]
Tempting as it is to see what these cards can do, I’d rather not lose you permanently — and to my gift, at that. Maybe let me have a try at it first.
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he'd rather not lose her? so she should stand to lose him instead? that's what he wants? how is that any better? ]
No!
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For Henry, these feels like a conflict that would rear its head in Shadowpeaks again. One not wanting the other to be harmed; one indignant that the other might even suggest it for the sake of themselves.]
If you're putting yourself at risk, then I'm going to do it with you. [He is jumping to the conclusion that they're totally going to try this magical deck out, because isn't that what wizards (real and honorary) do?] How does it work?
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I’m not a wizard. I don’t pretend to understand any of the magic in this world. I just knew the cards were arcane, but I didn’t think we were talking world-altering power.
[He figured like, wow, maybe a fancy cantrip or twenty. Sprezzatura likes those, right.]
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They're cards, Sprezzatura.
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