[open] oh lamia please try to help me

[tothemetal]

Who: Styx & OPEN
When: All through Noveuer
Where: Various
What: Catch-all for the month! Quests and other various activities around Aefenglom. Starters in the comments!
Warnings: I'm also doing the sex pollen quest, you know how this is gonna go.


if you'd like to do something else or want a closed starter, hmu! PMs or phantomblood ouo

Comments

[tothemetal]

[not too much trouble...god, he's practically glowing at the praise that is not really praise in the least.]

'm Styx! It's been real cool to meet you.

[and not to fail in preserving this dragon's (presumably) good day. he intends to take Soren's advice to heart, as even he can see the merit in keeping his attention on something calming while attempting nerve-racking endeavors. there's no debt incurred, apparently, but he can't help but feel like...]

Uh! [shit. he clears his throat, then tries again.] Next time I see you - uh, you know, if we bump into each other again! - 'm gonna buy the coffee. Even if I don't owe you nothing.

[silentsavant]

[ Soren turns his head as he continues to eye him like he's trying to find some sort of catch to this spontaneous, well-intentioned offer: a long-entrenched habit of the tactician's that just never seems to completely break, even for harmless, pitiful acts of goodwill. ]

Why would you do that for me? [ With a shake of refusal and a step back as he takes his coffee from the counter, he adds: ] No, don't bother. I'm probably much more well off than you, anyway, so it would feel ridiculous of me to accept.

[ Not only has he been here longer, but he has his own property now, a steady job... and his body is made of black gold that keeps growing and shedding like leaves through the seasons. He's sure his quick judgment of how Styx's financial situation compares to his has a solid basis. ]

[tothemetal]

[Styx is used to people wondering why he'd want to do anything for them - but never for that particular reason. it prompts him to tilt his own head to the side, hair falling in a curtain over part of his vision while he tries to process this unexpected conundrum.

his money situation was actually less dire than the ratty shoestring of a budget he was usually clinging to at home, but certainly not enough to outstrip anyone who could casually wear a shirt as fancy as Soren's. even so, he isn't quite certain how that has any bearing on the stupidity of the dragon taking a coffee from him at some point in the future? after a few moments he exhales slowly, unable to arrive at any sort of answer.]

Just figured, uh, we met 'cause of a coffee so it'd be nice to have it again next time? Didn't really think too much beyond that...

[he laughs, kind of helplessly, because he hadn't realized he was supposed to give this sort of thing any thought at all. maybe that was just common sense for more intelligent people.]

's not gonna break the bank or nothing - unless they're like, really big cups of coffee, I guess. But 'm not trying to push you if it's not your thing. You don't gotta.

soren overthinks genuine desires to become friends: the tag

[silentsavant]

...

[ For just a couple of seconds, Soren doesn't know what to do with an explanation like this, so simple and guileless, no motivation besides the symbolism of how they first crossed paths. He blinks a little more quickly in that span of time. Perhaps what's most confusing is why he's so eager for more meetings like this when Soren is sure that his company had been less than pleasant, even intimidating with the way he exerted his pressure to get it right or else. Maybe he's just dimwitted, or maybe his self-esteem is so low that he was more focused on how he deserved such treatment, how he didn't want to cause more trouble for Soren than how Soren could have been more understanding of a tiny mistake? Or maybe it was the feeling of triumph that tinged his desire to meet up again, this subconscious positive association with his last bit of advice and that rush of a small victory? Maybe he expects, actively or not, that he could assist in his magical endeavors even more?

That makes a little more sense to Soren. After a bout of consideration, he shrugs and rotates just a little more toward the exit. ]

If I have a bit of free time, I might consider your offer. It was kind of you to do that, even if we're practically strangers.

soren.exe has encountered an unexpected error

[tothemetal]

[maybe he just thinks you're cool, dude. can you really look at that massive skull and honestly say that any deep thought has ever emerged from it?]

Can't be strangers forever, right? Especially not if we're gonna chill like that.

[case in point, this makes absolutely no fucking sense whatsoever and he's still just smiling brightly at Soren. what did he have to not be excited over? somehow he'd managed to clarify himself well and he wasn't being rejected out of hand. this was killer!

the witch appears as if he'd like to say more, but the gentle chime of ceramic catches his attention; with his focus on (what he felt was) an important conversation, that wayward cup of Styx's had slipped out of its little corral and very nearly skittered its way right off the edge. with a laugh the big guy picks it up by its handle and gives a hearty nod to his former companion. it was kind of thoughtful of his coffee to signal without a doubt that it was time for them to part ways.]

Hope I see you around soon, dude.