paramythas

[paramythas]

got real fuckin sleepy mid draft so guess I'm callin it. slowdown this week again for fic stuff on top of everything else, please pray for me.

[paramythas]

༊*·˚  ﹕  𝖕𝖗𝖔𝖒𝖕𝖙𝖘  、  a collection of angsty &. love related quotes &. lyrics from pinterest . ( note, none of these quotes are mine . pronouns can be changed to better fit situations / your needs . )

❛ a lover ? maybe . something tender , anyway. but tender like a bruise . ❜

❛ my eyes aches with the weight of unshed tears . you are my home , do you not understand ? ❜

❛ your eyes reflect me in a terrible way . ❜

❛ do i seem anxious to you ? do i seem backed into a corner ? ❜

❛ what else can my hands do with the blood ? pray ? ❜

❛ you believe me like a god . i'll betray you like a man . ❜

❛ yes , i did care . very much . i had never been in love before . ❜

❛ i don't think you've ever felt anything that didn't hurt you . ❜

❛ we've found each other , out of everyone in the world . does that hurt , too ? ❜

❛ if i could have done it all again , i would have loved you better . but i could not have loved you more . ❜

❛ in the crooks of your body , i find my religion . ❜

❛ my heart is a fist . it pockets prayer or holds rage . ❜

❛ he wasn't mine and i wasn't his but he was so good at making me feel like we belonged to each other . ❜

❛ show me all the parts of you that you don't love so i know where to begin . ❜

❛ what lived and died between us - haunts me still . ❜

❛ i'm not a violent dog . i don't know why i bite . ❜

❛ i am both the sacrificial lamb and the executioner . ❜

❛ and in the middle of the chaos there was you . ❜

❛ we're parallel . sinking ships . ❜

❛ i was not a heavenly child , a savage with a temperament wild . even here as  we are standing now , i see the fear in your eyes . ❜

[paramythas]

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER SENTENCE STARTERS

@sangsorrow asked: [ hyuna ] don’t patronize me.

"𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐃𝐎𝐍'𝐓 𝐀𝐂𝐓 𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐒𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐈 𝐍𝐄𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐎 patronize, you brat."

For all that she's trying- and oh, she has been trying- to be kind, to be considerate, Ivan seems hell-bent on making it difficult. Any moment he's kept from Till is apparently a moment too long, but Hyuna has seen this kind of thing from too close to let it go easily. It gives her the chills, sometimes, just how familiar his attitude can get- that hardheaded insistence that whatever decision he makes for the other's sake is best for him.

As if he doesn't think of Till as a person so much as something to keep firmly in his grasp.

(It's a lucky thing he's not blond, or she might have fought him already.)

It's hard not to overlap her mental images of them sometimes though- because sometimes, there's that familiar blank nothing in Ivan's dark eyes and Hyuna feels the chill go down her spine. His consideration for himself is nonexistent, and she's not sure letting him see Till won't make it worse. So she keeps them apart- makes sure someone has eyes on Ivan at all times, because if not, then she's sure there's going to be something that breaks before either of them have a chance to fix themselves well enough to ever recover from it.

(Ivan isn't the only one whose image is overlapped by someone else, but she'll never mention it to Till, either.)

"We might have rescued you, but that doesn't mean we're here for your convenience. Other things matter too, Ivan. Not just what you want."

[paramythas]

"𝐖𝐎𝐖𝐖𝐖, 𝐑𝐄𝐎'𝐒 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐎 𝐈𝐓 𝐓𝐎𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝐇𝐔𝐇?" 𝐍𝐀𝐆𝐈 asks, voice even softer than usual, if only because of how close he is to his partner. Reo's cute declaration doesn't go unnoticed, and Nagi mumbles a half-dazed 'beep, beep' in response, nuzzling closer as the warmth of Reo's body lulls him into relaxing.

He tries not to fall asleep though, because he knows lugging around his dead weight would be too much for anyone, much less Reo. Especially with the way he's been training lately. So he focuses on his voice- which is easy, because Reo's voice isn't grating to him like most people's are- and sulks a little as Reo teases him more. He gives a huff against the back of his shoulder, muttering grumpily, and resists giving Reo's arm a little pinch for making fun of him.

(If it were anyone else, they'd likely have a bruise from his grip already.)

"I mean, I'm never gonna complain if Reo wants to spoil me," he agrees easily, shrugging his shoulders halfheartedly. "Because Reo's extra-good at taking care of me, so it's less hassle to let you do it than doing it myself." And really, if Reo wanted to volunteer to bathe him, it's not like Nagi would tell him no- but he's definitely not going to ask him to do that. It feels like there's a line there that shouldn't be crossed, and incapable of reading social cues as Nagi can be, even he can sense it. Still...

"Why? Does Reo wanna do it?" He can't help but ask, tone completely devoid of any intention to the average person. But Reo, who knows him better than anyone, can probably sense the barely-there lift in his voice that means he's joking- or at the very least, just saying something outlandish to see how Reo reacts.

REO  WOULD  DO  ANYTHING  FOR  NAGI'S  HAPPINESS.  If  Nagi  was  happy,  Reo  was  delighted.  Believe  it  or  not.  So  caring  for  him  wasn't  an  issue,  but  he  was  just  as  tired.  But  he  would  never  allow  himself  to  show  the  other.  Feeling  the  other's  body  against  his  almost  relaxes  him.  After  everything  they  had  gone  through,  he  really  enjoyed  knowing  that  Nagi  was  still  close  to  him.  Perhaps  words  never  needed  to  be  spoken,  but  actions  spoke  volumes  between  the  two.  Even  if  he  was  the  one  showing  more  than  the  other,  he  knew  how  to  read  Nagi.

Hearing  the  half-sleep  tone  from  the  other,  he  couldn't  help  but  smile.  Feeling  the  other's  closeness,  he  shivered  and  laughed  a  little  bit.  "  Beep  beep,  Reo  Limousine,  next  stop,  baths,"  he  teased.

Times  like  this  were  amusing  when  they  could  joke  around  and  have  fun.  He  was  walking  with  the  other  on  his  back  for  the  moment,  and  he  couldn't  help  but  smile  more  to  himself  if  anything.  Though  parts  of  him  wanted  to  rant  about  the  training  they  have  been  doing,  like  he  wasn't  feeling  as  if  he  was  learning,  then  again,  Prince  has  taken  a  huge  liking  to  Reo,  so  they  have  been  talking  more  about  Brand  deals,  and  money  than  anything.  Not  that  Nagi  would  care.

Yet,  he  could  hear  the  other  whine  a  little,  and  he  made  him  laugh.  "  Hey,  I  had  to  make  sure!  I  never  know  how  tired  you  can  be,  of  how  much  you  want  me  to  touch  you.  Because  I  know  you  better  than  anyone,  Nagi,  sometimes,  I  think  you  like  it  when  I  help.  Less  work  for  yourself,"  he  was  chuckling  to  himself.  He  spoiled  the  other  a  little  too  much,  that  was  for  sure  -  Though  getting  close  to  the  baths,  his  eyes  turned  to  look  at  the  other.

"  Well,  yeah,  someone  has  to  make  sure  you  don't  go  to  bed  with  wet  hair.  Gotta  make  sure  my  treasure  doesn't  get  sick!"

[paramythas]

𝐂𝐇𝐔𝐔𝐘𝐀'𝐒 𝐒𝐓𝐘𝐋𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐅𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆, 𝐒𝐇𝐄'𝐒 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐂𝐋𝐔𝐃𝐄𝐃, is all instinct. Oh, he's clever enough to have learned a few tricks and implemented them accordingly, but he fights as though it's just something else he does- like being, like breathing. It isn't even that he doesn't think, but rather that given he can do whatever he thinks he can because of his gravity, his motions have very little hesitation, very little pause for consideration on whether or not he should do something, and more on how much he wants the things he does to hurt. Again, this is not a slight- it makes him difficult in a way, because he doesn't have to worry too much about failing himself.

Honestly, it's enviable, that kind of certainty, that kind of confidence, in his ability to handle himself.

However, when you fight because you've always had the advantage, you forget that other people who have to fight with nothing but disadvantages have to get creative in different ways.

Besides, if he's going to try and outdo Neo in footwork, he's got a long way to go still, and she weaves between his kicks with an almost easy grace. Twisting between the last two kicks, her umbrella hooks around the wrist he has on the floor and she yanks with both hands while using the momentum to bring her other leg around heel-first, swift and brutal, toward his stomach. Her umbrella twists in midair as she unhooks it from his wrist, and she keeps the momentum of her turn, whether or not she hits him, to lunge at him with it firmly in hand.

Interspersing sharp jabs with the umbrella with swift kicks, she advances- two sweeps from left to right with the same leg, twisting like she means to kick again but planting Hush into the ground to bring both heels around, opening its canopy to briefly shield her from view before she snaps it shut and jabs forward, only to fall into a forward flip and bring both heels down one after the other.

All the while, Hush's blade stays in its sheath, waiting for the right moment to strike.

She takes his hit and stumbles, but she's quick to recover, kicking out precise and abrupt like the lunge of a coiled snake to hook him in the ribs with her heel. Luckily, he's been fighting most of his life, so while it definitely doesn't feel good, it doesn't slow him either.

He knows exactly how and when to exhale his breath so that she doesn't steal it away and stun his reactions, retreats a little when she pushes off the ground, and realizes that she doesn't just wield her umbrella like its a sword.

A fencer or a swordsman would never use their blade like that. Its not anything they teach as a standard combat form in sword training, and no one with an actual sword would dare for risk of chipping off the tip of their blade and doing irrevocable damage.

Even with most umbrellas, her choice of movement would be impossible, either the structure of the umbrella itself too flimsy or the point on the end too thin not to slip on whatever surface it ran against, but Neo makes it work effortlessly and he makes an educated guess that this isn't just some impromptu experiment, but a regular part of her arsenal of combat tactics.

So, maybe there are a few differences and new things he could learn from wherever she learned to fight like that.

Unknowingly, he's following her predictions fairly closely as she launches upward and brings her leg down, grabbing and throwing, and he's not surprised per se that it doesn't seem to even faze her. Maybe satisfied, more like, that she's got the situation well in-hand despite how unannounced their little match was.

By habit, he doesn't do much to use his arms or hands to do more than block or parry any high attacks that come his way, especially seeing as they haven't gotten super serious yet, favoring his legs for offense and striking out with a foot the moment he has an opening of his own in a crescent arcing from low to high out in front of him.

Whether it hits or not, one leg leads, and the other is bent and ready to follow it up in quick succession, angling himself mid-air to catch himself on one hand so he'll be able to swivel all the way around into another, lower sweep-kick and then another high-sweep right after to see how she handles a quicker barrage of attacks.

[paramythas]

dokugamine riruka [bleach] - fionna [adventure time] - neopolitan [r.wby] eula lawrence [genshin] - rogue [x-men] - merlin [fate] kaveh [genshin] - i-no [guilty gear] - jing yuan [hsr] special mentions to: nagi seishirou, zani wuwa, bazett fraga mcremitz, nakahara chuuya, and aventurine hsr

[paramythas]

Send me "ovo" and I will tell you what kind of relationship I could see our muses having.

@megitsuneko/@incandescentia asked: ovo // goooonna go for tsuyu, killian and renge even if i'm not on their blog

tsuyu already has io staring judgmentally in the distance and if she tries to steal anything from her store again she's gonna bite her about it (threat) actually-

killian & rjómi would throw hands with each other within like twenty minutes of interacting and i wanna see it happen tbqh. rjó's low tolerance for people getting uppity with him and kilian's inability to not say something Moderately Insulting to people feels like a recipe for disaster

renge & rie i think we discussed once, especially with them both being more modern girlies. is rie going to be indulging herself in her content creator era? probably not. but she can give her a cute manicure for her next video-

[paramythas]

Send me "ovo" and I will tell you what kind of relationship I could see our muses having.

@estalvcis asked: ovo for payila and wamdus or gabriel? or rjómi and wamdus or caim?

Payila vc: girl u are doing Too Much- as cute as Wamdus is her desire to be in busy places with lots of things to do would exhaust Payila so unless she wants to just chill out at Payi's onsen...

As for Gabriel- i think Payi would be a little confused about what an Angel wants to do with her- especially with the whole. Primal beast vs Divine General situation but like. the girliepops are trying to be better about that so she'd try and make friends just... don't try and get her to do things-

As for Rjómi , those are his kids now. no he doesn't care one of them is an ancient being or w/e they're baby-shaped and so hoisting them under his arms or onto his shoulders it is-

[paramythas]

Send me "ovo" and I will tell you what kind of relationship I could see our muses having.

@braveryhearted asked: ovo ( Fandoms I am familiar with are: Twisted Wonderland, BG3, and KPDH. Crossovers are welcomed too. Thought this might help a little ).

Jiji and Karen- would be hilarious to put in the same space if only because they have similar energy levels/ability to be absolutely nonsensical for the vine. also while she might not look it karen did fistfight a half-vampire once (it was her brother. he regretted it deeply.)

Yuuya & Deuce- Deuce is Yuu's second fav Hearts boy (sorry bro, but that tiny redhead needs to be big brothered) and he would fistfight several of their classmates for him if need be, so-

Artemisia & Any BG3- hand over the homies she will knock whatever sense needs to be knocked into them as needed-

Hand me Rumi & Abby for either of my KPDHs, I'll make it work.

[paramythas]

Send me "ovo" and I will tell you what kind of relationship I could see our muses having.

@ouroborius asked: "ovo" The FGO muses? But feel free to pick whatever makes sense to you tbh u v u

Imma be real chief I haven't thought about Orleans gang in a hot minute, but Rie is always ready to pal around with her servants at any given opportunity- she can get along with most Servants too but she's also... highly likely to start A Nonsense with them-

Zhongli & Shenhe- tired, retired uncle and his unpredictable & slightly unhinged niece

Kako & [choose an older sibling figure]- i love the Tsukumo twins i need them adopted by someone who's normal tho-

[paramythas]

Text post collection: Neopolitan

[paramythas]

Send me "ovo" and I will tell you what kind of relationship I could see our muses having.

[paramythas]

@estalvcis cont'd from here —

𝐌𝐀𝐊𝐔𝐑𝐀'𝐒 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐈𝐋𝐓𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖𝐋𝐄𝐃𝐆𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓, a soft hum leaving her.

"Well, they're my Shikigami, so of course they can fight- but they're also an important part of the Lepus Troupe!" Even if it's often just as support, and not as actual actors. Even so, her rabbits all chime "Lepus Troupe, represent!" in unison at her explanation, and she laughs gently. It doesn't escape her, they way Seox's hands twitch- the sound faint and nearly-imperceptible- as he gazes awed at her companions. And while her Shikigami can usually convey themselves...

"Now, I hate to be a bother, but since we'll be heading into town for supplies, would you mind holding Harriet and Harley?" Harrington and Harry immediately puff up, giving her disbelieving looks as she picks them up. Makura narrows her eyes at them both, briefly and only in passing, as she hefts each of them up onto her shoulders and then offers out Harley and Harriet to Seox with a smile.

"Once we're in town it'll be easier to keep track of them, but until then- you don't mind, do you?"

[paramythas]

I’m a mess of a person but I’m loyal and I’ll love you with everything I have.

[paramythas]

𝐀 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐌 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐒; 𝙽𝙾𝚅𝙴𝙻 𝚀𝚄𝙾𝚃𝙴𝚂 𝙱𝚈 𝙶𝙴𝙾𝚁𝙶𝙴 𝚁.𝚁. 𝙼𝙰𝚁𝚃𝙸𝙽.

change  pronouns,  tenses  and  other  details  as  deemed  necessary. &  please  specify  muse  when  sending  to  a  mumu. slightly edited wording for roleplaying purposes.

My  skin  has  turned  to  porcelain,  to  ivory,  to  steel.

Any  act  can  be  a  prayer,  if  done  as  well  as  we  are  able.

A  man  who  hates  music  can’t  be  trusted,  I  always  say.

Has  my  tale  turned  you  speechless?  Come,  curse  me  or  kiss  me  or  call  me  a  liar.  Something.

A  bag  of  gold  buys  a  man's  silence  for  a  while,  but  a  well-placed  arrow  buys  it  forever.

If  I  am  a  monster,  perhaps  you  should  speak  more  softly  to  me,  then.  Monsters  are  dangerous  beasts,  and  just  now  kings  seem  to  be  dying  like  flies.

Every  man  must  die,  [NAME].  But  first  he  must  live.

You're  mine.  Mine,  as  I'm  yours.

[NAME]  fought  valiantly,  [NAME]  fought  nobly,  [NAME]  fought  honorably.  And  [NAME] died.

Old  stories  are  like  old  friends  You  have  to  visit  them  from  time  to  time.

You  were  made  to  be  kissed,  often  and  well.

Half-truths  are  worth  more  than  outright  lies.

Some  battles  are  won  with  swords  and  spears,  others  with  quills  and  ravens.

Soon  comes  the  cold,  and  the  night  that  never  ends.

Always  keep  your  foes  confused.  If  they  are  never  certain  who  you  are  or  what  you  want,  they  cannot  know  what  you  are  like  to  do  next.

They’ve  never  seen  a  battle,  they’ve  never  seen  a  man  die,  they  know  nothing. 

Madness  and  greatness  are  two  sides  of  the  same  coin. 

Only  lies  offend  me,  never  honest  counsel.

Woman?  Is  that  meant�� to  insult  me?  I  would  return  the  slap,  if  I  took  you  for  a  man.

We  look  up  at  the  same  stars  and  see  such  different  things.

I  crossed  a  thousand  leagues  to  come  to  you,  and  lost  the  best  part  of  me  along  the  way.  Don't  tell  me  to  leave.

I've  lost  a  hand,  a  father,  a  son,  a  sister,  and  a  lover,  and  soon  enough  I  will  lose  a  brother.  And  yet  they  keep  telling  me  my  family  won  this  war.

All  these  kings  would  do  a  deal  better  if  they  would  put  down  their  swords  and  listen  to  their  mothers.

I  must  be  strong.  I  must  have  fire  in  my  eyes  when  I  face  them,  not  tears.

Why  ask  for  truth  if  you  close  your  ears  to  it?

There  is  a  savage  beast  in  every  man,  and  when  you  hand  that  man  a  sword  or  spear  and  send  him  forth  to  war,  the  beast  stirs.

Always  keep  your  foes  confused.  If  they  are  never  certain  who  you  are  or  what  you  want,  they  cannot  know  what  you  are  like  to  do  next.

If  you  love  me  all  so  much,  why  are  you  still  dressed?

There's  been  no  one.  Only  you.

Why  do  the  Gods  make  kings  and  queens  if  not  to  protect  the  ones  who  can't  protect  themselves?

Explain  to  me  why  it  is  more  noble  to  kill  ten  thousand  men  in  battle  than  a  dozen  at  dinner.

We're  all  just  songs  in  the  end.  If  we  are  lucky.

All  men  are  fools,  if  truth  be  told,  but  the  ones  in  motley  are  more  amusing  than  ones  with  crowns.

[paramythas]

𝐒𝐇𝐄'𝐒 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐓𝐎 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐀𝐍'𝐒 𝐂𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐑 lack of knowledge about Displacer Beasts, but she's not saying anything about it. For now. Not knowing isn't inherently suspicious, after all- especially given the creature's usual habitats. But a man who looks this traveled... well. It's questionable to say the least.

However, Artemisia is smart enough to question it silently, and only to herself- for now.

"They are- though they're also a bit rare to see outside of their usual range. So imagine my surprise at having run into two of them in my current travels." Shame she hadn't been able to convince the one at the Temple of Shar to come with her. The trouble she could cause for the Dead Three with two of them is immeasurable. However one will have to do.

At least she has an owlbear.

"And I did- from a circus. I think the owner wanted us to give her back after she got out of her cage, but well... hard to make her go back in, especially when the only person she liked..." A press of her lips together, and she shakes her head. "In any case, she sticks around with me for the most part. Not really all that big on people after being a circus attraction, I'm sure you understand."

Beneath his hand, Shadow-whiskers tilts her head into his hand. This one is quite... acceptable at petting.

A…DISPLACER BEAST? WHAT a peculiar name that was. Perhaps she had noticed the confused expression on his features and thought to explain further the reason for why this beast held such a title. It made sense, and it was fascinating for him to imagine. A creature that can blink in and out of existence quickly…

     Teleportation, then?

     A terrifying ability to give to a predatory creature, no doubt. Considering feline were already skilled hunters, this bit of information would make a normal person uneasy. For Ozymandias, though, it just fascinated him all the more. ❝I see. I imagine this beast must be magical in nature, then?❞ Unless things like this were normal in this world…? He needed more information. The question was…how was he supposed to get it? Asking outright could work, but then there would be questions in regards to his lack of knowledge – knowledge that he wouldn’t even be able to ponder a proper lie for. Those thoughts left him rather instantly the moment the Displacer Beast approached him; sullen, displeased, no doubt, that she had to be friendly. Ozymandias couldn’t help but chuckle. ❝My apologies, Majestic One. I will not keep you for long.❞ Reaching down, he gently brushed his fingers through that dark fur – so soft beneath his fingertips despite the ferocity of the creature beneath them.

     ❝You said you rescued her?❞

[paramythas]

𝐈𝐌𝐏𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐃- 𝐀𝐋𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐀𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐕𝐄𝐃 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 stone- or ice-Everett's face remains stoic and stern as Aventurine complains. Cajoles. Contemplates aloud the kind of things that would make most people sputter in disapproval and begin demanding he show a sense of decorum. As stiff as Everett might seem, however, and as much as his ears color beneath the fall of his pale hair, he manages to keep his face calm in the face of the Stoneheart's provocations.

"Regardless of whether either of us wants to be here," he finally says, lilac eyes dropping to Aventurine's languid posture on the upholstery, "this is where we have to stay. I don't have any intentions of getting into trouble with the Family. You don't need to give them reason to be... less than agreeable with you." Because for all that Aventurine's charm seems to work on just about anyone, the Halovians can surely spot his insincerity a mile away, regardless of how good a liar he is.

Or so Everett assumes, given their somewhat frosty reception.

It may just be that the IPC's interference on Penacony is less than welcome, and so by default is the Stoneheart sent here to negotiate.

Given how difficult he's currently being over not being allowed to gallivant around as he pleases, Everett can't say he's terribly fond of him either at the moment. Especially not with the casual insult to his person simply because he's not dressed so extravagantly as some of the hotel's patrons- or even his ward.

"I worked in snowfields primarily. This is comfortable. Easy to move in. Warm." And easiest to put on with only one arm. Everett doesn't look down at himself, but he'd always thought what he wore was stylish enough as well- even if it was less intentional, and more a matter of the form of the clothes he'd chosen for function.

Cutting his eyes away from Aventurine then, he sighs, shaking his head.

"...if you want to hire someone, feel free. But I won't let them in." That much the Stoneheart should be aware of- after all, he's still standing between him and the door. It stands to reason he'll make himself as much of an obstacle for anyone trying to get in as someone trying to get out. While the next words out of his mouth are almost painful to say, he nonetheless says them as calmly as he can manage, lifting his eyes to Aventurine's face to make sure the other understands he's serious. "And if you really want to... entertain yourself like that right here and now, in front of a stranger, I'll gladly knock you out. Maybe by the time you wake up, the maintenance will be over."

𝐖���𝐘 𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐎 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐒𝐔𝐈𝐓𝐄  was beyond him — bureaucratic nonsense disguised as “maintenance,” no doubt — but the real irritation lay in the man stationed at his door. Or rather, inside his room. As if he were some misbehaving pet left to roam with a handler. Aventurine stood with his arms folded languidly across his chest, the very picture of someone trying (and failing) to be reasonable. Violence? Unnecessary. Messy. He preferred a cleaner win — one earned with words, wit, and just enough charm to be disarming.

"Look, you don’t want to be here, and I certainly don’t want you here, so why don’t we just—” His protest was cut short by a sudden shift in his footing — or lack thereof — as he was plucked clean from the floor like a cat caught on the countertop. Deposited unceremoniously onto the velvet-lined sofa, he let out a sound of dramatic protest, limbs thrown wide as though this were the greatest tragedy Penacony had ever seen.

“You are making it very difficult to like you,” he drawled, his tone sing-song and pointed, as one arm flopped over his eyes in theatrical surrender. His voice was velvet over thorns, masking the coiled boredom and coarser temptations beneath.

“Entertain myself?” he echoed, tone lilting now with something silkier, half-teasing. “Oh, I could. I assure you I’ve done more with less.” His free hand - the one not attached to the arm dramaticlly covering his eye -  swept lightly through the carpet, back and forth, a soothing motion that somehow made the silence feel more dangerous. He didn’t rise. He didn’t shift. He simply laid there, letting Everett stew with the implication.

His gaze lingered on Everett — the upright posture, the muted palette, the armour that looked more like a vow than a uniform. “Tell me,” he mused, voice syrup-smooth, “are you some kind of knight-monk hybrid? A holy sentinel with a vow of celibacy and a stick where fun goes to die?”

And then his eyes flicked toward the room service phone.

“I could hire entertainment,” he mused aloud, fingers tapping thoughtfully on the armrest. “You do realise that, yes? I’ve got credits to burn and time to kill. And as you’re assigned to me — you’d have to watch. Can't have your VIP running off mid-ecstasy, now can we?” He laughed, low and amused, clearly delighted at the idea of pushing every button Everett possessed.

Would he actually follow through? That was the real game, wasn’t it? But oh, the possibility of discomfort — of getting under the skin of someone so tightly wound — was far too delicious to pass up.