#serghei would give him either deliberately wrong advice or.... tmi advice.

[bujorulgalben]

sivisoko​:

Well, I’ve got your favor then. Somehow, by God’s grace. Tell me, then, how does one earn the favor of Miss Iulia, too? I’d certainly like for everything in the ward to be in its place first. Should I have been saving my fish tails this whole time? [ a favorite. her favorite. slavko has to force himself not to dwell on that for too long. after all, what would be his options if he were to stake his claim upon that little word? he can’t very well snake his arms around her waist nor draw her close right now, can he? in fact, his little adventure into this hypothetical already runs the risk of revealing an intention or two. and if that hasn’t, there’s always the tender bend of his head and the way his eyes can’t seem to abandon her. he leans in a fraction with a teasing grin. ] I’ll remember that, Anica Maria. There will be a spot on my shoulders reserved just for your hands. I’m a wicked man, after all! I won’t forget. [ … he winks back! and feels a teeny, tiny bit silly over it! but for anica, that’s fine. ]

This one? [ slavko takes the other end of the log, turning it over and squinting at it, as though he’s inspecting the profile of a suspect in a police lineup. he nods and hums. ] And there is only one criminal, yes? [ a squint and a playful bunching of the mouth! ] Is this all a part of the plan to keep me coming back? Do I have to slay these bastards one by one? Clever. Clever. No wonder I’m your spruce–I’ll be as constant an oak outside your window by the time the dirt beneath this pile greets the sun. [ you know, he doesn’t think that sounds bad at all. ]

[ alright, alright! slavko is ready. he sets the log down on a conveniently placed stump, rotating it so that a fault line is facing him. but he just can’t seem to keep his eyes fixed on his work for more than a few seconds at a time, can he? yet again, he turns to anica, squinting down at… her hands? ] Ay, душица, let me see this… [ then, without warning, slavko takes one of her hands in his, holding it close, looking diligently at… her nails! he’s examining her fingernails for signs of damage. with a swipe of his thumb over the chipped polish, slavko shakes his head. ] No. No, this won’t do! Ana, you’ll have your justice! See here–

[ he lets her hand fall and then secures his grip near the head of the axe. then, wide stance established, slavko raises his arms over his head, swings. and… does, in fact, feel the wood give way beneath the blade! his motion stops all at once as it hits the stump and the newly separated sections of wood are ejected in their opposite directions. even slavko blinks in surprise for a moment before letting out a triumphant bre! and dropping the axe, grabbing up a log in each hand. with a self-satisfied grin of a cat who got the cream, he holds out the wood to anica. ]

I believe these are yours, madam?

Hah! You will find that Miss Iulia will eat downright anything from the table, if you can let her get to it. But be warned: keep your fishtails. If she cries out for her due table scraps, she is lying. Always lying. I have been made to master the painstaking art of deboning carp- oh, and not for the Delta’s take on a ciorba! If only it were for me. If only! [ /the whine to her voice betrays her expression; a beaming smile. the playing with her hair, twirling a curl around two fingers. her head follows the curious tilt of his, to hold his gaze if she cannot hold him. it even leans a little forward as well; barely, but she still holds her breath as she does. the payoff is not what would satisfy that pounding in her chest, but anica’s smile grows at the wink. she breathes a quiet chuckle and her eyes dart to the ground. ] 

Oh yes, I had no doubt you will forget, you wicked, wicked man. [ /a quick crossing of herself, ] Lord knows that if the Devil were half as handsome as you, there would be no help for my poor, immortal soul... ah! But I digress! I would debone a hundred fish if it deterred Miss Iulia for long enough to take care of you. In a way which only my hands can. [ /she holds her hands up, her fingers waggle and dance as if to illustrate this point before she clasps those hands together. ]

Curses. Curses! Curses upon c- oh no, you are much too sharp for me, seeing straight through my own very cunning plan. [ /the hands come back up again, now in surrender. ] Yes, you caught me! Even if, yes, my first plan was to, admittedly, and quite frankly, smartly, test the mettle of this axe and the glimmering breath of life you have worked into it... yes! I admit! [ /there was a shrug! ] You cannot blame me, yes? The temptation to have your roots here, if only just for the night, was all too great! [ /that sits alone in the cold air for a moment, and anica’s hands retreat back to her chest, oh! her heart is a prisoner hammering on the bone bars of its cage! why did she say that?! disturbing the hive again, just when the turn to playfulness distracted it! quickly now, she has to distract it again; behind the tone of playful courting she loved so much with slavko.

she stood for him when he took her hand, and took this turn to hold the other to her head. to wilt like a poor, fragile flower, fit to faint from the crime committed to her nails. the next swoon is much too enthusiastic to be too sincere, but she throws herself into that motion all the same, into the act, into something other than the hum of noise in her own head. she invests in the motion of the axe, his arms - oh, fine. enjoy the gun show, then. she enjoys it a little too much, fixed on the tension in his muscles when the axe is raised above his head, and her attention only comes back, you know, the task she set him to in the first place, when she hears that awaited ‘thunk’. ]

Ah!! Yes! Goodness, look at that! You did it, мој херој!! [ /a frantic clapping, a little jump in place, before she throws herself at slavko. arms wrap around his neck, and there’s a kiss... on the cheek. it was a well-felt smooch, with a satisfying ‘MWAH!’ to it. you would be forgiven for thinking that she had missed again, but no, no that was much more deliberate. even so, her playful act has slipped once again and irritated that hive. that pit in her stomach, the tightness in her chest, her throat. oh, she might not have missed, but oh, to kiss him on that mouth... in time.

for now, anica hops back again with a giddy little giggle, a ruddy flush, and takes the split halves away with a ‘mersi’. ] This will deliver a fine message to the rest of them- of which, I will only need, oh, maybe three more? Four? No match for you, evidently... vă rog? There will be coffee, after, I promise!