continuations

[atthehandsofthewicked]

Comments

[atthehandsofthewicked]

[From here]

Ukm—F-Felix?

[thaumartyrgical]

. . .

[lifts his hands away from Mildmay's daemon, flushed and apologetic]

I'm—sorry!

[atthehandsofthewicked]

[Estrella just curls up happily where she is]

It, um, you didn't do nothing? To be sorry for?

[thaumartyrgical]

Yes. No—I mean. I just know how it . . .



[gestures to Mildmay's face]

[atthehandsofthewicked]

That's gonna happen anyway; it ain't your problem.

[thaumartyrgical]

. . . perhaps it's—a little interesting.

[atthehandsofthewicked]

—Interesting...?

[thaumartyrgical]

[stares at him for a moment, gaze briefly dropping to his mouth, before sliding away]

I—from a magical standpoint, of course. That these are even real, and what they represent. In any case . . .

"Smooth."

[says Alta, sarcastically]

[atthehandsofthewicked]

You know it ain't worth trying to explain hocus shit to me.

[he says a little too fast]

[thaumartyrgical]

. . .

Well. No, actually. I do think that you'd understand me, if you wanted to.

[atthehandsofthewicked]

[Estrella suddenly sits bolt-up in Felix's lap, hopping away and dashing behind Mildmay's legs, peeking out from behind them.

Mildmay blushes.]

Yeah, well.

[thaumartyrgical]

I—

[Felix's eyes widen, darting between Estrella and Mildmay]

I—don't think either of us give you enough credit. So I'd like to change . . . that—did I . . . did I say something wrong?

[atthehandsofthewicked]

N-bo, I dunno what's gotten into her—

[atthehandsofthewicked]

[form here]

Ain't nothing wrong with that. We understand each other okay.

[leftunsaid]

[nods...]

"I suppose you CAN say what you need to. I'm not sure you're so comfortable with it though."

[Gideon puts a hand over his daemon's face]

[atthehandsofthewicked]

[Both Mildmay and the fox tense up in the same still way]

What do you mean?

[leftunsaid]

"Isn't it strange? Do you even know what to say?"

[writes] He likes speaking my doubts more than my truth.

[atthehandsofthewicked]

[oh. Mildmay relaxes, squinting down at the ]

More often than I know what to say with other folks.

[leftunsaid]

[looks up at him, a little surprised]

[atthehandsofthewicked]

[shrugs]

I ain't exactly as charmin' as Felix.

[leftunsaid]

[looks even more taken-aback]

A different sort of charming.

[atthehandsofthewicked]

[Both the fox and Mildmay are giving Gideon identical looks of wary curiosity]

What?

[leftunsaid]

[The Jackalope flops on his side next to Mildmay affectionately] "I suppose that Felix is more a first-reactions charm while you're a get-to-know-him charm."

I wouldn't put it quite like that, but yes. To know you is to like you.

[atthehandsofthewicked]

[From here]

[Mildmay's expression is one of subdued amusement.]

Tough not to listen to what's in your own head, huh?

[softariel]

Well. Yes. I am very good at that.

[ He ducks his head a little further at that, somewhere between embarrassed and shy. ]