We're Back! A Gallows Tale

[sulahnan]

WHO: Athessa and YOU!
WHAT: Oh, you know. Getting back from the jungle and getting way too into her work.
WHEN: Now, Post-Jungle
WHERE: The Gallows & Kirkwall in general
NOTES: shrug.

I. Back on her Bullshit...or...not.

Athessa is quite possibly the best rested of the whole group that returns from the jungle, having found sleeping rough a lot easier than sleeping in a bed here. Weird. But in the few days that follow, she once again gets back to her habit of not sleeping well and prowling around in a cloud of root-smoke. She also has a small dagger strapped to her hip instead of going unarmed or strapping on her dual-wield blades, and an unusually heightened work ethic during daylight hours. Minimal antics, maximum...something else. Something like responsibility? Weird.

II. Can I Raas you a Question? (Closed to Raas, if that wasn't clear)

They don't know each other. They've never even interacted, at least as far as Athessa can recall. But where else is Athessa supposed to turn, when she doesn't know anyone else who speaks qunlat and doesn't want to snoop around unnecessarily before handing over what she found to the boss?

"'Scuse me..." She isn't timid, just a little awkward. It's not typical for her to introduce herself to someone just to ask a favor. "Do you have a minute?"

III. A New Kind of Office Visit (closed to Yseult)

Athessa knocks before entering, same as usual. But this isn't one of their scheduled check-ins or typical scout work that either of them expect from one another. They're barely settled after getting back from the jungle when Athessa is reporting to Yseult with a missive in one hand, and a qunari dagger in the other. Both are set on Yseult's desk.

"I...figured I should report this to you. I dunno if it even really matters, but I found these in De--in Sten's room."

IV. Wildcard

[ you know the drill ]

Comments

[altusimperius]

This is all veering very close to Things You Should Feel Bad About territory, and it's beginning to kill Bene's buzz. He opts to space out again, nestling his cheek against Colin's knee and staring at the hookah.

It's so pretty. He's glad it exists.

[keenly]

"Blackcurrant?" Colin mutters at his sleeve. He scratches at it a bit before reaching for the hose again. "We should do this at least after every time I have clinic."

[sulahnan]

“What’s it smell like? I could lick it and see if I know the flavor.” Then she thinks about that for more than a second and changes her mind. “Never mind, what if it’s gross?”

[altusimperius]

"You shouldn't lick people's clothes," spoken dramatically to the hookah, eyes half-lidded and arms draped over Colin like he's a fashionable chaise lounge.

"...well unless you're like. Into that."

[keenly]

"...Who's into that?"

[sulahnan]

“Dogs.”

[altusimperius]

A long, contemplative pause. Then:

"...dogs."

[keenly]

That causes a brief fit of giggling. Eventually Colin manages to wiggle onto his back without totally dislodging his occupant, head resting on a pillow.

"We could play a game," he suggests tentatively.

[sulahnan]

"Like what? I didn't bring playing cards." Athessa dreads the seemingly inevitable suggestion of truth or dare, or two truths one lie. And she knows they won't want to play the knife game.

[altusimperius]

"Spin the bottle," Bene suggests, and then laughs at what was apparently his own joke.
It's funny to imagine though, in the right light.

[keenly]

"Only if you're dying to kiss Athessa," Colin snorts. "I don't know. Like a drinking game, except we take a puff instead of a drink."

[sulahnan]

Athessa makes a face. Not a yucky face, or anything bad, but not altogether good either. A tasting face, if you will.

“No offense but you’re not really my type,” she says to Bene, then nods at Colin. “Either of you.”

[altusimperius]

As if on cue, Benedict closes his eyes and makes a pronounced kissy face at Athessa. Mwwwaaa.

[keenly]

Colin quietly follows a train of thought after the word puff, but vaguely notices and watches the exchange to see if Athessa calls Bene's bluff.

[sulahnan]

She knows a challenge when she sees one.

So Athessa reaches over to slip her fingers into Benedict's hair. With a firm grip there she angles his head and plants one right on his stupid pouty lips.

She's a good fucking kisser, y'all.

[altusimperius]

He almost doesn't realize what's happening, and when he does, it's too late.

An "mmMPH" of dismay escapes Bene as he lurches away, thunking his head on the floor below Colin's knee.

[keenly]

What Bene and Athessa get for their mutual suffering is Colin inhaling cookie crumbs as he starts to laugh and cough at the same time.

[sulahnan]

Athessa laughs and falls back onto her cushions. “What’d you expect was gonna happen?!”

[altusimperius]

Resting the back of his hand woefully over his forehead when Athessa pulls away, Bene stares at the ceiling, pretending he's not about to laugh.

"Now we have to get married," he decides.

[keenly]

"...Do sheep get hot in the summer?"

[sulahnan]

"Just what we need, to be even bigger outcasts," Athessa snorts. A Vint marrying an elf? Even just marrying a human would make her entire clan turn in their--well. They're not likely to have graves, are they. She stares up at the ceiling for a moment before answering Colin's high utterance.

"That's why they get sheared, innit?"