open

[inkindled]

WHO: Matthias, Nikos, Salvio (tbd if Doki, Val, and Darras will get open stuff. how did I get all of these characters) + YOU
WHAT: just open stuff, man
WHEN: NOW
WHERE: various
NOTES: tiny bit of self-harm but it's so small and it gets fixed so fast

Comments

[sulahnan]

[ Normally, Batty Batkins lives in the aerie with the griffons, but sometimes he finds his way to the rookery, and since she didn't find the giant fluffy creature cuddling up under Chawcey's wing, this seemed like the next best place to look.

So she's here, with an oblong basket of nearly-too-far-gone fruits from the kitchen when Nikos stumbles into view. Athessa turns to look, sees who it is, and hesitates. They haven't spoken since Sonia's party, when she took her frustration out on both him and Kostos. There's a gnawing little voice telling her she should probably apologize...but she doesn't. Not yet, anyway. ]

...Mornin'.

[exsecutus]

[Nikos rolls his eyes around to look at her. Then he closes his eyes and breathes out. It isn't exasperation, exactly.]

Mm.

[Dull and dry-mouthed, he swallows hard. Too early. Still with his eyes closed, he lifts one hand and taps his chest.]

Nikos. [And, in case she needs more prompting,] The friendly one.

[sulahnan]

[ She rolls her eyes. ]

Yeah, I know, [ Dumbass. ] dumbass.

[ ...Whoops. She taps herself the same way, even if his eyes stay closed for the bit. ]

Athessa. The dumb one.

[exsecutus]

[Still with his eyes closed, an appreciative little smirk hitches up the left corner of Nikos' mouth. Which is his way of saying good one, without actually saying it, because you can't just say those things aloud.

But she hangs out with Kostos, so probably that's well-known to her already.

He shoves away from the wall and slumps over to the raven, which watches his approach with glittering black eyes and a cocked head.]

Up here writing to your smart twin?

[sulahnan]

Yeah. That's what all the fruit's for.

[ She lifts it, slightly, in case he hadn't seen the basket that's as big as her torso. (Which isn't that big, actually.) ]

[exsecutus]

Fuck off.

[It's almost amiable. The raven gives a qwork of greeting as Nikos reaches it, and patiently lets him remove the letter fixed to its leg.]

I like to drink when I write. Makes it easier to find things to say. Maybe fruit is your vice, how the fuck should I know.

[sulahnan]

Elfroot is my vice. The fruit is for Batty.

[ She says it plainly, with a little drop of doesn't everyone know this?

And, upon hearing his name, the eagle-sized bat chitters in his corner of the rookery. A canvas sheet has been set up like a tent for the creature to cling to, just like his smaller relatives in Rivain and Antiva do with broad leaves. Athessa walks over to Batty Batkins and offers him the basket, only for the bat to clamber onto her back with his snuffling yellow snout resting over her shoulder. ]

So if you didn't drink, you'd have less to say?

[exsecutus]

[Animals. Nikos shoots Batty and his mistress a look askance, then goes back to try to untie the fiddly bit of leather cording that holds the tube that contains the letter, which is all lashed to the slightly scaly leg of a bird that is patient but shifting its weight and making that quork noise at him, while the birds on the surrounding perches are all making quiet bird noises and rustling their feathers and things.

It is too, too early for this.]

Yes. Just imagine it. We might even be friends.

[sulahnan]

[ She laughs, just one amused hah as she grabs a piece of fruit and holds it up to Batty to take. ]

Right.

[ As Batty scarfs down the fruit, Athessa tips her head away from his mouth (gross, Batty, you cute little monster), and thinks for a moment. ]

Sorry. For — ya know. Being an ass.

[exsecutus]

[Stupid fat fingers working at the stupid tiny knot, Nikos snorts. The raven ruffles his feathers.]

You'll have to be more specific.

[sulahnan]

[ Eyeroll. ]

Forget it.

[exsecutus]

[Also with an eyeroll--]

Come on. I liked you better when you were being bitchy.

[At last, he succeeds in untying the knot--somewhat clumsily, jarring the raven's leg and earning an indignant squark for the effort. Scowling, Nikos pops open the tube and shakes the scroll into his hand. The wax seal is heavy enough to influence its fall.]

In case you haven't noticed, the Averesches don't do apologies.

[sulahnan]

Yeah well, in case you haven't noticed, the Averesches are none of my business.

[ Her Kostos impression is...actually pretty damn good. ]

I'd rather be bitchy at you for better reasons than that stupid party.

[exsecutus]

He's such a cunt.

[Kos. He got that impression of hers--cracked a smile at it, even, as he shoves the letter into his pocket and seals the tube back up again.]

You have my permission to be bitchy at me for better reasons. We do not have to talk about it.

[sulahnan]

[ Athessa snorts. Yeah. He is a cunt. ]

Dunno why I even like him.

[ More fruit fed to Batty, more leaning away from his mouth and even some affectionate shoving of that snoot to point somewhere else, beyond her arm. ]

Well I gotta find out some better reasons, then. Unless you'd like to supply a few.

[exsecutus]

Sleeps around. Maybe that's it?

[Is this why she likes Kostos or is this a better reason to dislike Nikos? Why not both.]

[sulahnan]

Sleeping around isn't a reason for or against anyone.

[ It's something they all have in common. ]

[exsecutus]

[Speak for YOURSELF, thanks.]

Then you'd like him just the same if he were under a strict vow of chastity? [In a snotty tone--] You're different.

[sulahnan]

[ She shrugs. So what? ]

I should make fun of you for taking this long to notice that. But yeah, I would, 'cos he's one of the few fuckers around here who isn't too chicken-shit to spar with me.

[exsecutus]

[Oh, come on. And it's not even the fun way Marisol would refuse to engage with him. And then Nikos hates himself for thinking of Marisol, and he scowls.]

That's nice. [His tone suggests anything but.] Next time, shove a pine needle under one of his fingernails. For me.

[sulahnan]

Do it yourself, he's your brother.

[exsecutus]

Yes, but we don't spar, and we aren't friends, so how do I get the opportunity.

[sulahnan]

Maybe you can take the glass out of a mirror and pretend to be his reflection.

[ Apparently approaching sated, Batty stops snuffling for the fruit and turns his attention towards Nikos. He tries to climb more onto Athessa's side to stretch closer, but alas. He's not a stretchy bat, he's round and snub-nosed and can't come close to reaching. The most he's managing is making Athessa take stumbling steps to keep from falling with the shift in weight. ]

Batty. Batty? Batty, no.

[exsecutus]

[He would have offered her the very constructive critique of what a stupid suggestion, except then there is a gigantic bat looking at him. Nikos' eyes narrow suspiciously.]

Why don't you sit down.

[sulahnan]

He'll stop when he realizes you're not Kostos. Probably.

[ Her expression is long-suffering as the bat manages to change his hold on her enough to reach one leathery wing in Nikos' direction, wanting to climb on him. Athessa sighs and gently pulls that wing back in check, moving close enough for Batty to sniff at Nikos without climbing on him. ]

Either that or he can already smell that and thinks you're better than he is.