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[vecna]

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[velluminous]

[ it's so rare to hear him laugh. she wishes she could hear more of it. ] You have... nowhere to go but up, Mister Creel.

[vecna]

[The number of sincere instances of laughter can be counted on one hand since his arrival to Reverie. That said, she's been privy to most of them.]

I've been nothing but spoiled by you, my teammates, and a few strangers when it comes to food in this place. The very least I can do is manage a halfway decent cup of coffee on my own.

[Baby steps. This will be a useless skill for him, anyway, should they ever return home.]

[velluminous]

[ "teammates". she does note that, the way she always notes it. maybe a little more bleary than her usual, though. ]

I should get bottle of good wine, make coq au vin. You would never recover.

[vecna]

[A teammate is more accurate, but who’s keeping track?]

“Coq au vin”?

[Alas, Henry does not know what that is.]

/2

[velluminous]

Cock with wine.

[velluminous]

[ SLAMS THE TABLE ] —Rooster!

[vecna]

[HIS MUG JOSTLES, he holds onto it to keep it steady.]

And why wouldn't I recover from "cock with wine"? [Poor, vaguely sloshed Sprezzatura.]

[velluminous]

Because it is sumptuous! So buttery on your tongue, richness you dream of after. And is it kind of dish that appeals to most, since you were so picky about my draniki.

[vecna]

Picky? I ate it, didn’t I?

[velluminous]

Did you... did you love it?

[vecna]

It was a potato pancake, Sprezzatura.

It was good.

[velluminous]

[ flushes; she hears how pitiable she sounds ]

I just want you to--

[vecna]

[A brow arching. He wonders what she's struggling so much to relay; either the drink's made her lips looser, or her tongue more liable to fumble.]

...Approve?

[velluminous]

[ approve. ]

Never mind. It is stupid.

[vecna]

[Like he's going to leave it at that.]

No, it's not. Tell me.

[velluminous]

[ it's fine if you hate me. ]

I want you to—like me.

[vecna]

Sprezzatura.

[His brows scrunch together at this.]

After everything, surely you don't think that I don't like you?

[velluminous]

...

[ mumbles half-heartedly ]

[vecna]

[He can't hear you! Or he wishes to hear the sentiment loud and clear.]

What's that?

[velluminous]

I surely am not worth my moods!

[ always fighting him, always a moment away from collapsing everything. people who liked her more have walked away from her for less, so--Mammon, how did she even start thinking about this? ]

[vecna]

[Henry doesn't respond right away, eyes searching her face. He lifts his mug to his lips, taking a sip of his own (perfectly fine) coffee.]

If your moods bothered me as much as you think they do, wouldn't I have given up long before now? I'm just as stubborn as you. I've weathered worse storms before.

[He sets his mug back down.]

...Losing your teammate must have really shaken you.

[velluminous]

[ there are a few Basilisks she hasn't seen in a few days. and more than that is the sense that something is changing, that the Warden is finally losing control of her inmates—Minato sowed that particular worry seed. it had felt vindicating in the moment, surrounded by elevator wreckage, but as always, Sprezzatura's mind has turned the thought over and chewed it to pieces, and she's realizing some downsides to that concept.

primarily, that this might all end well before she's ready. ]

Maybe I do not wish to forever be storm that one has to weather.

[vecna]

[Maybe not. But that's less in his control than it is hers, isn't it?

Instead, he can offer something else.]

How about I promise you something?

[velluminous]

[ she buries herself deep into her coffee mug ]

Hmn?

[vecna]

I promise, that if for some reason I disappear into Solitary without warning, my last day in this prison won’t be one spent hating you.

No matter how bad the storm is.