He carries himself the same way, and they might as well be walking through the gardens of Whitestone. These flowers were my mother's favourite. And here's the poison garden - it's centuries old, and quite dangerous to walk through ungloved. We'll observe from afar. Fortunately, the landscape is nothing like home, damp and untamed, and he can push old memories from his mind easily.
(It helps, too, that he never went walking like this with a woman, when he was still a boy. Vex's hand resting on his arm is familiar in terms of etiquette, not experience.)
"I've heard enough about ball tag for one lifetime," he agrees dryly, as they carefully pick their way over exposed roots and around brambles. "Which is unfortunate, because I've gotten the sense that I'm going to hear quite a bit more about it in the future. But I'd like to know more about you."
It's not terribly smooth, as transitions go, but this is still rather new to him - and so is she.
"Ah, just wait until they expect you to play," Vex teases easily. There's an immediate pleasure in Percy's company, having someone who is not charmed by the vagaries of ball tag who isn't Keyleth. (Nothing against Keyleth, per se, but her particular brand of naive schoolgirl uncertainty and flustered dodging does not lend itself to the kind of bitchy judging Vex needs in her life.) "Then you'll know they've accepted you as one of their own."
"If that's the standard," he answers dryly, "then I'm content to be an outsider for the rest of my days. I rather like my balls unbruised."
It's as clear as answer as any, on her part, and he hopes the same is true from him. Don't ask me about myself. All right, I'll judge your brother's choice of pastimes instead.
"Do they have any other games I should be aware of?" Safe territory, continuing the judgemental bitchiness - it comes naturally to him. "If I should be guarding myself against having my hand slipped in a bowl of water whilst I'm sleeping, I'd love to know in advance."
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pathography) wrote2004-12-29 06:14 pm
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(It helps, too, that he never went walking like this with a woman, when he was still a boy. Vex's hand resting on his arm is familiar in terms of etiquette, not experience.)
"I've heard enough about ball tag for one lifetime," he agrees dryly, as they carefully pick their way over exposed roots and around brambles. "Which is unfortunate, because I've gotten the sense that I'm going to hear quite a bit more about it in the future. But I'd like to know more about you."
It's not terribly smooth, as transitions go, but this is still rather new to him - and so is she.
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no subject
It's as clear as answer as any, on her part, and he hopes the same is true from him. Don't ask me about myself. All right, I'll judge your brother's choice of pastimes instead.
"Do they have any other games I should be aware of?" Safe territory, continuing the judgemental bitchiness - it comes naturally to him. "If I should be guarding myself against having my hand slipped in a bowl of water whilst I'm sleeping, I'd love to know in advance."