[closed]

[unweave]

Who: Prompto (punshots) & Aranea (unweave)
What: Meeting up to make sure he's not dead.
When: Post pact for both.
Where: UH. Aranea's place in Wyver.
Warning(s): idiots.


[ SO. It was a little while since the two connected, even longer since they met in person. Aranea had a soft spot for the kid, but she has to let him make his own mistakes. She's seen him around the network, so he's not dead or sleeping at least. That's good.

But, she reaches out after all is said and done with her pact. Turns out, he made one too! That piques her interest and an invitation was set for him to come over for lunch. She grabbed some sandwiches from a local shop and she definitely already has a glass of whiskey poured.

It's weird — this is the first time he'd ever see her be... well, casual? Not "all-business" Aranea. There's a knock at the door and instead of greeting, she offers a holler — ]

It's open!

Comments

[punshots]

[ Well, okay. If she insists...and he did kind of tease it on purpose, there. But let the record show he would have been more than happy to let her go first!! ]

Okay, okay, okay - [ With a little wave of his hand, like she's talked him into it rather than been dying to show her. ] But this calls for a demonstration. Uhh...

[ A quick glance over the room again. ]

Maaaaaybe out back.

[unweave]

[ She doesn't reply. She stands up, keeps her sandwich in hand, but carries a knife with her other to presumably cut her food in half. There's a nod of her head, a backdoor that leads out to a very small grass alleyway between makeshift bungalows. Very tropical. She takes a bite of her sandwich, smirking a bit. ]

Well, show me your best shot.

[punshots]

[ Prompto leaves his sandwich on the table for now - he's gonna need both hands for this demonstration, after all. Instead, he trots after Aranea with a buoyant grin, plucking the crystal focus he'd borrowed from Alisaie out of his pocket and draws the rapier from his belt. ]

Okay, okay - just...bear with me, 'cause it's gonna look like I'm doin' a whole lot of nothin' for a jiff, here.

[ Just so...she doesn't think he's trying to pull a fast one on her, or something. Prompto takes up position next to Aranea, but positionsd away from her - this is an offensive attack, after all. ]

Don't suppose you have a particular...tree you wouldn't miss, would you?

[unweave]

You always look like you're doing a whole lot of nothing.

[ She says casually, but he should know better that it wasn't some deep-rooted personal dig. She's just a hardass?? :/ ]

Hate to tell you, but I'm not a big tree fan. Have your pick.

[punshots]

[ HE KNOWS...and that's why he chuckles. There's no one who can laugh at himself better than Prompto can, anyway. ]

Got it. Eenie, meenie, miney - tree!

[ He points out the tree in question with the end of the rapier, and then takes the crystal focus out and rests it in his palm. ]

Okie-dokie - here goes nothin'!

[ And true to his word, for a few moments, nothing happens. It looks as if Prompto is concentrating very hard on something, eyes shut and brow taut. Then a force like a wind whips up around him as the crystal starts to levitate in his hand, and a handful of seconds later -

A bolt of black lightning jets from the hand holding the outstretched rapier, thin and light but still packing a punch, striking the tree he'd pointed out and leaving a smoking, black mark through the trunk. It's nowhere near as powerful as what Alisaie can do, but hey, pretty cool, right? ]

Ta-daaaaa! Verthunder.

[unweave]

[ Between stubborn chews of her meal and watching as Prompto adds a bit of showboating to the display, it was amusing. Surely, it was more akin to something she'd see the Prince throw around, but she hasn't seen a damn element deposit since arriving — not that she recalls.

It was definitely something else.

She's standing there, positioning her plate a bit further so she can give him a courtesy clap. ]

Not bad, not bad.

[ Praise! But: ]

Who'd you fuck to get it? [ ORRRRR THAT. ] Or pact with, if your sensitive ears are burning.

[punshots]

[ Commencing self-destruct in 3...

His display of show(boat)manship immediately suspended, Prompto chokes and coughs violently as he turns as red as a ripe tomato. His sensitive ears are sure burning, and about a billion responses he wants to make all tumble out of his mouth at once. ]

F-from Alisaie! M-my g-girlfriend...

[ Has he never really mentioned her to Aranea before? Man, he's off his game. Though he's certainly making up for it now, with the way he word vomits and just...vaguely hand-gestures everywhere... ]

It's - we just - I mean, we just kissed - that time! ...Buuuut that's not to say we haven't - uh - thaaaat's not the word I would use? - but I-I'm not one to - kiss and tell? O-or - canoodle and tell -

[ oh gods, it's so hot, please let him die, why can he never stop talking when he should, where is the nearest ledge he might throw himself off of ]

[unweave]

[ Did you really expect anything better? Even if Prompto had told of his newly found love, Aranea didn't see the pact as romantic — it was a business exchange. She had her own little improvements because of the pact, but there was less love and care there and more.

Uh.

Well, fucking? And power exchange? Of course, Aranea didn't really offer the guy much except for maybe a slicker way to talk. :/ Sorry, Bigby.

Still, she laughs a bit as he fumbles over his words. ]

Stop before you have a heart attack and I die of embarrassment. Relax.

[ That's all she could do. ]

[punshots]

[ That's easier said than done, but after she laughs he cottons on and does the same, easing some of the nervousness out of his demeanor. She's worried about dying of embarrassment? ]

S-sorry. Just, uh - caught me off guard there a bit!

[ GUESS HE KNOWS HOW SHE SEALED HER PACT THEN... ]

Sooo, what about you? I mean - what did you get out of it? Aside from the...canoodling...

[unweave]

I guess I know what the word of the day is. [ CANOODLING... There's a roll of her eyes as she sets down her plate, but keeps the knife in hand. ] Cute.

Well, it's nothing as fancy or elemental based. I'm not a flashy gal — [ YES SHE IS?!!??!? ] but. Here.

[ Just tosses the knife slowly to Prompto? ]

Cut my palm right here.

[ She wiggles her fingers enticingly. Of course she would make him do it. ]

[punshots]

[ His eyes light with an entirely different kind of panic now as Aranea tosses him the knife. She's joking, right? She must be joking.

(She doesn't look like she's joking.) ]

Uhhh...no, thanks! I'm not gonna cut you, Aranea!

[ What kind of a friend would he be then?! ]

[unweave]

Don't be a pansy, I wouldn't ask you if I had no reason! Do it, cut me!

[ Does she need to keep yelling at him? She's pointing right at her palm, eyes glaring in a serious manner. Prompto can either cry or do it. Either one will be a super big judge of character from her. ]

[punshots]

[ For better or for worse, the yelling is enough of an impetus to get Prompto to turn the blade over in his hands at last, but it's still a moment before he's actually able to cut her palm. He grimaces as he presses the blade as cleanly as he can into her palm. He had some unfortunate practice with cutting people open when they were herding dragons, so at the very least, it's a precise cut. ]

Please tell me you're gonna heal yourself or something now!

[ Because ugh, the smell alone is making him woozy... ]

[unweave]

[ The slice wasn't any less impactful against her flesh. Her palm drips blood, the gash a modest size. As she holds her hand out, she applies more pressure and over the course of a few moments, there is no change. ]

It'll take a minute, jeez, keep your shit together!

[ GROANS. Sorry, she's not fully... blessed with healing. So, she just waits it out. ]

Yeah, I got some healing abilities from a guy here. And a few other things. [ She says while holding her hand out to let the blood drip. It's pretty gnarly, but even through her hisses of pain, she finally points to the edges around 3 minutes later. ] There, see?

[ The wound was sloooowly starting to repair itself. ]

[punshots]

[ Waiting for her palm to start to heal is like waiting for paint to dry - if watching paint dry made his stomach turn and his face pale, anyway. He trusts she wouldn't have him do something so stupid as slice open her palm if she wasn't absolutely sure this would work, but still. He's waiting with bated breath until finally, the wound starts to close. ]

Whoa - that's incredible! You didn't need a potion, or a spell, or anything! [ Aaaand now that it's slightly less gross, he peers closer at the skin knitting itself back together. ]

...So, are you, like...immortal now, or something?

[ He has to ask!! ]

[unweave]

Hell no. If I was immortal I'd kick my ass for agreeing to something like that. We all got a time where we have to go, this is more of a — uh, insurance, I guess.

[ Aranea finally takes the knife back, wiping it on the side of her pants so carelessly. ]

From what I can tell, only healing and a great sense of smell was my taking from the pact. Poor guy didn't get jack in return, though...

[punshots]

[ Definitely better than immortality in his opinion, but the bit about sense of smell makes his mouth twitch into a snicker. ]

Got an upgrade to the ol' super sniffer, huh? [ Is it distracting? What if you were trying to eat lunch but couldn't get the smell of the toilet down the hall out of your nose?? Important questions. ]

Sounds like you got a pretty good deal, then! He didn't even get your sense of humor, or anything?

[unweave]

I don't even think some magical power pact could do that. Guy is as serious as it gets, but he's a softie. I can read 'em.

[ A shrug as she finally sees like half the wound closed up. ]

Just how things go, I didn't know what the damn pact involved, but. Hey. Why not, you know? Meaning - did you opt for the smooch or -

[ EYEBROW WIGGLE!! ]

[punshots]

[ Oh, no, just when he's let his guard down again, in comes Aranea with the eyebrow waggle, and Prompto turns a dramatic shade of red all over again, immediately flustered.

Well. At least he's no longer looking woozy because of her hand? ]

Ghh - [ TUGGING AT HIS COLLAR ] - I-I mean - smooched! We smooched! Th-the other thing didn't happen until later!

[ ...

...Oh gods, why did he say that. He promptly covers his face with both of his hands. ]

[unweave]

Niiiice.

[ Is all she says before walking back towards the door. She just has to give him a hard time. ]

I hope you're training whatever — well, that was. Don't want to start any fires.

[punshots]

[ It takes him a moment to realize she's moving back towards the house, since he's still just standing there with his head in his hands. Thank the Six his girlfriend isn't here right now, or she would have probably skewered him. ]

- Oh. [ And then he looks up, trotting after her. ] Y-yeah, definitely still training! I barely know how to hold the sword so I don't accidentally stab myself.

[ It's harder than it looks! ]

[unweave]

[ Please, let the GF drag him in front of her so she can be impressed? It's all I need.

For now, Aranea finally goes to the small water spicket in her kitchen, washing off the blood that trickled down her arm. Healing or not, she doesn't want to make a mess. ]

Well, when the prince wakes up, he can give you some pointers. [ A beat. ] Or you can give him some if you study up.

[ Notice: "when" was important here. ]

[punshots]

[ He definitely notices the use of when, and he smiles to himself. That's Prompto's mindset too, of course, but it's good to know he's not alone in expecting his friends to wake up again someday. They will.

Just...hopefully sooner rather than later. ]

Ha! I'd love to see the look on his face if I knocked him on his butt in a swordfight. [ Not likely, but he can dream can't he? ]

[unweave]

Could happen sooner than you think, blondie.

[ She does want to point out — there's tons of people waking up, so why not at least be a little hopeful.

Buuuutttttt... ]

Anymore tricks up your sleeve?

[punshots]

[ His grin warms. If Aranea thinks it could be sooner rather than later...then he'll believe it too. ]

That's it so far. Might have a few other spells to learn, but that's the only one I've really got down.

[ He's still waiting for fireballs, tbh. ]

[unweave]

Well, seems like you lucked out. Mastering the elements... phew. [ There's a coy whistle there. She wants to bring the Prince up, mention how even he may be jealous — but... she doesn't want to weigh on the conversation. Not too much. ] Don't tell me you're still going to go back to Olympia playing hero with that kinda ace. Not without demanding a promotion, I guess.

[punshots]

[ Something wrinkles his expression for a moment - but then it's gone, his smile still easily worn, and he shrugs nonchalantly. ]

Nah. I'm...we're stickin' around here for awhile.

[ Because this wasn't his choice alone. He and Alisaie had talked it over, and Wyver was where they wanted to stay. Olympia just...isn't home. ]

[unweave]

Good. You picked the less problematic side of this whole bullshit rivalry.

[ Not like she's choosing sides herself?! ]

[punshots]

[ A light shrug. ]

Guess so. But I don't think I'm goin' ride or die for Wyver anytime soon.

[ This place may have welcomed them as refugees, but...his allegiance, as ever, is to Lucis, even here. ]

[unweave]

It's not our fight, so no riding or dying should be needed. We don't get benefits here. No cushy retirement package or anything.

[ Her words are filled with vinegar, the bitterness in general for fighting a war no one asked for still bubbling up every so often. She refuses to be someone's pawn again. ]

[punshots]

[ He might not be in it for the "retirement package", but the sentiment is the same. Prompto cares about the people he defended in Olympia, and he cares about the people who have welcomed him to Wyver. But this conflict still isn't theirs, and becoming a part of it feels like a betrayal of what he'd fought for as a part of the Crownsguard. ]

Right. Not our fight...

[ Then he cocks a grin at her. ]

Y'know, I'm sure glad you're here, Aranea.

[ He doesn't say as much enough, but he appreciates her friendship - and her reality checks - more than he can say. ]

[unweave]

Aw, c'mon. Don't say all that mushy stuff. [ Groans!!!! As much as she wants to just push him away, it's kind of impossible. He's one of the few familiar faces that hasn't stabbed her. Props for that. ] You say that until I kick your ass for making stupid choices — which, is very likely unless I keep my eye on you.