[Log, OTA] A new arrival to the Embassy...
[So they're walking around the Town with Burke in tow. Feel free to approach them and ask who the newcomer is, etc. The post below was copied from a google doc and the order goes Christophe, Burke, Gustave.]
A normal day. A nice normal kind of day. A kind of day where he fooled around with that system the nice Diamond had showed him how to get and figure out how to play that movie with the absolutely wonderful word.
That was the plan for today.
It was going to be a great day.
So why, in the name of all things he held holy, was the Door open?
This.
This... could be pretty great too, actually. Who would have come through...? Maybe the twins had decided to listen and come put on a show like he’d suggested!
---
Absolutely no such luck. But it was so, so much better--depending on perspective, at any rate. Truth be told, the perspective of the new shadow in the hall was not entirely the perspective of all... but then, life looks different from the top of things peering down and from the rubble looking up.
That new shadow, of course, didn’t have the slightest intention of keeping himself entirely cloistered away, sneaking about like a shade. Would the others be happy to see him? Perhaps not. Would they be obliged to accept his arrival anyway? Entirely.
Besides, being quite a hulk of a human being meant Burke really couldn’t stay slinking around for long, even if it were in his nature to. Maybe that’s even why he left the Door open while he moved down to look for a window.
So this was ‘The Deck.’ Delightful.
___
There’s someone standing at the window, outlined against the light. The outline of someone Gustave is entirely too familiar with. Of someone who should not be here. He was going to ruin everything.
Of course, why else would he be here?
“No,” he said, firmly, to Burke’s back. “We aren’t giving tours today. You should go back.”
Back through the door. Back home where you came from.
---
Is that...?
It is. Asarlai was going to flip his lid. Why couldn’t have someone cool come through? Like... the Moon or something. Anyone would be better than him.
Putting on his game face despite it, Christophe let his nature shine through the smile on his face as he wandered over to the voice.
“Whatchya doin’?” Come, tell the Fool your troubles, let them all be washed away in charm and good will. Since things didn’t end well when those two were left alone together.
---
Well, if that wasn’t a voice that had, in other days (‘happier’ was such a relative term) made him smile. Not that Burke doesn’t smile now. He does; it’s just that the smile is a hard, cold thing like a thoughtless wrinkling upward of his face without intention or thought so much as old, thoughtless instinct.
He manages to turn properly around before the second voice joins in, which brings a slightly better sheen to the dull smile. Christophe will get a polite inclination of his head.
“Coming to see old friends, of course.” No flicker of amusement, no old calm ribbing as he turns his attention finally properly to Gustave. “Although it seems I’ve come at a bad time. Would it be easier if I simply went out?”
Through the front door of this ‘embassy,’ that is. He was perfectly capable of giving himself a tour of these lands, these castles, these so-called Cards--whether Gustave liked it or not.
____
He’s already a touch off his normal calm since the artist’s visit. This? This did not help in the least.
“If by going out you mean back through the Door to the Arcana? Then by all means, please help yourself.”
If he meant out the front door to the Deck...well, that was something else entirely.
--
This had all sorts of undercurrents that Christophe still didn’t completely understand. That meant taking his usual way and just stepping in blindly while hoping for the best.
Sauntering up in his usual long, smooth steps is easy enough. Inserting himself between them seems like a not-so-great idea, however, so he settles by resting his forearm on Asarlai’s shoulder and propping his chin against the dangling hand.
“You made it? That’s great! We’ve been waiting ages for someone else. You know, the people here are mighty nice folk. Threw us parties, gave us picnics - they have the cutest little dog and an Ace! Tiny little thing, sweet as a button, cute as a button? you know, however that phrase goes - we’ve been telling people to come and meet them for ages, ‘bout time someone decided to listen to us!”
Because that was why you were here, right? Not to make trouble (never to make trouble, heaven forbid) but to rub elbows and bask in the fun.
Right? If it weren’t so, then the steel hidden behind Christophe’s bright smile would probably actually have to assert itself. As he looked at Burke, the seriousness that only very rarely lurked behind the Fool’s eyes said as much.
---
Look at them, happy little clams. And yet, so untrusting. What a pity and a shame. When had the Tower ever done anything less than straightforward.
“You know I love to listen.” The rest of this conversation, clearly, will have to be directed at the Fool, even if his eyes stay right where they are on Gustave’s face. “Seems like a shame to have to head back without seeing the puppies and the people. Well.”
His hands unlink from behind his own back to clap together with their usual resounding ‘smack.’
“I suppose if you’re far too busy to give tours, I’ll just see myself down.”
Into town. They can keep playing this game until someone decides to lay hands on him and physically prevent the direction he turns heel to walk in.
______
And if Burke thinks he’ll find a door that opens once he makes it downstairs...well. This is the Magician’s tower. But it’s so much more satisfying to slip out from under Christophe’s arm and reach out to grab the other man by the arm.
“You don’t listen so very well anymore, do you?”
--
Crap. Crap crap crap. Double crap triple crap.
This. This is why they’re not allowed together. Ever. In history. This was not going to end well. He just knew it.
Bereft of his leaning post, Christophe settled into a wider stance and spread his hands a little bit in a calming gesture, even as his smile dimmed with real worry.
“We could give you a tour, if you’re like? Have a bit of a visit, bother the people. Frankie’d love to meet you!” Maybe. Probably not. Whatever, they’d figure something out after this moment was diffused.
---
How absolutely ridiculous. This was clearly going to end smashingly well. Really, it was amazing how these things lined up.
The flash of temper is there, of course--the old familiar tensing up of bulky muscles, the slight jerking back of his arm to prevent it being grabbed, the ugly pull at the corners of his lips. He’s been learning, of course, been schooled much better now, but the rough edges aren’t exactly easy to keep down these days.
But things are going well. Fantastic, even.
“Would you be so absolutely kind?” Burke can smooth his face back down into calm, can force the dull attempt at a smile back into place. “I’m sure I’d be in your debt. Seems so rude to come and not say hello.”
_____
Is that what they were calling it? Is that how this was going to go? With some great effort and a mental reminder that he was supposed to be the adult here. So to speak. Anyway, with that, Gustave managed to restrain himself and let Burke’s arm go.
Well, perhaps it wouldn’t go badly if he had...escorts. Supervision. Because he remembered all too well which side of the fence Burke stood on in regard to the Deck.
“We’d hate to be anything but polite,” he finally ground out.
--
One crisis averted, and a great many more looming in his future. Today was not going to be a nice day, it would seem. Christophe let himself feel that on his shoulders for the time it took to turn and fall into step between them
Walking, he looked as cheery as ever - so his previous plans had been averted. He could enjoy a nice walk around town as much as the next man.
“Great! It’s decided. Lets go, sun is shining, it’s a nice day, no reason to waste time!” That smile he sent the two of them was as true as any of his others.
---
Well. If that’s not a time to smile bright and slap Gustave nice and hard on the back, when is?
A fantastic, fantastic day, in Burke’s humble little opinion.
---
Stiffly, Asarlai led the little group down to the entranceway of the Embassy and out into the sunshine. The door will close a little more firmly behind him than actually necessary. Not to mention nearly smacking Burke’s backside as it does so.
Oops.
It was beneath him, he knew. But that didn’t mean it wasn’t satisfying.
“Here we are, then. Outside. On the Deck. Into Town, then?”
Probably better Town than to one of the Castles, just now.
A normal day. A nice normal kind of day. A kind of day where he fooled around with that system the nice Diamond had showed him how to get and figure out how to play that movie with the absolutely wonderful word.
That was the plan for today.
It was going to be a great day.
So why, in the name of all things he held holy, was the Door open?
This.
This... could be pretty great too, actually. Who would have come through...? Maybe the twins had decided to listen and come put on a show like he’d suggested!
---
Absolutely no such luck. But it was so, so much better--depending on perspective, at any rate. Truth be told, the perspective of the new shadow in the hall was not entirely the perspective of all... but then, life looks different from the top of things peering down and from the rubble looking up.
That new shadow, of course, didn’t have the slightest intention of keeping himself entirely cloistered away, sneaking about like a shade. Would the others be happy to see him? Perhaps not. Would they be obliged to accept his arrival anyway? Entirely.
Besides, being quite a hulk of a human being meant Burke really couldn’t stay slinking around for long, even if it were in his nature to. Maybe that’s even why he left the Door open while he moved down to look for a window.
So this was ‘The Deck.’ Delightful.
___
There’s someone standing at the window, outlined against the light. The outline of someone Gustave is entirely too familiar with. Of someone who should not be here. He was going to ruin everything.
Of course, why else would he be here?
“No,” he said, firmly, to Burke’s back. “We aren’t giving tours today. You should go back.”
Back through the door. Back home where you came from.
---
Is that...?
It is. Asarlai was going to flip his lid. Why couldn’t have someone cool come through? Like... the Moon or something. Anyone would be better than him.
Putting on his game face despite it, Christophe let his nature shine through the smile on his face as he wandered over to the voice.
“Whatchya doin’?” Come, tell the Fool your troubles, let them all be washed away in charm and good will. Since things didn’t end well when those two were left alone together.
---
Well, if that wasn’t a voice that had, in other days (‘happier’ was such a relative term) made him smile. Not that Burke doesn’t smile now. He does; it’s just that the smile is a hard, cold thing like a thoughtless wrinkling upward of his face without intention or thought so much as old, thoughtless instinct.
He manages to turn properly around before the second voice joins in, which brings a slightly better sheen to the dull smile. Christophe will get a polite inclination of his head.
“Coming to see old friends, of course.” No flicker of amusement, no old calm ribbing as he turns his attention finally properly to Gustave. “Although it seems I’ve come at a bad time. Would it be easier if I simply went out?”
Through the front door of this ‘embassy,’ that is. He was perfectly capable of giving himself a tour of these lands, these castles, these so-called Cards--whether Gustave liked it or not.
____
He’s already a touch off his normal calm since the artist’s visit. This? This did not help in the least.
“If by going out you mean back through the Door to the Arcana? Then by all means, please help yourself.”
If he meant out the front door to the Deck...well, that was something else entirely.
--
This had all sorts of undercurrents that Christophe still didn’t completely understand. That meant taking his usual way and just stepping in blindly while hoping for the best.
Sauntering up in his usual long, smooth steps is easy enough. Inserting himself between them seems like a not-so-great idea, however, so he settles by resting his forearm on Asarlai’s shoulder and propping his chin against the dangling hand.
“You made it? That’s great! We’ve been waiting ages for someone else. You know, the people here are mighty nice folk. Threw us parties, gave us picnics - they have the cutest little dog and an Ace! Tiny little thing, sweet as a button, cute as a button? you know, however that phrase goes - we’ve been telling people to come and meet them for ages, ‘bout time someone decided to listen to us!”
Because that was why you were here, right? Not to make trouble (never to make trouble, heaven forbid) but to rub elbows and bask in the fun.
Right? If it weren’t so, then the steel hidden behind Christophe’s bright smile would probably actually have to assert itself. As he looked at Burke, the seriousness that only very rarely lurked behind the Fool’s eyes said as much.
---
Look at them, happy little clams. And yet, so untrusting. What a pity and a shame. When had the Tower ever done anything less than straightforward.
“You know I love to listen.” The rest of this conversation, clearly, will have to be directed at the Fool, even if his eyes stay right where they are on Gustave’s face. “Seems like a shame to have to head back without seeing the puppies and the people. Well.”
His hands unlink from behind his own back to clap together with their usual resounding ‘smack.’
“I suppose if you’re far too busy to give tours, I’ll just see myself down.”
Into town. They can keep playing this game until someone decides to lay hands on him and physically prevent the direction he turns heel to walk in.
______
And if Burke thinks he’ll find a door that opens once he makes it downstairs...well. This is the Magician’s tower. But it’s so much more satisfying to slip out from under Christophe’s arm and reach out to grab the other man by the arm.
“You don’t listen so very well anymore, do you?”
--
Crap. Crap crap crap. Double crap triple crap.
This. This is why they’re not allowed together. Ever. In history. This was not going to end well. He just knew it.
Bereft of his leaning post, Christophe settled into a wider stance and spread his hands a little bit in a calming gesture, even as his smile dimmed with real worry.
“We could give you a tour, if you’re like? Have a bit of a visit, bother the people. Frankie’d love to meet you!” Maybe. Probably not. Whatever, they’d figure something out after this moment was diffused.
---
How absolutely ridiculous. This was clearly going to end smashingly well. Really, it was amazing how these things lined up.
The flash of temper is there, of course--the old familiar tensing up of bulky muscles, the slight jerking back of his arm to prevent it being grabbed, the ugly pull at the corners of his lips. He’s been learning, of course, been schooled much better now, but the rough edges aren’t exactly easy to keep down these days.
But things are going well. Fantastic, even.
“Would you be so absolutely kind?” Burke can smooth his face back down into calm, can force the dull attempt at a smile back into place. “I’m sure I’d be in your debt. Seems so rude to come and not say hello.”
_____
Is that what they were calling it? Is that how this was going to go? With some great effort and a mental reminder that he was supposed to be the adult here. So to speak. Anyway, with that, Gustave managed to restrain himself and let Burke’s arm go.
Well, perhaps it wouldn’t go badly if he had...escorts. Supervision. Because he remembered all too well which side of the fence Burke stood on in regard to the Deck.
“We’d hate to be anything but polite,” he finally ground out.
--
One crisis averted, and a great many more looming in his future. Today was not going to be a nice day, it would seem. Christophe let himself feel that on his shoulders for the time it took to turn and fall into step between them
Walking, he looked as cheery as ever - so his previous plans had been averted. He could enjoy a nice walk around town as much as the next man.
“Great! It’s decided. Lets go, sun is shining, it’s a nice day, no reason to waste time!” That smile he sent the two of them was as true as any of his others.
---
Well. If that’s not a time to smile bright and slap Gustave nice and hard on the back, when is?
A fantastic, fantastic day, in Burke’s humble little opinion.
---
Stiffly, Asarlai led the little group down to the entranceway of the Embassy and out into the sunshine. The door will close a little more firmly behind him than actually necessary. Not to mention nearly smacking Burke’s backside as it does so.
Oops.
It was beneath him, he knew. But that didn’t mean it wasn’t satisfying.
“Here we are, then. Outside. On the Deck. Into Town, then?”
Probably better Town than to one of the Castles, just now.