[ota, spades] what does and doesn't help

[oneirophiliac]

You know what isn't good for snakes? It's cold. It's cold and no power. And no power means unheated cages, at a time when Annie's just barely getting ready to ease them into hibernation. Meaning that at the moment, they do not have adequate hibernation material. Meaning that the moment, there is a stack of snake cages surrounding the fireplaces of

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[suitedtofolly]

That night Dybbuk had been unable to sleep so he was working on a sculpture on his front porch. The autumn chill in the air was fast becoming bitter. Something was wrong. He locked up, packed some supplies in a shoulder bag and left for one of the castles. The Jester's house was virtually equidistant from all of the Suits, being in the Green. A former Heart himself, Dybbuk knew his old Suit was not especially adept at handling a crisis. Spade castle it was.

This is how he came to find shelter in exchange for his body heat. He is huddled in a corner with a couple of constrictors draped over his shoulders. He had kept snakes as a boy so they did not bother him too much, even though he was used to much smaller reptiles. Still, this was better than being snowed in back home-- alone.

"Do they look any warmer to you?" he asked Annie, loosening the coils around his neck.

[oneirophiliac]

She hadn't really wanted to take chances with them- being draped around unfamiliar people's necks was such a risk for snakes that killed by tightening the life out of their prey. But Dybbuk seemed to have a way with them and they did need the heat most.

Leaning close, she comes nose to nose with one, then the other, tickling a little under their chins. "Maybe a couple of minutes more, then they can switch out. They're out of danger, at least."

[suitedtofolly]

Either Dybbuk had a way with constrictors, or the cold was speeding up their metabolisms and making them hungry; hopefully the former instance was correct. He could still breathe with relative ease so that was a good sign, wasn't it?

"A miracle, considering I feel no less cold-blooded than your serpents."

His fingers were so cold, they had gone numb. He thought his circulation was better than this. Then again, the snakes played no small part in cutting off blood flow to his arms.

[oneirophiliac]

She shakes her head- it's no good saving the snakes if the humans end up freezing too. "You need hot chocolate? Cider? When you're done, you better go warm up before taking on any more of 'em. Makes it easier on everyone."

[suitedtofolly]

"Coco tastes better heated than fermented apples, I should think," which is his way of saying he will go with the hot chocolate.

"A pity that you, Reptile Keeper, seem to be short of eager volunteers to warm your friends."

[oneirophiliac]

"Yeah, well. I kinda expect it, and I've got everyone working already. Seems a shame to pile more on them when it's a real phobia for a bunch of people." She goes looking and comes back with hot chocolate for both of them, complete with (oddly-shaped) marshmallows. It's debatable whether these are Chives' fancy or just being used ahead of Halloween.

[suitedtofolly]

"I didn't think the Spades were prone to phobias," he mused.

Annie's snake-sitter accepts his hot chocolate gratefully. Those marshmallows really did look good, extra large and puffy.

[oneirophiliac]

"Everyone's got a fear, and snakes are pretty common." She shrugs, tickling under the chin of one of the constrictors again, and gently coaxing it off him. "Spades just hide it better than others. But I'm still not going to ask anyone- it's hard enough on the Twos to carry snakes in cages for me without them carrying snakes on themselves too."

[suitedtofolly]

"Ah, yes. Hiding. Smoke and mirrors, that is very like the sharp ones." The mysteries of the Diamonds and Spades intrigued Dybbuk. He may have adopted their tendency to hoard secrets.

"Kindness to lower ranks however, is more like the softer Suits I know."

[oneirophiliac]

"Hah. I'll tell you something- people always think Spades are the sharpest and Hearts are the softest. But Spades still have blunt edges and Hearts still have a point, don't they? Diamonds are all sharpness, Clubs are none at all. Turn your thinking around sometime."

She might be rambling. It takes her mind off the cold.

[suitedtofolly]

She did get him thinking, "I quite agree. The Diamonds and Spades are sharp in mind, if not in shape. While the Hearts and the Clubs may be softer, in spite of their pointed edges. Red and black in each grouping."

Symbols had a way of clarifying things,"Of course, reality is seldom so tidy." The predominant traits of the people aligned to a particular Suit were usually adaptations rather than inherent characteristics.

"Would you like your pet back?" he wheezed as one of the snakes tightened her coils around his chest. They were becoming quite active. At least he would be able to have his drink before it became too cold.

[oneirophiliac]

"No one fits so neatly into boxes," she agrees, "that's what I was getting at." She carefully takes hold of the snake's head, not exciting it anymore than it is already. Slowly, she calms it and coaxes it off him, looping it over her own shoulders. Now he's free of snakes and she has two to return to their warm cages.

"I'll send more hot chocolate around, okay?"