[ Action, Video ] Eight of Diamonds
[The X-House is oddly quiet without Anne, and sleeping in late is a glorious luxury. When she finally gets out of bed at around 11am, she head straight to the kitchen to placate her coffee addiction and then decides to just take it easy for the rest of the day
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It would probably be Rogue's lucky day were it not for that post later on about the masks. They've been popping up all over town all day and they've got his guard up. So, once she's leaving the Item Shop, there will be a King of Hearts card just. Sitting in the middle of the road. Y'know, something to keep the Queen company though he's not even sure she still has it, he's just playing this by ear.
Off the road, up in a tree, there will be a Gambit. But the card will probably be a little more noticeable first. He's got it balanced perfectly on a rock and everything.]
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...so lucky, in fact, that she stops short a few feet away from the card winking up at her from the rock. And she stares at it for a moment - Settin' up an appointment? - before a little smirk curves her lips, so unless he'd been watching closely he would have missed the moment of slack-jawed surprise.
Rogue saunters over to the card, bends down, and picks it up between two gloved fingers before glancing around. She hadn't really seen him around since that whole mess with Sleeping Beauty, and she was determined not to let him get the upper hand in this encounter. So, casually, Rogue glances around.]
Drop somethin'? That's downright careless.
[Though she makes no mention of it, she does, indeed, note that it's the King of Hearts to the ( ... )
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But still, he greets that offhanded comment with a low chuckle and a shake of the head. Not budging from his tree branch quite yet, but he does shift slightly so that he's not quite so hidden up here.]
Didn't drop it, chere. Looks like it did its job, though.
[Got her attention, just as planned. And like it or not, Rogue, he's watching carefully for a reaction to the choice in cards. The slight hesitation before picking it up is already noted.]
Not too many people pickin' up all them masks, I take it?
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You're leavin' calling cards now? Ain't that a little old fashioned?
[She flicks the card in his general direction. It will likely fall halfway between them. "King of Hearts." Ha. She just bets he is.]
Seems like they're first-come, first serve. People'll come get 'em if they want 'em.
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An' here I thought it was just good manners. [At least, when he's not blowing up said calling cards. Luckily not something Rogue need concern herself with. The Brotherhood totally deserved that one.
Slight pause. Whatever is with the masks, at least they don't seem to be going anywhere or doing anything yet.]
Seems those things are turnin' up everywhere.
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Don't they usually have your name on it?
[...and here she was doing so well with not referencing the whole 'king of hearts' bit. Let's just move on quickly and hope he doesn't pick up on it.]
An' what do ya mean, masks are turnin' up everywhere?
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Just as good, non? You still knew who it was from.
[Ever the image of relaxation, he leans back against the tree he was sitting in, folding his arms idly. The moon still being clearly visible (and bigger today?) in broad daylight, combined with the masks, is gathering up some concern, but like hell he's showing it. His tone is almost as mild as if he were commenting on the weather.]
As for the masks, saw a few people 'round town with 'em. And a couple showed up at my place all by themselves. Must be our landlords again.
[Were it not for the second part, he'd chalk it up to Halloween spirit, but just. What the hell masks showing up on their own.]
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You know what? She's just going to focus in on that other half.]
Really? It's not that strange when things show up in the shop, but... [Shifting around to dig in her backback now, Rogue digs out a mask] They're just masks.
[Masks that provide a strange sense of comfort when you hold onto them - and Rogue's handled a lot of them over the past half hour or so.]
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You think so, chere? Never can tell with half the stuff showin' up in this place.
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Only one way ta find out, right?
[She'll just be moving to slip that mask right on now.]
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Maybe it's the shared past of being manipulated by others, but for whatever reason, he catches a hold of her wrist - thank heaven for gloves - before she can slip that mask on entirely.]
You sure that's you sayin' that?
[As opposed to the Malnosso influence, at least.]
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Who else would it be?
[And that's a very strong glare. Are you insinuating the voices in her mind are taking over? Because Rogue does not like that insinuation one bit.]
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Could be the Malnosso talkin'. Or whatever it is that made the fairy tales work the last time.
[It's not the voices he's wondering about, Rogue. In his own way, he's trying to make sure she doesn't end up swept along by some Malnosso scheme again.
Taking the glare as a sign that whatever caused the glazed expression has worn off completely, he lets go of her wrist, but his eyes are still carefully trained on her.]
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An' we wouldn't want that.
[Nooooooooooooooooo, of course not. She lowers her hand and stares at the mask. Why does she still feel like putting it on?]
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[He won't even mention the kiss, or lending her his coat, or any of the rest. Because honestly, he didn't mind that part at all. It's the being a pawn of some faceless overlords part that bothers him, and he knows full well she hates that too.
As he relaxes back against the tree trunk again, his usual lazy posture is just slightly stilted by the fact that he's still staying alert. He's watchin' you, mask.]
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I hardly remember. [She lies. And apparently fails at ignoring things. Regardless, she decides to attempt a change of topic. She frowns in the direction of the Item Shop.]
If ya really think the masks are part of an experiment, we're better off havin' a bonfire.
[Not that she thinks it'll work. But hey. It might be cathartic.]
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