[ota] Rhymes and rhythms

[is_to_art]

Back from his trip to Krabi - which was as bewildering as it was relaxing - Nicholas is, nonetheless, back in his office, keeping his usual hours.

He has also begun to frequent the training grounds more; today, rather than kendō, it's knives. Tossing them one, after another, at a set of targets with an impressive amount of accuracy.

Comments

[civilizedpoison]

"Not quite where I expected to run into you today," came a voice from behind him and off to the side, and Briony smiles very slightly as she leans against a tree.

"Don't tell me someone's been poking at you for losing at Scrabble."

[is_to_art]

"Wonder of wonders." He trained, of course - regularly, even - but the majority of it was largely for show.

"Oddly enough, we both appear to have decided to be adults about it." Which was just as well, really, because it was one thing to deal a bratty Seven it was another matter entirely to incapacitate someone that had been nothing but civil to him throughout the entire situation.

Give him a moment, Briony, the shock still hasn't entirely sunk in.

[civilizedpoison]

She presses her hand to her heart at that. "Heavens, what are the Spades coming to?" Though, really, Davin had always been a low-key sort, even when he was younger. A more calming presence than Laureline, of whom she'd also been very fond.

"I'm certain David and Katya are glad, though. They'd have to find someone to hunt out random oddities if you'd gone the more classical route."

[is_to_art]

"Flying in the face of policy is something I've always preferred to avoid where possible."

So, no fatalities; permanent damage, on the whole, was avoided if only because several months worth of painful physical therapy was usually enough of a deterrent for people to look elsewhere in their effort to rise. Most got the idea fairly quickly.

And because she needs to get out more.

[heartpursuit]

Abby had tried Dr. Rhodes' office first, but no luck - closed, locked down, and she'd been left wandering the halls of Spade Castle a bit aimlessly. Her sense of direction was still more than slightly awful, an oddity that had occurred upon entering the Deck, and it wasn't until a guard stopped her heading somewhere where apparently she shouldn't be going that she managed to locate the good doctor.

Outside, throwing knives. Okay. So it wasn't the most common practice where she came from, but she'd searched for Johnny in enough seedy places over the last couple of years that she'd taken to carrying a pistol in the glove compartment of the Thunderbird, so it's not like she had room to talk. So instead, she cleared her throats.

"Dr. Rhodes?"

[is_to_art]

Darts would have likely sufficed, but he'd needed the fresh air as much as he'd probably needed the practice.

"Miss...Benson," he hazards, trying to place the unfamiliar face. "Of Hearts, if I'm not mistaken?"

[heartpursuit]

"It's Abby, please." A losing battle in what people kept calling the Sharp Suits - the Diamonds and Spades - but she kept at it, anyway. "And yes, I'm a Three of Hearts, and in charge of the clinic at the Castle."

That made it sound official, even though this visit really wasn't an official one.

"I was wondering if I could talk to you about Johnny?"

[is_to_art]

"Abby, then." It was easier, really, to just default to formality when dealing with unknown quantities; either they would correct you early on or they would roll with it.

"Of course." Johnny's situation was... well, it was proving to be rather challenging in the way that only amnesia cases seemed capable of. "My office is not far."

[jestincase]

Always so serious seriousy, the Sharpies. Jubilee entertains herself by walking heel to toe around the perimeter of the training grounds (though careful to keep out of striking distance).

"You can throw but can you catch? If you do, then you've met your match~"

Juggling is ever so much more fun.

[is_to_art]

"I'm not nearly as good at catching, I'm afraid, my dear." He says, wiggling his fingers for emphasis.

"I've entirely the wrong sort of hands for it, you see."

[jestincase]

She bends forward at her waist to gain a closer look. "Where did he put the right ones, then? I wonder, I do~ Imagine expressions if one received juggling challenge from you."

[is_to_art]

"Somewhere safe, where I can bring them out for special occasions."

The less said about that the better, probably.

[rough_karat]

Don't mind if he smokes, d'you Rhodes? Of course you don't. Who else smokes like a chimney and won't dare say a word about it?

"So, I see we're following stereotypes of the Sharp Suits again."

And he makes a note, fencing tomorrow. Rumor has it a Six is looking at him.

[is_to_art]

If he did mind, would it really matter? No, of course not.

Still, he pauses, sliding a look in Vasiliy's direction: "Somehow I suspect this isn't a commentary on my spectacular aim."

[rough_karat]

Nope, it's so nice that someone just gives as much of a shit about 'manners' as he does and knows just to roll with it. Refreshing. He'd share his smokes but there was some muttering last time Nicky bummed one off of him.

"Suspicious. I make a remark on practicing the Sharp Suits' Deckal past time and you're getting suspicious. Ah, Niko, Niko, you make me sad." Of course he waits for Nicholas to comment that Vasya didn't say yes or no.

[is_to_art]

"It's part of the job, to never take things at face value."

Though, really, Vasiliy was excellent at being honest to the point of transparency while also managing to rarely give things away.

"So, to what do I owe the honour of this particular visit? You're not finally deciding to jump Suits, surely?" He'd never give them the satisfaction.