Not Even A Mouse;

[thalassino]

Characters: EVERYONE
Location: ALL AROUND (but mostly in the plaza)
Time: MORNING - NIGHT??? (aka all day)
Style: Whatever suits!
Status: OPEN

T'was the night before Christmas and all through Vatheon

Comments

[aim_exorable]

[To most who know Darkleer, or who have even seen him faintly in passing, they might be surprised today. In all previous interactions, he has held himself stiffly, most of his expression hidden by a stubborn stoic facade and a pair of shades. In a pair of words, closed off.]

[But right now, his body language is utterly relaxed, shoulders no longer held up rigidly and back not ramrod straight. Even his glasses are missing. The only sign of his stocking is the torn shreds of blue near his feet.]

[The reason for his sudden good mood? Well, occasionally she comes swooping down with a small trill of sound.]

[It's a bird- pure white even in the eyes- and looking like a bizarre mixture between a Harpy Eagle and a cockatoo. Obviously the bird hadn't taken kindly to waking up in an oversized sock, but she seems fond of the troll nonetheless, and him she.]

[He always lets her heave off of his arm to go fly around above him, and seems utterly content, for now, to simply stay in his place.]

[aim_exorable]

[Those colors are going to give him a headache. But Darkleer won't complain. He'll just hesitantly take the gift and begin to undo it as best he can with careful fingers.]

[faygot]

[once he manages to get through all that tape and man, is the wrapping paper covered in glitter or something? he'll find that it is...

a book. A human book. A human book titled Zen In The Art Of Archery.

It is... a surprisingly thoughtful gift considering it came from Gamzee.]

[aim_exorable]

[Today is a day of miracles, Gamzee, because that actually makes Darkleer's expression relax into yet another small smile and he runs his finger over the title.]

...Thank you very much. I will take good care of it.

[Come on, Gamzee. Darkleer is even offering his hand. Time for an elevator ride.]

[faygot]

[that smiles warms Gamzee's heart. Darkleer is another one of those people that doesn't smile often enough. But other than Equius or Karkat, it is much much much harder for Gamzee to make him smile. So whenever he manages? Score. Fuckin' miracle, baby.

He latches onto the offered hand, leaning into him.]

You really dig it? You are a hard motherfucker to find stuff for.

[aim_exorable]

I've been told. I was even scolded for it, once, but I simply like being self-reliant.

[In Alternia, that is a good thing. Letting Gamzee stay close, Darkleer guides him to the elevator. As they go up, he occupies himself with the bird, who occasionally nudges at his fingers and just makes soft sounds in the back of her throat.]

[faygot]

[Gamzee is more than happy to stare at the bird himself. That is one awesome friend Darkleer got there.]

Fuckin' looks like a lusus.

[Couldn't be though! Darkleer's lusus hadn't been a bird, right?]

[aim_exorable]

That's because she is.

[Just not his. Good ol' Horsepapa raised and served him well. It would have been even better to find him instead on this day, but Darkleer has a feeling it would be problematic to fit a warhorse into a stocking.]

[faygot]

Thought you done had a different lusus than this?

[Oh man, a lusus. How awesome. And fitting a warhorse into a sock would probably have been as problematic as fitting a seagoat into one.]

[aim_exorable]

I did. But I was close with her troll, and when that troll died, I found no reason to force her to leave.

[That lusus is now eying your hair, Gamzee. If you were just a few shades of blood lower, she would be all over your head.]

[faygot]

[all birds love Gamzee's hair. It just has these great nest like qualities.]

Cool. She got a motherfuckin' name?

[aim_exorable]

[More like she is interested in forcing it into order. One day they will wake up, and she will get stuck in his hair and won't that be a nightmare.]

Dural.

[And whups, here they are on the island now. He guides Gamzee to the beach, sand shifting beneath their feet. He retrieves a small device from his sylladex and presses a button. Now to wait...]

[Soon enough, Gamzee might begin to hear some very familiar violin music, coming from the sea. Give it a moment, and... Huh, that sure is a robotic sea-goat surfacing from beneath the surface of the waves. It's not as big as the original- maybe a little bigger than a warhorse more or less, not counting the fishtail. Its eyes are a familiar indigo color as it wiggles it's way into shallow waters.]

[faygot]

[Not the weirdest thing that has been stuck in his hair.

He's all eyes for the bird lusus, barely even noticing when they get to the island. He trots alongside Darkleer, his attention only shifting when his ears prick at the familiar music. His head whips around, staring at the sea, staring at... his goat. No. Not his goat. Way tinier than his goat. But still kinda like his goat, and god it is a robot but still.]

... it's my ol' goat.

[aim_exorable]

...You mentioned him once, yes. You also mentioned not being able to listen to.. Wataru's music because you worried that you would lose it.

[There, his reasoning.]

I hope you don't mind the appearance. I wasn't sure if...

[Trailing off now. Wow, sure paying a lot more attention to Dural now.]

[faygot]

[Gamzee turns, not really waiting for the rest of his words as he wraps his arms around Darkleer in a giant big hug, squeezing him tight. There is a bit of a whump as he impacts, and man, he is getting good at clinging to Darkleer's front.]

[aim_exorable]

[...Oh. Okay. So this was a good choice. Good. Carefully, he lays his hands down on Gamzee's shoulder.]

...I'm glad you like it.