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[justashotaway]

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"What?"

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crystal.

[murderbaby]

Still climbing parapets?

[justashotaway]

[--hm?

Oh. It's that thing.

Laura has decided she dislikes the crystals, the way they require communication without sight or scent, but she knows she is supposed to respond when someone contacts her.

So--reluctantly--she does.]

Not right now.

[(She has found her way into the rafters of a supply room, nestled between two beams.)]

crystal.

[murderbaby]

Laura? I meant to give it to you myself, but my work has picked up-- I had it sent to your room. Let me know when you've received it.

[It's a tiny box with two pastries inside, wrapped in cheesecloth.]

[justashotaway]

[A delay, gaining in curiousness at every moment, until she gives up and returns to her room in search of it. Easy enough to find, easy to open up. She responds before she bites into one.]

What are they?

[She has guesses, of course--she can smell the orange in them--but she wants a name to match to them.]

billy crystal.

[saam]

Laura?

[justashotaway]

Yes?

after/during-ish matthias' post.

[tender]

It takes some time to find Laura, which doesn't surprise Derrica. Laura's good at being unseen. Even in spite of Eshal and Byerly's reactions, some wary instinct tells Derrica that's probably useful.

"Can I sit with you?" Derrica asks softly. "I brought a deck of playing cards."

Hopefully, it's a distraction.

[justashotaway]

Did she purposely make herself noticeable? She might have crept a little further out of the shadows, rather than staying hidden up in the rafters of some little-used storeroom. Laura has spent a great deal of time alone lately, and Derrica is a friend.

So here she is, looking up from where she's wedged herself into a chair in the far corner of the library. Her attention is caught immediately by the cards, and she nods, her gaze on Derrica's hands. "Do you know any games?"

i'm back

[tender]

Laura, do you have an idea for your costume?

hELLO

[justashotaway]

An acrobat. Or a cat. Or a...bajurr.

[STILL NOT SURE WHAT THAT IS.]

Do you?

Action (DM if you'd like any tweaks to this)

[overharrowed]

[Julius is cutting it a bit finer than he meant to, with the random draw gift exchange. He feels a bit foolish just getting what was on the list, but on the other hand, it's probably presumptuous to get too creative with a gift for a stranger.

All of which means he's not late, precisely, but he's looking for Laura with a bit more purpose than he otherwise might, a basket over one arm. He doesn't try her room first, as that also seems intrusive, though if he doesn't find her elsewhere in the Gallows it's always a backup option.]

[justashotaway]

[Laura is not aware she is being looked for--but she is also not making a great deal of effort to go unseen at the moment. While she hasn't reached the point of moving freely through the Gallows as she once did, she at least has come out of the rafters in search of lunch, with thoughts toward sitting in the courtyard after.]

backdated to pre nevarra sorry i'm slow

[inkindled]

Hey, Laura? It's Matthias. I was, I mean-- I've got something for you.

no apologies necessary i am too

[justashotaway]

...For Satinalia?

[LOOK LOOK SHE KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON]

Crystal

[ketterdamn]

Did someone graft those knives to your bones?

[ he's been thinking about this for weeks!!!! ]

[justashotaway]

They are not knives.

[knives are made of metal, kaz!!!]

[inkindled]

Hey--what's your favorite color?

[justashotaway]

...I do not have one.

crystal.

[technologist]

Hey, this is Fitz. We spoke about language lessons a ways back. I was wondering if you're still— [ Alive?? ] If you're feeling any better.

[justashotaway]

Yes. I am no longer sick.

[A pause.]

Are you well?

crystal.

[cozen]

[ From the Wilds of Occupied Orlais: ]

Laura! Are you busy?

[justashotaway]

[ From a rooftop in Hightown (please don't tell): ]

No. Do you need assistance?

action but let's say it's before the abomination and i'm just late ok (sorry)

[inkindled]

[Maybe you should ask Laura what would make her happy and go from there.

It had sounded very simple when Athessa had said it at the party. And Matthias had jumped to his feet and gone running off, fully prepared to track Laura down and ask her just that, in that very moment. Halfway up the stairs to her room, all of the wine and elfroot in his stomach and his wherever-elf-root-goes (veins?) had sent a wave of dizziness through Matthias like no other, and he had sat down upon the stairs instead and then he had just fallen asleep, so--

Well. The next morning he'd woken up and thought, maybe there was a better way to ask Laura, and he had decided to think about it for a bit, which then became quite a bit.

But here they are today, sat on the battlements in the sunshine together and eating lunch. Matthias, with his mouth absolutely full of pork pie, looks over at Laura and thinks, all right. Now.]

Hey-- [Oh, hang on. He pulls a face and holds up one finger--hang on, hang on--swallows his bite so he's not asking this with globs of pork in the way--] Er, sorry. What would make you happy? Like--really genuinely happy. In the future, I mean. Not--the big future, necessarily, but maybe that as well, if you've thought of that--but it can be the close future if that's easier.

[justashotaway]

[ The battlements are the ideal place to eat: the breeze is high, the smell of the city is low, and Matthias is next to her with a pork pie in his hands. Hers is filled with some kind of fish, salty and potatoey and thick-crusted.

Matthias speaks, then pauses, and Laura waits, swallowing her own bite of pie in turn. ]

I-- [ Don't know. What would make her happy? An orange. Going someplace new. Kissing Matthias. Petting Biter. Feeling like a person. She falls quiet, thinking, then asks: ] What would make you happy?

[ Maybe she can figure out her answer when she knows his. ]

post-dreams

[acreage]

[ they're at lunch, maybe a day or so after everyone awoke from the dreams of the herald. the appeal of hot food and fresh coffee is still maybe a little stronger than it should be; but it doesn't show, really, as he talks with laura.

whatever they'd been talking about, he breaks off with a smile, downs some coffee, and then says, faux-serious — ]

So when were you going to tell me about Matthias?

[justashotaway]

[ She looks up sharply from where she's slicing up her serving of meat and vegetables into little bites, one claw glowing silvery-blue against the plate. Matthias--Laura has to think for a moment before she remembers, from another lifetime, I'll introduce you to Matthias, if you don't meet him before it.

Her claw disappears. ]

What would you like to know? [ He'll tell you--he loves to talk. Especially over a meal. ] --He is not here now.

[ Are they avoiding each other? Don't worry about it. ]

crystals;

[wythersake]

[ idly, ]

Where do you keep spending my money?

[justashotaway]

I spend no one's money but my own.

crystal, very suddenly

[inkindled]

Hey, d'you think we ought to share a room? When we're both in the Gallows, and all, I mean.

VERY SUDDENLY.

[justashotaway]

I--

[ was not expecting this question. ]

...Do you wish to share a room?