pawnstorm | (no subject)

[ She sees the easy rapport Leo has with his carrier. By contrast, Koji responds unhappily to her attempts to get him off the bed, hissing and even nipping at her fingers with his fangs. With resignation, Nishiki abandons the effort. ]

No. I've kept worse accommodations.

[ He may have felt the rooms unfit for someone of his stature, but Nishiki has never slept in a bed so comfortable.

She does get what he's implying, of course, but skirts around it. ]

That's not what I meant.

[ but, you know what. it's not a topic he really feels comfortable talking about. in the end it's all up to nishiki to voice her discomforts if any surfaces. meanwhile...

meanwhile he'll just have to get used to the idea of having a woman in the room. surely it can't be that difficult - elise used to fall asleep on his bed sometimes in the past. it's not the same thing, however. ]

There's little we can do, I suppose. Feel free to request privacy if you need to.

[ Resigning herself to having to share her bed with a snake who hates her, Nishiki takes a seat at the edge. Although not a traditional seiza, her limbs are arranged neatly, all precise angles, with her hands folded in her lap.

It's an unexpected display of courtesy, almost startling. For a moment, her expression is less schooled, surprise making itself clear. ]

I... [ She looks away, and then back. ] -- Thank you, Leo. That's kind of you.

[ there's no need to thank someone for such basic courtesy. leo was reared on at least that much. but, he supposes, circumstances are different for everyone. by now he's gathered some ideas about the life she led. it's intriguing, but he hesitates to ask for more details. at least for now.

for now, he turns his attention to the unfriendly snake that has made itself a home in the center of the bed, and the way nishiki simply accepts the slight. ]

You're its master. Can't you simply command it to move?

... [ An astute question. Nishiki shakes her head. ]

I didn't realise what he was at first, and reacted defensively to his presence.

[ In layman's terms, she tried to kill it, because that's kind of how she responds to things. Nishiki looks disaffected by this confession, slender shoulders rising in what could be a shrug. ]

I don't think he's eager to do more than the bare minimum for me, now. Not like your companion. [ She nods toward Kriemhild. ]

[ leo looks down at his carrier once - the black cat simply nuzzles deeper into his abdomen and purrs, almost protectively. most of the time it's impossible to believe this isn't an actual animal. ]

Kriemhild has the advantage of looking rather harmless. [ anyone would react defensively towards a snake, he thinks. he doesn't blame her there. ] I'm sure with time, yours would warm up as well.

For the time being, I don't believe carriers are supposed to be dangerous. You can probably move him.

Edited 2016-11-09 03:37 (UTC)

[ Looking over her shoulder, Nishiki peers down at her carrier. Sleeping, Koji looks considerably more peaceful than he does when awake, but if you're looking for guileless compassion, you're looking in the wrong spot. Setting her observations aside, Nishiki scoops up the creature with one hand and tosses him -- gently, but without much care -- to the floor. He won't be injured, but he won't be happy either.

(That may not have strictly been what Leo meant, but Nishiki has all the grace and compassion of your common variety angry gorilla in certain situations.)

As Koji slithers under the bed, pointedly avoiding Nishiki's watchful, mismatched gaze, something occurs to her. ]

Leo, may I ask you something?

Edited 2016-11-10 00:07 (UTC)

[ LMFAO... that's not the way to handle something that already dislikes you, but okay. leo almost wants to laugh, but stops himself after a tiny chuckle. kriemhild doesn't seem impressed, but stays where she is in his warm lap because he doesn't chuck her places. ]

What is it?

[ finally she's asking questions, he thinks. ]

[ He can laugh. Nishiki takes it in stride, turning her gaze back to him. ]

Do you think there's a reason why your carrier is so different from mine?

Hm?

[ he looks down at kriemhild, then over at the dark space under the bed where her carrier has slithered into. was this mean to be a loaded question, simply because it was a little unexpected. ]

Personalities differ, I presume. I've come across mechanized carriers as well. They are very varied.

[ Not a loaded question, no. She's not modifying her opinion of Leo based on his response. It had been - something, not nice, not kind, not relieving - to hear her suspicions voiced aloud, to have someone calm and learned, reasonable, say outspoken what she had been wondering about.

For him: a soft, affectionate cat.

For her: a contentious snake that hides in dark places.

It's difficult not to look at Koji and remember the Orochi's scales trailing down Soramaru's neck like a malicious, thriving rash, and maybe that's why she's so careless with her carrier.

With a sigh, she breaks those thoughts away. Nishiki can't imagine anything more dull for Leo than her getting caught up in her own plaguing notions. ]

Yours resembles you, at least somewhat. I mean, I think so.

[ while it's not a loaded question, he doesn't miss the signs that it's meaningful to her in some way, deep down and private. it's just another thing to add to the list of questions he might ask her later, somewhere down the line if they ever become friends.

right now he's content just watching her despite the fact that it makes her uncomfortable. that statement does make him look back down at kriemhild, brows furrowing as he tries to find similarities between them

he's got nothing. ]

How so?

[ He can ask what he likes now, but whether or not she'll answer - well, maybe his hesitation is wise.

As for his question? Nishiki wouldn't call her hesitance shyness, but there is a certain tinge of something to her reluctance; possibly, she's second guessing her reasoning when he seems so casually bewildered by it. Then again, it's an opinion. Not necessarily shared, but he's interested in her thoughts regardless.

What an odd young man.

... ] Vanity, prettiness, [ that's more of a fact than an opinion, with Nishiki only qualified to measure it in clinical terms - the sum of Leo's features come together like a painting, ] fluidity, observation, self-appreciation, and an underlying ability to inflict harm. That's how.

[ leo's brows start to knit together when the words come. he's not embarrassed. he knows what he looks like. he's heard similar terms before directed towards him, but never so... clinical. so bare. not meant to be compliments.

the frown smooths back into an expression of amusement soon enough. ]

I don't know if I should feel flattered. Perhaps not, because you're not complimenting me.

[ there's a refreshing feeling nonetheless. leo relaxes and leans his back against the headboard, a pillow cushioning him. ]

Are you going to say that the snake resembles you?

[ Some would probably think so. As for Nishiki, well...

Surprisingly, her face quirks into a smile: her smile, slight but inarguable. ]

Definitely not.

Edited 2016-11-26 04:27 (UTC)

Hm.

[ he doesn't mean to, but there's a smile on his face anyway, mirroring hers. ]

I don't know. Shall we throw you off the bed, to verify?

[ Unexpected, she laughs. Of course, through closed lips, it sounds a bit more like a wheeze, and then she's clapping a hand over her mouth.

Looking over her left shoulder, and then her right - what if someone saw?

...

Leo saw. ]

- no.