daemonized | RECOLLE IC CONTACT.

[darling. she pets the cat ball, smiling at it and the nonstop purring. there's something hard to resist about an animal trusting you enough to come lay on you completely - easygoing as Erebus is, it's still a triumph.]

Contradictory and with minds of their own, just like their father. Of course I'll commit to them, are you joking?

[Somehow he's not surprised that his cat has taken this level of liking with Grell. In fact, he'd not be surprised if they all come to favor her -- they'd be silly not to. Or perhaps that's just his bias speaking.]

I'm not at all contradictory. [Yes you are, Ardyn.] Are you comparing me to a cat?

[He knows that's not at all her meaning, but he's having fun twisting her words around. The usual.]

Maybe. Are you saying you aren't possessed of an innate elegance and a strong will to do whatever you please? Somewhat mischievous but smart and a steadfast companion?

[really, Ardyn.]

But I suppose if you disagree with those assertions...

I don't disagree with them at all. But saying, "yes, I'm like a cat" leaves me open to further scrutiny that's less than flattering, should you choose to take advantage of it.

[Erebus should be offended, really, but as expected, he just keeps his eyes closed and purrs.]

Such as you saying that I also have a tendency to get distracted by fast objects, occasionally cough up my own hair, and sometimes dart around the house for no reason other than I'm very excitable. Oh, and that I lick myself when I'm feeling unclean.

Nothing's perfect. Not even a cat comparison.

[why should Erebus be offended when it's the simple truth? he's reached a place of peace no human can hope to reach.]>

Do you dart around the house when you're excitable? Or should I be searching for something else to compare you to in order to avoid such pitfalls?

[at this point she's just being ridiculous and knows it, but when are they not such? and besides, she's so happy that she could play along with anything at the moment if it came up.]

Well, Grell, what can I say? I strive for perfection, or at least something quite close to it. Which is why I’m delighted to be marrying you.

[Look how easily he can slip in some shameless flirting! His grin tilts.]

If I dart around the house like a fool when no one’s looking, that’ll be my secret to keep.

[Look if they’re going to both be ridiculous, Ardyn will not be the one to stop.]

[ridiculously charming instead of just ridiculous. she focuses her gaze on the cat to steady herself after hearing that - it's too soon to not be too much.]

Wouldn't my living with you expose that secret? Or shall you dart only when I'm not around, preserving your image and reputation to all eyes but the three in this house who see all?

[Is he being too much? More than likely. Is he able to tell if it has some type of effect on her? Absolutely.

He wavers between continuing on with the ridiculousness or having even more of an effect. Ardyn manages to settle on something in-between.]

Maybe there will be no hiding it from you, if you're going to be a permanent fixture here sooner rather than later. [He leans in a bit conspiratorially, albeit still playful.]

You'd still love me, endlessly and unwaveringly, if I did, wouldn't you? Cat-like tendencies and all? Just as I love you?

Of course.

[and here, she knows she'll blind him with the way she looks up, sincere as anything.]

I'd still love you, as I love you now. Wholly and completely.

[this may be cheating, but she means it even with the cheating attached.]

[And you know what else is wholly and completely? HOW UNFAIR THAT IS.

So much that Ardyn is indeed caught off-guard by it all. The closeness of her face, sincerity shining in brilliant green eyes. How easily she disarms him when he had been trying to do the same to her. How more vulnerable he is to it, still caught up in the delirious fondness of a marriage proposal.]

That's good to know, then.

[-is all he can offer, eyes meeting hers, but leaning back in only a vaguely flustered manner, a swift retreat. Damn.]

Edited 2017-09-26 03:39 (UTC)

Are you...?

[this close, it's unmistakable. she can see how it affects him, how her words pushed aside his guard without her even trying. it's cute. now she gets why he does this to her, if the result is like this. irresistible to reach out and touch a finger under his chin, preventing him from lowering his gaze if he got the inclination.]

Have I embarrassed you?

[innocent, like she doesn't know exactly what's going on.]

[How inconvenient is it that her finger meets his chin, just when he has considered moving his gaze elsewhere. Ardyn is left, then, forced to look at her, and attempts to sound equal parts amused and defiant -- though failing.]

No. Of course not.

[Look at her, acting innocent. She knows what she's done, he's sure.]

Perhaps embarrassed isn't the right word. Flustered, closer to my meaning. Affected, maybe.

[she's enjoying this far too much, she'll free him in a moment, but...]

I could tell you again, bedecked with the beautiful words we both love, flourishing on our extensive capacity for romance and detail and willingness to let ourselves go. But it would mean the same thing in the end, and no less of my heart would be in it. The same positively essential fact of life.

[that she loved him completely.]

[This is an example of how hard Ardyn Izunia can try to look unaffected, perhaps defiantly in the face of her calling him affected. This is also an example of how laughably easily he fails at it, when Grell is inserted into the equation. It seems that their prolonged months of dating, of professions of love, of even proposals is not enough to undo the fact that he unravels so easily in her presence. She’s the only one who’s been able to do such a thing, welding it with mind-boggling efficacy.

He swallows, his eyes still not moving from hers, half of him saying that this is not at all fair, the other half applauding her for so swiftly out-doing him. He could attempt to say something clever in response, but her touch at his chin might as well be his prison, and for now, all he can manage is:]

One day, you know, you won’t be able to do this to me.

[Which is basically admitting his defeat, but... one day, surely he’ll be strong enough to not crumble like so much sand at her words. That being flustered in the midst of married life, or just an engagement, should be a thing of the past?

Maybe.]

By that time I'm sure we'll have found new things to do. To and for each other.

[she takes her hand back, but the damage is done. Grell's all too aware of how this could reverse, about how she could be as easily undone by a few choice words from him and a gesture, and how it could never be irritating, only fill her with all her fondness and leave her utterly unable to parry what he says. if it stays with them for a long time, she'll not raise a true complaint.]

[The damage is done, indeed. Nothing goes back to normal immediately just because she removes her hand. His heart still quickens, the faint fluster in his cheeks still remain.

He wonders if he should twist these words back around on her. To return to his initial goal of flustering her, but it's hard, when he's just felt like he was at her complete mercy, then newly released, only to wish that her touch had lingered for a moment longer than it did.]

To each other? Grell, you'll make me blush.

[Easy enough to fall on levity, purposefully misconstrued, in order to recover. Hopefully.]

I hope you'll blush. I've wondered what you look like when you do. If it's as cute as I've imagined it to be.

[she could follow his path into levity and pulls themselves out of it, but there's another path to go down, and it calls to her more.]

[oh my god

She's not playing very fair tonight, it would seem. Mentions of wondering what he might look like, blushing furiously, like some fragile maiden. The very mention of the word cute potentially applied to his character.

He opens his mouth to retort, nothing coming out. Closes it, then takes a moment before he tries again. Ardyn doesn't turn his head to look away, but his gaze does glance just beyond her shoulder, not meeting her eyes.]

You're absolutely merciless tonight. If you truly want to make me blush, you're going to have to tell me something either very scandalous, or very unexpected. Until then, I think you might have to rely solely on your imagination for now.

[she tilts her head, gaining a thoughtful look, and is quiet for a second until something comes to mind.]

You know, I've imagined myself as your bride before today. A few months back, you were only joking about getting married, and I...

[this is a double edged sword, because now she's the one that needs to avert her gaze. it was true, but it didn't mean it wasn't embarrassing.]

[Hearing that causes him to look back at her, his brows pinches together slightly. Certainly not out of anything like disapproval, but closer to surprise. This is an admission that he wasn't expecting, and the very notion that she's flirted with the idea in her head (even if it amounted to nothing more than passing imaginings), is enough to fluster him. It's so... innocently romantic, and sweet.

He's going to lose this battle of wills if he urges her to continue, but curiosity wins, as it often does.]

And...?

And...I laughed, of course, but I did think of it. Of what it would be like. Of us.

[now she's the flustered one, looking down at Erebus in her lap. she never thought she'd admit this, after it happened.]

[They can both be flustered together, because on top of everything, this allows for Ardyn's mind to wander into what she might've imagined.]

What did you imagine, then? Of how you would look, dressed in a beautiful white wedding gown?

[The words stop there, however, because he's thinking on that himself, the way she might smile up at him, scarlet red hair contrasted against the white of a dress. Happy and perfect.

And that's the end of that, not only does Ardyn have to avert his gaze completely, he even turns his head to hide what he's sure is a burning at his cheeks. There's definitely a blush there now, and he only says something else as a follow up, just to distract from it.]

Or whatever it is people think about, when fantasizing about those things.

[A very weak, dismissive wave of his hand. He's probably not even fooling the cat, honestly.]

Some of those...things. That people think about.

[she's going to entirely miss Ardyn blushing because now she is herself, knowing that now he's thinking about it too, and that reminds her that everything is real, and the last few hours have not been some elaborately constructed daydream.

oh dear. this was a mistake. they have to change topics.]

Whatever became of that outfit, anyway?

[the most blatant, stupid transition she could have made.]

[A change of topic. He will gladly take a change of topic, else he might start thinking about more than just what she would wear, but the way she might kiss him on that day, and by god his face feels like it's on fire and he should really just talk about the scarf outfit instead-]

I still have it. It hangs in my bedroom closet. Would you like to see it?

[He stands (almost startling Erebus), already beginning to make his way out of the living room to go fetch it.]

I'll show it to you!

[A SWIFT RETREAT. Time to recover, under the farce of showing her the outfit they made together. He'll leave Grell to her thoughts for the time being, coupled with the sound of his footsteps going up the stairs so he can find it and bring it back down.]

[it occurs to her, watching him go, that he took the opportunity to run away. Ardyn Izunia, being so out of options that he had to run and seize the first new topic to find him. it's getting her wish to see him undone, but it also makes her laugh out loud once she realizes - a sound she has to pet the cat and soothe him for - and take a breath or three to try and recover from her own emotional disarray. she has the whole time he's away to do so, she won't protest how long it takes.

he kept the outfit though. she can't fathom why. it's a monstrosity.]

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