daemonized | RECOLLE IC CONTACT.

[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.]

[He knows he's being ridiculous when he's going up the stairs, thinking to himself that she has no real need to see it, she was there when they made it together. She knows exactly what it looks like, the monstrous scarf outfit that it was.

But it gives him time to recover, which is what he needs to chase away the redness in his face, and to force himself to regain his composure. Admittedly, it doesn't take long, and when he's back to normal Ardyn has already opened the closet door, peering in.

Well. He's already up here. He might as well commit.

It'll be another minute or two before he descends the stairs and wanders into the living room where she can see him again. But when he does, Ardyn is dressed to the nines -- that is, he's wearing it again, all of it. The pants, shirt, and coat. Made of scarves. A truly eye-searing sight.

He grins at her, spreading his arms wide and turning in a circle in his spot.]

Well? Is it as marvelous as you remember?

[she takes a look at him in the outfit, the one she had most definitely not forgotten in all its hideous glory, and she just laughs. she laughs and can't stop herself laughing, bracing herself with an arm on the couch and laughing as she tries to look down to help herself - but looking back up starts it all over again, and basically

if you wanted an answer with words, Ardyn, it's not happening just yet. she needs to remember to breathe first.]

[It's obvious from his grin that he's trying to hold back laughter, as well, but at least he manages well enough. Ardyn is going to try his best to sound aghast that she would laugh at his wonderfully fashionable set of clothes right now.]

Why are you laughing? You helped me make this.

[Meanwhile, Erebus deigns that these humans are being too noisy and too silly, and he moves off of Grell’s lap to a separate cushion on the couch, lying down on his side.]

Because...because look at it!

[poor kitty cat. Grell instead reaches up to take off her glasses and wipe the corner of her eyes, trying to take deep breaths.]

It is a mockery of all sacrificed to make it.

[Insert an obviously fake gasp of shock here. As if he were absolutely scandalized that she would say this about his outfit.]

Grell... how could you?

[He steps forward closer to her, hand to his chest.]

It is no mockery. It's a work of art! The sacrifice of many for the greater good; to be a part of something larger than just a singular scarf, but rather all of them, in their elegant patterns and always-matching colors, coming together to make...

[A sweeping gesture to indicate at himself.]

This. Walking, moving poetry.

[Dramatics.]

If it's poetry, then the writer needs to try again! And I helped you make that, I can absolutely view it with the critic's eye - I can judge at least half of it!

[half. but she's going to judge the whole thing, and why are they even on this subject? the day feels surreal enough.]

But I am touched by your devotion to it even so.

[If that's the case then he's allowed his opinion on half of it as well! Even if it is an opinion based solely in amusement, though there is one sincere part about it that he's willing to divulge.]

Oh, you break my heart. Of course I'm devoted to it. Do you have any idea why?

Because it's the last thing you have of all those who gave their lives to the cause? Because you know that to wear it in public was to truly tell everyone you care not for their opinions on your looks?

[it has to be a ridiculous reason, of course. she's willing to believe he kept it just because it makes him amused.]

Mm. Perhaps. Reasons that are much smaller, easily forgotten, in the face of the larger truth.

[She's not wrong. But it's not the whole of the reason.]

I kept it because we made it together. I couldn't discard something with that memory behind it. Call me a sentimental fool if you like.

[she opens her mouth to comment, and then closes it, clearly touched by that reasoning. damn it. now she can't mock it as much, not when something that sweet was there.]

You are a fool.

[but so am I, her face says, and she's too fond to go further.]

[He can't even be bothered to pretend to take offense. His grin only widens, affection growing, as he decides to sink into the cushion directly next to Grell, looking at her.]

Yes, but I'm your fool.

I would hope so. I can't marry you if you're anyone else's.

[and she would have to bring out all the fire she has if something tried to tear them apart before then.]

Have no doubt. I'll only ever be yours, forever and always.

[He means every word of it. Ardyn leans in to give her a kiss on the cheek, then pulls back just enough to say, a bit humorously:]

Now then, since you cannot seem to appreciate the artistic genius of this particular outfit, I think I'll return upstairs and change.

RECOLLE IC CONTACT.

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