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[immortalpoet]

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red gaze

✖

NAME

Vergilius

CIVILIAN_NAME

Red Gaze

TEAM

Brimstone

HOUSING_NUMBER

11

❤

Comments

[immortalpoet]

[Now that makes him let out a low "ha", more of an exhale than anything.]

I think you're the only one who thinks that, Miss Weiss.

[ignoreher]

I'm definitely not. You've met March, after all.

[ and while vergilius might not be her passion project. that girl definitely likes to see others smile, or at least have fun.

now then. back to the nitty. hit the gritty. she knows she's the only one asking questions but this is fine she's the one who said she wanted to get to know him not the other way around. ]

So what do you do as a guide anyway? If you're not touring the City with a handful of people like Ishy and Rodya.

[immortalpoet]

Mm. I suppose she counts, too. You're more gung-ho about it. It's as if you like me, or something.

[Another sip of his drink - they're getting into "time to be vague" territory, unfortunately.]

I can't say much. It's the goal of Limbus Company. Let's just say I just tell Ishmael and Rodion and the rest of the sinners where to go.

[ignoreher]

[ sounds like a contract. smells like a contract. must be contract work. ]

And I'm sure you handle all the necessary paperwork on top of that, but they probably think you're not doing anything except bossing them around and watching them from afar.

[ the unfortunate fault of the managerial positions.......... ]

And I do like you, for the record.

[immortalpoet]

Oh, of course. Would they keep me around for eye candy?

[Standing there and looking pretty. Then again, he supposes his role is more symbolical than not. It isn't as if any regular Fixer could keep that group in line with their goals.]

[The statement makes him tilt his head, as if considering.]

For the record. That's duly noted. [And a little hint of a smirk.] Hrm. You're not that bad yourself, I suppose, when you're not being obnoxious.

[Which is obviously all the time. Obviously.]

[ignoreher]

I don't see why not. You're pretty handsome in a "I haven't had a good night's sleep in two weeks" kind of way. A real "I don't know what a smile is" sort of look. If you just fixed your hair up a little, I'm sure you'd catch more than a few eyes, Mr. Gaze.

[ professional advice from malkuth, friend of march 7th, who has been doing her best the past few weeks to study what makes people physically attractive... and awwwwww he likes her. sorry she's ignoring that second part and grinning brightly. ]

I've been told I'm good company, if a little high energy! I knew you'd come around sometime.

[ be her friend.......!!!!!!!!! ]

[immortalpoet]

See, all these back-handed compliments are giving me mixed signals.

[But he's not going to dwell on the "pretty handsome" part at all, no. Besides, a relationship? Romance?]

[....He doesn't deserve anything like that. Not him. Anyone but him.]

Eh. It takes a long while for people to rub off on me. You still have a ways to go, Miss Weiss.

[He says, at dinner with her.....]

[ignoreher]

[ she laughs a little behind her drink, shaking her head. he's right, she should be honest. ]

I didn't think you'd take a direct one. You're good looking.

[ this isn't getting to know him... it's just a pep talk. malkuth'll flag down two more beers for them with how he's going through his and going through it. see? isn't it good she didn't set a time limit? they'd definitely go over it. ]

And I don't mind if it takes time... I have plenty of it, after all. Well, [ she'll put her chopsticks to her mouth in thought, then finish off her veggies, ] not really, if I line up everything I try to do in a week... you're sort of like my break from it.

[immortalpoet]

...

[He opens his mouth. Closes his mouth. He really isn't used to direct compliments - and a genuine one, he's far too used to the flattery from fans he could care less about - and he's hiding his awkwardness by taking another swig to finish off his beer.]

[She's...just being nice. Of course.]

Your break? [He finally says, feeling satisfied to latch onto anything not giving him a weird churn of feelings in his stomach.] Ah, Miss Weiss...I'm worried about you. Are you a masochist?

[ignoreher]

[ sincerely: ]

It depends who you ask. [ haha. ] I think my employees would've called me a sadist, while my boss definitely would call me a masochist. So I guess both?

[ she took it seriously... and she's also pointing her chopsticks (rudely) at him. ]

But don't treat yourself like a punishment. That's insulting to the person who wants to spent their time with you, Mr. Gaze. [ to her. ] Even if you think they'd be better off doing anything else, don't forget it's their choice.

[immortalpoet]

...Huh. Both.

[A sadist....huh........]

Well, you said it yourself. [Using his chopsticks to poke hers away, that's RUDE!!!] I'm a grumpy old mean man. I'm just saying it how it is.

[ignoreher]

[ excuse you, she's poking back. she's using them to making a point!!!!! ]

I've met more aggravating old men than you. Though I guess he isn't too bad when he's not talking in circles.

[ .... which is like never, but still... hokma is okay. she understands his feelings, a little. ]

Here's a hard question for you: what's been your favorite part about being here? For me, it's all the new experiences.

[immortalpoet]

[Pokes back because MIGHT AS WELL!! ALSO TO MAKE A POINT!! (this is stupid)]

Favorite part...

[He really...hasn't thought about it, given his pause.]

Mm. I suppose...not having to interact with people on a strictly professional level, perhaps.

[Not to say he's not responsible but...also its nice to be detached from that.]

[ignoreher]

[ what a child........ you're really fifty? please. she's stealing his last shrimp. into her mouth it goes that's hers now. ]

So you do want to just chitchat with people.

[immortalpoet]

[Not his shrimp!!!!!!!!!!! No, that's okay, he barely ate anything anyways.]

I didn't say that. I said it before. The title comes with its own weight. Even an old guide like me needs a break sometimes.

[ignoreher]

[ some dinner date. it's fine, he doesn't look like he eats much anyway. stick. when she's finished with hers maybe she'll just have whatever is left on his. ]

You should be more honest! I think it's fine to admit that you'd like to talk to others just as... yourself, and not someone people think you are. Though I don't know any of the stories they might say about you anyway.

[ they're probably fairly accurate, if embellished. just like the red mist. ]

[immortalpoet]

[He'll take a swig of the new beer that was brought to the table. Please. Don't judge his depression eating.]

What if I don't want to be honest, though...

[Just saying............]

[ignoreher]

[ she's going to start bringing snacks for him too. ]

Well, it's not like I can force you to be. But I appreciate honesty, so I'd like it if you were with me.

[immortalpoet]

[vergilius like that one chihuahua buried by potato chip bags]

.....



Talking to others is....


Fine.

[ignoreher]

[ you get it. ]

See! That wasn't so bad, was it? You didn't keel over or anything!

[ look at how happy you've made her. she's beaming.

... they really are just gonna be left with the beers at the end of this, and then they'll have to part. malkuth seems satisfied with her questions too at the very least. if only vergilius was nice enough to indulge her all the time... but she know he's only doing this for some answers. it doesn't embitter it or anything, she just hopes he's been able to relax a bit. ]

[immortalpoet]

Yeah, yeah.

[Her smile is so bright.]

[He instinctively looks away from it, like he's staring at the sun.]

[...]

You... [He starts, stops, rethinks his question.] You said you'd answer my questions after drinks. Is this satisfactory...?

[ignoreher]

[ malkuth takes a sip of her beer, resting her cheek in her hand as her smile remains, if dimming a little. it doesn't embitter it... but there's still a sort of drop in her stomach, a kind of disappointment that comes when the curtains fall, the lights turn on, the performers have taken their bows. nostalgic and sad, just like the memories she owns. ]

... Yeah, it is. Thanks for playing along with my silly wishes, Mr. Gaze. I'll tell you what you'd like to know. What was it again...? If I've died before?

[ and whatever else she might be able to answer, within reason. ]

This is my third life. But I didn't really die in my last life, just my first. The second time... was more like being put to sleep. So just once in a traditional sense.

[immortalpoet]

...I don't think they're that silly.

[He says, a little quietly. But ah, she's already moved to start to answer, so he listens, eyebrows furrowing as he stars a bit into his drink.]

Are you trying to make up for your previous lives then?

[ignoreher]

[ she'll keep it in mind, at least. though her gaze slips to her drink too, humming thoughtfully. ]

Something like that. In my first life... I [ elijah ] was frustrated by everyone being so preoccupied with blacks and whites, rather than the color that could be found around them. But in the end, the only thing I [ elijah ] saw was black and white myself.

[ herself. ]

You know how Nests are. The affluent can get by pretty easily, but the lower you go the harder you work. My [ her ] family wasn't anything special, well-off as any of their neighbors, but everyone had to work hard to keep their head above water. I did too, especially in school.

[ ... she did, poor elijah. always looking at the ground just ahead of her just so she didn't trip. when did she get to stop and look up at everything else? or had she caught sight of the flowers sprinkled around the nest and sat for a while, entranced by the vibrant, transient beauty they held?

malkuth thinks of burning, crimson red, and how easily it flares and fades. ]

So you could say I'm making up for lost time in that life, and atoning for what I did in my second.

[immortalpoet]

[That's how it goes. Whatever dreams you have, the City stifles, suffocates, like a pillow over the face. Even so, people still dream.]

[Malkuth still dreamed, but in the end, a duck can only paddle as hard as it can against a moving stream.]

...

[Don't they all have things to atone for...?]

Atoning for what? The Library?