sranks | a necromancer and a priestess walk into a confessional

[Zvei nods at the first part; message received, and he'd rather not wear himself out pointlessly. He knows his own limits better than anyone else and he hasn't reached them yet - thankfully, he does have quite the well of magical power at his disposal - but it's good to know that his assumption is correct in that waiting is the better option.

So! Onto her torso! Her poor dress has seen better days, but he's going to need to get her out of it to properly bandage all these injuries. For now he studies where they are, prodding to get a sense of how deep they run and just how to approach the healing process, nodding a bit to himself as he works.]

It's quite attractive! I wish I could enjoy myself that much while fighting.

[He wishes he could enjoy himself that much doing anything, really.]

Far be it from me to try to stop you, but do be a bit more careful. You're going to require quite a bit of time to recover from these injuries - even once I'm able to heal you, you'll need at least a week of rest before you're ready to fight again.

[With his initial examination done, he offers her a hand to help pull her up.]

I'll need to remove this [fingering her dress at the neck] in order to properly bandage you. That won't be a problem, I trust?

[It absolutely has. She...might actually need to get a new one, at this point. But it's far more likely that Amaya will simply insist on finding fabric to patch it up. It's what she's always insisted on; she hates the idea of new clothing, no matter how much Aneirin has tried to convince her, or even if Zvei has tried. She's always stonewalled it. But...Amaya doesn't flinch at the poking and prodding, at least. Thankfully the Dragon can't take away her muscles and definition of them, though they do run pretty damn deep--Zvei likely can be careful with them, but they do risk starting to bleed again with too much movement or prodding.

Amaya takes his hand with her far less fucked up one, talons taking his hand and wobbily standing up as she nods her head. Her gaze finally meets his, her eyes cold and dead as ever, although...]

...You may. But...do not be too shocked at what you end up uncovering.

[She knows, deep down, that he won't. He'll likely find what's going on underneath far more interesting.

Once he does get to work on disrobing her, he'll find that the Dragon's power has certainly done quite the number on her; there's a few deep cuts into her shoulderblades, of course, but the scales are far more patchy here. Still glinting in the light with that same iridescent sheen, but there's more of Amaya's bruised skin underneath, her toned body certainly having taken a beating. Even the bandaging that Amaya uses to keep her chest bound seems to have taken some injury, though she's thankfully not flashing him.

What might catch his eye is more toward the back of her, as he gets her out of that dress, something underneath rustles beneath it--once he properly gets the dress off of her back, he can see something a little surprising.

They're very small things; looking more like a flightless variant than anything, but a small set of wings seems to unfurl a bit from her back, stretching out of their own seeming accord. They're black as night, surprisingly thick and sturdy for such feeble looking things. There's even some small black spines that seem to come out of her back, as though they've outright grown from her spine...

Amaya doesn't have any sort of reaction, for the moment at least. She simply allows Zvei to work, but...]

...I will endeavor to not make you go this far out of your way again. I shall...rest, until I am able to enter the battlefield again; of this, you have my word.

[Zvei inclines his head a bit at her warning; partially a silent agreement, but mostly curiosity. How could he not be curious, if she's taking to warning him and given what he's already seen? What secrets is she keeping from him...?

Well, the injuries are more important, so once he's gotten the top of her dress down so he can work on them, he sets about doing that. There's no denying the way his eyes stray to those tiny wings, or the near-maddening desire to say screw it and give into his curiosity and poke and prod her until he's fully satisfied with what he's learned. It reminds him of how he was in the early days; after he first woke up deep within Ize-Vti, where his curiosity led him to study every single monster he came across, keeping detailed notes on every inch of their physiology. It had admittedly been partially a distraction back then - he'd needed some reason to keep going without any memories to guide him, after all - but his curiosity has always been boundless, and Zvei has always been fascinated by the unknown and dangerous.

Even from here, where he's still focused on dressing her wounds, he can tell that these wings are quite unlike those of the dragons he's has the pleasure of studying. His world's dragons are a touch more clever than your average monster, but are ultimately not at the level of sentience of any of the people of Aelios. Powerful, dangerous beings, yes, but another foe to be taken down. Their wings are far larger, far more powerful; but to think that this Dragon's power is able to warp a human body so thoroughly is truly, unbelievably captivating. What else can this Dragon do?

Ah, but such thoughts are the sorts of things Fiona would have scolded him for. This is difficult for Amaya - though she's willingly allowed him to see it, it's more through necessity than any desire to show him. Staring so openly - much less poking and prodding as he wants to do - would undoubtedly just make her feel agitated. Zvei exhales; a soft sigh that sounds the tiniest bit disappointed as he refocuses on his work. Unfortunately for him, there are more pressing matters to attend to.

Each and every injury is tended to with the same amount of careful, calculating precision as before, and Zvei never lingers for long until he's finally done and he helps escort her back to bed.]

We'll need to get you a new dress. [Yes, he's aware she likely doesn't want one.] Maybe I can convince you to wear black! You'd make it look stunning.

[just be goth, it'll be fine!

Anyway, he moves to check her legs over now, though she likely doesn't have as many serious injuries here.]

I trust you'd let me know if I've missed anything?

[Just so he's not totally stripping her out of her dress; he can at least pretend to have some decorum. Well, in this one regard, given how he just spent way too long doing the internal narration of 👀 at her wings.]

Absolutely not.

[Amaya comes down on that one with a groan, absolutely refusing to entertain the idea even slightly. She will patch this dress up until the original dress is nothing but rags, dammit. Even if...well, black would probably look nice...but she's not considering it!!!

...She can absolutely feel his gaze on her, though, and it definitely makes her fidget a bit. Running her fingers along her newly patched up arms, gently taking everything in that needs to heal over time. Everything hurts--but she's always preferred this. The dull ache of pain has always been something preferable to Amaya, but here and now, it feels...strange. There's a part of her that does want to tell Zvei to get on with it, but...there's still something internally, that wonders if she should...

Well. Thankfully, her injuries are tended to, and Amaya moves easily to let him patch her up. She doesn't have an outward reaction because her dulled feelings won't let her have one, not really. But by the time he moves to check her legs, Amaya nods her head gently.]

I will. You know that I won't hide anything from you.

[...]

Though, [A small hmph escapes Amaya.] if you want me out of the dress this badly, you need only ask.

[It isn't quite derisive, but to a certain extent, it's permission; stare if you're going to. Either way, she'll let him see her legs and sit on the bed if that makes it easier; he is at least right that there's no serious injuries there. A few cuts, and a few patches of those scales, though her feet have taken on the shape of the hind feet of a dragon in the process. Thankfully, this'll be easier to patch up, if nothing else.]

...You're holding yourself back a bit, aren't you?

[It's an idle question, as Amaya tilts her head.]

[Zvei laughs, the sound light and airy as he waves a hand as if to dismiss the thought. He won't ever truly push her on this - she likely already knows that anyway. It would be far too much effort for something he ultimately cares so little about. Maybe he'll just get her a dress and see if he can guilt her into wearing it. It might prove more effective than trying to convince the brick wall into doing it of her own free will, anyway.

He kneels to tend to her injuries here, fingers brushing against scales as his eyes dart to her feet - truly fascinating. Almost every inch of her bears some marks the Dragon left behind... what would she look like were the Dragon to fully take control? An idea that likely should have more of an emotional reaction, given that it likely would be the end of Amaya as he knows her, but as always, Zvei feels nothing. Well, nothing but scientific curiosity given the way he is aggressively staring at her feet while trying to keep his attention on bandaging. He's not doing a bad job by any means, but man. It's such a struggle to stay focused on the boring work. Magical healing is much more interesting, after all.

Her words earn another laugh and his gaze flicks back up to her.]

Oh, believe me, were you a little less injured, I wouldn't bother pretending.

[...thanks, zvei,,,]

Though you are right. [a mock sigh!] Do you know how difficult it is to focus on something as dull as injuries when you are so fascinating right now, miss Amaya? Why, what I wouldn't give to study every inch of you in-depth - to compare your scales and claws and wings to the dragons I've studied, and to see where every single difference lies?

[With the last of the bandages tied off, his fingers trail down the scales of her legs towards her clawed feet, but not quite reaching them in case she doesn't want him to touch. Were she anyone else, maybe he wouldn't bother. But she's Amaya, and he likes her about as well as he can like someone, so he can have the tiniest bit of restraint. Just for her.]

[The brick wall will never let up. That's why she always has her unstoppable force beside her, after all. ☆

But Amaya properly watches Zvei as he gets to work on her legs, watching how he tries not to stay distracted by the inhuman parts of her and keep at his work. In some way, she's sure she should be insulted; she isn't. Zvei's curiosity has always been eternal from what she knows of him. It annoys her; it's the closest thing to pleased that she can get, that he elicits this feeling from her. It's not like the constant, judgemental gaze of the cultists that oversaw her growth, twisting puppet strings until she was as rigid as they wanted her to be.

Zvei plucks those strings, of course, but she almost prefers the way he'd treat her strings--twisting them off and around and twisting her limbs in new and frightening ways, in blissful unawareness of pain and yet...that pain is also so strangely freeing, because he doesn't care. He doesn't care about who she is and who she wants to be. He finds her a curiosity, and it's strange how it comforts her.

Almost idly, Amaya reaches a hand out to touch Zvei's head, but she thinks better of it and withdraws it.]

I know you wouldn't. It must be dreadfully boring for you, indeed. To have to use such base implements, and then to see something so fascinating and yet...draw your focus away, to patch up the wounds of a reckless priestess. Truly, I've inflicted a great torture upon you.

[Amaya's head tilts again, to the other side--there's still nothing in her gaze, nothing but the vague annoyance and blankness in her stare, but...]

...But you should be rewarded for your hard work. Don't you agree?

[It's softer, this time. She's all patched up, after all; shouldn't he be rewarded for his good work? Even if it makes her a little uncomfortable to be perceived, it's Zvei. He wouldn't be Zvei without his curiosity, his annoying aspects, all of the things that make him the man she tolerates.

But it's permission. Explicit, this time. Her hand ends up craning downward this time toward the side of his face with one of those taloned hands if he'll allow it. The touch is shy, almost, because...well, Amaya sucks at this, and she seems almost ready to take it back.

Not the permission, though.]

Sometimes I wonder if you're merely humoring me...

[He hums a note of approval anyway, though, fixing her with that far-too-intense, unblinking stare with mismatched eyes. It hardly matters if she is humoring him; better that than being ignored or shunned, after all. And besides, she's presented him with an opportunity; humoring or not, it's one he intends to seize.]

I could tell you that this is all very routine and hardly the sort of thing worthy of a reward given that it is, quite literally, my job to tend to those in need of healing, but far be it from me to deny such a generous offer~!

[One of his hands comes up to hers, seizing it where she's laid it against the side of his face. The touch certainly isn't a problem, and he would let it linger were these any other circumstances. Calling it nice is overstating it, because it doesn't truly feel like much of anything, but there is an inherent benefit to being trusted with such gentle gestures that most would never dream of offering him. It might even be something he almost likes, were he capable of liking much in the first place.

But that will have to wait, because she's given him an offer, and Zvei is quick to seize on it. First things first, her claws. He takes her hand in both of his own, gently pulling it around to where he can examine it from where he's still kneeled on the floor. One hand comes up to adjust his monocle as the other trails over those scales - first one way, then the opposite, watching how she reacts to those scales being rubbed the wrong way.]

Truly fascinating... Much thicker and more durable than the dragon scales where I come from, though that's hardly surprising; dragons are more resistant to magic than weaponry, after all. Their scales are designed to serve as a ward.

[...Yeah, of course he's just going to Yap while doing this, because Zvei is nothing if not Aggressively Himself at all times.]

Do you think I have humor left in me...?

[It's a question Amaya knows she doesn't need to ask; they both know the answer. Not even the Dragon could take this much from her. Amaya's gaze meets Zvei's, her own gaze cold and dead and devoid of emotion in the slightest. But she'll gladly let him get to work, letting herself be caught up in Zvei's fervor as she allows him to take that hand of hers and examine it to the utmost.

It's unsurprising that he starts on this, and those yellow eyes roll the slightest bit as he gets going, but she doesn't stop him in the slightest. What aggravation, to have him spout these observations at her. How annoying. How endearing. Amaya watches with disaffected eyes as he touches those scales of hers, watching them catch in various colors in the light, the gesture...strange, but not unwelcome. If anything, Amaya almost relaxes her usual rigidity a bit at it.]

Indeed. The Dragon was quite used to combat against weaponry; while her magical stores were incredible, her physical endurance was forged from years and years of slaughtering humans on the battlefield. There were few weapons that could even pierce her scales; I'm unsurprised that they remain so durable, even now.

[She'll encourage the yapping. This is meant to be his reward, and...maybe she likes the yapping just a bit, shush--]

Fascinating. I wonder if the Dragon was almost like a god in her own right...

[Well, maybe not in Amaya's world. Still, having that much power would certainly place the Dragon far above most monsters. Maybe some of the truly ferocious ones awaiting at the top of the Aeli's Branches, the ones that absorbed the magicaeli and strengthened those stones when they inevitably fell.

But he's getting distracted, and Zvei shakes his head with a soft laugh.]

I suppose there's no point in trying to test that, then. I'd rather not damage my dagger.

[...implying he was considering it...???]

These claws are vastly different too - even though they aren't quite a perfect match for the Dragon's, I'd imagine, they are much sturdier; the better for ripping and tearing through flesh, sinew, and bone. The dragons we face rarely come into contact with humans; their prey are far weaker monsters. The differences are truly astounding...

[He'll let her hand go now and move down to her clawed feet, humming to himself as he works, hands gliding over the scales there and poking and prodding at the draconic feet.]

There are likewise a great many differences here; why, I'd venture that these are closer to a wyvern's claws than a dragon's, though wyverns' scales are more reptilian than draconic... Still, the power behind them is much closer in scale! Dragons are primarily beings that utilize magic and their ability to breathe fire - or whatever other element, of course. Wyverns are far more physical and are built to match. Though they are far weaker than dragons, so perhaps that isn't the most accurate comparison either...

[No, he will not shut up, thank you very much!!]

Father's cult worshipped her as one. I would not be surprised if she could rival the gods of Madide, considering everything she was able to do...

[Amaya's eyes idly close as she listens to Zvei go on and on, even letting out a small noise at the idea of him testing that durability with his dagger. What does it say about her, that she isn't immediately chiding him? She knows damn well that it isn't a joke, coming from him. She knows damn well that if he found a good enough reason to bring out that dagger, he would, and she wonders if her injured state would deter him at all.

(It's not like it matters. She'd only have herself to blame, for rewarding him so. And isn't that a reward in it's own right? To see the joy and elation upon his face, to see him chatter endlessly while he toys with her life like it were a plaything...

What agony. What bliss.)

Amaya's eyes open, half lidded as she listens to Zvei continue to speak, and this time she loses the battle to keep her hand out of his hair; the talon-like hand gently rakes through his scalp if allowed, the motion surprisingly gentle and considerate.]

I was unaware of much of a difference between them. Most of Madide simply considers the matter of classifying a wyvern or dragon based on their intelligence or elemental alignment; how intriguing, that it would be a reminder of such a thing. I know not if she was a half breed, or perhaps even something else entirely, given our very different worlds.

[Beat.]

...Madide and the Dragon's, I should say, though there are many differences between your world and my own. But...the Dragon, as much as she claimed the forests of Quercetem as her home, was not of our world. She was quite massive and fierce in person, easily dwarfing my younger self when I first met her. She was always quite adaptable, so I would not be surprised if her body had changed over time to accommodate that.

But it is...fascinating, to hear all of these little differences.

[Zvei nods along to her words, never looking up from where he's studying her talons... at least not until her claws run back through his hair. He looks up at her then, blinking owlishly like he's only just truly become aware of her. The claws in his hair aren't a bad thing; it's simply that Zvei has very limited experience with all things physical affection and he isn't really sure what to do with it. After a moment he settles a bit, leaning into her claws for a moment before resuming his examination as if that didn't just happen.

After all, who cares about his momentary hesitation with physical affection when he could be studying her temporary form? He's not going to have all the time in the world for that, after all!]

Truly fascinating that you already have experiences and knowledge of other worlds... Which does introduce some truly fascinating prospects for the Dragon and your own world, even when stacked against my own! I suppose some of my questions must go unanswered for the time being...

[Maybe he'll get the opportunity to travel to Madide and/or the Dragon's world someday and he can put those questions to rest, but Zvei's also come to terms with the fact that sometimes you just don't get to answer those questions. Still, they're absolutely fascinating and delightful distractions from the day-to-day monotony, so he's always eager to pursue them.]

[Amaya winds up staring for a moment, when Zvei blinks up at her. Her eyes don't quite go wide or anything of the sort, but any playing with his hair even idly just ceases for a moment. Even after he leans back into it, Amaya seems uncertain and her gaze darts when he speaks up again.]

I would not give it that much credit. She never told me of the world that she hailed from at all; from what I understand, she ensured it's destruction. We...never did talk about such insignificant things. I do hope that is not too disappointing, but it would seem so...

[Amaya's other hand seems to unconsciously come up to cover her mouth a bit when she speaks; the much larger teeth and fangs she has currently are something she's a little modest about, but she does look at Zvei afterword with the tilt of her head, circling back to something else.]

...Do you wish for me to remove my hand? I...can, if it is proving uncomfortable. The last thing I want would be to make you so.

[It's considerate when she says it; she may not have entirely functioning empathy but...she can fake it, and she likes Zvei. Her clawed hand does seem to start to remove itself almost on instinct.]

Mm, truly unfortunate...

[But he's accepted that for now so there's no point in dwelling on it. Amaya has a question of her own, it would seem, and Zvei looks up at her again at that.]

Oh no, it's quite alright! I rather enjoy it, actually. I was simply surprised; I've never had anyone play with my hair like this before!

[At least, not that he remembers. Maybe it was something he was accustomed to in the past, but there's absolutely no telling. That's just another reason why he needs to reclaim these memories; so he can actually understand who he is and why he's like this. Those memories will make everything make sense.

But that's not the point right now, and he reaches out for her hand as she starts to pull away.]

You know me well enough by now, miss Amaya, you know that there's nothing that makes me uncomfortable.

[That requires feelings, after all.]

[Amaya's head tilts a bit; she can't say she's surprised necessarily, given how Zvei is. He's too animated, too on the move, too...energetic. One would probably never think to do something like that unless they wanted to get him to sit still, but that isn't fair to Zvei. It should be his own decision whether he wants to or not, and...

She's at least offering him enough to sate his curiosity at least. Amaya feels his hand reach hers, and she understands the hint as her look neutralizes a bit. It may never soften, but it's the closest thing she can offer him as she runs those talons through his hair.]

I cannot see why. It is...nice, I believe. The texture is smooth, preferable. It's...a soothing gesture, I think.

[...]

It brings an empty feeling with it, but I do not mind it. I...am glad you enjoy it as well.

[It's honest, but Amaya listens as she runs her fingers through that hair, clawed nails gently scratching at his scalp.]

I do, yes. But I do like to check. Your agency in such matters is...deeply important to me, all be told.

[As someone who's been denied it her whole life.]

[Zvei gives a hum of approval as Amaya's claws slide through his hair again and he leans into it, mismatched eyes falling closed to simply enjoy it for the moment.]

I understand.

[He does. Better than most would, he assumes, because Amaya doesn't seem the sort to part with that information all too easily.]

But you don't need to worry about such things; if I truly disliked it, I'd simply let you know!

[He isn't really the sort to try to hide such things; he's about as much of an open book as he can be, at least when it comes to his preferences. What few of them he does have, anyway.]

A "soothing gesture", you called it... I believe I can see why. It's... calming, I suppose?

[...Stated as though he has never once understood the meaning of the word "calming", which given everything he's decided to be, is not exactly a surprise.]

...Good. I do not ever want to do that to you.

[Amaya doesn't really respond much further for the moment, at least; content to explore him a little bit now, as much as he's explored her. It feels strange to do this, but there's something strangely empty and almost...light? About it. Amaya isn't sure at all, really, what this means for her; that empty feeling persists, but it's almost pleasant.

But Amaya perks up when Zvei talks about the emotion at hand, and she keeps playing with his hair while she talks.]

It is meant to be. Gestures like these...they are meant to relax one's body and mind with their repetition, with one's nerves seeming to give up their tension if they find that the gesture is welcome. The calm comes from that release of tension, meant to alleviate one's mind from their struggles and bring them into relaxation.

...So I have heard, at least. Does this describe what you are feeling?

[It's strange, but far from unpleasant. Trying to find the words to describe it feels almost pointless when it is a wholly new sensation, but she's asked this much of him and he'll do his best to respond. After all, Amaya can't feel it herself. The least he can do is try to describe it for her.]

I'm not sure! Truthfully, I'm very rarely ever in a state of relaxation, though I suppose that likely doesn't come as much of a surprise.

[It's a wonder this many gets any sleep, smh.]

It feels... freeing, almost. As though the repetition is helping me settle, so I can ease away the unnecessary thoughts and distractions. Why, the very world could fall away right now and I'd still be perfectly content in this moment!

[Perhaps a bit of an exaggeration, but it gets the point across. He likes it. It's soothing and calming and a gentleness he's unfamiliar with, and Zvei likes it a lot, actually.]

Time relaxing is time better spent on work for you, I'm sure.

[It's not derisively said; Amaya knows more than a fair few that Zvei values his time and research. Knowing he actually doesn't mind this, though, it brings about that empty feeling and strangely enough, those strange wings at her back shudder at it. She doesn't know what that means, really.

But Amaya listens as Zvei describes the feeling to her, and she tries to visualize it. Strangely enough the wings seem to shudder again as she does, and she keeps playing with his hair and lets her hand travel to another part of his head to play with the hair there.]

Freeing...that is a word I would not have expected, but I suppose I can understand that. Sort of like any shackles weighing you down have been discarded in the face of such relaxation, perhaps...? [Amaya shrugs a bit, and one of her clawed fingers gently goes to tuck a bit of his hair behind one of his ears.] ...At any rate, while I cannot feel it, it...pleases me, that I am able to do this for you.

Precisely.

[Zvei's never liked downtime. He works himself to the bone both in pursuit of his goal and because the thought of doing anything less fills him with... well "dread" is too intense an emotion for him to properly feel, but that's more or less the point here. He dislikes being idle, because that leaves him time to think, and that's a truly dangerous prospect. The harder he works, the sooner he can reclaim his lost memories. That's all there is to it.

His eyes slide open as he senses movement, and he watches those strange wings of her shudder. What's causing that? Oh, he wants to reach out and touch and poke and prod until he has his answers, but that involves moving, which seems like entirely too much effort right now.]

Exactly! That's exactly it. The things that bind me feel so very far away like this.

[Perhaps the better way to phrase it would be something along the lines of "I'm no longer worked up and bothered by my insecurities" but that's acknowledging feelings and insecurities, neither of which Zvei has, of course!]

You are remarkably good at finding ways to get me to settle. I have to wonder just what sort of witchcraft you're pulling on me...

[It's obviously a joke, given his tone.]

Mmm. Well...I am glad that you are able to feel such a way, around me. You know as well as I do that most people are rather unsettled by my demeanor. To know that I bring you this comfort is...good. I think.

[Amaya wonders what it would be like, to feel like that. In a way, she envies Zvei; he can still feel such inane things, even if he doesn't quite have a name for it for himself. He views it as a curiosity, and that's...

It's not bad, at least. But the comment gets something of a scoff from Amaya, and her wings shudder again.]

I've analyzed you quite well, I would think. But...I would owe it more to my own curiosity, than anything else. I am not usually one who seeks to be so...close, to others. That you've allowed me this opportunity is not lost on me.

[...]

Perhaps the true witchcraft is the knowledge I am gaining to assist you in your ease.

Really, I can't imagine what about you could be so unsettling!

[Hahaha. Her demeanor has never bothered him in the slightest, but he's also not one to talk, given he's likewise pretty unsettling, just in a totally different direction.

Zvei loses the battle not to reach out, fingers brushing back behind her arm against one of those wings, if she'll let him. It's not exactly soothing, as he isn't really capable of that, but the exploratory touch is gentle.]

See? You even joke with me. What could possibly be unsettling about you, miss Amaya? [Teehee.] You flatter me, though. I'm fairly sure you're just indulging me... but I can't say I mind it at all~ After all, this proximity is... better than acceptable.

[That's a clumsy way of wording it, but given how he tends to word everything anyway, maybe the difference will matter. After all, it is nice. But that's the sort of thing he'd say when he didn't mean it at all, so wording it like this is sort of his backwards attempt at acknowledging the feeling. It's a poor attempt, but what would you expect from him?]

[Amaya doesn't flinch or anything at the reaching out, though her gaze does dart toward where he's reaching toward...the wings do jolt on their own accord before settling and allowing Zvei to touch them, and they're surprisingly durable, leathery things. He can almost certainly feel the beginning of bones in certain parts of the wings, though incomplete...]

...You like this proximity, then. [yes, amaya, that is in fact what he said--] And if I am? Are you saying you don't deserve to be indulged a bit? You saved my life, after all.

[But they've gone far beyond that point, at least. She's allowing him in her space, and she...doesn't know what this empty feeling is, but it doesn't feel bad. Not when he's being so annoying about it.]

Keep that up, and I may think you are starting to fancy me. I wonder what they would all say.

Fascinating...

[Not like she's expecting anything else, probably, but of course he finds her little wings to be this mesmerizing. If allowed to grow further, would those bones fully form and would these wings remain permanently? What a beautiful sight that would be...

He glances back up at her at that, and it earns a laugh. Both parts of it, really; she's gone far beyond indulging him for saving her life today, after all, and the rest...]

So? Let them talk. I don't particularly care what they have to say, anyway.

[He could let that speak for itself, but this is Zvei, so he can't shut himself up that simply.]

Perhaps I do fancy you, miss Amaya. After all, who else could possibly hold my attention and interest like you do? Who else could convince me to sit still, even for just a few minutes? Who would listen to my stories and share their own, without a shred of judgment for the things I've done - the things I'm willing to do? Why, it'd be far stranger if I didn't like you, wouldn't it?

[Amaya would have been perfectly fine to leave things as is; she's always been fonder of comfortable silence than anything else. But it wouldn't be Zvei if he didn't feel the need to rise to the occasion, and Amaya suppresses the groan that wishes to escape her when she listens to him speak so easily, so freely.

Her gaze averts, briefly, and strangely enough her wings shudder and flap once or twice for good measure--she's not sure what to make of his words, if they're even true or if he's simply speaking for the sake of it. Something in her eyes narrows, briefly, before she looks back at him with that same placid look she's kept for most of this conversation, but...

Her other hand comes up, resting on Zvei's shoulder.]

...Perhaps it would. But...you do know, that I cannot return that sentiment. I cannot return those passionate words, nor the feelings that you express. You are who you are, and...I am what I am. Two very different things. You...could do better.

...But regardless, I do not mind it. The things you have done...what you will do, and the path you have chosen.

Perhaps that is why I prefer your company, as well.

[Ah, there go her wings... cute... He's going to pet them again if she'll let him!!]

And you know as well as I do that my feelings never last for very long. The things I feel are fleeting and ephemeral. I am not truly capable of anything more than "liking" someone.

[But one could say that Amaya cannot even do that much. Maybe, in that regard, she's right and he could do better. But why would he want to waste the effort on trying when he's already found someone he does like? Fleeting or not, there's no reason to deny himself something he wants. Zvei isn't the sort to do that, anyway.]

Then that's good enough for me. Though I'm sure one could say that you likewise could do better!

a necromancer and a priestess walk into a confessional

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