and it takes, and it takes, and it takes

[acherontiastyx]

[It... definitely takes a while for the weekly after-execution note to arrive, but it does --- kind of scrawly and on ripped paper rather than nice stationery.]

EY. YO. WE GOT EFFIGIES IN THE DINING ROOM AND WE'RE GONNA BURN EM.

FOOD TOO. THE USUAL AND HOT COCOA. GOOD FOR THE SOUL. GET SOME. MAYBE TAKE IT BACK TO YOUR ROOM IF YOU HAVE TO. JUST GET SOME.

[Anyway, in the dining room, there's plenty of mugs set out, with a janky looking arrow sign pointing into the kitchen to where you can get your hot cocoa. On the table, there's Vichyssoise, a pot of green tea, and some booze. There's also a cookie tray on the floor away from the table on which to burn the Wordsmith and Kimbley effigies, which are handily placed near the food on the table.

...also if you go in the kitchen without shoes on just. Watch the northern corner. There's no kidneys, but there's a lot of broken plates there for some reason...]

Comments

[matchbreaker]

[ Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

With Hanyuu it was for her own sanity, and Sportacus and Varric (even if he ruined it) are just like that. This time, Elda's actually making herself a little bit vulnerable as she stands properly, looking up at the other woman as she asks, going against everything that she knows to be true: ]

Want to call ourselves friends? It's easier to say than constant.

[elepe]

...Friends?

[...Well, that's...unexpected, considering Lusamine's tone. And she has to think about it for a moment.

Weeks ago, Lusamine barely considered this woman a person, much less anyone who she'd allow in her room. That she'd tell some of her biggest secrets to, or someone she'd be pretty damn honest with when push comes to shove. Elda was just an annoying woman with no boundaries in the first weeks, and now...

...There's a small laugh.]

...I suppose that is fine. Friends it is, Elda.

1/2

[matchbreaker]

[ Elda... tries hard not to look as surprised as she is. Because she is a little bit surprised when Lusamine goes from that initial tone to the follow up. And her heart rate might've picked up a lot there too, honestly. ]

[matchbreaker]

[ So..........
what.....
no....w.....

... she laughs! She laughs, clapping her hands together with somewhat rosy cheeks not at all befitting of a woman of her age and smirks, looking up at Lusamine ]

... Alright! You've clearly been sleeping, but did you drink enough?! Or eat, too! I could bring in a book so you don't need to leave here!

[elepe]

[...did she break the vampire, oh lord, that's actually concerning. Does she need to go back to regular mode and system reset--

Nope, nope there she is. Uh. ...Well, Lusamine actually chuckles.]

I could use a cup of tea, if you would be so kind. I'm a tad parched.

[...you okay over there, Elda]

[matchbreaker]

... Sure, I can get that, I made some the other day! You don't mind it being a little bitter, right?!

[ . . . Elda sounds way too excited about this.

> you remember she can't taste not-blood things... ]

[elepe]

I'm actually fond of bitter things.

[it helps when your soul is as black as the shadowfriend]

As long as you don't mix anything into it, I believe you may do just fine.

[matchbreaker]

Good!

[ Well then, she'll just make a little smile and duck out! She's going to go and make that same tea she made for game night... and thus, in like fifteen minutes, she'll return with the strongest black tea you'll ever have ]

[elepe]

[...she broke Elda, didn't she.

Oh dear god what has she done--either way, when she comes back with the tea, she. Wow. At the very least, Lusamine will take the tea offered and take a drink.

...she. She's keeping a good face here. She underestimated how Elda could do her tea, jesus christ. Is this what that tea of mourning tastes like--]

...You weren't lying, to say the least.

[matchbreaker]

Everyone said that the other night too...

[ SHE TOOK THE ONE THERE WAS THE MOST BAGS FOR...

... Might've put in more than one... ]

[elepe]

[... ... ...]

Elda, may I ask how many bags you used?

[matchbreaker]

Four. It didn't smell strong enough until then.

[elepe]

[...Elda.]

...I understand that your sense of smell is...not the best. [TO PUT IT LIGHTLY.] But one tea bag is enough for a cup, I can assure you.

[matchbreaker]

My sense of smell is great! Vampires can smell people who're their blood affinity from meters and meters off!

[ She just... has no frame of reference for the relationship between the smell of tea and it's taste... ]

[elepe]

There's a difference between the scent of blood and the scent of tea! Tea is supposed to be something you can't smell--it comes from the taste. If you overwhelm the delicate balance, all you're left with is wet leaves.

[it's an art]

[matchbreaker]

Well... Well if you don't want it I'll drink it! It's all ash to me anyway!

[ HUFF ]

[elepe]

[Elda...]

It's... [why you gotta be this way] It's the difference between humans and vampires. Don't fret over it so much.

[...Sip.]

You don't strike me as the type of person to like tea anyway, if you did have the ability to taste it.

[matchbreaker]

Yeah, it's true... [ A wistful sigh ] Normally, I wouldn't even really be able to focus on the smell at all in a room like this...

[elepe]

Is blood the only thing you can smell, or are your kind simply dulled to food-based scents by default?

[matchbreaker]

No, it's more like... [ Hmmm ]

... Did I ever tell you about blood affinities? Vampires have a strong sense of smell normally for all things, but those are special.

[elepe]

...No, I don't believe you did.

[This sounds interesting, and she'll sit up a bit.]

Would you mind telling me about them?

[matchbreaker]

[ She nods, and perches back up on top of the desk, sitting cross-legged. Hopefully she doesn't get a splinter...

Either way, ]

Every vampire has a particular blood affinity: that's the sort of human that they're attracted to, in terms of their blood. It's always something to do with a human's nature or emotions. For example, my husband was attracted to youth in humans. I imagine the likes of that Orihime girl would smell delicious to her. And my son takes great pleasure in the blood of prideful people... for him... I suppose Kira might've smelled good, in his own, sick way.

[elepe]

[...that's. Huh. It's basically like one's preference in food? If nothing else, it sounds interesting enough. People would develop preferences over time, so. That's cool, she supposes.

...except the fact that her son needs some damn better taste, jesus christ.]

That's certainly interesting. It sounds a lot like how humans prefer certain kinds of food.

[...]

What's yours?

[matchbreaker]

Near to the opposite of James's, actually.

[ It is a lot like human food preference, though in a vampire's case it's a singular thing they realize when they're 14 or so and sticks with them for the rest of their lives. She might explain that more if asked but, ]

I've always reacted to a world-weary maturity in people. If we were to pick someone here who'd smell best.. it'd probably be you.

[ It's a white lie. Bruce or Hanyuu might be better, but. ]

[elepe]

[...oh.

That's. Actually kind of interesting to hear.]

...My, I wouldn't have expected that.

[Up until recently they've basically tolerated each other, this is. News.]

What is it about those people that you're attracted to?