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[log] you act like you’re hip to their tricks and you're strong
The past few weeks have been, for Martel...an interesting time. Today, though, today isn't very interesting. (Yet.) Today is mostly quiet; he's been occupying himself with finalizing his staff (as it'll stand for a time - it's more than likely he'll need to expand later, but for now he thinks he has everyone he needs sorted out), and now he's escaped the lot of them for his favourite pastime.
That would be: avoiding Ewar's near-supernatural ability to find him anywhere in the castle by taking his books and his drink in Stigmata, flexing the fingers of his right hand and really looking forward to when it's properly good as new. The pull of still-healing flesh is making his already typical-scholar's-handwriting more strained.
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"I don't know if it does," she says, leaning forward with wide, sincere eyes, "I barely know the guy. I just think it could maybe go somewhere good. If you really, really don't want me to go for it, though...well, I won't. I won't like it, but I'll stop."
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He gives her the skew-eyed look of a vaguely paternal figure who suspects he's being manipulated and can't find a safe way out of it. "I'll leave it alone on one small and almost meaningless condition."
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Maria tilts her head.
"Okay. What's that?"
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"Unlike apparently all of your alternates, you never, ever ask me anything about certain qualities mine and I have in common."
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"...you got it," Maria says, with a little mock-salute, "Really. I wasn't gonna. Honest."
Okay, no, she actually totally was, because that's how she rolls (inappropriately), but she can do without. After all, he hasn't expressly forbidden her from mentioning things! And sometimes she can surmise the answer from his reaction.
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"You're a dear creature and I'm very fond of you, but I'm almost positive you're lying through your teeth." He smiles, anyway, though, because he really is fond of her and-
Well, at the end of the day, who is he going to trust with people he cares about but himself?
The nexus gives him a fucking headache, hand to god.
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"I would never." She giggles, though, which is a clear indication she's dancing around the truth just a little. "Anyway. When can I come see the castle again?"
Do not let her anywhere near Ewar, Martel, she will make teasing him her goal whenever she's in his presence.
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"When would you like to? We're making a lot of progress with it." He's quietly sort of pleased with how his castle is coming, actually - very pleased, actually.
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"Wednesday?" Maria guesses, trying to figure out her schedule. She doesn't have anything planned with Aloysius--yet, and she figures she can work around that if he calls...
Wait. When did she start doing the 'if he calls' thing. Damn it.
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"I think we can manage Wednesday." He smiles, briefly. "I'll have to show you the statue...I think you'll like it."
(Martel doesn't even want to think about Aloysius yet.)
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"I'm sure I will." Maria watches him for a few seconds. "You seem like you're doing--okay."
Maybe not 100% yet, but...better than he was, in her opinion. She doesn't know what's been going on, of course. "Your girl taking good care of you? Proper and serving on hands and knees and all?"
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Martel gives her a look for that, even though he's probably teased Candice worse himself, to her face. "Do you mind." No, not a bit, dude. He exhales, though, taking the question more seriously- "She's been extraordinarily patient with me. I haven't been easy to live with lately."
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"You should buy her a dress or something," Maria advises, sagely.
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"We'd discussed that," he says, blandly.