![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Entry tags:
contact part deux
if this were modern times byerly would probably make you listen to total eclipse of the heart before you were able to leave a message
Tomatoes. Carrots.
[ He reaches up a lazy hand to tug at one of her locks in demonstration. ]
A perfect melange.
[ He knows he should, in some way, broach the painful topics they really should be discussing. The fraught dynamic among the three of them. The horrors of those dreams they shared. This will do nothing to solve any of their problems - lying together, laughing, teasing.
But it makes him feel better. For a short time, perhaps. But it soothes his coward's heart.
The other hand comes down to comb through Bastien's hair. The weight of his head is just so steadying. So wonderful. ]
You also, in addition to the cabbage, add a hint of basil, I think, dear Bastien. A bit of peppery brightness.
[ He reaches up a lazy hand to tug at one of her locks in demonstration. ]
A perfect melange.
[ He knows he should, in some way, broach the painful topics they really should be discussing. The fraught dynamic among the three of them. The horrors of those dreams they shared. This will do nothing to solve any of their problems - lying together, laughing, teasing.
But it makes him feel better. For a short time, perhaps. But it soothes his coward's heart.
The other hand comes down to comb through Bastien's hair. The weight of his head is just so steadying. So wonderful. ]
You also, in addition to the cabbage, add a hint of basil, I think, dear Bastien. A bit of peppery brightness.
[ Alexandrie hums soft surprise from where she's settled: eyes closed, head pillowed on one arm, the other curved so she in turn can lightly stir the top layer of Byerly's hair. ]
Are you peppery, Bastien? I should have thought you more a sage.
[ A little earthy, a little sweet, understated but adds depth. ]
But I do not know so much as the chef.
[ It is a little pinch of her worries; she doesn't know how they are when they are together. Are they easier with one another than she and Byerly are? Happier? For some reason her fretful heart can't simply accept 'different', won't agree that making such comparisons is an unwinnable and foolish game.
She is smoothing those thoughts away into the bramble, though. For now she is being quietly affectionate. She is being warm, and soft, and breathing long steady breaths, and through this making her heart beat slow and even such that her body will tell the man with his ear to it that everything is all right. ]
Are you peppery, Bastien? I should have thought you more a sage.
[ A little earthy, a little sweet, understated but adds depth. ]
But I do not know so much as the chef.
[ It is a little pinch of her worries; she doesn't know how they are when they are together. Are they easier with one another than she and Byerly are? Happier? For some reason her fretful heart can't simply accept 'different', won't agree that making such comparisons is an unwinnable and foolish game.
She is smoothing those thoughts away into the bramble, though. For now she is being quietly affectionate. She is being warm, and soft, and breathing long steady breaths, and through this making her heart beat slow and even such that her body will tell the man with his ear to it that everything is all right. ]
Mmm, no, I believe I've humoured your unkindness long enough for one afternoon. If you'll excuse me—
[ Bastien nudges his head against Byerly’s hand, pleased—and then a bit less pleased, for a moment, feeling caught between who he is with Byerly and who he is with Alexandrie and Byerly.
With Byerly he’s forward, increasingly confident, happy to tease and be crude and bicker. He’ll take up space instead of trying to fit into what’s left empty for him. If they’d been alone, Bastien would have thrown himself onto the bed when he first walked in. He wouldn’t have stayed silent and pink about his discomfort. He’d have licked or bitten or blown a raspberry against the bare ribs pressed against his face by now.
Peppery. Sure.
But with Alexandrie— ]
I couldn’t tell you the difference between basil and sage. [ It’s kind of true. He’s no cook. He’s bought most of his hot meals from street vendors or taverns his whole life. ] But if I am mostly cabbage, I think I would like to be a little peppery too.
[ There. Diplomacy.
He lifts his chin to look at the underside of Byerly’s. ]
And you cannot only be celery. I know that. Long and crunchy works, but it doesn’t have half enough flavor.
With Byerly he’s forward, increasingly confident, happy to tease and be crude and bicker. He’ll take up space instead of trying to fit into what’s left empty for him. If they’d been alone, Bastien would have thrown himself onto the bed when he first walked in. He wouldn’t have stayed silent and pink about his discomfort. He’d have licked or bitten or blown a raspberry against the bare ribs pressed against his face by now.
Peppery. Sure.
But with Alexandrie— ]
I couldn’t tell you the difference between basil and sage. [ It’s kind of true. He’s no cook. He’s bought most of his hot meals from street vendors or taverns his whole life. ] But if I am mostly cabbage, I think I would like to be a little peppery too.
[ There. Diplomacy.
He lifts his chin to look at the underside of Byerly’s. ]
And you cannot only be celery. I know that. Long and crunchy works, but it doesn’t have half enough flavor.
What are you talking about? That's so flavorful.
[ Fereldan food jokes! They never get old. But, with an actual desire to be helpful: ]
Sage is the flavor you'll get in good pork breakfast sausage. [ And then he gives a playful little pinch to the cute little bit of soft skin under Bastien's chin. Pork sausage, see? ]
But...hmmm. I'd like to pretend that I'm a hot chili pepper. But I think it's more likely that I'm just paprika.
[ He tilts his head up to look at Lexie: ]
What about you?
[ Fereldan food jokes! They never get old. But, with an actual desire to be helpful: ]
Sage is the flavor you'll get in good pork breakfast sausage. [ And then he gives a playful little pinch to the cute little bit of soft skin under Bastien's chin. Pork sausage, see? ]
But...hmmm. I'd like to pretend that I'm a hot chili pepper. But I think it's more likely that I'm just paprika.
[ He tilts his head up to look at Lexie: ]
What about you?
[That warrants no response—not until Leander stops by the door to put away his book, and turns to ask,]
Was it you who took a shot at me? In the dream, at Skyhold.
Was it you who took a shot at me? In the dream, at Skyhold.
I?
[ She raises her eyebrows without opening her eyes. ]
I think I am coriander leaves. Some people think me fresh and spicy and wonderful, others think me truly awful, and everyone is correct in their opinion.
[ She raises her eyebrows without opening her eyes. ]
I think I am coriander leaves. Some people think me fresh and spicy and wonderful, others think me truly awful, and everyone is correct in their opinion.
[ She hums, pleased, and raises her hand from Byerly's hair to blindly pat around until she can find Bastien's head and pat it in friendly appreciation. The hand returns to its original posting by way of tweaking Byerly's earlobe affectionately. ]
The coriander or his tongue?
The coriander or his tongue?
I'd narrow it down if I could. It hit me here, you see, [touching the back of his own skull,] and came out through my eye.
I don't know. By then, everything had begun to smear together.
Cooking lessons, but! [ She taps Byerly’s nose for emphasis. ] Not for the sake of mercy.
It is because I am amenable to giving chances to discover I am in fact fresh and spicy and wonderful before I resort to violence.
It is because I am amenable to giving chances to discover I am in fact fresh and spicy and wonderful before I resort to violence.
[ Thoughtful humming. Then, definitively: ]
Exile. The Queen of Coriandria shall not suffer even the ashes of detractors in her realm.
They may come back if they pen her an extensive apology for their previously demonstrated poor taste which includes an exhaustive and earnest paean— sheet music included— to her unparalleled beauty and virtue.
[ A pause. ]
Vices may be included, but only if they are cast in the most flattering light.
Exile. The Queen of Coriandria shall not suffer even the ashes of detractors in her realm.
They may come back if they pen her an extensive apology for their previously demonstrated poor taste which includes an exhaustive and earnest paean— sheet music included— to her unparalleled beauty and virtue.
[ A pause. ]
Vices may be included, but only if they are cast in the most flattering light.
Some people are less prone to dying than others.
[He tips a most shallow bow.]
I'll let you get on with it.
[He tips a most shallow bow.]
I'll let you get on with it.
Page 21 of 170
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23
- 24
- 25
- 26
- 27
- 28
- 29
- 30
- 31
- 32
- 33
- 34
- 35
- 36
- 37
- 38
- 39
- 40
- 41
- 42
- 43
- 44
- 45
- 46
- 47
- 48
- 49
- 50
- 51
- 52
- 53
- 54
- 55
- 56
- 57
- 58
- 59
- 60
- 61
- 62
- 63
- 64
- 65
- 66
- 67
- 68
- 69
- 70
- 71
- 72
- 73
- 74
- 75
- 76
- 77
- 78
- 79
- 80
- 81
- 82
- 83
- 84
- 85
- 86
- 87
- 88
- 89
- 90
- 91
- 92
- 93
- 94
- 95
- 96
- 97
- 98
- 99
- 100
- 101
- 102
- 103
- 104
- 105
- 106
- 107
- 108
- 109
- 110
- 111
- 112
- 113
- 114
- 115
- 116
- 117
- 118
- 119
- 120
- 121
- 122
- 123
- 124
- 125
- 126
- 127
- 128
- 129
- 130
- 131
- 132
- 133
- 134
- 135
- 136
- 137
- 138
- 139
- 140
- 141
- 142
- 143
- 144
- 145
- 146
- 147
- 148
- 149
- 150
- 151
- 152
- 153
- 154
- 155
- 156
- 157
- 158
- 159
- 160
- 161
- 162
- 163
- 164
- 165
- 166
- 167
- 168
- 169
- 170
- »
Page 21 of 170