ataraxion | ☩ ０１５．ＶＩＤＥＯ．

[ she laughs ]

Was she alright, after that? If it is half horse, I imagine it must have been a dreadful injury.

[ though magic does heal injuries fast, she had seen so much. ]

shall I count hippogriffs?

[He waves a hand, dismissively.]

Oh, she was perfectly all right. Who cares. I mean, it didn't improve her face any. But then, improving her face would take a great deal of work, we can't expect a hippogriff to do it for us.

Anyways. Yes, let's count hippogriffs. But they're quite large, right, so you have to count slowly. [That's logic, isn't it? In demonstration, he holds up one finger.]

Onnnnnnnnnnnnnnnne.

[ she laughs, oh my God, Sirius ]

She could not be that ugly. It is horrid of us to speak of ugliness. Now we shall both have to confess.

[ and she's super serious about it, the laughing says it all. she holds two fingers. ]

Twwwo!

It's horrid to speak of her, so let's not. I confess, I never want to think about my awful ugly hippogriff-kicked cousin ever, ever again. Does that work?

[Three fingers now, before she can answer!]

Threeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Listen, you might hear me coming along the corridor....

It works.

[ though she will wonder. ]

give me something else to speak of. I still cannot hear you. Are you sneaking about?

[ four fingers then ]

Foooouuuur!

Fiiiiiiiiiiive....

[He grins at her, and wiggles five fingers at her. He's purposefully holding the device close to him, to cut out as much of the background as he can so he doesn't give his position away--but there's corridor in view behind him every now and then, little flashes of it. He's quite close!]

Five, and if I were sneaking, I'd never tell you. What's the strangest animal you've ever seen?

Siiix! I can never know with you, you are made of charm and mischief!

The oddest! The rats that live in this vessel. But I wouldn't care to see them again.

Se-eeeeeven! Like you're made of anything less! Did I tell you I've got one of those rats as a pet? Brunhilda, she's called. She hardly tries to bite off my fingers any longer, I think she's learning to love.

[And before Lucrezia can say the number, he hastily adds:] Eight! Eight eight eight--

[And he's clomping loudly; no doubt by now she will be able to hear him in her corridor--]

You tease me! You did not. These rats are all so ugly and they all have bad nature. tsk tsk!

[ she giggles ]

You must not treat a lady in such a way! Nine! You're making a racket!

I did! I do! I have still got her, hidden away, protected by charms--it's like a fairy-tale, except instead of a princess it's an evil rat--ah, but she has my heart, and that gleam in her eye, it isn't hate, it's love, I know it's love--

TEN!

[He shouts that, suddenly, interrupting himself, and she ought to be able to hear it, echoing out in the corridor--]

Open your door, or else I'm going to slam into it--

Rats cannot love, Sirius Black, not even a man made of charm like yourself.

[ she jumps at that shout and laughs, scrambles to her feet. her giggles might be heard until the corridor ]

You will not! My room is not under siege, la mia gioia.

[ 'my joy', she calls him and the title sits well on her tongue. she opens the door, all golden hair and bright eyes, takes his hand in hers to lead him in. ]

And you must not try to break the walls which will open willingly for you.

Rats can love! If dogs can love, then rats can love--

[He grins, when she opens the door, and he lets himself be tugged in, stumbling only a little. You can't go from half-running down a corridor to being pulled into a room without a little stumbling.]

I can't help myself. I get very enthusiastic when it comes to you, Lucrezia, and I just want to break down walls and climb in windows. D'you really think rats are incapable of love? Ooh, I am glad to see you, by the way.

[ she laughs and tilts her head, giving it a thought, obviously before she presses a kiss to his cheek. ]

Perhaps they are so rarely capable, when truly inspired. But I trust you may inspire love in anyone.

[His grin widens at the kiss--kisses are encouragement, but they are so much more than that, too, especially when they come from Lucrezia. She's told him time and time again about loving King Robb of the North, and so on, but that doesn't make her kisses any less sweet.]

Really. Do I inspire love in you?

A bit too much of it.

[ for robb stark, definitely. for her brother as well. but the truth is, not for her. she favors him greatly and on days like these when there is more sadness than joy in her blood, he does make her so happy. ]

That's all I want out of life.

[He tips his head a little, grinning at her, and reaches to brush just a bit of hair from her face.]

That, and maybe for you to kiss me again. Especially if it makes you smile.

But does it make you smile?

[ she tilts her head, lets him brush a lock of hair behind her ear ]

That would be the heart of my decision.

Ah, this is like a riddle.

[He draws himself up to answer, putting on a face of deep contemplation.]

Does kissing you make me smile? Or does inspiring love in you make me smile? Yes to both, always, because I like to make you smile. And if I like to make you smile, and that, in turn, makes me smile--who made who smile first? Who likes it more? Can't be settled.

A riddle inside a riddle then! And one can be solved but the other cannot.

[ she smiles, smiles brilliant and just a bit mischievous before she ducks around him. ]

but then I just made you smile by simply asking a question; perhaps kisses are not required?

[Oh no hang on kisses can't be not required. He quickly turns to follow her, in case she tries to get away with that suggestion.]

Well, let's not be too hasty. That was a smile, and it was well-earned, good for you--just the sound of your voice is enough to make me smile--but kisses make that smile even stronger. It's like-- the difference between a little cake and a large cake. A little cake is good--but why settle for a little, when you can have the larger one? The larger one will make you even more happy.

See, your kisses are like cake.

[ she chuckles because the metaphor is sweet and childish and it fits her, uplifts her mood easily and she turns to look at him. ]

won't too much cake become harmful, Sirius Black?

[Solemnly, he shakes his head.]

Your cake could never harm me. And if it could, then I'd die glutted and happy.

gluttony is a sin, Sirius Black!

[ and she smiles, steps forward to take his hands in hers ]

and you are in the presence of the Pope's daughter.

[He raises his eyebrows a little--it's difficult to look at all chastised when Lucrezia is so near, looking at him like that. He tugs at her hands a little, gently, turning them so he can press a kiss to her knuckles.]

The Pope's daughter. And who better to forgive me for my sins?

Then you shall ask for forgiveness and I will grant it.

[ she lifts her chin, looking all important. this is serious business, after all ]

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