outstandingbalance | IC Contact Post

Do you need anything?

Edited 2016-06-03 13:18 (UTC)

[There's a pause between messages. It's better than last time, no horrific memories of the dying itself, but coming back is an experience all on its own.]

some company?

[She hadn't wanted to offer or bring it up directly after killing him, but she does relax some as she reads the message.]

I could come by, if you want. Not doing anything more important.

Edited 2016-06-03 13:46 (UTC)

[Being alone after is the worst. It took him a bit to get home, but he managed, and he's not sure he wants to see anyone else right now. He needs a little bit before he can lie convincingly.]

i'd like that

i'm at home, roommate's out

I'll be over in twenty minutes.

i'll order a pizza or something

In that case, I'll bring the beer.

[Then she's out the door and on her way—pushing aside her anxiety about seeing him again after murdering him and moving quickly. It's easy not hurry when she thinks about Soeki waiting on his own.]

[By the time she gets there, he has indeed had pizza delivered, and he looks... okay. Tired, with dark circles under his eyes, but that isn't so unusual. His winter weight is pretty much gone, leaving him a little leaner. He's wearing soft pants and an oversized hoodie, and he opens the door with a tired, but genuine smile.

He means what he said, or what he thought, he can't remember if he ever got it out - he doesn't want hard feelings over this.] Hey, come on in. I got pepperoni.

[Natasha squeezes in through the door, her legs bunched close to her body to allow it. She pulls a bottle of beer out of a paper bag and offers it to him. He looks like he could use it.]

Sounds perfect.

[He moves aside to let her in; in the living room, he's already shoved the couch back against the wall to clear some more floor space. And he will very gratefully take that beer, tipping it at Natasha with a smile and a,] You're the best.

[He pops the top off with his teeth and takes a drink.] To get the elephant in the room out of the way, I'm not like, traumatized or upset or anything. Well I mean I am traumatized, but not specifically from that. I was fucked up years ago. [He waves a dismissive hand, going to open the pizza box.]

I just don't want things to get weird, I guess?

Nothing's going to get weird. At least... [She shrug a little, because now isn't the time to lie to herself or to him.] No weirder than it already is.

It's not like this is normal.

[She pops the cap on another bottle of beer with one claw They're useful for that.]

But we've done okay so far?

My family business back home is exorcist for hire, nothing is "normal" in my life. [He takes a slice of pizza and flops down on the floor, cross-legged, beer in one hand and slice in the other.]

We have done okay so far. That's- what I wanna keep the same. So yeah. No weird feelings about this. [He takes a bite.]

It was way better than drowning, honestly. I don't even remember it.

[Natasha drifts closer, threading her fingers through his hair and scratching his scalp lightly with her claws in a show of physical affection and reassurance; it came a little easier than saying the words aloud. She remembered Soeki had liked that before.

And maybe she craved the contact a little herself.]

Good. Don't think about it too hard.

[A pause, then she adds:]

How's your neck?

[The reaction is pretty immediate, his shoulders drop, his eyes close, and he tilts his head to allow better access. The claws scraping through his hair, light on his scalp, it's pretty much exactly what he needed, and he's just glad that the whole killing thing hasn't taken physical contact off the table. He can't quite hold back the little sound of contentment.] Shit, that's good. Is it weird that I like to be petted, basically? It's weird. [He doesn't care.]

Definitely not thinking too hard about it. It's- weirdly okay? Like it feels like I slept wrong for a few nights but it's not a big deal.

It's not that weird. Most people like being touched, at least sometimes and some ways.

[She continues steadily, relaxing incrementally herself. It's no weirder than the fact she's glad he allows her to touch him, right?]

Too bad I'm not in the position to offer a back rub.

Yeah. [He echoes back, breathing easier now. He wasn't... tense, before, per se, but any lingering tensions are leaving him, draining out.] You never know how much you've gotten used to being touched all the time until you're lacking. [Hey. Whatever works for them, he figures. If he likes it, and Natasha likes it, then who cares?]

Believe me, this is good. I'm good with this. [With all of it.]

So what's it like, being on the next level?

A lot harder to get cuddly when you look like this. [Natasha says wryly, offhand, putting off the answer to his question a few more seconds.]

Powerful, I suppose. I don't trust it.

And no one warned me that it'd be visible the first couple of days—I ended up staying in. Not something I wanted to advertise.

But... definitely stronger since it happened.

[She chooses a dream for this visit, since that has brought excellent results in the past. She fills Natasha's mind with fog and whispers and dim outlines of people in the distance. When she speaks, her voice is gentle.]

You have served Me well, my pet. Everything you have done in My Name has brought us closer to destroying that loathsome impostor.

[Even in her dreams, Natasha goes still and passive at the intrusion, accepting the visit and pushing down the sort of panic or excitement that might have roused her from the dream.]

Do you fear me? [Faint, chattering laughter echoes in the distance. Her voice is almost smug when she speaks.] Good. A pet should know its place, after all.

[One of the outlines begins to take form, and after a moment a woman steps forward. She wears only the dullest of colors, her eyes as gray as the fog surrounding them.]

Speak, pet. Let me hear your voice.

[Natasha isn't easy to scare, but this does scare her a little. The sinking kind of fear that makes her feel small and helpless. It's not a feeling she likes, but she won't let it takeover. And she doesn't panic.]

I wasn't sure what to expect. [Her own voice sounds strange to her in the dream.] I heard you spoke to people, but I thought it would take more.

[He laughs quietly and shakes his head once.] I could give it a shot anyway? I think I'm double-cuddly, enough for both of us.

[Soeki breathes out, just taking in the moment right now.] Good powerful, bad powerful? I mean I guess it probably isn't great considering. Tells you she's got some actual power, though.

I haven't seen much on this end. Not so much in the way of power, anyway, but like... a lot of people are really devoted to the Fourth.

I'm not sure yet. I don't trust it. Not my normal strategy—I'm not that kind of fight. We'll see how it plays out though.

[She smiles though, bringing the conversation back around.]

Does that make you a teddy bear?

And what more would it take, Child of Red?

[She does not budge from where she stands, watching Natasha closely - but the sensation of fingers still runs through her hair.]

You swore yourself to me. And I reward those who are loyal.

[Natasha shivers, finding this sensation eerie but not as entirely unpleasant as she would have expected.]

I didn't want to make assumptions. It's an honor... And I already noticed your rewards.

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