nüllrot

‧₊˚ ⋅ ꒰১ ᯓ ☆ㅤ˗ˏˋ⠀ㅤ𝑾𝒆𝒍𝒍ㅤ—ㅤ𝒎𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒇𝒂𝒊𝒓. He still felt a little bad about the idea of making a GUEST carry their luggageㅤ—ㅤbut there wasn't really anything he could do if the NOBLE KNIGHT was insisting. Hopefully his co - workers or The Family wouldn't get upset about this.

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀He always TRIED to be careful when it came to the luggage carts. It should have been easier with the bulk of the weight. And yet, somehow the cart still felt heavy. Was it the anxiety ? Was it the extra effort he was taking to NOT bump into the knight ? Was it the attention divided in between the other's voice AND the cart's direction ? He wasn't quite sure.

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀Recommendations and directionsㅤ—ㅤthat should have been EASY ENOUGH once he knew what the man was looking for. After all, he knew the Sweet Dream like the back of his hand. Surely, he couldn't mess that up ! Or at least, he hoped not.

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀Butㅤ—ㅤthe lingering wonder once again took over as the man answered the question. For a brief moment, the anxiety FADED as he looked towards the man in awe.

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀❛ㅤSoㅤ—ㅤyou've been a knight since you were a little KID ! That's incredible . . .ㅤ❜⠀

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀Ohㅤ—ㅤbut he had to FOCUS ! The knight said he had places o be. He definitely didn't have the time to just humor him all that. That would be BOTHERING him, wouldn't it ? The knight had places to beㅤ—ㅤimportant places, evenㅤ—ㅤand here Misha was, asking about his childhood like they were friends. He probably shouldn't have been doing that . . .

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀❛ㅤI can HELP with the recommendations and the directions ! I can even meet you once you enter the dream and guide you, if you'd like . . .ㅤ❜⠀

Not that there is anything to worry about though. Argenti makes no mention of it, and looks at him and speaks to him as though there were indeed nothing reprehensible or nothing to feel sorry for in front of him. What a refreshing change, Aventurine thinks to himself.

he begins to wander the room, taking in the accommodation before eventually his steps carry him toward the small bar. there he settles onto one of the stools as his gaze follows the blond with fascination.

❛❛  well, it is just that, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. and as far as i am aware, there exists no doctrine forbidding racing. i happen to be rather fond of it.   ❜❜ there is a pause, ❛❛  though i did begin with horse racing. though these days i find motorcycles and other vehicles to be preferable.   ❜❜ certainly more animal-friendly.

❛  action & reaction to oxytocin ? how intriguing. i'd be more than happy to aid you in that project. who's going to be the one you'll test it on ? knowing you, you already have someone in mind to be the projects subject.   ❜     color rises to the back of her neck, gaze flickering from the line of hertas neck up to her fascinating eyes, down to her lips. mesmerized by the way lips move as she speaks, imagining how it'd be to be the one to silence her : swallow their breathes down as she kisses the other until her knees would go weak. the thought causes her pupils to dilate, free hands rising to be placed at the small of the genius back her hip pressed to balance their combined bodies weight against the table, steadying them as they now stood head to toe, fingers fanned out where her palm rested. skin over fabric, the warmth seeping to & from nonetheless.

❛  how would you stimulate the oxytocin ? for it to be released by the posterior pituitary into the bloodstream, there must be sensual reproductive activity happening. unless you want to inject the subjects with a pharmaceutical form of it.   ❜     'twas teasing, hand moving up from the small of her back to the middle of it, making sure to maintain their closeness while words ring out between them. the swell of soft tissue touching almost, not even a single paper able to fit between them, her gaze remains transfixed on hertas mouth. yearning to feel it, wanton to drink in every sound from her.

though herta did not answer immediately, the smile lingering at the corner of her lips suggested she had already reached a conclusion long before the conversation had.  ❛❛  as it happens, i already have someone in mind. someone perfectly suited for this experiment.    ❜❜ after all, where was the satisfaction in revealing the answer so quickly. her gaze remains fixed on the other genius, observing the shift in expression. although at this point the line between observer and subject had grown rather ambiguous.

a soft hum escaped her as ruan mei summarized the possible methods of stimulating oxytocin, making her nod approvingly as she listens along.  ❛❛  no. injecting it into the subject would be unnecessarily cumbersome.   ❜❜ a pause,  ❛❛  besides, introducing external variables this early would compromise the integrity of the experiment.   ❜❜ no need to rush toward invasive methods when so many natural occurring stimuli remain untested. especially when they are considerably more enjoyable.

❛❛  actually,   ❜❜ she starts, the corners of her lips lifted ever so slightly.  ❛❛  i have a better plan.   ❜❜ without much thought, she presses her body further against ruan mei's as she reaches into one of the desk's smaller drawers. withdrawing a vial filled with tinted lip oil.  ❛❛  before i explain it, however, i have another question. a considerably less scientific one.   ❜❜ holding the little container between two fingers.  ❛❛  objectively speaking, i hardly require cosmetics.   ❜❜ she declares with absolute certainty; modesty does not exist in her dictionary.  ❛❛  but astra spoke rather highly of this particular brand. so naturally, i became curious.   ❜❜ which sounds a lot better than admitting that she purchased it on impulse.

she uncapped it and brushed the tinted oil across her lips. afterward, the tip of her finger swept lightly along her lower lip. an unnecessary gesture, but perhaps that is the point. her eyes lift again, settling on her.  ❛❛  what is your assessment ?  ❜❜

⠀⠀ ❝ ah, how about we turn that question around: why should you not give it to me? ❞ ⠀ besides the obvious, of course ⠀ ⸺ ⠀ like the fact that the IPC has a bounty on her head. milou has never been fond of the idea that a foreign entity had sunken their claws on the sacred grounds of elation, no matter how much she loathed being its envoy.

⠀⠀ the path & its aeon are two distinct things ⠀ ⸺ ⠀ akin to how she despises being the pawn of the gods, she still does not want outsiders meddling with its creation. all are welcome to partake in the joys of elation; but not everyone is meant for it.

⠀⠀ alas, mingate gets straight to the point. ⠀ ❝ you may be the CEO of planarcadia, but you are not in charge. ❞ ⠀ neither is she, far from it. it is a land ruled by its inhabitants ⠀ ⸺ ⠀ the freedom to be who you are, a hallmark of true elation. she has no business deciding the trajectory of another’s life; especially when it is exactly what she had been fighting to liberate herself from. if anything, isn’t it her duty to keep it that way?

⠀⠀ be that as it may, it’s as good of an excuse of any that serves her true purpose. ⠀ ❝ no offense, but extrapolation‘s will only get you so far in playing chess with the laughter. if you want to keep the upper hand, would it not be in your best interest to have someone in your pocket that knows the true extents of elation? ❞

they have never conducted business together and possess no established history nor reliability. there is insufficient data to make a proper decision. ❛❛  and in terms of supply and demand, i am not currently positioned as the party that desires something.  ❜❜ she gently corrects. for a moment, pearl folds her hands together.