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❛ SO .. how long did it take to get used to ‘em ? your legs i mean. ❜

TONALITY IS SOFT as it rolls from flame wrought tongue, trying to be warm &. honey dipped due to the sensitivity of the subject at hand. truthfully, yang expects to be shoved or rather decked to the ground : she would too if someone were to question her prosthetic, but as she scoots closer to the kicker on the bench &. rests her hand atop his as to say ‘ it’s alright ‘, she hopes the blow becomes lessened. ❛ i still feel like my REAL arm is still there, y’know ? sorta like an itch i can’t scratch. ❜    //    @steeledgod  /  s.c.

   ❛  well, there wasn’t really any getting used to them. it was either use them or not walk. ❜

   Almost as if natural, Mercury attempts to brush off the SERIOUSNESS of the chosen topic. It wasn’t that he was UNCOMFORTABLE with the question, he simply didn’t want Yang to see VULNERABILITY in him. His hand does not recede from underneath hers, --- instead, his fingers reach up and curl against the dragon’s own, giving them a SOFT squeeze while his lips pull into a PLAYFUL grin.

   ❛ --- i do kinda miss being able to feel grass under my feet, though.  ❜

Mercury flashes white teeth in response, his chin raising slightly - this was much more entertaining than some LECTURE. Crossing his legs, the assassin’s eyes flashed MOMENTARILY towards the clock.  God, he wished that the clock could move FASTER, it was frustrating to not be able to VERBALLY communicate - when there was so much Mercury wanted to say.

    Leaning back in his chair, the ASSASSIN immediately raised a singular brow in question towards the DRAGON. Both of Mercury’s legs were lifted up onto the table - no one said he had GOOD manners, after all. Eyes shifted to the sticker in Yang’s hand, and then back to the girl, MISCHIEF reflecting hers in his own expression. His fingers motioned to the sticker underneath the one she was holding out.

   ❛ the flame? aw, c’mon. i was thinking more of that unicorn over there. ❜ 

   The assassin’s eyes catch Neptune’s own and NARROW in glee. Mercury straightened his back, sitting up in his chair and resting his elbows on the desk in front of him. He purses his lips, almost blowing a kiss in a teasing manner and momentarily raised his eyebrows. The rest of the class were DISTRACTED with whatever the teacher was saying - but Mercury was BORED to death and paying no attention. Oh no, how TERRIBLE his grades would be.

   ‘ grave suggestion ‘ | accepting.

   ❛ hey c’mon. why would I push away such delightful company? ❜

   Mercury tilted his chin upwards, lips curving. His vanity and frivolity were wholly PRESENT. He reached forward, extending his index finger and beckoning for the woman to come CLOSER. She was pleasing to the eye, and Mercury wasn’t one to refuse the company of someone like her. This was just a game to him - he lacked the display of any REAL seriousness. It was a simple way to pass TIME and served as an effective way to distract the assassin from more pressing matters.

   ‘ grave suggestion ‘ | accepting.

   For a moment, he chuckled, his shoulders bouncing as his eyes shut. It was an ODD thing for Emerald to say - he was accustomed to her making an obvious show of her DISTASTE towards him. 

   ❛ --- so you finally admit it. you like having me around, not that I wasn’t already well aware.  ❜  

   An enigmatic smile was on Mercury’s face as his eyebrows raised. He was obviously being COCKY and messing with her - but Mercury was CONFIDENT that she knew that was his own way of showing APPRECIATION.  

   ‘ grave suggestion ‘ | accepting.

   ❛ --- how scary.  ❜  

   The assassin was nonchalant in an effort to TAUNT her. His arms lay flat across his chest, as grey eyes scanned over the MAIDEN. Raven was stubborn, but smart. He’d advise her to be cautious, as those of her nature always found themselves in trouble - but hey, she wouldn’t listen to someone like him, and he was sure that she was already well AWARE of how dangerous stubbornness and pride could be.

   ‘ grave suggestion ‘ | accepting.

   ❛  Then maybe it’s right. I could be dangerous. ❜

   He was DAUNTING, and enjoyed playing off people’s assumptions about him. 

 ‘ grave suggestion ‘ | accepting.

There were many WORDS people in the past had used describe Mercury. CRUEL, SADISTIC. MURDERER. He’d heard them all. None of it really bothered him, perhaps that was what others thought his PROBLEM was. Though, he wasn’t the only one with a reputation. There were many things people had said about her as well. Yang was described to be HOT-HEADED and RASH, but also BURNED with a passion equal to her beauty.  He spoke in words with double meanings --- TAUNTS with more honest feelings hidden underneath. Mercury knew that the dragon would think he was INSULTING her like always, and that was what he relied on. There was no way he was the sappy romance type,  after all.

 ❛ oh? huh, you’re exactly what people say you are.  ❜ 

   ‘ grave suggestion ‘ | accepting.

   ❛  I guess you’ll just have to wait and see. Guessing games are more fun, right?  ❜

   Mercury was PLAYFUL, he enjoyed this flirtatious game they played. He would say the PERFECT words and tug Neptune along on a string. Both of them probably knew this FACT well, but neither of them seemed to want to stop. It was like they were ADDICTED, and at this point, even Mercury didn’t know what it meant to him.

   ‘ grave suggestion ‘ | accepting.

   The assassin's eyes shifted to the blonde before him. He knew that LOOK and TONE of voice well --- RESENT. It was earned. Mercury wasn’t exactly a SAINT and had assisted in taking the lives of people Jaune held DEAR. He was aware that the other would hold no CONCERN for him, that his jestful words would fall upon DEAD ears.

   The loss of CINDER had sent his partner spiralling down in a pit of DEPRESSION --- he, of course, was affected by grief himself and unlike Emerald, Mercury had other ways of dealing with his PROBLEMS.

  ❛ See, I would have been fine with that - if you weren’t present at the time. --- So unless you want to get yourself killed, I’d suggest you learn to sympathize. ❜    

   ‘ grave suggestion ‘ | accepting.

   ❛ Finally warmed up to me - have you? Took ‘ya long enough. ❜ 

He was witty and SARCASTIC, but that was simply the way Mercury responded to most situations. Call it COPING, or whatever, but the assassin only did what he always would. This was his own way of showing APPRECIATION towards Emeralds words. 

   There was a confident grin on his face. He wanted to show her that even though they suffered a LOSS, things could still be as jovial and fun as before. Mercury knew, for Emerald to admit something so sentimental, meant she didn’t want to dwell on it for long. So a return to his usual NATURE was to provide stability in both of their lives. The both of them needed each other, and dwelling on the past wasn’t exactly HEALTHY.