#draft clean out

remy turning back around: oh an' if she says batman, stop

scott: ???

remy: wha' was da word?

scott: batman

scott confused as to why remy even asked him to come over???

remy just nodding and walking out

reader spread open on the couch with her legs tied back and a vibe taped to her thigh

1.) An extrovert who cares SO MUCH about EVERYTHING, ALL OF THE TIME and thinks so highly of his friends and gets sad and lonely when he’s not around people and doesn’t want anyone else to feel sad and lonely. When he’s not around people he talks to the dead to fill in that gap. He’s surprisingly self-assured but is sensitive to what other people think about him (ex: has no qualms against murder and doesn’t regret it at all but is concerned he scared Reyna and Coach/made them uncomfortable by killing somebody in front of them).

2.) The world’s most awkward nerd. He loves card games and struggles to not infodump about his special interests at inopportune times and wanted to be a greek hero/pirate/possibly an aviator growing up, but also that was like Two Years Ago and he doesn’t wanna talk about it.

3.) Thinks of himself as judge, jury, and executioner on both a metaphorical sense but also he is literally that. Like, that’s literally his job position as Ghost King/son of Hades and he takes it very seriously and he will straight up murder somebody if they are breaking the laws of the Underworld (unless he's giving somebody a pass because they’re his friend/family because see: bullet point 1 <3). And it directly ties into his powers (seemingly being able to judge people’s souls while they’re still alive and then also like. just. rip people’s souls out or turn them into skeletons).

Merrin tugs on his earlobe. He reaches up and smacks her hand away. "You are the one who suggested it. Do not be a coward now."

Cal shifts a glare in her direction before stepping out of the way of a bustling local. "Suggesting isn't the same as agreeing. If I'd known this is where you were taking me, I would've said no."

"Would you?"

"Listen, I...okay, no, I wouldn't have, but still! Oh, don't give me that look."

Merrin laughs. "I do not know what you're talking about."

Cal rolls his eyes, smiling helplessly. "Let's get this over with."

This goes pretty quickly.

The place is as reputable as it can be for the prices, and Cal already knows what he wants to get. Two simple deep green studs for a standard lobe piercing. Nothing fancy. Nothing wild. The pain is nonexistent. This place is loaded with echoes from excitement and laughter to full-on sobbing from either physical pain or emotional hurts. Cal feels echoes of the worst piercings -- he is never going to get one like that, he thinks a little terrified at some of the places people are willing to stick a needle -- and some not so great tattoos, plus his own experience getting a not so great tattoo, so when the needle goes through his earlobe, it barely registers.

Merrin leans over the piercer's shoulder, humming to herself as she observes Cal with a critical eye. "Would you consider a second one?"

"Technically, I'm already getting two," he points out. One for each ear. Greez is going to lose it when they make it back to the Mantis. Maybe they should go to a bar first, give Greez and Cere a chance to be asleep so they can skip the initial awkwardness. Merrin quirks an eyebrow. "What did you have in mind?"

She touches her own ear, where she already has multiple piercings. Cal follows the motion with his eyes until she lands on the one she wants to show him. He grimaces.

"Maybe next time?" Anything past the lobe might be too much right now. Some of Merrin's piercings are interesting, yeah, but they look good on her. They're unlikely to look good on him.

"I will hold you to that."