KILL THIS DESTINY.

A SLENDER FINGER PRESSES OVER HIS LIPS, signaling her to hush about the particular reasoning.  last thing he needs is the rest of the tavern learning that sampo koski has a heart broken  &  built upon sentimentality.  enough ammunition to perpetuate jokes that are sure to end up manifesting from the excess wishpower around them  &  drown him in a deluge.  another poor victim to cruel jokes.

❝  i'm not entirely sure what's coming,  ❞          he says in response, voice far more hushed than he typically speaks.  a sort of sincerity he doesn't realize rides upon the rolls of his tongue, hidden in language found between whispering parties  &  talk of a world far beyond elation's doors.  well, at least when it comes to aha's direct hand; the emanator had invested enough time to craft his playground, find his favorite actors,  &  repeat scripts that just worked.  a sort of routine that would drive the average fool mad.

❝  i'm not gonna hold you to it because that would be asking a lot of you.  it's just a place out in the universe people forgot about, i get it.  ❞          like he does not take offense to his own wording, he shrugs.          ❝  i'd appreciate it though.  ❞

his head tilts at a slight angle as he looks to her, reaching forward to place a hand on her thigh.  an intimate gesture that is undoubtedly an excuse to touch just as it is also a way for him to speak more privately, as if regarding the fun he know is to come.  such a move is not uncommon in the tavern, not when many use sex  &  climax as a way to reach elation's peak   (  what a fool might perceive that to be.  )

❝  eh, you might be onto something ...  the astral express being an omen of sorts.  ❞          but with that lingering, he does not expand on the possibilities, instead smirking as he indulges her next point.          ❝  i think you'd do pretty well as a supplicant but ...  you sure that's something you'd want ?  i dunno.  i can always help you with advertising for your own shows  &  stuff.  you know i enjoy watching you show off ~   ❞          &  when she turns to leave, but he spares her of the clique comment.

❝  mmm, speaking of ...  what're you doing in here drinking the time away ?  you don't exactly come into my turf without a good reason.  somebody or ...  something catch your eye ?   ❞          his throat rumbles, a growl he had intended to conceal coming out in the last few syllables of his query.  jealous if there were some pretty little thing that walked on two legs she'd been tailing.

but if sampo cared for it, then who was she to deny him her aid. but it prickles along her skin, reminding her what the cost of caring was, that she should run, run far far far away from a man who understood her better than anyone else in the entire galaxy.

but she was no coward &. well, sampo was a bit of a soft spot for her.

he reels her back in with the query, the sour edges of jealousy pitched in that subtle growl. it makes ophelia chuckle, once more lured back into sampo's orbit. the warmth of his hand on her bare thigh was enough for a familiar heat to settle in her gut - their dance beginning.

❝ a lady doesn't kiss or tell, ❞ the stuntwoman teases, her normal mocking tendency softened, before the facade drops, bright, emerald eyes rolling in exasperation, ❝ - but unfortunately, miss fool over here, ❞ ophelia nods towards the woman behind the bar, ❝ - promised me that she finally found me a drink that could get me drunk, but alas ... ❞

with a wide gesture, she gives a cocky smile, ❝ no effect as you can see. ❞

how long was i out?

it was dark, and i heard voices. i was trying to get out.

don't look at me. i don't want you to see me like this.

tell me the truth. how long was i gone?

who brought me back?

i don't remember what happened. one second i was there, and the next...

you were out for quite some time.

don't worry. i've got you.

i saw you die.

i can't live with myself if you're gone.

i don't know how to function without you here.

wipe those tears away.

i'm right here! there's no need to cry.

something feels off about you.

are you sure you're all right?

you don't sound like yourself.

that wasn't supposed to happen like that.

your death was all my fault.

i never should have gone in there alone.

can you please tell me what happened?

no one is telling me how i died.

i didn't hear anything while i was out.

that was a bit weird.

i'll be fine. just have to deal with this nasty bump on my head.

is that my blood or someone else's?

you were not supposed to do this.

he was supposed to stay dead!

this was never meant to happen this way.

i think you made a mistake in coming back.

i can't live without you.

i'd really like to avoid dying again if i can help it.

is this the first time you've died?

there must be something we can do to bring them back.

i think i can heal them.

death is only the beginning.

maybe you should have stayed dead.

is that really you?

don't ever leave my sight again.

there you are! welcome back! how was it, being dead?

did you see god?

are you the one i should blame?

let's just hope there aren't any consequences to this.

you never should have interfered.

i don't really feel like myself.

ever since i died, i've been feeling sort of strange.

that's what death does. it puts things into perspective.

is death something we should be able to reverse in the first place?

this is a very bad idea.

why can't you just stay dead?

please reverse the spell.

     Many times has he been showered in praise after a show, sometimes flirtation coming his way even before words are able to make it out of his mouth in greeting. It is easy for him to string together some flowery statement, matching the energy of the other  &&  embellishing whatever small hint of truth there is. However, there is little that can prepare him for hearing these sentiments relayed by his best friend, heat burning his face once more. She wins this bout.

     Thankfully, they each appear to be standing upon uneven territory, making it difficult to remain on a foothold once they find it.     ❝  Roccia...  ❞     He mutters the First Mate's name to himself, as if slowly piecing together a puzzle laid out solely before him  &&  out of Ciaccona's reach. Though he has a sneaking suspicion that the scarlet haired bard is joining him at this same table, handing him pieces from behind. This type of show does not necessarily go against his preferred method of acting but because it has more rigidity in nature, coincidence is far less common on the stage.

     Turquoise lashes flutter as she calls his attention, his gaze searching hers instinctively but widening as she continues to speak. Right. A kiss. Between the characters !  Not technically them as actors. The seal between princess  &&  knight, a hug would not convey the same gravitas as a lock of lips.     ❝  Ah, yes... That... Well, perhaps we can...  ❞     No, no !  He attempts to fish for an excuse but mentally ousts himself from hiding. If it is written into the script then there are ways to go about it.     ❝  I would not mind. It's something I would like to do... I mean that I-I !   ❞     He ducks his head  &&  rubs the back of his neck.     ❝  Would you like to… Practice kissing ?  There are ways to feign passion even when the focus is on two actors.  ❞

she shouldn't overthink this! this was for the play &. ciaccona toccata would not besmirch their stellar record due to her own shyness.

swallowing thickly, fingers smoothing over the hem of verdant dress to busy fidgety hands, she smiles &. nods, ❝ i would love to practice with you, Bello! ❞ the bard hesitates, gaze drifting onto brant's shoulder shyly, ❝ although ... i admit that i have no experience in kissing, so you will most likely have to take the lead on this. i apologize if my inexperience makes things awkward, but i shall be a dutiful student! ❞ she tacks on at the end, enthusiasm bleeding into fervor of her words.

thankful that the two of them were relatively alone, she did still feel some iota of awkwardness in how open it was. yes, the kiss was meant to be replicated on stage, but her first kiss? surely that warranted some sense of privacy.

𝐎𝐍𝐄 for the 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑, 𝐎𝐍𝐄 for the 𝐃𝐀𝐌𝐄, 𝐎𝐍𝐄 for the 𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐄 𝐁𝐎𝐘 𝐖𝐇𝐎 𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐒 𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐄. ...and 𝐍𝐎𝐍𝐄 for the sheep because no one thought to ask.