SCAWWY ⇢ KARLACH (FLURRY)

[shirtbag]

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[ablazement]

[she takes his hand and holds it when he lays down, with a hum. kisses his fingers for good measure.

ALSO YEAH I ALSO JUST REMEMBERED HELP well, she's going to answer, but it just happens as fog instead, and this time there are no clowns or anything. it's just... real.]

[shirtbag]

[ if it wasn't zariel, it had to be gortash. he remembers the name only because aerith had told him who he was—the name of the bastard who sold her off, who deserved to be suffering and rotting. boothill thinks it in the moments just before the fog swallows them both up.

he feels every emotion, hears every thought. that roaring engine sounds in his own body, clicking and moving, revving as karlach's emotions fire almost out of control. fury claws out of her throat with every word. the worst part is the aching loneliness and having no one around you who can understand it. there's no salve for having a bomb inside you that you never asked for. not even revenge could cure that.

when it is, boothill is left staring, mouth parted open, his head tipped towards the floor to look at her. the hurt lies in his stomach like a hot stone, slow to cool or fade out.

he reaches for her cheek, to make her look at him. wordlessly, he wants to see if she's okay. ]

[ablazement]

[she drags in a slow, steadying breath when they come out of it.

she looks up at him when he asks, and gives him a smile. it's small, and it's tired, but. she seems okay. she's had time to deal with it, to start to mend the parts of her that were broken from it. her heart is fixed, and she's not alone. that's a start.]

Well, at least it was that one and not the one where my heart got ripped out. [she says, wryly.]

[shirtbag]

[ he lowers his forehead on hers and closes his eyes. ]

So much for givin' you that break.

[ he murmurs. he hates this place so much for all it puts her through. ]

So it was Gortash. And it didn't help you none.

[ablazement]

As far as bad shit happening goes, that's pretty tame. [she tells him, pressing a kiss to his cheek.]

But, yeah. It was him. That's the last thing I remember before waking up here. [...] I don't regret killing him. Had to be done. It just didn't fix anything at the time.

[shirtbag]

Situation's changed now, though. You're free from all that. Better that he's dead too, I think. Can't go hurtin' anyone else.

[ ...

he brings her hand in and kisses her fingers. as he runs his thumb over her knuckle, over and over: ]

You know I got my vengeance that I gotta follow through on.

[ he's quietly asking if she still agrees with it. ]

[ablazement]

That's my thought exactly. He was going to fuck over so many people - it's good he's dead. There wasn't any saving the bastard.

[she shifts, watching him do this, relaxed and easy. and his quiet unasked question gets a tilt of her head.]

Yeah? Of course? [without hesitation.] I'm going with you on that one, right? Thought that was implied.

[revenge didn't work for her, but that doesn't mean it's not something worth doing in the right circumstances.]

[shirtbag]

[ he smiles and kisses her hand again. karlach, you are perfect. ]

Heh. Just checkin' in.

[ oswaldo schneider needs to die too and he's not budging on that. we hate rich people!!! ]

I don't want nothin' happenin' to ya' neither. If you're helpin', I gotta strategize 'fore I put you in the line of fire.

[ablazement]

[ohhhh BOY do we hate rich people, that is correct. she grins a little.]

You know, Lucas thought it was surprising that I do strategy sometimes, but I was a solider for ten years, I've got some ideas. [granted she does better just ramming through doors like the kool-aid man, but hey.]

But you know all the bits and pieces. So I'll follow your lead, and we'll protect each other. I'm pretty hard to kill even without the engine.

... Might be more than you even, if we can manage to wish you all human parts again somehow.

[shirtbag]

[ he had more to say, especially about the strategy parts, but those fall away once they get into his transformation. his smile drops away, but he looks thoughtful more than troubled or upset. ]

About that. [ he searches her face. ] I'm fieldin' some opinions on this, but... you told me you got faith in Fa—... Scien, right? That he makes good on his promises?

[ablazement]

[a little nod.]

Yeah. Scien. [she's a little cautious, and then like she's remembering something:]

Did he offer you the Reliver thing too?

[shirtbag]

[ oh... ]

Sure did. Did it for you too, huh?

[ablazement]

[a little huff.]

Before my wish worked out. [she shifts, easing up on her elbow this time to look at him properly.]

What d'you think of it?

[shirtbag]

[ he sighs through his nose and turns to lie on his back. ]

If I'm bein' honest... it sounds way too forkin' good to be true. Tryin' to see if there ain't some catch to it. I hardly know the guy.

[ he looks up at the ceiling. delulu... ]

He said he ain't expectin' nothin' back either. Just gotta wait until this cult mess is over with, is all.

[ablazement]

[reaches to push his hair out of his face.]

That's sort of what I thought. Too good to be true. And it made me feel itchy, but - I mostly didn't want to go from one metal heart to another.

[silence, for a second.]

I really don't think he'd be fucking with you on this. He's a shit, but he's an honest shit.

[this is said a little fondly.]

I guess the real question is would you go for it, if it was real. That's all your decision, love, it's your body.

[shirtbag]

[ itchy... uncomfortable? she's so cute. he takes that hand and rests it on his chest, over the casing of his heart. ]

Yeah. Didn't feel like he was lyin' about it at all. I thought the same thing, 'bout goin' from metal to metal. Don't know a thing about bein' a Reliver, what the drawbacks are 'n such.

[ he thinks for a moment before looking back at her. ]

All I know is that I want what we got last Wednesday night. And if I get lucky enough, I wanna grow old with ya'. Don't care how I get it or who I gotta find to do it.

[ablazement]

[itchy uncomfortable!! she rests her hand where he places it, tracing her fingers over the metal.]

I'll ask him more about the specifics. He's said he'll do whatever I ask, so it should be easy. [she kind of vaguely wonders if he offered boothill the chance because of her, but that feels too egotistical and so she doesn't say it.

as for the rest, she - funnily enough - flushes a little darker red? and leans down to steal a kiss because that last bit flusters her. he's so genuine and it's cute... it gets her every time.]

Yeah. I want that too. [...] Gods, I want that more than anything. A life full of - well, Wednesday nights.

[a little laugh.]

[shirtbag]

Got him wrapped around your finger, huh?

[ boothill isn't surprised. karlach likely has plenty of those people in this place.

one of the conditions of scien's deal was "make karlach happy," so she was at least part of the reason... the rest of it seemed to be scien acting on his own principles.

but that flush of red quickly takes all of his attention. his eyelids fall shut and tilts his head to meet her kiss, his heartbeat leaping under her palm. when she draws back, he grins at her, lifting his other hand to tuck her hair behind her ear. ]

Whatever the lady wants, she gets. [ he sinks his fingers in her hair, drawing it back even more from her face. ] Not just 'cause I want it too.

[ he takes another kiss, shorter this time. ]

I'm thinkin' we should get off the floor here, maybe find somewhere else to chat.

[ablazement]

I don't know how! I'm just nice to him... maybe that's why.

[all that affection, the fingers in her hair, makes her want to not get up off the floor, but she will! reluctantly, since she doesn't want him to stop, but he's right, they shouldn't just spoon on the ground in the middle of the mall. so. when he pulls away from the kiss, she absently runs her fingers over her bottom lip, still red. her tail swishes across the floor, and she leans over him to grab for his hat.

and puts it on her own head, minding her horns so she doesn't hurt it.]

Oh, right. Off the floor it is. [a beat.] Wait - I had something I wanted to give you, so we can go there?

[shirtbag]

[ he doesn't want to leave it either, but it would be better to have her snug on a couch or in bed somewhere if they're going to be sappy at each other. he enjoys that flushed look while he still has it, and he nearly presses another kiss over her fingertips.

but fine, he's getting to his feet. he laughs once she puts his hat on her head again. ]

We gotta cut some holes in there, or at least get ya' your own. You still wear it better than me.

[ he takes her hand. ]

You got me a gift, huh? Lead the way.

[ablazement]

[up they go!]

I'd wear a hat. You think I look good with one? I've always thought it was a little silly with the horns.

[laces their hands together, leading him off. off towards elysium, though she's careful because i rolled a one against the big daddies yesterday and she JUST promised she wouldn't go dying left and right.]

[shirtbag]

[ HELP ME it's ok i got a 14 so they'll be fine ]

You kiddin'? You seen yourself in the outfit you were wearin' to that party a few weeks ago? Had me floored. You wear hats just fine.

[ablazement]

[a little tail wag at that, as she beams.]

Aw, I forgot you could see that. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't been thinking of you. [...] Tempted to throw another party just to see you in a suit again.

[off they go - to the little tea room/garden place. she pauses when they're actually in it because she likes it here. it's green, and she always misses green.]

[shirtbag]

I ain't opposed, so long as I get to see ya' in one of those dresses again too.

[ these two are so gross....

anyway, they arrive and he's honestly surprised! but once they get in there and she's still for a bit, boothill smiles and takes a deep breath in. ]

Air's always a little fresher in this place. You like it here, huh?

[ablazement]

[disgustin...

she squeezes his hand, at that.]

Yeah. You've seen - well, sort of, you've seen the Hells. This is the exact opposite. [tugs him over to one of the tables, and picks up bouquet that looks sort of like this but way less professional. she hesitates, and then:]

I feel like I should know your favorite flowers, and I'm sorry if you hate these, but --

[hands... it to him... nervously...]