forum Kill The Prince, Steal The Crown // Private rp

Started May 30, 2019 by @croccin-champagne

tune

"Why-" She shook her head slightly, trying to form the question she wanted to ask. There were plenty of answers she wanted, but one question was all she'd ask. "Why haven't you asked? About all of my…issues?"

His lips formed a silent, 'Oh' as he briefly looked away, licking his lip ring. He was silent for a few seconds, trying to gather his reasons and shove that typical sarcasm to the side. "Well, I figured that you would just shut me out and sort of…hide. Fall back into a sort of shell or put a mask over your face to insist that you're fine. I also figured that if there was something that happened to you to make it hard for you to enjoy contact, then you'd tell me on your own time. Everyone has their secrets, and not every secret needs to be shouted from the rooftops." He shrugged, looking down slightly. "I also didn't want to ruin any of the moments we were together. Bring up a bad memory and make you shut me out."

He hadn't asked because he didn't want her to draw back inside herself? Hide. He'd said hide. She wrapped her arms around herself as she listened, scanning his face. She opened her mouth a few different times to speak, but found herself lacking the words needed to properly express just how important that was to her.

He fell silent, looking over at her almost shyly. He didn't know what she was thinking; what was going through her mind. She looked like she wanted to say something, but didn't voice it. "Talk to me Lily," he said softly.

"I-" She paused as her voice wavered slightly, tightening her arms around herself. "Thank you…doesn't seem like enough." She admitted softly. And it really didn't. Nothing she could say would fully explain just how much that choice meant to her.

Dammit, she looked so in need of a hug right now. He pursed his lips and kept himself from reaching out. Baby steps, Rhydar. Baby steps. "Doesn't seem like enough for what?" he asked gently, trying to understand her without pushing his luck.

"The choice." She said, meeting his eyes carefully. "You're giving me an actual choice. That means everything." It really did, to someone who had spent years being someone else's puppet.

He smiled kindly, his eyes softening. "I'll always give you a choice, Lily. Having my own voice in what I can and can't do is important to me. Forcing people into situations they aren't comfortable and inclined to be in would just be hypocritical and unfair of me."

She nodded, the corner of her mouth turning up somewhat in a grateful smile. It was small, but it was there, along with that same hopeful look in her eyes. I'll always give you a choice. She hoped so. She really, really did.

His own smile brightened somewhat at the sight of her gratefulness in her smile, as well as the hope in her eyes. He was glad that his words and decisions regarding her situation were so reassuring and important to her. He didn't know the exact extent, but he was willing to wait for the full story, even if he got bits and pieces here and there.

"On a lighter subject," She said, her smile returning to a fuller state. "I think this, spending time with you, is the most enjoyable thing I've done in a while." The closest thing she could think of was going to the library with Cinthia, but even then, she'd been a bit preoccupied.

He hummed with a small smile, looking out ahead of him. The only other person that really hung out with him was Magnus, and he constantly complained about keeping him out of trouble, but he wouldn't mention it—as requested by Lily's rule. "Don't take this as self-deprecating, because this is what I've heard, but most people who I've hung around with have quickly learned that I'm quite annoying."

"I'm sure you have your moments." She said, though her tone made it obvious she wasn't trying to insult him or something. "But I do enjoy spending time with you. I have to wonder though, do you specifically put up a front that can be perceived as annoying?"

He tilted his head as he thought about it. "I mean, I'm usually annoying in that I can't seem to restrain myself from going after certain artifacts or heirlooms, mostly ones that come with some sort of legend. I also tend to get caught, so Maggie constantly has to bail me out of jail…"

"Misunderstandings." She said thoughtfully, glancing over at him. "If someone doesn't get it, it can seem odd, and eventually annoying, when they can't figure out why you'd do it."

He tilted his head to the other side and hummed, thinking it through. "I suppose that's a theory. Or they're just tired of my shenanigans," he added with a playful wink.

She huffed a laugh, shrugging a shoulder. "Maybe they are. Maybe they think you're getting predictable." She teased, raising an eyebrow playfully.

He scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Predictable, she says. How dare she suggest such a thought." His eyes were bright with amusement and his tone was light and slightly sarcastic, so it was clear he wasn't serious.

"What are your hobbies again?" She asked, scrunching up her nose at him as she smiled. "Aren't they thievery, flirting, and a little more thievery, if you have the time?"

He barked a laugh, smiling and shaking his head. "You know me too well," he said with a small laugh. "Believe it or not, but that's not all I like doing."

"What are some other things you like doing, then?" She asked, tilting her head. There was genuine interest in her tone, though her smile had grown lopsided in response to his laugh.

He tilted his head as he thought about it. "Okay okay okay. I can play the piano pretty well, so there's that. I've been learning for as long as I can remember. I like collecting things that are supposedly enchanted, so I might have a slight horde of ancient artifacts. Horseback riding, uhhh…. I can balance blueberries on my nose."

"I knew it!" She exclaimed, very quickly flushing as she realized she'd spoken out loud. "Er-piano fingers." She said, by way of explanation as she motioned to his hands. "Artifacts? And how exactly do you balance blueberries on your nose? Wouldn't they roll off?"

He laughed at her exclamation, but in a more amused way than mocking. He then looked at his fingers and cocked his head. "Hmm, I guess I do. And as for the blueberries," he winked over at her with a cheeky grin. "You'll have to see for yourself. It's a secret gift."

"I'm looking forward to seeing just how exactly you pull that off." She said, shaking her head with a small laugh. She couldn't help the warm feeling in her chest at the casual comment, that he was plenty willing to spend more time with her.