Re: Laying the pipe (Ask before you post)

[Arcadia Caughey]

"I'd never string people up on trees, John, it wouldn't be fair to them," replied Arcadia with a nonchalance so airy it might be a touch creepy.  For there was truth in her words, even if she was choosing to frame it in a fashion that was cheeky in her dry way.  "Dead weight puts even a sturdy branch under strain, and then there's the part before that to consider, when there’s all the strugglin'? No, not fair to the trees at all." A tush of her tongue punctuated that thought.

When Arcadia glanced over at him a moment later, there was a seriousness in her eyes that wasn't present before.  In addition to a cryptic little smile which gave off an energy far, far older than her outward appearance suggested.  She looked little more than in her early 20s, after all.  Entirely deceiving.  "I prefer to have the gross abusers of nature spend the rest of their lives standin’ among them.  We are all made of organic matter same as the trees, ye know, so when the proper energy is applied it’s not hard to inspire a mortal to make such a transition.  An’ it gives them a good, long life cleanin' the air and harmin’ none while they think on what they did.”  In a realm far from here Arcadia had a small forest of such trees.  It took something truly terrible to rile her up to such a point, however, to add a tree to that forest was rare.

Arcadia turned her gaze to the road ahead, flashing nothing in particular a little grin.  Not because she was joking - but because she was serious, and she’d lived long enough to know that disclosing something like that to a mortal either made them lean in closer or turn tail and run.  Catalyzing such moments was important, she believed, for both her and the other party.  Best to know where things stood early on, before friendships got too far along only to erupt, unravel, or vanish if such things weren't brought to light until later.  It was why she shared more with John tonight than she’d ever intended to - because of how clearly he was leaning in.

What timing he had, then, choosing such a defining moment to reference the other half of her condition - she half she’d chosen, was still choosing, despite the fact that it made little sense to those who’d known her before this life.  In plainer words, that she elected to be a vampire drove much of Asgard crazy.  And Archer.  Can't forget Archer.  

Arcadia’s golden gaze turned back in John's direction.  Slowly, in time with that slow arch of her eyebrow that she was so very good at.  A cluck of her tongue followed, Arcadia pursing her lips in a little smirk as she shook her head.  “A trustin’ act you should feel confident investin’ in.  It’s rare that I drink from someone who’s not a stranger t’ me.”  It tended to...complicate things, and as he could probably tell being friends with Arcadia was a complicated affair as it was.

[John Asher]

John slowly began to grin as she responded, he knew the moment he said it she would have a thought about the trees. That slow grin filled as she finished off her statements. “Well good cause I would never put such strain on a tree, but glad I had a feeling you would take that thought process” he grinned a bit playfully towards her. “We will find another way then. Perhaps honey and an ant hill?” He asked an arch to his brow.

But hearing her go on about how she handles those who really push past toeing the line he nodded and studied the expression on her face before looking about. Her words were well heard. He had a semi understanding of the fact that she when pushed lost all thoughts of mercy and found the best way to take care of things so you remembered. Or felt it for a very long time. Yes, John had no desire to try anything he shouldn’t. “As I would expect you too, it would be the most fitting way to spend their time. Thinking about what has transpired. And as much as I like trees, I am in no hurry to become one.” He nodded to her, because he didn’t. He had no desires at all to be one of her cultivated saplings.

John was looking towards her a moment, catching that grin and thinking nothing of it he looked over the road they walked along. And yes John leaned in closer. He had been through a myriad of thoughts and emotions from their first meeting till now. Once all that settled down and he was able to compose himself, and be himself around her. But he was glad she was opening up to him, he didn’t need to know her past to know that this was a bit of an olive branch as well in regards to their forming whatever, he wasn’t going to call it a friendship, not unless she did. He wasn’t about to be that silly. But so far he wasn’t running, and he truthfully had no plans to, he enjoyed their…. Meetings.

However, he made his offer and he wouldn’t walk away from it, not unless she gave him valid reason too, or a warning. Either would work for him, he was a smart boy when it mattered. And he had no desire to become a vamp, but he also didn’t fear them, not as much as he should anyway. Given they were forming a friendship or whatever, it made sense to offer it, given that apple she gave him was bound to be something trust would be required for.

When she gave her response he grinned some. Nodding, he could understand that, his eyes looking about before they focused on her once more. “its an offer to feed, I know you and I will be… student and teacher, and in time friends. One day at a time, and if today is a day you need to feed and I happen to be the only thing with a beating heart that sounds yummy to you then drink away. Doesn’t mean in the future you will drink again, or anything else. It’s no different than me offering you a whiskey at the bar. So, whiskey, a grassy spot and some nice warm red stuff? Or do you have a different idea?” He understood what she was saying, and still didn’t back down. He understood, she could take of that what she wanted.

[Arcadia Caughey]

When he said he had no desire to become a tree, she laughed softly.  While she didn’t laugh often, when she did it was a window into the captivating power she had simmering under the surface - hints of otherworldly musicality in her laughter that she always subdued when she spoke.  “It’s a beautiful thing, standin’ as a tree.  There was a time when...I was tangled, and spendin’ regular time as a tree was some of the best comfort I’ve felt.  Roots sinkin’ deep, branches stretchin’ into the sky, there’s no better way to feel like ye belong in between what’s above and below than that.”  She’d sometimes spent days, occasionally even a week or more, enjoying existence that way.  If John was a student of mythology, perhaps that idea wouldn’t seem to farfetched to him, when the Greeks spoke of dryads.  

His latter words elicited a different kind of response, however.  Arcadia fixing him with a teacherly sort of look, she tsked her tongue softly.  “Aye, I know what it is.  And it’s somethin’ you haven’t offered before, or at least not an offer that’s been accepted.  Aye?  Because if you’d been fed from before, ye wouldn’t be thinkin’ that offerin’ such is no different than offerin’ up some liquor.”  She looked to the road ahead of them, keeping her eyes on the twinkling of street lights that signaled that the main road wasn’t long off.  “It opens channels, y’ know, to thoughts, emotions, desires...channels that can remain open for quite some time. Asleep or awake.  Not to mention that the experience is meant to inspire one who’s been fed from to seek the opportunity to feel those sensations again.”  That was her polite way of saying that sometimes those who’d been preyed upon developed an addiction to the euphoria that the experience offered.  

There were more personal things that she left out in her cautionary tale.  Including the fact that she was...quite handsy when she feeding, and that she tended to radiate sensuality whenever that channel she just spoke of was opened.  A thing like that quickly muddied waters and complicated friendships, which is why she preferred to cavort with eager strangers at the clubs.  Wrapping them up in her euphoric pleasure was without risk when she would never see them again, those channels closing, dormant and unused.  

As they turned onto the main road, she offered him one of her knowing little smiles.  “A whiskey will be just fine, John.”  A gesture to the various buildings that lined either side of the road, indicating that he should lead the way to whatever establishment that was appropriate for their aims.  Somewhere that smile and that gesture she’d changed her appearance again, the magic which brought her dark-haired, dark-eyed, pale-skinned preferences to fruition rolled over her shape as smooth and seamless as the spill of ink.  “Should that change, you’ll be the first to know.”  For what would be quite visceral and obvious reasons.

[John Asher]

Hearing that laugh a smile crept over his lips, she was beautiful when she smiled and John wasn’t foolish enough to not see that. However, the way she spoke about the trees was something he had only seen when someone was truly passionate, and it didn’t shock him to see that because she was, and he knew she was so deeply passionate about her trees. “Well, when you put it that way…. Perhaps I wouldn’t mind it for a few days.” He didn’t think so, but time will tell. She romanticized it in all the ways that made it seem like he would enjoy it.
However, when her response changed he looked towards her a moment and hearing her words, he thought a moment. “I will be honest, I don’t know the ins and outs of it truth be told. I know that it can get… interesting depending on the one drinking from you. But I truthfully don’t trust anyone enough to know when enough was enough. But I do you, so I thought to offer.” But he was thinking about her words a bit more and he studied her a moment. “I can understand the desire to warn of all that too. I don’t think the desire would be so intense I would want it more, but that is most likely my innocence of the situation speaking. I also would hate for something to…. Break what we are working on. But I also don’t resent my offer” he offered truthfully towards her.

He took in a bit of a breath and he didn’t ask for more details. He wasn’t sure what all she wanted to share, or what he wanted to ask. It was still new to him, but he hadn’t kept him from offering regardless. Had he known it caused her to be handsy it probably still wouldn’t have changed his words in offering, but it might have been interesting, so probably for the best it wasn’t taken up on.

When they turned onto the main road he looked about and heard her words, catching the tail end of that smile. “Then a whiskey it is.” He was fine with that, he wouldn’t be all sullen she wouldn’t drink from him. He offered, she declined with understandable reasoning and he made no more mention of it beyond that. He turned away, letting his gaze fall over the buildings before them. Eye balling a liquor store he had been in a time or two he nodded to it. “So, whiskey and some chatter and star gazing? Or we saddling up to a bar?” He wanted to make sure he understood and all was clear. But when she said that about the should that change, and seeing she herself had changed her appearance he nodded. “Well, it would be awkward if I was second and it concerned me” he winked playfully towards her. Leading the way towards store or bar.

[Arcadia Caughey]

His change of heart drew another little laugh from her.  She gave him an easy shrug, glancing over at him with one of her knowing little smiles.  “It’s likely an acquired taste.  Or a salve for a specific wound.”  Arcadia would leave it at that, for now.  Should the subject come up in the future, she would not turn away from it.  Those who were close to Arcadia certainly got themselves into a fair share of fascinating adventures they may never have considered before.

“Mmmhm.”  That knowing smile became a knowing smirk when John confirmed that he’d never been fed from before.  “Y’know, over all my years of livin’ I think it’s been well confirmed that most creatures have their moments of not knowin’ when enough is enough.  Each in their own special way.”  She was thinking of Archer then, who for all his genius never knew when to back off and drop a subject that wasn’t his business.  She nibbled on her bottom lip, certain to use her front teeth so she didn’t slice it up.  “Myself included.”

She was certain to watch him as she spoke her next words.  “I don’t resent you offerin’ either.  It’s just my way to make certain that folks know what they’re gettin’ into when they tangle up with me, whether it’s standin’ as a tree, sheddin’ blood for me, or anythin’ in between.  I’d be remiss if I didn’t tell you there isn’t a person in my life who hasn’t experienced offerin’ their vein to me once without offerin’ it up again.  Save a relation of mine, anyway, but that’s a subject more complicated than how the earth came to be.”  A bit of an eyeroll punctuated that thought.  Because her choice to be a vampire was one of those topics that Archer wouldn’t drop.

Her gaze shifted to the store he indicated.  Pursing her lips in an amused smile as he so thoughtfully took pulse on her wishes one last time.  “I had no idea that large cats are so thoughtful.”  Playfully spoken, and her perhaps her pointed way of shifting the spotlight off of her, though she would keep it on herself long enough to answer his question.  “I’ve no desire to be cooped up indoors on a night like tonight.”  Bars were not her taste.

[John Asher]

John grinned a bit towards her, hearing her about the taste. “Well, now that I won’t disagree with, but I get the inkling that more of a personal understanding than a friendly word” he offered while he looked over her a moment then turned back towards the road. There is no doubt that new and exciting adventures won’t be had, that would be just silliness.

Hearing her knowing sound he gave her a side long glance and shifted some in his stance.  Hearing her about the years and the moments he thought about those words. He wasn’t terribly sure who those words were actually meant for, he hoped not himself but, time would tell and he didn’t feel it the right moment to ask. Hearing her add herself into the mix he grinned a bit and nodded. He seemed to understand at that point that he was sort of speaking about him so he was letting that subject drop a bit. “Well, here is to hoping I figure it out for myself onoe day” he grinned playfully towards her, but he didn’t last a terrible amount of time before he was looking forward once more.

Hearing her words, catching her gaze he looked over her a moment. Her words caught his attention as he looked over her a moment and then forward once more. But he understood the caution in her words, that wasn’t missed on him one bit. He did however chuckle some to the eyeroll as she gave it. “Well, I understand the words, and I get the intent behind them.” And he wasn’t going to add to that. He had a feeling not much else was left for it.

But they arrived to the store and seeing that amused smile and her words he grinned a bit coolly, or what he hoped was cool anyway, “Well, before I was a large cat, I was a boy raised by his Grams and his Sister, and neither one of them would have let me not put a woman, and certainly not one such as yourselves needs before my own. I was taught the art of being polite.” He chuckled a bit towards her. However, when she did say she had no desire he nodded to her. “Then let us go and pick our favorite spirits then find a place nice and quiet and filled with stars. I might even be civilized and get a Dixie cup to go” a grin played over his lips as he held the door open for her.

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