take my heart, pull it apart, take my brains, or what remains

[implying]

Date & Time: late evening of the 6th
Location: Vanadi's apartment
Characters: Nananea & Vanadi
Summary: Moping on a fellow cyborg went disastrously so he'll try it on an alien instead!
Warnings: uhhh maybe I'LL EDIT IF YES

[ The mask is off, the alcohol is poured and ready, and if Vanadi's housemates are home, he hasn't seen sign of them in hours. He's slumped on the small couch he'd dragged into his room, not quite willing to claim the main room and run the risk of running into one of them. Sort of a foreign inclination in Vanadi, but then he's never dealt very well with being sad.

He's currently slumped low enough that lifting one of the provided glasses of wine puts it up to the light, and he swirls it to see if the pattern changes in the liquid. It never really does. Too rich. Kind of a pointless exercise, isn't it?

Man, he hopes Nananea plans to show up soon. ]

Comments

[fourscience]

[Nananea doesn't have far to go, just one floor up, so she arrives quickly after she receives his invitation. An invitation she just certainly couldn't pass up, even if she had been deeply involved in some important work before he asked her over. Important work for her, anyway.

She knocks at his door with two of her four hands, grinning broadly as she waits to be let in]

[implying]

[ He's on his feet quickly, dipping through the main room to make it to the door, which gets pulled open after just a brief glance through the peephole. (It'd be embarrassing if it were someone for Sam or Dave, and he didn't have his mask on.)

He's smiling as soon as the door is open, gesturing for her to come in with a swing of the wineglass. ]

Beautiful and prompt! Why, I'm beginning to suspect it really gets no better than you, my dear.

[fourscience]

I told you it was an irresistible invitation, did I not?!

[She laughs and steps inside the room, pausing only to give him a rather toothy kiss on his cheek.

The place isn't too different from her own, so she only scans it briefly before looking back at him, grinning broadly]

So! I assume there is a reason you called me out so suddenly! Am I correct?

[implying]

[ It's sort of hard not to lift a hand to his kissed cheek like some lovestruck schoolboy, and his smile fades as she passes him. Maybe this was a mistake. She's so beautiful—bright, cheery, colorful. He's sure he'll be poor company tonight, which is hardly fair to her.

But then, he's always been selfish. The smile is back again when she turns back to him, and he's sweeping forward to lay a guiding hand at her back and nudge her toward his room. ]

I'd missed you, is all! Tell me, my dear— what is it you're working on? I hope I hadn't interrupted anything important!

[fourscience]

Nothing I can't pick back up again when I return! Recording some data and so on...nothing you'd find exciting, I am sure!

[She's already left her task behind, so it's nothing she wants to focus on now. Better to give all her attention to her handsome and quite charming host, giving his arm a couple friendly pats with a couple of her hands.

She heads to his room when nudged, eagerly striding forward inside, wanting to get a good look around. She can't help being curious about new places, even if it's not really a huge change in scenery.]

And like I said. Irresistible.

[implying]

[ There's nothing terribly exciting in his room — it's pretty disappointingly default, actually. But if he spends half his money on having Chloe help him find the window back to Cittágazze, and the other half on dinner and drinks with interesting people, then how is he ever supposed to afford anything to make his room look better? There's just not enough money, man!! ]

Well— thank you for coming, then. [ He slides to a seat at the couch, one foot rested on the small table in front of it, and he pats the cushion next to him. ] And might I add, you look especially enchanting tonight. Have your colors gotten even brighter?

[fourscience]

[It's still interesting to see another person's living space, but she doesn't waste a lot more time looking around. Because sitting down next to him is way more appealing, so she sets herself down nice and close, stretching an arm across the back of the couch.]

You are still extremely charming. You called me hear for a reason, did you not? [She gives him a broad grin, deciding to get right to the point of her visit.]

[implying]

[ Why, yes, he will take that as an invitation to lean up against her, and happily. It's nice when the person you're leaning affectionately against doesn't pull away. He holds out the wine glass he'd been holding, untouched, in a vague offer toward... one of her hands. There are a lot to pick from, he'll let her do the deciding. ]

I like you, and I was lonely. [ Doesn't get much more blunt than that. He offers up a small smile, apologetic. ]

[fourscience]

[She lays one of her hands on his shoulder, perfectly happy to snuggle up with him. He's a nice guy- and she enjoys being so close with someone. In this strange place, it's nice to have something so comforting.

She takes the wine glass from him, swirling it around and peering down at the liquid curiously. But it seems alright, so she takes a drink.]

Simple. To the point. I like that about you.

[implying]

Mm, I wish everyone here would say the same.

[ Oops, the smile is flagging a little. So he leans forward to snatch up the second wineglass for himself, and promptly downs half of it. He leans his head against her shoulder, watching the ceiling. ]

Tell me about— [ something, anything ] —Your home, won't you?

[fourscience]

Hmm...

[She gives him a look, all four of her eyes narrowed. It doesn't really take a genius to see that he's upset about something. What it is, she couldn't guess. But she can find out.

She places one of her hands on his head starting to pet his hair absently as she talks.]

I live on a ship. Lots of refugees and exiles and outcasts. It is exciting!

But. I do not think you called me here to listen to me talk about my home.

[implying]

[ Oh, that's nice. He closes his eyes, enjoying the touch. ]

You're very persistent, my gorgeous dear. Would you take it as enough if I said I'm feeling low, without any want to talk about the particulars?

[fourscience]

I will not force you to talk, if you do not want to. But I will listen if you need me to. Later.

[Much later, perhaps, or maybe never. He seems so reluctant to talk, and while normally she would pry the story out, she seems to respect his silence. At least for now.

In the meantime, though, she's draining her wine glass and setting it aside on the couch. She wanted to free up another of her hands, so she can grab his chin and turn his face more towards hers, craning her long neck down so she can give him a toothy kiss. Face it. All her kisses are going to be toothy. No getting past that]

[implying]

[ Well, someone has absolutely no problem with toothy kisses. His own are usually considered sharper than normal, if it's a human he's kissing-- a kiss from Nananea takes just a little more care to maneuver than another kitrite's. Maneuvering that he's happy to do! Kissing is much preferred to talking, after all.

He's smiling when he eventually pulls back again. ]

Are all of you such good kissers, my dear, or are you unique in that?

[fourscience]

I could say yes. You will never have the opportunity to test that theory!

But I know you are trying to flatter me. Even though you are already in my good graces.

[That smile is enough for her to know that kissing him did exactly what she wanted to. Cheer him up, primarily. She really can't have a friend of hers looking so down.

While chatting, she's gotten one of her hands on his chest, her nimble fingers working at getting his shirt open. Because she certainly knows that he didn't ask her over just to chat. Or she assumes.]

[implying]

[ Oops, no shirt-offing. If she undoes it too far, that lovely autopsy-reminiscent scar will be poking out from his chest, and that's just no fun. So he settles a hand overtop hers to stop her— but promptly scoops it up to press a kiss against the back of her fingers. There's no use in sending the wrong signals, after all. ]

Is it still flattery if it's completely true, do you think? I've never been clear on that part!

[fourscience]

[Vanadi, she has more hands than you. You aren't going to win this one. While he's kissing one hand, she's got two more on his waist, pushing up his shirt.]

Yes. Because you are trying to charm me. [A smile, and she kisses his cheek] And of course it is working. Because you are very good at that.

[implying]

[ Oh god but these hands are hard to keep track of. He promptly brings in his only other one, making a good try at brushing aside both of hers. ]

Well, I'm nothing without my muse! But that said, ah, let's leave this, shall we? [ He tugs down that side of his shirt, smiling a little. ]

[fourscience]

[It's a good try! But no, Nananea is persistent and she's got at least one hand under his shirt. Not on his metal-covered side, but she's trying.]

You would not remove this last time we were together. Are you shy? I find that hard to believe.

[implying]

[ For a good half a second he's tempted to pull away from her, but... well, no, that's even worse. There's too much love of intimacy to let a little thing like shame get in the way. ]

No, I'm afraid I hardly know the meaning of the word. [ He shifts, pressing a hand over one of hers to guide it to the metal side. Cold, hard, a few sharp edges. ] It's only this, you see? It's not very attractive. I prefer to keep it covered, when I may.

[fourscience]

Oh-! [All four of her eyes go wide, and she immediately pushes up his shirt a little further. If you thought that would make her back off, Vanadi, you were so wrong. She's even more curious now]

Oh, no! That is not unattractive at all!

[implying]

[ Oh, dammit. It's just a light sigh, but there's definitely a little away-squirming now, and his attempt to push his shirt back down again loses some subtlety. ]

Well, I suppose we may have to— agree to disagree, my dear. I'm no fan, I may safely say that much.

[fourscience]

Ah. [She looks disappointed- but only for a split second. The fact that he's kind of moving away from her is enough to tell her that she's crossed some kind of line. Even though she really really wants to see what's under his clothes...well, she can't force him to show her. Not this time. Maybe later.

So she puts all four of her hands nicely on the outside of his clothes, on his waist and his chest.]

I can't change your mind then, can I? That is too bad.

[implying]

[ Oh, much better. He immediately relaxes, and does it with a grateful little smile. It's a stupid hangup, and he knows many of his lovers don't care — but it's definitely not one he's pushing aside tonight. Especially not tonight. ]

Not easily, my dear! [ And his own hands go to one side of her shirt, pushing the cloth aside to press a few kisses into her neck and shoulder. ] But it's quite alright, some extra clothing never stopped anyone.

[fourscience]

You know that I will not let it get in my way. [She laughs, pleased that the atmosphere seems to have lightened. And well- even if he's not getting out of his clothes, she sure as hell is. So she shrugs off the top layer of her clothing, leaving herself in just her usual black bodysuit.]

And I have a feeling nothing gets in your way, Vanadi.