Exactly. [ it doesn't surprise tseng that she understands what he means—clorinde has always been so good at reading him. ] Take away the framework, and...
[ he shrugs, and with his free hand gestures in a way that tries to encompass the entire nature of a relationship and the things that define it. ]
It's hard to stay boss and subordinate when there's nothing here to be the boss of.
[ here, outside of fontaine, where there's no court system for neuvillette to rule over and no law for clorinde to uphold, maybe they can stop being iudex and champion duelist and just be friends.
he does lift an eyebrow at the mention of rufus in a cooking class, though. it's hard for tseng to imagine, if only because he's known rufus for so long and has never really known the other man to be interested in the kitchen—but then again, it wouldn't be like rufus to not want to be good at everything, so in a way it also makes sense. ]
You were? [ he makes a noise of amusement. ] I hope he wasn't hard to get along with. He's a good man, but difficult to get to know.
I know him and I are both aware of it. It's easy to fall back into that familiar framework, but it's something we'll have to navigate together.
[ she knows they'll figure it out. neuvillette has never abused his position and power in all his centuries of existence, and she knows he cares about fontaine and her citizens.
but anyway. humor colors her expression, a little wry as she shakes her head. ]
I once served as the bodyguard to our nation's Archon. I'm used to it. [ not that furina and rufus are exactly the same, but they're somewhat aligned. sort of. ] We were making brownies that day and he asked me to gather the ingredients. Of course, our work station was situated on the opposite end of the classroom, which meant that I had to wade through an orgy to get to the eggs.
You did? [ lore drop! tseng has gleaned many things about clorinde from their time together, but there are still gaps in his understanding. he knows that she's a wonderful swordsman, but has never completely understood how exactly she won those skills. ] That doesn't surprise me, you have the skills for it.
[ by now a little more relaxed, tseng leans against the back of the couch, turning his body so he can face her more fully. he draws one knee up, tucks his foot under the opposite knee. ]
An—an orgy? [ tseng laughs, disbelieving. ] I had no idea that baking was so exciting for some people.
[ he has to agree, though, better clorinde than rufus... if only because he'd probably start making acerbic commentary about the orgy participants' form, while at least clorinde can focus enough to get a job done. ]
Mm. My master raised me with those skills since I was very young. Not specifically for the purpose of becoming a bodyguard, I don't think, but... perhaps she knew that it would be a path that I'd eventually take.
[ but who can really say? petronilla had left her life years ago and clorinde can now only speculate as to her reasons why. maybe she'll never know, but that's fine. in some ways, it may be for the better. her purpose remains unchanged, despite her time in the resort. ]
If I were to guess, it may have been less about the baking for them and more for the appeal of doing so in that setting. [ now that her and tseng have fucked in his office, she kind of understands. ] But they were fine. The recipe was simple, and we didn't have much difficulty aside from obtaining the ingredients.
I understand. I've told you before that I'm a bodyguard of sorts myself, haven't I?
[ another point they have in common: tseng, too, was trained into this role by someone who is no longer part of his life. well, clorinde saw how that ended, didn't she, in blood and brains on the ground when tseng chose his turks over his loyalty to his mentor. the memory is a sour one, but it's easier to endure in the company of someone who both knows the stakes and understands why tseng had to do what he did. ]
I suppose I can understand that. [ tseng, too, now thinking fondly of fucking clorinde in "his" office. ] I'm glad they turned out well, though. Does this mean you'll make them for me one day?
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[ he shrugs, and with his free hand gestures in a way that tries to encompass the entire nature of a relationship and the things that define it. ]
It's hard to stay boss and subordinate when there's nothing here to be the boss of.
[ here, outside of fontaine, where there's no court system for neuvillette to rule over and no law for clorinde to uphold, maybe they can stop being iudex and champion duelist and just be friends.
he does lift an eyebrow at the mention of rufus in a cooking class, though. it's hard for tseng to imagine, if only because he's known rufus for so long and has never really known the other man to be interested in the kitchen—but then again, it wouldn't be like rufus to not want to be good at everything, so in a way it also makes sense. ]
You were? [ he makes a noise of amusement. ] I hope he wasn't hard to get along with. He's a good man, but difficult to get to know.
no subject
[ she knows they'll figure it out. neuvillette has never abused his position and power in all his centuries of existence, and she knows he cares about fontaine and her citizens.
but anyway. humor colors her expression, a little wry as she shakes her head. ]
I once served as the bodyguard to our nation's Archon. I'm used to it. [ not that furina and rufus are exactly the same, but they're somewhat aligned. sort of. ] We were making brownies that day and he asked me to gather the ingredients. Of course, our work station was situated on the opposite end of the classroom, which meant that I had to wade through an orgy to get to the eggs.
[ honestly, better she did than rufus. ]
no subject
[ by now a little more relaxed, tseng leans against the back of the couch, turning his body so he can face her more fully. he draws one knee up, tucks his foot under the opposite knee. ]
An—an orgy? [ tseng laughs, disbelieving. ] I had no idea that baking was so exciting for some people.
[ he has to agree, though, better clorinde than rufus... if only because he'd probably start making acerbic commentary about the orgy participants' form, while at least clorinde can focus enough to get a job done. ]
Did they turn out? The brownies.
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[ but who can really say? petronilla had left her life years ago and clorinde can now only speculate as to her reasons why. maybe she'll never know, but that's fine. in some ways, it may be for the better. her purpose remains unchanged, despite her time in the resort. ]
If I were to guess, it may have been less about the baking for them and more for the appeal of doing so in that setting. [ now that her and tseng have fucked in his office, she kind of understands. ] But they were fine. The recipe was simple, and we didn't have much difficulty aside from obtaining the ingredients.
no subject
[ another point they have in common: tseng, too, was trained into this role by someone who is no longer part of his life. well, clorinde saw how that ended, didn't she, in blood and brains on the ground when tseng chose his turks over his loyalty to his mentor. the memory is a sour one, but it's easier to endure in the company of someone who both knows the stakes and understands why tseng had to do what he did. ]
I suppose I can understand that. [ tseng, too, now thinking fondly of fucking clorinde in "his" office. ] I'm glad they turned out well, though. Does this mean you'll make them for me one day?