[PRP] Cousinly Love (Bastion/Nergui)

[Nio Love]

Bastion arrived noisily. He barely managed to stay standing as he tumbled into the room, breathing a sigh of relief when he saw his cousin had returned. "Oh thank Medea, you're home." He whispered hoarsely, dropping down to his knees at her feet. He pressed his head against her knee, and remained there, catching his breath. "Are you all right? Where have you been? Are you alone? Do you have a skellyphone?"

One of these questions was not like the others.

Beejoux

 

[Nio Love]

"Oh, good. So glad to hear it." The relief that went through him was palpable, and he pushed himself up to sit beside her, wrapping an arm around her waist and holding her in a loose hug. "I was worried, you know. I came here last night, and you were not here. I stayed for quite a while. I even borrowed a few things. I hope you don't mind." The meager clothing he'd borrowed was still on his body as he spoke of it. "It's as if you knew I was coming. Did you? Terrible Noni, always one step ahead of her cousin."

He leaned in and kissed her cheek. "But thank you. It was well appreciated."

And then the topic of the skellyphone had him all jittery again. "Yes, ah, it's a little device, the little ones use it to call one another and send them pictures." He sounded especially excited about the pictures aspect. "Will you help me acquire one? Please, it's so very important. I need one right now."

Beejoux

 

[Nio Love]

"Awuhhh.. it is an.. important social tool!" He wrung his hands out nervously. "You said you wanted me to get out more often, and I am.. ahah.. certainly doing that. But let us forget reasons, and talk more of acquisition. Where might I be able to get one? Is there a box of them somewhere that we might barter for one?"

He hadn't seen much in the way of merchants in Halloween, so he had no idea how one 'got' anything, anymore. He bartered with other jewelcrafters for his raw materials, but none of them had ever had anything resembling a skellyphone in their wares.

"You're not busy, are you? I'm quite adamant about getting one tonight." He stood up off the bed, and started to pace the room. After a minute, he stopped, forcing his face to look as nonchalant as possible. "Say, cousin, I am idly curious. What say you about the little ones? The students, those creatures at the nearby school? Have you formed an opinion on them as of yet?"  

[Nio Love]

"The MAUL!" Bastion cried out in victory. "Let us venture forth to the MAUL!"

He had no idea what that meant.

He was at the door instantly, holding it open for his cousin despite whether she was actually ready to leave or not. He shut it closed rather hard when she gave him her opinion, assumptions and all. Black skin flushed with color at the implications, and he put both of his hands up immediately to refute it. "Now, cousin, I simply wondered curiously! I have not taken any fancies! No fancies were taken! Absolutely no fancies have been acquired, I was - I mean, I have been reaching out to others, expanding my horizons, that is all! I wished to be alone no longer.."

That last sentence had been said a little too raw, a little too genuinely, and he was quick to take it back. "B-but that does not mean I'm.. I'm.. plucking young fruit!"

His face had never been redder.

Beejoux

 

[Nio Love]

Bastion stared at the open door for a moment, and then slumped in defeat. "Nooonniiii," He whined, slugging his way out the door and keeping his head down. "I insist that anything you're thinking is a far cry from reality. I did not leave my solitude just to find myself weeping over another female's rejections." His head lifted, and he adjusted his vest nervously, before a very helpless little expression of doting flickered across his face. "But if you must know, her name is Sophie. I think I shall call her Sophia, if she accepts it. And I will escort her to her promenade. Nothing more." The seriousness in his face returned when he looked at his cousin. "Nothing. More."

Beejoux

 

[Nio Love]

Bastion breathed a very long sigh of relief, and wrapped his cousins arm around his, looping it. He patted her hand, and together they walked, though he had to let her lead as he had no idea where they were going.

But the topic of Sophie came up once more, and he had to remind himself that Noni was just curious, and had already accepted his adamant stance on the topic. So, it gave him the freedom to be honest; something he could only ever do with Noni. Honesty was a feature hard earned from the horseman - his cousin had always been the only one to receive it from him.

"If I were another man, I would tell you such wondrous things about the impression she left on me. She is beautiful, of course, unmatched in my humble opinion. But that is oft irrelevant. You would adore her, she is a soft and gentle flower. Very humble, and quiet. And yes, sweet." His lips turned up in a fond smile as he remembered. "Very, very sweet. Kind. A pure heart. Ah, so very pure, Noni." He patted her hand again. "And I am not the stallion to change that." He was very adamant about his intentions. Sophie would remain safe in his hands.

Beejoux

 

[Nio Love]

"-And she is a craftswoman, she creates with her hands as well!" On, and on, he went. "She is a seamstress. She says she wants to create my attire for the promenade herself, and has already taken my measurements-" Did his face just turn red? It was hard to tell, and he didn't stop talking. "-And began designing there in front of me. I'm sure it will be spectacular." A short sigh, and he smiled proudly. "A craftswoman, Noni. What luck."

He blinked, turning to look at his cousin. "Is Soren escorting you to this event?" There might have been a little suspicion in his voice when he asked, but he kept himself in check.