forgingfires | Labythrinum Inbox

"Oh." That.

That made yes, actually. She did want to wine and dine him and he had made it clear he wanted to be wined and dined before he would put out.

He. May not pick up she actually wants to date properly.

But no, no, now it made sense. "I suppose that's fair," he said, pausing a moment, the blush getting worse. "I just! Didn't expect it so fast!" And it definitely wasn't because he absolutely did not expect it at all.

Was it fast? Night Sky's sense of time was still off after going between the forest, faerie, and back to the forest again before she arrived in Somnius. But it had been about a week since their date and that seemed like a decent amount of time to her!

"Sorry." She said a touch sheepishly, suddenly worried she had overstepped some unspoken rule. "Is there like some... demon royal courting procedure I need to follow or something?" If there was she probably already broke it by kissing him multiple times but. You know.

Its fast to a demon whose centuries old who literally made his first friends a year ago.

Red Son shook his head. "No, not really. Especially when the more formal of aspects of it would require my parents being around," he said. He paused. "Except the courtnapping bit. You really should not try to jump to that step anytime soon."

"Is that an actual part of it?" She asked. She had made a joke that she would pretend to do it or something, but now she was mildly concerned. Then again, who was she to judge demon culture? "Anyway, I'll ease up if you need me to - I don't want to scare you off with my enthusiasm."

"Did you think I was joking?" Red Son asked. "Its not required, nothing in courting is truly required. Technically not even consent if you're powerful enough, but my family has always found those sorts repugnant." Love was very important in the Demon Bull Family and while political marriage wasn't necessarily a banned concept, it wasn't preferred. So anything worse than that was immediately thrown off a cliff. "That's why I burned down the homes of those attempts."

"But a proper courtnapping usually comes later on and its more like...an extremely involved proposal," he said. "You want the target to want to be there and that escape attempts are more akin to a test of commitment over a sincere attempt. If you can't tempt the target to want to stay, you're doing it wrong. Especially when that means keeping them in that case, they're weak and not even resourceful."

He paused at that question. "Well, I didn't say that," he said, looking down at the peonies, a thumb tracing delicately over a petal."

"No." She clarified, visibly grimacing at the bit about consent not even being necessary. One would assume, she supposed, given the nature of the act, but she sure didn't like it. "Good." He should have burned their homes down. Absolutely.

Night Sky looked for a clear space to sit, hopping up onto a table without too much stuff that looked breakable or expensive on it, legs dangling over the side. "So you... courtnap someone against their will, but not really if they're into it? Like if I did it to you you'd be trying to escape but I'd be trying to convince you to stay?" If this was a genuine thing he wanted, Sky would probably try it... in the most playful way possible, of course.

She chuckled. "You've got to tell me what you want, sweetness. I'm guessing here."

"That's correct. At the very least, the moment of a courtnapping should be a surprise. Get them to the secondary location before they have the chance to do anything. It shows off the ability to plan, their resolve, and being strong enough on the follow through," he said, moving over to pick up a pot to set down the flowers. He'd need to get a proper vase and water for them later. Taking a few moments to look over the stone. "And that is part of the game, yes. When a desired courtnapping happens, the idea is to show off strength, wealth, and ability. If you're capable of getting your target to where you want, keep them there, keep them healthy and content, it shows you have the ability to protect and take care of them, even if your home was under siege. If you can keep someone inside, it means you have at least some ability to keep people out."

He shrugs. "Part of loving someone is feeling secure with them. At least, that was always my thought if I was to courtnap someone. The nicest room with the finest silks with the most exquisite jewelry with the most delicious food. Books and poetry and tools for whatever hobbies they have," he said and chuckles. "And their own squadron of bull clones to wait on them hand and foot and probably the modern entertainment, depending how much they kept up with mortal advancements. I wouldn't want them to doubt for a moment that I thought they were the most valuable thing in the room because all of that would be freely offered. And I would do anything to keep what I treasured."

He looks up. He opens his mouth. Closes it again. Hesitates, fingers tapping on the stone. "I haven't...really thought about it," he said. A pause. "Gifts are good. I like gifts." His hair crackles. "Gifts are easy to understand."

Edited 2023-09-18 15:21 (UTC)

Described like that, Night Sky could see how it would be appealing so long as it was more or less consensual for both parties. Although she had nowhere near the means to replicate something so ideal, now that she thought about it. Strength and ability, maybe, but if she genuinely considered this strategy to try and win him over, she would have to spend a lot of shards on some arbitrary things just to make it all look good. Not that she was unwilling to try, really, but it seemed like a lot for what would essentially be playacting.

She crossed her leg over the other, leaned back a little with her palms set behind her. "I wouldn't mind getting courtnapped by you if that was the case." She teased, "I guess I better start taking proper notes though, just in case."

"It's carnelian, by the way. I'm sure you knew that." He was smart, he probably did. "I can keep bringing you gifts then, like your own personal crow." She smiled.

Edited 2023-09-18 15:32 (UTC)

Quite honestly? Its generally a good idea to do things one's own way over Red Son's way because he's an overdramatic peacock who doesn't know how to do things by half. In truth, he doesn't really except that from other people. He wouldn't scoff at wealth, but he didn't find himself genuinely impressed with it.

He may have been born a prince, but his spirit was that of a maker. It was why he was so quick to pursue the blacksmith idea. He needs to be doing something. He would go insane if he was pampered longterm.

"I would be an excellent suitor," Red Son said with a grin. "Plus, I'm kind of a cheat. I know far too many ways to escape things, if I couldn't brute force my way, I would have to be thoroughly charmed to be kept anywhere."

He hummed. "The stone courage, endurance, energy, leadership, and motivation. Its a good gem," he said. "It is charming," he said, studying the stone for a few moments more, before moving over to set it on a book on a table. The same one is was sketching on before. He sets the Moonflowers nearby for further study.

"I kind of figured you would be hard to pin down, but I'm not unwilling to try." In every sense of the word, apparently.

Charming. She'd take it. At least her gifts had pleased him - she was worried for a second there that he wouldn't like them which, while not completely devastating, would have hurt her feelings a little bit. "Are you going to kick me out now, or do I get to enjoy the show a little more? Also, you should really take a break even without the drugs. Do you hydrate enough?" Does he need to???

"Hm, you do love your challenge," Red Son said with a nod. "Its an admirable trait."

"I generally don't need to hydrate much. I don't really sweat that often," he said. It wasn't impossible, but its usually from nerves or he's doing something real dangerous. So he doesn't really need to drink too often. "You can enjoy the show, but I'm hardly tired. I rather have things done and rest for longer than to stop in the middle all the time."

...its the hyperfocus tendencies.

Night Sky preened. She had an admirable trait. Who knew.

"Do you eat enough? I'm not trying to lecture you, for the record, I just want to make sure because you're putting an awful lot of work into this castle thing." And she knew workaholics could... forget basic needs sometimes.

She hummed. "I've got nothing better to do and you are very nice to look at, so. I can stay until you're ready for a break. Then maybe we can go hang out in the garden or something."

"I may skip lunch, but never lunch nor dinner," Red Son said. "It was a rule for my family. We have breakfast together and we have dinner together. Admittedly, without them, the hours may not be the most normal, but I start and end each day with food."

When it comes to food, Red Son is fairly healthy. Its SLEEP that is the real bad habit. This is why he knew he had to have a bedroom close to his work space, because he knows if he has to travel too far TO sleep, he's just Not Going To.

"I want to get all the ventilation up. I could work in a smoke filled place, but it would be terrible for my assistant's lungs. And potentially cook her," he said, turning to pick up more secures to secure the vent.

"I could bring you lunch, if you forget." She offered. "It won't be as flavorful as the stuff you make, but it'll be something." Night Sky had a weird relationship with food. Back when she was sick, she could barely eat most days even if she wanted to, and when she did it all tasted like ash. Now, she made sure she enjoyed her meals anytime she could take them, and never wanted anyone to be without. "Do you want to have breakfast together?" Is that a weird ask? He could always say no.

Funny, because sleep was going to be her next question. "Do you sleep enough? I don't know how much a demon needs, but I assume a little." At least.

She looked up. "How long do you think that'll take? The rest of the day?"

"A simple lunch isn't a bad thing. I usually don't take as long with it, but I'd hate to wholly ignore the food either," he said. Food was an important thing for his family. It was something his father picked up for his mother, since mortal food could not compare to the Celestial Realm. But love could do a lot. And it had been the means for Red Son to try and bond with his father after his freeing.

So food? It was Important.

"If you want, though I warn you, I wake up early," he said. They do live together and it can be nice to eat with others.

There is.

A very long pause. "I don't need much sleep to function," he finally said.

Which was Very Telling.

He hums. "It could. Maybe less, depends how much things go right."

She nodded. Making a simple lunch was easy enough, and from the sound of things he wouldn't just ignore it if she showed up with something. Better than nothing.

"I don't mind." She could get up early. It's not like she had a set schedule or much to do otherwise.

Night Sky squinted at him, more or less brushing off the talk of the ventilation system now. She was willing to wait. "How long did you sleep last night?"

Definitely better than nothing. She'll probably even get a short conversation out of him, even if he's really deep in a project.

"Then...that would be nice," he said, a small sparking in his hair.

"I slept," he said. Which is, again, extremely telling. Because it wasn't A Lot.

It's more than she could have asked for, truly.

"Weird. That's not what I asked." It's, by far, the most serious Night Sky has sounded since they met.

"I'm fine. I really don't need that much sleep," he said. He is noting that though. That's...weird. Why?

Because she's concerned, you absolute dunce. "Again, not what I asked. Just tell me how long you slept and I'll be satisfied." Well. Not with the answer, probably, but in general.

There is.

A long pause.

"Maybe an hour."

"An hour?!" Okay, maybe she didn't need to shout, but that was... shocking. She expected, at worst, maybe four hours. But one? One?? "How often do you do that?"

Four hours is more his normal.

"Not that often. I just want to get this all done," he said with a sigh. "Its not like I accounted for unresolved trauma for LOCATION. Seriously, for someone who acts like he can fix every little thing and wants to act like a the biggest dog when someone is just stating objective danger facts, I wouldn't have thought a bit of lead would be the breaking point."

Night Sky hopped off the table she was on and moved closer, reaching a hand out for him, trying to get him to fully turn his attention toward her. "You can't do everything yourself, Red Son. And even if you do, you can't overwork yourself like this." A beat. "Who are you talking about? What happened?"

"I am not overworked. I know what I've reached my limits and I am far from them," Red Son said, brushing her hand away as he grabs another screw.

Its usually worse when his hands are idle and frustrated. He also knows that of himself.

"The Doctor. He's apparently utterly terrified of guns. Which I could understand to a certain degree if he wasn't constantly trying to make himself seem like he could protect everyone, everything, and assert dominance if he even suspects for a moment someone is trying to be threatening or intimidating even when they are just stating a fact without those intents. I point out I could literally wipe the village off the face of the planet in less than an hour if I wanted and he acts like that's no big deal, but someone has a metal thing that shoots out a smaller bit of metal? THAT is going to be the thing that causes chaos and anarchy? Seriously?!" At least there is a crackling in his hair before it fwooshes fully to life in his frustration, grabbing more screws to put in with a brutally quick efficiency.

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