featherduster | ( limelight ) overflow

Still...

[ He looks away, the next part hesitant. Like he's not sure if he should give voice to it. ]

I've wondered a few times-- whether Charon would be disgusted by 'Aloe,' compared to the man he knows. He was... better.

[he gives it the visible thought Aloe seems to think it deserves, even though he knows the answer]

The truth is that “Charon” was much worse than “Aloe,” in many ways. Don’t—tell me I’m being too hard on him this time. He knew exactly what he was and he wanted to be what he was.

[ He doesn't argue the point, since he doesn't actually disagree ]

Maybe, but... he fell in love with someone very unlike himself. That couldn't be an accident.

[ He shrugs, a little lopsided since Frost still has his hand ]

It doesn't matter now. It's just- something I think about, sometimes.

You’re not as different from “Minuet” as you think, either. And “Charon” is as greedy as I am.

Rather than being disgusted, he’d just want both.

[ That startles a laugh out of him ]

That's comforting, actually.

I guess it might be.

He’s a lot less of a coward than me, about wanting things like that.

[ A small smile ]

I think you've been pretty brave, in-between a couple fits of cowardice.

Trying to unlearn bad habits.

[a tiny quirk of his mouth]

Now you don’t have to worry about Charon’s opinion, at least.

Edited 2025-05-20 02:48 (UTC)

Mm. Only yours.

I want them both, too.

As much as I can have, I want it.

I'd say you've already succeeded at that.

[Frost’s breath hitches, visibly]

And you? What do you want?

[ He looks surprised ]

It's not obvious?

I don’t…want to make any more assumptions about anything. Even if it seems obvious.

[ He sets the drink aside so he can loop his arm with Frost's ]

Well, I want all three.

Thankfully, as you've said, all three are right here. As long as they'll have me, anyway.

[he gets very fluffy (literal)

fidgets for a moment, then picks something out of his pocket, puts it around Aloe’s wrist one-handed, and draws it snug]

[ ,

Lifts his wrist to inspect it like ???? ]

[it’s a near-perfect replica of the thin collar from the one performance, looped twice around his wrist like a black leather bracelet.

the silver banding on the scale marks it as one of Frost’s actual ones and not the scenario dragon’s though]

[

He turns very red suddenly ]

This is...

[slightly stifled]

I was going to wait. But.

[ He disentangles his arm from Frost's, but only so he can gently run his flesh-and-blood fingers over the edges of the scale ]

You must have done this once we disembarked...?

[he’s slowly going pinker and pinker]

It was—an impulse. I passed a—well, anyway, I commissioned a pair.

[ Looking up at him intently ]

What's on yours?

[he takes it out to show him; there’s a little silver tag shaped like a feather on it, but]

…a placeholder. I thought I’d ask for one of yours later, or…whatever you felt was appropriate.

[ A small smile

And a feathery tendril appears from his forearm, hooking itself toward Frost invitingly ]

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