phaselocknroll | Shenanigans!

[ He swallows, and he starts to nod. ] Yeah, I'm...

[ But he trails off, and after thinking for a moment, he shakes his head and risks a sideways glance at her. ]

What I did just then. Bad idea, right?

[ She should say yes. She should end this- whatever it is- before it begins.

It's in both of their best interests that she does.

Funny how when she tells herself that, she never quite believes it. ]

I... I wouldn't have let you kiss me if I didn't want you to.

[ He smiles a little. ]

I definitely believe that. You could probably get me on breach of contract at me and light me on fire.

[ She clears her throat ]

At this point, we're both in breach of contract.

... Are we? What'd you do?

I kissed you back.

More than that, I wanted to.

[ He starts nodding again, mostly for his own benefit than her own, and then he takes a deep, rallying breath. ]

So where does that leave us?

That is the question, isn't it?

We could probably let this one incident slide and proceed as normal. Or we could... not.

[ The words come out before he realizes he's speaking them, tinged with a touch of wariness and a dash of resentment: ] You would lose out on your payment.

[ That tone of voice stings, and she wonders if this is wise. Even now he doesn't trust her. ] What if I don't care about the payment?

[ He knows as soon as he's said it that it was a mistake, but a small, petty side of him thinks, She started it.

He immediately stomps on that petty voice. Bad enough he's got the shitty, paranoid Ravager part of his conscious to contend with.

Quietly, he says, ] That was a low blow. I'm sorry.

[ As for the strange state of their-- relationship, he doesn't have a comment. If he's honest with himself, he doesn't know what to think, except that it was just his luck that he would have feelings for a Siren, when for the longest time he didn't have an interest in anything except living long enough to see out his revenge.

And so, he's honest, though reluctantly so. ] I don't know what we should do.

I deserved it.

[ She goes quiet, and focuses for a bit on guiding him back to his makeshift bed, and lowering him gently down. ]

... I don't know, either.

[ He doesn't lie back when she helps him into ground, opts instead to lean his back against the rough wall of the cave. Less vulnerable that way.

Now that the moment is over, his good sense comes rushing back, and thoughts like mortal and demon and burden come with it. He focuses on a spot above her shoulder and plucks nervously at the material of his trousers. ]

I-- I made this complicated. [ He bites the inside of his cheek, tamping down on the urge to laugh at himself. Complicated, he thinks, is an understatement, but it suits for now. Complicated.

Not that it had been easy before, anyway, with his compulsion to trust no one, least of all anything steeped in magic; too unpredictable, the Ravagers had said, but useful in extremely small doses. A ward spell here, an alarm spell there, an arrow imbued with arcane power--

He shoves away the thought quickly.

Partners with a Siren, that was easy. And really, it was more fair to him than her, considering who had all the firepower out of the pair. Friends, had been a little different, but it seemed they were skipping that stage to go straight into-- something more. And it's this stage that's agitated it all, made everything murky and clouded.

Complicated, indeed. ]

... This is a bad idea, isn't it. [ And he's shaking his head, his voice quiet and hesitant with reluctance. ] Really bad.

[ She takes a seat next to him, drawing her knees up to her chest. "Complicated" and "bad idea" were ways to go about it, but she knows he doesn't even know the scope of it.

The most dangerous thing a Siren can do is give anyone her heart, because when she does, she's bound to them forever. No payment. No contract. It's a fine line to walk, the line between love and attraction, and she'll admit that she's barely gotten to know Peter, but she wasn't lying when she'd said she needed him.

She doesn't want to go back to the loneliness, and he's her lifeline. She's never felt for anyone what she feels for Peter, but she has no idea what that feeling is. ]

I think we're both to blame.

Maybe... but this isn't the smartest idea, is it? Me 'n'-- me and you?

[ He doesn't turn completely to her, preferring instead to continue casting her sidelong glances -- not of distrust, not anymore, but something shy and tentative. He manages, at least, a small smile. ]

Stupid's kinda what I do, though.

[ She lets out a little laugh at that. ] So I noticed.

But... for the sake of argument, what would "me and you" entail, exactly?

[ He can't help a quiet chuckle. ]

Are we forming another contract? Do I need to read another incantation to court a Siren?

[ she gives him a flat look ]

Humor me, please.

[ He deflates a little -- in all honesty, he's new at this, too -- but at least he knows the general idea, he guesses; he's not sure, exactly, what Maya knows about these types of things. ]

You 'n' me would be-- I don't know. I imagine we try the friend thing for longer, get to know each other better, since this is probably... weird, for both of us.

Then I imagine you'll suffer through a few awkward attempts of my flirtation, maybe me tryin' to sneak in another kiss or two?

[ He trails off again and awkwardly pulls a hand through his hair. His eyes wander the cave for a few seconds before he turns to her, earnest when before he was guarded. ]

I don't know where this is going to lead us, but-- spending these past couple weeks with you? They've been... great. Really great. I wouldn't give 'em up for anything. I like you, Maya, as a friend, but-- maybe more than that? I don't know. But what I do know is, I'd take that hit for you every time.

So-- so if nothing else, if romance doesn't end up being our thing, I want us to at least stay partners. Friends.

I... that seems acceptable. [ and dangerous, but... and she may regret this later, she wants to see where this goes. To see if her affections aren't misplaced. ]

Friends, then? Partners.

[ He relaxes, then, letting his weight sink against the wall. ]

Yeah, definitely.

Think we'll be seein' anymore of your old friends?

The Order? [ she frowns, leaning back against the cave wall herself ] I don't know. It's certainly possible, though I wouldn't put it past Mordo to seek revenge on his own, either.

[ He exhales a breath -- something a little softer than a sigh. ]

Scale of one to ten -- one being a walk in the park, ten being we should bury a really deep hole and hide. How worried should we be?

Ah. Well, if the Order really is after me... eight, possibly?

Eight.

[ He seems to chew this over, letting his head fall back against the rough stone. ]

... At least it's not a solid nine. That's kind where I was expecting it to be.

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