( Her tone to this point has been humorous, past the initial lean into dramatism. Now there is a pause, and when she speaks there is something rather more serious in it. )
Nikos, you insult both Max and myself. I was joking because she is objectively very beautiful; do not suppose that I intend to cheapen our business relationship with such attentions, nor assume it of her. And hypocrisy does not suit you, my dear cousin.
[It's always the worst when Marisol takes a turn for the serious. Nikos sighs.]
Forgive me, I don't know that I've drank enough for this conversation. I thought we were still joking. So when your business partner-- [also, what, this is a terrifying thought, but putting that on hold for now] --is beautiful, we cannot joke about fucking her. When your business partner has a face like dog vomit, we can joke about fucking him. Are these the rules?
( She sighs, looks at the ceiling, and shakes her head. )
No, you... make a fine point of the hypocrisy. But I am much used to seeing ambitious women dismissed and ridiculed, and... the wealthy pigs that are useful to me, they are targets deserving of it. Max, I think she is beautiful, yes, but she is an intelligent woman. I would sooner not... scorn her as I do others. I'm sorry I got grumpy, snapdragon.
You can now hopefully remember that obviously I don't dismiss and ridicule ambitious women. I spend my spare time with you. Less intelligent as you are.
[Two bitches, that's them. Except Marisol's the bitch that is determined to ruin this conversation by asking the hard questions. He is harsh with everyone and no less harsh with himself--except for that small subset of questions that he avoids asking of himself.
Like this. Like how Marisol is, in so many ways, counter to everything. And he loves her, best of anyone he loves her, and he has to balance that against the rest of it. Or he has to not think of it, in order to get through the day.]
Certain ambition is understandable. Permissible. I have ambition.
[Tellingly lacking in the usual tones of condemnation.]
[Evenly. Even when he's speaking to Marisol over the sending crystals, he's still seeing her, in his mind's eye. He can hear movement in her tone, like he can read it in her handwriting.
It is better having these talks when they're drunk. When he's really, really drunk, he might lay his head in her lap and look up at her.]
And your ambition puts you working counter to that?
[But, because he's Nikos, and dogged to the last--]
Beauty and wealth are not your only ambitions. And if you give me another flippant adjective because you think yourself witty, I'll glue your hair to your ears.
( A MUCH PUT UPON SIGH, and perhaps he knows the expression of "I want to make an obnoxious comment but I'm holding back" that she just levelled at the crystal. )
I want to protect those dear to me, and I want to be someone with the power to make the world better. I want mages not to be made monsters, and I want to... do more good than harm.
( And, by the way, ) If you or Kostos come near my hair with glue or tree sap or anything ever again I'll take your hands.
[Unseen, to himself, safe from Marisol: Nikos smiles. He loves his cousin. He doesn't say it to her, and will not say it to her, trusts instead that she knows it of him.
This is why. She's capricious, in her way, imperious and passionate about matters both trivial and inconsequential--but passionate about the right things, too. Scratch her pretty surface and there is steel beneath. Gold-plated, but true, and he trusts that more than anything.
Which means that he avoids responding to that part for the moment, lest he appear too full of feeling.]
If Kostos comes near your hair, why do my hands pay the price? Can't you tell us apart?
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2018-11-02 06:20 am (UTC)Nikos, you insult both Max and myself. I was joking because she is objectively very beautiful; do not suppose that I intend to cheapen our business relationship with such attentions, nor assume it of her. And hypocrisy does not suit you, my dear cousin.
no subject
Date: 2018-11-02 01:45 pm (UTC)Forgive me, I don't know that I've drank enough for this conversation. I thought we were still joking. So when your business partner-- [also, what, this is a terrifying thought, but putting that on hold for now] --is beautiful, we cannot joke about fucking her. When your business partner has a face like dog vomit, we can joke about fucking him. Are these the rules?
no subject
Date: 2018-11-10 07:11 am (UTC)No, you... make a fine point of the hypocrisy. But I am much used to seeing ambitious women dismissed and ridiculed, and... the wealthy pigs that are useful to me, they are targets deserving of it. Max, I think she is beautiful, yes, but she is an intelligent woman. I would sooner not... scorn her as I do others. I'm sorry I got grumpy, snapdragon.
no subject
Date: 2018-11-12 04:23 am (UTC)[Smooth correction.]
You can now hopefully remember that obviously I don't dismiss and ridicule ambitious women. I spend my spare time with you. Less intelligent as you are.
no subject
Date: 2018-11-12 08:35 am (UTC)And then she laughs a little bit. )
Now who is being bitchy?
( Marisol is quiet for a moment, when she has to ask: ) Does ambition go against everything you believe in? Am I inherently counter to your values?
no subject
Date: 2018-11-12 03:05 pm (UTC)[Two bitches, that's them. Except Marisol's the bitch that is determined to ruin this conversation by asking the hard questions. He is harsh with everyone and no less harsh with himself--except for that small subset of questions that he avoids asking of himself.
Like this. Like how Marisol is, in so many ways, counter to everything. And he loves her, best of anyone he loves her, and he has to balance that against the rest of it. Or he has to not think of it, in order to get through the day.]
Certain ambition is understandable. Permissible. I have ambition.
[Tellingly lacking in the usual tones of condemnation.]
no subject
Date: 2018-11-13 12:53 am (UTC)( Should she be worried about this conversation.
No, surely not - she also wants to make the world better. Reshape it. She just wants to be able to do that while leading. Is that wrong? )
no subject
Date: 2018-11-13 05:05 am (UTC)[Evenly. Even when he's speaking to Marisol over the sending crystals, he's still seeing her, in his mind's eye. He can hear movement in her tone, like he can read it in her handwriting.
It is better having these talks when they're drunk. When he's really, really drunk, he might lay his head in her lap and look up at her.]
And your ambition puts you working counter to that?
i hope you like stale tags
Date: 2018-12-02 10:29 am (UTC)i LOVE stale tags mmmm
Date: 2018-12-02 10:04 pm (UTC)so cronchy
Date: 2018-12-03 01:54 am (UTC)( A moment of consideration, )
And also to get toucans to go with the flamingoes.
no subject
Date: 2018-12-03 05:10 am (UTC)Oh, fuck off.
no subject
Date: 2018-12-03 07:46 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-12-05 04:27 am (UTC)[But, because he's Nikos, and dogged to the last--]
Beauty and wealth are not your only ambitions. And if you give me another flippant adjective because you think yourself witty, I'll glue your hair to your ears.
no subject
Date: 2018-12-08 09:22 am (UTC)I want to protect those dear to me, and I want to be someone with the power to make the world better. I want mages not to be made monsters, and I want to... do more good than harm.
( And, by the way, ) If you or Kostos come near my hair with glue or tree sap or anything ever again I'll take your hands.
( THAT IS A VERY TRAUMATISING MEMORY )
no subject
Date: 2018-12-12 09:03 pm (UTC)This is why. She's capricious, in her way, imperious and passionate about matters both trivial and inconsequential--but passionate about the right things, too. Scratch her pretty surface and there is steel beneath. Gold-plated, but true, and he trusts that more than anything.
Which means that he avoids responding to that part for the moment, lest he appear too full of feeling.]
If Kostos comes near your hair, why do my hands pay the price? Can't you tell us apart?