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Re: Command Performance
Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2025 1:54 pm
by Arvælyn
“I’m not worried. Not truly… It’s just become something of a running joke at this point. His flirtatious manner and my jealousy. Perhaps being able to joke about it has eased his forgiveness after I crippled the Symphony of his friend in a bout of wrath.” Arvælyn smirked darkly,
“I don’t regret it a whit. I got what I wanted. The offending party is out of our lives and Finn is well and truly mine.” His smile faded slightly, as the fire in his eyes seemed to surge.
“You will not tell him I said that.” There was weight to his voice that might have made Ciarán question whether it had been a Command, but when that moment passed the prince’s smile returned to its prior ease.
“Look at that, frater! You have made of me a confidante. Perhaps you aren’t so poor at forging friendships, after all. I certainly feel closer to you after prevailing upon you to donate a few hours of your private time to dine with me.” He paused,
“At any rate, we must work on that for you. It is a terrible thing to feel alone in a crowd and I would not have it thus for you.” He glanced askance, as if looking at something on the wall but there was nothing out of the ordinary if Ciarán followed his eye line.
“Your assessment is complete. A report is being drawn up for your review. It should be complete by the time we finish dessert… did you still want to take me out on the town, if we aren’t comatose from the food and wine?” He smiled as he took a savouring sip of the latter.
Re: Command Performance
Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2025 1:09 pm
by Finn
Blue eyes went gloriously wide with surprise and, eventually, a touch of trepidation. Ciarán tried to set it aside. At first, he had thought it a joke. Then, he wondered whether he was commanded to silence or
Commanded to silence. While he joked to Finn about his elder brother now being capable of winning any argument, he knew his brother wouldn't.
While he understood that expediency was necessary in politics, he wasn't sure it had a place in a healthy relationship. Then again, Finn's marriage was political because his husband was a political animal. Now, the whole family was tied into that, Ciarán not the least.
But Arry moved the conversation right along, and so he was distracted. Perhaps he would ponder it all later, perhaps not. He was young and not always so thoughtful as his elder brother.
His smile went somewhere between affable and sheepish. He did want friends, but he didn't know how to find like-minded people, nor had he really developed any hobbies or interests outside of what the party crowd shared and he wasn't sure that was enough of a foundation for a true friendship. But perhaps Kenofer would become something akin to a friend when Ciarán wasn't abysmal as a stand-in senator, or perhaps he would make friends in the pursuit of magic.
"Thanks, Arry. I..."
He trailed off as the prince's attention went obviously elsewhere. Then his eyes widened once more.
"Oh. Well, that'll be something to hear. And..." He put his hand to his belly, considering. "If dessert doesn't usher in a food coma and as long as they don't ruin the mood saying I've a talent for something lame like minor mending, we should still go out."
