in which bella does not have long to think of something

[subtly_artistic]

There are more elves now. They're impatient. They ran off Bella's escort with private whispers Bella didn't hear, Bella's subtle arts are jammed again, and they're faster than she is.

Where is she -

Celo's there, there are more elves now but maybe there's someone with him or he can put Bella where he puts his stuff or something -

And this is how Bella runs headlong into the outdoor session of Mixed Melee with seventeen armed elves chasing her, and spots Callahan, and has an even better idea.

"MY WARRANTY," she screams at the top of her overtaxed lungs, "IS AT RISK!"

Comments

[subtly_artistic]

"We were over that subject a few minutes ago," Bella points out.

[pythbox]

"Yeah?" he says. "It's not like I have exactly one thing I do because I like you and nothing else is ever about that."

[subtly_artistic]

"All right," laughs Bella, shaking her head. She takes another candied orange section.

[pythbox]

Mm, candied orange.



His sappy looks now come with an added layer of shyness.

[subtly_artistic]

"And now you look all - tentative. Like you met me five minutes ago and don't know if we're going to get along yet."

[pythbox]

He grins and looks down at his candied orange segment. "Yeah, you caught me."

[subtly_artistic]

"But we did not meet five minutes ago and have been getting along for a while now," she points out. "So where's that coming from?"

[pythbox]

Celo takes a deep breath.

"...Wow, how do people do this?" he wonders plaintively. "I mean - when you say you like me. What does that... mean?"

[subtly_artistic]

"You're the sort of person I'll happily have a picnic with?" says Bella confused. "I like your company, I like your food, I like how you rescued me from mad elves - what do you mean, 'how do people do this'?"

[pythbox]

"I - never mind, I guess," he says, shaking his head.

[subtly_artistic]

"But now I'm curious."

[pythbox]

"...I thought... I don't know," he says, crushing the orange slice in his hand and hugging his knees. "I'm just. Confused? Fuck." He opens his hand, looks at the crushed piece of candied orange, slurps it off his palm, and chews on it, wrapping his arms around his knees again.

[subtly_artistic]

"Well - what about, though? Are you okay?"

[pythbox]

"I'll be fine," he sighs.

[subtly_artistic]

"...You sure?"

[pythbox]

He nods.

[subtly_artistic]

"If you ever want to tell me you can. I'm your friend."

Are those truffles? Those are totally truffles. Nom.

[pythbox]

The truffle is delicious.

Celo smiles wryly.

"Yeah, that's kind of - okay," he says, "you remember when I was joking about you dating me...?"

[subtly_artistic]

"...Yes?"

[pythbox]

"If I... hypothetically started talking about it again," he says, "I would hypothetically not be joking."

[subtly_artistic]

"...Are you just... warning me not to take it as a joke if you hypothetically did that, or are those hypotheticallies for decoration?"

[pythbox]

"They're kind of for plausible deniability?" he says. "I get the impression that plays a pretty big part in the early stages of human courtship."

[subtly_artistic]

"Are you hoping to court me?"

[pythbox]

He squirms a little.

"Maybe," he says, in a way that clearly and obviously means yes.

[subtly_artistic]

"You can skip the plausible deniability. I'm a human, but ask me if I care."