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[notsonewbie]

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derringers#1225

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ABOUT ME

Meryl Stryfe, at your service!

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you know what this is

[wildwarden]

( It's so weird right? How there definitely weren't intricately woven together vines trailing from the base of the castle to Meryl's window a few moments ago, and yet suddenly there were. It was also super weird that Night Sky was climbing them up to said window, and hoisting herself into the opening to peer into Meryl's room.

Please don't shoot her. )

[notsonewbie]

[Lucky for both of them, Meryl has her gun far from her right now. The castle is secure enough that she doesn't feel a need for it. The second she spots those vines, however, she finds herself on edge. It's just as likely that they're an arbiter of bad things to come as they are just her girlfriend coming through the window.

Which... Also startles her, for that matter.]

Sky?! [She shrinks back at first, before warily taking a step forward.]

That's you, right?

[wildwarden]

Hi, sweet thing. ( Perched in the window like a fucking gargoyle is probably... alarming. Night Sky at least has clothes on because it's still fucking cold, so at least if someone saw her, Meryl wouldn't have to be mortified by that aspect? You're welcome? )

Looks like I caught you. ( Just going to... slide into the room properly now. )

[notsonewbie]

[It would be, if not for the fact that said Gargoyle is very obviously her girlfriend. Thankfully, when Meryl backs away this time, it's part of the bit and not her actually being afraid.]

Funny! I don't feel very caught.

[wildwarden]

( Night Sky laughed and took a step toward her, making a very half-assed attempt to grab at her arm when she was close enough. Might as well play around while they had the time, right? )

Oh, come on, Meryl. You're not going to make me chase you through the castle, are you?

[notsonewbie]

[Thankfully, Meryl doesn't put up much of a fight. Fun as running through the castle might sound, she doesn't necessarily want to attract that much attention to the two of them.

Instead, she flops almost dramatically right into Night Sky's arms. She flutters her lashes upward, very cheeky.]

Guess you caught me.

[wildwarden]

( Night Sky shifted her weight to catch her, chuckling as she dipped her dramatically and planted a kiss to her lips. ) Certainly helps when my target falls right into my arms. Not that I'm complaining - although wrapping you up in my vines might have been fun...

[notsonewbie]

[Close as they are, Night Sky will definitely feel a little shiver from Meryl. Is it being dipped, the kiss, or the idea of the vines? We'll never know.]

Well, how could I resist? [She leans up to steal a kiss of her own.] It's good to see you.

[wildwarden]

( Sky wants to know!!!

But this was fine for now. Night Sky happily kissed her again and raised them both up, an arm still around Meryl's waist while she took in the room properly. She hadn't exactly been in the mood to examine it all last time. ) it's good to see you too. I miss you every day we're not together, you know.

[notsonewbie]

[The room, though big, is pretty sparsely decorated. The desk in the room has the most adornments, in that it's heaped with both books and notebooks. A few different pens are also scattered throughout the desk as well.]

I need to make a point of visiting you more often, then. Can't have you going without.

[wildwarden]

( An unsurprising detail, knowing Meryl. Night Sky squeezed her hip gently and turned her attention back down to her with a smile.)

I'd like that. You should meet Red Son too, if you want. Feels like you should at least see each other once, you know?

[notsonewbie]

I agree. I've been meaning to get to know him but...

[She motions just a little vaguely. Opening up her business and trying to get the first newsletter out had been a bit distracting.]

Soon, I promise.

[wildwarden]

( Night Sky snorted and leaned in to kiss the top of Meryl's head. )

You're busy, I get it. Seems I have a type - both workaholics focused on their businesses while I laze around all day. ( she was teasing. She didn't mind. ) Could always put in a request for a weapon at the forge, if you need one. That'll get his attention.

[notsonewbie]

[That draws a snort of her.]

Me, with a weapon? I don't think so. [She shakes her head.] Unless he knows how to make guns but - no, probably not even then.

[She'll figure out another way. Eventually, at least. For now though, more GF smooches, please and thank you!]

[wildwarden]

He does, actually. Something to keep in mind, I guess. ( Hopefully they could find some common ground. Her worst fear was that they wouldn't get along for some reason or another.

But anyway- Night Sky pressed her fingertips under Meryl's chin to urge her to tip her head back. ) but I'm here now, and you have me all to yourself in your room. May as well make the most of it, right?

[scads]

( he might not be able to say it out loud — not yet — but he does think she's pretty, in a way that he's never really found himself looking at a human before. she's small, but she isn't delicate, she has a strong heart and a strong soul, and he understands immediately why his brother would be so drawn to her. why he would be so hell-bent on making sure nothing happens to her.

he may as well count himself among those that want to protect her, now. as tentative as their friendship is, he's decided that much. whether she knows it or not.

maybe he'll just keep it to himself for the time being. what she doesn't know won't hurt her.

he hums quietly under his breath, in the back of his throat as she hides the bottom half of her face behind her mug. ) Pretty feisty one. ( he finishes, and yes, there is emphasis on that first word, but it could just mean … that she's pretty feisty. he'll leave that up to her to decide. )

[notsonewbie]

Maybe! [It isn't that she doesn't want to reach out, she just can't imagine replacing the gun that she has. Though maybe a second wouldn't be so bad. Or a third. One could never be too prepa-

— wait, what was she thinking about? The second those fingers press beneath her chin, Meryl's thoughts scatter to the four corners of Somnius.]

Right - right. Absolutely. [Her lashes flutter, just a little dreamy.] Did you have something in mind?

[wildwarden]

( Meryl was truly the only person who had ever looked at her like that, and every time she did, Night Sky felt like her heart was going to burst right out of her chest. )

I have a lot of things in mind... ( All of them wicked, if her grin was anything to go by.

But then, she seemed to hesitate, fingers curling under Meryl's chin and her expression shifting into something more... nervous. ) Can I tell you something first, actually?

[notsonewbie]

[Though the way her lips part at that addendum is obfuscated by the mug, the widening of her eyes is not. It lasts only a second, before they narrow just slightly. There's a certain focus in her gaze, one she holds as tries to map out exactly what he'd just said. Had there been emphasis there? Or was it simply in her head. She tries to find the answer on his face, but finds nothing.

Not that it keeps the tips of her ears from warming instinctively all the same though.]

We can - go with that. [She gives no indication one way or another, merely agrees with him in the most mild of ways. She immediately tries to cover it up with another sip but... alas. All of her panicked sipping has left her mug empty.

Which means there's nothing to keep her from saying something absolutely stupid.]

And what are we meant to refer to you as? Handsomely cryptic?

[notsonewbie]

[Meryl's expression softens. She can't exactly pull away, nor does she want to. She does, however, soften her gaze from whatever spicy thoughts she might have been having.]

You can tell me anything.

[wildwarden]

( Be it far from Night Sky to skip over a spicy scene for the sake of a heartfelt conversation. But this one wasn't bad, truly, and really might spice things up even more if Meryl didn't think it was weird.)

Let's sit. ( She kissed her forehead once, leaned back and took her hand so they could walk to the bed together and sit down. If she stayed standing, Night Sky's knees might give out. )

I don't remember if I ever told you about my people - or, I guess. More specifically a tradition my people have, and how important names are.

[notsonewbie]

[Meryl does as she's told, folding one knee beneath her and then patting the bed beside her. She keeps her gaze trained intently on Night Sky, waiting for whatever it is that needs to be said. The topic brought up is... mostly unfamiliar to her, so she finds herself shaking her head.]

I don't think it's come up. But I'm listening now.

[And just as an added reassurance, she squeezes Sky's hand, just emphasize the point.]

[wildwarden]

It usually doesn't come up, because I don't trust people enough to tell them. ( Sylvan names were well kept secrets. Everyone that had ever known hers back home had been dead for centuries, and she had never told anyone when she was in Faerie. There was, of course, Red Son now, who had learned when her fears had manifested months ago and she unconsciously let him hear it. But she trusted him, knew he could keep it secret, wanted him to know it.

And she felt all of that with Meryl, too.

Night Sky laced their fingers together and ran her thumb absently across the other woman's knuckles. )

So. Sylvan Elves have two names. Our public names are like the one you know - Night Sky, Frost Hand, Fletcher, things like that. But we also have private names. It's an old tradition, back when fey were even more of a problem, and it's less about not having it stolen so much as it is a symbol of who we trust the most. Only family and close friends and partners know our private names. People we love and know they won't hurt us with it.

( she felt herself shaking. No doubt Meryl did, then.) I want to tell you mine. I don't know what's going to happen here- if one day one of us wakes up and we're gone, or, I don't know- I just want you to know it. But if it's too much, if it's too soon- I understand.

[notsonewbie]

[This is a culture nearly beyond Meryl's understanding. She'd listened intently when it came up, but there was so much beyond her ken. It felt like even years of learning would do little to bridge that gap But that's all the more reason to listen with rapt attention, gaze locked on Night Sky as she takes in what information is given to her. Whatever is about to happen, Meryl may not understand everything, but she at least knows the gravity of the situation.]

Are you sure? I - [Her smile wobbles just a little.] It's not that I don't want to know. I'd be honored. I just want to be sure that you're, well... Sure about it.

[She underlines this by lifting Night Sky's hand and kissing the back of it.]

[wildwarden]

I am sure. ( She trusted Meryl, she knew that much for certain. And it was better that she tell her now while they were safe and alone and happy in her bedroom; unhindered. No threat of death lingered, and no one else - especially not her subconscious- could steal the moment from her. )

You're so important to me. ( her cheeks flushed, fingers flexing in Meryl's grip. ) Just promise me you'll keep it secret. Right now, only Red Son knows it, and no others should ever hear it spoken. Can you swear that to me?