[It's funny - he's not what she would normally consider her type, as far as she knows it. But he's charming and yet ruthless in a way she finds comfortable and familiar. It's bittersweet, for with that familiarity comes a deep heartache. Semiyon is no Amamot, but she has always know the reason she feels drawn to him, once she began speaking with him regularly.
She smiles as she takes a seat alongside him - closer than usual. And she sips at her coffee, enjoying the words of thanks.]
I know I come across as heartless and cruel to most here and I admit it's deserved. But even so, I couldn't leave you there. You're not like the rest of them. So, a toast, then. To both of us.
[The closeness doesn't go unnoticed but Semiyon doesn't read much into it. Perhaps the couch didn't have ample space for her to sit at any other distance.
Regardless, he returns the spirit of the toast with a silent gesture before sipping his coffee again]
Some qualities others find difficult to properly appreciate
[That is certainly more direct, and Semiyon cannot pretend that it doesn't seem to suggest something, but he also simply finds it hard to believe that Caedra might, well, view him that way. Perhaps he is just unfamiliar with the ways of demons. Perhaps they are more openly affectionate with one another? Some are...
...After all, he himself has a penchant for cheek kisses and arm holding with friends.
So for the moment he does not wish to make a rush to judgement. So he smiles at her]
I am touched that you should think so. I must say that I return the sentiment. You have made my time in this place immensely more worthwhile.
[Is he really not getting it, or is he trying to be a gentleman? He does the latter so well that it's hard to say. Well, then - so be it. She sets her cup on the coffee table and turns halfway in her seat toward him with an eyebrow raised. Her breasts press against his arm as she slides her hand over his leg to the inside of his thigh with a playful smile.]
Semiyon. You're very charming, but you don't need to be quite so dense. I like intelligent men.
[It is a near miracle that Semiyon's cup does not go flying with the way his spine snaps straight like a whip the moment her hand drifts.
There is certainly nothing ambiguous about her intention anymore.]
C-Caedra!
[His free hand drops to gently but firmly stop hers should it think to venture any farther and his other hand moves to set down the mug of coffee before he makes a mess]
I'm afraid there's a bit of a misunderstanding
[Semiyon cants his head towards her, brows furrowed]
You are a very beautiful woman, Caedra, but I am afraid my tastes are...well...a bit different...
[His sudden reaction makes her break out into laughter. Her success rate these past few months has been lower than expected but these poor humans are so easily flustered that at least she can find some entertainment in being shut down. Some of her kind would not take rejection so casually but she doesn't seem bothered. She leaves her roaming hand where it is, trapped by his, but sits up to put her coffee down as well - luckily maintaining her grasp on the thing when he shot straight upward like that.]
Oh? Do tell, before I start guessing.
[Because she's seen it all, where she's from, and preferences among her kind, when there is a preference at all, have such a broad range. He seems slightly ashamed, too. Perhaps he likes them fat, or of a certain race, or very young. Humans seem to be concerned about all sorts of things.]
[Fine, fine, she'll withdraw her hand and just lean against him. She too enjoys casual touch and hasn't gotten nearly enough of it since coming here - but there aren't many she likes well enough to seek it out.
She is a little surprised at his explanation though, and raises an eyebrow at him, but only because that seems like such a trivial thing to her. The tanar'ri rarely have a consistent sex or gender throughout their lives if they live long enough to undergo transformation, and the most powerful among them are able to shape themselves at will. Even she can do so, for a short time.]
Right, I - oh, you poor mortals. I forgot that so many of you prefer one or the other so strongly. And some cultures actually care about which you like, isn't that right? I've heard about that.
[She shakes her head and leans forward to reclaim her coffee now that she has her hands to herself.]
Actually, I think my grandson is the same way, so you're in good company. He's such a sweet boy.
[He somehow looks years older with just those few words, his usual mirth draining from his face for a moment]
If not for that one simple fact, my life would have been very different. Humans are very fickle, we find value and meaning through defining who should not be valued and rarely stop to acknowledge that those things we are choosing to determine someone's worth are trivialities. More often than not who someone chooses to share their bed with takes priority over things like intellect and skill.
[He smiles again then, though it is strained, and lightly leans his head against hers]
It is perhaps for this reason humans progress so slowly.
[It's nice to rest against him. She clearly doesn't mind his admission at all, and even though she generally lacks the sort of empathy that these creatures associate with close contact, for her it's just pleasant to feel someone else's touch, even if it's just platonic. She's always been a very physical person.]
In most of Arneth, where I've spent a lot of time, it's perfectly acceptable for people to marry across races. Or - no, species, I think, might be the term I've heard here, to avoid confusion. I mean to say that if a dragon can fall in love with a human, why should it be any concern if two humans of the same sex want to be intimate? And elves - some of them can decide to be female one day and male the next.
[See, so it's not even just the tanar'ri who find the whole prohibition on same sex relationships sort of backward. There are some cultures that are very restrictive - dwarves, for example, she's heard they put a lot of stock in tradition and maybe they're more likely to make arbitrary bans on romance.]
I may not care much for most of your kind, Semiyon, but they're not like that everywhere in the universe.
[The more he learns of other worlds, the more he cannot help but feel stifled by the limited, narrow ways of the Earth he comes from. Perhaps, part of him wonders, that is too unfair a judgement to pass on it what, after all hadn't he had love and comfort and beauty in his life? However the other part of him just as eagerly reminds him that he's never been given much reason to feel otherwise and that that love and comfort and beauty had always come with an expiration date attached.]
So tell me, Caedra. Is there anyone of special interest to you? A partner? A husband or wife?
[She smiles a bittersweet smile at that question. It is, of course, the main reason she wants to return home so desperately. Any other tanar'ri might be content to wreak havoc here for as long as they stayed, but not her.]
We don't marry. Marriage is a contract, and my people have no interest in something so binding. I do have lovers, both here and at home, but mostly that's just for fun. There is one, however... The ruler of the portion of the Abyss where I reside, actually. He is Lord Amamot Nisariel, and I love him dearly.
[And it feels good to say so. There is so much she keeps to herself here.]
[She's mentioned the Abyss before but only now does he realize he's never actually asked if only demons reside there or if there are other beings as well.
He then shifts, expression turning more mischievous with one arched brow]
[And the fondness is evident in her voice, with how it softens at his mention. Some day - soon, if she has her way - she will be in his arms once again.
But she catches that look and giggles a little, unable to help herself.]
He's gorgeous is how. So strong, and so tall, with all of these elaborate tattoos. And he's quite young still. Full of energy and so willing to learn new things.
[The grin shifts to a smirk for a moment before she reaches for her drink to finish it off.]
[Yeah she's super smug and not afraid to show it. She leans forward to replace the now-empty cup on the table, and sweeps hair from her face as she smiles to herself.]
Normally I wouldn't mind sharing, but I don't want to overwork the poor boy. That's his one failing, really, so many other obligations he seems to think are more necessary. But he does his best to keep up.
[Her expression turns conspiratorial, eyelids lowering slightly. Let's see if she can't make him just a little more jealous - she's just so pleased with her find.]
If making sparks come from your fingertips is not magic what is it then?
[Certainly no human in Semiyon's world can do such a thing unless they were poetically referring to the using of a welding flame or a firework. But he is fairly sure Caedra would not be so impressed with those.]
Exactly! But he refuses to call it magic. There are a lot of people here, in fact, who insist everything is some form of science. They are so intent on clinging to what they know that they can't see how much they don't.
[Which she has to assume is some sort of animal self-preservation tactic that these mortals do without realizing it. A way to shield themselves against the horrors that have stalked them since the dawn of their existences. She's heard rumors, in fact, about the ones who tried to face those things head-on and went mad. It's quite possible that people had said that about her once, a very long time ago.]
I cannot speak for their worlds, but I can say that many people in my world have come to associate the idea of magic as the antithesis to hard work. Back home to say something 'happened as if by magic' is to say it happened too easily. It took no skill. So perhaps they do not like the thought of others assuming they did not work at their skills.
Magic is hard work. It's difficult to learn, and takes a lot of energy and precision to achieve. Even in places like where I come from where more of us have innate power, it's still not always done well. It takes expertise.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2018-05-24 11:42 pm (UTC)She smiles as she takes a seat alongside him - closer than usual. And she sips at her coffee, enjoying the words of thanks.]
I know I come across as heartless and cruel to most here and I admit it's deserved. But even so, I couldn't leave you there. You're not like the rest of them. So, a toast, then. To both of us.
(no subject)
Date: 2018-05-26 09:09 pm (UTC)Regardless, he returns the spirit of the toast with a silent gesture before sipping his coffee again]
Some qualities others find difficult to properly appreciate
(no subject)
Date: 2018-05-26 10:15 pm (UTC)[She sips at her drink, then turns to watch his face for a moment as she slips a hand between them and rests it on his thigh.
And notes that once again, she has consistently had to be the forward one. Are all humans this timid?]
(no subject)
Date: 2018-05-26 10:41 pm (UTC)...After all, he himself has a penchant for cheek kisses and arm holding with friends.
So for the moment he does not wish to make a rush to judgement. So he smiles at her]
I am touched that you should think so. I must say that I return the sentiment. You have made my time in this place immensely more worthwhile.
(no subject)
Date: 2018-05-26 10:57 pm (UTC)Semiyon. You're very charming, but you don't need to be quite so dense. I like intelligent men.
(no subject)
Date: 2018-05-27 04:30 pm (UTC)There is certainly nothing ambiguous about her intention anymore.]
C-Caedra!
[His free hand drops to gently but firmly stop hers should it think to venture any farther and his other hand moves to set down the mug of coffee before he makes a mess]
I'm afraid there's a bit of a misunderstanding
[Semiyon cants his head towards her, brows furrowed]
You are a very beautiful woman, Caedra, but I am afraid my tastes are...well...a bit different...
(no subject)
Date: 2018-05-27 04:44 pm (UTC)Oh? Do tell, before I start guessing.
[Because she's seen it all, where she's from, and preferences among her kind, when there is a preference at all, have such a broad range. He seems slightly ashamed, too. Perhaps he likes them fat, or of a certain race, or very young. Humans seem to be concerned about all sorts of things.]
(no subject)
Date: 2018-05-27 04:55 pm (UTC)I should think it would be fairly obvious to someone as perceptive as you
[He begins to lightly move her hand to a less precarious proximity to his groin]
I am inclined to share my bed with men.
(no subject)
Date: 2018-05-27 05:28 pm (UTC)She is a little surprised at his explanation though, and raises an eyebrow at him, but only because that seems like such a trivial thing to her. The tanar'ri rarely have a consistent sex or gender throughout their lives if they live long enough to undergo transformation, and the most powerful among them are able to shape themselves at will. Even she can do so, for a short time.]
Right, I - oh, you poor mortals. I forgot that so many of you prefer one or the other so strongly. And some cultures actually care about which you like, isn't that right? I've heard about that.
[She shakes her head and leans forward to reclaim her coffee now that she has her hands to herself.]
Actually, I think my grandson is the same way, so you're in good company. He's such a sweet boy.
(no subject)
Date: 2018-05-30 12:22 am (UTC)[He somehow looks years older with just those few words, his usual mirth draining from his face for a moment]
If not for that one simple fact, my life would have been very different. Humans are very fickle, we find value and meaning through defining who should not be valued and rarely stop to acknowledge that those things we are choosing to determine someone's worth are trivialities. More often than not who someone chooses to share their bed with takes priority over things like intellect and skill.
[He smiles again then, though it is strained, and lightly leans his head against hers]
It is perhaps for this reason humans progress so slowly.
(no subject)
Date: 2018-05-30 12:34 am (UTC)In most of Arneth, where I've spent a lot of time, it's perfectly acceptable for people to marry across races. Or - no, species, I think, might be the term I've heard here, to avoid confusion. I mean to say that if a dragon can fall in love with a human, why should it be any concern if two humans of the same sex want to be intimate? And elves - some of them can decide to be female one day and male the next.
[See, so it's not even just the tanar'ri who find the whole prohibition on same sex relationships sort of backward. There are some cultures that are very restrictive - dwarves, for example, she's heard they put a lot of stock in tradition and maybe they're more likely to make arbitrary bans on romance.]
I may not care much for most of your kind, Semiyon, but they're not like that everywhere in the universe.
(no subject)
Date: 2018-06-10 02:02 pm (UTC)[The more he learns of other worlds, the more he cannot help but feel stifled by the limited, narrow ways of the Earth he comes from. Perhaps, part of him wonders, that is too unfair a judgement to pass on it what, after all hadn't he had love and comfort and beauty in his life? However the other part of him just as eagerly reminds him that he's never been given much reason to feel otherwise and that that love and comfort and beauty had always come with an expiration date attached.]
So tell me, Caedra. Is there anyone of special interest to you? A partner? A husband or wife?
(no subject)
Date: 2018-06-10 03:01 pm (UTC)We don't marry. Marriage is a contract, and my people have no interest in something so binding. I do have lovers, both here and at home, but mostly that's just for fun. There is one, however... The ruler of the portion of the Abyss where I reside, actually. He is Lord Amamot Nisariel, and I love him dearly.
[And it feels good to say so. There is so much she keeps to herself here.]
(no subject)
Date: 2018-06-10 10:12 pm (UTC)[She's mentioned the Abyss before but only now does he realize he's never actually asked if only demons reside there or if there are other beings as well.
He then shifts, expression turning more mischievous with one arched brow]
Oh? Here? Might I ask who?
[Do tell, Caedra]
(no subject)
Date: 2018-06-10 11:15 pm (UTC)[And the fondness is evident in her voice, with how it softens at his mention. Some day - soon, if she has her way - she will be in his arms once again.
But she catches that look and giggles a little, unable to help herself.]
Do you know Trafalgar Law?
(no subject)
Date: 2018-06-10 11:36 pm (UTC)[He grins, nudging her lightly]
How has this 'Trafalgar Law' caught your interest?
(no subject)
Date: 2018-06-10 11:48 pm (UTC)He's gorgeous is how. So strong, and so tall, with all of these elaborate tattoos. And he's quite young still. Full of energy and so willing to learn new things.
[The grin shifts to a smirk for a moment before she reaches for her drink to finish it off.]
(no subject)
Date: 2018-06-13 09:11 pm (UTC)[His smirk echoes hers as he repeats her words]
Be careful or you shall make me jealous to have found such a fine companion.
(no subject)
Date: 2018-06-13 10:00 pm (UTC)Normally I wouldn't mind sharing, but I don't want to overwork the poor boy. That's his one failing, really, so many other obligations he seems to think are more necessary. But he does his best to keep up.
[Her expression turns conspiratorial, eyelids lowering slightly. Let's see if she can't make him just a little more jealous - she's just so pleased with her find.]
He can make sparks with his fingertips.
(no subject)
Date: 2018-06-18 08:56 pm (UTC)[Because in Hadriel it is often hard to tell]
(no subject)
Date: 2018-06-18 09:10 pm (UTC)[psh what's science anyway, just another type of magic!]
(no subject)
Date: 2018-06-19 09:48 pm (UTC)[Certainly no human in Semiyon's world can do such a thing unless they were poetically referring to the using of a welding flame or a firework. But he is fairly sure Caedra would not be so impressed with those.]
(no subject)
Date: 2018-06-19 10:13 pm (UTC)[Which she has to assume is some sort of animal self-preservation tactic that these mortals do without realizing it. A way to shield themselves against the horrors that have stalked them since the dawn of their existences. She's heard rumors, in fact, about the ones who tried to face those things head-on and went mad. It's quite possible that people had said that about her once, a very long time ago.]
(no subject)
Date: 2018-07-08 11:44 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2018-07-08 11:59 pm (UTC)[She shakes her head with a wry smile.]
Magic is hard work. It's difficult to learn, and takes a lot of energy and precision to achieve. Even in places like where I come from where more of us have innate power, it's still not always done well. It takes expertise.