shatterverse | (no subject)

Villiers is quiet; but not too quiet. He was never trained in the arts of being perfect and butler-like, after all, but only gained an aide's discretion and unobtrusiveness over time. Skills designed for offices, not for grassy fields in Kansas.

He drops to a comfortable sitting position, settling for only a moment before arms come around to tug Imriel into a hug from behind, chin settling quickly at a shoulder.

It's a completely natural move. Instinctive, almost. And very, very affectionate.

"...hello," he says warmly.

EeeeeeeeeVilliers♥.

Cuddlecuddle grin! Cuddle.

"Hello."

Cuddlekiss matching grin! Snug.

And though Imriel is completely distracting, Villiers can't help but wonder--

"What is it that you're feeding, in there?"

Because if he's trying to plant pineapple plants, he's going about it the entirely wrong way. And the fish he knows of don't particularly like bits of pineapple.

By way of answer, a large damp tentacle sneaks out of the water and tries to join in the cuddling.

Imri, grinning like a fool, lets it.

"I'm not sure," he responds, turning his head to drop a kiss on Villiers' cheek and tossing another bit of pineapple into the water. "But he seems friendly."

Spots lets out a happy burble.

Villiers is Very Very Alarmed.

Watch him emit a not-too-manly squeak and scoot away in a rather startled manner.

W. T. F.

It's only after a moment of staring that he cautiously creeps back.

"...why the hell is there a cephalopod in Kansas?"

"Hey!"

Imriel laughs.

"Come back here, you. He's harmless, I promise."

Look, he'll prove it. ... By giving Villiers an admittedly very reassurring hug and kiss.

The hug and kiss, Villiers returns with a bit of distraction, a bit too busy staring at the pond and its inhabitant. He eventually settles back into his previous position, though, albeit with a new level of tentativeness.

"I...really don't recall cephalopods enjoying pineapple in biology class."

But then again, Villiers failed at the sciences. Although biology was the easiest one of them.

Imri just shrugs. It's not like he knows what a cephalopod is.

Also, to hell with tentativeness. Villiers is getting tugged around for some very determined lapcuddles. Does he have anything to say to that? No? Thought not. (Cuddle. Kiss.)

Mmm. Warm. Nice.

There's probably something to be said about the elder of the two being pulled into the lap of the younger, but he won't be saying it. Nah, Villiers has always been a little different. And quite content to be held as such.

Arms, warm around Imriel's waist, and kisses in return.

Spots, for the moment, is forgotten.

Spots gets a bit sulky, but he recognizes this phenomenon by now, and he's aware that as long as he doesn't try to get too comfy with them, more food will be forthcoming.

Indeed, Imriel keeps up the pineapple bits even while nuzzling at Villiers' neck, and Spots limits his participation in the cuddles to a single tentacle tugging on Imri's sleeve whenever the flow of pineapple slows.

Pineapple.

Cephalopod.

Seriously, don't those things eat fish, or something?

Ah well. Either way, Villiers will cautiously poke that squishy tentacle, even as his cheek settles against Imriel's shoulder.

While silently praying to gods he doesn't believe in that he won't get slowly devoured by a pint-sized kraken for that tentative poke.

Eee!

The tentacle responds by squishing over to cuddle up to Villiers for a bit, while the water emits some happy burbles.

Laughing, Imri nudges it gently-- not enough to knock it away, but enough to playfully suggest that he might-- as he tosses in another bit of pineapple.

"Don't get too familiar," he advises the tentacle mock-solemnly. "This one's mine."

Cuddles for Villiers. Cuddles for Spots.

Grins all round.

Although the sight of a tentacle cuddling up to him is a damned strange one, Villiers will allow it. Just so long as, you know, he doesn't get pulled towards the small area of saltwater.

"Yes, I am," he affirms, talking not to the tentacle but to what he can assume is the source. Well, at least the cephalopod looks happy enough, from those burbles...

"I don't suppose you have a name, then?" he asks the burbling water, feeling a bit silly as he does so.

Ah well. Stranger things have happened in this strange land.

"His name is Spots," says the blushing twenty-year-old trotting up behind them with most of a dead pig slung over his shoulder. "Here, Spots, you know you're not supposed to have dessert before dinner."

EEEEEEEEEDADDY. Vill and Imri, you get TOTALLY IGNORED, because about five tentacles are rushing out of the water to grab the pig, and about ten more to snuggle up to Daddy.

Gabriel just laughs, very quiet, very fond, and crouches by the edge of the pond for a moment to reach in and pat Spots on the head.

Delighted burbling noises. Also chomping. Mmm, pig.

"Spots," Villiers repeats dumbly, looking up at the arrive. And resisting the very, very strong urge to move away from Imriel, or at least look slightly less couple-ey, for twenty-first century survival-against-haters skills don't just suddenly disappear. But alas, as settled as he is in Imri's lap, such a move would be rather awkward.

So, instead, Villiers will sit, still looking slightly awkward, and watching the feeding with fascination.

...apparently, baby cephalopods eat a lot.

Imriel, on the other hand, gives Gabriel a single curious glance and then doesn't move.

Though out of respect for Villiers' discomfort he refrains from nuzzling.

Still: hugs.

And Gabriel is too occupied with his kraken to stay embarrassed for long.

D'aww, squishy snuggles.

Eventually, though, he stands up again and gives the pond a little wave, still grinning like... well, a proud father.

"Bye, Spots," he says quietly.

"Bye, Daddy," the pond burbles, and the tentacles disengage from him to wave back before disappearing entirely under the surface of the water.

Well, since he's not being actively hated upon, Villiers will relax a little. Hugs help.

Plus, it's hardly like the apparent adoptive (or, considering this place, possibly not adoptive) father of a squid-like thing would mind.

"Cephalopods can speak?" he asks, curious.

...yeah, this place continues to be strange. And now, he apparently isn't too worried about the pond, for anything that calls people daddy while being squishy and adorable won't harm a soul.

"He's a kraken," Gabriel tosses over his shoulder.

And this is Imriel's cue to grin and laugh.

Because, c'mon. Adorable baby kraken!

Ok, Spots is pretty darn adorable. Villiers appears to be warming to the idea gradually.

But...but!

W. T. F.

"Kraken?" he asks. "As in...mythical ship-wrecking monster of the deep?"

...that's a seriously small ship-eater, then. And a really darn cuddly one.

Gabriel's already gone back inside.

Which leaves Imri shrugging and nuzzling Villiers' throat.

"Looks like."

♥

That was all...incredibly random.

And seeing that Spots is now engaged with the pig corpse, Villiers will take the opportunity to snatch some pineapple bits for himself.

And settling back again, nose against Imriel's hair.

He'll vocalize his thoughts.

Mostly, "That's a very small ship-eater."

He wasn't particularly aware that they reproduced, either, but he supposes anything's possible once you allow for the existence of sea monster things.

"True."

Nuzzlenuzzle. Cuddle. Snug.

Villiers shall persevere in speech! Even though it's becoming harder and harder as Imriel gets more and more distracting.

"It's all just very...odd."

Yeah, he's getting distracted. Look as he presses a light kiss to Imriel's cheek, nuzzling against hair.

"Mmm."

Snuggle nuzzle cuddle hug. Kiss cuddle nuzzle. ♥

♥♥♥♥♥

"So...you've just been out here feeding the wildlife all day?" he says, just one more attempt at conversation.

While snuggling. Cuddles are good, but cuddles while talking are better.

Usually. With Imriel, anything at all is nice.

"Yes."

Cuddle! :D

"It's... mmm, very relaxing."

Cuddle cuddle.

Kisskiss hug.

"Quite a change from Montreal," he says once again. "You're fine with settling in?"

Just to make sure, you know. All while he's very, very comfy. Imriel makes a good pillow.

"Mmm. Very."

Nuzzlenuzzle kiss cuddle hug.

"A real house, real beds, real..."

Cuddlekissnuzzle.

"...mmm..."

Train of thought? What's that?

...dunno. Maybe it's used for something?

"This leisure, this comfort," he says after a few moments, thinking very very hard. A thoughtful moment, resting against Imriel's chest. "Do you work for a living, where you're from?"

Because even Villiers doesn't know what to do with all this free time. It's unusual not to have to constantly please bosses and do menial tasks aside from just day to day life.

He's not used to relaxing. It's all quite new to him.

Then again, this is Villiers we're talking about.

"No."

Aristocracy, land, archaic France, blah blah blah.

"So, either the socialist system has been perfected, there is magic in that land of yours, or you're nobility?"

All are, apparently, equally viable.

"The last."

Nuzzle.

Curiously: "Do you mind?"

He might. Some do.

"Should I have reason to?" he replies, with a little smile. In other words? No, he doesn't mind.

Nobility is strange. He comes from a land where royalty still exists, but it's hardly like he ever comes in contact with them. They're just...sort of there.

"I like to think you wouldn't."

Snugglesnugglenuzzlesnuggle.

Kisskiss. Happy little hum. The human version of a purr.

"Then, in that case, I don't mind," he declares cheerfully.

"Mmmm," says Imriel, distracted by the feel of bruised skin under his lips.

That skin's still tender. And he can feel those lips, stirring up a memory of want and...

...and...

...well, other good things.

Listen to him hum out an interested "hmm?"

"Hmmmmm," he agrees, nuzzling.

And kissing.

And-- no, no, this is too public a place for licking. They should do something about that.

♥

Mmm...yes...most definitely...

He returns that kiss with maybe a spark of something not fit for public viewing, before moving to rise.

"You're going to wear me out someday," he says with a laugh, a grin, and a tug towards their rooms (http://mrmoneypenny.livejournal.com/5632.html).