[PCA] UNIVERSAL CONSTANTS

[skinstealer]

[image  description: Maes and Mar seated together on a couch, the flowy warm atmosphere of the room prominent as the two express intimate interest in each other. Maes has a small smile as Mar towers over them.]

Charon immediately makes his way over to the kitchen setup.

CHARON: I've done a bit of prep in advance to save time, won't be too long hopefully.
MAES: And what's on the menu, exactly?
CHARON: Baby steps, starting with a mushroom cream steak.
CHARON: Should be a good start.
MAES: M...mushroom cream?
CHARON: Mm, something to help go for a salty and savory taste.
MAES: I can't say I'm used to many flavors period.
CHARON: Then you'll find out soon.
MAES: Mmmm.

 

I...well, it's a big step...

MAES: I'll...give it a try.
CHARON: Promise you won't regret this.

 

He starts pulling out bags and containers filled with ingredients out of his cloak and placing them on the counter.

MAES: Are you open to talking while you work?
CHARON: As much as I can.
MAES: Then...
MAES: ...I'm curious about you, I suppose.
MAES: And I imagine you're curious about me as well.
MAES: You certainly had questions during our first after hours conversation, and we've been texting..
CHARON: Mm.. but since this is your domain, you can have initiative here.
MAES: Hm.
MAES: Perhaps...some ground rules, would be ideal.
MAES: It's clear there's mutual interest by now.
MAES: To what extent...is yet to be seen, and I get entirely different vibes regarding that interest towards me, between you and Mar.
MAES: But I want to make something very, very clear.
CHARON: Continue.
MAES: We keep this to after hours.
MAES: ...breaks at absolute maximum.
MAES: I don't want this to interfere with work.
CHARON: I can agree to that, seems perfectly fair.
MAES: And...what are your limitations?
MAES: ...Mar's as well, if asking her is an option.
CHARON: I can bring her out.
MAES: Yes, please.
 

The dog scans around the room looking for a good clearing. With a snap of a finger the proxy manifests, stretching out with the sound of wings flapping and a tiny little yawn to back it up.

MAES: ...sleepy, Mar?
MAR: I'm not nocturnal as this one... It's 6pm..
MAES: Why don't you come sit on the couch next to me, then?
 

The proxy makes her way over quickly and scooted next to Maes, very polite in posture.

MAES: Now, Mar...
MAES: I was just asking Charon what ground rules he wants for our arrangement.
MAR: Good to establish those early, had issues in the past...
CHARON: It was nothing serious...
MAR: The ghost?
CHARON: Not their fault they're invisible to most.
MAR: The rabbit?
CHARON: ...Aye, we had to put rules in place about teasing too much in public.
MAES: You're in luck, I was just telling Judgment that this is an after-hours arrangement.
MAR: ...That's been a recurring issue, yes.
MAR: It's always fun until you're stuck with no way to deal for hours..
 

Maes can't help but snicker, but...

MAES: Are both of you so pent up?
 

Her tone is...understanding.

Charon gets the stove going.

MAR: Not yet.. It doesn't take much.
MAES: Not yet.
MAES: Interesting.
MAES: Are you two anticipating me toying with you?
MAR: Possibly, that's part of the fun I suppose.
MAR: Get experimental, he's into some interesting things..
MAES: Then, I repeat my question.
MAES: What are your limits.
CHARON: Degradation, that's a safe boundary.
CHARON: No removal of equipment without permission.
CHARON: There’s a bunch of very specific scenarios but none are applicable.
MAES: Understood...and I'd like to know of those scenarios.
MAES: You don't know my interests and I don't know yours.
CHARON: Mm... no pocket dimensions without asking, no hypno eyes during daytime hours, no headless nuzzling right before work, no copping a feel with psychic powers in public, no soul jars, no mind reading without asking, no gearplay, no-
MAR: He really means it when he says not applicable..
MAES: ...
MAES: You know, I see what you mean.
MAES: Is-
 

The cat pales.

MAES: ...
MAES: Is t-
MAES: Headless?
CHARON: Robots.
MAR: The gearplay thing was a double whammy...
CHARON: Not breaking fingers today.
MAES: ...H-headless is.
MAES: Very off the table.
MAES: You won't have to worry about that.
MAR: I don't imagine yours just comes off... are you alright?
MAR: You can rest on my shoulder..

 

Maes hesitates before slowly leaning on Mar's shoulder, her ear squishing against the proxy. The proxy quietly bristles at the karacel cuddling up, the plates almost like feather on touch.

...such an interesting texture...

MAES: ...no decapitation. And no necromancy.
MAES: Aside from that-
MAES: No...messing with my hair. Or kissing.
MAR: No touching hair at all?
MAES: Touching is...probably fine.
MAES: No roughness, and especially no pulling.
MAR: Easy.
MAR: And kissing?
MAR: Too special, or just don't care for it at all?
MAES: Not quite...special.
MAES: ...
MAES: Sensitive, is a better word.
MAR: Mm.. a complex relationship with it then.
MAES: ...to put it lightly.
MAES: Aside from that, I'm with you on the degradation front.
MAES: Which...I suppose that brings us to stuff the three of us do like.
CHARON: Teeth. Claws.
MAES: Hmm.
MAES: You know, I would never have guessed.

 

Her voice drips with playful sarcasm.

MAR: And you?
MAR: I'm... actually really curious as well.
MAES: ...Hm.
 

She hesitates.

MAES: ...I can't say that I've actually told anyone.
MAR: Shy?
MAES: This is further than I've ever gotten, so...I suppose you could call it that.

 

She sounds...shy, at that.

MAR: ..Really?
MAES: ...mm.
MAR: Well then.. we're glad to be sharing this experience with you.
MAR: We'll make it as good as we can.
MAES: I can't say I expected it to be with two people, I'll...say that much.
MAR: Technically it's a five-in-one situation...

 

The smell of ingredients on a hot pan begins to fill the room.

CHARON: Mm, its complicated.

 

Maes can't keep the intrigue out of her body language, her whole body perking up and nuzzling unintentionally against Mar in the process.

MAES: ...even moreso, then...
 

Mar returns the nuzzle gently.

Their entire face tinged with black again, surprised at the gesture.

The proxy puffs up a little, seeing the blush.

MAR: Was that too much?
MAES: It's...nice...

 

She clears her throat, doing her best to regain composure.

MAES: You-
MAES: You asked me my preferences.
MAR: Mm, we did.
MAR: If it helps that's new for me too..
MAES: ...I hadn't considered that you'd both have different levels of experience.
MAR: Most people don't exactly engage in the proxy thing like this.
MAES: ...Mm.
MAES: I..in that case. Hm.
 

Her cool exterior seems to be peeling away when actually prompted to open up.

MAES: ...your interest in becoming a meal surprised me.
MAES: I can't say that I expected someone to ever crave that, let alone from me.
CHARON: Obviously in reality there's limits but... the temptation to be pierced-
MAR: Maybe don't phrase it like that...
MAES: No, I'm curious.
MAES: Describe the piercing.
CHARON: How much have you read up on fiends?
MAES: ...some.
MAES: I didn't want to dive too deep into myths and legends, versus talking to the real thing.
CHARON: That's... more than fair actually.
CHARON: I appreciate that..

 

His plated tail audibly swishes a little.

MAES: Consider it an olive branch to encourage you all to do the same for me.
CHARON: Mm...
CHARON: I suppose then you should know that land based fiends typically have a baked in resilience to many natural hazards.
CHARON: Claws, teeth, poisons. mutating radiations... to some degree it's healthy and important to our development to be exposed to the elements.
CHARON: Even as a adult there's still plenty of room to grow.
MAES: So...to a degree...
MAES: Becoming my personal chew toy would do you more benefit than harm.
CHARON: Absolutely.
CHARON: Obviously there's limits but if things are how they should be, I'd actually become more capable of springing back quickly overtime.
CHARON: A fiendish healing factor accelerates if the need for it to see play is recurring.
MAES: Hm.
MAES: And here I thought your self preservation could use some work.
CHARON: If your body grows stronger from surviving stray hits, you can afford to take a few.
MAES: ...and you specifically want me to do this.
CHARON: Having a outlet might help your mood, no?
 

She bristles, just slightly.

MAES: ...biting someone, let alone eating someone, is a complicated territory for me.
CHARON: We can start with gnawing to see how you feel.

 

She softens.

MAES: ...you've really caught onto my interest, then. Beyond our flirtations.
MAES: ...I won't deny it.
MAES: This has been...something I've craved for a very long time.
MAES: And here you come, presenting yourself to me on a very willing platter.
CHARON: Would you want it any other way?
MAES: No.
MAES: I've known for years that if I was to actually seek out prey-

 

Maes lingers on the word, almost savoring it.

MAES: -fearing me would not be an option, and vice versa.
MAES: I enjoy the idea of intimidation.
MAES: Of feeling dangerous, even...monstrous.
MAES: ...but in a way that excites. Not the way people see me by default.
MAES: You are the first person to actually see me in a way that feels true to my nature.
CHARON: It's attractive, if I'm frank.
MAES: As is your openness.
MAES: I would be lying if I said you haven't been on my mind.
CHARON: I haven't been subtle about the mutuality in that.
MAR: Same.... its nice being a part of this.
MAES: Mm...you both occupy different kind of thoughts, for me.
MAES: Though...I think in part, that's because you-

 

She pokes Mar's cheek.

MAES: -are more of a mystery.
MAES: Judgment shows his excitement on his sleeve, to put it lightly.
MAES: You're more of a puzzle.
MAES: Clearly enthusiastic about spending time with me, but to what end...I'm not sure.

 

The proxy unconsciously nuzzles up to her hand.

MAR: Think that's a feeling shared..
MAR: I like getting more pieces of you.
MAES: Am I wrong then, in assuming you'd prefer to go slowly?
MAR: We can be as flexible as needed...
CHARON: The knight's mantle is like that, yes...
MAES: Flexible...I can work with that.
MAES: And dinner?
CHARON: Just about ready... how do you want things plated and set?
MAES: ...the table.
MAES: But I'd like you and Mar both to be facing me.
CHARON: Mm, get situated then.
CHARON: Mar?
MAR: Mm?
CHARON: Help her grab anything she needs, time to serve.
MAR: Of course..