[ Johnny looks at him, pretending to be wounded. ] I would never!
[ But it falls away quickly enough as he lets Jack lead the way, sobering. ] I asked her to bring them here. The coastal villages are crumbling, and they have nowhere to go. At least here I can give them shelter and food. And hope. [ He pauses. ] If they want jobs, they can have it, too.
[Jack frowns to himself as they enter of the bedrooms, the largest that's been completely remodeled. It should do. But his frown is really from thinking about those coastal towns, knowing how bad it's getting for those threatened by the Void.]
You'll earn their loyalty in return. [His voice is proud. That's a good thing.] But you should figure out the spire's limits now. Bring in too many, and you'll make those who've lived here and helped build it nervous, even resentful.
You think so? [ Johnny hasn't considered that before, more fixated on saving them than anything else. He looks over the new bedroom admiringly, realizing that Jack has done a fantastic job of them. ]
I think we can do with about seven hundred of 'em, probably? Nine hundred or a thousand, if I carved into the mountains. [ He runs his fingers lightly over the rich wood, musing. ] Jack, this place looks good.
[Jack fluffs the pillows, make sure there are fresh candles. His thoughts are more on the refugees than the room. More will come unless the Void is stopped immediately. They need to start carving into the mountains right away.
He smiles at him gently, pressing a kiss to Johnny's cheek as he passes.]
I'll never know what I'd do without you. [ Johnny smiles, catching him by the waist to stop him briefly, leaning over to nuzzle against him, his stubble lightly rubbing against his skin. He notes Jack's worry, the frown and the distraction, the threat that looms over them all. ]
[He's given up trying to make Johnny shave every day, and he's stopped minding when he doesn't. The slightly longer hair, the little bit of stubble, they're not without their appeal. The look suits Johnny, and brings out an attraction that Jack never had before.]
We need to go ahead with the mountain, even if everything isn't complete. We can start the new refugees there. [The work might even be welcomed by them, give them a sense of security. Jack continues softly.] Now that they've started to come, more will follow. We'll make a place for as many as we can.
[ Johnny's liking his new look! It makes him feel older, more taken seriously. And he's pleased that Jack's coming around to it, too; it had taken awhile for him to get used to it, and a part of Johnny has always wondered if he found him less attractive with the newfound facial hair. But Jack seems into it, right? ]
I'll go do something about it right away. Did I tell you about the time I carved out a cavern for Ariadne on my own?
[ It's one of the things Johnny had taken to doing, showing Jack that nothing they do, however dirty, is shameful. He proves to him the joy of intimacy when shares with the person they care for. He beams at him, bright-eyed but tender; he accepts everything that Jack is, desiring to purge the poison his family had fed him with. ]
Okay, c'mon, before I get all horny again: do I need to sort out this room?
[ Oh, he's always loved it when Jack laughs, when he lights up brighter than anyone else and he's all Johnny ever wants to look at. He adores him, delights in Jack's humor and the way he looks at him like he's the only one that matters. ]
Well, if you want me to stop being horny, wipe my memory of you and stop being around me.
[ He's catching the pillow, rounding over to the other side to fish out fresh pillowcases, more than happy to do as his lover asks. ]
[ EXCUSE U ARIADNE DOESN'T HAVE THE NECESSARY PLUMBING TO KEEP YOU IN SEXUAL BLISS.
Johnny beams at him sunnily from the other side of the room, changing up the pillowcases because hauling new bedsheets out. Buddy tries to nip at the sheets, before getting nudged away by Johnny. ]
Are you worried that nothing can come close to containing my sheer awesome? Because that's a legitimate concern.
I don't know if that's good or bad. [ Johnny huffs and gestures him over. ] Get your princely ass over here, babe. I need you to fix the sheets up for me.
[ And, naturally drawn to the noise, Shadow slinks in and mews importantly, dropping two snakes onto the carpet. Someone has her own contributions to make. ]
[Jack starts to finish Johnny's work on the sheets, but he's distracted by the little black cat. He goes over and crouches down, sighing as he studies the snakes.]
These aren't from the same nest as the ones she brought in this morning. [How does he know?] These aren't venomous.
[ Shadow is purring, proud of herself as she delicately licks her paws before rubbing herself against Jack. Johnny stares at that Jack for a long moment. ]
Nest? There's a nest of venomous snakes around? [ More importantly: ] How do you even know it isn't?
[ Johnny keeps himself parked as far away from the bodies of the dead snakes as he can. He's not terrified of them, he just doesn't like them. Shadow lies down next to them, nudging the snakes towards the giant fleshy pink kitten who doesn't seem capable of hunting for himself.
She's looking out for you too, Jack. ]
They're all wet and gross, Jack. How are you not freaked out by those guys?
[Jack tilts his head at him, his eyes a little wider and brighter, like he's just seen something about Johnny that he hasn't noticed before. Impossible, at least physically. He has every inch of his body memorized.
But this charming, almost boyish disdain for a couple of dead snakes. It's almost too perfect.]
What guys? Oh, you mean these guys? [He picks them up, and one of the snakes wiggles fiercely. It's well and dead, nearly decapitated, it's just muscles contracting after death. Jack maintains his innocent expression.] Now why would I be freaked out?
[ Johnny realizes too late that he'd just given Jack the perfect weapon to use against him -- it isn't that he's terrified of snakes, he just really, really doesn't like them! They're weird and wriggly and they look funny!
So when the snake twitches, Johnny jumps and almost trips over Buddy, startled. But then that fades into indignation when he realizes just how smug his lover's becoming; damn that adorable, innocent face. He hates when Jack looks innocent, because that's normally when he's at his most devious. ]
Babe! God, that's not cool! [ Ugh, ugh, ugh -- imagine that thing crawling all over him. Nope. Noooope. ] Why's that still moving? I thought you said she killed it!
[Oh, his precious fireball. Jack has to bite his bottom lip to keep from downright giggling in his devious delight. Johnny doesn't have to prove his bravery to him, he's the most courageous man that Jack has ever met.
Which makes him all the more precious right now.]
Oh, she did. They do this sometimes, too stubborn to die even after their deaths. Like zombies. [Jack, please.] Which is why you must never go near the poisonous ones, even dead. They can still bite. And not in the pleasant ways that I bite you.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
action;
[There's a decidedly childlike side to the baron, endearing at times. But not when Jack's trying to ready a room for a queen.]
Why are they coming here, anyway?
action;
[ But it falls away quickly enough as he lets Jack lead the way, sobering. ] I asked her to bring them here. The coastal villages are crumbling, and they have nowhere to go. At least here I can give them shelter and food. And hope. [ He pauses. ] If they want jobs, they can have it, too.
action;
You'll earn their loyalty in return. [His voice is proud. That's a good thing.] But you should figure out the spire's limits now. Bring in too many, and you'll make those who've lived here and helped build it nervous, even resentful.
action;
I think we can do with about seven hundred of 'em, probably? Nine hundred or a thousand, if I carved into the mountains. [ He runs his fingers lightly over the rich wood, musing. ] Jack, this place looks good.
action;
[Jack fluffs the pillows, make sure there are fresh candles. His thoughts are more on the refugees than the room. More will come unless the Void is stopped immediately. They need to start carving into the mountains right away.
He smiles at him gently, pressing a kiss to Johnny's cheek as he passes.]
I can't let you look like a slob, now can I?
action;
Penny for your thoughts?
action;
We need to go ahead with the mountain, even if everything isn't complete. We can start the new refugees there. [The work might even be welcomed by them, give them a sense of security. Jack continues softly.] Now that they've started to come, more will follow. We'll make a place for as many as we can.
action;
I'll go do something about it right away. Did I tell you about the time I carved out a cavern for Ariadne on my own?
action;
[There are plenty of workers at the spire. But Jack suspects Johnny has his own reasons.]
Unless you like getting dirty and sweaty. You don't get enough of that with me?
action;
[ He's very dangerous to be around at that temperature. Johnny smiles, cupping his cheek to draw him in for a brief, loving kiss. ]
I never get enough of that with you, baby. [ He smirks. ] Especially when you get it on my face. Remember last week?
action;
[And Jack loves it just as much, the way they can be filthy but also more, the way it should be, the way he's been denied his entire life.]
action;
[ It's one of the things Johnny had taken to doing, showing Jack that nothing they do, however dirty, is shameful. He proves to him the joy of intimacy when shares with the person they care for. He beams at him, bright-eyed but tender; he accepts everything that Jack is, desiring to purge the poison his family had fed him with. ]
Okay, c'mon, before I get all horny again: do I need to sort out this room?
action;
What do you mean, again?
[There's a challenge in his eyes, shiny and playful.]
You never stop being horny.
[He grins as he tosses him a pillow, nodding to the large chest in one corner - Johnny should be good with that, pun intended.]
Get me some fresh pillowcases.
action;
Well, if you want me to stop being horny, wipe my memory of you and stop being around me.
[ He's catching the pillow, rounding over to the other side to fish out fresh pillowcases, more than happy to do as his lover asks. ]
But don't do that. You give my penis meaning.
[ YEAH THIS IS A MAN YOU CHOSE TO LOVE. ]
action;
Yeah, he might be fantasizing about packing his things and moving in with Ariadne. But he wouldn't leave Lauralae unprotected.]
I worry for you sometimes.
action;
Johnny beams at him sunnily from the other side of the room, changing up the pillowcases because hauling new bedsheets out. Buddy tries to nip at the sheets, before getting nudged away by Johnny. ]
Are you worried that nothing can come close to containing my sheer awesome? Because that's a legitimate concern.
action;
[Jack smirks a little, taking one last look around.]
Fit for a queen. Should we send an escort to meet her?
action;
[ And, naturally drawn to the noise, Shadow slinks in and mews importantly, dropping two snakes onto the carpet. Someone has her own contributions to make. ]
action;
These aren't from the same nest as the ones she brought in this morning. [How does he know?] These aren't venomous.
action;
Nest? There's a nest of venomous snakes around? [ More importantly: ] How do you even know it isn't?
action;
[Jack strokes her head, proud of her too. She's doing what she can to make the spire safer too. He points to the snakes after Johnny's question.]
Shape of the head. It's more round than diamond shaped. The pupils are round instead of slits.
[He looks up with a smile.]
You're not afraid of snakes, are you Johnny?
action;
She's looking out for you too, Jack. ]
They're all wet and gross, Jack. How are you not freaked out by those guys?
action;
But this charming, almost boyish disdain for a couple of dead snakes. It's almost too perfect.]
What guys? Oh, you mean these guys? [He picks them up, and one of the snakes wiggles fiercely. It's well and dead, nearly decapitated, it's just muscles contracting after death. Jack maintains his innocent expression.] Now why would I be freaked out?
action;
So when the snake twitches, Johnny jumps and almost trips over Buddy, startled. But then that fades into indignation when he realizes just how smug his lover's becoming; damn that adorable, innocent face. He hates when Jack looks innocent, because that's normally when he's at his most devious. ]
Babe! God, that's not cool! [ Ugh, ugh, ugh -- imagine that thing crawling all over him. Nope. Noooope. ] Why's that still moving? I thought you said she killed it!
action;
Which makes him all the more precious right now.]
Oh, she did. They do this sometimes, too stubborn to die even after their deaths. Like zombies. [Jack, please.] Which is why you must never go near the poisonous ones, even dead. They can still bite. And not in the pleasant ways that I bite you.
action;
action;
action;
action;
action;
action;
action;
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)