Week 5

[grimgrinningghosts]

[...So that was a mess. All of it was a mess, and things don't look to be improving any time soon. With tensions at an all-time high and conditions worsened, it seems pretty safe to say that this whole week promises a great deal of foreboding atmosphere.

But, hey, things aren't entirely bad. Just as Randall promised, you're now able to leave the Manor! 

Just don't stay out there for too long. There's still a lot of you, and you just can't afford to lose numbers.

24 guests remain]

[SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY]

[OOC: and don't forget to fill out this week's activity check!]

Comments

[stanbyme]

[Everything about him is a little bit soft, now. Even if there's a lot more strength hidden in his chest and arms than in his core. He settles sort of. Around her, when she settles back against him, his hands clasped around her waist, his legs bracketing her hips, and his furry cheek resting against her head.]

That's a lot of hats.

[hasit]

I never had much of a choice either way.

[She'd worn each of those hats with grace and a sense of duty, of course, but it had never been her idea, exactly. It was just what she was born into, in all senses of the word.]

But it was what my people needed of me.

[stanbyme]

[His mood seems to drop a little, though he doesn't pull away.]

'Least you didn't let 'em down.

[hasit]

[She heaves a sigh, nuzzling her cheek into Stan's.]

I tried my damnedest.

[Leia reaches for Stan's hand, to hold it between both of her own. Trace the lines in his palms.]

Still trying. That's the best any of us can do.

[stanbyme]

...

[He accepts the nuzzling, and lets her pull one hand away from the other to hold, watching her trace the lines on his hands.]

You wanna hear about the time a witch stole my hands?

[Because that's less painful to talk about than this.]

[hasit]

[She blinks a couple of times, her finger pausing in his palm, and then laughs.]

Well, now I have to hear it.

[Especially if it eases some of the weird mood she can detect coming from Stan for the last little while.]

[stanbyme]

So me and the kids were at this market, right, and there was some old hag selling overrated gold watches.

So I took one, and she put a curse on me that made both my hands disappear.

[He sounds like there was no lesson learned here.]

So me and the kids go up to her cave, and this broad actually expects me to kiss her to get my hands back. Which wasn't happening for a whole number of reasons.

So instead, Mabel redecorated her cave and gave her some girly mags and a book of pick up lines and she let us go.

[hasit]

[This story is starting off great already. Leia settles back against his chest to listen, her face in the mirror growing more and more...skeptical? Amused? A mixture of both, honestly.]

She wasn't your type?

[And somehow, the ending of the story doesn't quite surprise her.]

So Mabel was the hero of the story. I guess her particular skill set comes in handy now and then.

[stanbyme]

Definitely not my type. Even if she wasn't holding my hands hostage.

[He's not looking in the mirror, but when she says Mabel was the hero, his expression softens into a smile.]

She's something special, alright.

[hasit]

[Leia gives Stan's hand a squeeze.] I'll give this back at some point, don't worry.

[She can't miss that softening of his expression, the fondness in his voice; her head turns, cheek against his shoulder, and she lets her eyes fall shut, just for a moment.]

That must run in the family.

[stanbyme]

[He squeezes her hand back and chuckles.]

You can hold onto it long as you want, sweetcheeks.

[His eyes widen and his face heats up when she turns her cheek against his shoulder and closes her eyes.]

I-I, um...

[hasit]

[Eyes still closed, Leia chuckles.]

You what? You don't believe me? Because I can tell you it's true from firsthand experience.

[stanbyme]

Oh yeah? What firsthand experience is that?

[hasit]

[Leia shifts a little in Stan's embrace, so she can face him, place both hands on his shoulders, thumbs rubbing gently.]

I know you, and you're already very special to me, even after five weeks of knowing you.

[stanbyme]

[He meets her eyes when she turns to face him, and after a moment he smiles.]

I must be a special kind of con if I managed to convince a gal like you I was anything to write home about.

[But he cups her face in the hand she'd been holding, and leans in to kiss her.]

[hasit]

[There's laughter in her eyes, but she kisses him back, surprised by how used to this she already is, with him. By how familiar his lips already feel, by how warm and content he makes her feel with just a kiss. When she pulls back, Leia's expression is sly.]

Oh, I'm not that easy to con.

[stanbyme]

Maybe that's just what I needed.

[hasit]

What's that? Someone smart?

[stanbyme]

Smart enough to see right through me.

[Then, after a pause.]

...Not having 20 cats is a plus, too. Or being a man-eating spider woman.

[hasit]

Fair enough.

[She leans up again to kiss him on the nose.]

I can promise you I am of neither persuasion.

[stanbyme]

Good.

[About as sweetly as his voice can manage:]

'Cause it'd break my heart if you were.

[hasit]

[Bless him, he's trying.]

We all have our deal-breakers. You don't have any plans to try and kidnap me, do you? Because I've had my fill of that.

[stanbyme]

[He chuckles.]

Darn it, ya caught me. I was gonna put you over my shoulder and cart you back home with me when we get outta here.

[Is joke.]

Maybe I oughta just ask if you wanna come visit, instead.

[hasit]

Really? Even after...all of this?

[Her smile fades, but it just gets a little more pensive instead of disappearing.]

I've got a big old mess to clean up in my home galaxy before I go running off with any handsome older gentlemen.

[stanbyme]

Of course! Mabel loves ya, I'm sure Dipper and Ford are gonna love ya too.

[But her smile fades a little, and he gently brushes her cheek with his thumb.]

... Guess that's part of that whole responsible adult thing I never got the hang of.