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There he was, sitting in a chair situated in-between the shelves of Milliway's library, nose-deep in what appears to be an old, musty book. And if the language it's written in is something to go by, it's a book on magic.

But then, the reader gravitates to tomes on the magical arts the way a duck does to water.

It's also large - very large. And heavy.

But it's just what he wants at this moment. A book on a subject he's familiar with in a size that will obscure his face from onlookers. He's even wearing a glamour to help with his attempts to hide.

Those who know him however, won't be fooled by any of this...

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Asar-Suti saw Strahan, and decided to saunter over.

He'd given his dead follower a lot of latitude recently, almost pushing him away towards his own independent dvelopment, towards other people - but now, Asar-Suti thought Strahan might like some attention from his god again.

Also, the purple god was curious as to how things with Amanda were going.

"Greetings, my dear Strahan," he said, coming closer. "Did Amana find you? She was looking for you the other day. Missed you."

He grumbled internally; he was hoping to read in solitude, but it seems his god has other ideas.

"No she has not, though I did receive a letter from her, after I told her about my having isolated myself in my room."

He says nothing about the "missed you" part; he's still too emotionally retentive to think it means anything other than "I did not see you when I hoped to; perhaps I will see you again next time".

"She came to me especially to ask about you; she likes you," Asar-Suti said.

Strahan had to know that; but then, Strahan could be curiously innocent about many things. Strahan did not get much for himself when he was alive; everything was subject to his supreme ambition to become a god as well, and serve his god well enough so he might.

It was time Strahan had his own, independent of his god. His own whatever.

Thank the gods the book is still blocking his face; his normally pale complexion has turned bright red upon hearing the last three words.

...she likes you...

Yes, he understands perfectly what those words mean. It's not some un-heard-of phrase like "getting some" was before Strahan had it explained to him.

"She did?" he says, voice slightly higher pitched than before despite his attempt at being casual about it all, then turns the page of his book without having read it at all. "Really. I shall have to ask her what it is about me that she likes."

"I'm sure it's very different from what I would answer to the same question," Asar-Suti said with a smile at Strahan's reaction.

Dreaded Strahan, most loyal and most cruel of Ihlini lords, was blushing because a woman liked him. That was truly remarkable.

"I have no doubt it would be." That slight squeak again. "But then, I have known what endeared me to you. Amanda is still new territory.

...just keep yourself hidden by the book and no one will ask why your face is glowing like Rudolph's nose did...

"She might like your varicoloured eyes, which are quite striking?" Asar-Suti suggested, almost playfully.

Strahan's response is to sink lower into his seat. His emotions are still in a tangle and the mere mention of Amanda is enough to tighten the snarl.

"It is a possibility. She made certain that the cat-pendant she gave me had eyes that matched my own."

Animal-shape seems very tempting right about now...

"It is the one thing that is most obviously uniquely Strahan," Asar-Suti said with a little smile.

Strahan had to get used to appreciation for other things than his loyalty, ruthlessness, and magial prowess.

But he likes being praised for such things as these. Fidelity, cunning and skill are some of the things Strahan values most. Whether it appeals him to others aside from his god matters little.

But Amanda doesn't know much about the Strahan the Homanans and Solindish knew. Not surprising that other traits should become foremost in her eyes.

—I want to fly; leave this place. Leave this bar. Return home. Or go anywhere that is not Milliways—

"Confusion, my dear faithful servant, is something you will have to get used in this place," Asar-Suti said, putting a hand on Strahan's shoulder to calm him. "We are forbidden to fight the Cheysuli that are here, you can learn animal-shape, your god lives with a faun, and a woman likes you for yourself. Such is afterlife in Milliways."

Oh he's used to many things not making sense in this place. After being here for over a year he's become used to the usual unusualness that is Milliways.

He's not used to being the object of affection. It bothers him. A lot.

"And if I found I did not want it after all?" he says before he can stop himself. "If I found I preferred a different existance?"

His mind momentarily thinks of his desire to return to Homana and cause the House of Lions much distress.

—To be far. Far away from here—

"You can leave here when it is time; many dead people eventually do. They go on to some sort of permanent afterlife. I hope you won't, not too soon," Asar-Suti said. "I like having you around, my faithful Strahan."

Also, he suspected Strahan would still have much to learn.

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Amanda has been introducing herself to many new faces lately so she goes to do so agaian when she gets a better look. Once this happens Strahan finds himself in Amanda's arms as she is now huggin him.

~~Ah the direct approach...~~

The book hits the floor with a considerable "bang" as he feels someone's arms about him.

I cannot get any privacy, he complains despite having had at least three entire weeks to himself.

"I- Hello-" he begins, voice wheezy from lack of oxygen. "Cannot ... breathe... Am I ... in the coils of a serpent?

Am I ... dying again?"

Amanda quikly releases him and places a hand over her mouth, "I'm sorry." having gotten a little over excited since she hasn't seen him in a while and completely hi on sugar.

Picking up the book that had fallen and handing it to him as she takes a seat. "Maybe next time you'll allow visitors during an extended stay in your room in search of solitude." Yes she understands the obsurd nature of the request.

So many questions, so mch to say she hardly knows where to begin.

[Computer's still in the shop, but if I'm lucky I'll get it back tonight. If not, then I'll get it back tomorrow.]

He doesn't hear her at all, his ears are ringing too loudly from the combination of heavy book hitting floor and lack of oxygen to brain.

"Next time you can keep your serpent pet at home - I think it likes me a tad too much," he responds with a gasp, the tone somewhere between "accusatory" and "humourous".

Another deep breath and he looks up at Amanda's face. "The point of undertaking a search for solitude is that it is done in solitude," he begins, then adds, "But the solitude is now over and now I have to wonder: how did you know it was me sitting here? I thought my glamours were as close to perfect as it is possible to get without shapechanging into another person's form."

[OOC: Squee's with delight.]

"I'm sorry." she says again. Not having meant to squeeze him that hard. It seems that she missed him more then she realized. "And for that I am glad."

She smiles, "Strahan my friend there is more to someone then their appearence. Subtle things like how they sit. What they read. In short body language." No one spends over 1100 years as a thief and con artist without picking up on these things.

Sulky. It's the only word to describe his expression. "Am I too obvious?" he asks semi-rhetorically as he pulls out the chain and cat-shaped pendant to examine it idly. "Have I become too predictable in habits?"

He sighs. No doubt Lillith would say he was as easy to read as the tomes they kept on Ihlini magics. And then he releases his glamour.

"Well. I shall assume that the stranglehold you gave me is your way of saying 'hello' to a familiar friend, or is your constrictor's grip indicitave of something else?"

"Not at all." she waves her hand, "I'm just that good." she says confidently.

When he takes out the pendent her eyes fall on it and her heart lightens. Happy to see that he is wearing it.

Her heart stops for a moment at his question. It would seem that it was her who is too obvious. Recovering, "Well hugs are a customary way of greeting a friend. I didn't however mean to hug you that tghtly. I just...missed you." look at her avoid the question.

Strahan just gives her an irritated look, then returns his attentions to the pendant. "Yes it would seem that you are."

Missed him. How many people would say they "missed him"... No one in Niall's family would say that, nor would Taliesin, the bard whose hands Strahan destroyed, turning them into twisted mockeries of what they once were.

Well, Lillith might. Rhiannon too. But he hasn't seen them lately - or at all.

"Missed me? Not many people say they 'miss me'. Most take great pains to 'miss me'. You clearly are different to go out of your way to not 'miss me'."

Of course he's pleased. He's just not inclined to show it yet.

She smiles at the irritated look. Prefering his true form and face to any other. "Why do you work so hard to hide your face." her hand raising to just before she would touch his cheek before lowering it.

"I enjoy your company. That really shouldn't be that hard to believe. What reason would I have to try and miss you? You are my friend." though she would like to be more his pressence is enough for her.

Normally she would be inclined to be more agressive but at the moment her heart couldn't take rejection.

He notices the hand near his face and for a moment he feels equal amounts of hot and cold flowing through him.

No one should affect me like this...

"It is an Ihlini thing to disguise oneself - particularly when one ventures into territories known to be hostile to your race. Cheysuli take pains to kill us; it is understandable that we seek means to avoid detection from those who mean us harm."

But only in Homana. Homana is a Cheysuli realm. Ihlini have found to their cost the level of hostility encountered when journeying there.

In Solinde, they move without fear and without disguise; going as themself, knowing they are safe from harm.

"Friend. You are the first and only non-Ihlini to have called me 'friend'."

Milliways isn't hostile territory. But she lets that go as she can understand the need to practice. Supposing that it is no different then her daily workouts to keep her head.

Her eyes are soft watching him, "You are my friend are you not?" her head tiltedslightly to the side inquiriningly. The word friend isn't something that Amanda uses lightly and somthing tells her that niether does Strahan.

No he does not. "Friend" something he's just realised is a term he's never given to another person in his life.

He looks at her assessively, wondering what he ought to say. A part of him is attached to the old idea that a leader of the Ihlini in service to the Seker cultivates no true friends. But although he still thinks himself a part of Asar-Suti's followers, there are no Ihlini here to lead.

There is no one here to lead.

And a tiny voice tells him it might be unwise to say "no" to Amanda's question. She'd gone through so much trouble to befriend him; he'd be a fool to reject her now.

"Aye. I do believe I can call you a friend. A friend with a very strong grip but a friend regardless."

—It surprises him to realise that what he says is in fact the truth—