Multipup post -- main characters

[no_mere_marble]

• Antinoos is waiting by the door, ready to leave. He has his rubber squid, and a codex bound book from the future written in a completely strange language and illegible script, he has a plan, and is ready to get back to his world and face the music. But first, he is having one last milkshake.
  
• Urquhart is in the kitchen, making a fruit strudel with Southern Comfort in, as he was inspired to do from his conversation with Moist the other night. The kitchen door is a bit ajar, and it's smelling quite interesting already.
  
• Teja is by the fireplace, with several cats around him, playing his guitar. From time to time, he looks longingly at the door. His cats, though, look longingly at the strange animal a few chairs away. They know they're not supposed to attack rats or other people's pets. However, they are cats...

Comments

[puckishly]

"Oh my," Puck murmurs, ill at ease.

"How did you come by that squid?"

He approves of the milkshake, however.

[no_mere_marble]

"A fool gave it to me," Antinoos says. "It's made of something called 'rubber', which is just silly."

Antinoos laughs, because it really is. Really. Rubber.

"It's not a sex toy, though, he said."

[puckishly]

Damn that Fool, corrupting our youth!!!

"That it is not," Puck says decisively. That's his daughter you're obliquely referencing, kid!

After a slight pause, "Has the gift served thee well?"

[no_mere_marble]

"Erm, no?" Antinoos says. "It's not actually made to be useful, and you can't really rub anything with it. And it squeaks. Apparently, it's meant to be a very lucky little household god."

At least that's what he took away from the conversation.

[puckishly]

Puck makes a face.

"If that is all, young master, you may have the enviable end of a bargain."

[no_mere_marble]

"Why should the bargain be bad?" Antinoos says. "Look, it even has a cute little face just like a real squid totally doesn't. Despite that, it's fun to look at."

And will hopefully amuse Hadrian. Just a little.

[puckishly]

He sniffs.

"You, certes, know nothing whatever of squid."

Perhaps he ought to explain the danger in accepting gifts from strangers, and powerful magical strangers at that. However, Puck doesn't want to provide that Fool person any chance to find fault with him.

Or pick a quarrel.

[no_mere_marble]

"Not really much, you're right," Antinoos says, "but they don't look exactly like this, ever."

[puckishly]

"I have known a very lovely squid," Puck says loftily.

"Her name is Raspberry."

[no_mere_marble]

"Yes, I understand squid can be people here?" Antinoos says, a little uncertain and trying to hide that.

[puckishly]

He blinks.

"... I expect they might," he says.

"Why, have you met one?"

[no_mere_marble]

"No," Antinoos says. "But there was something about watching squiddy stories on a tiny theatre."

[puckishly]

Puck brightens.

"Tentacles of Our Waves?"

[no_mere_marble]

"Yes, I think that's what it was called," Antinoos says. "I didn't quite get how a theatre can be that small, though."

[puckishly]

"To your eyes, perhaps it is," he replies.

"But through theirs, I expect 'tis you who is the smaller."

[no_mere_marble]

"You mean it works with lenses?" Antinoos guesses.

That's what makes things bigger and smaller than they are.

[puckishly]

"Perhaps," Puck concurs magnanimously, having no idea what he is talking about.

He should probably ask River. She will be dreadfully smug.

[no_mere_marble]

"Some inventions from the future are quite useful," Antinoos says. "Not everybody having to wear trousers, though."

[puckishly]

He laughs.

"I have never minded them."

[no_mere_marble]

"I am Greek," Antinoos says. "We don't wear that sort of thing. Only barbarians do."

[puckishly]

"I recall your weeds well enough," Puck says, though still with a bit of a giggle.

He peers down at his own, breeches ... ed legs. And laughs again.

"Is this what makes a barbarian of me, then? Each to each, every man seems of a different opinion on the matter."

[no_mere_marble]

"Well, there is nothing wrong with being a barbarian," Antinoos says. "They're just not Greeks or Romans."

[puckishly]

The fairy snorts.

"Mortals."

[no_mere_marble]

"Yes," Antinoos says, "of course I am! I'm not a god, and don't mean to become one if I can at all help it!"

[puckishly]

Puck grins.

"You are a wise mortal, then."

[no_mere_marble]

"Well, I met a historian from the future..." Antinoos says.

He still finds the whole thing totally embarrassing.

[puckishly]

"Ohhh?"

His curiosity refocuses like a cheerful laser.

[no_mere_marble]

"He said I was going to have died before the year is out," Antinoos says, "and my lover is going to declare me a god because he'll apparently lose his mind with grief. So now I'm going to try and stay alive, stay with him, and spare him the embarrassment."

[puckishly]

"Ah," Puck says, blinking.

"In which case, I suppose you shall see whether you are ruled by fate or fortune.

Or then again, you may not."

[no_mere_marble]

"As I know about it now, I can try and find out who means to kill me, and stop him," Antinoos says.

[puckishly]

"Oh," Puck says, "it's to be murder?"

[no_mere_marble]

"Well," Antinoos says, "I'm definitely not going to kill myself now, and I know to watch out for an accident, so it must be murder, logically."

[puckishly]

"Logically," Puck says, primarily to taste the word for himself.

"Ah yes. Of course."

[no_mere_marble]

"I'll avoid brawls, dangerous places, and crocodiles, too, now I know what's coming," Antinoos adds. "Catching an intentional murderer before he becomes one is much harder. I'm a useless hanger-on, not a crime solver!"