(a quiet afternoon)

[scarred_grin]

It's hard being the other one.

With all the drama and arguing going on in her life, all Pyrrha wants is some peace and quiet, somewhere tension-free where she can work on her latest project. Which is why she's down in the bar today (dressed down, tiny shorts, faded Bauhaus t-shirt, sneakers, no makeup except her tattooed-on eyeliner) with the nervous manner of a kid whose parents are fighting in the other room.

But her latest project is something to see--a scale model of a few blocks of the city streets where she used to live, handmade and intricately detailed, a set for a tiny photo shoot. She's made people, too, to inhabit this set, with a sort of 50s-B-movie feel to them; the idea is to capture just the right angle so the destruction going on outside the Window appears to be the sky over the city, with its residents freaking out accordingly.

Setting it up is slow-going, though, with a lot of hunching down, looking up and repositioning people, cars and props. How do claymationists do it?

Totally botherable.

Comments

[ostro_goth]

"I promise I shall try not to die again," Teja says, putting his arm around her.

[scarred_grin]

"It's weird," she says. "Like, you're doing okay with your life and everything, and then you meet somebody and--you know, without even trying to--"

She gestures vaguely, trying to come up with words.

"You know, like a tree growing next to a fence, and with time it just kinda engulfs it. It just happens. It's like that."

[ostro_goth]

Teja tightens his embrace. "It went fast, but it is as we were made for each other, the big-G-Goth and the small-g-goth, to fit the holes and strangenesses in each other's lives."

[scarred_grin]

"You're too good to me," she says, muffled against his shoulder. "But that's okay. I can live with that. It feels good, and if I can make you even half as happy as you make me..."

It's good to be accepted. To know that no matter how strange she may be, he doesn't seem to mind.

[ostro_goth]

"No, I am merely me, loving as I am made to," Teja says. "And indeed, you make me very happy -- no matter the strangeness that may arise, as we are of this place."

[scarred_grin]

"You're pretty much the most adorable thing ever," she says, "and I hope you know that. And I've been making you some more socks, so you'd better not start getting sick of me or anything--you're stuck with me and that's all there is to it."

[ostro_goth]

"Good," Teja says. "I do not wish it otherwise. Would you marry me?"

[scarred_grin]

"Course I would," she says, a little surprised that he'd even ask. "I mean, as long as things don't get weird with..."

She taps her forehead. Who knows how demons feel about these things?

[ostro_goth]

"His agreement provided, yes," Teja says. "So, let us do that, then. When is a good time for such things?"

[scarred_grin]

"...I don't really have anything planned," she says. "I don't really do anything that can't get moved around--so whenever works for you. Just let me know and I'll be there."

[ostro_goth]

"Marriage needs witnesses," Teja says, "at least that was the way of my people; the law needed to be present, so marriages and betrothals often happened at assemblies, when the judges were present. Some friends of mine declared they wished to meet you; those would be witnesses enough, to satisfy the law as I know it. How do your people understand the law of such things?"

[scarred_grin]

"...well, it depends on whether you're doing it with formal paperwork or not," she says. "I don't think I exist on formal paperwork, so unless there's some sort of government office here or something... people do whatever they want. If they're religious they can do a religious ceremony, if they're not they can just get together on a beach or wherever with friends as witnesses, or just make their vows privately to each other."

[ostro_goth]

"I would make my vows to you freely, in front of my friends," Teja says. "I am a free Goth, and a leader of the Goths; making my vows and accepting yours, and you doing the same, in front of some witnesses is enough. I need not the permission of any gods."

Except Loki, of course.

[scarred_grin]

"I'm not really big on religious ceremonies anyway," she says. "It's more important that you mean it, than that you're saying the right things to make some maybe-real god happy. People don't live with their gods, not the way they live with the person they're married to."

[ostro_goth]

"Indeed," Teja says, "and they live with their families and friends, also, so these must know of the marriage, to make it lawful. Some ask for the blessings of their gods; we will ask your demon for his permission, and leave it at that."

Loki's blessing will be quite enough.

[scarred_grin]

And Weyland will be making a wedding gift, whether he likes it or not. It's the least he can do, really.

"...are we gonna have to tell people that?" she asks. "Or just like... get it sorted out ahead of time, however that kind of thing happens, and not mention gods or demons or anything at all?"

[ostro_goth]

"We need not mention gods or demons, unless he makes that his condition for his permission," Teja says. "I would not wish for him to be left out."

Loki feels left out far too often, as it is.

[scarred_grin]

"Okay, good," she says. "I--you know, if people ask, I won't lie. And if the subject comes round, and I trust the person I'm talking to, I may even bring it up on my own. But if he doesn't care... I'd feel weird. 'Yeah, hi, I'm getting married. Girl with a demon in her head. But he's a nice demon, but kinda slutty, but... yeah, that's me. I haven't met any of you but hi.' It'd be awkward."

[ostro_goth]

"I would spare you all awkwardness with them," Teja says. "When Atton first suggested they would all meet you, I made it my condition they should not try and embarrass you."

[scarred_grin]

"Is that what they normally do?" she asks. "If your friends are into some kind of hazing thing, that's fine, I can take it. I don't want to be treated any different from anybody else--I just don't want, you know, pointing and laughing about things I have no control over."

[ostro_goth]

"They do not haze, point, or laugh," Teja says. "Atton is somewhat pranksterish. But he is Atton. You shall see. Guppy, or Will, or any of the others, are much more harmless."

[scarred_grin]

"I think I can handle pranks," she says.

As long as they're not mean-spirited, anyway.

"Oh, and I met Yrael the other day--he was really nice. We talked about cats and New Orleans and food and stuff."

[ostro_goth]

"You did?" Teja says. "Then you know one of my best friends already!"

He gets up.

"I shall, in any case, go fetch us some wine now, for this calls for a good one. We may be both not quite alive, and in strange places, but we promised to stick together, and have whatever future such as us can eke off the universe. I think that merits celebration!"

[scarred_grin]

"I'd like that," she says with a smile. "And when I'm done with this, with my pictures here, we can maybe get some dinner too--I could maybe cook for you, even."

Life--or existence, or whatever you'd call it--works out funny sometimes. But it still works out.

[ostro_goth]

"I would like that," Teja says, turning towards the bar to find just the wine that would do this opportunity justice.