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Trouble draws in a shallow breath.

"For reasons beyond my control, darling, I seem to have...graduated."

"Ah." Must be something in the air. He isn't sure how to read their reaction, though. For his own part he sees rather little relationship between the admiral's approval and anybody else's good, but some people seem to be happy about the development. "I hope thou wouldst not have it otherwise?" It wouldn't do to see them distressed.

"Not really, but...well, I certainly see it coming," they admit, with a grimace. "I don't think I've really changed at all."

"Tis hardly meet to consult one who sees only thy charms," he says, because being gallant, at least, comes relatively easily, and always seems welcome. "If it be any use to thy ruminations, I might say that the admiral's standards seem to evade most. Perhaps twouldst be best to simply celebrate being freed from his whims?"

"I know, darling, I know. You're right."

A pause.

"And speaking of free, I...I'm sure you've guessed that I don't plan to stay on."

His arm tightens around them a little, but he nods. "Nay, I would not think it of thee. Nor see thee subject to the cruel vagaries of fate that are little kinder to wardens than prisoners." Even when they were missing and presumably home, he only worried for their safety. Was extremely cranky, but on balance...

Trouble gives them another kiss.

"And when you're done here, darling, there are...worse places than Etheria. If you're considering alternatives."

The invitation does surprise him a little, but not unpleasantly. "It does seem... les inimical to mine nature than the dull worlds from whence so many seem to hail."

They chuckle, and register a surprising note of relief at having not been brushed off.

"Etheria is many things to many people, darling, but I think anyone would struggle to find it dull."

"A place with thee in it could hardly be so, but I confess my thoughts were less lofty." He taps one of his horns. "Even in this form I am as close to what most here would call human as I can be." Has he ever actually mentioned he is also a shapeshifter? He has not. There was a long period of all deception, all the time, and the transition away has been gradual and spotty.

Trouble isn't terribly surprised, and they just smile at the words.

"Well, I'm far from the strangest thing my homelands have to offer, darling. You'll be positively unremarkable - that is, until people get to know you."

Fou-Lu's thoughts are busy, considering for the first time that the return of his powers might have some immediate use beyond dismembering the admiral. "And thou wilt return to... reasonable safety? Not that I would dream of curtailing thy recreation, but..." But they landed here somehow, and they won't have a mostly unkillable humanoid dragon to stand behind, which he disapproves of entirely.

"I'll be safe," they promise. "Since Jake is offering me his deal, I'll be using it to clean up Horde Prime's mess."

There's a slight flicker about his eyebrows registering his surprise this time, because that was quite a point of contention last he heard, but imperial circumspection wins out for the most part. "No immediate threats, then, good."

"Precisely. I'll be fine, I promise."

They brush a few strands of hair back from his face.

"But it's sweet of you to worry."

He's silent a moment and then turns to stand properly face to face. "For all I value thy freedom, thou wilt be missed." He can't imagine how dreary it'll be around here. Ugh. A better use of the moment is to straighten up a bit (and, well, it's not quite standing tip-toe, but he does have to roll a little onto the balls of his feet) and steal a kiss of his own. It's careful, always a bit of a question, but the question was answered long ago. His fingers land gently under their chin to tip down just a little.

"I'll miss you too," Trouble says, meeting his gaze, and they do actually....mean it. They still feel like they don't know Fou-Lu half as well as they could or should, but that feels like an opportunity. Something to look forward to in the future, if he chooses to come spend that future in Etheria.

"You're - quite probably the first person I've become this closely acquainted with without some ulterior motive."

Knowing Trouble as he does, even a careful show of this sort of honesty, however carefully curated, is a gift, and he tries to accept it with due grace. "A lucky fool I, then." He brushes their cheek with his knuckles before he lets the hand fall. "Forging such an acquaintance outside the bonds and obligations of godhood and empire is new to me. I hope not to have erred overmuch."

They smile, small but sincere.

"Not at all, darling. You've helped keep me sane, and for that I'm indebted to you."

"And thou, in turn, to point me to questions I would not think to ask. No debt between us." But perhaps Trouble would rather think of it that way. He backtracks a little, leaning on old political instincts. "Or perhaps a hundred small obligations, crossing back and forth."

Trouble laughs softly.

"Maybe one considers it a relationship when they stop keeping score, don't you think?"

"As good a sign as any," he agrees, glad to find he didn't offend, in any case. "And lucky for me. If I were to begin again in an unfamiliar world, I fear I'd have no choice but to lean on thy expertise for some time." Fou-Lu's thoughts are immortal-slow at the best of times, and ideas are just beginning to stir up. It's a real concern.

"I'm a performer, darling. I'm not afraid of a little exposition," they promise. "And there are so many locals who are just painfully friendly, you'll have no end of answers to your questions."

He smiles his appreciation, sensing a lot of people they can mock together in this hypothetical future. It sounds fun. "So long as I am not a burden, then," he agrees. And, not wanting them to feel like he's looking for unnecessary problems, he adds, "Not for my, what was it, paragon of loveliness?" It's not wrong to borrow much better lines from himself, right? This version of him simply isn't the sort to use words like lithesome unprompted.

Trouble laughs, delighted.

"Your paragon of loveliness shall not find you burdensome in the slightest, darling."

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thefirstemperor - 2021-08-16 13:03 (UTC) - Expand