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WHO: Johanna Constantine (

keepgodwaiting) & a variety of appointments
WHAT: Autumnal and spooky hijinks
WHERE: Around!
WHEN: End of September, into October
WARNINGS: Probably demon shit in the Peter thread; probably social awkwardness in the Steven thread; more if they come up

I swear to God I saw her howlin' at the sky
She ain't out to get you but she's better on your side
And she don't wanna be anybody else
She's a woman in total control of herself
It's such a wonder to be under her spell
What a woman in total control of herself

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Royalty? I suppose, although I'm not terribly acquainted with the history of Kazimierz. Now, if you asked me about the shukun shogunates of the Warring States era or the Bloodpeak Campaign of 1072, I'd know a bit more about that, class politics and all. Learned it in school. When it comes to the rest of the world... Higashi's historically been a bit of a hermit nation. What I've learned about other nations came from books or speaking to people on the landship.

[ Midnight shrugs. He does like history and social politics, but when it comes to anywhere but Higashi, he's had to do some catching up. ]

I don't think I'm qualified to ask you about any of those, frankly. Barely qualified to ask people where I'm from about all our wars and kings. I learned about them in school but I didn't enjoy most of it.

It was best when I thought about it all as a nice story, but...

[ Midnight shakes his head. He wasn't the best at school, honestly. ]

What did you like at school? Were you a troublemaker?

[ Johanna snorts, grinning up at him. ]

What do you think?

It was all "doesn't apply herself" until I was old enough to get into real trouble, and then it was demerits for wearing my skirt too short and smoking behind the school and "practicing kissing" with girls.

[ Midnight laughs. ]

Lovely. I wouldn't imagine any less out of you. I do wish I had your nerve, back at that age... I was quite shy, you know.

It had its drawbacks. I got in with a bad crowd. Or was the bad crowd, depending on who you asked.

When did you get over being shy? I can't really imagine it.

That sort, huh... Yes, I would have been in great fear and admiration of you, but mostly the fear.

[ Midnight grins ]

Well, I had to grow out of it, didn't I? Wouldn't have attracted a single customer if I couldn't look them in the eye. Had to be a bit more like you, in fact: an aggressive lack of interest in what others thought of me got me very far, in the end.

[ She grins back, squeezing his arm. ]

I'd probably have found you very mysterious and intimidating, if it's any consolation. The pretty shy boy in the back row? Catnip.

[ This may or may not be entirely true; it's equally likely that she just wouldn't have noticed him. But the flirtation now is more the point. ]

It's a useful skill, not giving a shit.

It is. Which is why I can promise you, without a doubt, that I would never have caught your eye.

[ Midnight gets in very close, his voice conspiratorial. ]

Although it's very kind of you to say that. Perhaps a bit too kind. It makes me very glad I caught your eye, you know. Now that I'm a bit more grown.

[ Johanna chuckles, tipping her face up towards him. ]

God, you are incredibly charming.

[ She says it softly, and it does sound like a sincere compliment. Uh-oh. They may be entering drastic territory. ]

[ Midnight grins back. He's about to get a kiss or a bite on the nose, and he cannot wait to find out which it is. ]

Well, sure. So are you. What are we to do about such revelations? Two incredibly charming people on a lovely evening walk... Surely there must be something.

[ Amused, Johanna stops them in their walk, tugging him to turn and face her. Around them, the oddly empty fair attractions whizz and whistle. ]

One or both of us are probably pretty stupid, too, to be honest.

[ Reaching up, she catches his chin in her head, and then goes up on her tiptoes to give him a soft kiss on the lips. There's a certain inevitability to some things, and she may recognize it, but she's not immune to it. Sometimes you just need to kiss someone to find out what it's like. ]

[ Oh, that is nice. Midnight closes his eyes, accepts the kiss, returns it with a second, just a light bit of pressure on top of the first. He doesn't look to deepen it right away, just leans back when he's done, looking down at Johanna and her cute little nose. Enjoying the smile on her face. ]

Wait, I blinked. Missed it. Silly me. Can you do it again?

[ A grin. What? He did. ]

Oh, see, stupid, like I said.

[ She moves her hand from his chin up into his hair, pulling him down for another kiss, this one a little longer. Not truly heated, not yet, just experimenting, trying out how they fit together. ]

[ A light growl as he's pulled down, pleased and anticipatory. He does like it when his hair is touched. A hand comes up to touch her on the jaw, his head tilting as he returns the second kiss with his own, his eyes fluttering half shut. When his next breath comes in, it shakes a little. He really, really likes kissing, and he likes kissing in good company.

He'll go in for another if she's willing. And another, and another... He's very eager, but he's polite enough to give them both breaks to breathe, at least. ]

[ Naturally, they drift closer together, until they're chest to chest -- or close enough with the difference in their heights. One of Jo's hands ends up cupping the back of Midnight's neck, while her other arm loops around his waist.

He's a very good kisser. That's to be expected given his background, she supposed, but that doesn't make it any less enjoyable. For a little bit, she can just let herself get lost in that, in the physical pleasure of lips and hands and shared warmth.

And yet -- for a second, when they break apart to catch their respective breathes, Johanna looks uncertain. Not like she's about to run away or anything, but like she's second-guessing herself. ]

[ She isn't half bad herself. Quite good, actually, and Midnight's spoiled for choice. When she pulls away, he does too, but only halfway. His hands had drifted up to cup her face, like he was taking a sip of water. Thirsty, as one might say.

He looks down at her lips again, sure, but then up to her eyes, thumb brushing up at her cheek as he smiles at her, lopsided. ]

Didn't miss that one. How about you?

[ It was a good kiss, sure, but nothing that should be reordering the planets or anything. Is Miss Constantine all right? ]

I'm a pretty shit friend, Midnight.

[ She blurts it out, and then tries to cover it with a sharp smile. ]

A great fuck. But you know how these things get.

[ And she likes being his friend. And she would probably like sleeping with him. And she has the awful certainty that if she does either -- let alone tries to do both -- she's going to rip the whole thing in half. That's what she does. Wouldn't it be easier if they avoided the whole thing entirely? ]

[ A very wide-eyed pause. Midnight's somewhat taken aback. How sudden!

Well, he does nod, eventually. ]

I'm rather the same myself, my darling. On both counts. Although, you know, I don't think that improves the circumstances any...

[ He reaches up and pushes her hair back with a hand. ]

No need to fret, love. I can guarantee that my dedication to bachelorhood, in spite of everything, has landed me in enough dire straits to understand how these things do, in fact, get. I like you, but it's quite all right to leave it at that.

Well, thank fuck for bachelorhood.

[ Her eyes half-close when he strokes her hair, relaxing a little, even though she's not sure he quite gets it. She's not worried about falling in love with him, or vice versa. Well, maybe a little, but she's used to disappointing lovers. If she disappoints her friends, here--

Well, never mind, when she does that, she'll do what she always does and soldier on. And in the meantime, she'll just put all those insecurities back in their box and pretend she never said anything. ]

Now, where were we?

[ Midnight tilts his head, questioning, but doesn't ask anything, simply takes her reply at its face. He's no mindreader, but she seems happy enough... That's the only thing he was ever aiming for.

So he drops his chin a bit, lets his hands fall to her waist, and pulls her close, grinning a little. ]

I was asking if you had any opinions on kiss number two, last I checked. Was it to your satisfaction, love?

[ If not, he's got the smile of a man who can certainly keep trying until something suits her fancy. ]

Mm, it was pretty good.

[ His hands on her waist are a pleasant pressure, and she shifts to loop her arms around his neck like a couple at a high school dance. ]

I'd expect nothing less. One more for luck?

[ Midnight laughs, leans in. ]

For compliments that sweet, from lips so lovely? I'm not sure if I have nearly enough kisses for that...

[ One last kiss. Slow, soft, unhurried. With the lights and music of the fair around them, it all feels very dreamlike to him. ]

[ She makes a soft, amused sound against his lips. Johanna isn't against the romance of the moment; she's just not used to it. It must be getting close to a year since she was going out of her way to be soft and sweet with someone.

The way Midnight kisses makes it easy to feel soft. It's nice to feel ... what? Not just wanted, but appreciated. Nice, and scary. It makes her chest ache a little.

Her eyes are closed when the kiss breaks, and it takes a moment before she sighs and opens them. ]

Can I say something? Might be impolite.

"Might be". Mm.

[ He chuckles. As though her first word wasn't an expletive of some sort. Marvelous. ]

I'll forgive you anything, Miss Constantine. Tell me.

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