Ceiling snake is fashion-checking your lamps.

CHARACTER RETIRED

[ceiling-snake-blog]

Crawly+Gabe starter

[ceiling-snake-blog]

Crawly nodded, thinking for a moment. “Maybe…” The look he turned on Gabe was beseeching, wide-eyed with hope. “Maybe you could try pray? You’re an angel, and Raph’s brother. Maybe you’ll have better luck.”

He gave Gabriel’s sleeve a slight tug. “Please?”

[harktheheraldangel]

…crap. Gabriel fidgeted, not willing to give Crawly an outright ‘no’ but not sure he wanted to know what would happen if he said ‘yes’, either.

"I’m not sure Raph will want to listen to what I’ve got to say…" he muttered, stalling a bit. But those puppy eyes… Gabriel sighed. "I could try, but don’t get your hopes up. We don’t even know if he’s here."

[ceiling-snake-blog]

"Of course he would. You're his brother, and you have good news for him after all." Crawly deflated a bit in relief when he heard that Gabe would at least try. Letting go of the sleeve to hold Gabe's hand instead, he encouraged him with a smile. "I believe you can do it."

[ceiling-snake-blog]

Crawly+Gabe starter

[ceiling-snake-blog]

"Yeah, I think so…" Crawly was looking around, but did not start to walk immediately. Rather, it seemed like the shift in perspective had jarred him out of the playful mood as well. Slowly, almost hesitantly, he reached over to grip Gabriel’s sleeve. "Are they really here? In this world?" he quietly asked. There was hope in his tone, but it was a quiet hope, as if he did not really dare to believe it was true yet.

"I tried to find them, you know. Didn’t know how to search, so I just…tried praying, to Raph." He shook his head. "Don’t know if he heard me. I mean, demon and prayer don’t go well together, do they? And I don’t know how it works here."

[harktheheraldangel]

"…neither do I," Gabriel admitted. "I don’t know if demon prayers can get through to angels in general…" He shook his head slightly. "I’m sure Kay’s around somewhere, but I don’t know about Raph. If he is here, though, there’s got to be something we can do…”

[ceiling-snake-blog]

Crawly nodded, thinking for a moment. "Maybe..." The look he turned on Gabe was beseeching, wide-eyed with hope. "Maybe you could try pray? You're an angel, and Raph's brother. Maybe you'll have better luck."

He gave Gabriel's sleeve a slight tug. "Please?"

[ceiling-snake-blog]

Crawly+Gabe starter

[harktheheraldangel]

Grinning widely down at the demon, Gabriel followed suit, wings pulled tightly against his body and falling down, spreading them just before the velocity got to be too much for them and touching down.

"That way, right?" he asked, looking up at the street signs. Always a bit disorienting to go from a bird’s eye view to a human’s.

[ceiling-snake-blog]

"Yeah, I think so..." Crawly was looking around, but did not start to walk immediately. Rather, it seemed like the shift in perspective  had jarred him out of the playful mood as well. Slowly, almost hesitantly, he reached over to grip Gabriel's sleeve. "Are they really here? In this world?" he quietly asked. There was hope in his tone, but it was a quiet hope, as if he did not really dare to believe it was true yet.

"I tried to find them, you know. Didn't know how to search, so I just...tried praying, to Raph." He shook his head. "Don't know if he heard me. I mean, demon and prayer don't go well together, do they? And I don't know how it works here."

[ceiling-snake-blog]

Crawly+Gabe starter

[ceiling-snake-blog]

Crawly stretched his wings, enjoying the touch of wind on them. It felt to him like he had not flown in ages, muscles heating and uncramping that he had not even noticed knotting up. Surely there was nothing better than flight.

Setting off along a likely main road, he did not bother to fly straight, but looped around Gabriel playfully, nudging him now and then.

[harktheheraldangel]

Grinning in response, Gabriel would playfully make chase, still looking down every now and then to check for an apartment somewhere. London did not have many, but at least they wouldn’t have to contend with human buyers if something struck their fancy.

A few minutes in, Gabriel veered to the side, starting to circle around a shiny and modern-looking group of apartments. “How’s this?”

[ceiling-snake-blog]

"Worth a try!" With another flirting loop around Gabriel, Crawly angled his wings to leave the thermal lift carrying him and dove streetwards. He laughed when the wind pulled his hair out of the loose ponytail whipped behind him, then spread his wings at the last moments to land somewhat lightly in an alley next to the buildings. He grinned up at Gabe.

[itsthehost]

The Grand Masquerade: Apologetically Hijacked Again

[reaperoftears]

"Oh, that sounds very good,” Kay grinned, turning back to Raph as she toyed with the cravat at her neck. “What have you been up to, anyway, besides the unfortunate little encounter we witnessed?” she asked conversationally, her voice casual as she reached forward to idly pluck at his own costume, letting the fabric run between her fingers.

[patronofinsaneandlovers-blog]

Eyes stuck on her fingers as they fiddled with her cravat and then began skimming over him, Raph swallowed harshly. “Oh, you- you know. Getting stood up, making an ass out of myself, the usual,” he said, voice rasping ever so slightly. “You two? Did you have a fun time dancing?”

[ceiling-snake-blog]

Crawly made a snrk-ing noise. Ass indeed. "Yes we did. Dancing without you." He leaned over and kissed Raph's nose. "Kay dances great, you know? All twirly. You should try that some time."

[itsthehost]

The Grand Masquerade: Apologetically Hijacked Again

[ceiling-snake-blog]

Practically falling into their embrace, Crawly leaned close to shower both of them with quick kisses. “I for one am excited to see what surprise he will pull out of the proverbial hat.” He kicked off his shoes and put up his feet with a happy sigh.

[patronofinsaneandlovers-blog]

Torn between playing along with Kay’s teasing and a giddy excitement, Raph laughed, hooking his hand behind Kay’s knee, and looped his other arm around Crawly, pulling him close and grinning at both of them. “I assure you, my loves, it will be nothing less than spectacular.”

[reaperoftears]

"You’d damn well better deliver," Kay laughed, still going for a mock-threatening tone, and loosened the silver cravat at her neck without fully pulling it off. She stole a glance at Crawly and smiled cheekily. "We do need to make him pay for his insubordination earlier, don’t we?"

[ceiling-snake-blog]

"We do!" Crawly was delighted to see a tendril of hair  swaying playfully at Kay's temple, as if it was exited too. He offered it a finger. "Maybe we could tie him up with the cravat?" he suggested eagerly. "Make him apologize hands-free."

[itsthehost]

The Grand Masquerade: Apologetically Hijacked Again

[ceiling-snake-blog]

"We should take this to the sofa." Crawly suggested, since it looked very comfortable and perfect for cuddles. The dancing had been very fun, but by now his legs were getting tired - lazing around with his lovelies seemed a great course of action.

[patronofinsaneandlovers-blog]

Raph hummed in agreement, pressing another kiss to Kay’s lips before pulling away and tugging the two of them onwards to the plush couch that dominated the small room.

Falling backwards onto it, he grinned up at them and spread his arms. “Come join me, then, and we’ll see how else I can convince you,” he said challengingly.

[reaperoftears]

Kay smirked as she followed him, tugging off the white gloves she’d been sporting to hide the marks on her skin. Something told her she was likely to need her sense of touch.

"You ever heard the phrase ‘careful what you wish for’?" she asked teasingly, not yet sinking onto the sofa but placing a knee onto it, leaning over Raph with vague menace.

[ceiling-snake-blog]

Practically falling into their embrace, Crawly leaned close to shower bot of them with quick kisses. "I for one am exited to see what surprise he will pull out of the proverbial hat." He kicked off his shoes and put up his feet with a happy sigh.

[ceiling-snake-blog]

Crawly+Gabe starter

[harktheheraldangel]

"I think he did it mostly the human way but cheated where the deeds were concerned…" With a great beat of his wings, Gabriel joined Crawly in the sky, circling opposite him, looking for any sign that there might be an apartment available in the vicinity.

[ceiling-snake-blog]

Crawly stretches his wings, enjoying the touch of wind on them. It felt to him like he had not flown in ages, muscles heating and uncramping that he had not even noticed knotting up. Surely there was nothing better than flight.

Setting off along a likely main road, he did not bother to fly straight, but looped around Gabriel playfully, nudging him now and then.

[itsthehost]

The Grand Masquerade: Apologetically Hijacked Again

[ceiling-snake-blog]

The first door Crawly tried was locked, but the second led into a small, cosy sitting room with a big sofa and heavy drapes covering the windows. He maneuvered the others inside, then shut the door. “Voila, privacy!” he exclaimed.

[patronofinsaneandlovers-blog]

Raph grinned widely, hooking Crawly closer with one arm and kissing him soundly. “My hero, taking initiative and finding us a room,” he murmured, eyes bright as he pulled back and smiled at him, bumping Kay’s shoulder in the process of turning to kiss her too. “And my heroine, stepping in and making my night a thousand times brighter.”

[reaperoftears]

Kay made a skeptical noise as she kissed him back, winding a hand into his neck to hold him. “Flattery,” she protested against his lips, voice disdainful. “You’ll need more than flattery to appease me, noble one.”

[ceiling-snake-blog]

"We should take this to the sofa." Crawly suggested, since it looked very comfortable and perfect for cuddles. The dancing had been very fun, but by now his legs were getting tired - lazing around with his l lovelies seemed a great course of action.

[itsthehost]

The Grand Masquerade: Apologetically Hijacked Again

[ceiling-snake-blog]

Crawly snrk’ed, finally catching his breath. “With a riding crop, to go with the theme?” he suggested, subtly steering them towards the back staircase leading hopefully to private rooms on the second floor

[patronofinsaneandlovers-blog]

Taking a deep breath to quell the last bits of laughter, Raph shivered and followed Crawly’s lead. “Mmm, I’m sure that, if this is really Eros’ palace, we’ll be able to find something like that and you both can punish me as you wish,” he murmured with an outrageous flutter of his eyelashes in their direction.

[reaperoftears]

Giggling quietly under her breath, Kay darted in for a quick peck at his lips, too endeared not to, then stole a glance over her shoulder at the other guests - but nobody seemed to be paying them much heed.

"I’m sure we’ll find all sorts of things,” she murmured under her breath, leaning closer. And if you prove yourself worthy, you may even escape punishment altogether, and show us what proper court etiquette is, don’t you think?”

[ceiling-snake-blog]

The first door Crawly tried was locked, but the second led into a small, cosy sitting room with a big sofa and heavy drapes covering the windows. He maneuvered the others inside, then shut the door. "Voila, privacy!" he exclaimed.

[ceiling-snake-blog]

Crawly+Gabe starter

[ceiling-snake-blog]

"Idea good as any, I guess." He looked around for pedestrians, then appearified his wings when he saw none. "How do humans usually find places to live?"

[harktheheraldangel]

Stretching his own wings out, Gabriel shrugged. “Ask around, I think. Look online or in newspapers or something. I don’t know for sure, though.”

[ceiling-snake-blog]

Crawly took to the sky, circling while he waited for Gabe to join him. "Sounds like a hassle. It makes me wonder how Raph found his old apartment. Did you check the slow, human way, or did he cheat?" he chuckled. "What do you think?"

[itsthehost]

The Grand Masquerade: Apologetically Hijacked Again

[patronofinsaneandlovers-blog]

"My- my deepest apologies," Raph stammered through his snickers, grinning up at her even as he looped his arm around Crawly’s waist to support him. "Maybe you sh… sh… should take me into a private room and punish me for being unable to remain polite?"

[reaperoftears]

Kay lowered her voice, sounding vaguely threatening as she leaned in towards him. “After your sheer insolence this evening? I would be remiss not to. Why, flogging may be involved.”

[ceiling-snake-blog]

Crawly snrk'ed, finally catching his breath. "With a riding crop, to go with the theme?" he suggested, subtly steering them towards the back staircase leading hopefully to private rooms on the second floor

[itsthehost]

The Grand Masquerade: Apologetically Hijacked Again

[ceiling-snake-blog]

"Have you slain many opponents with it?" Crawly added with a truly outrageously overdone wink. He had to shuffle a bit to keep up, but their odd little circle dance prevailed.

[patronofinsaneandlovers-blog]

Raph grinned lasciviously, lowering his voice to a whisper. “Well, I did slay two demons at once with it, a time or two.” He shifted his hands to pull their little circle smaller, wanting to be just that little bit closer to them.

[ceiling-snake-blog]

Crawly gasped in mock astonishment. “What a great feat! You must demonstrate your skills, I insist.” He wriggled his hand free and poked Raph in the side. “We shall have a duel of the blades!”

[reaperoftears]

Kay made an indignant noise and reached in to poke Raph’s other side. “Well, we’re going to have a duel of something, at any rate,” she teased, and then poked Raph some more. “Perhaps you’d care to demonstrate your skill at riding steeds, good sir?” she asked, barely able to keep her face straight.

[patronofinsaneandlovers-blog]

Raph squeaked, twitching away from her fingers. “If you don’t stop poking me, we’re all going to fall over and I’ll be riding you right here.” He paused, realizing what he’d just said, and started laughing. “Not- Not in the fun way, in the squishing you way.”

[ceiling-snake-blog]

That last comment did Crawly in. Howling with laughter, he collapsed into the arms of his pretties, barely managing to cling on while shaking with hysterical hilarity. He tried to hold on, catch his breath, but failed.

[itsthehost]

The Grand Masquerade: Apologetically Hijacked Again

[patronofinsaneandlovers-blog]

"Wellllllllll," Raph said, drawing it out with a grin as he leaned in just a little bit more to kiss the tip of Kay’s nose and Crawly’s ear. "It’s long and heavy and sharp, and any other details, I’m sure, would bore you." He waggled his eyebrows at them, too engrossed in the enjoyment of being there with both of them to notice that one or two of the remaining guests were turning their way with surprise, only to turn away gain just as quickly.

[reaperoftears]

Kay winced exaggeratedly, twirling the both of them around her as she let her eyes flick over Raph’s figure. “Oh my, that sounds terribly dangerous. However do you manage to handle it without hurting yourself, pray tell?”

[ceiling-snake-blog]

"Have you slain many opponents with it?" Crawly added with a truly outrageously overdone wink. He had to shuffle a bit to keep up, but their odd little circle dance prevailed.

[patronofinsaneandlovers-blog]

Raph grinned lasciviously, lowering his voice to a whisper. “Well, I did slay two demons at once with it, a time or two.” He shifted his hands to pull their little circle smaller, wanting to be just that little bit closer to them.

[ceiling-snake-blog]

Crawly gasped in mock astonishment. "What a great feat! You must demonstrate your skills, I insist." He wriggled his hand free and poked Raph in the side. "We shall have a duel of the blades!"

[itsthehost]

The Grand Masquerade: Apologetically Hijacked Again

[ceiling-snake-blog]

"Is that what they’re calling it nowadays." Crawly managed between yet more snorts and giggles. He was a fountain of maturity today, it seemed. He chalked it up the happy shiver running down his spine, the exhilaration of seeing his pretties again.

[reaperoftears]

"Tell us more about your prop, then, good sir,” Kay smirked, hand in hand with both of them and slightly dizzy as they started to make their way around the dancing floor (all the more conspicuous now that very few others, if any, were still dancing). “I do believe you have me at a disadvantage.”

[patronofinsaneandlovers-blog]

"Wellllllllll," Raph said, drawing it out with a grin as he leaned in just a little bit more to kiss the tip of Kay’s nose and Crawly’s ear. "It’s long and heavy and sharp, and any other details, I’m sure, would bore you." He waggled his eyebrows at them, too engrossed in the enjoyment of being there with both of them to notice that one or two of the remaining guests were turning their way with surprise, only to turn away gain just as quickly.

[reaperoftears]

Kay winced exaggeratedly, twirling the both of them around her as she let her eyes flick over Raph’s figure. “Oh my, that sounds terribly dangerous. However do you manage to handle it without hurting yourself, pray tell?”

[ceiling-snake-blog]

"Have you slain many opponents with it?" Crawly added with a truly outrageously overdone wink. He had to shuffle a bit to keep up, but their odd little circle dance prevailed.

[itsthehost]

The Grand Masquerade: Apologetically Hijacked Again

[reaperoftears]

Something inside her loosening despite how she wanted to keep grumbling for a little while longer, Kay couldn’t help but snicker, even if she tried to make it sound admonishing.

"Well, he’s certainly not boasting the slyness of his tongue," she noted snidely as she finally took Raph’s hand, letting the two of them pull her closer.

[patronofinsaneandlovers-blog]

Sticking his tongue out at both of them, Raph took a careful step, part of him trying to figure out how they would, all three at once, take a whirl around the floor without anyone finding themselves tripping and falling, but the larger part was focused on Kay and Crawly and the fact that they were both here and happy. “For your information,” he said, aiming for a haughty tone of voice that was ruined by the happy lilt to his voice he couldn’t suppress, “I happen to be referring to my prop.”

[ceiling-snake-blog]

"Is that what they're calling it nowadays." Crawly managed between yet more snorts and giggles. He was a fountain of maturity today, it seemed. He chalked it up the happy shiver running down his spine, the exhilaration of seeing his pretties again.

[itsthehost]

The Grand Masquerade: Apologetically Hijacked Again

[patronofinsaneandlovers-blog]

Now that Nona and the unsettling ideas that Silver had brought up weren’t being pushed to the front of his mind, Raph took a deep breath and let the tension drain out of his shoulders.

"Hi there, yourself," he said, looping his arms loosely around Crawly’s waist in a long-delayed greeting and smiling at him.

"And no, I’m afraid the ball was rather too hectic and full of far too many people who either got distracted from me or required far too much careful handling for me to have fun," he murmured, carefully disentangling himself from his lover, and stepped back, letting his persona settle about himself as dust as he bowed with a deep flourish. "However, that was far from any excuse for the way I treated the two of you." He looked up through his lashes at them, smiling hopefully. "Is there any way that I can make it up to you and sweep you off your feet the way you deserve, and the way I planned on if I’d been able to find you earlier in the evening?"

[ceiling-snake-blog]

Crawly laughed. “Well there is that threeway dance. Might brighten up your evening a bit, what do you think Pretty?” he said with a coquettish tilt of his head. “Kay is a great dancer, you should try that!”

[reaperoftears]

Genuinely taken aback, Kay stared at Raph for a moment, the hurt still clinging to her like a storm cloud and leaving her feeling like a wet, muddy, stick in the… mud. She sighed slightly then, unable to remain cross with him  or let it go that quickly, and leaned in as well.

"Oh, I don’t know," she whispered, her mouth twisting with amusement that wasn’t entirely free of bitterness just yet. "Maybe I’d be slightly more entertained finding the gentleman who promised me an eventful night earlier and doesn’t seem to think I’m quite so… scary.”

[patronofinsaneandlovers-blog]

"I promise you," Raph said, managing to disguise his wince at her words and the hurt lurking just barely beneath the surface as he straightened and offered Kay and Crawly each a hand, "I find your company nothing less than absolutely delightful, loves, and I’d love to dance with both of you until sunrise, now that I can give you the amount of attention that the two of you are due.”

[ceiling-snake-blog]

Crawly interlaced their fingers with a happy hum. “I’ll take your work for that, Pretty.” He pulled Raph close to himself and Kay, so that he almost stood in the circle of their arms. “Let’s show ‘em how dancing is done!”

[patronofinsaneandlovers-blog]

Grinning widely, Raph squeezed Crawly’s hand and met Kay’s eyes over the top of his hair. “You know,” he said with a laugh even as he pressed closer to Crawly, unclaimed hand still outstretched for her to take, “I’m not entirely certain this sort of dancing is going to work too well with my sword. It seems like it might be a little too long for it.”

[ceiling-snake-blog]

Crawly broke down into immature snickers. “Are you boasting your prowess, my Pretty?” he choked out between hiccups of laughter.