Designer jeans and hair grease

Cronus Ampora, nine svweeps old, and so much cooler than you.

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*slinks back online*

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==> CRONUS: await Calliope's visit

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“Well, I try to treat the lovely beings with the upmost respect and kindness that they deserve,” Cronus replied sagely, sipping at his own water idly, giving Calliope a small grin.

“I apologize vehemently if my words have killed you, however.”

[calliopespaintbrush-deactivated]

“There is no use now, Mister Ampora. The deed is done. Twice dead, now, would you imagine! An unjust death, the extent to which I care not to think I have ever seen before—-though my plight was certainly quite valiant, if I do say so myself.”

She sighed heavily, over-dramatic and put-on. “To think I was under the assumption that fate would never befall me… If only I were Muse of Time, that I might warn myself against you!”

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"Can't believe you just went there," Cronus groaned, shaking his head at the bad joke.

"Ugh, you're horrid, Calliope. I love it."

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==> CRONUS: await Calliope's visit

[calliopespaintbrush-deactivated]

She squeaked. “My—-oh! My hair, yes, thank you! Gracious, I…” She waved her hand around, still in front of her mouth, as always, but gesticulating in a rather silly fashion.

She was really quite flustered!

“Do you see what you’ve done now, Mister Ampora? Sweet talk a poor girl to death, why don’t you!” She sipped at her newly-replenished water.

“Serve me to illness and sweet talk me to death, if ever there were a thing.”

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"Well, I try to treat the lovely beings with the upmost respect and kindness that they deserve," Cronus replied sagely, sipping at his own water idly, giving Calliope a small grin.

"I apologize vehemently if my words have killed you, however."

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==> CRONUS: await Calliope's visit

[calliopespaintbrush-deactivated]

“Truly?” she asked with a laugh. “I hadn’t the slightest idea! Oh, that’s…” she made a mental note. Feferi and Cronus, pale. New relationship? Seems to be going well. Healthy, realistic view of his partner. She knows and accepts him.

Her mind was a flurry of quick notations, things to write down, additions to make and ships to update.

“That is fantastic, Cronus. I promise to be on my utmost best behavior when I converse with her,” she joked.

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"Ah, you don't have to be," Cronus replied, grinning and shaking his head slightly. "Just be yourself, and she'll be sure to love you. I can't imagine anyone not loving you, to be perfectly honest."

He shrugged and picked up her glass of water, quickly re-filling it and handing it back to her once more.

"Can I just state that I love your hair. I don't know which God loved you enough to give it to you, but wow."

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==> CRONUS: await Calliope's visit

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Cronus had blinked, almost stupidly, throughout Calliope’s words, her last question being the only thing making him realize that he could speak. Wow, she could talk. It was nice, cute even, just slightly daunting at the same time.

“Nothing too terribly important,” he stated at last, smiling down at her gently and looking at the cup to see if she needed more water.

“And you won’t insult me, don’t worry. You’ve been the nicest about everything, by far— except Fef but she doesn’t count, so…”

[calliopespaintbrush-deactivated]

“Oh?” she said, genuinely surprised. The thought made her smile.

Maybe she hadn’t fucked it up too terribly, after all…?

“How is Miss Peixes? She is such a delightful girl. So kind—-and an excellent manager, if her cafe is an accurate meter stick! All personal bias in favor of the shop aside, of course.” She giggled.

“But of course if you know Miss Peixes you must be aware of these traits well enough, yourself. They are impossible to overlook!”

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"Yes, they are," Cronus agreed, smiling to himself at the thought of his moirail. "We're moirails, so I see the best and the worst of her."

He laughed lightly and flicked his hair back, giving Calliope a smile, herself.

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anyone on? i am vway too bored for wvords right novw.

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==> CRONUS: await Calliope's visit

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Cronus looked down at his hands for a moment, a tightness in his throat at Calliope’s words, before giving her a watery smile.

“You’re doing wonderfully,” he whispered, wanting to hug her or something, but knowing that it would not be the best idea that he would have had.

“A+, babydoll.”

[calliopespaintbrush-deactivated]

“I am relieved,” she exhaled. “Still, I am sure to commit some manner of faux pas somewhere down the line. I know less about human culture and social tactics than I project, to be quiet painfully forthright with you, Mister Ampora. I am prone to evaluating situations from my own…. erm. Perspective. Do not hesitate to call my attention to any issues that should arise, in this vein, yes? Promise me that.”

She played with her wi—-with her hair absently. “Though I do believe I have done a bit to wean myself from this naive ideation since last I have truly, um. Needed the knowledge, so to speak. Not that it is ever detrimental to be learned in a culture one does not encounter! Or in any subject, really, I suppose, though of course there are those who would argue against the notion of learning for its own sake. But that is ridiculous, if you do not mind my own opinion on the matter. My brother seems to think being overly intelligent serves to prove a person less intelligent, though that is as banal as it is counter-intuitive as it is vague. Besides, I can hardly think of an instance in which anyone would qualify as “overly” knowledgeable! What constitutes an over-abundance of intellect in his dusty mind, I care not to think, though the implications are interesting enough.”

She took a sip of her water and then startled.

“Oh! Gracious me, I’ve wandered, haven’t I? Entirely consumed the conversation.” She shook her head at herself.

“I would be inclined to believe his influence had uprooted my sense of courtesy, if I did not know for infallible fact by own predilection toward over speaking. A blatteroon through and through, really, an undeniable flaw—-fuck. What were you saying, dear?”

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Cronus had blinked, almost stupidly, throughout Calliope's words, her last question being the only thing making him realize that he could speak. Wow, she could talk. It was nice, cute even, just slightly daunting at the same time.

"Nothing too terribly important," he stated at last, smiling down at her gently and looking at the cup to see if she needed more water.

"And you won't insult me, don't worry. You've been the nicest about everything, by far— except Fef but she doesn't count, so..."

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==> CRONUS: await Calliope's visit

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“Unquestionably.” She considered, for a brief moment, telling him. Telling him she wasn’t really a troll, that she had been pretending, that she had been playing dress up, it was cosplay, it was fake, it was—-

No.

No, that… wasn’t really true, was it? She had a lot to think about. But now wasn’t the place.

She wondered idly how Roxy was doing.

“You will have to forgive me, dear. I have not entertained human company in… far too long. Years, if we are excluding base exchanges.” She smiled sadly.

“I apologize if I have forgotten how.”

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Cronus looked down at his hands for a moment, a tightness in his throat at Calliope's words, before giving her a watery smile.

"You're doing wonderfully," he whispered, wanting to hug her or something, but knowing that it would not be the best idea that he would have had.

"A+, babydoll."

[adorablebubblescuttlefish-blog]

===> Feferi go and see you Moirail

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“Next time you s)(oald take me wit)( you.  You s)(oald )(ave someone to watc)( your back at least.” 

Feferi was smiling weakily but when she saw his hand the smile slipped completely from her face.  She took his hand gently, and kissed the knuckle near his missing fingers.  She was careful in her pale gesture so she wouldn’t hurt him any more.  Then she looked back up at him.

“T)(at s)(ark, maybe I’ll catc)( you a bull s)(ark and we can )(ave a reely good meal.”

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"next time i vwill," Cronus promised, smiling slightly at Feferi, before sighing and resting his head on her shoulder. He was good, pretending it didn't matter, but with Feferi? He realized he didn't have to be good about it.

"this fuckin sucks, fef."

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==> CRONUS: await Calliope's visit

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“Human,” Cronus replied, almost stiff in his answer, the line of his shoulders straight as he tried to sit to his full height. But she wasn’t being vicious about it.

“Human,” he stated, softer this time, as he pressed the sup of water into her hands gently.

[calliopespaintbrush-deactivated]

“Human,” she echoed dumbly.

This was incredible. Never had she met someone else who felt the way she did, who knew what it was like. She felt validated. She felt proud. She felt… giddy.

She had a name for what she was, now. She had a word for what she felt, at least.

Maybe she wasn’t cosplaying after all.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Cronus Ampora,” she whispered.

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"It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Calliope," Cronus responded, confused and slightly worried.

"So, uh, you're okay?"

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==> CRONUS: await Calliope's visit

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Cronus’ eyes snapped towards Callie, as he hurried to get her a glass of water.

“Callie?” he asked hesitantly, sitting down next to her and holding out the glass silently.

“Calliope, what’s wrong? Are you okay?”

He had no idea what had come over her, but he had the distinct feeling it had everything to do with what he had said.

[calliopespaintbrush-deactivated]

“Thank you,” she replied haltingly.

“Nothing is wrong. Nothing at all. In fact…” she shook her head.

“…How do you identify?”

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"Human," Cronus replied, almost stiff in his answer, the line of his shoulders straight as he tried to sit to his full height. But she wasn't being vicious about it.

"Human," he stated, softer this time, as he pressed the sup of water into her hands gently.

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==> CRONUS: await Calliope's visit

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“I thought you had heard about my species dysphoria, is all,” Cronus murmured, not quite knowing if he got the terms right, but thinking that he was close enough for the other to comprehend what he meant.

“All of the others didn’t believe me, or thought I was doing it for attention, you know? So they ignored it. I thought maybe one of them had told you, and you were trying to apologize for calling me a troll.”

He shrugged and blushed harder, because, wow, that was really stupid sounding.

[calliopespaintbrush-deactivated]

“Species dysphoria…” she murmured. “Oh. That’s…” she blinked hard and felt all the blood rush to her head, her chest constrict, her ears pound.

Species dysphoria.

S p e c i e s  d y s p h o r i a.

“I—-oh. Do excuse me, I—-I think I need to, um.” She swayed and fell back into the couch.

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Cronus' eyes snapped towards Callie, as he hurried to get her a glass of water.

"Callie?" he asked hesitantly, sitting down next to her and holding out the glass silently.

"Calliope, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

He had no idea what had come over her, but he had the distinct feeling it had everything to do with what he had said.

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==> CRONUS: await Calliope's visit

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“Oh, I thought someone had told you about— well, never mind.”

He blushed hotly and shook his head to himself, smiling weakly back at her. Fuck, he just seemed to be messing up tonight, didn’t he?

“Sorry.”

[calliopespaintbrush-deactivated]

“No, no—-what were you going to say?” she asked, trying for reassuring.

“You do not need to be afraid, dear. Of course, if you do not wish to discuss it, that is absolutely fine, as well, but… Please do not hold back for my sake.”

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"I thought you had heard about my species dysphoria, is all," Cronus murmured, not quite knowing if he got the terms right, but thinking that he was close enough for the other to comprehend what he meant.

"All of the others didn't believe me, or thought I was doing it for attention, you know? So they ignored it. I thought maybe one of them had told you, and you were trying to apologize for calling me a troll."

He shrugged and blushed harder, because, wow, that was really stupid sounding.

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==> CRONUS: await Calliope's visit

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“Hey, don’t worry about it,” Cronus soothed, touching the back of her hand softly and giving her a small, yet sincere, smile.

“I got into a literal fight with a shark, is all. And it’s fine— the troll thing, I mean. Everyone refuses to say anything else, and I’ve gotten used to it.”

He shrugged and his smile was slightly forced this time, but mostly sincere because damn, he couldn’t not be sincere around Calliope.

“I never said this, but I really love your name. Might be one I say as a full name, even. Calliope.”

[calliopespaintbrush-deactivated]

“A shark? Gracious, you’re quite a tough young man, aren’t you?”

She smiled weakly, trying to recover.

“Pardon? What, erm. What about trolls?”

Had she misspoken further? Fuck, this really wasn’t going well.

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"Oh, I thought someone had told you about— well, never mind."

He blushed hotly and shook his head to himself, smiling weakly back at her. Fuck, he just seemed to be messing up tonight, didn't he?

"Sorry."

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==> CRONUS: await Calliope's visit

[calliopespaintbrush-deactivated]

princeofhopefulintent:

“Would you like a tour?” Cronus asked, noticing her interest.

“Sorry for the slight mess, by the by, I’ve been gone for the past week, so things are quite… dusty.”

He shrugged and flexed his hands slightly, still feeling the odd sensation of not feeling anything. For a second, his fins fluttered nervously, before he hissed and put them back down. Maybe he wasn’t as over it as he thought…?

Ah, well.

“And I have some extension of vocabulary. Just probably not as much as you do, my dear.”

“I would love a tour, darling,” she smiled. She looked up at his face, halfway through forming words, and stopped dead cold.

She gasped.

“Cronus, what—-what happened? Oh, gosh, you do not have to answer that. That was stupid, I—-you have your right to privacy just as any other troll,” she backtracked quickly. “Fuck. Forget I said anything. This always happens, I always do this—-“

She sighed in frustration.

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"Hey, don't worry about it," Cronus soothed, touching the back of her hand softly and giving her a small, yet sincere, smile.

"I got into a literal fight with a shark, is all. And it's fine— the troll thing, I mean. Everyone refuses to say anything else, and I've gotten used to it."

He shrugged and his smile was slightly forced this time, but mostly sincere because damn, he couldn't not be sincere around Calliope.

"I never said this, but I really love your name. Might be one I say as a full name, even. Calliope."

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==> CRONUS: await Calliope's visit

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“Blandiloquence?” Cronus asked idly, raising his eyebrow at her, before smiling and opening his front door. 

“I may flatter you, but it’s all true— which is the best form of flattery, in my opinion,” he continued, brushing his hair back with his hand and hoping to God that his hive was still clean. Thankfully, it was.

[calliopespaintbrush-deactivated]

“Hee hee. You caught me!” She curtsied before walking inside the just-opened door.

“Oh! The inside is even more lovely!” She craned her neck around and took the sight in with interest, trying not to appear overly nosy.

It really was a nice home.

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"Would you like a tour?" Cronus asked, noticing her interest.

"Sorry for the slight mess, by the by, I've been gone for the past week, so things are quite... dusty."

He shrugged and flexed his hands slightly, still feeling the odd sensation of not feeling anything. For a second, his fins fluttered nervously, before he hissed and put them back down. Maybe he wasn't as over it as he thought...?

Ah, well.

"And I have some extension of vocabulary. Just probably not as much as you do, my dear."

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==> CRONUS: await Calliope's visit

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“Have you even looked at my house?” Cronus asked, more amused than he should have been— but damn she was a ton more adorable than he could have imagined.

He smiled at her once more, holding out his right hand in silent inquiry for her to either take it, so he could lead her, or if she so chose to, to just be an ‘after you,’ hand for her to enter his hive.

“I love your vocabulary, by the way. I don’t much hear people speak like that— it’s refreshing, especially when there isn’t a sermon attached.”

[calliopespaintbrush-deactivated]

She chuckled, slightly embarrassed, and chose (for once) not to comment. Now that she actually looked at it, though, it was nice. She smiled appreciatively and followed his gesture towards the door.

“Refreshing is—-definitely one way to put it? Though I might accuse you of blandiloqu—-of flattery.”

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"Blandiloquence?" Cronus asked idly, raising his eyebrow at her, before smiling and opening his front door. 

"I may flatter you, but it's all true— which is the best form of flattery, in my opinion," he continued, brushing his hair back with his hand and hoping to God that his hive was still clean. Thankfully, it was.