Request: Velvet spends a lot of time (and, more importantly, energy) playing the straight man to Magilou’s antics. She is, of course, not a man: and as it happens, she may not be entirely straight either.
Bonus: Eleanor finds it equal parts amusing and thrilling to see the fearsome Lord of Calamity lose her cool at Magilou's prodding. But when she sees Velvet pull their teammate into an alley in Hellawes and press her up against the wall by her throat, laughter is the last thing on her mind.
"Father, I can understand why you would look at them and consider them unscrupulous miscreants, but I would recommend against being so reactive next time. It was clear enough to see that they only put on such a display because you provoked them, and I'd encourage you to consider the setting when engaging with troublemakers."
Once again, it was up to Eleanor to smooth things out in the aftermath of their little merry band trying to do something as simple as waiting in the church for the shops to open.
Privately, she thought the way that Velvet and Magilou had handled it had been...vindicating. The pastor had clearly singled them out for Velvet's attire, and Magilou had only tried to come to her rescue, in her own roundabout way.
Could it really be called a roundabout way, if Magilou was never straightforward in the first place?
Maybe Eleanor had admired the way they'd stood up for themselves because it felt like she was inadvertently sharing that umbrella of protection. She'd never really worked out how she felt about romance, but she knew enough that she was not interested in men.
Well. Most men. But she definitely had a leaning of sorts.
She parted ways with the group: Laphicet was blessedly so exhausted that he was asleep at the inn with Rokurou and Eizen to watch him and make sure he ate, so the three of them were none the wiser to the scene that had just unfolded.
I should give those two a talking-to, at least. Our cover will be blown if they keep doing things like that.
Velvet had grimaced and beckoned for Magilou to follow her for a 'chat', so Eleanor suspected they'd be just outside.
She hears Velvet's hushed voice and Magilou's not-so-hushed voice from the alley around back, and her ears perk up to listen as she sidles up against the corner to watch. Not to eavesdrop, but-just to wait and see! Maybe Velvet will do the important parts for her.
"Look. He was being a creep, but that doesn't mean you can just act as you please-! The second you started rubbing up on me I thought his eyes were going to roll right out of their sockets, the way he was ogling you." She's clearly agitated, her arms crossed, her finger tapping the inside of her forearm.
"Ohoho! So sweet of you to worry, but I'm used to being ogled! It's a shame if I'm not! A performer performs, and I performed perfectly. And you played along too, lest you forget! Throwing me across the altar and crawling over me like that until he went blue in the face-my heart nearly popped! Unless..." Magilou tips her head and Eleanor can hear her lilt suddenly drop into another tone entirely, "...did it really rile you up, right then in there? Thinking about doing it in front of a holy man, to spite the clergy?"
Eleanor is suddenly very, very still. She knows deep down that she's hiding herself for a different reason than she was when this started, but she can't will herself to move away.
I shouldn't be watching this.
"No, it did not."
"Aww, then were you worried about little ol' me? Thinking I've no defenses against the male gaze? I was never a naive country girl like you, Vel, I'm used to it."
"And you shouldn't be. Why is it so outlandish of me to want men to not act like animals? Especially around you, you look way too young for them anyway. If anything it's worse that you get them so excited."
"My my, that doesn't bode well for you, then does it, Vel?" Magilou's voice drops, suddenly serious, and if Eleanor didn't know better-bordering on authoritative. "Because I've seen you much more excited to see me than that."
It happens so quickly that Eleanor is frightened her flinch will give away her position-Velvet's claw erupts from its bandages and pins Magilou to the wall by her throat, her feet dangling.
"Keep talking if you want to pretend you don't know what I mean."
Magilou...laughs. It's strained and sputtering through the pressure at her throat, but she's clearly more delighted than afraid.
I should do something. This is getting out of hand-
SPLASH.
A burst of water soaks Velvet's face and she drops a giggling Magilou to the ground.
"Brat." Velvet bites out.
"Oh come on. I've seen you wetter. And you've seen me."
I need to leave-I really shouldn't be hearing-
But Eleanor stays rooted to the spot, ears burning, her body burning even in Hellawes' frigid climate.
"But tell you what. Let's kiss and make up? And then I'll behave until we get back to the inn." Magilou spreads her fingers into a 'v' just under her chin, poking her tongue out between them and bending her body forward with a great flourish. "What do you say, sourheart?"
Eleanor's heart thumps heavy in her chest as Velvet bridges the distance, take Magilou's chin in her own, leans in until there's barely any space between them. Velvet's lips part and Magilou's eyes go half-mast with a certain...earnestness that Eleanor wouldn't have believed unless she'd seen it with her own eyes.
But Velvet stops just shy.
"...Nice try. You're never behaved. And I'd be the fool for believing you could keep a promise like that."
Magilou's eyes flicker with a moment's surprise, but she's back on the other foot in the next breath.
"Oho, but perhaps you're the fool after all, for taking me seriously to begin with!"
...
Eleanor walks back to the inn, realizes that she's a little more alike to Magilou than she ever expected she could be, both for what thought lingers behind and for the fact that she'd never, ever be able to admit aloud-
The first time Eleanor kissed Velvet, it was a light peck on the cheek on the spur of the moment, before they were even girlfriends. Blood rushed to her face as she realised what she’d done and she pulled away immediately. That Velvet reached up and touched it with a small smile gave her hope.
The first time Velvet kissed Magilou, it was mostly to shut the mage up. She’d been goading her into sealing the deal, so had the hair on the back of her head roughly grabbed to drive her forward into a searing kiss. It had been a long time coming, and it was a heady mix of annoyance, lust and attraction.
The first time Magilou kissed Eleanor, it was a chaste press of lips. Even she knew when to take the subtle approach, and physical intimacy had always been something that Eleanor struggled with. So she’d seduced her gently.
happy Valentine’s Day, @ruination-fangs ! I was your @talesofcovertcupid !! When I saw these three on your list, I knew I just had to draw them. Hope you had a great day! 💞
