{ two. action and dictated }

[nihilo]

[ Alice is sitting on one of the couches at the lobby with one nutcracker on her lap, like a ventriloquist's doll.

She can't quite speak through her stomach or anything, but she does try, moving the puppet's hand to wave at passersby and making voices. ]

Ladies and gentlemen, meet Lothar.

Comments

and everrrr

[thehangedrose]

Lothar? What an odd sort of name...is he named after somebody?

[And after a few seconds of hesitation, he'll outstretch his hand to shake it slightly, still a little too far away for the magic to work between him and her. He is having some warm feelings in his chest, but he ignores them for now, not knowing where they are coming from.]

[nihilo]

[ Alice shrugs. ]

You wouldn't know him. He's very important though.

[ She smirks, barely concealing a toothy grin, when she steps in closer to kiss him on the lips, not insistent, but one can argue if that was the magic at all. ]

[thehangedrose]

Is he? Well, maybe you could tell-

[And that statement is cut short when he's kissed. At first his eyes widen in surprise, but the nutcracker nearby does its thing, and he breaks the kiss only to go for another one, cupping her cheeks as he leans in.]

[nihilo]

[ Alice smiles under the kiss and leans into it, setting aside that puppet so it doesn't interfere. She's laughing when she finally breaks free. ]

1/2

[thehangedrose]

[Oh man, that's nice, it really is. Gary wants to give an award to whoever first invented kissing, it's really quite a wonderful feeling...]

[Wait hang on, maybe he's not going to give that award just yet.]

2/2

[thehangedrose]

[Because he just realizes what he has been doing and flushes a deep red, taking a few steps back.]

O-oh god, I'm so sorry!

[WHAT IN THE WORLD WHY WAS HE KISSING HER WHAT IS GOING ONNNN]

[nihilo]

[ Alice lets him back away, chuckling and grinning so wide at his reaction. That look on his face is worth it. ]

Oh, come now, you weren't terrible.

[thehangedrose]

[He makes a flustered noise, shaking his shaggy head.]

No, no, I mean, thanks! But that's not what I'm concerned about here!

[A nervous frown.]

That wasn't at all what I wanted to do...I'm really sorry about that!

[SHE'S THE ONE WHO KISSED YOU FIRST, YOU DUMMY]

[nihilo]

[ Alice scoffs and begins to step closer to Garry, slowly as not to scare away the prey... ]

What did you want to do?

[thehangedrose]

[He doesn't notice, still too rattled by the sudden kiss to pay attention to what's going on around him.]

I don't know...I just wanted to speak to you about the whole nutcacker thing, not that.

[nihilo]

[ She quirks her head to the side. That doesn't make much sense, Garry. ]

You could hold him if you want to.

[thehangedrose]

[THAT KISS DOESN'T MAKE SENSE]

Hold him?

[That's an odd sort of offer. He tilts his head in involuntary mimicry of her.]

Well...is there something special about him I'm not seeing unless I look at him up close?

[nihilo]

Possibly. You wouldn't know until you try.

[ Alice even holds out her arm to offer the nutcracker to him. ]

[thehangedrose]

[He hesitates (that nutcracker is still kind of creepy!) but takes it from her.]

[But then again, those warm fuzzy feeling rush up inside of him, and he stares at her, so unsure why she's looking particularly....kissable, again.]

U-um...it's a really well-crafted nutcracker, I must say.

[And he says this while leaning in again, not at all looking at it.]

[nihilo]

[ Alice laughs as she leans into the kiss, a lighter one this time, now that the deed is done and he is as flustered as a... Garry!

She mutters against his lips before pulling back. ]

Keep it.

[thehangedrose]

[On a scale of one to Garry, how flustered are you?]

[And oh dear, another kiss. He holds the nutcracker to himself, mind still trying to catch up to all the unnatural things that are happening here.]

Y-you sure?

[nihilo]

[ She giggles, taking a step back to draw the line. This should count as charity, if it plays out as she expexts and Garry wins a crate of alcohol from a certain demon-in-residence. ]

Very. But I'd be hurt if you throw it away.

[thehangedrose]

[Too bad he'll put it in his room and yet still get kissed by like, everybody before he realizes NUTCRACKERS ARE BAD NEWS.]

[He just kissed her again, he realizes, but he's so dazed that he can only shake his head, looking worried.]

Oh, no, I-I'd never throw it away! I don't want to hurt you...

[nihilo]

Good. I wouldn't want that either.

[thehangedrose]

Of course! You're...you're nice and all, the last thing I would want to do is make you upset.

[And he nods, as if agreeing to himself.]

I'll take care of Lothar for you, don't worry...

[nihilo]

[ Alice just laughs and crosses her arms in front of her. ]

That's a first.

Now run along and make sure he's tucked into bed by nine.

[thehangedrose]

I'm pretty sure nutcrackers don't need to be tucked in...

[He's not that gullible, Alice. >:I]

By why a first? Why have people tried to make you upset before?

[nihilo]

[ She gives him an admonishing look that might have said of course it's a joke or even of course nutcrackers need tucking in! ]

I meant the compliment.

[thehangedrose]

...Oh.

What, you don't get complimented much?

[nihilo]

Not for being nice.