( unfairly, her first thought is you don't have to do that. it chafes to assume nami must think alina's in need of a babysitter, in case she toddles off to make a mess of her reputation with the balfours. she wouldn't be wrong about the impulse, but — still.
her second thought is as shallow as splashing around in a puddle: it's a nice shock that nikolai had thought her worthy of mentioning in passing at all. in his absence, it only worsens the urge to find and throttle him for leaving her without so much as a warning — another instinct alina recognizes as wholly unproductive. stupidly counterproductive, even. so, after a bracing breath: )
i don't know what nikolai told you, but he's been known to exaggerate. i'm not a very good mapmaker. so long as you're aren't expecting a masterpiece, it sounds like an even trade to me.
( and, unspoken — it's better than uselessly twiddling her thumbs. )
that's alright. i'm a great mapmaker. there's a statue outside the dining room with a ( hmmmm ) surprisingly (suspiciously? who's he fooling) large dick. meet there. i'll bring snacks.
he sounds as modest as you are. though maybe a little less honest.
( wryly, not derogatorily. (kindly, she does not point out those that have to brag about their endowments are, generally, trying to hide a deficiency. ) because it's a comfort to be dragged around on the leash of nami's confidence, truthfully — one less choice alina starkov has to weigh the merits of making. by comparison, slipping into reflexive obedient feels as warmly welcome on her aches and bumps as sinking into a hot bath's embrace. )
i'll accept one of those stuffed pastries as payment. see you there.
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no subject
her second thought is as shallow as splashing around in a puddle: it's a nice shock that nikolai had thought her worthy of mentioning in passing at all. in his absence, it only worsens the urge to find and throttle him for leaving her without so much as a warning — another instinct alina recognizes as wholly unproductive. stupidly counterproductive, even. so, after a bracing breath: )
i don't know what nikolai told you, but he's been known to exaggerate. i'm not a very good mapmaker.
so long as you're aren't expecting a masterpiece, it sounds like an even trade to me.
( and, unspoken — it's better than uselessly twiddling her thumbs. )
no subject
that's alright. i'm a great mapmaker.
there's a statue outside the dining room with a ( hmmmm ) surprisingly (suspiciously? who's he fooling) large dick. meet there. i'll bring snacks.
no subject
( wryly, not derogatorily. (kindly, she does not point out those that have to brag about their endowments are, generally, trying to hide a deficiency. ) because it's a comfort to be dragged around on the leash of nami's confidence, truthfully — one less choice alina starkov has to weigh the merits of making. by comparison, slipping into reflexive obedient feels as warmly welcome on her aches and bumps as sinking into a hot bath's embrace. )
i'll accept one of those stuffed pastries as payment.
see you there.