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[peasant]

WELCOME TO THE SALTBURNT NETWORK

USERNAME:
myshka

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[abyssale]

you have secrets i would be interested in?

[peasant]

Plenty of them. Devastating secrets, in fact.

( she lets that sarcasm sit suspensefully, like dangling a treat above an untrained puppy's head. then, after she's made him wait: )

When no one's watching, I steal apple tarts from the kitchen.
I left a soggy worm in my friend's pillowcase after she ate the last cinnamon roll at breakfast.
And sometimes, when I feel particularly daring, I eat chocolate in the bath so no one will ask me to share.

[abyssale]

a lot of your secrets revolve around food. is the real secret that your starving?

[peasant]

I should ask you the same, considering you keep offering to bite me. That's twice, now.
It's getting a bit desperate, your royal annoyance.

[abyssale]

would you believe that's not the first time i've been called that? :) ( of course she would. )

but frankly, i am a bit starving. don't give me wrong, the staff do feed me well. but... it would be like eating only bread and water for you. it will sustain you well for a long time, but from the source is going to last longer and do more for me.

you're very good at deflection, you know? i've no ulterior motives, i'm not digging for secrets, i'm simply interested in knowing you better. though i am coming to regret that :) my offer is simply what it is. an offer.

[peasant]

I'm shocked.

( narrator voice: she was not, in fact, shocked. )

I've sustained myself on worse than bread and water.
It must be new for you. A prince, starving like a lowborn commoner.
I doubt you'll have much trouble finding volunteers for meals here. Some of us have unique tastes.

And your brilliant idea of getting to know me was to start by poking fun?
For a prince, you've the worst manners I've ever had the misfortune of witnessing.

[abyssale]

i can't help myself. you're pretty funny when you're mad :)

and i'm aware my manners are what they are. yet you keep responding to me anyway. i think you like my manners. i think you like the challenge. and i think you like to win.

[peasant]

Why bother trying to know me at all?
Since you're so convinced you know me already.

[abyssale]

dani doesn't hate you.

it's irritating.

[peasant]

( alina: 1, lexi: 0. )

I like him, too. He's sweet.
Unlike some people.

[abyssale]

don't be so hard on yourself. not everyone can be sweet like him.

[peasant]

( rude. )

You don't have to be shy. It's your achievement to claim, not mine.
Unless you're hurt I like him more than I'll ever like you?

[abyssale]

only a fool would prefer me to him.
you're not a fool.

[peasant]

It's strange when you do that.

[abyssale]

do what?

[peasant]

Try to compliment me.

( as underhanded as it is, often, as sharply delivered as a bite. still, it's a disruption to one truth she can be certain of, where it involves lexi: )

You don't like me.
Stop acting like there's any part of me you find praiseworthy.

[abyssale]

because i don't treat you to flowery words and kindness i don't like you? i thought i was nice enough when i explained knotting with only slight judgment. ( although tbf, he has wondered that too. he doesn't know a person who hasn't.

back on point. ) believe it or not, i didn't hate you off our first interaction. or dislike you. i found you quite intelligent with a lot of bold thoughts. absolutely vexing delivery of those thoughts. and positively feral. but the point remains.

and ultimately, you were kind to Dani. that means something to me.

[peasant]

I've already told you that wasn't for my sake.

( the things she does for love. 😔 which calls into question lexi's own soft underbelly — of whether he realizes he's rolled over and shown it to her, like a disarmed cat. )

He didn't give me reason to be anything else.
You, on the other hand, like to stick your hand in a wolf's mouth and then complain once you're bitten.
This has to be a game to you.

[abyssale]

i've actually done that before. the wolf part.

i know it wasn't for your sake, which is why it makes you nicer which is very upsetting to me because it means you can be palatable when you try. and you have been to the person i'd prefer you be most to.

( he's not going to address the game part because honestly? yes. and he doesn't need her to know that he pisses her and others off mostly out of boredom. )

[peasant]

What?

( the audacity of a man to casually say the wolf part and not elaborate. )

Maybe I would be palatable to you if you did anything to earn it.

[abyssale]

i described knotting to you without judgement. i thought that was very kind of me.

it was a drunken game with a pack of werewolves. i stick my hand in the wolf's mouth and we try to see which of us is quicker when he shuts his mouth, myself or him.

[peasant]

You're awfully fixated on that part of our conversation. Something you care to share with me?

( your fetish is showing, lexi. )

Well, that confirms it. You're insane.
Who won?

[abyssale]

if i had personal knotting experience to share, i would. alas that was only a fantasy taht remained untouched.

quite.

the wolf. i was drunk, though. don't take that to heart. ( he's honest, but he still has his ego to think of! )

[peasant]

They have tools for that.

( tools. toys. all the same: cursed knowledge some girls have, after indulging their girlfriend's werewolf kink. )

I'm only disappointed I wasn't there to see the look on your face.
The werewolf's bite must have cursed you into a beast, obviously. Considering your manners.

[abyssale]

tools for what? ( it's an actual genuine question. he's pretty unclear of the all the toys that now exist... )

wait around long enough. i'm sure i'll find a lion's mouth to put my head inside of for your pleasure :)

and i was already blessed with such a sparkling personality at that point.