BEAUTY AND THE BEAST AU 1

[enigmaster]

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[enigmaster]

[He's... quiet at that. Not sure what to do with it. If he should respond or not? In what way? It's... weird. Rescuer, huh?] You were bleeding. [...] I didn't... do a lot.

[agoodname]

I was bleeding. I'm fairly certain I had a fever as well, and I'm certain I still had part of that arrow in my arm when I got here. [he gestures to his own arm] That is no longer the case. So I'm certain I would be in a much worse position without your help. [well, he's not lying??]

[enigmaster]

...You did kind of barge in. Had to do something. [Like, you were bleeding in his castle. GOSH.]

[agoodname]

[Oswald chuckles at that, trying to keep looking amused despite the sudden spark of annoyance--barge in, seriously??? As much as he would very much like to make a snide comment right now, at the moment he's still feeling out the situation. He needs to keep it friendly. It would not be good for this creature to reverse his opinion of Oswald, which already is tenuous at best] I do apologize for barging in. Had there been any other seemingly-abandoned castles in the area, I promise I would have imposed myself there rather than here. However, at the time, it was my only option.

[enigmaster]

[He feels a little annoyed himself, at that.] ...Just don't stay too long. No one else should be here.

[agoodname]

You have my word. As soon as I can walk on my ankle again, I'll leave.

[Breezily, and maybe just the smallest hint of tightness....he does arch an eyebrow, though] Why should no one else be here?

[enigmaster]

It's my castle. I don't want anyone else here. [Well, he does live here. Must've called dibs on it, huh?]

[agoodname]

[...he may not have that much experience with reading animalistic faces, but he's got more than enough experience with human ones. And if human reactions are anything to go by, Edward is hiding something. He files that away for later. Now is not the moment to bring that up; he has to gain more of his trust first.] That's understandable. Have you live here your entire life?

[enigmaster]

... [...] Long enough.

[agoodname]

By yourself?

[enigmaster]

Yes.

[agoodname]

[Oswald resists the urge to narrow his eyes. If he's been alone all this time...] Someone must've raised you at some point. [he props his chin on his hand] Otherwise I doubt you would've known how to treat a wound, much less talk.

[enigmaster]

[Edward turns his head away. He doesn't... want to think about that.]

[agoodname]

....sore subject. [murmured--and he straightens, turning back to the rest of his gruel, now gone cold] Apologies.

[enigmaster]

S'fine. [It's not. He feels weird inside, even thinking about it for a moment.]

[agoodname]

[He's lying. It's a practiced response, but to who? He's not a very good liar, this Edward. The fact that it's this obvious even without human features is telling. But...deflecting like that. It's a learned skill from interaction, not on one's own. Again, something to tuck away for a later. Oswald's reaching for the bowl, anyway, and finishing off the last little bit of gruel, and then wiping his sleeve] Not to impose on you even further, butnwould you mind showing me around? I can't go up the stairs, of course, but I would like to know if there's any areas you'd rather I didn't venture into.

[enigmaster]

[He growls a little, unconsciously, not really happy about this. But, well.] There's a room off limits, upstairs. In the west wing of the castle. You can't get there anyway. [What with his ankle.] ...I don't care about downstairs. [... He's never really given anyone a tour before. He's not really excited to do it.]

[agoodname]

[Oswald's reaching for that crutch, slowly pushing himself to his feet]

Yes, I'd noticed. [a bit dryly, but with humor--that growl set his teeth a bit on edge but...again, if he was going to rip Oswald's throat out, he would've done so already, so he's going to start to push his luck just a little.]

[enigmaster]

...It's too many rooms. I don't need them. [Don't you judge him!]

[agoodname]

Mn. [neutrally. Yes, he can tell, considering all the dust and the trash] I hope you won't be offended if I do clean a bit of it while I'm here. Only the parts I'm in. [he tucks the crutch under his arm, shifting his weight fully onto his good leg and steeling himself to do some movement.]

[enigmaster]

...Whatever. Do as you like. I won't stop you.

[agoodname]

Comforting. [he sounds a bit amused again] Would you like me to cook some more?

[enigmaster]

... If you want to, I won't stop you. [That's a yes.]

[agoodname]

[he chuckles a bit at that, leaning hard on the crutch as he starts to make his way back across the dining room] What would you stop me from doing, out of curiosity?

[enigmaster]

...Nothing you're capable of.