BEAUTY AND THE BEAST AU 1

[enigmaster]

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[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.

[agoodname]

Oh? [Oswald arches an eyebrow, though now he looks even more amused] Such as?

[enigmaster]

I already told you which room you can't enter. Doing anything in there would count. Or trying to steal from the castle. Trying to attack me. Stupid things. [And his eyes narrow, then, as something else... does come to mind.] ...Trying to tell people about what you saw here.

[agoodname]

[Oswald arches a bit of an eyebrow] Well. I'm glad you don't consider raiding your pantry as stealing. Aside from that, there isn't any reason for me to do either of the two former. Even if I did, between the two of us, you very much have the advantage, Edward. I'm certain you'd have no problem stopping someone like me in either case. [as for that last bit--] And I'm not going to tell.

[enigmaster]

Good. Don't. [...] Not stealing like that. People have been here before. Taken things. [Not that there's A LOT left to steal, but. Still.] It's different.

[agoodname]

[Oswald frowns at that--and replays the state of the place in his head] Looters?

[enigmaster]

Yes. I don't like them.

[agoodname]

And you didn't try and scare them away, big thing like you?

[enigmaster]

I did. When I can.

[agoodname]

Hm. [neutral, again. That's...odd. Most human beings, when confronted with someone like Edward, would've turn tail and ran. So how did they get that much out of this castle without him confronting them?]

[enigmaster]

...Sometimes it happens when I'm asleep.

[agoodname]

And the noise didn't wake you? [casually--eyeing those large ears]

[enigmaster]

[One claw sheepishly goes up to one of his ears, which he pulls down a little.] ...Sometimes it's just not worth the effort.

[agoodname]

[yeah. All of this is ringing very, very false. He's terrifying at first look, and even more so at second. There's no way he couldn't have easily scared them off.

Again, something to tuck away for later]

That makes sense.

[enigmaster]

[Edward... glances down at Oswald's leg a moment, at his ankle.] ...How long will it take for that to heal?

[agoodname]

[Oswald huffs a bit, glancing down at it] ....I don't know. I'm not a doctor by any means. [he smiles a little, sheepish, with a wince] I'll try to impose on you for as short a time as possible, I promise. As soon as I'm able to walk on it a bit better, I'll be out of your hair.