[Nikos, sitting on the low half wall some distance away, offers this deeply helpful critique. He's fine. It's a little too sunny for his taste, out here in the courtyard, but Caspar had suggested practicing at this out of doors, that it might be good for a change of pace.
So Nikos had cooperated with that suggestion. Grumbled, acted as if he wouldn't show up, purely on principal, but cooperated.
He has known Caspar for three years now. He could give an exact account of the date, but it wouldn't be the grand romantic gesture that it might seem, it would instead be Nikos, good with dates and figures and numbers. Nikos, who does (despite how he professes to be suspect of romance) remember the first time that he saw Caspar Perakis. He went home and wrote a letter to Marisol about it.
But now they have known each other three years. Training at knives for the better part of a year, but still, Caspar can look clumsy when holding the blade. And clumsy looks strange on Caspar. It doesn't fit his frame, or any part of him. Nikos could, almost, feel superior. But he doesn't, and isn't. Instead he takes another sip of wine from the cup he had brought out here--because it is always better to be drunk--and gestures with it.]
[ It isn't, and he isn't really arguing; the comment's light and amused, and he says it at the exact same time he's checking his posture and correcting it, elbow included. Caspar tosses the dagger carefully, letting it spin once before catching the handle, all show and very little practical use. Less show for the fact that he's doing it to see if he can and paying very little attention to Nikos in the process, however.
He prefers swords. But swords aren't as easy to hide in your boots, and they're much harder to throw, and Nikos is good with daggers; so dagger lessons it is. He cants his head, giving Nikos a sidelong look. ]
I'm not sure I trust your judgment, anyway. Are you sure you can see anything properly from that far off?
[ He isn't that far off. It's just farther than Caspar would like, thanks. ]
tags this back even though we're in a game together now ooh lah lah
[Caught somewhere between wanting to stare fixedly at Caspar doing that stupid showy knife throw and wanting to roll his eyes out of his head at Caspar doing that stupid showy knife throw, Nikos instead opts to (surprise, surprise) take a sip of wine.
There. Better. Now he can properly answer Caspar, which is to say, fix him with a dry stare.]
I'm sure.
[Flat refusal, which he punctuates with another, longer sip of wine.]
If you don't trust my judgement, why did you ask me to be here at all.
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also romantic dates learning how to use daggers
[Nikos, sitting on the low half wall some distance away, offers this deeply helpful critique. He's fine. It's a little too sunny for his taste, out here in the courtyard, but Caspar had suggested practicing at this out of doors, that it might be good for a change of pace.
So Nikos had cooperated with that suggestion. Grumbled, acted as if he wouldn't show up, purely on principal, but cooperated.
He has known Caspar for three years now. He could give an exact account of the date, but it wouldn't be the grand romantic gesture that it might seem, it would instead be Nikos, good with dates and figures and numbers. Nikos, who does (despite how he professes to be suspect of romance) remember the first time that he saw Caspar Perakis. He went home and wrote a letter to Marisol about it.
But now they have known each other three years. Training at knives for the better part of a year, but still, Caspar can look clumsy when holding the blade. And clumsy looks strange on Caspar. It doesn't fit his frame, or any part of him. Nikos could, almost, feel superior. But he doesn't, and isn't. Instead he takes another sip of wine from the cup he had brought out here--because it is always better to be drunk--and gestures with it.]
Your elbow especially. You always drop it.
['Always'. But he does.]
no subject
[ It isn't, and he isn't really arguing; the comment's light and amused, and he says it at the exact same time he's checking his posture and correcting it, elbow included. Caspar tosses the dagger carefully, letting it spin once before catching the handle, all show and very little practical use. Less show for the fact that he's doing it to see if he can and paying very little attention to Nikos in the process, however.
He prefers swords. But swords aren't as easy to hide in your boots, and they're much harder to throw, and Nikos is good with daggers; so dagger lessons it is. He cants his head, giving Nikos a sidelong look. ]
I'm not sure I trust your judgment, anyway. Are you sure you can see anything properly from that far off?
[ He isn't that far off. It's just farther than Caspar would like, thanks. ]
tags this back even though we're in a game together now ooh lah lah
There. Better. Now he can properly answer Caspar, which is to say, fix him with a dry stare.]
I'm sure.
[Flat refusal, which he punctuates with another, longer sip of wine.]
If you don't trust my judgement, why did you ask me to be here at all.