[ Keith can honestly say that he couldn't really define the nature of the game they were playing. That said, whatever the parameters for winning were, she's probably right about having achieved that. Still won't stop him from playing dumb. ]
I have yet to decide what my prize will be, but I'm sure I'll think of something.
[ Azula twists her hand so she can flick the back of his neck with her index finger, stopping herself from doing something worse. She knows they can both agree there was a competition, and she beat him, and she's not falling for whatever he was trying to get her to say. ]
[ Finally, she peels her arms from him, feeling like she's rewarding him for evading her simple request the longer she keeps herself wound tightly around him. Instead, Azula turns so she can scoop Keith's new pet up in her hands and hold it up in the air, staring at its oversized eyeballs. ]
Is it so difficult for you to admit defeat? I am not even asking for you to claim you're a loser, just that I am the winner.
[ This was as close as she was going to get to having a dragon, wasn't it? She shakes it a little so its wings slap against its fat little body. Oh no, it's cute!! ]
Tell me I'm charming, but I expect a hundred percent sincerity.
[ Azula brings the creature back down to hold it tight against her chest. ]
Or I will go through with my plan of kidnapping your dragon.
[ Azula glances down at the shaken baby in her arms, certain it'll survive the event without any trauma. She would never actually kidnap it; she knows better than to be responsible for the well-being of a living creature. ]
I think Keith is asking me to kidnap you.
[ She's talking to the dragon. She doesn't bother looking up at Keith at all when he touches her, partially convinced that he'd drag this on all morning if she didn't put a stop to it. One of them has to end this interaction before they make complete fools of themselves. ]
[ Disgruntled, Keith puts both hands on her shoulders. From between them, the dragon looks up at both of them with wide eyes. Compatible?? Hm. Thinking, thinking. ]
[ She doesn't ignore him now, he's got her full attention. Her grin eases into a smile (it was hard to resist since she finally got what she wanted), she likes diabolical. ]
Now tell me you'll take over the island with me. We would be unstoppable together.
[ ... well this certainly took a turn. He'd raise more of an eyebrow over her phrasing of it, but he's gotten a pinch desensitized to her extreme language. ]
I can't tell if you're trying to get me to fight the Augur with you or if you're flirting with me.
[ Wasn't this whole interaction a giant flirtation? Azula's aware enough to know she's not fantastic at it, but she did just smash her lips on his when she claimed victory. And she was entirely serious about the take-over, though she wouldn't tell him that it wouldn't stop with the Augur. Yet. ]
Certainly not any time soon, we know far too little to actually be successful.
[ Azula squeezes the dragon in her arms, not anticipating actually drafting up a battle plan this early in the day but not quite sure how to address this either. She had been forward enough, but it was fueled by the competition and a small need to stake claim on him that wasn't the Augur's doing. A different kind of win. ]
In the mean time, you can help me think of a better name than Azula and Keith's island.
[ The dragon squeaks, still very much confused. Battle plans don't sound very romantic, you know.....
Keith, meanwhile, is sighing because he genuinely would not have minded having a pointless pow-wow with the Augur at the hospital, if only for the temporary catharsis. ]
You're probably right about that.
[ Not stopping him from sounding disappointed though. ]
Anyway, what's wrong with just calling it the island?
[ Ah, she definitely senses his disappointment. Maybe they could schedule a pointless pow-wow, endeared by how eager he seemed to get right on the take over. There was nothing more romantic than how easy he jumped on that idea, even if he probably didn't realize how serious she was. 100% serious. ]
I just admitted I was flirting with you. Do you really want to banter about names that I will choose in the end or do you want to give me another tour of your lion?
[ If her hands weren't full of dragon, she'd be dragging them down her face. ]
Keith.
[ Spirits, how forward did she have to be? Azula thought she was being transparent enough, but apparently if she didn't get right to the point it was going to go over his head. This was agony, truly. She glances down at his new scaly pet to stop her eyes from rolling into the back of her head, and to uh, stop herself from looking at him. ]
You should know what I meant without me having to say it.
[ Azula, too, was bad at flirting, but at least had the sense enough to know what a tour around the ol' place meant. She wasn't going to ask for it, that-- no!! Frustrated, she shoves the dragon into his arms so he's forced to take it, leaving her hands free to dramatically emote again. ]
[ He holds the dragon nice and securely when she shoves it into his hands, but his attention is on her. Now he's just starting to feel embarrassed on top of defensive. ]
[ The embarrassment is mutual, taking a step back from him as if that's going to dissipate it. ]
Or you can learn to appreciate a little nuance. [ She literally has been laying it on pretty thick for a while now, or so she thought. ] Nevermind. I'm sure we both have better things to busy ourselves with today.
[ She frowns. This was the opposite of what she wanted and it's unraveling in front of her and she can't stop it. Cool! ]
I...
[ Azula really doesn't have better things, or the words to fix it, just turning on her heel to wave back at him so she can retreat back to denying any feelings. ]
no subject
Oh? What did you win? Explain.
no subject
[ Azula twists her hand so she can flick the back of his neck with her index finger, stopping herself from doing something worse. She knows they can both agree there was a competition, and she beat him, and she's not falling for whatever he was trying to get her to say. ]
Say it, or I'll make you.
no subject
[ He laughs, giving his neck an obligatory rub to feign pain. He doesn't doubt that she means that, but he can't help pushing it all the same. ]
Now that's not very charming at all.
no subject
[ Finally, she peels her arms from him, feeling like she's rewarding him for evading her simple request the longer she keeps herself wound tightly around him. Instead, Azula turns so she can scoop Keith's new pet up in her hands and hold it up in the air, staring at its oversized eyeballs. ]
Is it so difficult for you to admit defeat? I am not even asking for you to claim you're a loser, just that I am the winner.
no subject
It depends on what you've decided you won. You still haven't told me that part.
no subject
Tell me I'm charming, but I expect a hundred percent sincerity.
[ Azula brings the creature back down to hold it tight against her chest. ]
Or I will go through with my plan of kidnapping your dragon.
no subject
I don't think you should be shaking the baby like that.
[ He takes a step closer, putting his hand on her shoulder. ]
And if you want me to be one hundred percent sincere, don't you think it'd be more convincing if you weren't holding something over my head?
no subject
I think Keith is asking me to kidnap you.
[ She's talking to the dragon. She doesn't bother looking up at Keith at all when he touches her, partially convinced that he'd drag this on all morning if she didn't put a stop to it. One of them has to end this interaction before they make complete fools of themselves. ]
no subject
[ Disgruntled, Keith puts both hands on her shoulders. From between them, the dragon looks up at both of them with wide eyes. Compatible?? Hm. Thinking, thinking. ]
You're diabolical.
no subject
Now tell me you'll take over the island with me. We would be unstoppable together.
no subject
I can't tell if you're trying to get me to fight the Augur with you or if you're flirting with me.
no subject
[ Wasn't this whole interaction a giant flirtation? Azula's aware enough to know she's not fantastic at it, but she did just smash her lips on his when she claimed victory. And she was entirely serious about the take-over, though she wouldn't tell him that it wouldn't stop with the Augur. Yet. ]
no subject
[ He ducks eye contact for a moment, if only because explicitly labeling this whole interaction as "flirting" is making him oddly self conscious. ]
Guess it can be both. I'm just bad at one of those things.
[ Also thanks for noticing that he's decidedly not blushing very slightly. ]
SO. When do you want to fight the Augur?
[ The dragon continues to stare up at them. Is this their version of a date now.... the poor thing is confused. ]
no subject
[ Azula squeezes the dragon in her arms, not anticipating actually drafting up a battle plan this early in the day but not quite sure how to address this either. She had been forward enough, but it was fueled by the competition and a small need to stake claim on him that wasn't the Augur's doing. A different kind of win. ]
In the mean time, you can help me think of a better name than Azula and Keith's island.
no subject
Keith, meanwhile, is sighing because he genuinely would not have minded having a pointless pow-wow with the Augur at the hospital, if only for the temporary catharsis. ]
You're probably right about that.
[ Not stopping him from sounding disappointed though. ]
Anyway, what's wrong with just calling it the island?
no subject
I just admitted I was flirting with you. Do you really want to banter about names that I will choose in the end or do you want to give me another tour of your lion?
no subject
....if you want? But it hasn't changed much since the last time you saw it.
no subject
Keith.
[ Spirits, how forward did she have to be? Azula thought she was being transparent enough, but apparently if she didn't get right to the point it was going to go over his head. This was agony, truly. She glances down at his new scaly pet to stop her eyes from rolling into the back of her head, and to uh, stop herself from looking at him. ]
I do not really want a tour.
no subject
Then why would you say you want a tour instead of just saying what you mean?
[ THINGS WOULD BE SO MUCH EASIER, ETC ETC!!! ]
no subject
[ Azula, too, was bad at flirting, but at least had the sense enough to know what a tour around the ol' place meant. She wasn't going to ask for it, that-- no!! Frustrated, she shoves the dragon into his arms so he's forced to take it, leaving her hands free to dramatically emote again. ]
no subject
[ He holds the dragon nice and securely when she shoves it into his hands, but his attention is on her. Now he's just starting to feel embarrassed on top of defensive. ]
Well, I'm not psychic and I don't like to assume.
no subject
Or you can learn to appreciate a little nuance. [ She literally has been laying it on pretty thick for a while now, or so she thought. ] Nevermind. I'm sure we both have better things to busy ourselves with today.
no subject
Alright. Fine. Go do your better things then.
no subject
I...
[ Azula really doesn't have better things, or the words to fix it, just turning on her heel to wave back at him so she can retreat back to denying any feelings. ]
I'm sure I'll see you later.