Yeah, they pay more. But if you place higher bets, then I guess any game is the same.
[ Don't quote her on that one, though. It's not like she's a casino expert to begin with. But, it's as she said. Some are easy, some can give a good payout and can last for days in the resort. Thankfully, there's no rent to pay, so most expenses just deal with food, clothing, and other extra things.
Still, it doesn't make this an ideal place to live in!
After seeing one of his presents, maybe it would be best not to touch the rest. Ragna, the Grim-Reaping Crimson Calamity can open the rest of his presents on his own. It'll be fine! He can just do it while she isn't here, because she'd rather not know what else the resort got for him and his newly wed— wherever they may be.
Out of sight, out of mind. Eating a cream puff puts her back in a good mood, a bit more calm and collected when she responds. ]
Compared to the other things, like squeezing someone's chest? I'll take touching someone's knee any time.
[ Knee kink????? She smiles at him when a thought hits her, so before she takes another bite of her cream puff, she says: ]
In fact, I'll touch your knee all day if I have to, if it meant getting chips out of it.
That's about as straightforward as it gets. ...Until it isn't, if my hunch about these bastards is right.
[ Remember. Cautiously optimistic.
By the time he finishes the last spoonfuls of his Ma Po Tofu, he reaches for a napkin and wipes his mouth, clean as it was still. His lips tingle a little, and the spice level means that he can still feel some residual heat. If he forgets about being kidnapped like the rest of them, this is a lot more appetizing! Not bad, Golden Peacock. Not bad at all. He'll enjoy the rest later, since he can just tuck them away in the fridge like leftovers. Once he's set his empty plate aside, Weiss did offer him a cream puff so he asks, ]
May I?
[ A formality, since she'd already offered, but it's also a heads up that he's leaning over for her so he can carefully pick up one of her puffs.
"My goodness. Perhaps I might need to reevaluate my opinion of you, Ragna— when your manners were befitting of dirt before," he can totally hear the Rabbit say, backhanding him and killing any momentum of decency out of the white-haired man.
Weiss mentioning the alternative of squeezing someone's chest usually wouldn't get colour rising to his face so easily. But even if his voice hasn't stammered or composure crumpled yet, there's still a faint redness there.
Must be the spice. (:
It's a light conversation, but on the topic of where to touch others, Ragna can't help but let his thoughts trail. Normally he would keep a tighter lid on those thoughts and feelings, and he was about to say something when Weiss puts the cherry on top of her little kneedy train of thought. ]
Huh? [ Oh that. Is a good distraction from said internal thoughts. Day 1, maybe Day 2 Ragna might have barked, back straightening with a boisterious "WHOA!!" or "Where the hell did that come from?!" ...over knee touching. But she already got him flustered before, cheeky little "getting her hands all over him" remark and all. And it's not like she was randomly throwing herself at him for a joke. Words? He can handle those, tempering himself with a long, deep sigh. So despite the fact he's got a little blush, ] At least I figured out where you want to put your hands on me.
[ It's the more normal games that aren't normal here. It doesn't take long for someone to grow doubtful that there isn't a catch. Ragna has every right to think that way. ]
Yes, go ahead.
[ The cream puffs are pretty good! Weiss does like this particular flavour a lot since she tried it, but she's pretty sure the other pastries in Great Tit! are a lot better. Too bad they're all shaped like actual tits, and she can't be caught eating those around anyone...
His reaction to her touching his knee isn't as explosive as the way he reacted earlier. Is he growing? Adapting? Or maybe it wasn't embarrassing enough. God- she just thinks one of her own teammates would have a kick out of all this. ]
Oh, definitely. I'd have you sit down while I'm settled on the floor, fingers splayed as I just get in there, touching your knee all over.
[ She clears her throat. Her next words have a bit of a dramatic flair to it, clearly exaggerated. ]
"Mister the Bloodedge, what beautiful skin you have. I didn't know that I knee-ded you until toda— hahaha! [ That's the sound of her breaking character and losing her shit before she could even finish the joke. ]
[ Speaking of which? It's his turn! Ragna...usually doesn't get the chance to try such fancy looking dishes. These would be more up Rachel's avenue in terms of elegance. But...that didn't mean it made it something he was against trying. In fact, as he takes a bite off the end of his cream puff, his eyes seem to briefly light up. He can't say he has a sweet tooth, but this earl grey? It adds a nice twist on the whole dessert. He simply hums his approval to her before he takes a bigger bite.
What a big big mistake.
"Oh, definitely." accompanied by what she says next. He stops chewing, letting the cream puff just melt a little in his mouth as he finds himself staring back at her. Wide-eyed, a muffled noise of an "Mn—!" Sitting down, this girl settled on the floor beneath him, fingers splayed as she gets all up in on his knee. His knee.
...and if those hands slipped, sliding further over or along the inside of his thigh—— ]
?!? [ There's a visible tremble in Ragna's eyes for a moment as he muffles behind sealed lips before forcing himself to swallow down the cream puff. Audibly. It wasn't just his face that was burning red again, but for the first time since he got here? Heat. Spreading through his chest as he prepares to lambaste her for...something. Saying anything right now more akin to barking because he suddenly feels like he's losing his grip. ] Hey, the hell's with—!!
[ "Mister the Bloodedge, what beautiful skin you have. I didn't know that I knee-ded you until toda—" aaand she's losing her shit because of her pun that does not go over his head. And suddenly that bubbling urge to bark dissipates, simmering...simmering... ]
[ SHE IS FUNNY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH! And she is absolutely still laughing, a hand on her stomach as it starts to hurt. Once she catches breath, she snickers one last time before just... grinning.
She obviously isn't over it yet. But she is trying!! ]
That was good. I'll need to remember that one.
[ Is she going to tell it to some other person? Maybe. Poor them, really. At least Ragna can rest assured (?) that he wouldn't be the only one to suffer through this. Though he should probably regret helping her out... Look at what the caffeine has done to her. ]
[ A shame that Ragna’s rarely the laughing type. But the progression from being stone-faced when being scoped for hustling his way into her pants, to the flustering Grim Reaper sitting beside her, was like seeing two sides of a door. Congratulations, Weiss Schnee. This is an all new type of bullying for Ragna that he’s gonna need some time and experience to process.
That and…it’s honestly still a welcome change from what he was mentally preparing himself for in this place. When he invited Weiss earlier, Ragna thought that she would be a (understandably) guarded person and he would exchange advice giving her food, and that would be the end of that. Instead, she’s already poked fun at him numerous times and showed a playful side that practically blindsided him.
The fact she has no idea who he really is and she’s pressing buttons…
Man. What the hell is he in for in this tenure. ]
Please. Please just. I need you to spare me the knee puns.
[ It takes a certain level of shamelessness to get comfortable in someone else's room, especially when you've only just met. Weiss didn't really think she'd be having a conversation like this— one where more than just stating facts and speculation about this resort would be shared. Here she is though... she's done all that! And she's also at that point where she can be more like herself. Even if it's the dorkier and goofier side of her that she shows.
Ragna should be proud of himself. Nice Weiss already on the first day? That's a rare feat. A scythe-wielding girl in black and red would be flipping out at him if she ever found out. ]
What's wrong? [ She takes a small bite out of her second cream puff, intentionally pausing because yes, once again, she is here to deliver yet another line. It is after swallowing that she asks: ] You don't think I'm fun-knee?
[ This time, she doesn't crack and start laughing before she finishes. She waits and looks at him after saying it, expecting a reaction, whether a snort or exasperation. One will make her stop while the other will make her want to keep going. ]
[ Truth be told? Ragna can't recall a time that he's had somebody staying in a place he could actually call his "room" before. Not since he was still a kid, when he'd chide Jin for being a crybaby over the moon, or letting his little sister sleep in his bed when she had a bad dream. The fact that this is a real "first" for him at his age would probably sink in later when he was all by himself, alone with his thoughts. Although, having "Nice Weiss" as the first person he actually experienced a moment like this with? Wasn't...so bad. Not bad at all, actually.
Even if he's towing the line of being a grouch and trying his hand at being a host.
Said scythe-wielding girl in black and red would probably flip out at him regardless.
... She intentionally pauses. ]
...Oh god. [ Ragna just sounds. So done. And yet. And yet. He lets her keep going. Here it comes. ] UGH.
[ He's being tortured. He's also the one that chimed back once about figuring out where she wanted her hands to be on him, he realizes. Which might be why she skilfully(?) dodges the "shut up" button once again. ]
Go back to eating your cream puff. [ A beat, as he holds his own half-eaten one up. ...son of a bitch he's gonna regret this: ] I knee-d a sec if you're gonna keep bombarding me.
[ Well, he better not tell her to "shut up" again. That's just asking for a fight.
Even if she does ask for it, most of the sometimes. ]
Oh, sure. [ Oh, thank god. She sounds serious. Is she actually listening to him this time and will stop with the lame jokes? ] I'll only say something again if it's knee-cessary.
[ That's the last one. For now. He won't know when the next one will come, but she will be there... waiting for an opportunity to flaunt her funny bone again. Her teammates would be so proud. (Or they would be on Team Ragna for this one. It really is all up in the air.)
But with only one last cream puff left though, there's not much else to eat. She places the plate on the tray and makes sure she didn't leave any crumbs on the couch, cleaning it up if she spots any. It'll be as if she was never here, by the end of it all. ]
[ She'd have to genuinely grate on him to accomplish that again. He's even almost over the whole Crimson Calamity deal. She sounds serious though? Was he breaking through to her?! He swallows what's left of his cream puff just in time for her to drop that lame ass pun. But instead of complain even more or beg her to stop... ]
And there's the coup de grâce...
[ Weiss Win. Perfect. ]
[ Ragna is content with what he's eaten so far, so he's ready to tidy up as well. Pushing himself back up to his feet, he tidies up with her, only piping up when she goes back to picking the crumbs from the couch if there's any left. He offers to take care of it for her, though conschnee-ds easily enough otherwise as he takes the cart of leftover food towards the fridge in the kitchen. Whether Weiss follows him or not, he regards back to her: ]
I think I changed my mind about changing. [ Main reason being? Besides the sus titty shirt? ] I'm not feeling so stuffy with just a dress shirt.
[ Ragna can just tuck it in again! He starts arranging the leftover Chinese dishes into the fridge real quick, followed by turning around to the marbled island where the sink is. He's mindful of his gloved right hand, only rinsing his bare left hand as he intends to just wipe the right clean. ]
So what now? Wanna relax for a little bit or head back down?
[ A dress shirt is a regular type of clothing... If he feels stuffy in one, Weiss would. . . honestly be judging. There's a reason why Weiss didn't have a high opinion of Sun when they first met. While a big factor of it was because he was a Faunus and was clearly not to be trusted at the time, he certainly looked very uncivilised (harsh) by having his shirt open the whole time.
No, she did not think the washboard abs were attractive. ]
Hold on to that shirt of yours, especially if you don't have a lot of chips to spare. The free clothes that come from this place are very tacky.
[ Just like that "I'm in my slut era" shirt from before... Fortunately, she's done with that phase of wearing free clothes, because she purchased some new ones as soon as she got out of the room she woke up in. While she'd much rather be in her usual battle gear, it's not like there's any reason for her to fight just yet, so she's just been spending most of her days in casual dresses in this place. Just like now. ]
Let's head back down soon. I'm plenty relaxed as is.
[ No, she does not ask about him, but he had a bunch to eat. If he wants to sit down and relax a little longer, she won't mind, but she might go down ahead just so she can move around and do something else. Eat and run mentality ]
[ A regular type of clothing that he most certainly wasn’t used to. Loosened cuffs and a well fitted dress shirt wasn’t so obnoxious on him after all though, the longer he relaxed and got out of the grandiose of his white jacket. Only thing he’d have preferred was if he got decked out in black. But, even Ragna knew that beggars couldn’t be choosers on their predicament.
That, and…the less questions that get (inevitably) asked about his arm and why that whole sleeve underneath was staying on, the better. Another reason why he second-guessed the Great Tit! t-shirt. ]
Tacky’s a…uh, real polite way of putting it.
[ And as such, he’s on her wavelength in that respect, he clicks his tongue in annoyance as he dries his hand clean on a gilded hand towel provided. ]
Seriously, what the hell were they thinking stealing the clothes off my back?
[ And he presumes off Weiss’ too. But when she gives the go ahead for them to get ready to hit the Casino, he lets go of his earlier frustration over outfit compromises with a more calming sigh. ]
Sure. I’m feelin’ pretty good too now.
[ Really good actually. The food and dessert were a bigger pick-me-up than he thought they’d be. This was a much needed change of pace. …even if he had to contend with a tiny Schnee along the way. ]
[ It certainly is very cheap to her. No respectable person would wear a shirt that says "I love dildos" unless they found it funny or something. In contrast to him, she is a beggar who is also a chooser, and actually did. . . refuse to put any of those free clothes on and instead went shopping in her bathrobe.
(Yeah.)
At the very least, that whole ordeal is over now and Weiss does have clothes she's more comfortable wearing in public now. ]
Also, you're lucky you have something decent on. Some of us here, when we arrived, woke up naked in the jungle.
[ "Some of us here" obviously means it wasn't her, but he should be glad it wasn't him, either.
She'll wait for him to finish cleaning up and fixing the leftovers by the door. There's her watch that she fiddles with as she waits, making sure she's texting her catdemon roommate that she's out and if he can get room service to clean the place up unless he wants to do that... ]
Embarrassing? Raunchy? [ Oh wait. The most obvious term. ] Stupid?
I mean if you've gotta have shirts with slogans or logos, have at 'er but would it kill them to have one shirt that wasn't slapping a dick or boobs on it?
[ To be fair. There probably(?) is tamer apparel. But Ragna also wasn't about to just start looking desperate digging through and find out whether it exists or not. Yet it's when Weiss puts everything into perspective for how some of the wildcards arrived previously that grants him pause. The incredulous look he gives her isn't directed at her, but at the absurdity of the statement. Although part of him, somehow, still wasn't surprised either. ]
That...wouldn't have boded well for anyone involved if that were me.
[ Half a frown, as he avoids sparing a glance to his right arm. Beneath his dress shirt is a full-length black sleeve. No one needed to see the raw Azure Grimoire underneath. And ever since he got here? It stopped hurting, and any time someone bumped into him or even accidentally touched it, they didn't get woozy either. Bristly and cautious as he may still be about letting people get too close, it's also been getting...harder to. For one reason or another that he's happy to have distractions for in the form of taking a chance on this girl.
Still... ]
Well then. Guess that just means I gotta count my blessings then.
[ He sounds so enthused. Weiss has plenty of time to fiddle and keep her roommate in the know before he's all set! He already knows that he's going to be on edge a little once they're down in the hustle and bustle of the Casino. But...if he can just keep his attention on Weiss to start and focus less on the mindless drones of lustful idiots 'enjoying their stay', he can forget he's in a sex resort for a little while longer.
Be that anchor, Weiss. Just for a little bit. He'll even endure more of your cringe puns to do it.
But at least Ragna sounds better as he even has a relaxed smile on his face. ]
Alright. Let's see how lucky we can get after all.
When I find a shirt that has a knee on it, I'll be sure to get it for you. Consider it a "welcome to the casino" present.
[ Ah... what has he done...
She isn't too fazed by his reaction to waking up naked in the jungle, though. No matter who it was, she imagines, anyone sensible would just find it all too embarrassing and awful. A really bad experience overall. But if others get affected by it too, well... Weiss doesn't have to think too hard about it— that's his business and she won't ask. She maintains what she said, that he's lucky that it didn't happen to him.
Although waking up in this place to begin with is rather unlucky... but what's done is done!
She'll wait until he opens the door before she steps out. Goodbye, fancy room. Goodbye, very comfortable chaise lounge which she one day hopes to have in her own room. Goodbye, bathtub which she didn't really see but knows it's there. This should probably be the time when she thanks him for the coffee and the snacks, and she does think it. Rather than say it out loud, though, she decides to wait until later to show her gratitude.
It's just a little embarrassing, that's all. ]
Right. Like I said, the slot machines are the easiest, but if there's another game you want to play, I'll watch. Maybe you might win big.
[ Come to think of it... he can put himself up for auction, too. That'd get him quite a lot of chips in exchange for an hour with someone. ]
[ Ragna resists rolling his eyes, instead shaking his head before at least fessing, ]
Painful as that sounds, I'd...still take it over the rest of the junk.
[ Even if it's hypothetical. And probably joking. ...if he finds out people have a kneejob fetish here if that's even a thing, he's going to go insane. Ragna follows after her, only stopping to spare a glance back into the illustrious suite one more time. Remembering everything Weiss said before about being assigned a rank soon... This is too much even for him, but he also doesn't want to get thrown down into the pits either. For selfish reasons and...he just knows it'll put him in an even more sour mood. That and the trouble he'd cause if he had to put up with seeing the staff be assholes not only to him, but to people around him.
He's already got little patience for crap to begin with.
But who knows? Maybe he'll get dealt a good hand. And he can...invite her up again sometime. ]
I know how some of these games work. Even if I never really had the time for a lot of it back home.
[ Putting him up for auction is just asking for a bad time. For both parties involved. adskflj It's not long before the two return to the private elevator leading back down. From there, they can take the public elevators once again so they can get a clear path to the casino. ]
You're not gonna try your hand at any of them?
[ Curiosity more than goading her on! He reaches for and taps the button for the public level, the pristine golden doors gliding shut before they start going down. ]
[ She has had enough risk-taking for a lifetime, thank you. And even then, there are still more bets to be placed in the future.
In this place though? Games in the casino aren't really her thing; it's not her idea of fun. While she does sit down and play some Blackjack from time to time, it's all done out of spite. She needs to learn what she can from other players and improve her bluffing and card counting skills, because there's a stupid person in this casino who she needs to win against at some point. If that day will actually come is unknown, but she sure as hell isn't going to let him keep winning against her.
The casino does have a pretty good stage, though. Get up on it and entertain the crowd and get some tips. It's not quite as lucrative as getting ten times your bet if you win a game, but she'd find that more fun. ]
I'll watch. And provide commentary.
[ :) Watch him, she means. Unfortunately for him, she doesn't have anything better to do. This place gives one a lot of free time, but it gets so tiring not doing any work or anything productive... everything is leisure. He really is stuck with her for now until something better catches her interest. ]
Are you that eager to get rid of me?
[ Into the lift they go, and Ragna presses to take them to the connecting floor to the public elevator. Weiss isn't really all that bothered if he did want to just be alone as he played some games. They're not friends, and they certainly don't owe each other one's company. There's just something about his presence at this time that makes her not want to be anywhere else, though.
It's not something she's even aware of. It might be best that it stays that way. ]
[ Then, assuming that she didn't gamble much, to have chips, then... Talk about a new learning experience. He lets that thought stay at that- perhaps out of an unspoken respect. If this place was all about leisure and there was very little else beyond indulging, he was going to find himself getting...really bored, really fast. Time will tell if Mr. Grim Reaper here was going to find a particular balance in how he accrues his chip stack. He still isn't keen on paying these guys, but he finds himself being more easily swayed by the suggestions of this girl who could have left at any point.
Actually...sigh, playing games. But not necessarily "the" game. Can they go back to hanging out in his suite and forgetting where they are? He'll even take getting bullied teased by her over what's waiting for them down below. So much so that when Weiss taunts him again, he folds his arms and gives a halfassed response. ]
Words in my mouth, why don'tcha...
[ Because saying "No" was too direct of an invite.
'Ding!' The elevator opens! And they're now far removed from the fancy couch, the fancy bath, the fancy kitchen, the luxurious privacy... And he takes a deep breath in through his nose. Out his mouth. Just relax, Ragna. So long as he focuses on his company? He can hold a modicum of ignorant bliss while they continue to hang out. So far as they walk, it's not like they're being bombarded by innuendo and debauchery just by walking down a hallway into the more open space. Although there is one difference he notices. ]
Looks like we skipped the big rush.
[ Compared to how busy and crowded it was waiting for an elevator earlier, let alone getting crammed in with so many others. Now there's just only a couple other people around. It's awfully quiet now... But they gotta head down to the main level from here if they want to hit the casino. Ragna walks up to press the â–¼ button, only for a moment's passing and another audible 'Ding!' as the light above the door illuminates. ]
Huh. Good timing, too.
[ Good timing indeed. Especially when those doors open and out fumble a seemingly drunken pair of women, clothing still dishevelled and giggling something about 'hoping they liked the show' before Ragna can barely step to the side as they walk off together. Furrowing his brow at them whilst biting his tongue, he scrunches his mismatched gaze with a shake of his head before shrugging it off, remembering to step into the elevator in time. He holds his arm out against the side so that it doesn't start to close on Weiss. ]
[ Ragna, Ragna... The Grim-Reaping Crimson Calamity. You better not think of the other ways Weiss gets her chips, because she definitely did not mean to imply what you're thinking when she said that. She doesn't gamble regularly, but the amount of money earned from small payouts isn't so bad— she can get by! Especially when (sighs) people invite her over to their rooms to have coffee or snacks, or when other people actually volunteer to cover her expenses. Of course, Weiss is an independent young lady who don't need no man, and she still is a player of the bigger game here. Just don't think about that now, will you?
The way he responds to her tease just gives her more motivation to keep doing it. Weiss isn't someone who clicks with people easily, given her more prickly nature, but sometimes, maybe she can. It's a miracle! And while she wouldn't say they're clicking, she isn't disinterested in forming a connection with him. Even if the way he approached her was rather suspicious. ]
You could just say "no", you know.
[ A shake of her head. Down they go, then out. When they get to the next elevator door, she takes a step to the side as two people walk out. She's no gossip, so she doesn't really care about what they were talking about. Though judging by how they looked? Weiss could guess what they did and what they might do once they get inside one of their suites...
But, again, not her problem. She steps into the elevator and presses the floor that'll lead them to the lobby so they can head to the casino. Not a very long ride down, even if they're at the highest part of the building. With no one else around, Weiss notices the painting on one side, but doesn't pay it any mind. She just doesn't think there were paintings in the elevator before... huh!
Once the elevator doors close, they should actually feel the machine descending, but they're not moving at all. In fact, there isn't even any noise from it that it's started to move. Weiss looks up, and the screen still says they're on the same floor they came in from. ]
Is it broken?
[ In which case, they'd just need to get off and call for another one. So she clicks on the button that should open the door, but it doesn't do anything, either. She presses again, and again, and again, really mashing the button this time, but there's still nothing. And so, she passes a puzzled look Ragna's way. ]
I'm not sure what's going on.
[ Little do they know, the painting Weiss spotted earlier? The three subjects are all smiling innocently as they keep their eyes on her. ]
[ Tch... // Saying that Ragna "doesn't click with people" could be the grossest understatement of the decade; although much of it was a combination of choice and circumstance— circumstance that he deems best to keep under wraps for as long as he can. Granted, much of that had to be said front and centre when he was still entrenched in the turmoil of his own world. What was he trying to do again? Defeat Terumi? Defeat the Imperator? Or was he just trying to make heads or tails of the wide-open realm of possibilities laid out before him now that he's left Kagutsuchi?
He didn't have the time to make niceties with other people. It was just as much a problem for him as it would have been for everyone else.
And yet...there she is, still at his side. He hasn't warned her away. He even went against his own hesitations to invite her up and take her away from the hassle of the hustle they're coming back to now. What information did he glean from her to begin with? Was it worth it? Or did Ragna find something else he'd been denying himself since he got here? A connection?
Was it...even okay to even think about wanting— ]
...Huh?
[ The surplus of paintings that have manifest since they last hopped in here was a bit on the excessive side. Did they ride this one before? Or did they take another one beside it? Ragna can't remember. But more alarming was the fact that they weren't moving. He can't feel anything off, at least, coming from the outside. If there's one thing that he was good at, it was having a good sense for danger, imminent or no. So now they're just...stuck? ]
Wonder whose luck this is.
[ She taps it again. And again. And he folds his arms and leans to one side out of confusion. This wasn't a case of Weiss doing something wrong. She's clearly pushing the button for the main floor? That's when she gives up and shoots him a puzzled look. ]
Let me try something.
[ ...by "try something", Ragna, you don't mean...
He steps up beside Weiss, staring down at the console of buttons. Just as he tightens his fist, mindful not to just go denting the damn thing in with his strength, he's about to knock the console when all of a sudden...
The elevator lights flicker, immediately setting the hairs on the back of Ragna's neck on end as he stops himself mid-swing and the lights normalize. Instantly accompanied by: ]
[ "Does he think hitting everything can solve all his problems?" ]
[ Disembodied voice?? Also not Weiss'?? Ragna's pupils reduce to pins and he reluctantly turns around. First towards Weiss as he attempts to force some bass back into his words. ]
Hey...you uh, hear that?
[ "Although..." A gleeful giggle. "What! What!""Isn't it kind of sweet too? Bravely charging ahead all, 'Don't worry, I'll save you'?"
"Oho that is so darling!"
So begins another facet of Ragna the Bloodedge on full display, as he hones in on the painting on the wall, the Teasing Trio all smiles and longing sighs as they chinhand at the two and— ]
G-Ghosts?! H-H-Here tooooo?!?!
[ Oh. There's a new octave. Ragna immediately takes a step (two) back, hairs on his one good arm standing on end as he halfheartedly raises it in front of himself in defence. ]
[ Weiss gives him space, taking a step to the side. Before he can even do anything, the lights flicker and then there are voices...
She doesn't scream or anything, but she does tense up, immediately looking around to see if there is anyone else around. It's the painting. They're moving and talking, and they most definitely aren't human. Ragna might think they're ghosts, but she doesn't think they are?
It's under investigation. Weiss isn't as scared anymore compared to when she first arrived and met her doppelganger, but it is still very unsettling regardless. ]
Um...?
[ What the hell is going on... she thought for sure the paintings couldn't talk. They could jump out of their frames, but... this is weird. Should she just accept that just about anything can happen here? She really should, shouldn't she?
Her companion's voice breaks, and her attention goes back to him. He isn't looking so good, which gets her to raise an eyebrow. Is he really scared? Somehow, she didn't think he would be scared of ghosts... but to each his own. She won't kick him while he's down, so she takes a step forward, as if to shield him with her smallass body from the painting. ]
Leave him alone.
[ Now the Teasing Trio stop giggling. Or at least, they do when Weiss shuts them up for a second or two.
"Oh, how cute! Don't you worry, we aren't going to do anything! We're stuck here!"
Great, they're smartasses, too. Whether or not they're trying to be annoying on purpose, Weiss just frowns, unimpressed with the response she's received.
"Show us something cute! We'll let you go after you entertain us a bit, okay? Please? Look, look! He's sooo scared! Doesn't he deserve a kiss and a hug?" ]
... [ So that's it. They can't leave the elevator and it's all because of this painting. Weiss honestly feels a little bad. This isn't her fault, but somehow? She thought for sure Ragna wouldn't get subject to the resort's oddities right away. Maybe it was wrong of her to be optimistic about it, but they did seem to have a good start, just chatting and not even eating anything that made them horny. She doesn't even know what to even tell him now, because she knows what she should be doing to get out. But if she were in his shoes, she'd totally be making a big deal about this. No way can this stupid place tell her what to do!
It's why instead of talk about a kiss and a hug, she instead asks: ]
Are you okay? [ Scared, obviously, but she'll at least make sure he knows he's got company and the paintings won't do anything crazy while she's around. They don't look threatening, and that's all that's important to her. If it were a painting of a demon or something, then she'd 100% be terrified with him. ]
[ Phantoms weren't something that Ragna typically dealt with on the regular, as attuned as he was with the concept of souls and spirits by now. Unfortunately? They're still rooted deeply to him, to the point where his heart was palpitating as he scrunches his eyes shut just so he can avoid looking at them. Like a rare, childish notion that if he can't see them, they can't see him. He's already got it imprinted in his head that they're ghosts...and there weren't very many that he didn't just soldier on through despite himself. It's always that initial impact— the heat, the ringing in his ears as the pain exceeds the shock his body attempts to throw himself into, the wooziness, the blood loss, that son of a bitch's voice cackling all the while and making him feel even more powerless than he already was... It's funny on the surface, and for all intents and purposes, he masks the truth well behind his girly screams or flinching whimpers.
But then he hears another voice. One he just met. One he knew. One that stuck around with him as she tells the Teasing Trio to leave him alone. And Ragna bites down a whimper. He doesn't cry; he's not even close to that. But he cracks his green eye open first, Weiss practically shielding him by standing between him and the painting. And the visual is sobering for an entirely different reason. And his eyes open with a tremor behind her. The last time someone stood between him and a ghost, they...
...!
Come on, Ragna. Come on. Get out of your own head. Get out of your own thoughts. Snap back to reality?! He'd already been skeeved out from his prior investigations here, this shouldn't be so shocking to him. That was all then. This is now. Why should he be scared of some phantom painting? So, despite himself, keeping behind Weiss as he does, Ragna does bark back up. ]
Yeah, ha HA ha! Real funny, assholes! What the hell do you want??
[ "Show us something cute! We'll let you go after you entertain us a bit, okay? Please? Look, look! He's sooo scared! Doesn't he deserve a kiss and a hug?" ]
Shut up! I-I'm not scared—
[ Another little voice crack. ]
[ "Come now, we're not asking for much~ Please? We just want to have a little fun... Unless...you want to be stuck in here... Foooreeeever~" ]
Check it. Better plan? How about, you piss off and let us off already, you damn voyeurs.
[ He lets out a frustrated little growl, after the initial outburst had been burned away into the ether. He remembers to take a deep breath again. Slow. Try to calm himself. Around the time that Weiss turns around to ask him if he's okay, he almost looks...ashamed? A frown mars his lips as he closes his eyes, one more breath in through his nose, and out his mouth. Weiss had stepped in to stick up for him. She didn't need to do that, even if it was just some playful spirits in a painting.
There he was, wanting to do better than this resort ever could in helping someone and sticking it to them, and now he's the one hiding behind her. So when he opens his eyes again, trying to keep his attention on her, there's still a hint of embarrassment in his voice. They're just in the painting. They're not monsters. There's no fire. There's no pain. There's no haunting voices whispering in his ear. ]
Yeah. [ A beat. ] Yeah. I'm fine. Great.
[ Shit, he can hear himself. That wasn't "Great". ]
Sorry. I... I overreacted.
[ Getting mad at the painting was his coping mechanism, it seems like. And chances were he'd still feel a shiver trickle down his spine if they decided to pipe up. Instead, at least for the time being, they keep to themselves, little whispers in each others' ears and distanced giggles as they wait and see if they need to give the two of them some more coercion or not. ]
So. [ Back to trying some sense of normalcy as if he hadn't just had a freakout earlier. If nothing else, he bounces back quick. ] Guessing this is another trick up this place's sleeve.
[ That didn't sound great to her... but she won't question it. Though he will see with the way her brow almost quirks up that she's doubtful. Very doubtful. No, she just doesn't believe him at all. But the fact that she doesn't comment on it is more for his sake and not hers.
Whatever he says. ]
You're fine. Just... try to ignore them, I guess.
[ Weiss gives a slight shake of her head, only wincing slightly when the giggles of the trio pierce her ears. She resists the urge to turn around and give them attention though, merely rolling her eyes as she scoffs. ]
I don't really like them, either. And I know there was something weird with the paintings... They're alive? Sort of.
[ Her voice is a little softer, trying to ensure that the trio won't be able to hear her. While she doesn't have a lot of information on how these paintings can even talk, she at least knows that there's something up with them. And they're the reason why she doesn't like sleeping alone, else she's scared she'd find her doppelganger in her room just staring at her.
The doppelganger that actually is inside one of the framed artworks. Strange as that may be... ]
I'm not sure that we can get out of here on our own, though. [ She turns her attention towards the panel with the buttons again, pressing on the open door button a couple of times. ] We can't even leave this stupid casino...
[ So something small scale like this? While she should have figured that something like this could happen, she never really did. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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[ Don't quote her on that one, though. It's not like she's a casino expert to begin with. But, it's as she said. Some are easy, some can give a good payout and can last for days in the resort. Thankfully, there's no rent to pay, so most expenses just deal with food, clothing, and other extra things.
Still, it doesn't make this an ideal place to live in!
After seeing one of his presents, maybe it would be best not to touch the rest. Ragna, the Grim-Reaping Crimson Calamity can open the rest of his presents on his own. It'll be fine! He can just do it while she isn't here, because she'd rather not know what else the resort got for him and his newly wed— wherever they may be.
Out of sight, out of mind. Eating a cream puff puts her back in a good mood, a bit more calm and collected when she responds. ]
Compared to the other things, like squeezing someone's chest? I'll take touching someone's knee any time.
[ Knee kink????? She smiles at him when a thought hits her, so before she takes another bite of her cream puff, she says: ]
In fact, I'll touch your knee all day if I have to, if it meant getting chips out of it.
[ 'v' ]
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[ Remember. Cautiously optimistic.
By the time he finishes the last spoonfuls of his Ma Po Tofu, he reaches for a napkin and wipes his mouth, clean as it was still. His lips tingle a little, and the spice level means that he can still feel some residual heat. If he forgets about being kidnapped like the rest of them, this is a lot more appetizing! Not bad, Golden Peacock. Not bad at all. He'll enjoy the rest later, since he can just tuck them away in the fridge like leftovers. Once he's set his empty plate aside, Weiss did offer him a cream puff so he asks, ]
May I?
[ A formality, since she'd already offered, but it's also a heads up that he's leaning over for her so he can carefully pick up one of her puffs.
"My goodness. Perhaps I might need to reevaluate my opinion of you, Ragna— when your manners were befitting of dirt before," he can totally hear the Rabbit say, backhanding him and killing any momentum of decency out of the white-haired man.
Weiss mentioning the alternative of squeezing someone's chest usually wouldn't get colour rising to his face so easily. But even if his voice hasn't stammered or composure crumpled yet, there's still a faint redness there.
Must be the spice.
(:It's a light conversation, but on the topic of where to touch others, Ragna can't help but let his thoughts trail. Normally he would keep a tighter lid on those thoughts and feelings, and he was about to say something when Weiss puts the cherry on top of her little kneedy train of thought. ]
Huh? [ Oh that. Is a good distraction from said internal thoughts. Day 1, maybe Day 2 Ragna might have barked, back straightening with a boisterious "WHOA!!" or "Where the hell did that come from?!" ...over knee touching. But she already got him flustered before, cheeky little "getting her hands all over him" remark and all. And it's not like she was randomly throwing herself at him for a joke. Words? He can handle those, tempering himself with a long, deep sigh. So despite the fact he's got a little blush, ] At least I figured out where you want to put your hands on me.
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Yes, go ahead.
[ The cream puffs are pretty good! Weiss does like this particular flavour a lot since she tried it, but she's pretty sure the other pastries in Great Tit! are a lot better. Too bad they're all shaped like actual tits, and she can't be caught eating those around anyone...
His reaction to her touching his knee isn't as explosive as the way he reacted earlier. Is he growing? Adapting? Or maybe it wasn't embarrassing enough. God- she just thinks one of her own teammates would have a kick out of all this. ]
Oh, definitely. I'd have you sit down while I'm settled on the floor, fingers splayed as I just get in there, touching your knee all over.
[ She clears her throat. Her next words have a bit of a dramatic flair to it, clearly exaggerated. ]
"Mister the Bloodedge, what beautiful skin you have. I didn't know that I knee-ded you until toda— hahaha! [ That's the sound of her breaking character and losing her shit before she could even finish the joke. ]
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What a big big mistake.
"Oh, definitely." accompanied by what she says next. He stops chewing, letting the cream puff just melt a little in his mouth as he finds himself staring back at her. Wide-eyed, a muffled noise of an "Mn—!" Sitting down, this girl settled on the floor beneath him, fingers splayed as she gets all up in on his knee. His knee.
...and if those hands slipped, sliding further over or along the inside of his thigh—— ]
?!? [ There's a visible tremble in Ragna's eyes for a moment as he muffles behind sealed lips before forcing himself to swallow down the cream puff. Audibly. It wasn't just his face that was burning red again, but for the first time since he got here? Heat. Spreading through his chest as he prepares to lambaste her for...something. Saying anything right now more akin to barking because he suddenly feels like he's losing his grip. ] Hey, the hell's with—!!
[ "Mister the Bloodedge, what beautiful skin you have. I didn't know that I knee-ded you until toda—" aaand she's losing her shit because of her pun that does not go over his head. And suddenly that bubbling urge to bark dissipates, simmering...simmering... ]
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[ ... The squinting stare doesn't quite work as effectively when you're as red as the coat you used to wear. ]
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[ SHE IS FUNNY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH! And she is absolutely still laughing, a hand on her stomach as it starts to hurt. Once she catches breath, she snickers one last time before just... grinning.
She obviously isn't over it yet. But she is trying!! ]
That was good. I'll need to remember that one.
[ Is she going to tell it to some other person? Maybe. Poor them, really. At least Ragna can rest assured (?) that he wouldn't be the only one to suffer through this. Though he should probably regret helping her out... Look at what the caffeine has done to her. ]
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and experienceto process.That and…it’s honestly still a welcome change from what he was mentally preparing himself for in this place. When he invited Weiss earlier, Ragna thought that she would be a (understandably) guarded person and he would exchange advice giving her food, and that would be the end of that. Instead, she’s already poked fun at him numerous times and showed a playful side that practically blindsided him.
The fact she has no idea who he really is and she’s pressing buttons…
Man. What the hell is he in for in this tenure. ]
Please. Please just. I need you to spare me the knee puns.
[ Don’t you mean… :) ]
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Ragna should be proud of himself. Nice Weiss already on the first day? That's a rare feat. A scythe-wielding girl in black and red would be flipping out at him if she ever found out. ]
What's wrong? [ She takes a small bite out of her second cream puff, intentionally pausing because yes, once again, she is here to deliver yet another line. It is after swallowing that she asks: ] You don't think I'm fun-knee?
[ This time, she doesn't crack and start laughing before she finishes. She waits and looks at him after saying it, expecting a reaction, whether a snort or exasperation. One will make her stop while the other will make her want to keep going. ]
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Even if he's towing the line of being a grouch and trying his hand at being a host.
Said scythe-wielding girl in black and red would probably flip out at him regardless.... She intentionally pauses. ]
...Oh god. [ Ragna just sounds. So done. And yet. And yet. He lets her keep going. Here it comes. ] UGH.
[ He's being tortured. He's also the one that chimed back once about figuring out where she wanted her hands to be on him, he realizes. Which might be why she skilfully(?) dodges the "shut up" button once again. ]
Go back to eating your cream puff. [ A beat, as he holds his own half-eaten one up. ...son of a bitch he's gonna regret this: ] I knee-d a sec if you're gonna keep bombarding me.
[ Om. /// ]
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Even if she does ask for it,
most of thesometimes. ]Oh, sure. [ Oh, thank god. She sounds serious. Is she actually listening to him this time and will stop with the lame jokes? ] I'll only say something again if it's knee-cessary.
[ That's the last one. For now. He won't know when the next one will come, but she will be there... waiting for an opportunity to flaunt her funny bone again. Her teammates would be so proud. (Or they would be on Team Ragna for this one. It really is all up in the air.)
But with only one last cream puff left though, there's not much else to eat. She places the plate on the tray and makes sure she didn't leave any crumbs on the couch, cleaning it up if she spots any. It'll be as if she was never here, by the end of it all. ]
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almostover the whole Crimson Calamity deal. She sounds serious though? Was he breaking through to her?! He swallows what's left of his cream puff just in time for her to drop that lame ass pun. But instead of complain even more or beg her to stop... ]And there's the coup de grâce...
[ Weiss Win. Perfect. ]
[ Ragna is content with what he's eaten so far, so he's ready to tidy up as well. Pushing himself back up to his feet, he tidies up with her, only piping up when she goes back to picking the crumbs from the couch if there's any left. He offers to take care of it for her, though conschnee-ds easily enough otherwise as he takes the cart of leftover food towards the fridge in the kitchen. Whether Weiss follows him or not, he regards back to her: ]
I think I changed my mind about changing. [ Main reason being?
Besides the sus titty shirt?] I'm not feeling so stuffy with just a dress shirt.[ Ragna can just tuck it in again! He starts arranging the leftover Chinese dishes into the fridge real quick, followed by turning around to the marbled island where the sink is. He's mindful of his gloved right hand, only rinsing his bare left hand as he intends to just wipe the right clean. ]
So what now? Wanna relax for a little bit or head back down?
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No, she did not think the washboard abs were attractive. ]
Hold on to that shirt of yours, especially if you don't have a lot of chips to spare. The free clothes that come from this place are very tacky.
[ Just like that "I'm in my slut era" shirt from before... Fortunately, she's done with that phase of wearing free clothes, because she purchased some new ones as soon as she got out of the room she woke up in. While she'd much rather be in her usual battle gear, it's not like there's any reason for her to fight just yet, so she's just been spending most of her days in casual dresses in this place. Just like now. ]
Let's head back down soon. I'm plenty relaxed as is.
[ No, she does not ask about him, but he had a bunch to eat. If he wants to sit down and relax a little longer, she won't mind, but she might go down ahead just so she can move around and do something else.
Eat and run mentality]no subject
That, and…the less questions that get (inevitably) asked about his arm and why that whole sleeve underneath was staying on, the better. Another reason why he second-guessed the Great Tit! t-shirt. ]
Tacky’s a…uh, real polite way of putting it.
[ And as such, he’s on her wavelength in that respect, he clicks his tongue in annoyance as he dries his hand clean on a gilded hand towel provided. ]
Seriously, what the hell were they thinking stealing the clothes off my back?
[ And he presumes off Weiss’ too. But when she gives the go ahead for them to get ready to hit the Casino, he lets go of his earlier frustration over outfit compromises with a more calming sigh. ]
Sure. I’m feelin’ pretty good too now.
[ Really good actually. The food and dessert were a bigger pick-me-up than he thought they’d be. This was a much needed change of pace. …even if he had to contend with a tiny Schnee along the way. ]
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[ It certainly is very cheap to her. No respectable person would wear a shirt that says "I love dildos" unless they found it funny or something. In contrast to him, she is a beggar who is also a chooser, and actually did. . . refuse to put any of those free clothes on and instead went shopping in her bathrobe.
(Yeah.)
At the very least, that whole ordeal is over now and Weiss does have clothes she's more comfortable wearing in public now. ]
Also, you're lucky you have something decent on. Some of us here, when we arrived, woke up naked in the jungle.
[ "Some of us here" obviously means it wasn't her, but he should be glad it wasn't him, either.
She'll wait for him to finish cleaning up and fixing the leftovers by the door. There's her watch that she fiddles with as she waits, making sure she's texting her
catdemonroommate that she's out and if he can get room service to clean the place up unless he wants to do that... ]no subject
I mean if you've gotta have shirts with slogans or logos, have at 'er but would it kill them to have one shirt that wasn't slapping a dick or boobs on it?
[ To be fair. There probably(?) is tamer apparel. But Ragna also wasn't about to just start looking desperate digging through and find out whether it exists or not. Yet it's when Weiss puts everything into perspective for how some of the wildcards arrived previously that grants him pause. The incredulous look he gives her isn't directed at her, but at the absurdity of the statement. Although part of him, somehow, still wasn't surprised either. ]
That...wouldn't have boded well for anyone involved if that were me.
[ Half a frown, as he avoids sparing a glance to his right arm. Beneath his dress shirt is a full-length black sleeve. No one needed to see the raw Azure Grimoire underneath. And ever since he got here? It stopped hurting, and any time someone bumped into him or even accidentally touched it, they didn't get woozy either. Bristly and cautious as he may still be about letting people get too close, it's also been getting...harder to. For one reason or another that he's happy to have distractions for in the form of taking a chance on this girl.
Still... ]
Well then. Guess that just means I gotta count my blessings then.
[ He sounds so enthused. Weiss has plenty of time to fiddle and keep her roommate in the know before he's all set! He already knows that he's going to be on edge a little once they're down in the hustle and bustle of the Casino. But...if he can just keep his attention on Weiss to start and focus less on the mindless drones of lustful idiots 'enjoying their stay', he can forget he's in a sex resort for a little while longer.
Be that anchor, Weiss. Just for a little bit. He'll even endure more of your cringe puns to do it.
But at least Ragna sounds better as he even has a relaxed smile on his face. ]
Alright. Let's see how lucky we can get after all.
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[ Ah... what has he done...
She isn't too fazed by his reaction to waking up naked in the jungle, though. No matter who it was, she imagines, anyone sensible would just find it all too embarrassing and awful. A really bad experience overall. But if others get affected by it too, well... Weiss doesn't have to think too hard about it— that's his business and she won't ask. She maintains what she said, that he's lucky that it didn't happen to him.
Although waking up in this place to begin with is rather unlucky... but what's done is done!
She'll wait until he opens the door before she steps out. Goodbye, fancy room. Goodbye, very comfortable chaise lounge which she one day hopes to have in her own room. Goodbye, bathtub which she didn't really see but knows it's there. This should probably be the time when she thanks him for the coffee and the snacks, and she does think it. Rather than say it out loud, though, she decides to wait until later to show her gratitude.
It's just a little embarrassing, that's all. ]
Right. Like I said, the slot machines are the easiest, but if there's another game you want to play, I'll watch. Maybe you might win big.
[ Come to think of it... he can put himself up for auction, too. That'd get him quite a lot of chips in exchange for an hour with someone. ]
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Painful as that sounds, I'd...still take it over the rest of the junk.
[ Even if it's hypothetical. And probably joking. ...if he finds out people have a kneejob fetish here if that's even a thing, he's going to go insane. Ragna follows after her, only stopping to spare a glance back into the illustrious suite one more time. Remembering everything Weiss said before about being assigned a rank soon... This is too much even for him, but he also doesn't want to get thrown down into the pits either. For selfish reasons and...he just knows it'll put him in an even more sour mood. That and the trouble he'd cause if he had to put up with seeing the staff be assholes not only to him, but to people around him.
He's already got little patience for crap to begin with.
But who knows? Maybe he'll get dealt a good hand. And he can...invite her up again sometime. ]
I know how some of these games work. Even if I never really had the time for a lot of it back home.
[ Putting him up for auction is just asking for a bad time. For both parties involved. adskflj It's not long before the two return to the private elevator leading back down. From there, they can take the public elevators once again so they can get a clear path to the casino. ]
You're not gonna try your hand at any of them?
[ Curiosity more than goading her on! He reaches for and taps the button for the public level, the pristine golden doors gliding shut before they start going down. ]
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[ She has had enough risk-taking for a lifetime, thank you. And even then, there are still more bets to be placed in the future.
In this place though? Games in the casino aren't really her thing; it's not her idea of fun. While she does sit down and play some Blackjack from time to time, it's all done out of spite. She needs to learn what she can from other players and improve her bluffing and card counting skills, because there's a stupid person in this casino who she needs to win against at some point. If that day will actually come is unknown, but she sure as hell isn't going to let him keep winning against her.
The casino does have a pretty good stage, though. Get up on it and entertain the crowd and get some tips. It's not quite as lucrative as getting ten times your bet if you win a game, but she'd find that more fun. ]
I'll watch. And provide commentary.
[ :) Watch him, she means. Unfortunately for him, she doesn't have anything better to do. This place gives one a lot of free time, but it gets so tiring not doing any work or anything productive... everything is leisure. He really is stuck with her for now until something better catches her interest. ]
Are you that eager to get rid of me?
[ Into the lift they go, and Ragna presses to take them to the connecting floor to the public elevator. Weiss isn't really all that bothered if he did want to just be alone as he played some games. They're not friends, and they certainly don't owe each other one's company. There's just something about his presence at this time that makes her not want to be anywhere else, though.
It's not something she's even aware of. It might be best that it stays that way. ]
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Actually...sigh, playing games. But not necessarily "the" game. Can they go back to hanging out in his suite and forgetting where they are? He'll even take getting
bulliedteased by her over what's waiting for them down below. So much so that when Weiss taunts him again, he folds his arms and gives a halfassed response. ]Words in my mouth, why don'tcha...
[ Because saying "No" was too direct of an invite.
'Ding!' The elevator opens! And they're now far removed from the fancy couch, the fancy bath, the fancy kitchen, the luxurious privacy... And he takes a deep breath in through his nose. Out his mouth. Just relax, Ragna. So long as he focuses on his company? He can hold a modicum of ignorant bliss while they continue to hang out. So far as they walk, it's not like they're being bombarded by innuendo and debauchery just by walking down a hallway into the more open space. Although there is one difference he notices. ]
Looks like we skipped the big rush.
[ Compared to how busy and crowded it was waiting for an elevator earlier, let alone getting crammed in with so many others. Now there's just only a couple other people around. It's awfully quiet now... But they gotta head down to the main level from here if they want to hit the casino. Ragna walks up to press the â–¼ button, only for a moment's passing and another audible 'Ding!' as the light above the door illuminates. ]
Huh. Good timing, too.
[ Good timing indeed. Especially when those doors open and out fumble a seemingly drunken pair of women, clothing still dishevelled and giggling something about 'hoping they liked the show' before Ragna can barely step to the side as they walk off together. Furrowing his brow at them whilst biting his tongue, he scrunches his mismatched gaze with a shake of his head before shrugging it off, remembering to step into the elevator in time. He holds his arm out against the side so that it doesn't start to close on Weiss. ]
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The way he responds to her tease just gives her more motivation to keep doing it. Weiss isn't someone who clicks with people easily, given her more prickly nature, but sometimes, maybe she can. It's a miracle! And while she wouldn't say they're clicking, she isn't disinterested in forming a connection with him. Even if the way he approached her was rather suspicious. ]
You could just say "no", you know.
[ A shake of her head. Down they go, then out. When they get to the next elevator door, she takes a step to the side as two people walk out. She's no gossip, so she doesn't really care about what they were talking about. Though judging by how they looked? Weiss could guess what they did and what they might do once they get inside one of their suites...
But, again, not her problem. She steps into the elevator and presses the floor that'll lead them to the lobby so they can head to the casino. Not a very long ride down, even if they're at the highest part of the building. With no one else around, Weiss notices the painting on one side, but doesn't pay it any mind. She just doesn't think there were paintings in the elevator before... huh!
Once the elevator doors close, they should actually feel the machine descending, but they're not moving at all. In fact, there isn't even any noise from it that it's started to move. Weiss looks up, and the screen still says they're on the same floor they came in from. ]
Is it broken?
[ In which case, they'd just need to get off and call for another one. So she clicks on the button that should open the door, but it doesn't do anything, either. She presses again, and again, and again, really mashing the button this time, but there's still nothing. And so, she passes a puzzled look Ragna's way. ]
I'm not sure what's going on.
[ Little do they know, the painting Weiss spotted earlier? The three subjects are all smiling innocently as they keep their eyes on her. ]
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[ Tch... // Saying that Ragna "doesn't click with people" could be the grossest understatement of the decade; although much of it was a combination of choice and circumstance— circumstance that he deems best to keep under wraps for as long as he can. Granted, much of that had to be said front and centre when he was still entrenched in the turmoil of his own world. What was he trying to do again? Defeat Terumi? Defeat the Imperator? Or was he just trying to make heads or tails of the wide-open realm of possibilities laid out before him now that he's left Kagutsuchi?
He didn't have the time to make niceties with other people. It was just as much a problem for him as it would have been for everyone else.
And yet...there she is, still at his side. He hasn't warned her away. He even went against his own hesitations to invite her up and take her away from the hassle of the hustle they're coming back to now. What information did he glean from her to begin with? Was it worth it? Or did Ragna find something else he'd been denying himself since he got here? A connection?
Was it...even okay to even think about wanting— ]
...Huh?
[ The surplus of paintings that have manifest since they last hopped in here was a bit on the excessive side. Did they ride this one before? Or did they take another one beside it? Ragna can't remember. But more alarming was the fact that they weren't moving. He can't feel anything off, at least, coming from the outside. If there's one thing that he was good at, it was having a good sense for danger, imminent or no. So now they're just...stuck? ]
Wonder whose luck this is.
[ She taps it again. And again. And he folds his arms and leans to one side out of confusion. This wasn't a case of Weiss doing something wrong. She's clearly pushing the button for the main floor? That's when she gives up and shoots him a puzzled look. ]
Let me try something.
[ ...by "try something", Ragna, you don't mean...
He steps up beside Weiss, staring down at the console of buttons. Just as he tightens his fist, mindful not to just go denting the damn thing in with his strength, he's about to knock the console when all of a sudden...
The elevator lights flicker, immediately setting the hairs on the back of Ragna's neck on end as he stops himself mid-swing and the lights normalize. Instantly accompanied by: ]
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[ That's not Weiss' voice. There's another. ]
[ "Does he think hitting everything can solve all his problems?" ]
[ Disembodied voice?? Also not Weiss'?? Ragna's pupils reduce to pins and he reluctantly turns around. First towards Weiss as he attempts to force some bass back into his words. ]
Hey...you uh, hear that?
[ "Although..." A gleeful giggle. "What! What!" "Isn't it kind of sweet too? Bravely charging ahead all, 'Don't worry, I'll save you'?"
"Oho that is so darling!"
So begins another facet of Ragna the Bloodedge on full display, as he hones in on the painting on the wall, the Teasing Trio all smiles and longing sighs as they chinhand at the two and— ]
G-Ghosts?! H-H-Here tooooo?!?!
[ Oh. There's a new octave. Ragna immediately takes a step (two) back, hairs on his one good arm standing on end as he halfheartedly raises it in front of himself in defence. ]
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[ Weiss gives him space, taking a step to the side. Before he can even do anything, the lights flicker and then there are voices...
She doesn't scream or anything, but she does tense up, immediately looking around to see if there is anyone else around. It's the painting. They're moving and talking, and they most definitely aren't human. Ragna might think they're ghosts, but she doesn't think they are?
It's under investigation. Weiss isn't as scared anymore compared to when she first arrived and met her doppelganger, but it is still very unsettling regardless. ]
Um...?
[ What the hell is going on... she thought for sure the paintings couldn't talk. They could jump out of their frames, but... this is weird. Should she just accept that just about anything can happen here? She really should, shouldn't she?
Her companion's voice breaks, and her attention goes back to him. He isn't looking so good, which gets her to raise an eyebrow. Is he really scared? Somehow, she didn't think he would be scared of ghosts... but to each his own. She won't kick him while he's down, so she takes a step forward, as if to shield him with her smallass body from the painting. ]
Leave him alone.
[ Now the Teasing Trio stop giggling. Or at least, they do when Weiss shuts them up for a second or two.
"Oh, how cute! Don't you worry, we aren't going to do anything! We're stuck here!"
Great, they're smartasses, too. Whether or not they're trying to be annoying on purpose, Weiss just frowns, unimpressed with the response she's received.
"Show us something cute! We'll let you go after you entertain us a bit, okay? Please? Look, look! He's sooo scared! Doesn't he deserve a kiss and a hug?" ]
... [ So that's it. They can't leave the elevator and it's all because of this painting. Weiss honestly feels a little bad. This isn't her fault, but somehow? She thought for sure Ragna wouldn't get subject to the resort's oddities right away. Maybe it was wrong of her to be optimistic about it, but they did seem to have a good start, just chatting and not even eating anything that made them horny. She doesn't even know what to even tell him now, because she knows what she should be doing to get out. But if she were in his shoes, she'd totally be making a big deal about this. No way can this stupid place tell her what to do!
It's why instead of talk about a kiss and a hug, she instead asks: ]
Are you okay? [ Scared, obviously, but she'll at least make sure he knows he's got company and the paintings won't do anything crazy while she's around. They don't look threatening, and that's all that's important to her. If it were a painting of a demon or something, then she'd 100% be terrified with him. ]
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But then he hears another voice. One he just met. One he knew. One that stuck around with him as she tells the Teasing Trio to leave him alone. And Ragna bites down a whimper. He doesn't cry; he's not even close to that. But he cracks his green eye open first, Weiss practically shielding him by standing between him and the painting. And the visual is sobering for an entirely different reason. And his eyes open with a tremor behind her. The last time someone stood between him and a ghost, they...
...!
Come on, Ragna. Come on. Get out of your own head. Get out of your own thoughts. Snap back to reality?! He'd already been skeeved out from his prior investigations here, this shouldn't be so shocking to him. That was all then. This is now. Why should he be scared of some phantom painting? So, despite himself, keeping behind Weiss as he does, Ragna does bark back up. ]
Yeah, ha HA ha! Real funny, assholes! What the hell do you want??
[ "Show us something cute! We'll let you go after you entertain us a bit, okay? Please? Look, look! He's sooo scared! Doesn't he deserve a kiss and a hug?" ]
Shut up! I-I'm not scared—
[ Another little voice crack. ]
[ "Come now, we're not asking for much~ Please? We just want to have a little fun... Unless...you want to be stuck in here... Foooreeeever~" ]
Check it. Better plan? How about, you piss off and let us off already, you damn voyeurs.
[ He lets out a frustrated little growl, after the initial outburst had been burned away into the ether. He remembers to take a deep breath again. Slow. Try to calm himself. Around the time that Weiss turns around to ask him if he's okay, he almost looks...ashamed? A frown mars his lips as he closes his eyes, one more breath in through his nose, and out his mouth. Weiss had stepped in to stick up for him. She didn't need to do that, even if it was just some playful spirits in a painting.
There he was, wanting to do better than this resort ever could in helping someone and sticking it to them, and now he's the one hiding behind her. So when he opens his eyes again, trying to keep his attention on her, there's still a hint of embarrassment in his voice. They're just in the painting. They're not monsters. There's no fire. There's no pain. There's no haunting voices whispering in his ear. ]
Yeah. [ A beat. ] Yeah. I'm fine. Great.
[ Shit, he can hear himself. That wasn't "Great". ]
Sorry. I... I overreacted.
[ Getting mad at the painting was his coping mechanism, it seems like. And chances were he'd still feel a shiver trickle down his spine if they decided to pipe up. Instead, at least for the time being, they keep to themselves, little whispers in each others' ears and distanced giggles as they wait and see if they need to give the two of them some more coercion or not. ]
So. [ Back to trying some sense of normalcy as if he hadn't just had a freakout earlier. If nothing else, he bounces back quick. ] Guessing this is another trick up this place's sleeve.
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Whatever he says. ]
You're fine. Just... try to ignore them, I guess.
[ Weiss gives a slight shake of her head, only wincing slightly when the giggles of the trio pierce her ears. She resists the urge to turn around and give them attention though, merely rolling her eyes as she scoffs. ]
I don't really like them, either. And I know there was something weird with the paintings... They're alive? Sort of.
[ Her voice is a little softer, trying to ensure that the trio won't be able to hear her. While she doesn't have a lot of information on how these paintings can even talk, she at least knows that there's something up with them. And they're the reason why she doesn't like sleeping alone, else she's scared she'd find her doppelganger in her room just staring at her.
The doppelganger that actually is inside one of the framed artworks. Strange as that may be... ]
I'm not sure that we can get out of here on our own, though. [ She turns her attention towards the panel with the buttons again, pressing on the open door button a couple of times. ] We can't even leave this stupid casino...
[ So something small scale like this? While she should have figured that something like this could happen, she never really did. ]
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