#baronyofthesilverwolf

Muppet looks excited, a new home for the three of them? Awesome!

Art shifts his weight slightly, one foot scuffing the floor. “I… I’m not sure that would be appropriate." he says quietly. “Not that I wouldn’t want to.”

He lifts his gaze, expression earnest. “Things feel... good, right now. I’d hate to risk that by jumping into something too fast, or making a mess of it without meaning to.”

A pause. “I’d rather do it properly, when the time is right.”

Her spirals dim. "Oh. Yeah."

Art shifts slightly, looking a bit uncomfortable. "Plus, I help Mother with the rent. Gareth… well, he isn’t really pulling his weight" His tone stays measured, trying not to betray his annoyance.

"Yeah, no. I get it."

She picks up a rag and starts to work on wiping grease off her tools.

Art’s eyes blink in a moment of realization, then soften as he reaches out to lightly cup Thistle’s cheek. “Wait... I’m not sure you do ‘get it.’”

“It's not that I don't want to spend time with you... all my time. But I do I worry that people might see you only as 'the sidhe’s paramour', not for the master artisan you truly are. You deserve to be recognized for your skill and merit alone, without any shadow cast by association.”

A pause, and he gives a small smile, "And not much of a sidhe at that."

Gwen has not mastered the art of butting out, but for now she practices it. She has theories but can't be sure enough to voice them.

Art’s cheeks flush slightly as he continues carefully, “And... well, living with a man unwed, er...” He clears his throat, embarrassed to say it aloud, “That might not be seen as proper for your reputation.”

"Art, it's 2025."

"And how d'ya know people won't just see you as mine?" A brief, explosive blush. "My 'paramour'."

Art blinks, caught off guard, and blurts out, "There's no shame in THAT!" Perhaps not even aware of the double standard.

"I just... wouldn't want anything to dull your spark."

Citrine chimes, perhaps agreeing or perhaps annoyed to not be the center of attention.

"And... if I want to court you, which I most certainly DO intend to, I wish to do right by you!"

Gwen's eyes are on a wall nearby. Fascinating wall, top notch structure really

Well, her spirals are bright again (Art's particular shade of coral, to be exact). "Um."

"Courting, huh?"

"Traditionally, I may be lacking... I should truly have composed an ode or ballad to you, or perhaps gone on a quest, though that is a Knightly act and I am but a squire... I could organize a ball in your honor?"

"I'm not exactly a Lady, either."

"And we HAVE gone on quests. Lots."

"I do know the proper gestures, but they didn't feel... quite right?" He blushes. "Not because of you lacking anything in ladyship! But... do you want a sonnet? A courtly fete?"

She huffs. "No. I want you to tell me about your current nerdy rabbit hole. I want to hear about how Fornax is doing. I want to find good books to take down to the quarry with you. I wanna make a spaceship."

He smiles at her, and says "You shall have it, of course. You deserve... the world, nay, all the stars in the heavens at your beck and call."

Then his eyes brighten a bit, and he says, "I will be back shortly!" Disapearing without further ado!

"I... (*&&%, he's on a mission." Fond, despite the ear-melting expletive.

A snerk from the troll finally, "Oh thank goodness. I had SO many opinions that almost slipped. You okay? He put you on a bit of a roller coaster there."

Her mouth twists and she shrugs. "I didn't think it was that... that big a deal? Like, being roommates isn't like... like living together living together."

NOW her spirals are pink.

"Clearly he thinks it is a VERY big deal and wants to do right by you," Gladiola says "It's actually very sweet if a bit old fashioned."

"He's a sap."

"YUP," A beat "And you adore him for it."

She snorts, and scrubs at the wrench. "You're a sap." That wasn't a denial.

A smile "Probably, which might explain why you like me too, but Art? Art, he makes your spirals get the honey glow something fierce."

"Aw, sod-off Balboa. Like somebody cast an embiggen spell on a boggan. Ate all yer veggies and then boom, sprouted into the Jolly Stone Giant."

"Mom might have a little to answer for," Gwen admits "But doesn't mean I'm not right." a bit smug then "But seriously, Art's become quite the young man. Good find by you."

"He might be, Miss Biggen-Boggan."

"mmm," Gwen nods "You want a SPACE Ship? You realize insisting on a vehicle that breaks Warp might be the very definition of high maintenance?" she teases back.

"Well, aesthetically, an Aethership can be just about anything..."

"Yeah? " She ponders "What do you hope yours looks kind of like?"

Art shows back up with several bags in tow. He sets them on her workbench, accidentally knocking a wrench and a couple bolts to the floor. He flinches at the noise but quickly recovers, beaming proudly.

The savory smell of fast food drifts into the room. The largest bag has "Al's Diner" scrawled across it in red Sharpie.

She arches a brow and fights the instinct to check for poison. Sure Al doesn't like nobles but that's not his style... she hopes.

Art says as he clears a spot, more carefully, for the drink tray, "Al didn't threaten to cut my ears off this time, though he still made me wait on the stoop for my order. I think he's warming up to me."

"S'cuz you're the nocker's paramour."

Gwen ponders "That could be it."

He turns a bit red, and Art grins as he pulls a slightly greasy tray of boneless chicken tenders from one of the bags and says in a sing-song tone,

“I brought my love a chicken that hath no bone…”

He gestures to the drink tray with mock ceremony. “And a cherry that hath no stone. Er, cherry cola.”

Then, with a glance up to his Troll friend e adds “And I brought some for you too, Gwen—I wouldn’t be so rude as to begrudge...” His words trail off into a sheepish grin, the tips of his pointed ears tinged a light red.

"Thank you, Art, you're a true gent," She smiles.

A little snort-grin, but there's that glow that she fiercely denies.

"...Buffalo sauce?" A hopeful lilt.

"Cultural appropriation of my people" Gwen says faux loftily as Buffalo sauce is mentioned "For the European had no Buffalo."