[GP] Shoot that poison arrow

[st_aff]

None of the guests noticed when the spiky-haired man-child in jeans and purple t-shirt, wrists wrapped in cheap leather and metal bracelets, arrived at the Madonna Inn a few hours before midnight on February 13. That, in itself, wasn't all that surprising. Eros, otherwise known as Danny Valentine, had millennia of experience doing his job without being spotted.

What was surprising was that the dude at the front desk did see him. Tall and Nondescript waved him over and then gave him a room number 'in case you wanted to rest'. But Danny didn't.

Want to, or rest. He spent the time before the clock struck midnight polishing his love gun. Not like that. He'd find a girl to spend his nameday with. He always did. No, this little beauty was made by Hephaestus himself. It shot love darts that disappeared on contact.

At midnight, kitted out with more love darts than there were people in this pink and gold monstrosity, Danny left his room and shot the first person he saw--and didn't wait to see what would happen.

No point getting a slow start. He had a lot of work to do.

Comments

Re: Evening - for Vax

[st_upidgravity]

Steph ran her hands through her hair. The worst part was that she wanted to say no. It was selfish, but she didn't want to let it go. She wanted to suggest they keep pretending.

Instead, she reached over and touched his neck where she'd bitten him earlier. "You're gonna want to keep that covered in that case. If someone asks, you can blame it on me if you want."

It took effort to keep her voice steady. But she had practice.

Re: Evening - for Vax

[st_abby]

He reached up to fold a gloved hand lightly around her wrist, and looked into her eyes to let her see him fully. Holding, rather than pulling. "I meant everything I said. You are beautiful." And he did want her. Still.

"I'm not going to cover it. I'm not ashamed of you, I'm ashamed of me."

Re: Evening - for Vax

[st_upidgravity]

She looked away. "Yeah. Heard that one before." Which was unfair to him. There was no reason to think he was lying except that...that's how it worked. Mess around with a girl like Stephanie while the girlfriend was away, pretend she never existed afterward. And if you were stupid enough to forget that, you deserved to be someone's shame.

"I know you didn't really have a choice. I don't think I had one either. So...yeah. Let's forget it happened."

Re: Evening - for Vax

[st_abby]

Had she really heard 'that one' before?

Vax was perceptive enough to know he'd said the wrong thing. It had stung her, and he hadn't meant for that. But he also knew that there were some situations that were too much a mess for everyone to walk away well pleased. There were times you had to choose, between one person and the other, or sets of principles, no matter how hard you tried to make a place between them. It reminded him very much of his love for Gilmore.

So Vax'ildan let his hand slide away from her, and pulled himself upright. "I'm sorry, too," he offered quietly.

Then he turned and walked away, and within one stride and the next, he let the dark of evening swallow him whole.

Re: Evening - for Vax

[st_upidgravity]

Two steps, then silence. She didn't need to look up to know he was gone. Some day, she reflected, she was going to learn that emo dudes who hung out on roofs at night while wearing black and brooding were exactly as advertised. On that day, perhaps she'd stop seeing that advertisement as catnip.

For now, Steph curled up next to the chimney and put her head on her knees and stayed there until it was full night.