--Statuesque--

[takesitall]

[Once again, Aventurine--Kakavasha, but in public he goes by Aventurine to keep his allure--has been dolled up and brought out to be shown off and fawned over at one of his aunt's galas. He and his sister are lucky, their aunt was able to locate them and get them out of a bad situation with the death of their parents, but...well. Parisa knows damn well that her brother is just being used as a status grab, what with his general beauty and intelligence and general good luck. But they can't do anything about it. They haven't got the money to get away from their aunt.

So Aventurine is dolled up and brought out to the gala, sitting more or less by himself in the garden. Like a statue.]

Comments

[ignoranceisblight]

Absolutely the hell not. I have my own place that's plenty big enough for us and Parisa, I have already been living on my own for a while, there will be no need to "get our feet under us". I'm not allowing her to extort the two of you any further.

[Because that's what it feels like at this point.]

[takesitall]

...that's what it is at this point, isn't it? Extortion. I know she uses Parisa for free labor, sewing and stuff, and I tend to do the finances...

[ignoranceisblight]

[Ratio nods.]

It's extortion at this point, and we need to do something about it.

[But how to get her away from Aventurine and Parisa...

Asking Jade is a deal with the devil, but maybe Wing could dig something up...]

[takesitall]

Goddess.

[The fire kind of leaves him and he just slumps against Ratio.]

I hate this.

[ignoranceisblight]

I know, I do too.

[As he wraps his arm around Aventurine.]

I can have a contact of mine look into her, but... we could use the fact that my family has more sway in the community to pressure her into backing off.

[takesitall]

That would be nice.

[He sighs and just leans against Ratio even more.]

Mama would kill her, if she saw what her sister was like now.

[ignoranceisblight]

I'll talk to my parents tonight, then--or in a while, if you'd like to speak to them yourself?

[He'll just... privately have Wing start looking into her.]

Oh?

[takesitall]

Let's wait on meeting your parents, at least until I calm down.

[So give him a few hours.]

Mm. She used to be a lot less...this.

[ignoranceisblight]

Alright.

[He pulls Aventurine a bit closer.]

I see...

[It's hard to imagine her as anything but like this but he's perhaps not being especially fair. It's difficult to want to.]

[takesitall]

And I understand some of it--we're...we're Avgin, and our parents were killed because of it. But...

[ignoranceisblight]

But that's still no excuse for all of this.

[takesitall]

There isn't.

[He sighs.]

I love her, she's family, but I don't like her.

[ignoranceisblight]

[A brief squeeze.]

After the wedding, dealing with her further will be on your terms.

[takesitall]

[He smiles at Ratio.]

And Sis's, yeah?

[ignoranceisblight]

[A nod.]

And Parisa's.

[takesitall]

Goddess, you're a life-savior, Ratio. For both of us.

[He hugs his fiancé tightly.]

[ignoranceisblight]

[A hug that's returned.]

I'm just glad I could help.

[takesitall]

[Aventurine just hums, enjoying the hug for a moment.]

...so. What do we want to do today?

[ignoranceisblight]

I was thinking I'd leave that up to you.

[As usual.]

[takesitall]

...but why? I never know what to do.

[ignoranceisblight]

... Because I feel like it's important that you get that choice.

[takesitall]

...I'm not used to that.

[ignoranceisblight]

That's-- that's why I try to give it to you as much as I can.

[takesitall]

...you're too much, Ratio. Too kind.

[ignoranceisblight]

[At that, Ratio just hugs a little tighter.]