Beautiful Stranger [for Vynluff!][Done]

[Tigeress]

He seemed to be alright with moving on and ignoring her little social faux pas, which was a good thing to see. Too often lately they'd be coming up, and in a place where her usual company did Not ignore them. But then again, this was a different situation, something she was slowly trying to program into her mind. She needed to develop a split personality of a sort, she imagined, a personal Sekhmet, and a court Sekhmet, two different interchangeable mindsets.

She'd gotten caught up in this one, the 'speak freely and hope for no consequences' one. Which, at least, was working tonight. "You know... I can't say I've ever had it. But my sister took to it when she first tried it... though I don't know when that was, our house is stocked to the brim with rainbow kinds of the stuff now." She smiled thoughtfully to herself, she rather missed the doe being around. Neither knew where the other went, and they never seemed to cross paths lately. Was she staying somewhere else, too? Or only on the very off days when Sekhmet was actually home in time for bed at a proper hour?

His question made her stomach a bit queasy, which made her head spin a little. She tried not to let it be visibly obvious and kept walking without missing a beat. "Very far, thankfully." She sighed a little bit, her eyes filling with worry once more. It was a mixed blessing. It would be good to finally be... NOT pregnant again, but when they were born... she might have to face the facts that some, or all, might die. Her rank should carry some of them to safety, combined with Pravus'. A ten and a King weren't likely to produce a six, she hoped. But still... eery genetic mishaps worse than that had happened...

[The Jenn]

Tigs and Vyn both receive 1 token each, to be redeemed in Ashwin's Shoppe. This will automatically be added to your recorded totals in the shoppe. Congratulations, and keep up the good RP!

[Vyn]

(Sorry for taking so long with this... I kind of forgot I hadn't replied already. XD Oops.)

"I'm glad to hear it!" Hatter chimed jovially enough, trying not to let on that he'd noticed that queasy hint of uneasiness. He was enjoying making her squirm, if only just a little. "You must be looking forward to having your own little bunch of bundles, 'eh?"

Hatter couldn't help but peer at her swollen abdomen as they walked, his two-toned eyes curious and thoughtful at once. The scientist within him couldn't help but be curious about what she would produce. He knew quite a few Corvistownians that were intrigued by such things, genetic development in the womb... But no, no... This wasn't work, this was socializing and company. Company for tea-time no less! For now he would bite back his tongue and his scientific curiousities and allow the subject of her pregnancy to drop as she had allowed the subject of his concealed rank to fall to the backs of their minds. Well, perhaps not to the complete back, but at least out of the conversational eye, so to speak.

Instead he forced his mind back down a more pleasant path...back toward tea and the warm apartment they were quickly approaching.

"Here we are, Sekhmet! It's not much, but its home while I'm in the city. I'm so glad to have company to join me this evening, I do hate spending tea-time alone." He pushed open the door, grinning with that light-hearted and intoxicating pleasure once more. "I have all sorts of tea imaginable, and even some that aren't. Take your pick, or let me pick...either one. I'm quite good at telling what people like, to be honest. Perhaps something from your region, oh yes...I think I know what would suit you!"

[Tigeress]

She shrugged, trying to shake the guilt she felt for acting so... unconcerned about the whole thing. "Yes and no. I think if I'd had a say in the matter, I might feel a little differently." At this point it appeared she didn't care if the Hatter ran wild with that little tidbit of information. She was curious to see if he'd continue to let the subject drop, or if he'd try to get into the... specifics. She almost smiled to herself, was he familiar with rape perhaps? Or would it shock his romantic feathers right off?

His eyes roved her form unnoticed, for she tried to ignore it as much as she could, and so it only made sense that she would have to ignore other people noticing it as well. It was a little... annoying at times, but she would gawk too, she imagined, if the places were reversed. She honestly hadn't seen many pregnant people, it was almost a... secretive thing in a lot of regions she'd been to (which, wasn't very many...). She glanced up at the appartment and almost jumped as if it had come out of nowhere. Really, she needed to focus on being better company, getting so distracted while they were walking.

"It's quite nice, do you take up a more permanent residents in Corvistowne?" She asked casually, wondering what he did scientifically for a living. She rather enjoyed the curious... tamperings of that region, though most labelled them as 'do not trust' she'd seen quite a few marvelous things done by them. Consent was normally required, anyway. "Spending time alone in general can be rather dull." She mused, more to herself than to him. For her first real venture out in months, it was certainly becomming obvious she'd have to do this more often.

"I've never had it, so I think I'll trust your expertise." She made her way to a couch, relaxing out comfortably though maintaining a ladylike posture, mostly for the sake of her back. It was strange that it seemed when he left the room it was like a physical and emotional shutdown. She didn't realize just how... wired on emotions she'd been until she could no longer hear or see him. There were sensations of excitement, shyness, nervousness, discomfort, romantic flutterings, and... he must have been a Powerful thing. Was he playing games with her? No use being rude, she'd have to try and find out for herself what it was about this Mad Hatter that was so... maddening.

[Vyn]

Oh lord, Sekhmet's comments were far too intriguing to the naturally curious Joker. She might feel differently if she had a choice? Why didn't she have a choice? So many questions rushed upon him and, without thought, he decided to press them to her. After all, if the topic bothered her she would be more defensive, yes? Wouldn't be so giving with information. Especially information that was left so open-ended, begging for questioning.

"You don't have a choice in the matter?"

He called out from the kitchen as he began to shift through the cabinets, eagerly preparing for their teatime. Tea cups, a kettle, tea bags... It was an entirely absent-minded process, something which would be obvious to any onlooker. A small opening between the kitchen and the living room, as was common in cozy apartments such as his, gave the Hatter room to watch his company as he worked and to continue the conversation.

"Yes, Corvistowne is where my home and -as the saying goes- my heart is. I couldn't ever replace it, but I do so love to travel." When he'd gotten the pot on the stove to heat, he leaned forward onto the counter between the rooms and smiled casually. "Loneliness is quite displeasing, I'm used to having company most of the time. Usually Marchie, but I'm only just returning from a trip to the Highlands."

[Tigeress]

She smiled to herself when he asked the question, she should have known the intriguing male would be all too curious about it when she left the question so seemingly open for discussion. Well, at least he didn't have anything to fear in the way of rudeness, she'd been the one to open the discussion so she couldn't hold it against him for asking. "I was raped. I'm finding conflicing thoughts about the children, I try to see them as just mine, and I love them, but when I think that they're partly because of... well... I just... it disgusts me." She admitted, feeling another pang in her stomach as if the children were trying to remind her it wasn't fair, and she should feel guilty for even considering such a thing.

She listened to the sound of things being moved around in the kitchen, clangs and thuds and... he certainly was getting a lot out wasn't he? Perhaps tea time was especially important, she wondered idly if he was getting out an entire set of... hmm... china perhaps? She couldn't tell from the sound of the cups, but she imagined if he'd taken all the time to get a proper tea set, it was probably very nice. She'd never had any hobby like material items to get attached to in such a way, sure, her parents had spoiled her, but there was no connection to any of it. She just... wasn't much of a collector or a pack rat, she travelled light more often than not, though that was probably because of her sister. If she lived life her own way, she'd have too many beautiful things to name. Well, if she had a bit more money.

"I know how you feel, Hatter, I really do." She smiled to herself, her eyes far away and shining with so many memories. Home was special to her, and though she disliked how her parents had treated her sisters, so unequally, she still felt love for them despite it all. Family bonds were important to her, that's probably why her life had changed so much. All this... just to impress her sister, and to find a purpose for herself. It had been foolish to run in so empty headed, lacking so much knowledge, ignoring the help that could have come from the doe who had already found her place. But that was just Sekhmet, and she was finding it so hard to change.

She looked up when she noticed the Hatter peeting over the counter and managed to wipe the concentrating look off her face. "I agree, though I've found myself alone a lot lately, and when I'm not, I dare say my presence is very much unwanted." She laughed in spite of herself, though the actual situation was far from funny. She had the choice of going home and talking to a brick wall, waiting for Artemis, or going to the courts and... talking to a brick wall with ears and a tail. She didn't blame either of them, she was just too different from both of them now, caught in an... inbetween stage of personal development.

[Vyn]

Hatter was not a collector nor a hobbyist. Fanatic was more like it.

Aside from mechanics and his delightful clockwork creations, only tea fascinated him to this degree. With anything else, he tended to get bored and his thoughts jumped from place to place. So, with that in mind, he kept his sets available wherever he went. One for each house, so that tea time was always set up just right. Tea, also, didn't spoil rapidly like food did. He could leave for long periods of time and return to a fresh cup of tea where food perished much more easily. That meant there was no food in the apartment but enough tea to suffice him.

"Rape, yeah? Conflicted thoughts, I can understand that. So many people hate those children that are products of it... You'd be a stronger woman than most if you could bare and raise them without hating them."

He spoke flippantly, as if he didn't care at all about the fate of her children. Which he didn't.

He set out plates and dishes as he went, conversing with Sekhmet all the while. They were, as she suspected, good china and all custom made as well. Only the best when it came to tea time, especially when he was sharing it with a virtual stranger. The best, always, and a good impression for the lady as well.

"Well, by my standards, you get lonely...then find yourself some company. It's better, in all ways, than just waiting around and moping in your loneliness." He tilted his head slightly, flashing a grin so full of mischief. "I hate waiting around for anything. I get so bored most nights!"

[Tigeress]

It was easy to tell Hatter didn't seem especially interested in children, which left her to believe he wouldn't have any of his own. "I'm trying now to bend my thoughts and prepare myself for the personal opinions I am going to have to dispel or move past." She said with a slight sight, her eyes furrowing in thoughtful frustration. At this point, she didn't even know how many of them would live. She didn't know how many there were, either, what if none of them were 'good enough' for his highness? More mixed feelings came with that. It was too early for her to be focussing on such thoughts, she was still too mixed up and undecided.

Curiously her eyes watched him place out the beautiful china, was he trying to impress or did he just really have such a vast collection that he could use expensive china every night he wanted tea? She of course, wouldn't bother to ask, it seemed like an awkward question, and she could only assume that the Hatter was doing his best to be charming as before. She was very uninterested in a lot of material posessions, but the sets, she had to admit, were quite fetching.

"Most certainly. Though I am surprised that I was able to find such pleasant company so late in the night. Do you often go out for walks at such hours?" He hadn't seemed very afraid, come to think of it, when he had been standing out in the open at the minutes past midnight, holding what seemed to be a Very expensive watch. She couldn't help but let her eyes wander to the peeking vest once more. His secrets were his to keep, surely, she was just a stranger, but... No, he seemed far too charming to have unkind intent.

"I have had to learn patience over the last months, though I do spend most of my nights in boredom as well. Perhaps we could make a habit of keeping each other company on these nights of boredom?" She hadn't meant for it to sound suggestive, though she realized it did and couldn't help but smirk to herself. There was little chance he would be interested in a female with children to look after. Of course, she didn't realize how few of them would be left in solely her care.

[Vyn]

Hatter was humming lightly but the sound was thoughtful instead of jovial. Interesting. A rape victim? He wanted to prod more questions, press for details...but even he recognized that he had no business in such a situation. He'd pressed the most obvious of questions already and had failed to find anything of true use to him. So he settled into his chair and toyed with the cup in front of him.

"More often than not." He admitted with a casual nod. "As I said, when you get lonely -- find company. At the time, however, I was actually on my way back from the Highlands. Just got in --"

The tea pot whistled loudly, causing Hatter to perk up. Sweeping up out of the chair, the avian biped moved gracefully back into the kitchen and gathered up the tea pot onto a tray. A plate of crackers had been fished out of the cabinet from his earlier preparations; luckily they seemed to be edible still as well. Food was such a pain, but the lady would probably like some.

Returning to the table, he flashed a lop-sided smile and set the tray between them. "The crackers may be a bit stale... My apologies if they are." He laughed a little, filling each of their cups before settling down once more. "The tea is wonderful though, I guarantee. The tea should be pretty smooth on its own, but if its still not to your liking there's sugar." He leaned back, sipping at his tea casually.

"Now where were we?"

[Tigeress]

Her chance to respond was cut short by the insistant screaming of the kettle. She knew that the Hatter would be very eager upon hearing this noise, and could only chuckle to herself as she saw him immediately perk and begin to bustle around as if the tea would go bad if not served as soon as his feet and hands could arrange it. She noted the crackers with interest, she hadn't eaten in a few hours, had forgotten to, actually. Absent mindedly she'd been living lately, trying to eat only to sustain the children growing within her.

Her eyes followed the tray lazily, but intently, smiling at his comment before grabbing the tea between her hands and sighing at the release of warmth between her fingers. "I won't mind, food is food and so long as it's edible and not harmful, I've really no complaint." This being said, she transferred the tea to one hand and grabbed a single cracker to test. Slightly stale, but pleasantly so, the taste still lingered but the crackers were a little crisper than most people would enjoy. "Perfect, in my opinion." She said out loud, munching thoughtfully on the one she'd sampled before grabbing a few more. With her stomach feeling slightly filled, she leaned back and considered where the conversation had dropped off.

"Everything was prepared quite perfectly, you seem to have a knack for this. Oh, yes! I was just saying if ever we find ourselves without company, perhaps we could arrange for more of these get togethers, hmm?" She raised an eye curiously, wondering if he would accept the offer. She assumed he would, as he seemed as socially deprived on the average night as she was, and everyone could use a bit more company.