Time Doesn't Slow Down [Vyn]

[carcinoGeneticist]

Apocalypse leaned back in his seat, carefully mulling over Poe's words. Removing his head from his ass - yes, he could certainly benefit from a little bit of that. But better adjusting his eyes was something he'd never really considered. He'd always thought of himself as good enough - charming enough, really - that he didn't need to do anything differently. Clearly, he'd been wrong on that count. If he hadn't been, he would have never come to Torquehelm, never met with the beautiful little bird, and never even considered the possibility. He would have been a King of Hearts, serving under...

...no. Now was not the time. He was somewhere else now, with someone else, and it wasn't fair to her if he spent their time dwelling on what-ifs and should-have-beens. He looked back from the ceiling to Poe, and smiled at her. "I think there's a time in everyone's life when they could use a change in perspective." He commented softly, reaching out a tentative hand and touching her cheek. It was withdrawn quickly, not wanting to invade on her own space too badly.

The woman's curiosity was obvious and a little bit intoxicating. He was quickly finding excuses to try and bring her out of herself, just to see the way her face lit up when it was separated from the melancholy that he had seen in glimpses before. "Excitement suits you, Poe," he commented, the corners of his mouth twitching into a smirk. Of course, Apocalypse had no idea why she would be so interested in something like that, but he didn't feel like questioning it. He raised his teacup to his lips, taking a small sip, and then set it down again.

"Family of a sort, yes," abruptly, the man felt awkward. He had gone to meet the family of his firstborn daughter, one that he had carried and with a father he felt no love for. Yet... Poe wanted to know, and so he wouldn't keep her waiting. "And a bit of manly conquest. But primarily family. My daughter's mother lives in the Wood, and while I can't say we particularly enjoy one another's company, I wanted Linnea to meet her grandparents." He shifted, glancing up and meeting the eyes of one of the few waiters milling around. "Can I get you something to eat or drink? Forgive me, I've been terribly rude."

[Vyn]

Poe watched him - she had trouble doing anything but when he was around - and studied his contemplation. His response was, in every sense of the word, quite perfect. "So true." The soft touch of his hand on her cheek made her heart flutter, but it was the near-instinctive desire to lean into the touch that made her blush. Hopefully Pale would not notice the heat before he pulled his hand away.

It only deepened with his next comment and she bashfully dipped her head. A part of her was abashed by her tiny outburst but it was quickly mollified by his kind compliment. "It's such an awkward subject in Torquehelm," she laughed a little, "that I can't help but be a little surprised to hear it mentioned so casually...." She paused, blushing momentarily.

But, ah... A daughter? Of course, she'd already told herself that. It wasn't really a surprise and... if he was here, perhaps... Well, she'd think about that later. "To brave The Wood and the attentions of the locals for your daughter is a wonderfully kind thing to do. I... actually grew up there, pretty near the center, but I've never told anyone since moving to Torquehelm. It makes the locals look at you a little differently."

At Pale's mention of food, Poe suddenly realized that she was, indeed, quite thirsty. "O! A drink would be wonderful. I was so surprised to see you in the audience that I thought of nothing else when I got offstage." She immediately wanted to stuff her foot in her mouth - expressing her pleasure to bluntly - but luckily the waiter had meandered over to save her from herself.

[carcinoGeneticist]

Suits, she was a sweet little creature. And she had no idea of it, did she? That fact alone was enough to break through Apocalypse's heart just a little bit, even as messed-up (broken, through his own stupid, selfish actions...) as it felt in the current moment. He knew, on some level, that what he was doing was wrong; Poe was too sweet, too innocent, and he was too... what it boiled down to was that he was too cruel, too cold, too gutter-minded.

He pushed those thoughts aside. If it seemed to bother Poe, he would rethink it then, but only then. As long as he could keep his mind out of his pants (difficult), things would go well. Unless she wanted his mind to be in his pants (now was not the time to think about that). A blush touched his cheeks, and he lightly brushed a finger across his own jaw, letting it rest beneath his chin.

Back to the conversation.

The man rather distinctly hoped that bringing up his daughter had not been a bad choice. As much as he wanted to deny it, he found the little bird to be quite attractive, and he very much wanted to repeat that first kiss. "You know, growing up in the Bog, we always found Tulgey to be quite interesting. It's so close, you know? But so few of us ever thought to actually leave the Bog and see other places..." His voice trailed off. This was dangerous territory, for sure. To try and mask his nerves, he took another sip of his tea. "I can just assure you - I see you no differently now than I did before. If anything, you're just building in interest. What was it like, growing up in a place like that?"

Then the waiter was there, and Apocalypse turned to give the bipedal feline a slight smile. Damnit. Of course he would attract the attention of the fucking cat... He masked his displeasure with a cheerful smile. "Hello, sir, Poe. Can I get you something? Poe, you did a lovely job tonight. I trust you'd like the usual?[/b]" Waiting for the Finch to confirm, Apocalypse considered his options. As soon as she answered, he would order a tray of apples and various cheeses - just something to snack on while they talked.

[Vyn]

Poe allowed herself to breathe a little sigh of relief when Pale confirmed that, indeed, it didn't bother him that she had grown up in Tulgey. Hopefully, then, he wouldn't mind that her (she nearly choked on the thought) father was a Tulgey. Ah, but he had grown up in The Bog... Poe had always wanted to hear more about that. Perhaps that was food for thought another time.

"O! Thank you very much, Rhea!" Poe smiled at the feline, and inclined her head slightly in polite thanks. "The usual would be perfect." A strong sweet tea that easily masked the flavor the the dash of laudanum that her friends in the kitchen staff often added. When the feline was done taking Pale's order and had moved off, Poe returned her attention to the King.

"Tulgey was... different. I lived pretty much in the center so I never got to see the Outside once Vren adopted my brothers and I. However, since my bindings usually got in the way of doing more useful tasks outside, I was generally stuck inside cleaning and making tea and the like." She was a servant and, however kind Vren may have been, she had lived like one. "What I did see of The Wood before I moved here though, was frightening. All the animals want to eat you and the Cards are all terribly hateful to a full Torque like myself. Even Imre and Parzifal had it hard, being partially Torque themselves."

[carcinoGeneticist]

For the time being, Apocalypse largely avoided looking at the feline, except when it was absolutely necessary. For the most part, it wasn't. He nodded his agreement at Rhea's compliments, attempting to catch Poe's eye over the table. She had indeed done well - very well. Inwardly, the man wondered if perhaps he would get a chance at a more private concert with the girl. He would like to hear her voice more. Somehow, he found it soothing.

As soon as the other woman had left, Apocalypse leaned in, resting his arms on the tabletop. His expression was bright, his attention clearly focused entirely on Poe and her experiences. He'd only been there a few days, and that had been more than enough for him. She'd spent years there... and to his eyes, she'd not suffered too terribly for it, beyond a new and healthy respect for the place.

And her brothers. "I assume Parizifal and Imre are your brothers?" He asked, more for verification than anything else. It would be good to know, for future reference. "That sounds... difficult, to say the least. Growing up in the Bog wasn't exactly peaches and cream, but I at least had the advantage of being a native. I'm quite glad nothing managed to eat you, though. I would miss terribly this opportunity to impose on you." He smiled rakishly, then coughed. That might have been a bit much. Luckily, Rhea reappeared with the snack tray and the Finch's drink, along with a refill for Apocalypse. He stuffed an apple into his mouth, trying to ignore the thoughts racing through his mind.

[Vyn]

Despite the bashful flush that haunted her cheeks in response to Pale's obvious interest in her - something she'd only really experienced while on stage - Poe couldn't help but enjoy herself. It was new and, she had to admit, a little exciting.

"They are. Parzifal has gone on to become a wonderful scholar and Imre..." Imre turned into a monster? "Imre stays in The Wood for the most part, though occasionally he comes to visit. It makes my inexpensive little cabin wonderfully useful." Hopefully they wouldn't be meeting each other any time soon. As much as she loved her brother, Imre was not exactly the sort of person that you showed off to the boy you had a crush on. You waited until the hook was already sunk and there was no escaping to open cans of worms like that. "I'm glad as well. Life didn't truly seem to begin until I moved out here and stumbled into Xiven."

When Rhea returned with tea and snacks, Poe thanked her kindly and sipped her drink through the straw. Immediately she felt the effects of the laced tea, the calming of the nerves and the clarity of thought once the distraction of worry faded away. Ahh... The finch sighed dreamily, her posture relaxing a little.

Where were they? Oh yes, he was imposing? She'd never been so glad to be imposed upon in all her life. "If you'll be imposing for a while," Poe giggled affectionately, "I don't see why we couldn't head to my place once we've finished out snacks. It's certainly easier to talk without the clamor of the lounge."

[carcinoGeneticist]

While it seemed sad that neither of her siblings were really present to keep her company, it seemed to be advantageous to Apocalypse himself. The threat of angry brothers was a very real one, especially with such a sweet sister as this pair had. "That is indeed useful. I'd imagine that being close to Tulgey makes that even easier, yeah? At least more private." A smile traced across his lips. "How much have you been able to travel? I'd never really left the Bog until I was called to the court to replace my half-sister... Since, I've been all over the place. I would love to take you with me, someday,"

There. A promise at something in the future, more than just a vague notion that he would someday visit her in her little shop. This was something they could do together, and discussions of the future certainly improved his mood. It implied there was a future beyond sitting around and mourning what he'd lost.

Though... really, Poe had done wonders for that already. He noticed the calm that fell upon her when she took a sip of her tea, but the thought didn't stick with him. She was likely just thirsty - he knew the relaxation of having a drink after a long day.

"Hopefully it won't be too terribly long," he replied, a hint of fondness creeping into his voice. That giggle was doing something terrible to his stomach, twisting it in the best possible way. He wished she was closer, then he could reach out to touch her without the movement seeming too awkward. "I wouldn't want you to get too tired of me. I'd like you to invite me back in relatively short order. At least... that's what I'd hope for." Then, he shrugged lightly, closing his eyes. "I have no preference, but I wouldn't mind something a little more... private."

Suits grant him the strength to keep their interactions innocent, should they be left alone at her home. A light shiver went through him.

[Vyn]

Poe leaned forward a little at the mention of travel. She'd always loved the idea of it but her circumstance had always fought to deny it to her. There was so few things a bird with no wings could do. Luckily, she spent most of her time lost in the lounge where she had plenty of people to help with her the frustratingly simple tasks of life... Having company for a couple days would be a true relief. "To be honest, the most traveling I've ever done was to the Court of Hearts... but I've always dreamed of seeing more of the world." His final comment took her breath away. Such an offer... It seemed so simple but it meant so much. It was, in its own way, a beautifully spoken promise that whatever Apocalypse saw in her, it wasn't just a conquest. He actually wanted a future that included them. "I'll hold you to that, Apocalypse."

Poe couldn't seem to keep the fluttering in her heart at bay but her drink did miracles at keeping that a secret. Especially when she quickly sipped up the rest of it. She was looking forward to being home and (though she felt terribly foolish for it) some privacy with Apocalypse. There were so many things left unsaid when in the vulnerability of the public eye but which flowed freely when behind closed doors.

Quickly sipping up the last of her tea, Poe flashed a warm smile. "I couldn't dream of growing tired of you. I only find myself growing fonder the longer we're together." Thank the suits he couldn't see her blush.

[carcinoGeneticist]

When Poe leaned closer, Apocalypse moved in as well. Seated across from the table from each other as they were, there was still some distance between them - but if the man had wanted, he could have extended out just a little further and kissed the tip of her beak. So he did. "I'm looking forward to it. Perhaps we could start simple - you could come see me at the Court again, once I've smoothed things over. Even the Highlands can be beautiful, as long as you can overcome the attitude of its inhabitants."

He was, too. That was the honest surprise. The man had found long ago that it was easy to lie about romantic things, provided he wanted something badly enough. The things he promised never needed to happen - after all, what would they do if he didn't hold up to his end of things? It almost startled himself how honest he was being with Poe in the current moment - he did intend to travel with her, someday.

As much as he was eagerly anticipating leaving this place and heading back to Poe's home, he was also dreading it on some level. Being alone with her - really alone - and feeling as vulnerable as he did in that moment seemed almost like a recipe for disaster. Would he frighten her away? Would he be too forward?

For now, he would eat another damn apple and try not to worry about something that hadn't yet happened. Lightly, he shoved the plate towards her. There wasn't a whole lot left, at this point, and the sooner they finished eating, the sooner... Mn. Right.

An eyebrow raised at her comment, and he bit the inside of his cheek to try and keep from laughing. It wasn't a happy feeling. "I'm very much hoping that you're right." After all. Xiven had finally had enough, and that had seemed impossible before.

[Vyn]

Poe's feathers fluffed up happily as Pale kissed the tip of her beak, and she smiled sweetly up at the man. "That sounds wonderful." The Highlands, the little she'd seen of them, had been gorgeous. "I can ignore stuck up Highlanders for the pleasure of your company any day." She felt so strange around Pale. A part of her that had never dreamed of love, that had resigned herself to this quiet life forever, was still protesting that it would never work. There was a small part, however, that resisted with all of its might. It blushed when he kissed her and allowed her to be swept away entirely.

It was probably that small voice that made her feel like such a shameless flirt. Spewing sweet enticements as she eagerly, so eagerly, awaited the chance to be alone with him.

What did she expect to happen? She knew what boys 'wanted' - she'd heard stories from friends, from her brothers - but the voice was quick to forget logic. Because, for the first time in her life, she had found something that she really didn't want to see slip away. Even if everything was for naught she couldn't help but try. So she ignored the nagging feeling that, somehow, this would all crumble back on her and accepted a piece of cheese and an apple.

Poe hesitated at the masked darkness in his response, undeniably spawned by the unfortunate circumstance that had brought him here in the first place, but it made Poe's heart ache to hear it nevertheless. She nibbled down another piece of apple in thought. "I suppose, then, we'll just have to wait and see, won't we?" After all, she'd heard many times that the ruin of a relationship was living together.

Hopefully, though, it would give Poe the chance to finally learn more about Apocalypse than the tidbits she'd absorbed so far.