[alright alright! the last thing they want is for casey to be vibrating off of the couch when they're all watching movies after]
Then you have nothing to fear, little cub. [Rue reaches up to give a playful tug at the sleeve of his jacket.] Just keep enjoying your happiness together. You're both so young, you deserve this chance to just soak in the joy. I promise, I'm not at all worried about either of you, and you shouldn't be either.
[Beneath him, Rue laughs, giving a pat to his leg. Casey, breathe!!!!]
If my saying not to be cruel to one another is setting off such nerves, perhaps we should be having a very different conversation, little cub.
[such nerves! as if rue could ever ground either of them ever]
Truly, my love, my words are not meant to frighten. Hear these instead: I am deeply happy for you and nothing could make me happier than to hear you are overwhelmed with joy. You deserve happiness, my Casey. You deserve this feeling always.
There's a big difference between hurting someone and being cruel! At least I think so... I just don't want Hunter assuming the worst, he does that sometimes.
[One's a little more vague and nebulous, and can happen accidentally. He's been around people enough to know that heartbreak isn't just intentional nastiness. But fine, fine, he'll relent.]
Um, thank you though. I hope we can keep this... I want to earn it.
Knickolas and I met the same week that we became engaged. Though I certainly learned so much about him over the course of that week, I imagine we were still technically more acquaintance than friend.
[But there’s a softness to their voice at the memory. For whatever happened after, Hob’s proposal still warms their heart.]
Back home, most marriages were arranged by the archfae of every court. Unions based solely on love were just not the standard. Some fae did not even meet their intended until after agreements were agreed upon or gold had been exchanged. It was borderline cruel, but an unfortunate complication of living in a society where rank and title and courtly connection were everything.
[There is so much about the Feywild that Rue misses so dearly. This is not one of those parts.]
My Hob was engaged to another, a woman he didn’t know who he was ordered to marry, when we decided to run away together.
[Huh... sounds convoluted and depressing, honestly.]
You managed to avoid getting stuck in that kind of position for a long time, then. Is it because you were secretly an owlbear?
[He's still not really mentally managed to sort out why a graceful and talented, well-spoken owlbear would not be accepted by society while a warrior bugbear who eats garbage is (he loves you Hob but if he can recognize his own trash self would not belong in elegance, you're in the same category a bit), but that's kind of his failure to understand where goblins stand in fae society as well.]
No, though that was certainly why I avoided such prospects. I couldn’t afford to let anyone know my secret, so it was much easier to associate with no one.
I avoided the societal pressure by rising in station. I became too powerful for any match to benefit my court more than my position already did. I could feel the ebb and flow of the fae magic in a way no one else could, so it put me in a position of such great prestige that I was right beneath the leaders of my court. It made me untouchable.
[Finally strolling up to the front of Casey and Hunter’s apartment building, Rue raises their paws to reach for Casey, effortlessly planting him back on the ground. Forgive the way they give his hair an affectionate ruffle.]
It did not, however, stop others from trying. The number of terrible proposals I have been forced to politely decline! The dozens of poorly written poetry I have had crooned at me in public. They are shameless!
[Whoops, up and down he goes. The hair ruffle nets them an immediate grin, even as he ducks under their paw and goes to hold the door to the complex for them. Too powerful to marry off, huh? He can believe it. Rue is formidable in just about any situation, especially socially...]
Okay, now I have to ask. What's the worst proposal you ever got?
[Casey is far too agile! Look at that dodge! Rue is utterly impressed.]
You would not even believe! I once knew a fae who thought the way to my heart was through song. But he, unfortunately, was not blessed with much of a singing voice. He stood outside of my tower and screeched like a cat for nearly an hour before my friend ran him off.
[They duck inside with a gentle word of thanks to their son.] - And he still had the nerve to ask how I enjoyed his performance the following morning at brunch.
I do not think it would be very nice to trick our darling Hunter, but we both know it would be easy enough to convince him it was an important human tradition.
[And he would so cutely endure it, just for Casey!!!]
But it is a blessing to be away from those fae, not to mention fully off of the market. I've heard one perfect proposal and I will never need another!
[He would. He might even say something complimentary about it, like it reminded him of some howling forest beast from the Boiling Isles. Hunter really is way nicer than his first impressions had implied.]
You should tell us about it over dinner.
[He'd love to hear the story, and no doubt Hunter would as well.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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[Sob, Mom have mercy, he already has such anxiety.]
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Then you have nothing to fear, little cub. [Rue reaches up to give a playful tug at the sleeve of his jacket.] Just keep enjoying your happiness together. You're both so young, you deserve this chance to just soak in the joy. I promise, I'm not at all worried about either of you, and you shouldn't be either.
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[He's relieved, but he really doesn't get it.]
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Because all relationships goes through trials, romantic and otherwise. Just because I am not worried, does not mean it will always be easy.
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If my saying not to be cruel to one another is setting off such nerves, perhaps we should be having a very different conversation, little cub.
[such nerves! as if rue could ever ground either of them ever]
Truly, my love, my words are not meant to frighten. Hear these instead: I am deeply happy for you and nothing could make me happier than to hear you are overwhelmed with joy. You deserve happiness, my Casey. You deserve this feeling always.
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[One's a little more vague and nebulous, and can happen accidentally. He's been around people enough to know that heartbreak isn't just intentional nastiness. But fine, fine, he'll relent.]
Um, thank you though. I hope we can keep this... I want to earn it.
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I will keep my beak shut then, do not fear.
[Beak zipped!]
Of course. You already have a lovely head start simply having been friends.
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Were you and Hob friends?
[Call him curious, he still knows very little about how things started there.]
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Knickolas and I met the same week that we became engaged. Though I certainly learned so much about him over the course of that week, I imagine we were still technically more acquaintance than friend.
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Whoa... that really sounds like a movie.
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[But there’s a softness to their voice at the memory. For whatever happened after, Hob’s proposal still warms their heart.]
Back home, most marriages were arranged by the archfae of every court. Unions based solely on love were just not the standard. Some fae did not even meet their intended until after agreements were agreed upon or gold had been exchanged. It was borderline cruel, but an unfortunate complication of living in a society where rank and title and courtly connection were everything.
[There is so much about the Feywild that Rue misses so dearly. This is not one of those parts.]
My Hob was engaged to another, a woman he didn’t know who he was ordered to marry, when we decided to run away together.
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You managed to avoid getting stuck in that kind of position for a long time, then. Is it because you were secretly an owlbear?
[He's still not really mentally managed to sort out why a graceful and talented, well-spoken owlbear would not be accepted by society while a warrior bugbear who eats garbage is (he loves you Hob but if he can recognize his own trash self would not belong in elegance, you're in the same category a bit), but that's kind of his failure to understand where goblins stand in fae society as well.]
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No, though that was certainly why I avoided such prospects. I couldn’t afford to let anyone know my secret, so it was much easier to associate with no one.
I avoided the societal pressure by rising in station. I became too powerful for any match to benefit my court more than my position already did. I could feel the ebb and flow of the fae magic in a way no one else could, so it put me in a position of such great prestige that I was right beneath the leaders of my court. It made me untouchable.
[Finally strolling up to the front of Casey and Hunter’s apartment building, Rue raises their paws to reach for Casey, effortlessly planting him back on the ground. Forgive the way they give his hair an affectionate ruffle.]
It did not, however, stop others from trying. The number of terrible proposals I have been forced to politely decline! The dozens of poorly written poetry I have had crooned at me in public. They are shameless!
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Okay, now I have to ask. What's the worst proposal you ever got?
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You would not even believe! I once knew a fae who thought the way to my heart was through song. But he, unfortunately, was not blessed with much of a singing voice. He stood outside of my tower and screeched like a cat for nearly an hour before my friend ran him off.
[They duck inside with a gentle word of thanks to their son.] - And he still had the nerve to ask how I enjoyed his performance the following morning at brunch.
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The story has him in a fit of giggles, following them up the stairs.]
So you wouldn't recommend that as a courtship method? Cat-screeching at the window? And I had big plans for later!
[He doesn't even know what a cat screech sounds like.]
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[And he would so cutely endure it, just for Casey!!!]
But it is a blessing to be away from those fae, not to mention fully off of the market. I've heard one perfect proposal and I will never need another!
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You should tell us about it over dinner.
[He'd love to hear the story, and no doubt Hunter would as well.]
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[And embellish just what they must to make it even better.]
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[Sounds like it'll be an amazing night.]
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[Casey and Hunter are going to be so fiercely cuddled and smooched tonight.]