[ An exasperated sigh. He'd thought G'raha only avoided deception due to some misguided ethical complaint, not because he was incapable of doing it well. Well, that's going to make any card game Astarion is good at far more challenging. ]
What is it, the ears? Maybe we could cover them up with a jaunty hat.
[ And at the mere mention of his tail, it flicks behind him a couple of times. ]
A hat would certainly help, though… I am not skilled at concealing my expression either. I have lied successfully in the past, but I fear something as trivial as a card game may prove, well… troubling.
[ Not that Astarion’s money is trivial or anything, but. You know. He can’t help that he’s earnest to a fault, something he’s never been able to grow out of. Even when he had to conceal his motivations in the past, it was a trial and a half.
He tilts his head, considering Astarion. ]
I should like to see what you have in mind in terms of headwear.
[ Well, he doesn't have something in mind, as such, but— he runs through a mental list of the party's accessories, then comes up with, ] Wyll had a rather dapper little hat.
[ One that was looted from a goblin corpse, but still! ]
And it's not like he needs it anymore now that he has those pesky horns.
[ Not that he'd care if Wyll did plan on using it, because his needs are far more urgent, but it does make it a bit easier to rid him of it if he isn't currently wearing it. Sure, it's Wyll's property, and perhaps he'd planned on selling it when they reached the next town, but... too bad! ]
[ A dapper little hat, huh. G’raha wonders how well that will pair with his own garb, but surely it won’t clash too terribly much. ]
Hm, I suppose not.
[ They’re not unlike Au Ra horns, now that he thinks about it. Are most hats here unsuitable for him now? Plenty of hats back home have room for horns and Miqo’te ears both.
Much to think about. Later.
He fixes Astarion with a look, an amused sort of sharpness in his eyes. ]
Will you nab it from his belongings while he’s distracted or kindly ask him?
( I'M SO SORRY i have no excuse except i got in a funk and scared to scroll down in my inbox... i'm still v enthusiastic about this thread but totally understand if you want to drop ❤️ )
Kindly?
[ Astarion actually laughs at that, a little shrill. It's his signature you just said something dumb laugh. A little mean for the sake of it, because G'raha is already irritating him with his stupid goody-goody principles. This would all be so much easier if he would just agree to help Astarion steal his money back! ]
Oh, and I thought you weren't funny!
[ A shake of his head. ]
'Asking nicely' won't get you anywhere in life, little kitty. Obviously, we're going to steal it.
[ A pause, and he sighs, exasperated. Right, G'raha is going to be a killjoy about this, too. ]
( honestly i totally understand because that's happened to me before. happy to continue, though! 💞 )
[ That laugh causes the corners of his lips to turn down into a frown. Rude!! He has thoughts about Astarion's little philosophy, and it shows in the way his brows furrow and his eyes seem to narrow slightly, but he doesn't voice it. Not right now.
He needs to focus on the game rules that are still settling in his mind, needs to tease them apart and put them back together into different strategies he could utilize.
So, he reaches down to fasten his pack, looking up at Astarion. ]
Is that an intent to return it? [ A flick of his tail. ] Borrow his hat while I finish gathering my things, will you?
[ Yes, he's leaving Astarion to be the sole one to blame if he gets caught here. ]
[ Astarion blatantly doesn't respond with whether he plans to return the hat. Who cares!! It's just a hat. He frowns at the semi-order G'raha gives after, scoffing. ]
Well. I'm borrowing it now because I want to.
[ Not because G'raha told him to! He stands, dusting off his trousers. ]
Do hurry. I'd like to have my coin back within the next few hours.
[ Not that he feels very confident about G'raha's ability to win it back by playing fair, but they'll cross that bridge when they get to it. Once they get there and G'raha sees how futile it is, surely he'll change his mind about the whole 'stealing is bad' thing. ]
[ That scoff gets G’raha to look up, and he has to bite back his amusement. He’s beginning to learn a little bit about the way Astarion works, he thinks.
It is, after all, pretty obvious that Astarion likes to get his way. G’raha doesn’t mind it, though. It’s amusing in its own way, even if this is the sort of personality he has the least amount of experience dealing with.
An adventure on its own, perhaps. An interpersonal adventure. ]
The trek towards that camp may take an hour on its own… a mere few hours’ time may not be enough.
[ But he could always amp up his walking speed if need be. ]
Even so, your coin will be back in your hands by morning, I assure you.
[ With most of his things assembled, he starts buckling up his pack. ]
All the same, Astarion slips away to take care of his own task: that is, stealing from Wyll. It's easy enough, because Wyll is far too trusting, and therefore doesn't even bother hiding his belongings. The hat is jaunty indeed; brown leather with a wide brim and a dapper little feather. He plops it on G'raha's head, right over those kitty ears. ]
Now you'll just need to control that tail.
[ He's noticed it's rather expressive, too. Sort of cute, honestly—if you find that sort of thing cute, which obviously he does not!!!—but unhelpful in this situation. ]
[ Oh. Astarion has taken care of the hat quite quickly and it's now resting upon his head. G'raha adjusts it, taking ahold of the brim and lifting it so that it rests above his eyes. ]
I would much rather not!
[ His tail sticks up rod-straight behind him, eyes widening with shock at the very thought.
... ]
Ahem. That is, sitting on it would be a danger, were it to slip out from underneath me. I can hide it well enough underneath my clothes.
[ It won't explain the cutout in his jacket for his tail, but... his pants are loose enough that all he needs to do is loosen his belt and shove his tail back in his pants. It creates an odd shape in the seat of his pants, but it's nothing he can't hide with his clothing anyway. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Any reason you suggest poker specifically? I must confess I am quite easy to read, so any game involving obfuscation is difficult…
[ Remembering the rules? Not a problem. Pretending he doesn’t have a bad hand?
A huge issue. ]
no subject
You can't lie?
[ An exasperated sigh. He'd thought G'raha only avoided deception due to some misguided ethical complaint, not because he was incapable of doing it well. Well, that's going to make any card game Astarion is good at far more challenging. ]
What is it, the ears? Maybe we could cover them up with a jaunty hat.
no subject
[ And at the mere mention of his tail, it flicks behind him a couple of times. ]
A hat would certainly help, though… I am not skilled at concealing my expression either. I have lied successfully in the past, but I fear something as trivial as a card game may prove, well… troubling.
[ Not that Astarion’s money is trivial or anything, but. You know. He can’t help that he’s earnest to a fault, something he’s never been able to grow out of. Even when he had to conceal his motivations in the past, it was a trial and a half.
He tilts his head, considering Astarion. ]
I should like to see what you have in mind in terms of headwear.
no subject
[ One that was looted from a goblin corpse, but still! ]
And it's not like he needs it anymore now that he has those pesky horns.
[ Not that he'd care if Wyll did plan on using it, because his needs are far more urgent, but it does make it a bit easier to rid him of it if he isn't currently wearing it. Sure, it's Wyll's property, and perhaps he'd planned on selling it when they reached the next town, but... too bad! ]
Shall we liberate him of it?
no subject
Hm, I suppose not.
[ They’re not unlike Au Ra horns, now that he thinks about it. Are most hats here unsuitable for him now? Plenty of hats back home have room for horns and Miqo’te ears both.
Much to think about. Later.
He fixes Astarion with a look, an amused sort of sharpness in his eyes. ]
Will you nab it from his belongings while he’s distracted or kindly ask him?
no subject
Kindly?
[ Astarion actually laughs at that, a little shrill. It's his signature you just said something dumb laugh. A little mean for the sake of it, because G'raha is already irritating him with his stupid goody-goody principles. This would all be so much easier if he would just agree to help Astarion steal his money back! ]
Oh, and I thought you weren't funny!
[ A shake of his head. ]
'Asking nicely' won't get you anywhere in life, little kitty. Obviously, we're going to steal it.
[ A pause, and he sighs, exasperated. Right, G'raha is going to be a killjoy about this, too. ]
Ugh, I mean 'borrow without permission'.
no subject
[ That laugh causes the corners of his lips to turn down into a frown. Rude!! He has thoughts about Astarion's little philosophy, and it shows in the way his brows furrow and his eyes seem to narrow slightly, but he doesn't voice it. Not right now.
He needs to focus on the game rules that are still settling in his mind, needs to tease them apart and put them back together into different strategies he could utilize.
So, he reaches down to fasten his pack, looking up at Astarion. ]
Is that an intent to return it? [ A flick of his tail. ] Borrow his hat while I finish gathering my things, will you?
[ Yes, he's leaving Astarion to be the sole one to blame if he gets caught here. ]
no subject
Well. I'm borrowing it now because I want to.
[ Not because G'raha told him to! He stands, dusting off his trousers. ]
Do hurry. I'd like to have my coin back within the next few hours.
[ Not that he feels very confident about G'raha's ability to win it back by playing fair, but they'll cross that bridge when they get to it. Once they get there and G'raha sees how futile it is, surely he'll change his mind about the whole 'stealing is bad' thing. ]
no subject
It is, after all, pretty obvious that Astarion likes to get his way. G’raha doesn’t mind it, though. It’s amusing in its own way, even if this is the sort of personality he has the least amount of experience dealing with.
An adventure on its own, perhaps. An interpersonal adventure. ]
The trek towards that camp may take an hour on its own… a mere few hours’ time may not be enough.
[ But he could always amp up his walking speed if need be. ]
Even so, your coin will be back in your hands by morning, I assure you.
[ With most of his things assembled, he starts buckling up his pack. ]
no subject
All the same, Astarion slips away to take care of his own task: that is, stealing from Wyll. It's easy enough, because Wyll is far too trusting, and therefore doesn't even bother hiding his belongings. The hat is jaunty indeed; brown leather with a wide brim and a dapper little feather. He plops it on G'raha's head, right over those kitty ears. ]
Now you'll just need to control that tail.
[ He's noticed it's rather expressive, too. Sort of cute, honestly—if you find that sort of thing cute, which obviously he does not!!!—but unhelpful in this situation. ]
Maybe you can just... sit on it.
no subject
I would much rather not!
[ His tail sticks up rod-straight behind him, eyes widening with shock at the very thought.
... ]
Ahem. That is, sitting on it would be a danger, were it to slip out from underneath me. I can hide it well enough underneath my clothes.
[ It won't explain the cutout in his jacket for his tail, but... his pants are loose enough that all he needs to do is loosen his belt and shove his tail back in his pants. It creates an odd shape in the seat of his pants, but it's nothing he can't hide with his clothing anyway. ]