> Paloma: Get the girl.

-- nitroMerc [NM] began trolling absoluteAltitude [AA] at 13:51 --
-- nitroMerc [NM]  stops at the doorway to her respiteblock, peering in to see if the annoying mossyblood is still hanging around. --
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  is, indeed, still hanging around. She's leaning against Cucali's cocoon, reading a book. Probably one of her stupid romances. --
-- nitroMerc [NM]  clears her throat. --
NM: What're y☼u d☼in' in here?? This is my respitebl☼ck, dumbass.
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  looks up suddenly, and blushes a little. --
AA: <\ Well, um, I figured you'd want to talk to Solena and I didn't want to get in your way... />
NM: Well, y☼u c☼uld've ch☼sen s☼mewhere else t☼ hide!
AA: <\ I, I suppose so... sorry. />
NM: Again with the s☼rries! Uuuugh.
NM: L☼☼k, I guess I w☼uldn't be adverse t☼ talkin' ab☼ut... that shit y☼u were menti☼nin' bef☼re.
-- nitroMerc [NM]  mumbles. --
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  captchalogues her book, straightening up with a smile. --
AA: <\ Okay. />
AA: <\ I'm glad of that... um, I guess I should start with myself, since I can't know for sure how you feel. />
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  blushes, and pauses for a moment before pressing on. --
AA: <\ I, I pity you, Cucali. Really, I do. And even if it might be hard, I, I'd like to be with you. />
-- nitroMerc [NM]  fidgets. It's clear that she's uncomfortable with this. --
NM: I... guess y☼u aren't as ann☼yin' as I th☼ught y☼u were. Y☼u're pretty decent. An' y☼u're pretty g☼☼d at a c☼uple ☼f things. Even if y☼u're really ann☼yin' s☼metimes.
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  glances away, her smile and her blush both growing. --
AA: <\ I'm glad to hear you say I'm not so bad... />
-- nitroMerc [NM]  notices and folds her arms across her chest, rolling her eye. --
NM: Yeah, yeah!! D☼n't be t☼☼ happy ab☼ut it!
AA: <\ You... you're strong, Cucali, and capable. I admire your ability. But there's so much more to you than that and I, I'm... I'd like to get to know you. />
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  sounds almost like she was going to say something else there - but she didn't. --
NM: I'd say that y☼u kn☼w en☼ugh ab☼ut me! We've been c☼☼ped up here f☼r a little while, riiiight?
AA: <\ Yeah, you're right... />
NM: An' y☼u've been d☼ggin' me f☼r a l☼☼☼☼ng time.
NM: I g☼t n☼thin' t☼ hide fr☼m y☼u. What y☼u see is what y☼u get!!
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  smiles to herself, shyly. --
AA: <\ I, I wouldn't mind that. />
AA: <\ ... I'd like it. />
-- nitroMerc [NM]  hesitates, studying Paloma carefully as though she's the most dangerous troll on Alternia. Then she looks away, quickly hiding her insecurity with a scoff. --
NM: Fine by me. I d☼n't give a fuck anym☼re an' it's tirin' t☼ argue with y☼u.
AA: <\ You, you mean... we... />
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  says the word "we" cautiously, as if it might bite. --
-- nitroMerc [NM]  raises an eyebrow. --
NM: ... "we" what?
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  blushes deeply, looking away. --
AA: <\ ... we could try... />
-- absoluteAltitude's [AA'S]  voice lowers to a whisper. --
AA: <\ ... being together? />
-- nitroMerc [NM]  flinches at that. She tries to detract from it by throwing her hands in the air. --
NM: Like I said. I d☼n't give a fuck what y☼u want!!
NM: Fine. Why the hell n☼t? Wh☼ the hell cares? Just shut up ab☼ut it, please!!
-- absoluteAltitude, [AA,]  still blushing, looks up at her with a warm smile on her face. --
AA: <\ Okay... />
-- nitroMerc [NM]  is trying not to look at Paloma because of conflicting feelings right now. --
NM: Just d☼n't expect it t☼ be fun.
AA: <\ I, I don't expect anything other than you. />
AA: <\ For better or for worse. />
NM: Ha! We'll see h☼w l☼ng it takes f☼r this stupidass relati☼nship t☼ crash.
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  swallows down her fear and steps forward until she's in front of Cucali. Gently, she tries to take one of her hands. --
AA: <\ I'm a good flier. You, you know that. I don't crash. />
AA: <\ And, neither will this. />
-- nitroMerc [NM]  lets Paloma take her hand, but it's stiff and awkward. She doesn't try to entwine her fingers with hers and she just looks at her with an unreadable expression. --
-- nitroMerc [NM]  curls her fingers to return the gesture. --
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  takes Cucali's hand in both of hers when she feels the stiffness, one holding it as the other strokes the back of her hand. She looks back at Cucali, and her smile when she finally curls her fingers in is heart-shattering. --
-- nitroMerc [NM]  speaks quickly, rapidly, as though she's afraid that she might lose the courage to say what she wants to and chicken out behind her usual insults. --
NM: Y☼u're fuckin' mine, d☼ y☼u get it? Y☼u get int☼ this, y☼u bel☼ng t☼ me and ☼nly me. Any ☼ther way an' I w☼n't be afraid t☼ hurt y☼u again. D☼ y☼u fuckin' understand?
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  nods, squeezing Cucali's hand. --
AA: <\ My heart is yours. />
-- nitroMerc [NM]  squeezes back harder. --
NM: G☼d, again with these sappy lines.
NM: Y☼u lift these ☼ut straight fr☼m y☼ur b☼☼ks, d☼n'tcha?
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  blushes. --
AA: <\ W, well, I mean it... />
NM: Geeeez, c☼me up with s☼methin' ☼riginal next time!!
-- nitroMerc's [NM'S]  grip becomes more comfortable, though still a little stiff. She seems to be getting used to this whole hand-holding business. --
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  giggles as she strokes the back of Cucali's hand. --
AA: <\ Okay! />
-- nitroMerc [NM]  gives a little smirk. --
NM: Y☼u s☼und waaaaaay t☼☼ happy ab☼ut this, m☼ssybl☼☼d!
AA: <\ This is what I've wanted for a long time now... />
NM: D☼n't get used t☼☼ used t☼ it!
NM: Like I said, it ain't g☼nna last.
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  steps closer to Cucali and leans against her chest. There's no hugging involved, not yet. --
AA: <\ I think there's a chance... />
AA: <\ ... your vascular system may be different to mine, but they still both pump blood, after all. Aren't we at least a little similar in that way...? />
-- nitroMerc [NM]  awkwardly lifts her arms and puts them over Paloma's shoulders. --
NM: Similar but still way fuckin' different, m☼ssy.
NM: F☼r ☼ne, my purple's waaaaaay better than y☼ur lime'll ever be.
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  wraps her arms around Cucali's waist, closing her eyes as she smiles. --
AA: <\ That's okay with me... />
-- nitroMerc [NM]  lets her. Paloma's warmer than Solena, softer too. Not as hard or rough as most other trolls. Probably because she's a pansy who doesn't know how to defend herself, but it's nice to have a little change, right? She flushes at the thought of Sol walking by and seeing this--god, how undignified!! But she won't push Paloma away because it's... nice, almost? Calming? Yeah, let's go with that. --
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  stays with Cucali, murmuring her name as she nestles into her. --
AA: <\ Cucali... I'm so glad... />
-- nitroMerc [NM]  cautiously rests her head against Paloma's, unsure of what she's doing. She hasn't practiced tenderness for so long, because tenderness got you killed when you're supposed to be fighting. At least she's trying. --
NM: Yeah, yeah. S☼'m I, I guess.
NM: D☼n't think I'm g☼nna be nicer t☼ y☼u ☼r any ☼f that shit, th☼ugh.
AA: <\ I don't expect you to be anything but yourself... />
NM: Then that's what y☼u're g☼nna get, all the way.
AA: <\ And you'll have me, just being me... />
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  coos softly. --
-- nitroMerc [NM]  lets out a little laugh despite herself. --
NM: Ha! Again with th☼se n☼ises, m☼ssy?
AA: <\ Well, yes! I'm happy! />
NM: Y☼u kiddin' me?? Y☼u sh☼uld be p☼sifuckin'elated that I'm lettin' y☼u hang ☼ut with me!!
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  nestles against Cucali. --
AA: <\ I'm absolutely euphoric... />
-- nitroMerc's [NM'S]  hides her face in Paloma's hair to keep her from seeing her growing blush. That's the first time she's heard something like that. --
NM: Y☼u damn well better be.
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  giggles again. --
AA: <\ Don't worry! I am. />
NM: I'm n☼t w☼rryin'!! I kn☼w y☼u're stupid en☼ugh t☼ believe in this relati☼nship shit.
AA: <\ I'll believe for both of us, if, if you'd like. />
NM: Be my guest, if y☼u're s☼ desperate.
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  smiles to herself. Oh, Cucali... --
AA: <\ Okay, I will. />
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  sighs happily, resting her cheek against Cucali. Her skin is cooler, and she's tough, hardened; but it's nice. Despite everything, she still feels safe under her embrace. That Cucali's been able to admit she wants her... it makes Paloma coo again. --
-- nitroMerc [NM] is now an idle chum! --
-- nitroMerc [NM]  tightens her grip at the coo. What is she even doing in this position? She swore to herself that she wouldn't let herself be so weak, but here she was, being a huge bluh bluh sap. --
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  gives Cucali a little squeeze of her own, though it's still gentler than anything Cucali herself might do. --
-- nitroMerc [NM]  speaks up after a while. --
NM: S☼☼☼☼☼☼... we just g☼nna stay here sniffin' each ☼thers' hair like barkbeasts ☼r what?
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  blushes as she tilts her head back, her face close to Cucali's, looking up at her. --
AA: <\ We, we could watch a movie or something... />
-- nitroMerc [NM]  shifts her gaze off to the side don'tlookatherprettyfacedon'tdoanymorestupidkissing. --
NM: Fiiiiine. That s☼unds all right t☼ me!
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  smiles, and reluctantly steps back, releasing Cucali. --
AA: <\ You can choose what we watch... but nothing too bleak, okay? />
NM: Yeah, yeah, I'll be sure t☼ ch☼☼se s☼methin' that d☼esn't ☼ffend y☼ur "delicate" sensibilities!!
-- nitroMerc [NM]  airquote airquote. --
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  giggles. --
AA: <\ Thanks, Cucali. />
NM: Tch, there's n☼thin' t☼ be thankful ab☼ut!!
NM: C'm☼n, let's just beat this place, it's gettin' t☼☼ h☼t in here.
AA: <\ Okay! />
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  blushes a little, and slips out into the dwellingblock. She is going to cuddle up to Cucali /so hard/ during all those cinematic explosions. --
-- nitroMerc [NM]  follows closely behind her, wondering what the fuck she's gotten herself into and not sure if she's ready for once. --
-- nitroMerc [NM] gave up trolling absoluteAltitude [AA] at 15:50 --