lucetilogs | Let winter go out with a bang

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Let winter go out with a bang

Who: Everyone who wants to join in!
What: Snow Sculpture Competition
When: Early afternoon around 11am-6pm
Where: Just outside the town square
Summary: Snow sculpture competition! How good are your skills?
Rating: PG

If anyone is walking by today past the outer edges of the town they'll notice large snow pillars holding up a banner. Its white with dark blue letters painted on it that say "Luceti's first Snow Sculpture Competition!" Beyond said pillars is an open space large enough for numerous people to gather around and make things to their hearts content. Off to the side will be tons of tables set-up holding hot beverages and foods and the like to keep the cold out and everyone energized as they work on their sculptures.

A simple, fun, little competition to make use of all the snow they've gotten this year. And who knows it might end up in more than just a competition (a snowball fight perhaps?) anything is possible in Luceti after all.

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[After a moment she levers herself back onto her feet, dusting her coat dry of snow. She doesn't huff a laugh at The Game, she doesn't snort, she merely sighs. Brilliant, bored men. They'll get her killed.] Would you care for some cider Lupin? It's just about the right weather for it.

It is. [He starts pulling himself up as well, painfully but determined not to make people worry. Maybe he should have just camped in Fujiko's room and marathoned Bond films after all...]

Don't make a special effort. I'll get it. I'll get it.

Lupin. [She rests a gentle hand on his shoulder, giving it a squeeze. God save her from men and their pride. Still she offers him a soft smile instead of the earlier reprimand.]

I'll get it. I was grabbing one for myself anyway. Persist in moving and I will have to tie you to something.

...are you asking me to show off my flexibility? [Because ropes don't work on him. Nor to cuffs. Or straight jackets. Still, she had a point. She undeniably had a point, and likely would carry out her threat.

He sits himself back down again, irritable but tamed for the moment, and heaves a sigh.] Okay, since you're being insistent!

With those ribs? You'd better not. Or I will be angry, and I will sedate you for the few weeks it'll take for them to recover. [She narrows her eyes a moment before he gives in, relaxing. She didn't want to have to dope him up for that long, on the one hand it was probably unethical, on the other it'd wreck the fragile...thing. They had. Not quite friends but taking steps in that direction.]

I am. [A flash of a grin before she's walking over to the refreshment table and fetching two cups of hot cider, returning to settle next to Lupin and offering him his cup.]

[He accepts the cider without complaint, amused at Adele's reaction to the entire scenario.] That'd be morally and legally unethical of you. Shocking!

[There's a smile though. He, for one, is not sure what he considers to be on his short list of valuable people. At once she hasn't lectured him about his career choice, just his decisions, and is cunning enough to call him out on his decisions, but still maintains the air of an upright citizen. If he were an honest man, he would admit to being tempted to include her...

But there was the small factor of her returning die.

While he firmly believed that there was nothing more to be done to help the dead, that the still living were running away from their fates... Adele and the others he's heard of in the same situation gave him pause. How to factor, how to factor?

Even with their nice little conversations, the occasional mockery and sniping, he hesitated with her. He liked what they had, the little something. The maybe someone to rely on in the future...

..but there were too many uncertainties. He didn't want to put her at risk for trouble in the future.

That smile never wavered.] I'm joking--joking!

Thanks. I do appreciate this. [all of it.]

Are you attempting to lecture me on morals, legality, and ethics? Truly, Lupin? [If her brow arched any higher it'd disappear into her hairline. As it is, she takes the joke as it's intended. She sips her own cider, without much thought or care to her fate once she returns.

She hasn't quite shaken herself of the fear, but whatever needs to be done, to help Ben, to help Lupin? She'll see it done so long as she's able. While Adele cannot say she's accepted her fate, she is most certainly resigned to it. Anything done in the interim best be worth while.

Today though, she doesn't worry about it. She doesn't plan, or plot, or consider. She's done her exercises for the day. 200 thrusts with her short sword in each hand, 200 cards thrown, same as the other, a jog, anything she can think of to prepare. For what? She doesn't know, but still she's done all that for today, and right now life is...if not good, tolerable. And Lupin wasn't being entirely infuriating, so there was no need to even pretend to be irritated. Unless Stark showed.]

Consider it my part in living up to whatever partnership Maurice LeBlanc had with your grandfather in your world. LeBlancs and Lupins should stick together, no?

[He watches her carefully, looking for any tricks, any hint of guile in her words, tone, or physical expression. Finding none, he takes a sip of his cider all the while wondering if she spiked it or poisoned it. The...candor of her words was surprising.]

I wouldn't know much about my grandfather if it wasn't for your great uncle, whether my grandfather is fiction to you or not. He was a private man, for all of his tricks and games. He never really got close to his family.

[He pauses, thoughtfully. Then:] I'll work to fulfill my end of the deal. [Just not yet. Soon.]

[No guile, no malicious intent, this is her being utterly honest with him. Completely and totally honest because the day was good, no one was gone, Remy was home safe, no one was beating each other to a pulp, and she felt that for today, at least, nothing could go badly. Adele sips her cider, utterly oblivious to any and all suspicious expressions or thought processes on Lupin's behalf.]

He never did say where he got the inspiration. Just that the stories, the character came to him. And to be honest no one asked, everyone was pleased for the literature. Because that's what they are Lupin. Not pulp fiction, but literature. [She chuckles, leaning back against the snow.] My father would read them to me when I was younger, all the time. He even gave me a little lock to pick after I became enamored with the books.

Not that I was terribly good at it but...[She shrugs, looks over to him, and smiles.] Don't feel obligated, mm? In your own time.

[Still, somewhat inspired, she holds out her cup of cider] To Liars and Thieves, eh Lupin?

[It still felt wierd, even the third time around, to have the fact that your existance was fiction in another dimension brought to your attention. What else was there? Were there comics and movies? TV shows?

Whatever it was, it wasn't important. Luceti itself was strange.]

Guess that's another thing to be proud of my grandfather for then. Aside from, you know, setting a precident for criminals the world over! [He chuckles and, regretting it, stops in favor for returning her toast.]

To sudden inspriation, without which none of this would exist.

He did. Many strive to live up to his great name. Most fail, but those that don't? They are ones worth knowing about. [She dips her head after the toast and sips her cider, for the first time since she's woken up here, truly content. Things could be better, they could also be worse, but for now? She's not worrying about anything.]

I cannot help but wonder what kind of sculptures are going to be built, or what one could create with the assistance of magic.

[In his world, he had the men who mimicked his esteemed grandfather on a short list, and even knew a few of them personally. One of them was his mentor, a man so wiley that he lead Lupin on an erratic chase around Europe from the wrong side of the grave.] Oh, I know that they're worth knowing, Dellie. Trust me on this.

[He gazes out over the competition as well, equally curious.] You know? I have no idea wha the magic ice sculpture will be like. I don't really have the patience for looking into that stuff.

Well, I know you, and you are more than worth knowing. [She laughs and sips her cider, content to sit in the snow for however long. It wasn't so cold she couldn't stand it today.]

What interests me most will be the demolition. Unless they wish to leave these up after everyone has been judged. [She quirks a brow in Lupin's direction, a little mischievous.]

You're a pretty cool gal yourself, Dellie. Like a lot of people here. [The circumstances were less than ideal, but the people were what made the place bearable for the thief. It...wasn't terrible.

He catches her gaze and rolls his eyes at her question.] You're gonna need to ask Gambit for demolitions on this one. I'm not doing anything crazy today--doctor's orders.

[Now that pulled a laugh from her.] I have been called many things in my life Lupin, but Cool? That is not one of them. [Still, she'll take the compliment, if with a faint shake of her head.]

I'm not asking, I'm checking. And he shouldn't be out and about today, he was dead on his feet when he got back yesterday. He's under explicit orders to stay in bed today. Like you should be.

Just take it; you are pretty cool! [He bops her shoulder with a fist, soft but friendly. He's playing.

...but he does see her point, and sighs.] Yeah, I know what you're talking about there. He mentioned somehting about missions and jungles with killer plants to me. It must have been interesting in the not-fun way.

Well if you say so Lupin, it must be true. [Even though it was very obviously telegraphed, even though she knew he wouldn't hit her out of turn, even though she knew damn well he was kidding, she still flinched a bit. Not much, but for him? it wouldn't have to be. She clears her throat to say something about the mission and locks up, turning to look at him slowly.]

...When did he mention this to you? Exactly how much have you been getting around with your ribs Lupin?

[Yeah. He shouldn't have said that. He was restless, in pain, and not fully on his guard--conditions he'd never allow his lies to be compromised under in normal circumstances. One look at her and, stubbornness aside, he was tired.]

You're gonna kill me if I told you. [The market. Good Spirits. Watching that joyous and possibly drunk baritone leaning out of his window with a record player in his arms.]

...[Adele sighs and reaches into one of her pockets, patting around until she finds a small bottle, she pulls it out, pops the lid and offers two mild pain killers to Lupin.] You're either exhausted or not taking the medication I gave you if you're slipping up like this for one. And for two? I promise, on my good name, I will not kill you if you tell me.

I might yell, and I may slap you upside the head again, but I won't kill you.

[It was instinctual. Sitting still, being still, was tantamount to death for him. His home? It was any road he could race his Mercedes down. His family? His usual crew was the closest thing he had to a family anymore.

He hated predictability, and disliked the fact that she had him figured out twice now. Either she was good, or he was getting careless. Neither was a comfort to him.]

I've been taking the meds! [ Sometimes. He's whining, but still holding out his hand just to make her happy.] And I didn't go far. Just...the market. Good spirits. Saw that guy singing on the way here.

[From Community House 5, by the Barracks? 'Far' was a relative term.]

Not enough if you're getting caught in a lie. [Adele presses the two painkillers into his hand without further comment, going back to sipping her cider. She won't kill him. She said she wouldn't, so she won't. But it doesn't stop her from fuming. And glaring. But really, what else could she expect? Thief. Master thief. Living in one place must be hard enough for him, let alone sitting still if he's hurt. At the end of it she sighs and shakes her head.]

You. I. [She reaches over as if to slap him upside the head, hesitates, and just rubs his back instead.] You're an idiot Lupin. Between you, Gambit, and Ben, I'm going to end up dead.

Point taken. [He pops them together, thoroughly disliking it but willing to do so anyway for the sake of not pissing off the doctor further. Her glare was as fierce as any physical slap as he sips his cider to wash them down.

He casts a sidelong glance at her. There. Happy?

The gentle touch was more surprising than her sudden attentiveness and concern. Another sip. He slides a little closer.]

You just happened to pick out this crowd, not our fault. Ben? As in Obi-Wan Kenobi? [humorous smile.] You must be in with him good if you're already calling him Ben!

[Bored brilliant men, etc, etc, etc Adele waits patiently for Lupin to take the medication and, well. If she watches his adam's apple, at least what she can see of it, to make sure he swallows, it's only for his own good. Nonetheless she represses a soft sigh and sips her cider, quirking a brow at that slide. Not too close. Not yet, anyway.]

You blew up your apartment after I was indebted to you, Gambit blew up my sofa, and Ben fell off a roof. I more or less stumbled into giving a damn about you three. [She huffs a soft laugh though, not at all bothered by this.]

Mm? Yes, Ben as in Obi-Wan. What is that smile for? He invited people to call him Ben! It is nothing that he allows me to call him that. It is an ende- a nickname. Like 'Dellie'.

['it is an ende--'

Lupin would have to be a child not to catch that. He holds off on calling her on her slip up, deciding it would be best to let her keep her not so subtle fondness for the Jedi to herself for the time being. Instead, he focuses on the rest of her conversation.]

I did nothing to make you indebted to me. I just teased you and helped Gambit haul around that demon-sofa. Just so you know...Obi lives in the apartment just below Jigen, and in the same one as Luke Skywalker. They're cool people...aside from being Jedi and all. [And more likely to take care of you than the reverse.]

[Goddamn her mouth. Well. That was out, and Adele could only wonder at the speculative powers of Lupin. Well no, she couldn't wonder, she could just assume he knew everything and work from there. Still. Damn. She needs to watch herself around him more.]

You helped Gambit haul the sofa to the roof to be destroyed. The same sofa that tried to kill me. So, there was a debt. A debt that's been paid, but still. [She lifts a shoulder lamely, and then pauses to consider what it was Lupin had said.] ...Do not spy on the Jedi Lupin. It will not end well.

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