V. An Unwelcome Visitor

[madaboutit]

Honey Want and Terms of Pleasure
Discussion of Her Value
More About Jinx and Advice About Sweeney
-------------------------------------------

Sweeney had left for the day. It had been a pleasant one; at least, as pleasant as one can be when one's stuck in a cage. He'd made sure that she'd had her bath and was prepared for the rest of the night. He'd see her in the morning, he'd said.

As such, it might come as some surprise to hear footsteps in the hall. It'd been a while, but not so long that he might have realized he'd forgotten something and thought she'd likely still be awake.

It's not the steps that are so out of place; it's the dull strum of a fingertip being dragged along the lattice of the wall, pointing out the blend of bars and gaps. Then, in the darkened hall, there's a glint of red. It's not a proper glow; more like the reflection of a cat's eyes at night.

"Hey there, Honeysuckle," he purrs with that sweet blend of Want and Temptation.

"Are you all settled in?"

Comments

[whatsinfrontofyou]

In all the time Vex has been here, she can count the number of separate visitors she's had on one hand and have fingers leftover. Sweeney (Red, as she's still calling him) and two different servants who've brought food or fresh clothing on the rare instances that the tall leprechaun has been otherwise occupied.

None of them ever came after Sweeney left for the evening.

The footsteps, the thrum of his fingers, then his voice—that voice—all take her by surprise. Vex looks up, unguarded for a moment in her surprise, before she drops her eyes. She has no idea what the etiquette is in this situation, but she does remember Sweeney's warning about looking Jinx in the eyes.

"I am," she says, the memory of red glimmering in her memory like an afterimage. "Which makes me think you're not supposed to be here—sneaking up to a lady's window in the dead of night? It'll cause gossip."

[madaboutit]

What a delicious threat. She's got fire; Jinx will give her that. He can't help but grin, his tongue drawing slowly over his teeth, catching the low light cast from her room.

"Oh, will it?" How utterly delightful.

"I do hope so."

There's a promise in that. And ulterior motives, of course.

[whatsinfrontofyou]

It's not that she expected that to scare him away, but the degree to which he seems to take relish in the idea puts Vex on edge. She hazards a glance higher, briefly, before looking away again. She turns her head, eyes fixing on one dark window.

It seems safer, though she's not sure if it is.

"Is that what you're here for?"

[madaboutit]

"Why, I'm here to see you, darling." Mock affront tints his words. How could she possibly think such a thing? The visit is all out of care for her.

"To make sure you're being properly...tended."

[whatsinfrontofyou]

"I don't have any complaints about how I'm being tended," Vex responds, tempted to add a darling of her own in response, but it would be impossible without sounding disrespectful.

She still sounds rather disrespectful.

"Besides, I'm not sure what you think you'll accomplish from out there."

[madaboutit]

"Truly?" There's a soft air of dry surprise.

"Are you suggesting that a Fellow can't be enjoyable company if he can't have his hands on you?"

[whatsinfrontofyou]

"Hardly." Vex has a hard time not bristling at the implication.

Which is to say, she bristles at the implication.

"It's what the fellow in question might find enjoyable that I have questions about."

[madaboutit]

"What, darling?" Before continuing, Jinx brings his face to the lattice, eyes wide as they bouce, drinking her in.

"You think the Fellow can only enjoy you, if he's able to get his hands on you?"

Far from it.

[whatsinfrontofyou]

"I suppose I don't know him to say for sure."

She glances his direction, discreet, still trying to avoid his eyes but drawn by curiosity to see what he's doing. Not looking rubs her wrong on an instinctive level.

"He's being very cagey about that."

[madaboutit]

He shifts, and she can see the light sheen of the black leather he's wearing. It gives the impression that Jinx is settling in to keep his face close to the wall.

"Am I?" That seems quite a jump. Possibly even an unfair one.

"It's not like I've even had a chance to meet you properly; given the redwood in the way." He licks his lips in a way the paints them as silk.

"But it's just you and me now, Honeysuckle," he whispers, hoping to invite her closer.

"What do you want ta know?"

He, unlike Finch, has few reasons to hide things.

[whatsinfrontofyou]

She hates the way she wants to lean closer when his voice lowers. There's something intriguing about his words, about the sound of him. It makes her want to look for his mouth, to see if she can read his lips.

She doesn't move closer, but her skin seems to itch with the urge.

"He doesn't trust you," Vex says, not quite going for the bait. "The redwood."

[madaboutit]

"Oh, I have no doubt." Hell, it's almost a point of pride.

If she goes looking for his lips, the lattice doesn't hide them, and he smells of leather and warm spices, if she gets close enough. A beat hangs.

"Did he tell you why?"

[whatsinfrontofyou]

"He did." Her eyes do linger on his mouth. That's probably safe, right? "I don't think he likes you."

Instead of elaborating on why.

"But I'm happy enough to hear your version of things."

[madaboutit]

He huffs softly in amusement. Her eyes may be lingering on his smile, but his stalk her heavy lashes, hoping she'll slip up, and he can catch her gaze.

"Darling, how can I give you my version, if I don't know what his is?"

It's not at if he can manifest her question from nothing.

[whatsinfrontofyou]

Vex wets her lips, nibbling on the lower briefly while she argues with herself over whether or not to answer, or what she should say. It's almost certainly dangerous, playing this game. He's a faerie, and and few of them are safe.

Belonging to His Grace will only protect her so far. It won't protect Sweeney at all, if she slips up.

But what other choice does she have? Turn her back on him and sulk like a child? There's no way she'd be able to sleep with him there.

"Surely you have an idea why he doesn't trust you."

[madaboutit]

"More than one," he assures her with a smirk.

"But I don't know what he told you. And that's what you'd like to hear my version of, yes?"

[whatsinfrontofyou]

"And let you have the opportunity to get your story straight," she points out. His smirk sends a little shiver down her spine. In some ways, he's far more what she expects of fae nobility.

"He said the two of you compete for the same job. And he doesn't like your methods."

[madaboutit]

Now there, was that so hard? A good place to start, and Jinx answers freely.

"We do serve in the same role. I'm not surprised he doesn't like my methods; I think his are...impractical." He sucks his lip as he mulls things for a moment.

"Tell me, Honeysuckle--is he still all stiff upper lip? Ps and Qs and everything in its place? He still one to value the order of things; not let you skip ahead in the book to the more interesting pieces?"

Come closer, he'll tell you all about it. Either way, there's definitely the impression that the two have known each other (and their methods) for some time.

[whatsinfrontofyou]

"I don't know about that." Vex scoots to the edge of her bed. She doesn't get up, but she does inch closer, trying to puzzle out more from his presence, his expression.

"I get the feeling I have him doing things all out of order. He took me outside, didn't he? I get the impression that was skipping ahead where he's concerned."

[madaboutit]

Jinx clucks his tongue once with the sense of 'you've got me there' and graciously yields.

"Clearly, the old boy can be taught new tricks."

The quiet hangs, perhaps a bit uncomfortably. But then he turns his face so his cheek presses against the wall, and his voice drops to little more than air when he speaks through the gap.

"And what did it Cost you?"

[whatsinfrontofyou]

"You haven't really answered my last question yet. Isn't it getting ahead of yourself, asking more?"

Her tone turns pointed again, and it's all she can do not to raise her eyes. Every instinct tells her to look at him, challenge his sly manner.

[madaboutit]

He snorts softly and moves away a bit; still easy to see and be seen, but without impressions left on his cheek.

"Yes, he took you outside."

Jinx's flat inflection holds the tone of 'done; your turn'.

[whatsinfrontofyou]

Vex huffs and looks away again, toward the wall, the light, the window. Anywhere but at him. Jinx and Sweeney have something in common. Neither of them gives freely. Especially not when it comes to answers.

"I agreed to wear the leash."

Her lips turn in a pout as she admits it. Really, in her mind, it was hardly a cost. At this point, it was more of a... condition to going outside.

"Are you really curious about me at all, or are you just here to needle him?"

[madaboutit]

That has him leaned back in instantly, eager for her to know the truth.

"Honeysuckle, you're why I'm here. I want to know you," he purrs. There's something in his tone that is strangely...sincere?

"I fought to get my card in that deck. For you." Jinx inhales, reflecting.

"You're like nothing I've seen here. If it wasn't for Finch's irreproachable Luck, I'd be in there with you." He pauses for a slow blink.

"I ache to know you." The flicker in his voice makes it sound visceral. He cocks his head as he studies her through the lattice.

"If I had my way, you'd never tell him." Jinx licks his lip before pressing it to the wall to breath his confession.

"I want to be your dirty, little secret."

[whatsinfrontofyou]

It's clear the answer takes her off guard. She may be willful, rebellious, smart—fierce, even—but underneath Vex's armor, the insecurities are raw. A few days of Sweeney's careful attention has been salve to those wounds, but they're not enough to heal them.

And somehow, for all of their differences, Vex feels neither of them is lying when they tell her they're here for her.

"I find that hard to believe," she comments, trying to collect herself after the surprise of his confession. "Not that I think you're lying, mind you..."

She doesn't want to insult him, even if she doesn't trust him.

"But it seems unlikely that I'm so astonishing in a court full of miracles."