VI. The First Formal Ceremony

[madaboutit]

Various Teas
Talk of Touching
Oiling Down
Kissing
Jinx interruption
Jinx Becomes Second

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The footsteps in the hall sound lighter than normal, and it quickly becomes apparent that her breakfast tray isn’t being delivered by Sweeney, but instead, the female servant who had tended Vex in those early days when he had been obligated elsewhere. As before, she says nothing, just deposits the tray on the vanity and leaves.

As her steps start to fade, a more familiar set heads towards the room, and soon enough, Sweeney’s at the door with a tray in hand. It’s not difficult to tell why this was a two-person affair; the one he has is significantly larger than normal, and it’s piled with all sorts of things. Cups and jars, an earthen pot, and an ornate stoneware kettle are huddled tight towards the center. There seems to be a couple of small books and some candles as well. A basket is strapped across his shoulder, leaving the rolled carpets and cushions safely uncrumpled at his hip.

Sweeney offers a quick smile before turning to shut the door.

“I hope your sleep was restful,” he offers, not looking back to her. Instead, he turns to the area in the room that offers the most open space, and kneels to set everything down on the floor.

Comments

[whatsinfrontofyou]

Vex folds her hands in her lap. Sweeney might not be blaming her, but she's blaming herself enough for both of them. It's clear that the leprechaun doesn't usually need help with training girls for His Grace.

If she weren't so... her, this wouldn't be happening.

"If you want to turn him down, I'll help however I can..." She says, but she trails off in a way that all but says but for her, before she adds. "I'm not sure how much my trying to help actually does any good, though. When I try to help, I only seem to ask more questions."

If she just understood why she was being asked to do things, maybe she'd be able to do them better!

She still doesn't understand why either of them would ask her to open her mouth, though she does see the impact questioning the command had.

Her brow wrinkles then as another question occurs to her.

"Would he have to wear a cage too?"

Look, it's a valid question. And yet another way she's inadequate.

[madaboutit]

His lashes flutter, and his gaze falls between them.

"No."

It would be a lie to say there's not a healthy dose of resentment there.

"Not most'a the time." Sweeney can't say never. And maybe part of him doesn't hate the thought of Jinx stuck in one.

"He wouldn't be allowed ta be in here with ya without my presence or permission, so...it ain't normally somethin' that'd be needed."

[whatsinfrontofyou]

"But you'd still have to wear one. Because we'd still have time alone together."

She's making sure she's read his answer correctly.

Her head bows and her eyes close.

"You'd prefer not to work with him?" she observes then. It's a question, but she's fairly sure of the answer.

[madaboutit]

Her observation is confirmed with a small nod. Sweeney doesn't get out of the cage on this kind of technicality. His answer takes a little more time to work through.

"I..." He doesn't look back, though his gaze darts to the side as he considers the variables.

"I think it's the best way ta keep you safe."

Sweeney meets her eyes, wanting to lay things out plainly, even though he's still whispering. As if Jinx's elf ears wouldn't be able to hear him clearly at three times the distance.

"At least, as my Second, he'd be bound ta more Rules." If Sweeney loses the petition, Jinx could train her however he wanted, held to only the most minimal of Requirements.

[whatsinfrontofyou]

Vex isn't sure how much danger she's in, per se. She's valuable, and since she's valuable there have to be limits on what's done with her... probably. Of course, that doesn't mean there's not plenty within those limits that wouldn't cross lines she doesn't want to cross.

This, her mind is on the lashes to Sweeney's back more than the danger to her own.

"Will you be safe?"

[madaboutit]

The lull is uncomfortable, but he's doing his best.

"D'pends on what ya mean by 'safe'." Sweeney doesn't want her to put more into that than is true, so he quickly follows up.

"I think it's the solution with the least risk ta us gettin' ta stay together." His eyes roll beneath their lids, as his loathe to make the admission.

"An' probably the most stable." Sweeney presses his lips.

"'Cause he'll be invested in makin' it work."

It means his name is on the line, as well, after all.

[whatsinfrontofyou]

Vex nods at that. "Stable is good. I... it's what I'd pick, if it were my choice. But I don't want to force you to work with him if you don't want to. I don't want you to feel like I don't believe in you."

But she doesn't want to lose Sweeney, and this way it's not even a risk.

She's been curious about Jinx, and this way... well, she won't have to keep any new secrets, right?

"I would consent to it."

She says, as though she gets a choice.

[madaboutit]

Vex may not have the final say, but her choice does weigh heavily. As much as he hates it, her consent makes what he knows is the Right Answer a little bit easier to palate.

"Alright."

Sweeney cradles her face again, then kisses her forehead. Meeting her eyes after, his sincerity promises his commitment.

"You are still Mine, an' I am still Yours."

This time, when he leans in, he kisses her on the mouth. He's warm, and while it's not overly deep or passionate, it's not chaste either. The kiss lasts a little bit longer than it probably should, and when he parts from her, Sweeney sucks the lingering taste off his lip.

"This doesn't change that."

He gives her a moment more to respond if she wants; it's no small matter, and he isn't going to rush it, now that they've decided.

[whatsinfrontofyou]

Vex leans into the kiss, the feel of Sweeney's lips on her forehead and then on her mouth giving her a degree of comfort. Reassurance that he's not angry with her, that he'll still be with her through all of this.

She doesn't know the Summer King, but she has gotten to know Sweeney.

She's not ready to be someone else's.

"Thank you," she says then, her voice still soft. "I'll try to do better."

[madaboutit]

Sweeney offers her a small smile, accepting her promise. Then he pushes up to standing and crosses to do what he must.

“So what’s the verdict?” Jinx lifts his eyes, but not his face, leaving him looking coy. As if he doesn’t know damn well already. He’s still going to make Finch say it. The same as he does with Vex.

“At least stand the fuck up,” Sweeney grumbles. Jinx rises, batting his eyelashes with a small smirk, silently asking ‘better?’. He reaches into his pocket and pulls the chain back out, raising it to leave the pendants dangling between them.

“Are you sure, Finch? You know what this means.”

Of course he does. It takes a force of will not to tell the other to fuck right off. But it will only make things worse, and Sweeney knows it. His hand slips in his pocket to retrieve something that’s left hidden inside it. He takes a slow breath to assure his resolve.

“I choose you ta be my Second.”

Jinx’s grin blossoms wide. He lifts the chain a bit higher.

“I accept.”

Sweeney swallows and nimbly hooks an additional charm to the chain. It’s a small gold coin, less than an inch across. Jinx lets the moment hang a bit longer, before he slips the chain back in his pocket. Then he turns to look at Vex, though he hasn’t left the conversation. The leprechaun’s shoulders sink, but it’s more a release of tension, than anything else. This is their Truth now, and there’s no reason to dwell.

“Shall we get to work then?” Jinx asks, barely able to rein in his delight.

[whatsinfrontofyou]

Vex's expression makes it clear that she doesn't fully understand what's just happened. She knows the rules have changed, but she's not sure just how. She's not sure what this will mean for her, or what it will mean with Jinx.

Vex stands, her uncertainty clear.

Apparently they're not done for today.

"What are we doing?"

[madaboutit]

“Why, darling...we’re going to get to know each other better.” Jinx slinks her direction, but Sweeney’s on his heels, scowling at the back of his head, as if he could bore a hole through it.

“Finch barely let me have a look at you.”

There's clear effort made to dance around the private time that they'd shared. He doesn’t stand quite as close as he did before, but that might only be because he’s giving her a more thorough lookover. Then his eyes spring up to her face, his grin wide and toothy.

“And, after all, we are a team.”

[whatsinfrontofyou]

Her eyes flit to Sweeney and back to Jinx. What rules apply now are completely unknown. Is she allowed to look at his face? His eyes? Is she supposed to do what he says...?

A team, Vex thinks. Jinx can't lie about that.

And Sweeney is still in charge here.

"What do you want to know?" Or see.

[madaboutit]

Jinx takes the half-step more to be inches from her. He turns his head to whisper in her ear, close enough that she can feel his breath all the way to its tip.

"How to pleasure you."

Then he leans back, clearly speaking to Sweeney, though his attention lingers on her face.

“So...what’s her name?” One of the most precious things, and one of the ones Sweeney would have fought long and hard to keep to himself. And now he's forced to sacrifice it. To him. That makes Jinx tingle in his toes. And elsewhere. Sweeney has to rock his jaw loose before he can manage his answer.

“Vex'ahlia Vessar.”

“Vex'ahlia...” Jinx rolls it around on his tongue, as if he could taste her on the shape of the letters.

"So, tell me, Vex'ahlia...what do you want to know?"

[whatsinfrontofyou]

The way they say her full name has a weight to it, one that puts a little tingle in her nerves, like lightning about to strike. She's always heard that it's dangerous to give your full name to fae.

Now two of them have it.

Or... three, counting the Summer King.

"I want to know what's happening next—what's going to happen next, what's expected of me."

She licks her lips then, flushing and trying to pretend she's not.

"I want to know what I did wrong when I didn't open my mouth, and why you asked me to."

[madaboutit]

Her questions makes Sweeney's gaze fall askew. If he had been more forthcoming--answered her questions, even when she didn't like what he said--maybe they wouldn't be in this spot. He isn't sure how many Jinx will answer, especially in one go, but it's his understanding that the faerie isn't as reserved with information.

Jinx's brow raises.

"Oh, honeysuckle, that's quite a list." There's the vague sense of 'all in good time', but also that she'll have to wait to get everything she wants. His head tilts slightly.

"Which question would you like me to answer first?"

[whatsinfrontofyou]

"Why did you ask me to open my mouth—was it just a trap?"

Because it feels like a trap. Like something he asked to see if she'd buck and damn Sweeney for his lack of progress.

[madaboutit]

Jinx's lips press, as if surprised at the suggestion.

"It was a test, not a trap." He would figure such was obvious. Sweeney rocks his jaw as he flushes, and Jinx continues with an easy tone.

"It was a simple Instruction, and you refused to do it. It made it clear that Finch hasn't gotten very far with Obedience. And that's the basic cornerstone of training."

SO.

[whatsinfrontofyou]

Vex's lips tighten, holding in a certain amount of frustration. And embarrassment. That still feels like a trap to her.

"All right," she says, trying not to sound as defensive as she feels. "Why is Obedience so important?"

[madaboutit]

Jinx just blinks. What the fuck kind of question is that? Silently, he twists to look at Sweeney. The leprechaun turns his head to meet him, and the silent query that raises Jinx's brow is met with a bristle. There's still time to fight.

"You think I'm doin' such a shit job; you explain it."

Then the cunt can see how far using the rod will get him. Jinx refocuses on Vex.

"Because how can you learn what to do, if you refuse to do it on principle?"

[whatsinfrontofyou]

Vex does bristle at that, standing straighter and meeting Jinx's eyes in a moment of pique.

Once she's done it, well... fuck it.

"I'm not refusing on principle. I'm just not doing what I'm told on principle either. How is that any better?"

[madaboutit]

He meets her gaze, but there's no compulsion with it.

"Why wouldn't you open your mouth?" Jinx shrugs a shoulder. "What does it cost you to do such a small thing?"

[whatsinfrontofyou]

"Because I don't know what comes after it. I don't know why you'd want me to open my mouth."

It seems obvious to her.

Her father would likely be on the faeries side, that she's willful and difficult.

"It's not that I won't do it, but I want to know why."

[madaboutit]

Ugh. Okay, so maybe Finch isn't completely incompetent. At least, it should be easier after tonight, when the terms are up and the contract is sealed. In the meantime, his voice flattens.

"Because I want to put something in it."

[whatsinfrontofyou]

Her eyes and yer lips narrow, but she does manage not to ask another question. Another why, and a very important what.

But he's not asking her to do it now anyway, and arguing would probably go against her promise to try to do better.

"That wasn't so hard," Vex mutters, her eyes dropping again. She huffs then. "Besides, I didn't realize we were doing obedience."