Okay, you're going to have to tell me what that actually means, because I don't get it.
[Dishonest woman? How's lying worse when it's a woman instead of a man?]
Anyway, be there in a few.
[He's suiting action to words, heading right for the front doors and rapping with his knuckles to give her a warning before he pushes them open and wanders in.]
[Axel's still sputtering at his phone when she speaks, and he fumbles and nearly drops it on the floor.]
Don't just drop something like that on a guy! Geez. No, I haven't been doing anything like that!
I, uh. Got into a couple of scrapes with ayakashi on the Near Shore, and, you know. Wound up having to work with a couple other gods. That's all. I figure, you should know.
[Okay, so there was the bit where he couldn't get into her temple, but that's not her fault. She's not even the only one it's happened to anymore. He crosses his arms a little defensively.]
Look, it's not like I'm not still your shinki. As far as I'm concerned, you've got first dibs.
[ ... Wow. He keeps reminding her of Gemma, more and more. ]
Well, that is very kind of you to say so. [ She might look pretty pleased about the fact that he's given her a compliment.... in his own way, she supposes. ] Though, I am curious. Pray tell, how many gods are you serving now?
[And... she doesn't seem mad! That's great. That's a better outcome to this than he was imagining, and he's brightening right back with obvious relief.]
Uh, how about...
[He pulls out his phone, scrolling quickly through.]
[hint hint that was kind of a jerk thing to say, Pippa.
He'll live, though! He's raising one hand in a casual half-wave: he's got a shift this afternoon, after all. And since this conversation went way better than he was afraid it was going to, he's even got time to grab lunch somewhere first.]
Pippa raises her hand in a wave as well. She's actually genuinely looking forward to the ice cream, which is why she leaves him with a smile before going back into her temple. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
text;
Not exactly.
It's complicated. Where are you?
text;
I'm inside the temple, of course.
text;
[Dishonest woman? How's lying worse when it's a woman instead of a man?]
Anyway, be there in a few.
[He's suiting action to words, heading right for the front doors and rapping with his knuckles to give her a warning before he pushes them open and wanders in.]
text > action
[ That's the last text he gets before she goes to answer the door. ]
Good evening.
action
Don't just drop something like that on a guy! Geez. No, I haven't been doing anything like that!
I, uh. Got into a couple of scrapes with ayakashi on the Near Shore, and, you know. Wound up having to work with a couple other gods. That's all. I figure, you should know.
action
You're rather calm about this.
[ ... Meanwhile, she's trying to figure out how she feels about this. ]
I suppose I've been a poor goddess.
action
[Okay, so there was the bit where he couldn't get into her temple, but that's not her fault. She's not even the only one it's happened to anymore. He crosses his arms a little defensively.]
Look, it's not like I'm not still your shinki. As far as I'm concerned, you've got first dibs.
action
Well, that is very kind of you to say so. [ She might look pretty pleased about the fact that he's given her a compliment.... in his own way, she supposes. ] Though, I am curious. Pray tell, how many gods are you serving now?
action
You, Yumi, Sora and Deku.
[It's just four! That's not... that many... right?
It sounds like kind of a lot even to him. He winces.]
action
You've certainly managed to get around, I see!
action
[Don't judge! And he's been spending a lot of time there, which, come to think of it -- he clears his throat.]
Hey, speaking of the Near Shore, I picked up this ice-cream shop job. It's not so bad! The pay's okay, and I get a discount.
You should come check it out sometime. I can show you where it is.
action
[ He really has been busy! Pippa seems to brighten at that. ]
I'd be delighted, Axel. When are you free?
action
Uh, how about...
[He pulls out his phone, scrolling quickly through.]
Tomorrow afternoon? Three?
action
I shall expect you to meet me at that time and proceed from there.
action
action
[ ... Pippa Cross, master of backhanded compliments. I'm so sorry, Axel. ]
action
[hint hint that was kind of a jerk thing to say, Pippa.
He'll live, though! He's raising one hand in a casual half-wave: he's got a shift this afternoon, after all. And since this conversation went way better than he was afraid it was going to, he's even got time to grab lunch somewhere first.]
action
Pippa raises her hand in a wave as well. She's actually genuinely looking forward to the ice cream, which is why she leaves him with a smile before going back into her temple. ]