[ Elizabeth was clearly so not expecting anything like this, which is probably the point. From the roses actually having their proper color to being offered them by someone that she very suddenly and intensely realizes is handsome, to say it's a surprise is an understatement. It's a moment right out of one of her books, and her expression of surprise blossoms into one that's equal parts deeply touched and very flustered. ]
I— [ She reaches out to take the roses very delicately ] Thank you, Lupin.
[ The amount of sincerity in that is probably more than he'd expect, but. This is the first time someone has given her flowers. Elizabeth is living her own romance novel/otome dreams in this moment. But even as her cheeks warm, she steps back inside the house to usher him in. ]
I've- [ How is she supposed to answer that question now?? ] It could have been better. But the birds and the past week are done with now, at least.
[ welcome to lupin, elizabeth, he's a walking romance novel!!
that went over much better than he was expecting, all things considered - she could have easily seen it as too forward, although he only picked roses as the flower because they were the most accessible rather than any deeper meaning. But no, she seems honestly delighted by it. Naturally, that delights him, too. If there's a better feeling than the one you get making a pretty girl turn red and smile, he sure doesn't know it. ]
No need for that. Like I said, it's thanks for having me, especially after I took so long to get back to you.
[ he takes off his hat as he walks inside, naturally, running a hand over his hair to smooth it back down. As he speaks, he glances around; he houses in Bluo are different from the ones in Ruga, but not so different from each other, it seems. ]
You've got that right. I was worried I was going to be cooped up for a whole month last week.
[ As Lupin walks in, Elizabeth's gaze turns to the roses with a warm, wistful little smile, though it's very short-lived. It's the sort of smile she gave to her dreams of Paris while she was still in the tower, and while Lupin wouldn't know it, she definitely hasn't smiled like this since she left Battleship Bay. The moment passes, and she starts to lead the way further into the house. ]
Then just thank you. I'll put these in some water.
[ Which, conveniently, is still where they're heading anyways. This particular house doesn't have a parlor, so they've all made do with the large kitchen. There's a very modest table and chairs, though at least one of the legs of the table definitely looks precarious. This place sucks. ]
Really? [ She responds with a gentle laugh in her voice. ] I thought it was going to be the opposite for me. I couldn't stand to be inside.
[ yeah he feels it... most of his chairs are held together with those nails he borrowed from her at the moment. will the town ever give them new furniture?? time will tell...
He follows after her, hanging back when they get to the kitchen until she's done putting the flowers in a vase. Not gonna just go make himself at home in her house until she says so. ]
That bad? [ he doesn't want to pry if it's actually really bad, but. ] I just didn't want people to see me. The town cursed me to look completely stupid... I would have come by earlier otherwise.
Well... It could have been worse. All of the interiors of the builds here looked like— [ She pauses, hesitating, but decides to just say it instead of dancing around the subject. ] —my Tower. It's where I lived my whole life until recently.
[ Just seeing every indoor space as her Tower isn't as bad as some alternatives that had immediately come to mind the first time she saw it. With the roses set, she brings them back to set them on the table (though she'll be taking them to her room later), then motions for him to come inside and get comfortable. ]
Oh, sorry— You can sit. Come in. [ She says with a little laugh in her voice, since she had definitely forgotten. Since she's never gotten to do this before, it feels like there's a lot to keep in mind, but she's definitely enjoying that. ]
I'm sure you didn't look that bad. But I understand wanting to get away from people anyways.
[ he gives her a brief nod of gratitude, sitting himself down as instructed, but what she said is still on his mind. He hangs his hat on the back of the chair as he speaks, shuffling his coat off. ]
It was worse than whatever you were imagining, I promise. But... [ a bit of a pause. ] You lived your entire life in a tower? Did I hear you right?
[ that sounds like something out of a fairy tale, honestly. He hardly wants to pry; as she's the one who brought it up, however, he imagines she can't be completely averse to talking about it. ]
Well, if you say so. [ She smiles a little, and it's wry and playful. ] But you should tell me anyways.
[ She's definitely just curious, since it can't be that bad! Little does she know, Shiki is in fact That Bad. Though as the conversation turns to her tower, she nods. It's something she hesitates speaking about out of habit, though it's not as if anyone here would even know her as the Lamb. But it still feels strange... Like it's something that happened to someone else. Or should have. ]
You did. I just learned why—well, before I came here, I mean—but it doesn't really matter. My father kept me locked away. [ And boy, her emphasis on "father" is bitter ] I'd... never been outside of it. Not until Mr. Dewitt came to take me away.
[ it was bad. he was wearing clown pants and girls were watching. fortunately, Elizabeth's story is interesting enough that he's pretty sure he can get out of this without telling her about it. ]
Huh... So you've got more than just the looks of a princess. It sounds like your knight in shining armor's already arrived, though. I was a little late. [ a wry smile. but as crazy as this may sound to him, it's reality to her, and he's sensitive to that fact. ] In all seriousness, that's awful. I'm almost glad you were brought here, if only to get a little taste of the outside world.
[ ... a strange taste of it, but it still counts. ]
Elizabeth's eyes immediately widen in doe-eyed surprise when he says she has the looks of a princess, but then he keeps going. She may not have interacted with people very much before Booker freed her, but she's not oblivious. Her face very quickly heats up to the point that she can absolutely feel her cheeks burning, which just makes her more flustered.
(She's definitely having that relatable internal panic of "Is he flirting with me?? What do I do with that information??")
It leaves her briefly tongue-tied, and she nervously twirls her thimble around her pinky. ]
—Now- Now you're just teasing me, Lupin.
[ But she still stumbles over her words. She is doing her best. With a little shake of her head, she does her best to move past it. ]
...I am too, though. It's not what I was really hoping for, but I'm still out of Columbia. That's good enough.
[ Yes. She's totally adorable. Lupin already knew this, of course, but now it's definitely true. While she's all aflutter, he just looks at her flushed face and smiles even bigger, both charmed and pleased with himself. Going to visit her was a good idea. But it might not be a good idea to fluster her much more than this - he's not just a thief that can slip away into the night around here, after all. ]
Sorry, sorry. I can't help myself.
[ because she's too CUTE!! but he stops. at least for now... do your best, Liz. ]
... Is it all right if I ask why? You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I didn't come here to pry.
[ lupin is the worst!! largely because her delicate maiden's heart is definitely solidifying that small crush into a much bigger one. Her smile stays playfully wry, as if doubting that he could help himself, but it doesn't linger long. ]
It's fine. I wouldn't have mentioned it if I wasn't okay with talking about it.
[ Because it's really just in talking to a few people about it recently that she's realized that she had kept it secret, a little. She's not sure if that was intentional or not, but... People here are kind. Even telling someone who was a bit chillier (to say the least) like Damian, the response had been positive.
Which, of course it was. She's not sure why she had some fear that people would tell her she should be locked up. It was just that pang of fear like when she had looked through that mirror into her drawing room. What am I? ]
It's... kind of a long story, though. Can I make you tea first?
[ he hasn't forgotten what she said last time about her "tea," but he's hoping he was just jumping to conclusions about what she meant. He's way too polite to say no, anyway - at least to Elizabeth. None of that shows on his face, naturally; he just continues chatting lightly. ]
If you're planning to talk to me about quantum physics later, I'm sure I'll need all the energy I can get.
[ It's at least simple enough to prepare. The hearth is kept in their household (OR WHATEVER BC I REALIZED I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY COOK ALL OF THE SUDDEN), so it's a matter of filling up a beat up kettle with water, then setting it over the heat to almost-boil. Once it's set, she turns back to face him with a laugh. ]
Well, maybe a tiny bit. But it's nothing too technical, I promise.
[ And once the water is hot enough, she prepares their tea. Or "tea". She brings some out for him, and at the very least, it's not the worst. Just incredibly weak, since there isn't much in town that has flavor. It's mostly hot water, but, ]
It... takes a long time to steep. [ Probably like. An hour. ]
[ indeed, it is mostly hot water... but it could be worse. It could be a lot worse. Lupin is relieved, a little, but wisely keeps that from showing on his face, too. He accepts it graciously. ]
What's that saying? Good things take time? I'll be patient.
[ it's probably not gonna be good though ]
In the meantime... I meant it when I said I was curious before about how you thought this was possible.
[ She smiles a little, since she's glad he's at least being kind about it. It's definitely not great, but when things have so little flavor, it's better than nothing. Probably.
However, that smile does turn to light surprise, since she thought he would return to the topic of her Tower first. It's not as if she minds. In fact,it's probably a little easier to explain when her Tears come first. ]
Oh— Well... Because it's not strange to me that there the people here are from such interesting places. Or even different times. I'm more used to the idea of multiple universes than most people, I think.
[ She laughs a little, since that's an understatement, but continues easily. ]
The "why" is the part I don't really understand, but it's definitely possible to just... make a hole between those universes. I've always called them Tears, but they're kind of like windows between the universes. Usually, you can only look through them but... Well, I can open them. [ Her voice gets a little more careful when says that, since she's much more careful with that information than when she had told Booker. ] So if I can, there has to be another way to do it. If you open up a Tear, you can take anything from it. I used to visit other worlds when I was younger, so people can definitely go through them. I just don't know why they would converge here.
[ this, Lupin listens to attentively - whenever he meets anyone here who has even passing familiarity with the idea of crossing into a separate world outside of fantasy novels, he always wants to hear what they have to say. He lets his hot-water-with-some-leaves "steep" for a while longer, setting it on the table and leaning over it as she speaks. ]
You can just... open them? How is that possible?
[ a beat. Can she still do that here? If so, couldn't she just send everyone home with her powers? It sounds pretty phenomenal - but he assumes there must be some catch, or she would have done that already. Elizabeth might be happy to get away from her tower, but not enough to let everyone else suffer here. ]
That's what I'd like to know. I don't know why I can, but I've always been able to open up the Tears. I used to be able to make them, but... I don't know. One day, I just couldn't.
[ Elizabeth turns the thimble around her pinky idly, and at this point, it's probably clear enough that this idle gesture is one she goes to when she's deep in thought. ]
I'll be trying again soon, though. I met a boy—Damian—and he's much smarter than you'd think, considering how young he is. But he wants to see if I can make them. I did stop trying after a few years, so... Who knows? If I can, I might be able to use the Tears to help people.
This might be a silly question, but... Is there a difference between making then and opening them?
[ it sounds like she used to be able to do both, but then lost one, somehow, for reasons even she doesn't know. But the terminology is unfamiliar enough that Lupin can't parse exactly what she's saying. ]
It's not silly. It's... a lot, I know. Honestly, the people I've explained it to here take it better than Mr. Dewitt.
[ who is a dumb garbage eating moron ]
It's different, yes. I always thought it might be because of me, since in Columbia, Tears would just sort of... appear. Apparently not, since I haven't seen any here, but that's probably better. You could look through them and catch a glimpse of a world on the other side, but you could interact with them unless they're opened. So something else was making them, and I could just pull it open to really see what was there.
[ She shrugs ]
But when I was a girl, I could just... I don't know. I could just make them appear wherever I wanted.
[ obviously, Lupin doesn't know anything about this - not about quantum physics, alternate universes, or anything in between. He can't say why she might have lost a power like that. But Elizabeth's explanation is straightforward enough; he nods. ]
And I'm guessing you haven't found any Tears here, even in the well.
I haven't. It's probably better that they're not here, but it's still strange to not see them at all. They've always been around as long as I can remember.
[ Elizabeth makes a thoughtful noise, but then shrugs ]
...But I think at least here, I can learn more about what they are. Maybe. With so many people that can do so many things, surely at least one person might know a little about it. If I can make the Tears again and control them, then I might be able to help anyone that wants to go home.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2018-06-07 02:16 pm (UTC)[ Elizabeth was clearly so not expecting anything like this, which is probably the point. From the roses actually having their proper color to being offered them by someone that she very suddenly and intensely realizes is handsome, to say it's a surprise is an understatement. It's a moment right out of one of her books, and her expression of surprise blossoms into one that's equal parts deeply touched and very flustered. ]
I— [ She reaches out to take the roses very delicately ] Thank you, Lupin.
[ The amount of sincerity in that is probably more than he'd expect, but. This is the first time someone has given her flowers. Elizabeth is living her own romance novel/otome dreams in this moment. But even as her cheeks warm, she steps back inside the house to usher him in. ]
I've- [ How is she supposed to answer that question now?? ] It could have been better. But the birds and the past week are done with now, at least.
no subject
Date: 2018-06-08 06:39 am (UTC)that went over much better than he was expecting, all things considered - she could have easily seen it as too forward, although he only picked roses as the flower because they were the most accessible rather than any deeper meaning. But no, she seems honestly delighted by it. Naturally, that delights him, too. If there's a better feeling than the one you get making a pretty girl turn red and smile, he sure doesn't know it. ]
No need for that. Like I said, it's thanks for having me, especially after I took so long to get back to you.
[ he takes off his hat as he walks inside, naturally, running a hand over his hair to smooth it back down. As he speaks, he glances around; he houses in Bluo are different from the ones in Ruga, but not so different from each other, it seems. ]
You've got that right. I was worried I was going to be cooped up for a whole month last week.
no subject
Date: 2018-06-08 02:15 pm (UTC)Then just thank you. I'll put these in some water.
[ Which, conveniently, is still where they're heading anyways. This particular house doesn't have a parlor, so they've all made do with the large kitchen. There's a very modest table and chairs, though at least one of the legs of the table definitely looks precarious. This place sucks. ]
Really? [ She responds with a gentle laugh in her voice. ] I thought it was going to be the opposite for me. I couldn't stand to be inside.
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Date: 2018-06-09 07:40 am (UTC)He follows after her, hanging back when they get to the kitchen until she's done putting the flowers in a vase. Not gonna just go make himself at home in her house until she says so. ]
That bad? [ he doesn't want to pry if it's actually really bad, but. ] I just didn't want people to see me. The town cursed me to look completely stupid... I would have come by earlier otherwise.
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Date: 2018-06-10 04:13 pm (UTC)[ Just seeing every indoor space as her Tower isn't as bad as some alternatives that had immediately come to mind the first time she saw it. With the roses set, she brings them back to set them on the table (though she'll be taking them to her room later), then motions for him to come inside and get comfortable. ]
Oh, sorry— You can sit. Come in. [ She says with a little laugh in her voice, since she had definitely forgotten. Since she's never gotten to do this before, it feels like there's a lot to keep in mind, but she's definitely enjoying that. ]
I'm sure you didn't look that bad. But I understand wanting to get away from people anyways.
no subject
Date: 2018-06-11 06:02 am (UTC)It was worse than whatever you were imagining, I promise. But... [ a bit of a pause. ] You lived your entire life in a tower? Did I hear you right?
[ that sounds like something out of a fairy tale, honestly. He hardly wants to pry; as she's the one who brought it up, however, he imagines she can't be completely averse to talking about it. ]
no subject
Date: 2018-06-11 03:05 pm (UTC)[ She's definitely just curious, since it can't be that bad! Little does she know, Shiki is in fact That Bad. Though as the conversation turns to her tower, she nods. It's something she hesitates speaking about out of habit, though it's not as if anyone here would even know her as the Lamb. But it still feels strange... Like it's something that happened to someone else. Or should have. ]
You did. I just learned why—well, before I came here, I mean—but it doesn't really matter. My father kept me locked away. [ And boy, her emphasis on "father" is bitter ] I'd... never been outside of it. Not until Mr. Dewitt came to take me away.
no subject
Date: 2018-06-13 06:02 am (UTC)Huh... So you've got more than just the looks of a princess. It sounds like your knight in shining armor's already arrived, though. I was a little late. [ a wry smile. but as crazy as this may sound to him, it's reality to her, and he's sensitive to that fact. ] In all seriousness, that's awful. I'm almost glad you were brought here, if only to get a little taste of the outside world.
[ ... a strange taste of it, but it still counts. ]
no subject
Date: 2018-06-15 03:52 pm (UTC)Elizabeth's eyes immediately widen in doe-eyed surprise when he says she has the looks of a princess, but then he keeps going. She may not have interacted with people very much before Booker freed her, but she's not oblivious. Her face very quickly heats up to the point that she can absolutely feel her cheeks burning, which just makes her more flustered.
(She's definitely having that relatable internal panic of "Is he flirting with me?? What do I do with that information??")
It leaves her briefly tongue-tied, and she nervously twirls her thimble around her pinky. ]
—Now- Now you're just teasing me, Lupin.
[ But she still stumbles over her words. She is doing her best. With a little shake of her head, she does her best to move past it. ]
...I am too, though. It's not what I was really hoping for, but I'm still out of Columbia. That's good enough.
no subject
Date: 2018-06-18 05:55 am (UTC)Sorry, sorry. I can't help myself.
[ because she's too CUTE!! but he stops. at least for now... do your best, Liz. ]
... Is it all right if I ask why? You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I didn't come here to pry.
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Date: 2018-06-19 03:20 pm (UTC)It's fine. I wouldn't have mentioned it if I wasn't okay with talking about it.
[ Because it's really just in talking to a few people about it recently that she's realized that she had kept it secret, a little. She's not sure if that was intentional or not, but... People here are kind. Even telling someone who was a bit chillier (to say the least) like Damian, the response had been positive.
Which, of course it was. She's not sure why she had some fear that people would tell her she should be locked up. It was just that pang of fear like when she had looked through that mirror into her drawing room. What am I? ]
It's... kind of a long story, though. Can I make you tea first?
[ or, well. "tea" ]
no subject
Date: 2018-06-23 07:15 am (UTC)[ he hasn't forgotten what she said last time about her "tea," but he's hoping he was just jumping to conclusions about what she meant. He's way too polite to say no, anyway - at least to Elizabeth. None of that shows on his face, naturally; he just continues chatting lightly. ]
If you're planning to talk to me about quantum physics later, I'm sure I'll need all the energy I can get.
no subject
Date: 2018-06-23 04:57 pm (UTC)Well, maybe a tiny bit. But it's nothing too technical, I promise.
[ And once the water is hot enough, she prepares their tea. Or "tea". She brings some out for him, and at the very least, it's not the worst. Just incredibly weak, since there isn't much in town that has flavor. It's mostly hot water, but, ]
It... takes a long time to steep. [ Probably like. An hour. ]
no subject
Date: 2018-06-29 02:13 am (UTC)What's that saying? Good things take time? I'll be patient.
[ it's probably not gonna be good though ]
In the meantime... I meant it when I said I was curious before about how you thought this was possible.
no subject
Date: 2018-06-29 03:03 am (UTC)However, that smile does turn to light surprise, since she thought he would return to the topic of her Tower first. It's not as if she minds. In fact,it's probably a little easier to explain when her Tears come first. ]
Oh— Well... Because it's not strange to me that there the people here are from such interesting places. Or even different times. I'm more used to the idea of multiple universes than most people, I think.
[ She laughs a little, since that's an understatement, but continues easily. ]
The "why" is the part I don't really understand, but it's definitely possible to just... make a hole between those universes. I've always called them Tears, but they're kind of like windows between the universes. Usually, you can only look through them but... Well, I can open them. [ Her voice gets a little more careful when says that, since she's much more careful with that information than when she had told Booker. ] So if I can, there has to be another way to do it. If you open up a Tear, you can take anything from it. I used to visit other worlds when I was younger, so people can definitely go through them. I just don't know why they would converge here.
no subject
Date: 2018-07-05 06:03 am (UTC)You can just... open them? How is that possible?
[ a beat. Can she still do that here? If so, couldn't she just send everyone home with her powers? It sounds pretty phenomenal - but he assumes there must be some catch, or she would have done that already. Elizabeth might be happy to get away from her tower, but not enough to let everyone else suffer here. ]
no subject
Date: 2018-07-05 06:42 pm (UTC)That's what I'd like to know. I don't know why I can, but I've always been able to open up the Tears. I used to be able to make them, but... I don't know. One day, I just couldn't.
[ Elizabeth turns the thimble around her pinky idly, and at this point, it's probably clear enough that this idle gesture is one she goes to when she's deep in thought. ]
I'll be trying again soon, though. I met a boy—Damian—and he's much smarter than you'd think, considering how young he is. But he wants to see if I can make them. I did stop trying after a few years, so... Who knows? If I can, I might be able to use the Tears to help people.
no subject
Date: 2018-07-09 04:53 am (UTC)[ it sounds like she used to be able to do both, but then lost one, somehow, for reasons even she doesn't know. But the terminology is unfamiliar enough that Lupin can't parse exactly what she's saying. ]
no subject
Date: 2018-07-09 02:52 pm (UTC)It's not silly. It's... a lot, I know. Honestly, the people I've explained it to here take it better than Mr. Dewitt.
[ who is a dumb garbage eating moron ]
It's different, yes. I always thought it might be because of me, since in Columbia, Tears would just sort of... appear. Apparently not, since I haven't seen any here, but that's probably better. You could look through them and catch a glimpse of a world on the other side, but you could interact with them unless they're opened. So something else was making them, and I could just pull it open to really see what was there.
[ She shrugs ]
But when I was a girl, I could just... I don't know. I could just make them appear wherever I wanted.
no subject
Date: 2018-07-13 02:01 am (UTC)Huh...
[ obviously, Lupin doesn't know anything about this - not about quantum physics, alternate universes, or anything in between. He can't say why she might have lost a power like that. But Elizabeth's explanation is straightforward enough; he nods. ]
And I'm guessing you haven't found any Tears here, even in the well.
no subject
Date: 2018-07-17 02:43 pm (UTC)I haven't. It's probably better that they're not here, but it's still strange to not see them at all. They've always been around as long as I can remember.
[ Elizabeth makes a thoughtful noise, but then shrugs ]
...But I think at least here, I can learn more about what they are. Maybe. With so many people that can do so many things, surely at least one person might know a little about it. If I can make the Tears again and control them, then I might be able to help anyone that wants to go home.