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 Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 7:24 pm
After all that had happened lately, Malodore was... well, confused, mostly. But also a little troubled, and very much determined. It was going to spread its wings, yes, in more ways than the literal. It was going to try new things, dannazione - and it was going to start with something that would, hopefully, be pleasant for others as well.
So, Riley was - technically - its ghoulfriend, even though that was a weird word. There were certain things expected of ghoulfriends and boi- gho- ... Malodores. It knew little bits here and there, like the dead flowers and the dancing, but the finer points of romance were a closed book to the plague doctor. Thus, it was off to learn from the master...
... and that was why it was standing in front of Calder's door, lifting one hand to knock, a highly determined expression on its face. Not that it would look any different to those not highly versed in plague doctor body language, but the emotion was there!
Knock. Knock. Knock.
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Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 7:39 pm
Calder was sore. So sore, and was now sleeping on the floor, face down in a nice spot of moss that was covering half of his room. Books had been shoved to the side to make a clear spot and he was resting, hair undone and spilling about, and wearing just his shirt and kilt. His coat and sporran were laying out on top of a water-proof chest.
He had not expected company even though he hadn't really visited much fo anyone in a past few weeks which is why when he heard the knock, he thought it was a gnome with a message or maybe Raz coming to harass him. Stupid Raz.
Groaning, Calder peeled himself from the floor and gave a wide yawn before brushing his long hair out of his face. "Comin." He said, the word destroyed in a sleeping, thick Scottish accent. Rising to his hooves, he moved over to the door, and opened it.
Then he blinked, and then blinked again. "Mal?" What the heck was Malodore doing visiting him? Malodore had NEVER visited him. In fact, out of all his friends, no one really visited him aside those very, incredibly rare occasions that Christof showed up.
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Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 7:43 pm
"Ah - mi dispiace. That is, I am sorry... is this a bad time?" Malodore said, nervously. It hadn't called ahead, having just decided to come over on impulse, before its logical faculties fears could convince it that this was a bad idea.
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Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 7:59 pm
Calder was rubbing one eye, but was waking up rather well. At Malodore's concern, Calder just waved it off and stepped aside. "No. No. It's fine. I was just..." He looked back to the floor before looking back. "...taking a study break." As if! He hadn't even started to crack open his books to do his homework.
"Come in. I'll ..clear off a spot for you." He said, gesturing inside before turning and moving to pick up the books on the floor and make little towers up against the wall. He really needed to get a bookshelf. When he cleaned up enough, he rose up and gestured to the ground. "Sorry. I don't have any furniture. Uh...Oh." He turned, grabbing the handle of one of the chest in his room and dragging it out from the wall before patting it. "So what brings you around?" He asked, rather surprised but happy for a visit.
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Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 10:45 pm
"Oh, it is no problem," Malodore said quickly, trying to reassure the kelpie. "Your room is lovely - I am sure your leech friends must adore the environment as well."
It seated itself on the chest, however, when it was offered. "Thank you. Ah... I find myself in need of advice, actually." It cleared its throat awkwardly. "I need to learn how to, ah. How to be romantic."
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Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 10:54 pm
Calder had shut the door and was moving to grab another chest to drag over near Malodore. Usually he just sat on the ground, but with Malodore's robes, and the fact he doubted bare bone would be comfortable on solid ground, he decided that it might be better to try and pretend he had furniture. Compared to Malodore or Barth, he felt a bit ashamed he didn't have at least a chair. He'd have to see about getting one.
The comment, Calder looked about. His room didn't have much to it. There were books piled up in towers, and wicker baskets that had been hand woven and made tight enough to resist water. There were also jars here and there with either homemade goods or just various dried plants for tea, not to mention a few beat-up tins. There were also the chests he kept his things and clothes in, a dresser, and the bathtub that he felt in. Half of the floor had floorboards while the other half was covered in moss and had a pond in the corner where a few leeches, having heard Malodore's voice, slipped out to watch. Fester however was still sleeping on a Calder's alarm clock and hadn't noticed, sleeping off a feeding.
Just as Calder sat down, his ears perked at what he was hearing. "You need romance advice from me?" This was really a surprise! To which he grew a tad concerned for his friend. "Trouble in paradise?"
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Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2011 12:16 am
Malodore looked confused. "Trouble? No... no, not trouble. I merely feel as though I ought to be a, ah, proper... ghoulfriend... to Riley. And that I lack knowledge. So I am consulting an expert." It folded its hands in its lap and gave Calder an expectant look.
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Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2011 12:40 am
Calder hadn't expected this of all things, but to hear - wait - ghoulfriend? He looked at the the Plague Doctor with a shocked expression. Maldore was a ghoul? But - he never - wait. But Mal was his bro! "You're a ghoul?"
Well, that didn't really change his advice. Romance was romance after all, and Calder's advice didn't change much depending on who was wooing what. "Well, I'm usually am asked by someone who is trying to already get a boilfriend or ghoulfriend, but I really don't get asked for someone who already has someone. Yeah, I can help." Even if Mal wasn't his bro, she was still his friend.
From the undead's posture, it looked as if he was waiting for a list. "Well, being romantic isn't just straight forward. To be close to someone, you have to know what they like. What makes them feel special, that you were listening to them and know what they like and love. Then you use that to make their day and make them feel special and desired. Has Riley...expressed any sorta desires and fantasies to you? Like distant dreams or anything?" Oh Jack. He couldn't believe that helping Malodore meant learning these things about Riley.
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Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2011 5:25 pm
"I am a nongendered being," Malodore said, with a tilt of its head. "Neither 'boilfriend' nor 'ghoulfriend' is correct, and 'itfriend' is displeasing to the ear, so I have been trying to mix-and-match the two other phrases equally... is that terribly confusing? Is there, perhaps, a better term to use?"
It tilted its head the other direction at the rest of Calder's words. "I... hm. Ruling the world, but I cannot wrap up the world in a gift box and present it to her like a corsage." It sounded almost apologetic. "I think, perhaps, that... a surprise of some type? I am good at experiments and at science and things. Perhaps she would like something more, ah, traditional? For her species? Or in general?" It shrugged, helplessly. "Plague doctor courting rituals are very private affairs."
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Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2011 5:44 pm
"Ah....no. Thre is a clan I know that can switch genders. They just go by which gender they tend to prefer or most commonly stay in." He scratched his chin, a tad unsure. "I hope it's okay if I still call you my bro. I mean, I can change it to whatever you like." For some reason making the mistake of Malodore not being a boil and instead genderless wasn't as bad as thinking Malodore was a boil when in fact it was a ghoul.
He was getting off track.
"Anyways, where were we? Ah yeah, there are the classics in romance. Favorite flowers. Treats. Romantic getaways and special private places to spend time together. Going to the Thrilleater. Picnics are nice this season, just as some basics." He listed. "Of course, that depends on what you've already done on your dates. Doing the same thing over and over can take away from the charm and special nature of it and you don't want to do that." He started to braid his hair as he thought.
"You also want to do things you find romantic. Do you know what courting is like for Riley's kin? What you might not find romantic she could find just magical if it's done right. That or maybe something your kind does is just could be charming to her. You said courting for your kind is private, but do you all still flirt a bit? Date?" Frankly Calder had no idea how Plague Doctors showed affection for each other. "Sharing in all ways is great, even that sort of cultural exchange. It helps to get to know each other and certainly helps to find out what the other finds romantic. That way you guys can weave them together to create your own special thing. The special romance blend that you both created." Calder locked his hands for this letting his braid spin and untangle. The idea of a mixed wedding seemed so romantic, not that Calder should even entertain the very idea. Responsible kelpies had to make kelpies by not jeopardizing their kind with "others".
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Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2011 5:51 pm
"Ah, no, that is fine," Malodore said, opening its beak with a smile. "Many of our kind take a mental gender if they feel it is right. The confusion does not bother me. Indeed, it is sometimes rather... entertaining." An impish tone came into its voice for a moment. "I was a splendid Pumpkin Queen, si?"
But it, too, was getting off track, and it settled down to listen as Calder spoke, absorbing every word as seriously as if it was one of Nurse Cricket's lectures. "We do not, ah... it is very private, it is rude to ask, and I didn't... ah... have any experience in such things. We are only permitted to engage in such frivolous behavior after we have firmly settled into our assigned roles within the Casa." Malodore ducked its head, as if embarrassed. "Teaching us anything before that time was not permitted."
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Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2011 6:04 pm
Calder's mouth gaped a bit at this. "What? You didn't see any of your elders flirting about? Cuddlin. Touchin. Making little whispers. Didn't any of the older Plague Doctors get in trouble by sneaking off somewhere only to start a big fight between herds and get nipped so hard you wore a bruise for a month?" Well, maybe not nipped, but whatever older Plague Doctors did to punish the younger ones.
"Well, if they didn't show you anything, did you at least feel anything when you were growing up or did you hear any dirty stories from the other scarlings? Your elders get into any trouble that traveled through the poison ivy vine? Someone in the Casa kiss...." Calder looked at the beak and started to trail off, cutting his sentence short. With a mask and Riley's lack of a mouth, he guessed that was ruled out. "Okay, I guess not kissin." No wonder Malodore was having trouble. He grew up in a lovers wasteland.
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Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2011 8:58 pm
"In... in public? No, never..." Malodore frowned. It had been rather, well, public in its own relationship with Riley, it realized. The thought had never occurred to it, which was strange... perhaps it was simply because the environment at Amityville was so different from the Casa, and it had had the time to develop a relationship? It certainly hadn't been given the time in advanced training back at home.
But there had been Armida and Celeste, at least. "Almost never," it amended, "but there were unusual circumstances... ah. Kissing. Yes, ah... we do that, but it is... difficult to explain?" It shrugged helplessly once more. "Something besides that? Hugging, also..."
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Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2011 9:13 pm
"Ahhh. Don't give me that. You guys were all cuddly outside of the demon dorms last year during the Scarentine's dance. You didn't seem to mind then." He said, smiling deviously as he waggled a finger at the shy Plague Doctor.
"Well, whatever the case, there are still private places in public to get close. I guess you two have been taking it slow at least with how you sound. What do you two do on dates?" One had to know how far they were in their relationship for Calder to know what advice he could give the Plague Doctor.
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Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2011 9:50 pm
"No, ah. That was different, I suppose. Perhaps because she is not a plague doctor? It is complicated..."
And then it tilted its head the other way. "Dates? We... hm. You mean like going to dances, yes? We went to the Scarentine's Dance and then also the Prom, but there have not been any dances lately..."
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