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When a person had favors to ask it was typically a good idea to bring a gift, right? Every store in town had them up! Vibrant bouquets of edible arrangements filled to the brim with fancy, foreign fruits, that were both delicate and mild of taste and texture. Waru was smitten with them, with the conjured image of presenting the item in his hands to Emmy---

The woman who kept her work/private life so damn separate that -

That........

He couldn't blame her for it realistically, could he? But maybe with something like this! He could coax her out, play hunky muse, be entertaining for awhile! He had a legitimate favor to ask, but all of that took backseat burners to, ********, whatever he could guess at her needing? It was a hot day out and he didn't want to disturb her, and he could maybe just have made all of this an email or a sticky note? Except he would've needed Ilmari for that, and that s**t could get embarrassing!!

So no. No, if he had a favor to ask? He was doing it like this. In person, face to face, at her door and smiling above a bouquet of strawberry hearts, sunny starfruit flowers, candied grapes, dipped chocolates. The bow and all it's trimmings star-festival themed! Which Waru liked even more, maybe. If only because it gave him the excuse to be there all festive-like and presentably casual at her door.

"C'mon Em's -- I know you're home t'day. ********-- she should be home right? N'outta office kinda thing...r'schedule...orr...." and if talking to himself in front of peoples doors was a sport? He'd be a gold medalist eight-hundred times over. If knocking was a sport? He wouldn't ever even place on the podium. He realized minutes into standing there that maybe he should actually consider texting her....

"It's Star Fest, Ems!" confident as he was joyous when he spoke, as if the same-song festival that happened every year were more than enough to warrant something like this!

As if he ever even needed an excuse to come see her, really. He thought it was cute that she asked, though. Watched the strawberry disappear behind her teeth with warm approval, his gaze lingering on her painted lips, the way she was dressed as readily for the office as she would've been a day out. She seemed always prepared, always ready, and he envied that of her.

"And you know I never need an occasion to see you..." he let himself be waived in, took the accepting gesture before he said something that got him shoved firmly back out into the absolutely broiling summer heat, and clear blue skies of the away from Emmy outside world. "I might want something though? Just the tiniest little thing--it's so small--" he was quick to shove the door closed with his hip, to find a place to carefully set the bouquet before he made a mess of something that never should've been messy to begin with.

"I promise to pay you handsomely for it! Your time. M'talking a whole day of pampering, courtesy of yours truly. If--And only if! You promise t'hear me out first --- and -- ahhmm-- give me your opinion?" because he valued her blunt objectivity in all ways, shapes and forms. Craved her honesty, her brazen dissection of his endless rambling and disorganized mental content with so little as a lash-flicker and thin-lipped smile. "Though, tbefair? I might've been planning to do alluvthat r'gardless of whether you wanted to hear me out or not, but I figure it can't hurt any to sweeten the deal, yeh?"

He aimed for charming as he plucked another star-studded skewer topped with fruit free of the arrangement. Presenting it to her lips for her to taste; the stem contained a trio of dark pitted cherries, all tightly packed and notched to look like tiny hearts. All sun-ripened and fragrant in the small living-room.

"Please? Pretty please -- with -- heh - do I even need to say it?"

"Only proposals m'offering are the business kind, cross my heart n promise," offered with all sorts of affection, sealed with a wink. He was happy enough to have fed her, to have watched the flash of joy he thought he could glean on her face, before everything fell into business mode with a twist. The lighter version of it, buttoned down by a single degree, padded with a touch of friendliness. Waru could've watched her all day, taken entire masterclasses on the way Emmy fell into making 'work' look good so easily.

A sheer ********' delight for his eyes. But he couldn't stand there holding a stick, mesmerized by poise n grace. He returned the deflowered stem to it fruit laden home; plucking another pair 'flowers' for them to nibble on, to taunt her with. All, of course, without really taking note of what adorned either of 'em.

Could've been pineapple, starfruit, a crisp piece of honeydew--

"Y'wanna caffeinate me? Awh, Em's, mh'I not lively enough for you already," trading teases and soft glances, the way it came easy for him, especially with her. "Naw though, really, m'good. But thanks--" and she wanted to know why he was here, didn't she? "--besides, I'll never get through this if I distract myself with all've your good hosting."

The fruit bobbed on its stick, he twirled it daintily, somehow managed to keep his hands busy even as his eyes stayed in the one place; fixed on Emmy. The sharp lines she cut on her perfectly clean couch, the way nothing ever seemed out of place. Not here.

"I've got a couple projects m'chewin on. Small fry things, really. S'just? Yanno how something sounds useful in your head -- but then maybe you're not sure once you've said it outloud. So you ask around--" he talked around the subject at large, sat next to Emmy, the antithesis of prim and proper. But that was never what she'd liked him for, was it? "I want Haymitch to work it up for me, figure I can get Magnus 'n his golden snitch on it. For the sake of sparkle. M'ah go to our very generous GK Jettarine for -- ah -- the other materials my baby boy might need?"

He shrugged as he spoke, because in truth? He didn't know the extent of it all. Maus just seemed to make things happen, came up with what they needed, sent in lists. But he was himself and Haymitch was Haymitch--this wasn't Tama he was dealing with, it wasn't even really Magnus either. There was a lot to play on, by what felt right, by energy and vibes.

"I actually, and you're not gonna believe this, but I've got actual pictures -- doodles? Notes? Ilmari's good for things like that. If -- well -- if you wanna see? I did try to shove a mock-up of one-ah these into one of Treys cars! But--uhmn--I'm apparently not Mau enough to make this work on my own, even if by all rights I should be! Yanno, the whole being bonded to a danger-level-orange nuclear furbeing from the stars s**t?" he laughed, at himself, at his own rambling; ennie meenie minnie moed the pair of fruit-skewerd sticks in his hand -- busied his mouth with what turned out to be honeydew! Though it had a bright lemony kick to it.

Whatever, it'd keep him busy long enough to listen---

It would help if I actually showed her anything—

And he knew that! ********, intrinsically he knew it! But it was so easy to get distracted sometimes, to nod as he took mental notes on her every word, prepared himself for how unprepared he actually was to run with this idea to ‘Jet’ of all people. But he knew it’d all be fine, he had Emmys business savvy and sharp witted wisdom to run on. She would tell him what to do and how to do it and then?

Then maybe for once in his life he’d get something more beneficial than a pile of forever stickers done—

“I’d love nothing more than to take all the help you can give me, Em’s—“ grateful in tone as he finally whipped out the pen that held all sorts of business, twisted the device into its tablet-like form, pulled everything up. “So the idea is twofold-“ and it was far easier to go over the car-changing crystal, it’s usage as a vehicle glamor. Truly the more practical to implement of the two ideas he had burning in the back of his brain. Even Try had liked it, he asked, “And I know you remember after that mission? The ambush one, and we’ve talked about safety, and I think this would be useful for more n just me — cause — Ah — m’sure im not the only one whose ever ******** up like this before?”

Or maybe the experience was unique only to him, but!!

“And my other idea—“ and he was already handing the tablet over to her, letting her take charge so she could slip between the two designated data-files, the doodleworthy diagrams, the one more complete than the others.

“This one’s more personal, more for me — Faustite has dealings, yeh? He’s got — imma get a list from him, I will! An official one, cause while he’s away someone should manage this stuff?” And they had informants on orders side, he had ones he wanted to make official; long time members like Eros who’d had a deal with Quartz before, people like Roka — if that’s what they were calling them? And maybe Waru didn’t know the specifics of a lot of things, but he didn’t need to! He simply needed them to keep staying alive to do — ******** — whatever, right?

“Just — Leme know what you think, note down any corrections. I can get Ilmari on the secretarial aspects of it..uhm..once I know what to tell him to do? He can make it all pretty for me to take in and present like a big-business boy.” All of Which included a lot of what he was learning right now, really.

Which was what he’d come for, to sit back and shut his mouth while Emmy ran it all down, he decided to give her a few minutes more of peace in which to do it while he chewed on the next piece of fruit plucked from the bouquet —

********, but did he love when Emmy went all boss mode professional around him! There was just something about watching confidence unfold, about a strong being standing on business and working their skills that just did it for him. It felt like watching someone turn their super power on.

It was magic.

The kind that didn’t need granting by maus, or deities, or dark lords with seedy wishes. There were no monkey's paws here, just Emmy, working her stuff and bowling him over like ten whole pins. Especially since the changes she’d noted so far were easy to make, the most simple ever, when he got right down to it. It helped that he liked her ideas on his grand design. Felt the need to incorporate them quickly—

His fingers itched to send Ilmari a note even as they sat there, lest he ******** up and forget. He could see it — tri-colored bullet points narrowing down his ideas into something succinct so that he wouldn’t trip over his own talking, or worse? Run his own ideas off the rails on a tangent.

What she gave him he could work ******** about the symbol! Because the thought hadn’t even crossed his mind.

No, wait, it had—

In the silence provided by her gentle sipping, her careful review. He knew that the realization had crossed his mind at some point.

And that he hadn’t ******** cared—

All the ways he wanted what was *his* to be shown as *his* so clearly! It would be HIS symbol around Orders throats, and HIS agents falling in line under him and against the world. Metallias servants would see his mark and respect the meaning behind it—

The power therein.

And Order’s would too—

He'd decided on some subconscious level that they would reek of it. That he'd wanted exactly that. His aura, his symbol, his emerald brand. He wouldn't be a secret from whoever Eros was keeping safe, a secret from order. His intentions as clear as the jealous clutch of green worn so openly on their skin. Because His protection wasn't a secret to keep from the world!

No, in fact? he wanted their attention entirely on him. From whoever so cared to give it. to try.

To try him.

Of course, that wasn't very subtle at all, was it? That wasn't playing nice n informant like—

It wasn't very good boy, carefree, no strings attached of him either. Which was fine! He could glamor it up, let them show who they needed to show. Let them hide his mark the rest of the time. He could learn to behave so that the White Moon didn’t catch on and — heh, what? Threaten him with a good time…

But also!! Ruin his chances of getting more friend-formants which was very important to do! He had to remind himself of that, once or thrice, before offering Emmy an understanding smile.

“What if it turned them instead?” curiosity as a purr of sound, and if he’d been anxious before? (And ********, had he been!) any hint of it seemed to fly out the door, and out of his head at the barest hint of her approval, like her words had soothed whatever beast had been squirming in his guts. “I’ve got the charisma, yeh?” Obvious eyebrow waggle and tease as he scooted a touch closer to her, “I’ve got the power to back it up. In spades. I’m good on my word— in that I tend to keep it once I’ve given it.” Waru hummed, ticking off points between the press of forefinger and thumb, his tone filled with pride.

“Because I’m not worried about the traps— Not when I intend to be one. Just—“ and finding the right words was a little harder than he’d imagined it would be. Pinning down the feeling when he had so many feelings all of the time! “Tsk— everything that went wrong with that Ambush of ours could’ve been avoided if we had a few people on the inside? Hell, everything that happened at the Bank? We don’t just need civilian ears and agent numbers, Em’s. Nah, we need powered ones too. Order ones.”

“And if Jets worried about me being a traitor? He can have my very pretty head. On a thick silver platter, with a big red bow, apple in my mouth—“ not that he thought Jet ever would, his scrunched features and the laugh in his eyes spoke as much to that. To his trust in the man. To every conversation he’d had with Jet where he’d been told to go to the GK if ever he needed clarity and, say, one of his many other confidants weren’t here! “He’d probably have to fight Faustite for it first tho? Cause, holy ********, could you imagine if I did that to him n Taenite n the team?“ he laughed, because he could imagine it. Had no fear of the rest, all the other lovely sovereigns, because he had no fear of his own husband. Because he knew full ******** well who his mind, body, soul belonged to if ever he stepped out of line.

He’d promised. With a ring. With more than that. And damn if that didn’t mean something to him!

“I promise m’not though. Could never even imagine it— giving up my-whole-self for, who even? For what? Nah, but maybe I’ll work up something to convince ‘em all of that yeah? Like…a failsafe? Me’proofing?” And if he stopped talking long enough to breathe and long enough to think then—

“You don’t think I’d betray you guys, do you Emilia? You can’t really…” and he realized it never hurt to ask, was probably a smart thing to do even. For as much as he wanted to be a guiding light in the dark for all the order willing to play the game. A flame for all their lost and wandering moths to gather over…

He didn’t want to appear unloyal either. The very thought of it made him frown.

'Oh, she sooo loves me--' and that was the singular thought in his mind, warm and pressing. A beautiful thought for him! Even if it was based on the lie his own vivid imaginings weaved. The way her gentle by his own standards threat pulled a sly smile across his face. Because he could see it happening-- the gold and heart embroidered streak of steel coming for him, carving open one piece of himself that he considered most coveted. Such a messy way to die if ever he did get it in his wild head to betray her.

Or them--

Or anyone at all---

But especially her, he thought, and he loved the idea of it. Nearly shivered for it, because he thought he loved her too. In his own way. Even if those too soft, too clingy words had no place here? Those feelings. Voiceless things that would run roughshod over every clear as daylight line Emmy had painstakingly drawn out for him. Lines he dared not cross. Not now. Not ever.

It was nice to dream though--

To admire her from his periphery and see himself ignored. There was something about that, the way it snapped his focus in as his eyes traced the a-line of her body. She wasn't even looking at him and all he could do was stare at her and think her masterful, and think himself easy. But only for the right sorts of people. So inexorably drawn to the ones who had their s**t together, that effortless confidence and easy command of power. He didn't try to hide his open admiration once her eyes were back on him. Didn't try to hide the sheepishness that followed her words, either. The half wince he couldn't withhold for being called out, because that was a fair as ******** assesment!

"That is---" and all he could do was hold his hands up in surrender, laugh, and hope she gentled the next blow. "the pointiest point, Em's. Sheesh..." he almost opened his mouth to apologize, but no. That was simply a lesson he'd had to learn the hard way. These were simply facts she was imparting on him. Best to soak 'em in and learn from 'em rather than run his mouth aground. "But I do hear you, yeah? If I want what I want---I gotta be more n' just prepared to run my mouth, cause flattery'll only get me so far." He thought he could do that, nodded to himself somewhat solemnly, "specially with Jet."

"With you though? How far d'you think alluvthis can get me?" a general gesture towards himself, the whole of himself. Pleased with himself for having come to her, heard her out, taken her words to heart (quite literally!) -- but he wasn't the kind to hit her up for information and run. Oh-no, brains of quality deserved reverence! The people who made up his slack and covered his lackings. A wonder to him, always, that they were so willing, and all the way he'd never know how to thank them enough---

He knew how to thank Emmy though, maybe?

"If I take into account your general experience, n account for you havn' a busy life -- I promise m'ready for any, ah, questions you can throw at me."