Ky returned the smile, though she still hadn’t decided if she was going to bail now or not. She could always convince him to come see the fur first. That would give her an excuse to get to her room. Which would give her an excuse to stay in it. But. Well. That would also invite him in. And. Well…
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
He headed for Gaius's room. "So are we betting on a beard or...?"
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Ky smiled a little, subconsciously slowing more the closer they got. “… we don’t even know if he’s here — could be in the infirmary — so… no guesses on the beard if I don’t end know that much… you?”
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"Definitely putting money on a beard. Mostly because I don't want to be the only one."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
"Hah!" She grinned at that. "You just want to gloat about yours being better."
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
She kept smiling. "Perhaps he's shaved just to spite you."
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"Ack, how could he know I grew one!" He shook his head. "No way."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Ky sobered a bit. Right. Because he would have shaved, had he been traveling like he was supposed to -- rather than running for his life.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
He came to Gaius's door and studied it for a moment. "I feel like I should jump out and yell 'surprise' or something," he said softly.
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Ky snorted and subconsciously stopped off to the side to watch what Tomhas would decide to do. She glanced down the hall towards her own room, considering it. But. Well. She was morbidly curious about how this was about to go.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
He paced in front of the door, then just did a merry 'shave and a haircut' knock. There was a pause. "The door is open," Gaius's voice said. Tomhas grinned and faced backwards, then turned the know and opened the door. He spun around. "Ta-da!" Gaius was sitting up in bed with a book in one hand and a cup of tea on the nightstand. He stared at Tomhas for a moment, blinking. "You're here," he said finally, sounding a bit surprised. He had indeed grown a sparse beard the same chestnut color as his hair and shot through with gray. "I knew you'd have a shitty beard!" Tomhas said triumphantly.
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Ky poked her head around the corner despite herself, desperately curious to know what Gaius looked like with a beard. He looked... different. Like Septimus? The thought made her uneasy.
And reminded her of the journals.
And made her want to leave.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
Gaius rubbed at it self-consciously, glowering at his brother. "You're one to talk," he said. "You look horrid." "We had a run-in with a couple trolls," Tomhas said uncomfortably, then brightened again. "I hear you finally chopped it off! How does it feel?" Gaius considered it. "Surprisingly painless. I can turn over in bed without thinking about it. I thought it would be....harder to part with it."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
