[The Outsider expects something more from Corvo after their start-of-something in Karnaca, but he can't bring himself to be surprised when he realizes what the man is doing instead of wasting time with him. Which isn't to say it feels any less empty in the Void—if anything, now that he's had a taste of something more with Corvo, the "life" he returns to is colder and harsher in comparison. But he tells himself he understands, at least logically; he knows how Corvo has gone from point A to B and beyond, with only a brief pause to murmur over his mark to show for anything else.
So his feelings aren't hurt, he's not sixteen, but boredom and loneliness have him in their grasp sooner than he expected. Delilah's advertisement of her powers in Dunwall has left the city even warier of him than before, which doesn't matter, except that there are far fewer interesting people to watch while Corvo is otherwise occupied. Emily is tired of his arcane visits and obscure turns of phrase after the second time, which is a personal best for her.
When the chill settles over Dunwall and the snow follows, the Outsider appreciates the resulting brightness and quiet. It's quite the opposite of the Void, and since he is always listening, it's hardly a minute between Corvo speaking to the air and the air becoming the shape of the Outsider beside him. His hands are clasped behind his back, still ungloved in the cold because he's always cold anyway, and he has enough restraint to keep those to himself but not enough to stop himself leaning close to Corvo so that their arms press together.
He's not a huggy god, okay. Not yet. But he does seem to be in a good mood.]
Corvo Attano faces his most formidable foe yet: the weather. [comedian,] It's been a while.
[Corvo wasn't certain the Outsider would come when called, and his exhale of relief was obvious with the air showing his breath. Winters ago, he would never have wanted the companionship of someone so cold, but now he's leaning into him despite the fact he provided no warmth.]
I prefer Karnaca breezes over Dunwall's cold winds. [He rubs his hands together, both gloved instead of wrapped this time, before he reached to take the Outsider's collar. His tug was not gentle and kiss was not brief, as he had to make up for the ones he could have been giving.]
[Ah, he's not wasting any time. The Outsider smirks the moment he's tugged closer, loosing his hands behind his back to put them on Corvo's hips instead and lean up into his kiss. Corvo is warm despite the weather and the Outsider has missed him, so he's more than willing to indulge him with a lengthy kiss. He's even controlled himself and stayed out of Corvo's dreams! Very considerate!
So, kissing, at least until Corvo has to breathe. Hmm.] I'm glad you called. Your suggestion was vague enough to rival mine.
Am I hearing complaints? [Corvo leaned back with a chuckle, taking the reprieve to drag his fingers down to the Outsider's neck. They linger on cold skin for a moment, before he's moving to brush snow already gathering on his shoulder.] I could always take it back.
[It's strange, wanting to be this close this quickly after one night. He'd left himself wanting, though, so maybe the dream visits were more welcome than not.] I've missed you. Don't change that. [Maybe years ago that would be a serious suggestion, but they both know how deep he is in this. He'll even smile, if only a little.]
[A kiss and a Corvo Smile(tm) already? The Outsider couldn't ask for more after weeks of watching him mutter into his hand. He steps closer, sliding his hands around Corvo's sides to link together behind his back. Intimacy levels of their last encounter aside—not wholly uninvolved, but set aside for now—he's found himself craving any kind of physical contact since then. It's like living in a desert and finally finding himself an oasis; he thinks only of Corvo's hands and the simple pleasure he gets from their proximity to him.
He's a little easy to please, when it's with Corvo. Never mind that.]
If only you were not so dedicated to your work. But I've seen you at it, and I must compliment your dedication to picking Dunwall up out of the gutter once more. [He looks like he's about to add more, probably about how the city has never done anything in return for Corvo and so why does he really bother, but he'll save that for a later date. When they've had more than a few minutes together after weeks of none at all. He's starting to care about tact!! So instead,] She didn't need to, but your daughter told me where you were. I fear she's figured you out, Corvo.
So that's why she's wanted me to take a day. [Not only a Corvo Smile(tm), but he laughs. A genuine one, too, not the ones offered to members of court. The most he'd given was half-hearted chuckles to Emily and occasionally Wyman, so this was truly a feat. An effortless feat.] She even brought up retirement.
[He was supposed to keep moving, since technically he was still on duty. With reluctance, he pulls back from the Outsider, but not without gracing him with another kiss and a hand in his.] She's been aware since Wyman couldn't recall who I was sleeping next to that night. I think she's too occupied in kissing them in her spare time to be a critic.
[To be clear, he has no fondness of the Void. But like how he meets the Outsider's eyes now, it's easier to bring up.] I expected to see you sooner. I should have called.
[Corvo's laugh is a rare and treasured sound to the Outsider, as of a few weeks ago. He wants to remember each one, for the days he won't be able to hear them and then, eventually—well.
For now, joining Corvo hand-in-hand on his patrol will do. He hums, sort of in approval—he kind of likes this Wyman person, from what he's seen of them. Maybe he'll pop up unexpected one day and see what happens.]
You do like to wallow in your work instead of indulging. [Like, just saying. He touches Corvo's arm with his other hand, not quite hugging onto him, but almost. Hey.] So, retirement? Perish the thought.
I wouldn't be interesting in retirement. [Corvo states this with confidence, as he's thought on it before. He's weighed everything from the state of Dunwall without him... to the Outsider's entertainment. Surprisingly, he found the longer they were part, the more the latter mattered to him.
A lot of things were surprising when it pertained to the Outsider these days. He's worried less about the games he might play and more about how nice he looks in the snow, instead of the darkness of the void. And he looks so...] It wouldn't make you this happy seeing an old man, wasting away instead of facing the Abbey.
[He raises a good point. The Outsider has to bite his tongue on the first thing that comes to mind, an old man wasting away (it's Daud, that's why), but he tilts his head to look at Corvo and consider this new and interesting proposal.
Happy? Him? How different.]
The Abbey. Why Corvo, you're trying to make me seem petty. [well....] I missed our little chats.
You are petty. [If Corvo is anything, it's honest. It wasn't said with any disdain he might have had if it weren't for their little... date, though, so there was that. He was making a big effort not to be paranoid, Outsider, appreciate him.]
You've interrupted my dreams before. [He starts, reluctantly, like this is an option but he isn't all that happy about it.] I don't see why you can't do it again. Holding back now, are we?
Petty is so human. [He is petty, but it doesn't count. But ah, Corvo would rather he invade his sleep? And here he thought he was being considerate.]
Perhaps I wasn't interested in new guard training, [he says, like that's all Corvo would have talked about. It's easier than admitting he might have wallowed in a little self-doubt, wondering if Corvo hadn't changed his mind. That's never stopped him before—ironic, that the more likely Corvo is to welcome his presence, the less readily he tries to give it.
And kissing his hand to apologize for being busy was kind of hot, in a dating-your-god way. But mostly the other thing. He leans his head sideways on Corvo's shoulder.] You do know how to summon me. Try it sometime before you drift off to sleep.
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So his feelings aren't hurt, he's not sixteen, but boredom and loneliness have him in their grasp sooner than he expected. Delilah's advertisement of her powers in Dunwall has left the city even warier of him than before, which doesn't matter, except that there are far fewer interesting people to watch while Corvo is otherwise occupied. Emily is tired of his arcane visits and obscure turns of phrase after the second time, which is a personal best for her.
When the chill settles over Dunwall and the snow follows, the Outsider appreciates the resulting brightness and quiet. It's quite the opposite of the Void, and since he is always listening, it's hardly a minute between Corvo speaking to the air and the air becoming the shape of the Outsider beside him. His hands are clasped behind his back, still ungloved in the cold because he's always cold anyway, and he has enough restraint to keep those to himself but not enough to stop himself leaning close to Corvo so that their arms press together.
He's not a huggy god, okay. Not yet. But he does seem to be in a good mood.]
Corvo Attano faces his most formidable foe yet: the weather. [comedian,] It's been a while.
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I prefer Karnaca breezes over Dunwall's cold winds. [He rubs his hands together, both gloved instead of wrapped this time, before he reached to take the Outsider's collar. His tug was not gentle and kiss was not brief, as he had to make up for the ones he could have been giving.]
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So, kissing, at least until Corvo has to breathe. Hmm.] I'm glad you called. Your suggestion was vague enough to rival mine.
[critique,]
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[It's strange, wanting to be this close this quickly after one night. He'd left himself wanting, though, so maybe the dream visits were more welcome than not.] I've missed you. Don't change that. [Maybe years ago that would be a serious suggestion, but they both know how deep he is in this. He'll even smile, if only a little.]
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He's a little easy to please, when it's with Corvo. Never mind that.]
If only you were not so dedicated to your work. But I've seen you at it, and I must compliment your dedication to picking Dunwall up out of the gutter once more. [He looks like he's about to add more, probably about how the city has never done anything in return for Corvo and so why does he really bother, but he'll save that for a later date. When they've had more than a few minutes together after weeks of none at all. He's starting to care about tact!! So instead,] She didn't need to, but your daughter told me where you were. I fear she's figured you out, Corvo.
["Fear" he says, with another smirk.]
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[He was supposed to keep moving, since technically he was still on duty. With reluctance, he pulls back from the Outsider, but not without gracing him with another kiss and a hand in his.] She's been aware since Wyman couldn't recall who I was sleeping next to that night. I think she's too occupied in kissing them in her spare time to be a critic.
[To be clear, he has no fondness of the Void. But like how he meets the Outsider's eyes now, it's easier to bring up.] I expected to see you sooner. I should have called.
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For now, joining Corvo hand-in-hand on his patrol will do. He hums, sort of in approval—he kind of likes this Wyman person, from what he's seen of them. Maybe he'll pop up unexpected one day and see what happens.]
You do like to wallow in your work instead of indulging. [Like, just saying. He touches Corvo's arm with his other hand, not quite hugging onto him, but almost. Hey.] So, retirement? Perish the thought.
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A lot of things were surprising when it pertained to the Outsider these days. He's worried less about the games he might play and more about how nice he looks in the snow, instead of the darkness of the void. And he looks so...] It wouldn't make you this happy seeing an old man, wasting away instead of facing the Abbey.
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Happy? Him? How different.]
The Abbey. Why Corvo, you're trying to make me seem petty. [well....] I missed our little chats.
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You've interrupted my dreams before. [He starts, reluctantly, like this is an option but he isn't all that happy about it.] I don't see why you can't do it again. Holding back now, are we?
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Perhaps I wasn't interested in new guard training, [he says, like that's all Corvo would have talked about. It's easier than admitting he might have wallowed in a little self-doubt, wondering if Corvo hadn't changed his mind. That's never stopped him before—ironic, that the more likely Corvo is to welcome his presence, the less readily he tries to give it.
And kissing his hand to apologize for being busy was kind of hot, in a dating-your-god way. But mostly the other thing. He leans his head sideways on Corvo's shoulder.] You do know how to summon me. Try it sometime before you drift off to sleep.