dumbshow | incredibly indulgent shipping post

Oh, please. It isn't as if they're needed around here along with the clockworks. It's essentially charity to keep them employed. [Here, he pauses for his single sip of tea today at breakfast, before going on with another toast wiggle,] Some of them might have potential, but the Duke insisted I give all of these veterans something to keep busy with.

[This is all fair and good to just say out loud because he's definitely said it to them before, and they already question what he needs guards for themselves. See, he's a good boss.

But wait,] What do you mean, where you— [ah] You were talking about me when I walked in!

[He's clearly Offended, sitting back with a huff and not looking at Paolo for a good... twenty seconds. Then, very subtly,] What were you discussing, specifically?

[Jindosh is being rude about his new friends and Paolo opts out of listening to shove egg in his mouth. He knew any lecture about kindness would fall on deaf ears, so he waited for the opportunity to make a jab at him to strike.

Perfect.] Just some... y'know, stories. How the whole place can you hear you when you use that button on accident or not, where it is... [Another casual bite,] How you look coming out of that lab, hair stuck up because you touched a wrong wire. You like pork and... what, cabbage? Weird choice.

[Paolo's new friends have been rude about Jindosh, so it's completely fair. He bristles, looking peeved to hear all of this except for the fact that he's also turned a fetching shade of pink. He looks over his shoulder out of the room, both to hide the color in his cheeks and as if he expects to see that same guard from earlier, so he can glare at them until they realize they're fired.

He won't bother, but in the moment it's terrible to know his guards are telling Paolo these stupid things he does. Betrayal...??]

Be quiet. [dumped.] All of you need something more productive to do, apparently.

[It's so satisfying to see Jindosh be the one who's flushed, especially with Paolo's fluster last night. His smug expression slips into fondness, he isn't entirely aware of giving.]

Uncovering all your secrets is productive. [He'll even wink at him, to make it worse.] I have to report back and all. Should I tell Luca how red you can get...? He's probably not as interested as I am, but...

[Body double or not, there's not a person Jindosh can think of who he'd like to know absolutely nothing about his stupid blushing more than the Duke. No, don't...]

Do that and the whole court will know how you go to pieces when someone puts a single finger against your back. Luca has no business with our business.

[Look, he said "our," does he get points for that??]

[Paolo's about to be a hypocrite, with how his face and ears significantly darken. For every one time Jindosh changes shades, he'll have ten. It's just not fair.]

It was three. Fingers. [He shoves a few grapes into his mouth before rising out of his chair, setting the napkin at his lap aside. He caught his crumbs since the clothes weren't his, how considerate.] I'd have to invite you for their audience anyway.

[He paused. Well, he planned on that already...] Later.

[That's right, Jindosh is still in the game. He smirks and then smirks again at the napkin, like Paolo trying to be a person with table manners is the funniest thing. It kind of is, it's cute.

Still, while he could take the opportunity to rib Paolo about going to pieces some more, he's uncovered the flaw in his own plan: he really hates nobles and being around them. Oh yeah. He waves a hand, now that he's finished his toast.]

I'm not your decorative arm piece, Paolo.

[For such a smart guy he really is a goddamn idiot.]

[Paolo had plans to lean over him and say something sweet, be on his way, but he stops short. He stares at Jindosh for a moment, then approaches to put his hands down on either side of the chair arms, boxing him in.]

I don't come here so I get to show you off, Kirin. I'd think you of all people should know that. [He's awful close for someone so serious, and not seeming to want to kiss him.] I would invite you to get in on the conversation, and you can decline. Understand?

[Jindosh blinks when Paolo leans in so close, so—aggressively close. It's a surprised blink, like he doesn't know what he's apparently done wrong and he's taken aback by the sudden seriousness enough that he isn't immediately snapping at Paolo to back off. His gaze drops down to one of Paolo's hands, brow furrowing, bothered by it.]

I'm not interested in conversation besides yours. You should already know that.

[Parties... terrible.] Step back. Trying to loom over me like this makes you look ridiculous.

Or maybe you just aren't used to it. [Is he unsettling you, Jindosh. Let him lean in closer, taking a hand off the arm of the chair to take his jaw instead.] If you change your mind, I might even get your funding back into the mix.

[Does he kiss him to make up for this man handling? Nah, he'll pat his cheek and stand back.] It's not like I'm calling anyone else Grand Inventor.

[He doesn't like being manhandled at all. That's not a surprise, so the way he frowns sharply shouldn't be either. But he doesn't move until Paolo pats his cheek, at which point the hand that had been balled into a fist in his lap opens to swat Paolo's arm away from his face.

He shoves his chair back with an angry scrape (someone will have to buff this floor again), standing and abandoning the rest of his breakfast rather than answer Paolo's bad attitude. A hundred irate things he could say to Paolo but instead he just looks down at him, displeasure etched into his features, before he turns to shoulder past him and out of the room. Maybe he'll gesture at a maid to come clean up the table, but that's all.

Anyway, bye, see you later babe.]

[Oh. Paolo blinks, staring after Jindosh with a frown across his face. He meant to reassert himself, but with the way he looked at him... maybe he should have just kept agreeing.

The guards are certainly staring, likely wondering what he'd done and how he wasn't thrown out the door. Jindosh has been throwing grapes!!] Shut up.

[It didn't make them agreeable company, so maybe he'll go buy that lube like they'd need it... Or he could get distrcted getting behind walls after getting under Jindosh's skin. It hadn't been on purpose, but after seeing a window indoors, how is he not supposed to open it?]

[Paolo deserves to be judged by guards because he's a dumb prick, thanks much. Jindosh can take teasing and stupid, inconsequential little jabs, but standing over him and handling him like that, implying he ought to get used to it—nobody gets the better of Kirin Jindosh in his own home. Not anymore. Not even Paolo trying to do something stupid.

So he's still mad when he marches off to his lab and seals himself in, and he's still mad when the sensors in the floors tell him where Paolo is going and when he returns, and he's still mad when Paolo abruptly disappears. His hand is halfway toward the intercom button before he remembers he's mad, and he thinks better of calling Paolo out for everyone to hear and continues to work angrily instead.

This will go on until Jindosh wonders why Paolo isn't just coming out from behind the walls. Is he truly that stupid? Did he get himself crushed? Ugh. Jindosh resents having to go climb into the recesses of his house himself, but he's doing it. And he's still doing it without the intercom, because he hates whispering maids.

Where is the rat man.] Paolo? Are you dead back here?

[Paolo came and went resisting the urge to interrupt Jindosh. He'd already said he wouldn't regardless of his anger or not, and what would he do when he gets there? Apologize. He didn't want to, but he knew if he got another scornful look it would be game over.

He's forgotten how complicated he made it after stepping into the walls. He overlooked the guards, traced his fingers over directions of where to go, and... well, he smiled when he realized Jindosh drew the lines of his little notes. But he'll keep that to himself.

He was wrapped up in reading one of those when he heard the writer's voice, a thud of metal and a groan following. Someone hit their head on something not too far down.] ... Yeah.

Ah—the unmistakable sound of someone wandering off where he shouldn't. [Paolo whacking his head on the house is just stupidly endearing enough for Jindosh to feel a little less angry at him, which is... questionable, but he's already forgiven him enough to come collect him before he rolls under something and crushes himself to death.

Jindosh knows the innards of his house like the back of his hand, of course, so he'll have no trouble climbing down to find Paolo. It won't take him long.]

You really shouldn't be down here. This place is unkind to the inexperienced.

Well, the point was to get experienced. [Paolo raises the question as he rises off the floor, all but given up on keeping the pair of pants clean. He rubbed the top of his head in one hand, closing a book in the other. He turned the cover away from Jindosh when he caught sight of him.

Ignore the dirt of his face from wiping it with hands that have been on the floor.] I know not to make puddles next to sparks, so I think I'm already a step ahead than whoever you put that sign up for. [Poor guy.] Shouldn't you be keeping up with your... whatever?

[God, he's filthy. How is he already filthy? Who told him to roll around in the dirt on the floor?

Jindosh is judging, yes, but tears his eyes away from Paolo's filth to blink at the sign he put up. Oh—that sign. (Did he remember to have someone deal with this body? He decides not to check, defeating the purpose of even thinking about it.)]

It seems I have to keep up with you, lest the sound of something exploding down here suddenly interrupts my work. Come, we're not spending more time down here than absolutely necessary.

[Is he still mad...? Kind of. He'd rather Paolo be somewhere he can keep track of while he's mad at him, that's all.]

[Paolo is having a hard time telling if he's still mad. In other cases, he'd planned on it, but he'd crossed the line more or less accidentally this time. Hm.]

I don't touch anything. [Except that one thing that he opened and promptly shut when there were too many wires to many any sense of. He shifts his weight, looking out through the glass. He was a little lost on how to get back...]

Lead the way. [He'll wave his hand down the corridor... except it was the wrong way. Busted.]

[Jindosh just hums, looking at where Paolo is gesturing... and raising an eyebrow, because he's so wrong.]

No. This way, and it would be better if you paid attention.

[Follow him, scrub.] Don't leave that book down here, either.

[If he wasn't still mad, he'd be questioning the book already. That's how you know.]

I-- [Well damn!! Paolo probably would've made some smart comment, but that isn't help him, and he did almost just leave his dumb book. His frown is returning, so he keeps behind Jindosh after dusting the dirt off it.]

... It's more than I thought. [It took like, ten seconds to try talking again, he's weak.] This place.

[Hmm. Still mad, so it takes him a pause of his own to answer, but he can't resist talking about the house in the end. Even if Paolo is lingering behind him.]

Of course it is; it appears only as effortless as the amount of effort put into it. I don't deal in smoke and mirrors, Paolo—the simpler it looks to the untrained eye, the more complex the mechanism that holds it together.

[He runs his hand along the wall as he speaks, a man enraptured by his own work. Even if there are a few leaky pipes, the image of the mansion coming together? The first room, that intentionally moves more in a more complex way than any other, just to prove his point? He wants those tiny glimpses of more to sneak through.

That's the point. Testament to engineering, and everything. But now he's just wandered to a halt to stare at his own walls, and turns to start walking again with a short sigh. Back to reality: babysitting.] If you wanted to avoid me, you didn't have to come back.

[Paolo keeps his mouth shut, observing the man speak so fondly of things the Howler couldn't begin to understand. He couldn't possibly comprehend it all if he tried, but he'd be satisfied if he managed a fraction. He wanted to grasp what made Jindosh so happy, for when he'd fail to.

It's why his brows furrow when he hears that.] I'm not a man to run off because of dirty looks, Kirin. [Offense? No, it's spoken too softly to be. He's taking steps to walk alongside him now.] Besides, I already got plenty of looks in the market for wearing your things. I just... wanted to get started.

[He'll show off his book, Jindosh's grump or not. It was far below any first-year student's at the academy's level, but he thinks it's nice.] Can't find a space to fit here if I don't know what's around it.

[Jindosh makes another face, apparently having forgotten that Paolo went outside in his clothes. Like, this just didn't occur to him somehow? He's had better moments.

He'll look at Paolo now, at least, glancing sideways at him when he actually shows him his book. It's—it's such a low-level volume he doesn't think he's cracked open a copy since he was a teenager, and even then, just to criticize it... But the whole image fits together suddenly: Paolo crawling around behind the walls, reading this book, hitting his head on the mechanisms—and Jindosh, despite himself, is touched.

Being impressed by the house is nothing compared to wanting to learn about it. The way to his heart is under his perfectly polished floors, apparently. With another short sigh, he reaches over and wipes a smudge of dirt off Paolo's cheek with his thumb.] Apology accepted, I suppose.

[Hmm. Shush. After a beat,] You know, they tried to hook me into writing a foreword for that one, when the fifth edition was published. I told them they wouldn't be able to understand it.

[Whatever image Paolo was trying to establish for himself outside of their bedroom slips away with the smile he gains. It's small, his head turned like the wall has suddenly become very interesting, but it's there. Paolo does do whatever Jindosh wants and he should hate it.

He doesn't. He's brushing the hand at his face off, but it's just so he can hold in his own as they walk. Threading their fingers together like they had the evening prior, minus the expectations. He just liked the feeling.] If it'd be anything like The Astounding Clockwork Soldiers, I think the foreword is all I'd read.

[Another surprise—like it hadn't occurred to Jindosh either that Paolo would have picked up his book, despite how there are at least four copies in easily accessible places around the mansion. So the look on his face for just a moment is much more genuine than the annoyed expression he's been sporting since breakfast, and it's Paolo's fault.]

How much of my book did you read? [No, we're talking about this now, forget everything else.]

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