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[perfectsymmetry]

[Phone; open to all]

I know what just happened must have been hard on everyone. But, if possible, I'd like to collect information on what went on inside each of the portals and gather it into one set of notes. I had only entered on the first day, a-and all we managed to find were some, um, boars.

Anyway, if you want, we can meet face-to-face at the diner or the park to speak. Thanks.



[Sometime in the wee hours, when Silence is asleep, he received a note slipped through his window. That's what you get when you're dating a cat burglar. Crowe taps on the glass to wake him up before darting off into the night, hopefully before Silence is coherent enough to see him make his escape. The note says to meet him up at Makeout Point immediately. WHAT DO.]

Comments

[perfectsymmetry]

[Crowe is sitting at the top of the hill, legs overhanging the small slope that makes it a "point", looking out into the night sky. When Silence approaches, he turns, but remains seated. He gives him a small, nervous smile.]

Hi. Have a seat?

[mute_mystic]

[He sits down readily beside Crowe, close enough that their shoulders touch, giving him a warm smile that's nonetheless tinged with an air of curiosity. He doesn't sign any questions, doesn't even appear to ask any with an inquisitive turn of his head; he simply looks at Crowe expectantly, figuring that the boy will come out with the purpose for all this soon enough.]

[perfectsymmetry]

[Crowe slips his hand under Silence's, entwining fingers. Crowe's always a nervous one, and it's obvious when he has something on his mind. He can't hide it. He looks off into the stars again.]

Thanks for coming. S-Sorry to surprise you like that, but, um. I-I had something to ask you. A-And I wanted to do it with no one else around.

[mute_mystic]

[Silence shakes his head with a smile, his usual indication of "don't worry about it". He squeezes Crowe's fingers slightly, using the other to sign a very simple sentence - his ability to sign is slightly limited with one hand occupied.] What is it?

[perfectsymmetry]

[Crowe lets out a quick breath, squaring his shoulders, in what seems like an attempt to steel himself for... something.]

Silence, y-you know that, um, I'm not very good with words. Ever. I, ah. But you do know that I love you. A lot. And... And I'm glad that, e-even with all the horrible things that Mayfield does, and how... fleeting things and friendships and relationships here can be, I-I don't regret anything for a second. As bad as it is, I have Mayfield to thanks f-for having you in my life. Either of us could be gone tomorrow, but every moment was worth it.

[Still looking off skyward, he relaxes a bit after getting that out. Even if he's noit done yet.]

[mute_mystic]

[Silence listens to all of this with an increasingly softening expression, a small smile stealing over his face. He rests his head against the taller boy's shoulder - it still occasionally amazes him how tall Crowe is - feeling a warmth that has nothing to do with the air around them. He reluctantly frees his hand from Crowe's so that he can sign properly.]

I know what you mean. Mayfield has taught me to appreciate what I have, and to not worry about when it might be taken away from me. To not be afraid to take what happiness there is today, even if it could be gone tomorrow. I've spent centuries living cautiously, not wanting to get entangled with humans because mystics are different and I would inevitably outlive them, but it was just me being a coward. [He smiles a bit.] I would call them wasted centuries...except that this was worth waiting for. Maybe the reason I didn't learn this lesson sooner was because I was waiting for someone worth learning it for.

[He turns his head, leaning up to kiss Crowe's cheek. He doesn't know why this was preying on Crowe's mind enough to bring him out here in the middle of the night - though he supposes the boy isn't done yet, since he said he has a question for Silence and nothing has been asked yet - but this has already made itself well worth the trip.]

[perfectsymmetry]

[Crowe smiles now, nervousness gone except for a slight biting of his lip as he gathers his courage.] I-I hope that, from now on, we can spend whatever time it is we have here together.

[He reaches into the pocket of his jacket and pulls out a small jewelry box. Flipping it open, he displays a ring, and again takes Silence's hand in his own. He looks him in the eyes now, steadier than ever.]

Silence... Will you marry me?

[mute_mystic]

[Silence's jaw drops. True, this has been romantic from the start, and the suddenness of it and the intensity of feeling in Crowe's words had given the whole affair a feeling of importance, but...still, Silence hadn't expected anything like this. For one thing, he'd barely even registered that Crowe is really old enough for marriage - though he's been old enough for other things for awhile, so technically he most certainly is. For another...well, Silence simply hasn't ever thought of marriage in relation to himself. As far as he knows, no mystic has ever gotten married, or at least no mystic he's ever heard of. Oh, they take lovers - Charm Lord Orlouge has a harem of hundreds - but marriage simply isn't something they do.

Of course, mystics don't usually have butterfly wings, or work as patrol officers, or live outside Facinaturu, or any number of other things that Silence does with no regard to the rest of his race. It doesn't even occur to him to take what mystics do or don't do into account, now that this opportunity has been unexpectedly offered to him.

After a few moments of dumbfounded staring while Silence's mind arranges himself around this new concept - because being surprised is a rarity after living nearly four hundred years, and he's not particularly adept at dealing with it anymore - he breaks into a face-splitting smile and throws his arms around Crowe.

He hasn't given a verbal or even a signed answer, but as is often the case with Silence, his body language is fairly easy to read.]

[perfectsymmetry]

[Crowe will take that as a yes. He lets out something between a surprised laugh and a sigh of relief, and wraps his arms around Silence. He had thought of a dozen logical and acceptable reasons Silence might of said no. But he didn't, and now it's the furthest thing from his mind.]

We might not know what's going to happen, but we'll figure it out together.

[mute_mystic]

[Silence's nod can't really been seen from this angle, but it can be felt; likewise his smile is invisible, but he's all but radiating happiness. He kisses Crowe's cheek hard, arms tightening around him for a few long moments before he pulls away just enough to look up into his face. Now his smile can be seen, and the brightness of his eyes.

It takes him a few moments, but eventually he remembers that yes, that ring is a thing that still exists. He sits back enough so that he's no longer crushing Crowe's arm to his chest and takes the boy's wrist, pulling the box closer to him so he can look at it with admiration that's still tinged with a healthy degree of shock. He's tempted to take it out and put it on, but - there's a tradition to these things, isn't there? If Crowe doesn't move to do it himself, of course, Silence isn't going to wait all night; he's just restraining himself to give the boy the chance to offer it himself, should he wish to.]

[perfectsymmetry]

[He'd be honored to put that ring on him, of course, taking the ring in one hand and Silence's right hand in the other to slip it on.]

I-I hope it fits, I sort of had to guess, yeah?

[mute_mystic]

[Silence is smiling broadly as it's slipped on, and it seems to fit quite well. He holds his hand up for a moment, both to admire it himself and to let Crowe see the fit and, perhaps just as importantly, absorb what Silence's wearing it means for the both of them.

Then he tugs the boy in for a kiss, still smiling. He doesn't think he's ever been happier in Mayfield than he is now.]

[perfectsymmetry]

[Crowe could say the same. Mayfield doesn't lead to happiness in anything it does, so it's up to everyone else to find it on their own. He kisses Silence back deeply, hoping this moment goes on forever. He doesn't want Mayfield to continue to take everything from him.]

[mute_mystic]

[It doesn't last forever - in Silence's extensive experience, nothing does, not even among mystics - but it lasts for almost long enough. He pulls away with a small smile, stroking Crowe's cheek.]

I want to tell everyone. Will you help me?

[perfectsymmetry]

[O-Oh. Announcing this to everyone...] Yes, of course. I, ah... Guess we should make a call tomorrow?