The Magpie Emporium, Monday [11/9]

[giveittoyoursister]

So far Steph's plan to manage the excess silicone dice population seemed to be working without a hitch.

Well, maybe one minor hitch.

Namely Saffron being quite Unimpressed that people were honing in on her dice catching shtick and doing her best to knock their dice free again as Vi wrapped them up to go.

Maybe it was more than a minor hitch.

[Open! *faceplants on keyboard*]

Comments

[drumsticksandd20s]

This was a game store. What would a plan in this setting be without a hitch, anyway?

"Let me guess," Steph said as she watched the end of one of these transactions. "She has, naturally, decided that all of her favorite toys were suddenly boring because attacking the merchandise is way more fun."

[giveittoyoursister]

"I think she considers these ones hers by right rather than merchandise," Vi replied as Saffron rather smugly stretched out on the counter.

[drumsticksandd20s]

It was the kind of smug cat stretch that Steph always thought of as just taunting her with an adorably fuzzy belly and the sure knowledge that she'd come very close to losing a hand for daring to pet it.

"Like she considers you hers by right," Steph said, reaching out to grab at a neon green d8 that bounced erratically by and only grabbing air. "Not that you're merchandise."

[giveittoyoursister]

It was a trap, but the most adorable, fluffy one anyone had ever seen.

"Most people couldn't afford me if I were," Vi said airily, reaching to try and snag Steph's belt. "Can only really think of one exception."

[drumsticksandd20s]

Which was exactly why Steph had fallen for it a non-zero number of times.

Oh no, look, she had been snagged somehow. How terrible.

"Okay, you do remember the part where I have spent way too much time as a broke musician, right?" she asked with a good-natured snort.

[giveittoyoursister]

Did Saffron somehow look smugger at that bit of narrative? Yes.

Absolutely terrible, Vi looked extremely contrite as she tugged her in closer. "Yeah, but you get a special discount just for people I'm in love with," she said. "It's very exclusive."

[drumsticksandd20s]

Fine, Saffron, you deserved credit for that anyway.

"Wow. Didn't know that came with perks." Steph let herself get tugged in close enough to reach up and put her arms around Vi's neck. "Is it wrong to say I hope nobody else gets that discount?"

[giveittoyoursister]

"You mean beyond the pleasure of my company," Vi asked with a grin. "Oh, there's plenty. Which I'm not planning on giving to anyone else."

[drumsticksandd20s]

"Sucks to be anyone else then," Steph said, laughing. "Except I can't really feel that sorry for them."

A yellow d12 pinged off the back of her head. She didn't seem to notice.

[giveittoyoursister]

"They'll just have to tragically suffer," Vi did not sound the least bit upset. "While we enjoy all these perks."

[drumsticksandd20s]

"Exactly how many perks are there?" Steph asked, fully ignoring Saffron's indignant noises at being denied the attention she was owed.

[giveittoyoursister]

It was almost like her humans were under the mistaken impression she wasn't the most important thing in the universe.

"Let's see, there's sharing meals, having a partner for games, terrible jokes..."

[drumsticksandd20s]

Steph made an indignant noise of her own.

"You mean the best jokes."

Saffron's poor, poor deluded humans.

[giveittoyoursister]

They were so lucky they had Saffron to look out for them.

"If you say so." Vi's grin was completely shameless. "There's something else as well, but I just can't put my finger on it."

[drumsticksandd20s]

And they would never know how lucky, so Saffron had to resign herself to toiling without recognition.

"Can't remember at all?" Steph widened her eyes and shook her head so very sadly. "Damn. Maybe I can help jog your memory. But how?"

[giveittoyoursister]

Her life truly was suffering.

Vi also shook her her sadly. So sadly. "I don't know, but it's right on the tip of my tongue."

[drumsticksandd20s]

But she looked so regal while suffering!

"Am I gonna have to help you get it un-stuck from the tip of your tongue?" Steph asked cheerfully, grinning mischievously the whole time. "Because I can definitely do that."

[giveittoyoursister]

Vi sighed, not smiling at all. "You may have to," she said. "I know it's a terrible thing to ask." Just, like, the worst.

[drumsticksandd20s]

"For you?" Steph shook her head so very solemnly. "I suppose I can make that sacrifice."

[giveittoyoursister]

"I'd be so grateful," Vi said, fingers hooked into Steph's waistband, eyes wide and earnest. "I promise I'll find a way to make it up to you."

[drumsticksandd20s]

"I mean," Steph said, leaning into her with a warm and genuine smile that still managed to be a touch sly, "maybe getting the chance to help you out a little is its own reward."

She closed the distance and added, just before moving in to kiss her, "I like doing nice things for the person I'm in love with, you know."

[giveittoyoursister]

Vi grinned into the kiss. "I think I figured out what that other perk was."

[drumsticksandd20s]

"Oh, yeah?" Steph asked, touching her forehead to Vi's. "What's that?"

[giveittoyoursister]

Vi reached up to cup Steph's face as she ducked in to steal another kiss. "It involves a lot of kissing to start with."

[drumsticksandd20s]

"Intriguing," Steph mumbled into the kiss, bringing her hands down to rest them on Vi's hips. "I'd ask you to explain further, but I think this might be a lot more fun if you just show me later."