[html]
From the inside of the mansion, the cold wind didn't get to her. Or maybe it really did in its own little ways through drafts and the like, but she didn't notice it. It didn't have as much of a bite to it, if at all. Corona was ascetic during the winter and purposely stayed holed up somewhere away from the ice and the snow most of the day, like that of a recluse. There were those who wandered in and out of the building, but she didn't notice them all of the time. She didn't always hear them, truthfully. For as vast and winding as the rooms were, there was much to do and she had been slowly tidying the rooms out of boredom. When she didn't do that, then maybe someone who crossed her path was worth engaging in conversation. If not that, reading.
But today she was quite taken with another part of the quiet building that was more of a library than the small one she had found on the ground floor. Floor to ceiling bookcases lined with dust. A few claw marks here or there across the hardcover spines, a globe where Africa had been punched in, and a chandelier that precariously hung onto what decent life it had left by half of its supporting chains. The window was caked with dirt and grime and cracked with age. In there, she could truly feel the chill of the outdoors; the wind blew against the window. Brushing a few blonde bangs out of her line of vision, Corona let out a sigh as she ventured into the room, blue eyes burning with a dim light as she started looking over the titles.
Seemed like reading was on the to do list today.
[/html]
[html]
style="background-image: url(http://i39.tinypic.com/2afe8hy.png); width: 450px; height: 500px; z-index: 1; line-height: 10px; border:1px dotted #000000;">
style="position: relative; left: 0px; top: 5px; width: 300px; height: 330px; z-index: 2; overflow: auto; padding:10px;filter:alpha(opacity=40); -moz-opacity:0.6; opacity:0.5; -khtml-opacity:0.7;">
Snow and cold didn't bother him much, but wind did, and it drove him inside a large building, a mansion most likely. Gig prayed that this wasn't someone's private home and that he wouldn't get his ass kicked as he padded through, in four legged form for once, his cloth still securely in place around his leg. He paused in the main room, catching the rustling noises of others. He wasn't alone in the huge building, but that made sense if it was public property. Feeling a bit more reassured, he decided to continue with his exploring. The hybrid wondered what the mansion had looked like in it's hay-day. He knew very little about humans and history, trying to imagine what the short, almost-furrless being had resembled. Surely at some point in his life he had seen pictures, but they hadn't made a deep impression in his memory.
He made his way deeper, noticing with interest a fairly nice, large staircase. Letting curiosity get the better of him Gig followed it up, only to be assaulted by the thick smell of dusty books. The wind blew by him, escaping from an open door a little ways away. The hybrid decided to follow the dust-trail, having nothing else to do. He had been neglecting his readings; this could be a chance to catch up. The hybrid entered the room but stopped when he saw that it was not empty. His indigo gaze swept quickly over the woman, absorbing quick detail- blonde, luperci- before falling to the floor politely. 'I'm sorry, I didn't know there was someone else here,' he started, lifting his eyes back up. They wandered to the bookshelves, his interest piquing. He cleared his throat. 'I, uh, don't want to impose on you or anything. If you're doing something.' Gig wanted to stay, mainly, which was why he didn't turn around and march back out.
[/html]
[html]
The sound of footfalls in the old building usually didn't grasp her attention. She was used to hearing them but never seeing who they belonged to, but in any case it was hard to miss the sound of them drawing closer. Much too close to be someone in another part of the house and yet distant enough that perhaps they were above or beneath her. But as they drew closer, she lost interest in looking over the worn spines of the hardcover books and turned just in time to pick out someone wandering in. He deferred quietly and apologised, but lingered.
“My house is your house,” Corona said plainly, shrugging her shoulders as she drew in his intriguing appearance. Taller than she was, white and grey, peculiar eye colour and muzzle marking. A dye job. Whether or not he was just a free-thinker or just another yearling trying to be unique was beyond her, though she had to say he would have easily stood out in a crowd. She let out a breath and rested an arm against the bookcase to prop up her head as she continued speaking. “Nice to know someone else likes to read around here. Plus, you're new. What's your name?” He was young, so he probably had an interesting story to go with everything else… or so she figured. It was nice to have variety.
[/html]
[html]
style="background-image: url(http://i39.tinypic.com/2afe8hy.png); width: 450px; height: 500px; z-index: 1; line-height: 10px; border:1px dotted #000000;">
style="position: relative; left: 0px; top: 5px; width: 300px; height: 330px; z-index: 2; overflow: auto; padding:10px;filter:alpha(opacity=40); -moz-opacity:0.6; opacity:0.5; -khtml-opacity:0.7;">
if gig's personality, like, radically shifts over this thread, forgive me o_o i'm trying to sort him out.
He was glad he hadn't tried to move, for the woman gave him a small welcome. Relaxing, Gig drifted towards one of the many bookshelves, letting his indigo eyes wander the dusty shelf. It was a eclectic collection of titles and sizes, in all manner of faded colors with dark titles pressed into the sides. He noted the differing of languages too-- mostly english, some foreign - was that french? italian? latin, or russian? The blonde-banged coyote spoke again and he looked to her, rubbing his purple patch. What a fool he looked, like he was trying to stand out. That was the very opposite of what Giggle wanted- he rather wished he was invisible. Curse his eccentric mother. 'Is this house yours?' he asked, hesitating before answering her question. He could lie or use his nickname, but, no. The hybrid straightened his shoulders. He would be bolder, braver, stronger. 'My name is Giggle Dracon.' His voice softened on his name, his awkwardness leaking into it. 'You can call me Gig, if you want. It's nice to meet you.' Well, he would take steps towards courage.
Giggle glanced back towards the titles, sitting down. He clicked his tongue against his teeth, considering each title. He saw a combination of fiction and nonfiction. Certainly the original owner of this library had varied tastes. In his current status he wouldn't be able to pull out a title, lacking the necessary thumbs. He made a mental checknote to return later. He didn't want to shift just yet- Giggle preferred to shift in private. It wasn't that it was personal, or intimate- it was just a matter of preference. He thought to open up the conversation again. 'How long have you lived here? In Inferni, anyway,' the hybrid asked, looking towards the coyotess, his ears perked in interest.
[/html]
S'okay, been there before myself. I also didn't realise he was unshifted in my last reply, oops. u_u
[html]
For a unique appearance, there was an equally unique name to go with it. If she had been someone very different, she may have laughed at the name other than smiling briefly out of amusement and regard for his feelings. Calling him Gig instead of Giggle though, was completely feasible and would naturally be the route she figured she'd take. Better than referring to him in outside conversation and getting a laugh from someone else who though she was being foolish. A nod was all she gave him as far as agreeing it was nice to meet someone and it genuinely was — most she had ever met in Inferni ended up related to her crooked and sprawling family tree one way or another. New blood was especially appreciated, even if it only bolstered their numbers.
“I suppose you could say I've been here long enough,” she said with a shrug, “my mother founded our clan and my brother and I lead it. But this place isn't mine, I just live here. I'm the one who's cleaned up most of the rooms and put them back in order.” So maybe by that notion, she should have just said that it was hers. She wasn't the only one who made use out of it, but aside from a couple of others, she seemed to be the only one who truthfully cared about the state of the rooms and the goods within them. Cleaning was a distraction, something she could do without thinking so she could think.
[/html]
[html]
sorry for the wait. and the length.
He noted her momentary smile, a similar reaction to the one Gabriel had given him. Better a smile than outright laughter, or god forbid, a giggle. The hybrid returned her nod with a slight inclination of his head, listening curiously to her reply. She was a leader-- and if she ran with her brother, then he had met her brother, as well. Their appearances were very different, but he shrugged that off, chalking it up to genetics. 'Who's was it, originally?' Gig asked, relaxing slightly. Inferni's leaders, at least, didn't seem to portray the image the clan gave off. 'You've done a good job. It's nice.' He was talking more than he usually was, subconsciously trying to create a good impression, perhaps, while he tried to decide what he wanted.
[/html]
My turn for the apology train, lulz. And I don't mind short posts, so you're in the green. 
[html] “Thank you,” she said with a thin smile, a little pleased that at least someone had some appreciation for what she did, even if it was out of distraction. “And I have no idea who this belonged to before we came along. Whoever lived here certain lived strangely, compared to some of the other houses I've seen. Odd sum of weapons left behind, though mostly broken. They also seemed to enjoy reading as well, but I think as broad as the topics are from one collection to another that there were probably more than one person living here.” Unless the former inhabitant was just multi-talented, but she didn't really think humans were ever much that way. “But this mansion belongs to all of us now, not just one of us. Even if most of us don't use it.” That, she ultimately decided, was probably for the better. [/html]
[html]
He dipped his head, pausing to let his fingers wander the titles until they found a slim enough volume. The coyote hybrid had never grasped the concept of quality over quantity and so considered even the most indepth novel simple if it was thin. Giggle was not philosophical by any means and never thought to contemplate the deeper meanings of the books he read, but just the surface. He plucked out a novel with the faded words 'The Importance of Being Earnest' while Corona spoke. The previous owner had been a strange one, whatever she meant by that (all humans had been strange). Indigo eyes lifted back up to her goldenrod face. 'Are there any rooms unclaimed?' He asked, quietly, not wanting to tread on anyone's toes. She had said most didn't use it, but if someone wanted to have five rooms, he wasn't going to tussle over having one of them. But it would be nice to have a room with a bed and a roof, instead of sleeping outside like he'd done as a child.
[/html]
This post sucks, sorry. I so rarely have five minutes to sit down and write lately. ;_;
[html] “Loads,” Corona breathed out. “Most who live in Inferni live in the caves in the middle of the territory. Which I suppose are geographically safer than this thing, if we got a bunch of unwelcome visitors.” The mansion was located pretty far out there, but its relative score of safety didn't bother Corona one way or another. Maybe the quiet following the war had lulled her into a sense of false security, but she saw no reason to let an angry pillager stop her from picking house over hole in the ground.
“So you're welcome to pick out a room and claim it for yourself, if you want. It's pretty obvious if someone's taken a room already too, since I suppose we all keep them in similiar states of disarray.” A smile graced her face briefly there, though the disarray she talked about was anything from found trinkets to dead hair crammed in the corners. Evolved or not, they were still animals. Old habits died hard when it came to finding somewhere to rest and keeping someone out of it. Of course, at least they were slightly more civilised and didn't go marking territory over furniture. [/html]
[html] Lol. That's fine ;___; Forgive meee.
Her words led little trails of excitement down his body. Available rooms, and plenty of them. He didn't even think to consider any practicalities like location or safety. Giggle was ignorant to past battles or potential dangers. But he did know how comfortable, how friendly the mansion felt, and how much he would love to sleep in a room with a roof. The coyote smiled with his eyes and not his lips, holding the novella loosely to his side. 'Thank you very much, Corona.' He offered, inclining his head slightly. 'I've never had a real room before. Or, really, any material possessions,' he admitted, casting a quick glance to the book in his hands. Why he had divulged that, he didn't really know; he wasn't one to open up. Today would be the exception, he supposed. [/html]
Pfft, you're fine. <3
[html] She smiled thinly, knowing the feeling well enough on her own. Though she had on many occasions her own little corners to herself, she had never been much in the way of material possessions. The only thing she had ever really had where the things given to her by other people in her family. Like the ring she wore on her hand from Gabriel, and the necklace and piercings that Ahren had given her. They were just that, material possessions, but held a value far more than anything else she had ever had. “Well then, I suppose now you'll have a chance to have both,” she said, disregarding the thought that maybe he wouldn't hang around like the others that had come and in out of their ranks. [/html]
D: i'm sorry ! a long wait and a belated ending.
[html]
'Yeah,' he said, slowly, though his mind had drifted elsewhere. His eyes sparkled for a moment. 'Thanks, again.' Giggle's voice was quieter now than a moment before. The coyote moved towards the door, looking back for a moment at the golden woman, and then exited, heading deeper into the mansion to stake out an empty room for his own. [/html]
|
