[IC] Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

[FreckersFrog]

"Mhm!" Cora nodded enthusiastically in agreement, then looked down at the clothing that Akane offered her. She took the dress, still smiling and began exchanging her robe for it.

"You always pick the most pretty clothes, Akane, thank you for coming to help me." She wiggled out of her robe, then pulled the dress on over her head, shimmying a little to get it on in her chair. Over time, she had become very practiced at dressing while sitting down. Once she was finished, she smoothed the skirt out over her still-damp legs and smiled up at the Kistune, "How do I look?" she asked, showing her teeth as she smiled up at Akane.

--------------------------------------

Geralt's smile widened as Lucien accepted his offer, then he set his mug down before making his way over to where the pot was sitting, still hot from earlier. "I'm so glad you said yes," he said, glancing over his shoulder briefly as he found a mug, "This is the last of the beans I managed to bring back from the Republic of Peru." This was also true. Geralt may have been simple in his interior needs, but he liked to consider himself a worldly person. Travel had been one of his passions in life, and although he had not visited as many places as he would have liked, bringing little tastes like this coffee home with him was one way of keeping everything fresh to his tongue.

He heard Aurel approach as he was pouring, then glanced over his shoulder at the young man. "Ah, guten morgen, Aurel. Möchtest du einen kaffee? I was just pouring Lucien a cup." Geralt was many things, but no one could say he wasn't generous.

[xivyxx]

Akane's smile widened at Cora's words. "I try my best! Despite how uncomfortable some clothing might seem, there's actually some really cute things out there! I quite like Japanese clothes but, western clothing has it's charms too." Some were definitely a little more liberating than some of the kimonos she would wear back then.

"Beautiful as always!" She exclaimed with an equally large smile as her tails swished from side to side under her dress, her ears perked up. "Shall we go join the others? I'm sure you're hungry!" She asked, before extending her hand to her.

---

Lucien raised his eyebrows at Geralt's words. "The Republic of Peru? Really?" He couldn't deny he was impressed, and even more willing to want to try them. It wasn't really something one got to have everyday.The ringleader had always enjoyed life on the road and travelling, and there were still many places that he still would very much like to visit.

"You seem very well traveled. I'd love to hear about it sometime." He commented, a part of him curious of how many other places he had been to. Even now Lucien was something who really did appreciate new knowledge. His desire to learn new things was still strong even after all these years.

Aurel glanced in Geralt's direction as he spoke, and shook his head. "Ah... nein, danke. Ich bevorzuge tee.. Coffee's a little too strong for me.." He told him in response. It was right up there with alcohol, the one thing he wasn't allowed to have, though it was for different reasons. In terms of flavor and smell, coffee it was simply too strong, and even so he wasn't so tired that he needed it anyway.

"Good morning, Illy." He greeted, waiting for her to finish serving herself before he began to do the same. Glancing over a the table, he could see a newspaper across from Lucien. If he had to guess, considering the strong smell of coffee that also came from the mug, Geralt was sitting there. Once he got his food, he decided to take a bit of initiative and took a seat next to that empty spot. Considering the three that still weren't here, it was probably better this way.

Lucien greeted Aurel as he sat down, part of him a little surprised that he'd decide to take a seat next to Geralt, but thinking about it, it probably shouldn't have. He took note of the fact that he had no snakes on him today, at least none that he could see. Maybe he had Jade with him, but he couldn't really be sure. Had he decided not to because of what happened last night? He hadn't really gotten a chance to talk to him about it. He'd be sure to do so later.

[FreckersFrog]

Cora clapped her hands together enthusiastically before reaching out and taking Akane's hand in her own. Her skin, as always, was cool and soft and very pleasant to the touch.

"I just love your...Yukatas?" She stuggled over the word briefly, still not quite sure of certain accents used by others in the troupe. "Maybe, the next time we can go to town, I could get one too? Do you think Lucien would be okay if I used some of my money for that?" She asked, genuinely curious as they made their way out of her trailer.

Currently, though she was paid her cut just as the rest of the performers were, she simply donated it to the good of the entirety of Cirque D'étoiles. Though Lucien promised her he would still keep it aside for her in case she ever wanted anything, she never really asked for things. She didn't really see the need to, as she had everything she needed right here with Akane and the rest of her friends.

---------------------------------------------------

"Good morning, Aurel." Illyana said in response to his greeting. Her voice had brightened considerably when she interacted with Lucien and Aurel. She brought her plate over to the table and took a seat next to Lucien. She had not filled the entirety of the dish, and in fact was a very dainty eater in addition to everything else. She never found herself with a particularly large appetite, and instead preferred a series of smaller meals throughout the day. She was usually the outlier in the troupe when it came to meals, as the rest of the performers had very physical acts that required a lot of energy to perform. While her readings were draining, it was much more cerebral than her counterpart's shows.

At Lucien's comment, Geralt let his trademark grin spread across his lips as he glanced over his shoulder in answer, "Oh, yes, Peru is absolutely lovely. I couldn't deny any conversation with you, Lucien, I'd love to share. Although, it may take more than just one late-night conversation...I have traveled most of the US and over a dozen countries, so..." He chuckled, attempting humility, but was cut off as he heard Aurel's response.

Geralt shook his head and made a clicking sound with his tongue in disappointment upon hearing it. "Schade...It is quite delicious." He finished pouring a mug for Lucien and as he turned to bring it back, he spotted another lone figure and a pair making their way across the grounds towards the mess area.

"Ah, the cavalry arrives." He said with a smile, and let his eyes linger on Ivory for a moment, bundled up in a cloak with the hood up.

Interesting...it walks in daylight...

Geralt was sure this was impossible, although, even he had to admit that he did not know absolutely everything about Vampires. As far as he knew, even one tiny drop of sunlight would turn one of her kind to dust, but Ivory was merely covered up. Of course, the only bit of skin showing was her face under the hood, the rest of her was covered up completely and her hands were tucked under her armpits as she hurried over. As he studied her, he noticed the disgruntled look on her face, and the squint in her eye, then turned back toward the coffee pot. He brought it over to the table, along with three more mugs, before pouring an additional cup full.

As Ivory approached, he took a seat and slid the mug toward her end of the table as he sat down and looked up at her with a cocked grin, "Bright out this morning, hm? Here, you look like you could use some caffeine."

[xivyxx]

Akane's expression brightened considerably at her question. "Of course! I'm sure Lucien would be happy to know there's something out there you actually want. I could just think of so many designs that would suit you!" She said excitedly as she gently pulled her friend toward the door. Once open, she briefly let go of Cora's hand to move out of her way and then closed her door, before catching up and taking hold of it again.

"I've seen some aquatic designs in some of the shops I've been to before. I think you'd like them." She commented as they made their way to the mess area.

--

"One can have conversations during the day too you know?" He said a little jokingly. "I've traversed the all of the United States myself. I’ve always been rather fond of travel." He said. While in France, he would have had the opportunity to travel more of Europe if he hadn't grown up so.. sheltered, but now with the circus, it would definitely be more difficult unless they gained the funds to one day go international, so he was curious to hear about his visits to other countries.

Lucien shifted slightly to look at Ivory as she arrived at the table. He was honestly surprised to see she had actually managed to get up this early, but she was clearly in a foul mood, and was looking at the mug Geralt had slid in her direction in an almost suspicious manner. He took that chance to take a drink out of the mug he had been given, since the heat of it didn't bother him. His eyebrows raised ever so slightly. It was a stronger flavor than the typical American coffee, but it was quite good.

"It's actually very delicious, I think you’d like it." He commented, knowing that Ivory's first instinct would be to probably decline it, and he wasn't wrong.

The moment he had slid the mug toward her Ivory had almost immediately stated she didn't want it, simply out of spite, but Lucien's comment stopped her. It was his way of telling her to be polite. Geralt's little grin still managed to find a way to irritate her. It was too early for this. She was normally easy to annoy, so it was much worse this early in the day.

"Thanks." She said almost dryly, before she took a seat next to Illyana. Now under the cover of the tarp that encased the mess area, her eyes adjusted better, and she took note of Akane and Cora's approach. At least she had gotten here before them.

Aurel had glanced at Lucien as he spoke, then shifted his gaze to Illy. Clearly Lucien and Geralt were already getting along well enough, but then again Lucien got along with everyone. He hoped it wouldn't end up making things more difficult for him, considering the... intentions Ivory said the magician had.

[FreckersFrog]

Cora let her friend guide her outside and pull her towards the mess area. She could already see a gathering of the rest of the troupe at the tables they used for eating. The carnies were already up and running around, doing their various jobs. Cora was always glad to see this, the strange men made her a bit uncomfortable. She had never gotten used to them like she had with Lucien and Aurel, there was something about them that just unnerved her...

"Oh really?" She said in answer to Akane. "I didn't know they would have aquatic patterns...I wonder if they know what the fish really look like?" She placed a finger against her bottom lip as she contemplated this. She knew that people went out to see, but how accurate would their depictions of sea life actually be?

----------------------------------------------

Geralt raised an eyebrow at Lucien's comment, then tilted his head, "Of course, but it's much less...fun, isn't it?"

At the next comment, he nodded knowingly before answering, "That's understandable, considering your business. I would be worried if you hadn't covered at least half of the country. I haven't managed to visit very many states myself, about twenty, but I'm sure that will change quickly in your company." He rose his mug slightly in a mock toast before taking a sip from it.

As he did, his eyes rolled between Ivory and Lucien and their exchange. Could he not even offer the girl a mug of coffee without drawing her ire? He supposed not, but it mattered not to him whether she enjoyed it or not. As long as he was the one being accommodating and generous in front of Lucien, he didn't care how the others reacted to him.

Looking at Ivory, however, he found himself rather intrigued by her. She was absolutely a natural beauty, and even in the "early" morning and with her foul expression, she was astonishingly beautiful. This was not uncommon for vampires, but there was something else about Ivory that pulled at him slightly.

He watched her as she took the mug, then gestured toward the cream and sugar next to the pot that had been left on the table earlier. "Dressing, if you want it." He didn't want to push it to far, but something about Ivory made him think she was not the black coffee type.

Illyana watched silently at the exchange between Geralt, Lucien, and Ivory. Tensions definitely heightened when the two of them were at the table together, and despite the wee hours of the morning and the dhampir's aversion to sunlight, her aura was bright and angry. She was clearly not pleased by his presence, even as he offered her the coffee she seemed upset. Geralt, however, was totally calm. She didn't need to see his aura to tell that, although she could tell by his demeanor that he was a hard man to shake. However, if anyone could do it, it was Ivory.

Lucien's energy was slightly nervous, but he was also calm, as usual. He seemed to be the buffer between Geralt and the rest of them. Though she was glad for this, and knew that he would never relent this position, even if asked, he was definitely too polite for his own good. Though Lucien was street smart, he did often get himself caught up in his curiosity, and Geralt was a wealth of the curious. She would have to watch the two of them closely...

[xivyxx]

Akane nodded. "Of course they do! Granted some of the designs don't look like.. realistic fish, it's more like.. the shape? Realistic ones may be harder to find." She said. After all not every town had those kinds of shops, usually the girls would try to find some time to visit town and see what they had to offer. She knew Graston didn't have any Japanese shops from their last visit, so she hoped their next stop might, so she could take Cora to see the variety.

--

Lucien did not respond to his comment, finding that much easier than thinking of a way to deny it. The man certainly knew his way around innuendos. He didn't find the need to correct Geralt's statement in regards to travel either. He had already traveled a good variety of the United States prior to starting the circus, but it wasn't really something he needed to tell him just yet. He didn't really want to offer too much information about himself just yet.

"I'm sure it will." He said.

He remained quiet as Ivory took a seat. Honestly he could almost say he admired Geralt's refusal to back down despite the fact that it was clear Ivory had a great distaste for him. He wasn't about to make any comment about it though, as he thought it might only encourage him. He was well aware that out of all the people here, Ivory could handle herself just fine. He only found it necessary to intervene if he felt like things could escalate. He preferred not to have too much tension among the troupe, but Lucien knew that until everyone, including himself, got to know Geralt a little better, things would probably remain like this. After Geralt gestured to the cream and sugar, Lucien simply reached for it and moved it closer to Ivory so she could reach it, knowing she would use it.

"Thanks." Ivory said to Lucien as she grabbed hold of the cream and sugar. She didn't like her coffee black, and usually added quite a bit of cream and sugar to it. Though she'd never personally admit it, she did have a bit of a sweet tooth. Having never really been able to have any sweets as a child, it was something she had quickly grown to like once she had been able to have a taste. She was tired of the bland and bitter foods she had been given, and much preferred the sweet and flavorful things. Once she was done adding the desired amount she moved the cream and sugar back toward the center of the table, but didn't start drinking the coffee right away, taking note of Akane and Cora's arrival.

"Good morning everyone!" Akane greeted happily, before she moved a chair off to the side so Cora could roll up to the table, before she took the seat next to Aurel.

"Good morning." Both Lucien and Aurel greeted them.

"Morning." Despite the short greeting, Ivory's tone was clearly much softer when speaking to the two women.

"Ooh Ivory you're up so early! Glad you could join us for breakfast!" Akane exclaimed with a smile, considering the dhampir was usually nowhere to be found during breakfast hours.

"It was really noisy, so I figured I might as well get up." She responded simply, referring to the carnies' morning activity. She had wished Akane kept that comment to herself, her expression didn't reflect it. The fact that she always slept in was not really a secret, so in the end it made no difference.

[xivyxx]

"Hhmmm..." Cora tilted her head at Akane's explanation, trying to imagine what she meant. It was hard for her, considering she had seen many fish and other underwater creatures very closely. Sharks, for instance, actually had rows and rows of teeth, unlike humanoid beings like herself and land-walkers. She had shared this information, along with other insights, with anyone who was willing to listen. Thoughts like this often made her think of home, and a little tight ball in the pit of her stomach began to turn as she thought of all of the different colors and shapes that she had grown with all around her.

They had been replaced by the shapes and colors of her new home. She had to remember to appreciate those as well. "Well," she added, "I hope I can see what you mean sometime."

As the pair drew closer, she noticed that Geralt had joined the troupe this morning and her smile brightened as if on its own. After their meeting, she had been both nervous and excited to see him again. His whole demeanor intrigued her, it was nothing like she had ever seen before.

She tried to avert her gaze from him and share it with the rest of the table, but in truth it was hard for her to take her eyes off of him when he was looking at her. She felt her cheeks grow hot as she dropped her gaze to the ground, pushing her chair into the place Akane had made for her. "Morning!" she greeted the table with her usual brightness, though she was trying to keep her eyes off of Geralt.

Geralt turned his eyes to the pair as Cora and Akane approached the table, making sure to meet their eyes and letting his gaze linger on Cora for just a moment longer. The slender pale beauty couldn't help but blush at his attention, and this pleased him greatly. He had already won one of the troupe over, it seemed.

Once he had given the Siren her deserved amount of attention, he looked more closely at Akane. Of course, his expression remained completely unchanged as he noticed the presence of furred animal ears atop her head. He thought at first that they may be fake, but as he watched them move as a dog or cat's would, he realized they were very real and attached indeed. Geralt had never encountered anything like this, but now that he had information about her origins, abilities, and...extraneous appendages, he had much more to work with.

This is why it doesn't like ussss...it can smell our...darknessss...

"Good morning, ladies." He said as the two found their place at the table. "The two of you certainly know how to brighten a man's morning, you are absolutely stunning in those dresses."

Cora leaned over to look at Geralt as he greeted them and smiled wide at his compliment. "Thank you, Geralt." She said, her eyes full of light and laughter, "Akane picked this one out, she really has the best taste."

Illyana nodded to Akane and Cora as they took their places at the table, though she did not speak as her mouth was full at the moment. She noted with displeasure Geralt's interest in the Mermaid, her eyes narrowing slightly as she watched their silent flirtation. She noticed that Akane had dressed Cora in a shorter summery dress, and while she did look both lovely and comfortable in it, Illyana would have preferred something less revealing. She swallowed as Geralt greeted them and made his comment, glancing down at herself and Ivory. It wasn't exactly that he was wrong about Cora and Akane's particular brand of sunshine, but she couldn't help but feel that his comment was directed at the entire table and not just the two women.

[xivyxx]

Akane retained her smile as Geralt greeted them, chuckling slightly at his comment, but was pleased by it regardless. "Thank you!" She responded, before her expression took on a hint of pride as the clothing choices were complimented. "A beautiful dress for a beautiful woman!" She said, turning to Cora and giving her a wider smile, before her ears then perked up.

"Oh! Breakfast. I'll get you your food too." Akane said before she quickly got up from her chair and headed over to the counter, her tails swishing from side to side slightly under her dress.

Ivory glanced at Geralt for merely a moment as he spoke, before turning back to the two women. She knew very well what he meant by his comment.

"They do, don't they? They have the ability to brighten the..." She paused for a moment, briefly glancing in Lucien's direction. "..Most unpleasant mornings." She said, changing what she was going to say at the last moment. Her comment brought a genuine smile to her face, mostly in satisfaction. Their arrival had at least eased the foul presence that was Geralt's, and allowed for more distraction, there was no doubt in that.

Lucien glanced at Geralt when Akane and Cora arrived. Clearly the man noticed the ears that rested on top of Akane's head, but he made absolutely no comment in regards to it, which was curious. Did he already know what she was? Or did he simply not care to ask about it at the moment? He supposed he'd find out soon enough.

The Ringleader held back an amused expression at Ivory's retort, though he appreciated that she had most likely held back from saying something that was even more rude. It seemed she was at least attempting to show some restraint despite the fact Geralt was intentionally poking at her. He didn't see the need to say anything if Geralt was fully aware of he was doing. It seemed to be a backhanded compliment to the other two at the table, or perhaps just an attempt to annoy Ivory, but it seemed that it had failed. To think it was only day one, these two would definitely have a long road ahead of them.

[FreckersFrog]

Cora smiled brightly at Akane as she complimented her as well. Akane was always saying things like that about Cora, and while at first she hadn't really understood why her beauty mattered, it always made her heart flutter a little to hear such sweet words.

"I will drink to that," Geralt said in agreement as he leaned around Aurel to look at Cora again, "Or, I would if I had any whiskey for this coffee." He added, then downed the last of the black liquid from his mug before setting it down.

At Ivory's comment, Geralt let his eyes fall on her. He raised an eyebrow to match his uneven grin, resting his elbows on the table and touching the tips of his fingers together as he leaned in. She smiled, and it was absolutely lovely. Despite her foul mood and sharp remarks, she was extremely beautiful, as was a trademark of her kind. Despite his first instinct to return her comment with one of his own, instead, he decided to keep things light by saying, "I must say, their light is only second to your smile, Miss Ivory. I hope I get to see more of it during my time here." He kept his eyes on her, gauging her reaction to his undivided attention.

Illyana nearly choked on her next bite of food as Geralt turned his attention on Ivory. It was clear to everyone within moments, and not only because of how close they were, how much the man's presence bothered the dhampir. He had expected Geralt to ignore her, he didn't seem the type to go hunting where he didn't belong, but she had underestimated his aplomb. It was clear that he was waiting to see how Ivory would react, and Illyana couldn't help but do the same as she looked over to her.

[xivyxx]

Akane began to serve food for both herself and Cora, very familiar with the mermaid's tastes by now, she made sure to put plenty of bacon and sausage on it, knowing it was one of her favorites.

Lucien and Aurel's reactions mimicked Illy's at Geralt's compliment toward Ivory, except it was coffee that Lucien almost choked on. Now that was something he hadn't expected. Did nothing discourage this man? Never had he seen Ivory interact with men who had any sort of... flirtatious intentions for more than a handful of seconds. She always shut them down harshly and without mercy, and they were always quickly discouraged. She wasn't the most approachable of people. Even the carnies maintained their contact as short as possible, even when she told them what to do on his behalf.

Aurel glanced at Geralt and then to Ivory almost a little nervously.

Ivory's lips immediately flattened at his words, eyebrows furrowing briefly. She held her tongue for a moment, about to snap back with a snide remark, but restrained herself. That would only give the man satisfaction, considering she knew he said it with intentions to annoy her. Instead, she allowed a smirk to flow back into her expression.

"Oh I'm sure you'll get to see plenty of it. Every time we part ways." She retorted, before proceeding to have a taste of that coffee. Lucien wasn't wrong, it actually tasted pretty good, but she wasn't about to compliment it to Geralt of all people.

[FreckersFrog]

Geralt's eyes narrowed at the pause at the table. He was well aware that everyone was looking at the two of them, waiting for the other shoe to drop, but he only had eyes for Ivory. When she answered, he cocked his head to the side, let a small silence linger, and then leaned back in his chair. "Well, you know what they say: 'show me the light, and I'll show you the shadow it casts.'" Throughout this exchange, he never took his eyes from the Lancer de Couteau.

Illyana, sensing that this conversation was about to head into dangerous territory, took it upon herself to stop it before it got any worse. Jolting up from the table, she coughed and looked around at everyone. "Well, I'm done." She said, a little too loudly, "Would you like me to take your dishes..." looking around, she noticed only Aurel had food on a plate in front of him, but he was nearly done, "Aurel?" She looked at him expectantly, hoping this distraction was enough to end the conversation between Ivory and the Magician.

Cora looked up a Illyana and tilted her head, curious as to what was going on with this sudden interruption.

[xivyxx]

Ivory raised her eyebrows slightly at his response, but wasn't given an opportunity to respond as Illy shot up from her seat. Unlike Lucien, she was not as subtle in her interruptions, but she didn't really mind, it wasn't like she wanted to remain engaged in conversation with the magician anyway, and went back to sipping her coffee.

Aurel glanced up at Illy, knowing this was her.. attempt at keeping an argument from starting between their newest troupe member and Ivory. There was still quite a large piece of sausage left on his plate that he had been looking forward to eating, but despite this he gently he pushed his dishe in Illy's direction.

"Yes.. thank you.." He told her, before then turning his attention back to Ivory, to help the topic move on.

"When you're finished with your coffee, would you like to play some cards?" He asked her, hoping that would provide enough of a distraction to raise her mood.

As Aurel spoke up, Ivory glanced back at him, but not before her hand quickly reached out to grab Aurel's fork and picking up the remaining sausage with it. "Oh, of course. I came prepared, actually." She said, before reaching into her cloak and pulling out the deck of cards, placing it in between them. Since there wasn't any chance of her going back to her trailer to relax for the rest of the day, this was the best way to kill time.

"But you can finish your meal before we get to that." She said a little amusingly as she handed the fork to Aurel, who appeared a little embarrassed. Had his desire for that final piece of food been that obvious? Regardless, he took it from her and began to eat it.

It was then that Akane returned with the plates of food. "Here you go, Cora! It's all of your favorites." She chimed, before she took a seat on her chair again.

Now the situation had seemed to calm, Lucien found that chance to stand and get back to doing that inventory list that he had taken from Illy, before the fortune teller ended up finishing washing those dishes and ended up trying to take the list back from him.

[FreckersFrog]

Geralt kept his eyes on Ivory even through the Fortune Teller's interruption. Of course, while he did like to have the last word, he would have preferred it to be because he had outwitted whoever it was he was speaking with, and not because of some intrusion. It was no matter, though, he was sure that he would have many more chances to butt head's with the vampire knife thrower in the future.

Illyana, excited that her distraction had worked, took Aurel's plate and left the table to wash up. She had her back to the table as she did so, but kept her ears open in case the discussion started up again.

Cora was about to say something to Ivory when Akane returned with her plate. She looked over and a large smile lit her face as she saw the mound of savory treats the Kitsune had grabbed for her. "Oh, thank you so much! It smells delicious!" She slid the plate close to her, mouth watering and eyes wide with delight. She reached for a fat piece of sausage with her fingers, before pausing and, almost ashamed, reached down to pick up her fork. She then proceeded to eat, hastily and messily.

At the introduction of the cards to the table, Geralt's eyes seemed to brighten. He leaned forward, glancing between Ivory and Aurel, devilish glee in his expression as he spoke, "Oh, now that is interesting. I would love to stay and...observe, if that's alright with the two of you? I am quite a fan of cards, after all." The magician decided to shift his attention to Aurel, knowing that he would get his chance with Ivory. Her time in his spotlight was over...for the time being.

[xivyxx]

Akane smiled brightly at Cora in response before she began to eat. Occasionally she would glance over at the mermaid as she ate her food, and would pick up a napkin and turn toward her.

"You got a little something here." She said, before she wiped a big of the remnants of food from the side of her lips in an attempt to help. There was something about watching Cora eat that was very.. bright, perhaps in the way that she thoroughly enjoyed her food, despite the occasional mess.

Ivory held back in rolling her eyes at Geralt's words. "Of course you are." She said, though she didn't look in his direction, now more focused in removing the cards and shuffling them. She didn't see a point in turning him down, since he'd probably stick around anyway, and knowing Aurel, he probably wouldn't say no to him anyway.

Aurel glanced at Geralt as he spoke, just as he had finished the sausage he had been given. He would make sure not to save the best piece of food for last anymore, in case something like this happened again.

"Ah.. sure, if you want." He told him. "I'm not sure how interesting it will be though.. ich bin ziemlich schrecklich.." He was not sure how fun it would be to watch his one-sided losses, but it's not like he minded, he tried to learn from his failures, and Ivory was good about telling him what he could have done better. In the end it came down to luck and how terrible his pokerface was.

[FreckersFrog]

Cora, her mouth full of food, let Akane wipe her cheek and then smiled, cheeks puffed out. She covered her mouth as she thanked her friend, at least she had remembered to do that. After swallowing, she added, "I'm sorry, I know I should slow down." Her cheeks turned slightly pink as she glanced at Geralt.

Geralt, feeling Cora's eyes on him for just a moment, looked at Cora and said, "There is nothing more enticing than a woman with a healthy appetite." He winked at her, and delighted in her giggle, before turning his attention back to Aurel.

He placed a hand on the young man's shoulder briefly, "Ach, unsinn! Alle fähigkeiten können trainiert werden. Why don't I help you, while I'm here? Who knows, maybe I'll learn something from the two of you." He glanced at Ivory, his expression darknening only slightly as he looked at her, "What's the game?" Whether she liked it or not, she had his company, at least until he lost interest in their game.

As Illyana finished washing the dishes, she noticed Lucien had taken over keeping inventory. Although this annoyed her, as it was her responsibility, this was her opportunity to speak with him while the others were distracted. She shimmied over to where he was and leaned in speaking, quietly but not whispering so as not to draw attention. "At least we can count on Ivory to keep him at a distance...Will you be around, later? There are a couple of things I wanted to discuss with you." There were still details about Geralt that she wanted to share from the night of their meeting. Although this was no urgent business, she wanted to keep Lucien appraised of all of the information she had on the Magician.

[xivyxx]

Akane nodded in agreement. "He's right! Just enjoy your food, that's really what matters." She told her with a smile.

Aurel almost tensed as he felt Geralt's hand on his shoulder, but managed to stay relaxed since it had only been brief contact. He wasn't really used to strangers touching him, and he wasn't a big fan of it, but it hadn't been enough to fully make him uncomfortable.

"Sure.. if you want.." He said, not really seeing the harm in it, though he was sure Ivory would much rather be without his company, still, if he was here watching them play cards, then it meant he wasn't somewhere they couldn't keep an eye on him. "I'm not sure what you could learn from us but.. the reason why I'm not very good is because my pokerface is quite bad." He told him, figuring he might as well get that out there now.

Ivory did not look at Geralt as he spoke, despite her silence and seemingly lack of interest in everything that came out of her mouth, she could tell that he was very particular about the way he spoke to people. The transition was so smooth that it would probably be hard for the others to notice if they weren't paying attention, but every word was chosen with intention, it made it hard to trust anything that came out of his mouth, not that she had any intention to. She knew his game.

"Poker. Without betting, that would not be fair since he's still learning." She said, before she began to deal Aurel his two cards and took her own, glancing at them briefly. A nine and eight of clovers. Not a bad start for herself.

Aurel raised his eyebrows slightly as he picked up his cards. A Queen of Hearts and a King of Spades. That was definitely a high start for him, one of his luckier draws, if he could get the cards to work in his favor. Still.. that usually was not the case. They skipped the betting phase, and Ivory went straight to placing the three cards up on the table, the six of hearts, the Queen of diamonds, and the seven of clovers. Now that was something Ivory could work with. Based on Aurel's expression when he glanced at his cards, she could tell that he had probably gotten high cards. She'd keep that in mind.

Lucien glanced down at Illy as she spoke, marking off some more of the things on the list. "Indeed.. though he seems like a man who likes a challenge.." That much was obvious simply based on the interactions they had seen.

"Of course, just let me know when you wish to speak with me." He said, pausing for a moment before looking back down at the girl. "Did you stay up again? Make sure to get proper rest this time, no staying up." He lightly scolded her, though he was unsure of how much his words would be heeded.

[FreckersFrog]

Cora nodded at Geralt and smiled to Akane before she continued to eat, her spirits definitely rising with each passing interaction. She preferred this, to be surrounded by pleasant people and busy herself with things as opposed to sitting alone in her trailer all throughout the day. Hearing that Aurel and Ivory were about to play cards was also very interesting, she hoped she would be allowed to stay and watch too.

Geralt smiled at Aurel and shrugged, then glanced around, "I don't see much else going on around here, and this is certainly more interesting than the front page today." He pushed the newspaper he had been reading to the side. "Besides, there are lessons everywhere, Aurel, you just have to know where to look." He winked at the young man knowingly before turning to Ivory. "Aah...that makes sense. Let's see if we can't change that, hm?" He asked, his eyebrow cocked high. He was certainly intrigued in this game, it was not something he needed to pretend about. A chance to watch Ivory's pokerface would do him some good anyway, and maybe his presence would throw her off just enough to let something slip.

He watched Ivory deal, saw Aurel's hand, and watched Ivory's face carefully as she looked down at her cards. As expected, she was quite good at not betraying her hand. There was little anyone could hide from him, however. After a moment, he heard the whisper in his head An 8 and 9 of clubs.... A solid hand for Ivory, but Aurel's had more potential. Geralt almost let his lip twitch as he saw Aurel's eyebrows raise and a slight smile touch him. He was not exaggerating, he had an absolutely awful pokerface. Geralt could work with it though, he knew what to do, he just had to learn how to do it. Before giving any advice, he decided to just watch their game to see what it could tell him about the players.

Illyana nearly scoffed at Lucien and his comment, but settled for rolling her eyes slightly with her back to Geralt. "That's an understatement..." she said quietly to herself. It was clear from this morning's interaction that Geralt was not about to take Ivory's indifference lying down. He was aggressive, to say the least, but to Illy's ear the two seemed to be evenly matched in wit. It was hard to imagine them getting along...ever.

At Lucien's next comment, Illy's cheeks turned slightly pink and she looked down at the dish she was drying. It was true, she had done a little more research, but Lucien knew she couldn't sleep thinking there was knowledge out there for her that she didn't have. "Whenever you're free, I'd like to do it as soon as possible." She paused a moment and gingerly set the dish down before shrugging, slightly guilty, "I know, I know, I just did some light reading before bed. Just recreational...you know it helps me sleep." Illyana was careful to be sure there was no lie in her words.

[xivyxx]

Aurel glanced at Geralt and simply nodded. "If you say so.." He said, before glancing back at the cards as Ivory placed another card on the table. The three of clovers. His eyebrows furrowed ever so slightly, since that card was not useful to him. By then he knew that even if he had high cards, the likelihood of him being able to do anything with them were quite low. He normally would have folded, but just decided to see what the next card would be.

Ivory's expression was blank as she placed the three on the table, it was useless to her, but it was easy to not show it. She turned slightly, glancing over her shoulder. For a moment it had felt like something had been watching her. Had she been imagining it? She shook it off, and placed her attention back on the game. She could tell that this card didn't work for Aurel either as he motioned for her to put in another card, which she did. Eight of Diamonds. She already had an eight, but at least it had been nice to have a pair as a backup. It was then that they revealed their cards.

"You win." Aurel said, gathering the cards to shuffle this time.

"Remember what I said yesterday about your eyebrows?" She said with a small chuckle. It was really something he had to work on.

"I know, I just kind of forget in the moment.." He muttered before dealing the next set of cards. This time he got a Jack of Diamonds and a Nine of Spades, while Ivory got the Jack of Hearts and the Ten of Spades. The three cards he placed on the table were the Two of hearts, Seven and Queen of Diamonds. This round could really go either way, but Aurel seemed unsure.

He set another card down, the King of Spades, and the last one was the Four of Clovers. Neither of them could do much with those cards, but it ended up being Ivory's win because she held the Queen.

If Lucien had to guess, whatever Illy had to talk to him about was probably related to Geralt. "Then we can talk after I finish this. Since everyone seems busy at the moment." Perhaps the game of cards would keep Geralt distracted for a while.

"I'm aware, but there's a fine line between what some would consider light reading. Be sure to get proper rest tonight. You need all the energy you can get." He said, despite the fact he was technically scolding her, he tried to keep his tone light. He just knew how Illyana was.

[FreckersFrog]

Geralt watched the two as they folded and played another round. It was clear after only watching twice that not only was Ivory the luckier of the two, she had a far better poker-face than Aurel. Every time he drew, the result was plain to see in the look on his face. Geralt nearly winced when he laid down the King of Spades. After the second hand, he became antsy, and the toe of his boot gently tapped the dirt beneath them. Aurel's pokerface was awful, that was for sure, but he could certainly be worked with.

"She's right about your eyebrows, junge, not to mention your tongue." During the entirety of the game, as Aurel concentrated on what would come next, the tips of his small split tongue would peek out from between his lips like a snake. It made sense, given his act and his affinity with the serpents. He had to be some sort of half-breed as had been guessed before. Akane had animal ears and tails, but Aurel's features were much more subtle. Geralt would need to do some research before he pegged him down. "But these are things to work on," he added, remembering not to defeat the boy too early and gracing him with a smile, "The harder you think about hiding it, the more you show your tell. You have to make it subconscious...effortless, verstehen?"

Illyana nodded, satisfied with Lucien's answer. She merely leaned against the basin, watching him tick off items on the inventory list. "I will," she said, "I promise." before she turned back to the table to retrieve the other's dishes.

[xivyxx]

At the mention of his tongue, Aurel's cheeks became a little red, and he instinctively covered his mouth. He hadn't even noticed that he did that when he was focused, because it simply came natural to him, he couldn't help but feel that this would make him feel more self-conscious about it, even if Geralt was telling him to make it subconscious. This was quite.. complicated.

"I understand.. Es hört sich einfach schwierig an." He said, despite his words though, his tone wasn't defeated. He did want to learn, he knew just it would take some effort.

"Relaxing a little will probably help, you're too tense." Ivory commented. Despite her annoyance with Geralt's presence, she wasn't going to deny his words when it came to helping Aurel, she also wanted the man to improve. As she spoke, she passed out the cards again, receiving the Ten of Hearts and Eight of Diamonds.

Aurel on the other hand, received the Queen and Jack of clovers, and as Ivory set down the three cards in the middle, he could not help the excitement that shined in his eyes, even if he made an attempt in controlling the motion of his eyebrows. It was the Five and Ten of Clovers, and the Ace of Spades, which Ivory had placed down a little more aggressively than she had intended. If he could just get a King, then it would mean his victory.

It was easy for Ivory to recognize that look in Aurel's eyes, especially after the three cards had been set. The next card was a Nine of Clovers, and his expression didn't change, because his odds were still good. Clearly his hand was too good for her to beat.

"I fold." She said, mostly to prove a point, his expression had given it away again.

Despite being happy with his victory, he felt like he had lost, because he still hadn't been very good at keeping his expression neutral.

"Practice makes perfect, Aurel." She attempted to encourage.

Akane glanced up at Illy as she came to take their plates away. "Thank you, Illy! Should I help you dry?" She asked, smiling up at the girl.