( on nights he's not selected to hunt, he prefers to spend his time peacefully. unlike some of the other hunters, he's not particularly interested in playing or socializing; rather, he drinks with one of the colorless guards, lets his fingers glide over the surface of the photographs he's taken recently, or watches the moon, as lonely and permanent as ever. they're hunters; they hardly ever check each other's health, especially after matches, considering they've all been given a considerable advantage over the survivors — though joseph has to admit some of them are peskier than others.
still, when michiko returns from her game, hardly anything within the manor stirs.
it's late — far too late to be lingering about, but joseph has always been restless. sleepless nights spent with wonders of eternity; long, torturous hours mulling over the past, again, and again, and again. but he's a creature of habit: after a few hours of such ordeals, he heads downstairs, to find something to help him sleep, or to keep him awake. he'd hardly call himself a sweet tooth, but he's a noble: he's got refined tastes, and michiko's never failed to deliver. )
My lady, ( always polite, always elegant. she's a sight for sore eyes, at least, among all the monsters and ghosts playing-pretend at being men. ) Perhaps. Some leftovers from earlier are perfectly fine, but — ( he's mostly just looking for wine.
that said, something else catches his attention. )
It's unlike you to linger here. Have you returned late? ( a roundabout way to ask how the match went, maybe. as comfortable as he's gotten with the people here, he's scarcely ever a to-the-point kind of a man. again, habit. 'you've seen better days,' he wants to say, but doesn't; he's a gentleman, after all, and so he avoids commenting on anything that could possibly make her bristle. instead, he quietly gathers some of the scattered cups from the table, lips curving in a small frown. ) One can hardly make a proper living in a mess, no? Allow me to lend a hand.
( he might be a noble, but what of it? a count chased away from his home; a spirit, at best, lingering where he shouldn't, long since abandoning any riches or titles that might have come from his family. no, he's not above cleaning, and she looks tired; he wants to help, because one should never leave a lady to do all the work herself. )
no subject
still, when michiko returns from her game, hardly anything within the manor stirs.
it's late — far too late to be lingering about, but joseph has always been restless. sleepless nights spent with wonders of eternity; long, torturous hours mulling over the past, again, and again, and again. but he's a creature of habit: after a few hours of such ordeals, he heads downstairs, to find something to help him sleep, or to keep him awake. he'd hardly call himself a sweet tooth, but he's a noble: he's got refined tastes, and michiko's never failed to deliver. )
My lady, ( always polite, always elegant. she's a sight for sore eyes, at least, among all the monsters and ghosts playing-pretend at being men. ) Perhaps. Some leftovers from earlier are perfectly fine, but — ( he's mostly just looking for wine.
that said, something else catches his attention. )
It's unlike you to linger here. Have you returned late? ( a roundabout way to ask how the match went, maybe. as comfortable as he's gotten with the people here, he's scarcely ever a to-the-point kind of a man. again, habit. 'you've seen better days,' he wants to say, but doesn't; he's a gentleman, after all, and so he avoids commenting on anything that could possibly make her bristle. instead, he quietly gathers some of the scattered cups from the table, lips curving in a small frown. ) One can hardly make a proper living in a mess, no? Allow me to lend a hand.
( he might be a noble, but what of it? a count chased away from his home; a spirit, at best, lingering where he shouldn't, long since abandoning any riches or titles that might have come from his family. no, he's not above cleaning, and she looks tired; he wants to help, because one should never leave a lady to do all the work herself. )