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[cache_coeur]

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”Allô, mon amie! Je ne suis pas disponible pour le moment, mais laissez-moi un message et je vous rapellerai dès que possible! À bientôt!”

CODING

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[maellum]

[Gustave's not the only one she thinks about when shopping. Maelle laughs on an exhale, Sciel's hugs always sure and sincere. They're nice.]

I am technically your student of the cards.

[cache_coeur]

[It’s so good to squeeze Maelle in her arms. She kisses the girl on the temple when she finally pulls back a little.]

You are my student of the cards, and affairs of the heart!

[maellum]

[The kiss makes her smile bashful, and she laughs and is suddenly very interested in examining the new bracelets on Sciel's wrist as if she hasn't seen them before.]

Uh huh. Just for today.

[cache_coeur]

[Sciel grins.]

Oh, really? So I’m expected to milk this for today only?

[maellum]

Milk this? Milk this how, exactly?

[That determines whether she renews her contract!]

[cache_coeur]

[Her embrace tightens again.]

I haven’t decided yet.

[maellum]

Oof.

[She's being crushed!!! Except not really.]

That's so threatening.

[cache_coeur]

Threatening? [There’s some very mild mock-offence there, as she clasps an hand to the back of Maelle’s head and holds it to her shoulder like she’s a baby.] What if I just hugged you until I figured it out?

[maellum]

[Maelle scoffs. What a terrible fate. Her cheek is smooshed against Sciel's shoulder and she feels no shame in letting it stay there. For now.]

You're smart. I don't think you'd take all that long...

[cache_coeur]

[Sciel just chuckles, resolving to hold her there.]

You’re right, I’m very smart. That is why you should take my advice very seriously.

[But she does ease off a tiny bit to ask:]

Do you want to read for anything else?

[maellum]

I do, I do!

[Said with a laugh as she realizes Sciel would be perfectly content holding her in Hug Jail for however long.]

... I don't know. It kinda feels like I shouldn't.

[Or, you know, she doesn't want an awful pull.]

[cache_coeur]

[She hums under her breath.]

Oh? Why not?

[maellum]

Have you ever done a really bad reading? Like... ooh, sorry. Looks like you're going to break both legs tomorrow?

[It feels like a strange invitation.]

[cache_coeur]

[Sciel does ease up on her then, because that is a particularly nervous question.]

I’ve done readings where people weren’t ready to hear that kind of insight into their lives or troubles, but never something like a broken leg or a death omen. It can’t tell you an exact circumstance, Maelle.

[maellum]

That's a relief.

[She pauses, and maybe she should just let her curiosity remain in a little box somewhere. But she can't help it, and she doubts Sciel will tell Gustave. Probably.]

Can you... do a reading about Verso?

[Totally unrelated.]

[cache_coeur]

[She’s a little surprised, but then again, why should she be? She knows Verso has weighed heavily on Maelle’s mind, and she’d be lying if she said he hadn’t been on hers.

(Something about getting under someone to get over someone else, maybe?)

She nods, and she lets Maelle go entirely so she can pick up her deck.]

Of course. Let’s go sit.

[maellum]

[It feels bad to ask, but it's already out. Maelle nods, and heads over to sit at their table.]

Do I need to be specific?

[cache_coeur]

[Sciel follows, sitting down across from her. She sets the deck down on the table.]

Well… are we reading for Verso himself, or how he influences you? You can ask about his character, or how he sees you, or your separation… or anything, really.

[maellum]

I guess I'd like to know about how he sees me.

[She thought they were close, but apparently not.]

[cache_coeur]

[She nods. If the cards have something to say that hurts to hear, then it will be what it is. She shuffles the deck, the cards bending under the press of her thumbs and zipping together, once, and then again. She fans them out.]

Do you want to be the one to pull it?

[maellum]

... sounds like it should be me.

[Might as well put the blame on her own shoulders if the cards don't have anything kind to say. Holding her breath, Maelle pulls a card--but passes it to Sciel rather than looking at it herself.]

[cache_coeur]

[Oh, Maelle. Sciel takes it and flips it.

The card is reversed. Of course it is. A knight on a black horse, both still, as the knight gazes down at the orb in his hands. The Knight of Pentacles. Sciel breathes out. Of course, of course.

She passes the card over.]

The Knight of Pentacles. This Knight is about commitment and reliability, but he’s reversed.

Verso is not following through with his promises, and you’re frustrated by his inconsistency. Sound about right?

[She keeps it there, short; there has to be space for questions, or at the very least a temperature-taking.]

[maellum]

[A knight on a black horse. If given that description without the cards, without the context, she'd think of Verso. Verso, reversed? It fits.]

It does, yeah. What else?

[There's a frown on her face. That's obvious.]

[cache_coeur]

[Sciel’s gaze settles on Maelle’s face.]

For how he sees you… well, this card suggests he is watching you struggle with change. Your resistant prevents you from finding a way out, and so you cling to the familiar. There’s tension and misunderstandings between you, but the card asks him to not turn his head away from you –– someone who matters to him.

[She smiles, a little sadly.]

You know, I still believe what I told you before –– that Verso doesn’t know how to be with people. And I think, if he knew how, he would be here.

[maellum]

[Maelle pointedly keeps her eyes down. She listens, but she doesn't want to meet Sciel's gaze. Sometimes it's just too much. Change. Everything changes. She wonders if the change she's struggling with is Verso or Gustave.

It's always concerning one of them.]

Oof.

[Maelle breathes out. That's more difficult to stomach than her read about love.]