Luceti Appointments

[vor]

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[vor]

He is so astonished at being picked up that he indeed winds up on the ground, winded. Then, he's simply still, trying to figure out what just happened.

[herotypical]

Instinct dropped her down onto his torso, a knee planted firmly on either side of his torso. A hand flattened against his chest -- just in case. Buffy sat there, breath heaving for a moment until...

"Oh, jeez." She drew her hand back as if it had been burned. "I-I'm sorry. Are you alright?"

[vor]

"Yes. Just...surprised." He struggles a bit to sit up, as if the momentum of the fall is still carrying him downward. "Could I...?"

[herotypical]

She rocked back onto her heels -- standing up and off of him. At least she offered an open palm to help him up.

"Here."

[vor]

He looks warily at the offered hand before taking it, carefully measuring her strength as she pulls him up.

[herotypical]

She hauled him up -- and with considerable strength; however, she'd been playing this game long enough to instinctively moderate her power to use only as much as was needed to deliver him expediently to his feet. It was just that other instincts had trumped her when it game to Gregor grabbing for her throat.

Buffy remained sheepish. "Must have eaten my spinach today."

[vor]

"Genetic engineering?"

He keeps his tone neutral.

[herotypical]

"What? No."

She rubbed at the back of her neck with the same hand she just freed from his. "I'm totally anti-plastic-surgery..."

[vor]

"Plastic surgery is reconstructive and doesn't even touch the genotype."

[herotypical]

"...My genotype is just fine, thank you very much."

[vor]

He lets it go. Maybe it's something she's ashamed of. "Okay. What did I do wrong?"

[herotypical]

"You underestimated me. You're in Luceti, now. Even tiny blondes can kick your ass. Expect the unexpected."

[vor]

"It's..." He heaves a sigh. "So I need to be less...Vor."

[herotypical]

"I think that depends on what being Vor really means...?"

Which was an invitation to explain it, of course.

[vor]

"It means a lot of things. I suppose the somewhat sexist tendency toward chivalry is more inherent than it has to be, but in general, we don't hit women."

[herotypical]

"I'd argue that plenty of folks back home are pretty Vor-y too, then. But I'm..."

Buffy shrugged. "I'm hard to hit to begin with. And so are plenty of folks around here. And it's not just that you can't tell whether someone's strong or not. It's also hard to know their allegiances. Their alignments. Here's not the sorta place you want to take anything at face value -- especially not the sorta things you can count on assuming back home."

[vor]

"Believe me, I can afford to assume very little back home." He shakes his head. "It's just...deeply ingrained."

[herotypical]

"Lesson the first?" She smiled. "Ungrain it. And maybe don't go around asking people if they've had their genes fudged with."

[vor]

"...Sorry. A lot of people I've met who have, they're not really ashamed of it."

[herotypical]

"It's not that I'm ashamed, it's...

It's natural. Or as natural as supernatural strength can get."

[vor]

He hesitates, then nods.

"I think...I'll take that at face value, for now."

[herotypical]

"Appreciated. And if you could be a dear and not tell that...friend of yours? I kinda like to be in control of how people find out. It's a me-thing."

[vor]

"You have my word. As Vorbarra, if need be."

[herotypical]

"...Your word as Gregor works just as well, for me."

[vor]

A slight laugh. "It...wouldn't make a lot of sense. Um. My word as Vorbarra is, legally, the most binding contract I could make with you or anyone. I'll give it to you."