for solomon

[merchantable]

[Another day, another summoning. Life goes on, for Solomon as much as anyone, and even with Goetia defeated, there are still problems that need Servants to solve them.]

Hello, I'm here - Your Majesty?!

[Sorry, Ritsuka, you're her new Master and all, but seeing Solomon in the flesh takes precedence. Sheba's ears wiggle, giving away her delight.]

Comments

[foolswisdom]

I am. So I have to wonder: what sort of price would you put on it?

[ Please. Do you think he has any pride left, after being Roman for ten years. He does not. He is willing to continue playing as hapless as possible to distract her. ]

[merchantable]

If it's free it's free, of course. Now, if it was a k...

[-ahh?! No, no, she can't ask for something like that! Not after they just met again!]

[foolswisdom]

...

[ Oh? His eyes widen for a beat, and then he schools his expression back into something more hapless. How bold! (How cute.) ]

Yes? I can't negotiate with you if you don't tell me your price.

[merchantable]

Ah, ah... B-but sometimes just making an offer gives away your position...

[She's so red right now.]

[foolswisdom]

But I'm already not in a position to make demands. I can only provide, if the lady desires.

[ This is what he has learned, as a human... how to flirt(?). ]

[merchantable]

[Who allowed him to learn this, he has too much power now.]

Um, err, well... maybe... a kiss...?

[foolswisdom]

What was that...?

[ He's leaning a little more into her space now, a knowing smile on his face. Oh no. He's become actually dangerous. ]

[merchantable]

Y-Y-Your Majesty!

[She's going to DIE this is ILLEGAL who let him learn how to flirt???]

[foolswisdom]

Yes?

[ Well, since she's responding this well, he lets himself go as far as to tilt her chin up with one hand. This always works in the dramas, right? ]

[merchantable]

[That's not fair. He's had an entire lifetime to learn how to get smooth.]

Ah, ah... Do I have to say it out loud?

[foolswisdom]

[ Thank you, Meunière and your weakness for bad dramas. Solomon has learned a lot from those. ]

It would be for the best. After all, I'd hate to make assumptions--especially with someone I have such fondness for.

[ He has also... had a lifetime to kind of realize that he can and does have feelings at all, including for other people, both in this current existence and the one where they first met. Amazing. ]

[merchantable]

[Fondness... Solomon has fondness for her...]

A k-kiss?

[foolswisdom]

...

[ Well. She's asked, and he can't help it: a laugh escapes him, a chuckle that is, in fact, deeply fond. No matter how smooth he's been, that doesn't mean he's been insincere about flirting. Of all the women he'd known in his first lifetime, only Sheba has lingered in his mind to now.

(Eventually, she's going to learn they named a key component of Chaldea after her. That'll be an interesting time.) ]

Of course.

[ He leans in. For now, it's almost a polite kiss, a greeting of sorts. They don't need to do anything worse where the children anyone else might see. ]

[merchantable]

[It is a brief, chaste kiss, and it definitely should not fluster her more. But at least they can both agree that being caught by Ritsuka or Jack or someone would be awful, and Sheba pulls away after only a second.

Even despite her embarrassment, her ears wiggle in happiness.]

[foolswisdom]

...

[ He shouldn't do it. He knows he shouldn't, because it would be incredibly rude, and very likely overstepping his boundaries, and he does respect her and her autonomy, but also--

Also, he doesn't actually stop himself when he lifts a hand to pet those ears. Oh no. They're soft. ]

[merchantable]

Kyaaa?!

[They are soft, and also sensitive, and it is very rude to start petting a lady's sensitive parts out of nowhere! Out in the open like this where anyone could see them!

Sheba would like to make a complaint, but also she's kind of melting right now.]

Y-y-you can't just...

[foolswisdom]

Should I stop? But you seem to like it.

[ Also, very unfortunately for him, she's terribly cute when she's flustered like this. Surely he's going to lose the upper hand soon, but for now! For now, he wants to enjoy this. ]

[merchantable]

Wh-when did you become an exhibitionist?!

[Yes, she really likes it. Yes, she's very flustered. Also they're in the hallway and Ritsuka or Mash could walk by at basically any moment.]

[foolswisdom]

A--

[ Well. It was inevitable. He chokes on that, which surely ruins any illusion of being the cool suave one. How the turns tables. ]

I, I'm not anything of the sort, I'm sorry--!

[merchantable]

Th-these things have a time and a place! And that place is not where my Master could see!!

[...she doesn't mind if he does it later, in private, but actually getting her to say that out loud is another matter.]

[foolswisdom]

Now who's the one being bold...?!

[ Let's be honest... if Ritsuka saw them now, she would probably just roll her eyes, instead of being scandalized. Modern teenagers have become truly powerful. ]

She's my Master too, you realize!

[merchantable]

All the more reason for you to behave yourself!!

[This is all his fault!!!

Two rulers renowned for their wisdom, and also complete dumbasses.]

[foolswisdom]

I thought that was what you wanted from me!

[ WITNESS THE COURTSHIP DANCE OF IDIOTS.

Or rather, don't, because he kind of wants to vanish on the spot. For all that some things are wildly different about him as he is now, there are some things that stay the same: he remains a people-pleaser, just... not necessarily in the same degree of capacity as when he'd been king. ]

[merchantable]

Later! In private!

[Like yes she wants him to kiss her senseless but not in the hallway-]