Room 616 - Revelations?

[7twistedwishes]

The Devil is on the couch, half-brooding, or lounging, or... who knows? Waiting for a guest, maybe.

She is not moving, not bothering with pretending breath or much of mortal seeming. It is a strange night, and far from over.

Comments

[mechanicalswans]

There is a knock at the door. Weyland, still in his uniform, carrying a box with an offering.

[7twistedwishes]

"Come in." She knows who is at the door.

Of course.

[mechanicalswans]

He steps in, closing the door behind him.

"That girl from the bar sends her apologies, and these," he says, nodding to the box. "She seems sincere enough."

[7twistedwishes]

"Oh?" She has no energy to care.

Or to pretend she does. "How nice of her." Or even to put sarcasm on her voice, it sounds bland and empty.

[mechanicalswans]

"Chocolate strawberries, a bottle of Atlantean, and a... well, a note the gist of which is that she hopes I make your night much better."

He sets the box on the table. "I hope I can, also."

[7twistedwishes]

She just pats the empty spot on the couch for him.

They need to talk, but she has no idea how to start.

[mechanicalswans]

He sits down beside her, and reaches to take her hand.

It seems like the right thing to do.

[7twistedwishes]

No, the right thing is to move into his lap and lean to his chest, closing eyes.

That is what she does, see?

[mechanicalswans]

That works also.

He wraps his arms around her shoulders, holding her close.

[7twistedwishes]

"Thank you." She likes to be held, distracts her from the cold and the pain.

[mechanicalswans]

"Are you feeling better?" he asks softly, stroking her hair.

[7twistedwishes]

"Now, I am" In his arms, everything seems better. "Thank you."

[mechanicalswans]

"I'm glad."

He hugs her a bit tighter for a moment. There's something about her, something about her emotions that seems more real than most other people's.

Maybe they are just too much alike.

[7twistedwishes]

She moves closer, lips against his, slipping arms around Weyland's neck. "I am tired of hurting all the time"

[mechanicalswans]

"You don't have to," he whispers. "Not here, not now."

[7twistedwishes]

"I do. I can not separate myself from myself, and I can not stop being who I am. And here, Mortals have the chance to hide behind the rules and sneer at me." She straddles Weyland's lap, clothes shifting again to the slinky red dress of her most devilish persona.

[mechanicalswans]

"Liebchen," he says, "I'm not hiding behind rules nor sneering at you. You are here, and I am here."

[7twistedwishes]

"You are not a mortal, dear." She pokes Weyland's chest.

[mechanicalswans]

"A mortal who has lived far longer than he should've," he says. "Close enough."

[7twistedwishes]

"Still, you are not shinned and hated." She reaches up to massage his neck and shoulders.

"You can still relate to the humans here."

[mechanicalswans]

"They're not exactly fond of me, most of them," he says. "They are distant--they want what they want, same as they always have, and once they have it they've got no more use for me. Except the ones who think they can change me, warm my cold, bleak heart."

[7twistedwishes]

"Use them." She laughs a bit, kissing Weyland's chin. "Use them discard them and make them grateful they were used and discarded."

"Foolish mortals, they do not realize you need true fire to warm a cold, bleak heart..." Is she offering?

[mechanicalswans]

"I'm just lucky no one has complained about me so far," he says. "I have effectively kidnapped two women, and come very close to it with others. But they get their reward, and they get to live."

He kisses her on the cheek. "There would need to be a heart, first, for them to warm it..."

[7twistedwishes]

"You can have mine. I have not used it in long, long centuries, dozens of them." She is warm, and leans close, draping herself over Weyland.

[mechanicalswans]

"Mmmmm..."

He places a hand over her heart.

"And what would you want done with it?"

[7twistedwishes]

"Anything you wanted. I have many, I am Legion, and the fire goes along us all, making us what we are."

"Anything you wanted... taking it would never hurt me."

[mechanicalswans]

"I've been doing experiments," he murmurs, tracing with one finger the outline of where her heart is. "To see what various kinds of heart substitutes do..."

[7twistedwishes]

"Try one of mine." She smirks. "You can be great with metal, but I am the mistress of flesh... I can just raise a new avatar if you take this one for experiments."

[mechanicalswans]

"I have a body at home," he says. "She has no mind--she was in a coma when I got her--but she is doing quite well with her substitute heart."

[7twistedwishes]

"I can lend you a soul to distill and trim down to a mind you can educate later?" She is so helpful...

[mechanicalswans]

"I'm experimenting with hearts first," he nods. "When I've chosen the best one, a mind might be a good idea. For now, I'm keeping her as simple as possible."

[7twistedwishes]

She nods, turning around to plant her firm, perfect derrière on his lap, and lean back to his chest. "Hmm, very scientific..."

[mechanicalswans]

"I try to be."

He leans back a bit, arms around her, holding her close.

"It keeps me out of trouble... for the most part."

[7twistedwishes]

She likes that. "Trouble can be fun. I have been pondering creating a different persona to be here... change my looks, maybe possess someone..."

[mechanicalswans]

"I can do you one better," he says with a small smile. "You can shape the appearance of others as well as yourself, yes?"

[7twistedwishes]

"Yes, I can, why?" She tilts head back, looking up at Weyland.

[mechanicalswans]

"Then let's trade places for a few days," he says. "You can see how it is to blend in with mortals, and I can see how it is to be a woman."

A pause.

"Teja and I were discussing it earlier. It's something I've never done."

[7twistedwishes]

She blinks at him, and laughs. "Oh, that is a good idea..."

"Starting now?"

[mechanicalswans]

"...well, I've got no other plans," he says. "Unless you do. It would only be for a few days."

[7twistedwishes]

"Seven days." She likes the number seven. "Deal?"

[mechanicalswans]

"Seven days," he says. "As long as I'll be changed back at the end of that time... and as long as you help me break in my new shape..."

[7twistedwishes]

She just grins, kissing him lightly. "Deal... ready?"

[mechanicalswans]

He takes a deep breath, and nods. "Ready."

[7twistedwishes]

It is a bit like vertigo... The Devil kisses him, there is the sensations of falling, hen a jolt of warmth, and...

They are changed. "Hmm, I look good."

[mechanicalswans]

...a very strange feeling.

And a very strange sight, for Weyland.

"I'm not entirely sure about how I look," he says. "How I normally look, that is. I'm sure I'm quite beautiful now."

[7twistedwishes]

The Devil laughs, with Weyland's voice, picking the petite woman up easily by the waist. "Dear, you look great..." He kisses her neck, grinning. "Good enough to eat, or to stay awake all night long with."

[mechanicalswans]

She smiles, though nervously, trying to get used to the...

Very strange feeling.

She looks down at her hands, flexing her fingers carefully.

"...stay awake, I would think. Better than eating."

[7twistedwishes]

"And in the morning, I will have to educate you in dressing, sitting, walking and being me..." He nods, carrying Scarlet to the big bed.

"And you will see how amazing being s woman can be..."

[mechanicalswans]

"And I will teach you--well, I can't teach you forgework, and if anyone wants a commission you'd be best off having them come back later, but there isn't much to it."

But that's for tomorrow.

For tonight? Weyland and his scientific mind are determined to explore the new body.