Carrier Messaging Rates May Apply

[Gizmo]

September 12, 2015
Cline Building, Freedom League Special Circumstances Housing

"I do not care what thy do," Sekhmet growled irritably, pacing to the far end of the small apartment she shared with her ofttimes irritating charge and rubbing either side of her head. "Merely cease wringing they hands as though a smitten scribe initiate!"

Perched with his feet on the armrest of their couch, Set sniffed the air with a frown. "I'm hardly wringing my hands, Sekhmet, I merely wish to observe to correct etiquette. Our previous encounter ended... less well than I might have hoped. I'm unsure of the proper waiting period before tis proper to reopen communications!"

The lioness goddess snorted. "Praise Ra should today be that day. I cannot stand to sit through another week of thy pouting over the boy not contacting thee first."

"Set does not pout, Mistress of Dread," the godling protested, looking back down to his phone with a glower. "Nor does he sit idly! I shall message Huang forthwith!" Sekhmet waved a hand over her head in sarcastic celebration while the redheaded Heliopolian typed.

 Heeeeeey handsome ;p   
 How fare you??? >

[angrydurf]

Huang had managed to beg off going home for the weekend, though still expected on pain of involuntary teleportation to attend the Chun family dinner the next evening.  Thus when his phone buzzed with texts he eyed it somewhat warily where it lay on his desk, It could after all be his parents recanting, then again it could have been one of his classmates (It was perhaps too early to say friends as he had offended or frightened the bulk of the new students, sometimes both)  What he was not expecting was the cordial response from Set who he was certain would want nothing to do with him after the last humiliating experience.  

Not that he wasn't more than pleased, he'd been hoping the deity hadn't found his juvenile display utterly distasteful and soured the relationship irrevocably, he just hadn't had great confidence in such.  He looked at the message trying to parse hidden meaning from it for several long moments then set the phone down and counted carefully to thirty so as to not appear too eager.  Picking it back up and re-reading the message he carefully picked up the phone and picked out a reply.

 

Hey you

Much better than I was a minute ago

 

That should do it, not too eager and yet still flirty wouldn't due to sound desperate after all, the allusion that he'd evaded going home for the weekend to do grander things than sit alone in his room must be maintained.

Edited October 2, 2015 by angrydurf

[Gizmo]

"There, positive enough, surely," Sekhmet observed, looking over Set's shoulder despite her stated lack of interest, having returned from their kitchen alcove with a hot mug of something dark red with a suspiciously coppery odour.

The godling made a harrumphing noise and pulled his bare shoulders tighter together as he looked down at his phone. "You cannot expect him to lead with 'apart from the hallucinations and lack of fine motor skills quite well!' Now let me concentrate, would you?" Pursing his lips he typed:

 Aw, what a smoothie 
 I hope our ~conversation~ did not land you in too much trouble  0:3 

[angrydurf]

"Hmm well that can't be a bad sign."  Huang remarked and glanced at the tome he'd set aside when his phone had alerted him of the message, "What are you looking at?"  he scoffed as the single eye in the center of the book of astral cosmology rolled wildly looking around the room at his words.  The young Dhampir frowned, "Hmm maybe mom's right and I do need to make some more contacts my own age."  he shook it off quickly enough to tap out his reply.

What can I say you bring out the best in me.

He typed then paused thinking to himself, 'too much? Nah' and hit send adding, 

I don't even know, they were mad but no real trouble from it.

Maybe we have to try harder

[Gizmo]

 Methinks ~I'M~ meant to be the bad influence here, handsome 
 . . . 

Set had gotten halfway through writing something to the affect of asking how hard Huang had been suggesting they try when Sekhmet intoned an emphatic, "Nay."

The godling frowned, pausing from his typing to tilt his head backward and look up at the taller Heliopolian looming over him. "Eh? Sekhmet, I'm only--"

"I like the Chosen of Heshem, liesmith," the warrior goddess interrupted sternly, glaring down at Set's upside down face. "What would she think to see thee leading her heir to wanton acts? I would not see strife brought against her house."

"I hardly think I'm doing all the leading here," Set countered, grinning in his uniquely infuriating manner. "Come, do not attempt to canopic block a player." Sekhmet made a feline sound of disgust and rubbed both eyes with the heels of her palms as though trying to grind that particular image away and Set too the opportunity to type:

 I'm glad my blood was not too much for you to handle after all 
 You were so good at handling other things... ; ) 

[angrydurf]

Huang looked down at the reply and spent a long anxious moment as the dread trio of dots taunted him.

When the rest of the message appeared Huang let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.  He smiled at both the glib response and seemingly earnest concern.  He was of course still worried his inability to hold his blood was going to be at issue the episode standing tall in his memory of recent embarrassments.

Oh?  I thought you were reformed Oh lord of vipers ;P

Too much?  damn text was infuriatingly lacking in contextual clues.

Sorry about that...

You are a lot to handle though I'm equal the task at hand

[Gizmo]

 Always with the snakes 
 SIGH 

At some point Set was probably going to have to accept that he was never going to entirely shake the association with his elder self's preoccupation with serpents. He supposed there was only so much he could expect from someone who went around telling people to call him Ouroboros. Certainly wouldn't stop him from giving Huang a hard time about it, regardless. Glancing back upward he requested, "Some privacy, mayhaps, Mistress of Dread?" When Sekhmet growled in warning the godling added, "Very well, but you cannot be upset should you read something over my shoulder you cannot unread..."

Grumbling, Sekhmet stepped back away from the couch to take a seat at their kitchen counter. "Thou shall not be sneaking away anywhere this time," she warned, splitting her attention between her charge and her mug.

Rolling his eyes, Set focused on his phone again.

 Always a pleasure to leave myself in good hands 
 Might you be amenable to picking up where we left off, then...? 

He let out a slow, calming breath as he hit send. Every indication was that Huang was very much interested, he reminded himself. There was no use letting past rejections make him too wary to try again and even if the answer was negative, why should Set care? He proceeded to chew on his lower lip rather than form the answer to that question into words.

[angrydurf]

Huang winced as the admonishment over the snake reference was less than well received.  He looked down at the phone for a long moment glad he did not reply too quickly as the message that followed was of far more interest than continued snake jokes.  He tapped out several messages without sending then set his phone down and stared at it like particularly tricky math problem to be solved before retrieving it to type his more restrained response.

Well My Parents did forbid it

So amenable doesn't even begin to cover it

Where do you want to meet?

[Gizmo]

Set flicked his gave in Sekhmet's direction only to find her watching him right back with narrowed, golden eyes. Hastily turning back to his phone he mulled over a response. He hadn't been feigning his interest in resuming his impromptu liaison with the dhampir but part of him wondered if he shouldn't play things a little cooler. The selfie he'd left on Huang's phone had seemed like a pretty clear message but he'd still needed to initiate the conversation again; did that matter? Was he coming on too strong? These sorts of things were much easier in person where momentum could carry things along rather than with so much room for analysis and reanalysis. Besides all of that, Sekhmet wasn't actually wrong, annoyingly. He liked Phantom, too, and if she'd forbidden her son from speaking to Set, as much as that stung, he could understand where she would be coming from.

 Don't want to cause trouble with your parents : ( 
 Well 
 With your mother specifically 
 She be rad 
 Your father tis an asshat >: ( 

[angrydurf]

Huang glared down at his phone as he read through Sets reply.  "Dammit"  he cursed at the empty room and glowered for a long moment.  The edge of wrongdoing had seemed like a plus, apparently when one was a Godling wandering prime on dubious grounds angering The Phantom was not flirty fun.  Scale had always been difficult for Huang now he'd have to walk it back in a non-lame fashion.  Staring down thought for a short while then carefully typed out his reply.

Mom tells everyone he grows on you

Though technically he was the one to forbid contact soooo 

Options remain open?

Edited October 5, 2015 by angrydurf

[Gizmo]

 In the manner of a fungus one assumes 

That was probably meaner than he wanted to be, Set realized after he'd already hit send. They were discussing Huang's father, after all, and even if there was obviously friction between the two blood drinkers there was no excuse for fostering resentment among family. Then again, the dhampir wasn't wrong, Set had far fewer compunctions about annoying his father than Phantom. He was already getting quite good at saying what the godling wanted to hear; Set appreciated that.

 Well mayhaps a bending of the rules would be in order 
 I assume your place is out of the question...? 

[angrydurf]

He tries, fails but tries

Huang left it at that as really the least interesting thing to talk to Set about was his parents assorted dysfunctions.  He smiled down at her acquiescence and question and looked around his room shrugged and quickly typed out his reply as he looked out the window considering the grounds littered with teens going about their weekend festivities and the likelihood Set would take at least a year and a day to cross the minefield of selfie and autograph requests.

Depends how confident you are about dodging the Warden and her goons

Also the legions of likely adoring fans littering the sun cursed grounds

 

[Gizmo]

Set looked over the last two lines of text trying to parse out just how serious Huang was trying to be. "Damnable lack of inflection inherent in the medium," he muttered under his breath prompting Sekhmet to rub her eyes wearily and rise from her seat in the kitchen nook and head off to retrieve a pair of weights from her room. She'd never actually needed to train to maintain her strength in Heliopolis, just to hone her skills, and the jury was still out on whether or not the much closer to mortal forms they wore currently could actually build muscle in the traditional manner but she found the exercise and repetition soothing regardless. Set, meanwhile, looked none too soothed himself, chewing on the tip of one thumb.

 You aren't in an ACTUAL prison correct? 
 Not a deal breaker but still good to know!!! 

[angrydurf]

Huang was quite pleased with jest at Summers expense thus was surprised though amused when Set seemed concerned it was in fact accurate.  He stared at the godlings response and quirked a brow as he formulated a clever yet less fraught response.

No no

Boarding School 

Dad reamed them out over my last unsanctioned trip 

so they are on edge

No Roommate but technically not allowed to have girls over because they are basically nazis

[Gizmo]

 . . . 

Set was halfway through writing something about actual Nazis when he smacked himself in the forehead with his free hand. Of course Huang had only ever seen him in person in female form and whether or not he was familiar with the godling's shapeshifting ability of course he'd assume that was the form he was wearing just then. That was just how mortals - or close enough - thought and he was an idiot for not seeing it coming. Would that be an issue for the dhampir? It wasn't as if Set could change forms if he wanted to but just then he didn't want to. Perhaps it was worth it to accommodate Huang. So I might spend the entire encounter uncomfortable and on edge? A poor plan.

Groaning aloud, he pinched the bridge of his nose and stared at the screen. He had to say something, the pause was surely becoming obvious at this point. He looked up at Sekhmet, considering asking her for advice and quickly deciding against it. Hitting his forehead with the heel of his palm a few more times he finally settled on an ambiguous:

 And not-girls? 

[angrydurf]

Huang stared down at his phone and continued to stare.  The ominous three dots blinked back at him like a quiet but elegant and minimalist taunt he set it down and picked it up several times in the short time it took Set to reply.  Huang let out a breath that he may have been holding the entire time, not needing to breath made the whole baited breath thing a bit more extreme in some cases.  Reading over the message he stared down at it trying to puzzle out the meaning long enough it likely caused the god some unintentional angst of his own.

Are fine?

He finally replied and stared at it for a moment longer, 

I said nazis not smart LOL

[Gizmo]

That didn't actually answer Set's actual question but he supposed that was what happened when one didn't deign to ask one's actual question. Obviously a little more directness was in order. Which was fine. Set was all about direct. Set did what Set wanted and didn't care what anyone else thought. Set was also stalling. Sighing an imaginative curse under his breath he tapped away quickly at the display before he could change his mind.

 I meant tis a 'boy day' 
 For me 
 We can reschedule of course if tis an issue 

That was explicit enough, surely, and he'd given Huang a graceful enough out. The rescheduling would probably never happen, of course, but at least everyone would be able to save face. The godling fell forward onto the cough face first, holding the phone at arm's length and burying his face in the couch cushions with an extended groan.

[angrydurf]

Huang looked down at the phone and grinned at the reply well that was a special treat.  He picked it up and quickly fired off his response.

you are full of surprises

And it's not even my birthday

he looked down once more biting his lip as he debated to go further, 

that solves that problem

Claremont Academy EJ Carter Dorm rm 121 

He typed quickly and hit send before he flung the phone to the far side of the bed staring at it like it was dangerous viper as he waited the gods reply

Edited October 10, 2015 by angrydurf

[Gizmo]

Set very nearly fell off of the couch as he arched his back a little too quick and stared down at the lines of text. He read it over three times in rapid succession, trying to catch any bit of sarcasm or alternate intent that he might have somehow missed on the first pass. Really, though, it seemed awfully, wonderfully direct. But really, who could fail to fancy Set in any form he mused as he sat up, allowing himself a little burst of returning confidence.

 So imagine what your birthday will be like 
 Give me a moment to speak with my of warden handsome 

Looking over the back of the couch the godling began, "Sekhmet, I--"

"Nay," came the terse reply as the goddess continued her workout without even looking up.

"Nay, listen--"

"Nay."

 Mayhaps several moments 

[angrydurf]

Looking at Sets reply Huang smiled cheekily, "Ha that went well." he barked quiet pleased and glared at the wild eyed tome on the far end of hte bed, "What do you know anyway."  he mused as he shoved the book back into the jumbled mess of his space in the void.

He picked his lips and sent off a fast reply,

Do I need to portal over and steal you away?

Edited October 11, 2015 by angrydurf

[Gizmo]

A sly smile spread across Set's face at the suggestion. Fortunately Sekhmet still wasn't bothering to actually look up from her arm curls and missed the unsubtle cue that something of which she did not approve was about to happen.

  Now there be a delightful idea 
 Yes please! 

Sliding off of the couch and stretching nonchalantly, the godling sauntered over to a more open spot in the apartment where there was nothing to be disturbed by a sudden arrival. Pretending to continue looking at his phone he kept one eye on Sekhmet, resisting the urge to whistle innocently.

[angrydurf]

Huang was straightening a few things in his room in preparation for company that didn't need to see his soiled clothing piled on the floors and quickly shoved the offending articles into the closet before picking up his phone at the tone of a new message. He let out a sharp breath at the reply and kicked himself for perhaps overstating the casual ease with which such was attempted.  He pondered for a moment and nodded to himself as he recalled a spell that might do the trick, it wasn't as familiar as some, more taxing certainly but worthwhile none the less.  He quickly searched through Sets instagram feed for a good shot of the layout of the godlings living quarters and the view from the window as well as the all important location data and concentrated on fixing the location and layout in his mind as he began the low chant to join the locations by a portal through the realms beyond, Hopefully her divine nature wouldn't interfere but that was hardly his fault.

"Lig V Krokhu dni V okamihu" he intoned the words rolling out and forming the frame of the portal as it slowly spun open a gothic arch in the middle of the room through which Set could see Huang chanting as he maintained the workings of the spell and beckoned to the youthful god with a dimpled smile full of promise.  What harm could come of it?  The portal only looked a little steeped in blood magics man was not meant to dabble in.

[Gizmo]

Sekhemt dropped the weights the moment the portal began to appear, eyes narrowing into predatory slits as she crouched into a wary stance. Set, for his part, looked especially pleased, planting his hands on his hips and observing the underpinnings of the spell with the appreciation of a craftsman. Looking over his shoulder toward the scowling goddess he affected an exaggerated look of display. "Oh woe, a sinister portal of completely unknown origin," he cried in a comically flat tone, stepping backward toward the hole in the air. "A mysterious force be pulling me through. Alas. Alack."

Even if she didn't entirely know what was going on, Sekhmet wasn't thick. "Liesmith, do not dare," she growled in warning.

"No, Sekhmet, stay back, save yourself," Set continued to drawl unconvincingly, breaking into a smirk as he stepped through into Huang's dorm room. "And do not wait up."

[angrydurf]

Huang held the portal as Set melodramatically passed through the arcane gate.  As the chaotic deity crossed hte threshold Huang offered an apologetic shrug to Sekhmet and slashed one hand down closing the portal before she too could cross through.  He puffed out a breath as the workings was completed trying his best to cover for the strain it had put him under.  He ambled towards Set then with a pleased smile, "Hey you."  he intoned and reached out to the godling eyes twinkling with mischievous glee, "long time no see."  which wasn't even a little bit true but huang didn't care in the slightest.

Pulling Set into a warm embrace the teen smiled down at him quite pleased with how the afternoon was shaping up, "So what do you want to do handsome?"

[Gizmo]

"An eternity by any measure," Set agreed with a broad smile of perfect, gleaming teeth. Leaning forward to press his bare chest against Huang he tilted his head up and caught the dhampir's grin in a kiss. The godling was trying not to make it obvious but it lacked the aggression of their impromptu makeout session on Heroes' Knoll, an underlying note of probing for permission making the gesture less like a sudden torrential downpour and more like a stillness in the air that suggested the weather might turn either way at any moment. Easing back down onto his heels Set made a show of nonchalantly looking around the room while keeping one eye on Huang's reaction. "Adore what you've done with the place."