Re: This is Not a Date

[Rendaz "Flammy"]

"Worry?" He couldn't stop himself from cracking up into snickers at merely the idea of it. "Simply put, if I were to worry about you, it'd be about anythin' but your pride."

Leaving the vague implication where it was, he turned his eyes towards the professor, observing his reaction from his most recent jab. Undeniably, the statement had been uttered for no reason other than blatant curiosity. He wondered, was the raptor was proud enough to flat out deny that anyone would find him less than favourable? He certainly didn't seem the kind to merely shrug his shoulders and give in, anyway.

Then, at the question, he merely raised his brows ever so slightly, guarding whatever thoughts brewed in his mind under a carefully nonchalant expression. There was no reason to lie, but it also depended on just how much truth he wanted to spill. How far he felt like going with it.

"For a start, I like someone who knows when to shut up." He smirked. "Someone who knows where they stand. Someone who don't whine or complain. Someone who doesn't stick their nose where it don't belong."

He paused, before giving him an innocently curious glance. "Why, would you happen to know anyone like that?" Who said the teasing couldn't be two-way?

[Odqura]

A small length of dried vine fell from the ceiling of the cave Od watched it burn up in the lava while he took a moment to roll the response he'd gotten over in his head. When he turned his eyes back on Rendaz, he was peering contemplatively through lowered lashes.

"I'm sure I know a great many people like that. There's even myself - hypothetically of course. I know when to shut up..." The sentence trailed for a brief moment while he seemed to elaborate in his mind. Only a small, secretive smile hinted that his thoughts had managed to amuse himself. "...When it counts. I certainly know exactly where I stand on a great many things and can be rather stubborn about it. And I never complain." He rolled his eyes like it was unthinkable. "But my nose... Well, who's to tell me where that doesn't belong? But I can be discreet. I could be classified as nearly all of these things and yet, I am not your type. But I suppose I am not passive enough." He sighed quietly like it was a lost cause.

Od pouted for a moment. Some small pebble caught his eye and he reached forwards to pluck it up and went about flicking smaller clumps of dirt from it.

Without removing his eyes from his new task, he announced with certaintly what he thought of Rendaz's choice person, "I think you'd get bored." His tone of voice challenged Rendaz to claim otherwise.

[Rendaz "Flammy"]

Rendaz didn't regard the vine with much more than a dull glance before returning his gaze to Od, tapping his claws on the cavern floor with impatience during the pause. Perhaps it was an intentional attempt to make him feel some sort of discomfort - even the dean himself wasn't sure.

As Od ran through his conditions like a checklist, the look Rendaz gave him was almost piteous, if it weren't for the fact that he could barely hide the tiny grin of amusement.

"Bored?" He scoffed. "Of course I would. I do not 'enjoy' their company." The word was emphasized as if it were a thing of loathing. "They are not a 'friend'. I have absolutely no respect for them. I know them only for a few days, and happily, I'd never see them again. That's my type."

Red eyes skimmed over his colleague once again, as if to check him out. "You are not my type," he confirmed, averting his gaze away, feigning disgust.

[Odqura]

The almost piteous glare was not lost on Oqura and he pointedly ignored it and plucked more instently at his pebble's clinging clod of dirt. Why would Rendaz feel the need to pity him? It wasn't like he was desperate. Was his flirting coming off as desperate?

Rendaz's elaboration confused Od, who was unable to wrap his mind around how any of this could qualify as a desirable 'type'. The forrow in his brow said he had a retort but was patiently holding his tongue until Rendaz was through. When he turned his head to look back at the ruckarl, Od was admitably caught off-guard at the sight of the faint grin.

He wasn't Rendaz's type. Eyes widened with understanding, and suddenly Od was very embarrassed that he'd had to have it practically spelled out for him. And then there was a feeling, and he recognized that feeling. Was Rendaz checking him out? Od was used to being checked out, but now it made him want to fidget; it was pleasantly uncomfortable because, he realized, with Rendaz he had come to not expect it. Embarrassment was smothered quickly enough by the most ridiculous bubble of glee that rose up in his chest and forced his lips to curl into a smile. But he of course was quick to school his features and hide any sound that may have tried to become a 'squee', into a small haughty cough. He donned his best mock-frown and directed it back at the little rock held in his fingers.

"Well! I suppose that you aren't my type either." The stubborn tone was battled by the furtively elated side-glances he couldn't help but shoot his colleague.

And if he really did think about it, Od's type was usually rich and lavish with a posh haircut and designer clothes, who would dote and buy expenssive gifts until Od met someone new and a little refreshing or decided to change cities. Rendaz really wasn't his typical type - despite his marvelous coloring. And then he recalled why he'd ever gone after him in the first place.

"Ndale dared me to try and seduce you, before you and I hardly even knew each other. It's a game we used to play." His tone was level and delivered with an air of false confidence, and shook his head at the memory. "I'd completely forgotten."

Od glanced at Rendaz again with a small bit of worry that he tried to hide behind a mask of mild amusement. There was always a chance this tidbit would anger his companion even though Od really had forgotten some time ago. "I suppose telling you before succeeding means the game's over and I've lost. That's not to say I'm about to stop trying, mind you..."

[Rendaz "Flammy"]

Out of the corner of his sight, Rendaz tried to keep an eye on the other professor, taking an interest in his reaction. He didn't miss his colleague's embarrassed reaction - unexpected to him, for he'd rarely seen the dean in any undignified state. As quickly as it were there, it went, replaced with the more entertaining of his reactions - that little excited little smile that he was clearly trying to supress. Merely seeing that widened his own grin.

His little remark was taken as merely a small rebuttal of his previous words, at which he waved it off with nothing more with pretend scoffing. It was his later claim that made him turn his head completely, surprise in his expression. And he knew, deep down, that he shouldn't have been surprised at all. This was entirely expected from the 'terrible two', as he knew fine well enough. It was a revelation that he had to process in his mind for a little more than a few moments - he'd already obtained his own theories on what sparked Od's interest, and a 'dare', sadly enough, wasn't one of them.

As he finished, he gave a slow, uncertain nod, tring to maintain his faltering grin. "No... I didn't think you would." Then, after a moment of consideration, he chuckled to himself. "Well, I suppose this whole setup," he gestured to the pool of lava, "was just another ploy to seduce me, ey?" He didn't pause for an answer. "Or what about those promotions? Those gifts? The compliments?"

His grin was wry - no, after all this time, he didn't think Od was really trying to find a way to slither into his pants. At least, it was probably not his first and foremost goal. Idly crossing his legs over, he continued. " So, how many other lucky suckers have you enticed with that game?" His head tilted with genuine curiosity. "How many hearts have you broken?"

[Odqura]

The fact that Rendaz seemed to find his embarrassment amusing made the slip-up more acceptable. And Od was able to relax again when the other dean didn't throw a fit or anything at the newest revelation.

"This?" The clarification was rhetorical as Odqura's eyes followed the movement of Rendaz's hand gesturing towards the pool. "No, not really. I mean, I really did just want to find you something.." He shrugged one shoulder thoughtfully, "well, impressive, I suppose." Then he waved off his own response with a roll of the eyes like it was unimportant - because it was too maudlin a sentiment for comfort. Then he tacked on coquettishly, "Of course, you won't hear me rejecting if this is what does the trick."

He shot Rendaz an amused glare with a raised brow. He didn't know whether the dean could be fishing for reassurances or if he was merely indifferently curious. But honesty seemed to be going well so far, he decided to continue in that manner. "Yes, of course the others were ploys, but a ploy can be earnest in it's origin, can't it? And if I hadn't offered you a promotion, you were about ready to leave the island all together and I couldn't allow that before I'd had a good shot." His eyes lingered leisurely over Rendaz's arm and chest, and he smirked appreciatively. "You really are gorgeous."

To himself, Od admitted that the ruckarl was probably the most exotic interest he'd gone after - how many lizard men did one get the opportunity to meet? A mockingly exasperated escaped him at the thought of 'other lucky suckers' and wrinkled his nose with a frown. "Oh, hundreds, surely," he openly exaggerated. "It will probably please you to know that you've been the most stubborn yet."

[Rendaz "Flammy"]

The snide little smile never left his face as Od spoke. Well, he'd hit the nail on the head with not only 'impressive', but 'undeniably and unequivicly useful'. And the ruckarl was not the kind to be easily impressed, having developed a cynical eye to most things.

The glare was recieved with but an innocent little glance at the roof of the cavern, tutting slightly under his breath. "A ploy is a ploy," he idly muttered, not intending it as a real comeback. "I don't see why you cling to this place like it's somethin' special. At a glance, you'll see a refuge, education, and all sorts of mythical whatnots. Pull back the skin and you'll find a festerin' cesspit as worse as any human civilisation. Authority don't change that at all." He took a small, flame-tinged breath. "But your little ploy worked anyway. Honestly, I don't think I'll ever understand." With a rusty chuckle, he shook his head.

"I take your compliments with a grain of salt, Od." A smile inched at his lips. "The last person to call me gorgeous locked me in a cell for two years."

With little more explanation to add to that, he merely raised a brow at his latter words, putting an arm to the side to lean upon. "Oh, I'm notorious for being stubborn with these things, truly." His grin turned devious. "You're not offended, are you?"

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