Unbridled Jealousy

Jude didn't deal with models. That wasn't his thing, and it wasn't his dad's thing, and his experience with Fashion-with-a-capitol-F was more along the lines of going to the nice old Italian tailor on the west side of Halcyon city (Had his dad also owned him? Was that a front?) and getting fitted for something nice to wear.

So when Malara Tor had answered his private tweet with sure, meet me at Theia Modelling at eleven and I'll take lunch, Jude had been expecting... something.

He hadn't been expecting this. He hadn't been expecting what looked like any other generic business, save for the battle axes on the walls, and the sculpture that reminded Jude very strongly of a tank. He was happy he'd dressed semi-professionally, but they definitely stood out. Wind's Respite was there, dressed extremely modestly for the area, and looked distinctly displeased.

"Please tell me this isn't going to be one of those infuriating Regalia matches," she said quietly.

Jude was sort of surprised she remembered him, truthfully. She was the kind of big, powerful person who tended to forget all the people below them, so Jude was distinctly impressed that she had remembered him, even though they'd only met a few times and barely spoken.

He couldn't help but wonder if she could actually hear him thinking about her. He already knew that was something she could do, but reading his mind tended to be... complicated thanks to Giltenn. Popping into his head? even more so.

"Thats me," Jude said, offering a hand for a shake like he'd been taught all those years ago. Wind's Respite gave a polite curtsy to Malara, before glancing at Malara's companion and giving a second... complete with sympathetic smile.

It seemed like neither Regalia was very fond of the goddess.

"I thought we could just do a friendly match," Jude said, glancing briefly to Malara's regalia. "I haven't matched with anyone yet, and your challenge seemed like a good place to start... even if it means I'm starting on the highest difficulty."

Well, it didn't hurt that he'd actually believed it. But she was right - stroking her ego was a dangerous thing.

"Something intellectual," Wind's Respite said from Jude's side. "A more traditional game would be preferred. Someone mentioned playing a video game as a challenge, and..."

They trailed off, but the way they grimaced made it very clear how they felt about that. Even from what little time Jude had known them, he knew that Wind's Respite was a firm believer that the old ways were the best ways.

"A guessing game or something?" Jude said. "Kind of tricky with your powers, but those are the kinds of things I can manage the best." As long as he didn't think boy I sure hope Malara doesn't realize I picked blue, he'd probably be fine.

Jude opened his mouth to protest, because actually that is of very questionable historicity, but then decided against it.

"Sure," he said. "Hangman works for is." Getting into a debate about the finer points of how historically accurate the idea was would win him no favors, and he was trying to make a nice, positive impression on Malara. "So, uh, simple rules. Ten guesses. Hold-" Jude dug around in his bag, pulling out a notebook and uncapping a pen before sketching it out. "Like this. Ten guesses. English only. No names or proper nouns." If he didn't specify, either of them could just pull a non-English word and then there were a million possible options to go through.

"We each do one, and whoever gets the other in the least amount of guesses wins?"

"It suits you," Jude admitted. "Not a word most people would think of."

He tried to be nice. They seemed like the kind of person who'd enjoy a party, so he went with BUZZED. Only halfway through he realized that, oops, she couldn't actually get drunk, so that wasn't... well, as much of a thing.

She reached to six before calling it, with only three letters picked.

"Buzzed," he admitted. "I only realized after the fact that you don't get drunk." He glanced over to her Regalia and giving them a small wave before glancing back at Malara as Wind's Respite looked on with no small amount of scorn. Were they still nervous Jude was going to make her stay?

Not like he could make her.

"Are you getting along with your partner?"