Fic - Signet/Echo - some general softness
May. 26th, 2019 09:55 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lady_mabI wrote this??? way back ago shortly after the episode with ballad and the even+cascabel(+echo) date was released. I've just been thinking about them lately so!! I wanted to repost it!!! (I think it's on tumblr? I don't even know)
Echo found Signet kneeling in the center of the room, head bowed and hand moving the comb through her hair at a steady pace. She hummed as she worked, and the light on her communicator blinked in rhythm.
Unwilling to disturb her, they lifted a hand and knocked softly on the doorframe.
Signet paused, but didn’t appear startled. “Come in.”
They shuffled in as quietly as they could manage. “Ballad wanted to check that you were settling in okay.”
She set down the comb alongside a set of five fancy pins and a golden circlet, and looked up at them, expression unreadable as always. “I am, thank you.” A beat, then her head cocked to the side a fraction. “And you?”
“Me?”
“A lot has happened in a very short amount of time. Are you okay?”
Echo hesitated, and something in their face caused Signet to smile softly. “I’m a lot better than I thought I would be, honestly.”
“That is fair.” She waved a hand to the spot beside her. “Please, sit.” When they opened their mouth to protest, a huff of laughter escaped her and she shook her head. “I insist. You are not interrupting.”
They dropped down onto the ground and crossed their legs, trying to keep their posture upright to match hers. They watched her pick up the comb again and resume working on her long blonde hair. “How did you know?” they asked after a moment.
They received a sideways glance in response. “I have a way with reading people and anticipating their wants.” Echo couldn’t be sure, but they were certain that the smile that flitted across her face was as close to mischievous as they would ever see on her. But she didn’t explain.
Signet finished the process of combing her hair as they watched with careful scrutiny. Her hands moved with deft precision, twisting one set of strands around another and coiling them at the back of her head. Every move of hers was graceful, methodical. Practiced.
She fit the first pin into place, and Echo held the second out towards her.
Again, that soft, private smile. Signet accepted the pin and slid it into place.
“Do you do this every time you visit a temple?” They hesitated, uncertain of what Ballad had called it. “Church. Shrine. Whatever. Every time you go?”
Signet took the third pin from their outstretched palm. “I do.”
“Is it like… an Excerpt thing?”
When she shook her head, strands of hair fell loose across her forehead and swept down her cheek, but she didn’t bother to fix it. “It is a personal ritual. I find it is a good opportunity to clear my mind and ready myself for what I will learn.” She studied the fourth pin before letting her hands fall back into her lap. The gold flickered in her grip as she turned it idly between her fingers.
“Oh… I see.” They held out the final pin, and she regarded it for several seconds.
And then, to Echo’s surprise, she asked, “Would you like me to do your hair?”
“I…” They lifted a hand to toy uncertainly with the edges of their hair. The cut was still uneven, as they hadn’t bothered getting it fixed since hacking off most of the length right before their call time from Cascara. New year, new goal, new Echo, they had figured.
But now it felt jagged, unrefined, too-short compared to Signet’s.
Still, they set down the pin and shifted so that their back was to her.
The rustle of fabric reached their ears, and then Signet’s long, cool fingers carded back through their hair. The metal of her comb followed shortly in the wake of her fingers, and Echo closed their eyes as she worked their hair with the same consideration that she showed her own.
She started to hum again as she worked, and Echo could feel themself relax beneath her touch. Signet twisted their hair up and used the two remaining pins to fasten it in place. “There,” she said, satisfied. “I apologize, I don’t have a mirror you can use to see it.”
“That’s fine. I’d be self-conscious about it either way.” They shifted back to face her, and was once again rewarded with her smile.
Signet reached out and cupped their face with one hand, and despite the distance between them, Echo felt it crumble beneath the simple gesture. “Were you planning on accompanying me today?”
“No… I planned on joining Even,” they said, unwilling to hurt her feelings, but she nodded in understanding.
“That makes sense. I would hate for you to be bored if you came with me.” She seemed to be searching for something in their expression, and once she found it, she smoothed her thumb across their cheek and guided their head down.
Signet placed a soft, lingering kiss to their forehead before letting go. “I look forward to hearing about what you learn this evening.”
Echo watched her rise to her feet in one graceful motion. She lifted her circlet over her head and settled it into place.
The final piece in place, her shoulders rolled back and her chin lifted. Even as they watched, unable to look away, it was like seeing her magically transform into someone else entirely. The overhead lights framed her perfectly.
She stood there, ethereal, for a moment. But then her communicator beeped and someone started shouting from down the hall and the illusion crumpled like paper.
“That would be my ride,” Signet said, stooping over to scoop up her comb and communicator. “I’ll see you this evening then.”
“Yeah.” Echo watched her leave. She reached the doorway when they called after her. “Hey, thanks.”
Signet glanced back over her shoulder, a fond expression in place. “Any time, Echo.”
After the sound of her footsteps faded, they lifted a hand to trace the shape of their hair. A small smile of their own sliding into place, they rose to their feet and went off in search of Even.
Echo found Signet kneeling in the center of the room, head bowed and hand moving the comb through her hair at a steady pace. She hummed as she worked, and the light on her communicator blinked in rhythm.
Unwilling to disturb her, they lifted a hand and knocked softly on the doorframe.
Signet paused, but didn’t appear startled. “Come in.”
They shuffled in as quietly as they could manage. “Ballad wanted to check that you were settling in okay.”
She set down the comb alongside a set of five fancy pins and a golden circlet, and looked up at them, expression unreadable as always. “I am, thank you.” A beat, then her head cocked to the side a fraction. “And you?”
“Me?”
“A lot has happened in a very short amount of time. Are you okay?”
Echo hesitated, and something in their face caused Signet to smile softly. “I’m a lot better than I thought I would be, honestly.”
“That is fair.” She waved a hand to the spot beside her. “Please, sit.” When they opened their mouth to protest, a huff of laughter escaped her and she shook her head. “I insist. You are not interrupting.”
They dropped down onto the ground and crossed their legs, trying to keep their posture upright to match hers. They watched her pick up the comb again and resume working on her long blonde hair. “How did you know?” they asked after a moment.
They received a sideways glance in response. “I have a way with reading people and anticipating their wants.” Echo couldn’t be sure, but they were certain that the smile that flitted across her face was as close to mischievous as they would ever see on her. But she didn’t explain.
Signet finished the process of combing her hair as they watched with careful scrutiny. Her hands moved with deft precision, twisting one set of strands around another and coiling them at the back of her head. Every move of hers was graceful, methodical. Practiced.
She fit the first pin into place, and Echo held the second out towards her.
Again, that soft, private smile. Signet accepted the pin and slid it into place.
“Do you do this every time you visit a temple?” They hesitated, uncertain of what Ballad had called it. “Church. Shrine. Whatever. Every time you go?”
Signet took the third pin from their outstretched palm. “I do.”
“Is it like… an Excerpt thing?”
When she shook her head, strands of hair fell loose across her forehead and swept down her cheek, but she didn’t bother to fix it. “It is a personal ritual. I find it is a good opportunity to clear my mind and ready myself for what I will learn.” She studied the fourth pin before letting her hands fall back into her lap. The gold flickered in her grip as she turned it idly between her fingers.
“Oh… I see.” They held out the final pin, and she regarded it for several seconds.
And then, to Echo’s surprise, she asked, “Would you like me to do your hair?”
“I…” They lifted a hand to toy uncertainly with the edges of their hair. The cut was still uneven, as they hadn’t bothered getting it fixed since hacking off most of the length right before their call time from Cascara. New year, new goal, new Echo, they had figured.
But now it felt jagged, unrefined, too-short compared to Signet’s.
Still, they set down the pin and shifted so that their back was to her.
The rustle of fabric reached their ears, and then Signet’s long, cool fingers carded back through their hair. The metal of her comb followed shortly in the wake of her fingers, and Echo closed their eyes as she worked their hair with the same consideration that she showed her own.
She started to hum again as she worked, and Echo could feel themself relax beneath her touch. Signet twisted their hair up and used the two remaining pins to fasten it in place. “There,” she said, satisfied. “I apologize, I don’t have a mirror you can use to see it.”
“That’s fine. I’d be self-conscious about it either way.” They shifted back to face her, and was once again rewarded with her smile.
Signet reached out and cupped their face with one hand, and despite the distance between them, Echo felt it crumble beneath the simple gesture. “Were you planning on accompanying me today?”
“No… I planned on joining Even,” they said, unwilling to hurt her feelings, but she nodded in understanding.
“That makes sense. I would hate for you to be bored if you came with me.” She seemed to be searching for something in their expression, and once she found it, she smoothed her thumb across their cheek and guided their head down.
Signet placed a soft, lingering kiss to their forehead before letting go. “I look forward to hearing about what you learn this evening.”
Echo watched her rise to her feet in one graceful motion. She lifted her circlet over her head and settled it into place.
The final piece in place, her shoulders rolled back and her chin lifted. Even as they watched, unable to look away, it was like seeing her magically transform into someone else entirely. The overhead lights framed her perfectly.
She stood there, ethereal, for a moment. But then her communicator beeped and someone started shouting from down the hall and the illusion crumpled like paper.
“That would be my ride,” Signet said, stooping over to scoop up her comb and communicator. “I’ll see you this evening then.”
“Yeah.” Echo watched her leave. She reached the doorway when they called after her. “Hey, thanks.”
Signet glanced back over her shoulder, a fond expression in place. “Any time, Echo.”
After the sound of her footsteps faded, they lifted a hand to trace the shape of their hair. A small smile of their own sliding into place, they rose to their feet and went off in search of Even.
