be discreet

[msmage]

It's not much later, in Isabella's room, that she asks:

"So... is Alex really a dom?"

Comments

[catalexis]

"Bella, your sub's broken, he doesn't like chocolate, you need to send him in for repairs."

[mrmage]

"I do like chocolate! It's nice."

[catalexis]

"You're like barely eating any."

[mrmage]

"It's just nice, it's not literally the tastiest thing ever," he shrugs.

[catalexis]

"Yeah, what is?"

[mrmage]

"Um. I dunno, I don't actually like food all that much, really."

[catalexis]

"You don't like food? I know you didn't literally never taste anything for two years but still aren't eclipsed supposed to be crazy about food."

[mrmage]

"I guess I developed the other way around? I got used to not eating a whole lot, so I... don't. I'm not picky, I'll eat whatever, and it doesn't serve any purposes other than making sure I don't feel hungry."

[catalexis]

"Huh."

[eclipsi]

"I don't think he requires repair."

[mrmage]

He smiles. "No, I don't think I do. Like, I recognize that chocolate is nicer than some other stuff, it's just, I don't really eat a lot when I'm not hungry?"

[eclipsi]

"I've read that between magic using food as fuel and the training period eclipsed taste everything the way it tastes when one is very hungry," Isabella says. "But it makes sense that would have variable effects and I'm not even sure it's true."

[mrmage]

"Really? Huh. That makes me think of a potential hypothesis, which is that my shapeshifting may be subconsciously causing my taste buds to be less good than they ought to be."

[eclipsi]

"Huh. Would that be something you might have indeliberately steered towards while eating... whatever you found in the middle of nowhere?"

[mrmage]

"Yeah, I mean, it's totally possible. It's not like I have conscious control over every detail of my biology when I shift."

[eclipsi]

"If you did it you can probably undo it."

[mrmage]

"Probably, but I'm not sure I want to?"

[eclipsi]

"You might enjoy food more. Is that undesirable?"

[mrmage]

"Not exactly, but I'm not sure it's desirable, either. I don't particularly want to like food."

[eclipsi]

"Why not?"

[mrmage]

"Well, why should I?"

[eclipsi]

"Because it's a source of pleasure? You give off sort of a hedonist vibe, I'm actually really surprised you don't want to like food."

[mrmage]

"I mean, yes to hedonism, but-" Pause. "You know what, you're right." He closes his eyes and thinks.

[eclipsi]

Giggle.

[mrmage]

He opens his eyes again, takes a chocolate, and eyes it warily.