Elspeth is glad that Milliways likes her, because she likes it. Jacob at her side and a glass of this nice golden stuff in her hand (she's tried the other synthetics; they're nice for an occasional change, but only humans care about dietary variety that much and this one is her favorite) and hubbub from a hundred worlds around her: lovely. A lovely break from work that keeps no one waiting, that doesn't even throw off her sleep cycle because her sleep cycle cares about the sun. (It throws off Jake's, a little, but his is more flexible than hers.)
"Stella, how much weight should I be putting on Mary's predictions?"
"Plenty. She doesn't think to look for one hundred percent of things, but she's very good at what she does think to check and she doesn't have your Seer's outright blind spots - although I don't think she's getting full color pictures either."
"What happens," says Golden, to the Joker and Mary both, "if I simply wish to call off the deal and send both the Joker and Nathan out of Aurum?"
"I don't know what happens, but the problem with that idea is that the only other world they can visit without help is the one with Gotham and the Batlady and so on in it, and I have heard it suggested by one of the Whistles that the Batlady is a key catalyst in provoking... misbehavior."
"I'd be sad," says the Joker. "And your boy'd be sad, too, in seventy years when I died of old age."
Nathan's hand is making short careful stroking motions over one of the Joker's shoulders. He looks at Mary, but doesn't ask her anything and presently turns his gaze back on his mate.
(He was going to ask if the Joker would want to be immortal, if he'd do it with coins even if he never wanted to be a vampire and love Nathan back the way Nathan loves him.)
Stella flicks her fingers in Nathan's direction. "Brainphoned," she announces. "Privacy."
[As long as everyone else isn't listening, sure,] Nathan says.
Nathan carefully-carefully presses a kiss to the Joker's scalp again.
[...I'm terrified of hurting him. Is that going to be a problem or will the coins fix that too?]
[If he comes through as a mint, you're going to stop being terrified of hurting him, and there'll be a few minor issues but you won't do anything that damages him permanently or makes him think negatively of you.] After further investigation, she adds, [All that relies on the two of you talking about you being terrified of hurting him.]
"Can I tell you in private later, babe? Or - Stella - can you brainphone him too?"
Stella makes a face, but she waves her hand at the Joker.
[I asked her if it was going to be a problem that it'd be so easy to hurt you. She said it wasn't, if we talked about it, which I confess confuses me, talking won't make you less - fragile,] says Nathan to his mate alone.
[If I'm a mint,] he says, [I can make myself less fragile. I probably will anyway.] He tips his head at Alice. [Other-me's favourite pastime is setting himself on fire.]
[Oh really. So if I miscalculated, trying to hold your hand, and you happened to break a few bones in the process...] There is a definite interest in his tone. [No harm done, you'll heal, all in fun?]
"Well," says Golden. "I'll take those starter coins now, I think, Stella, unless anyone has any further input."