Being Bella's consort has some perks of reflected fame; by the time Ripper's solo album is done, he has plenty of fans, enough to support a significant tour through even Earthly venues.
tearingup
A certain Celtic metal singer receives a signed copy of the album (which is titled Decadent) teleported into his mailbox the very second it officially comes out, and then Ripper goes on tour.
Touring, it turns out, is fun. Exhausting and occasionally frustrating, but fun.
Touring, it turns out, is fun. Exhausting and occasionally frustrating, but fun.
bellfounding
Well, he can teleport to take breaks in the comfort of his own home. Or Bella's own home. No endlessly beige hotels.
tearingup
So, his tour goes through London (because how could it not?)
And on his second night in the city, late at night after a fantastic show, someone knocks on his hotel door as he's getting into bed and he goes and peers through the peephole—
And brainphones Bella.
[Guess who just showed up.]
tearingup
[I love you. And, somewhat against my better judgment, I'm opening the door.]
He opens the door.
"The fuck, Rayne?"
"Miss me?" says Rayne, stepping forward. Ripper doesn't budge. Rayne (looks briefly surprised, and then) smirks at him.
He opens the door.
"The fuck, Rayne?"
"Miss me?" says Rayne, stepping forward. Ripper doesn't budge. Rayne (looks briefly surprised, and then) smirks at him.
tearingup
[Only somewhat.]
"Unfortunately, yes," he sighs.
"We should have a chat," says Rayne. "Catch up a little."
"Unfortunately, yes," he sighs.
"We should have a chat," says Rayne. "Catch up a little."
tearingup
"By a chat do you mean a fuck?" he says bluntly.
"Well, if that's on the menu," laughs Rayne.
"When isn't it?"
"I seem to remember something about a girlfriend..."
"Yeah, she knows you're here," says Ripper.
"Good," says Rayne, and kisses him.
Ripper puts both hands on his chest and gives him a shove that sends him sprawling in the hall.
[So this two conversations at once thing,] he says, [turns out it's a little much for me even when I'm not drunk - I promise not to fuck him if he's transparently trying to make you jealous, is that enough to be going on with?]
"Well, if that's on the menu," laughs Rayne.
"When isn't it?"
"I seem to remember something about a girlfriend..."
"Yeah, she knows you're here," says Ripper.
"Good," says Rayne, and kisses him.
Ripper puts both hands on his chest and gives him a shove that sends him sprawling in the hall.
[So this two conversations at once thing,] he says, [turns out it's a little much for me even when I'm not drunk - I promise not to fuck him if he's transparently trying to make you jealous, is that enough to be going on with?]
tearingup
[Love you,] he says. [I'll talk to you tomorrow.]
Rayne gets up. "The hell was that for, mate?"
Ripper rolls his eyes. "Oh, come in here already before somebody calls the press."
Rayne gets up. "The hell was that for, mate?"
Ripper rolls his eyes. "Oh, come in here already before somebody calls the press."
bellfounding
Bella leaves it alone. She spends a while tweaking J's email-handling protocols and then she appears at a tiresome ceremonial event in New Guinea and then she grabs Queenie to patch the enchantment on a bubble-cluster.
tearingup
Three hours later, Ripper brainphones her again.
[Didn't sleep with him. Did make out with him a little. Now he's gone and I'm gonna sleep. Love you.]
[Didn't sleep with him. Did make out with him a little. Now he's gone and I'm gonna sleep. Love you.]
bellfounding
Aww.
Now it is time to argue with various people about international adoption laws between Saturn and other places. People have mostly been handling it so far as citizens from their countries of origin, but it's about time that Saturn had its own protocols.
Now it is time to argue with various people about international adoption laws between Saturn and other places. People have mostly been handling it so far as citizens from their countries of origin, but it's about time that Saturn had its own protocols.
tearingup
The next day, he brainphones her sometime around noon.
[Well, that went better than it could've.]
[Well, that went better than it could've.]
tearingup
[I don't even know if he'll be back. Anytime soon, I mean. I'm pretty sure there's no getting rid of him in the long run.]