forbelobog

[forbelobog]

"Do you really insist on staying on Belobog all the time? The city will not fall within a week of your absence. You could enjoy the universe now that the Jarilo-VI is reconnected."

yes or no game // accepting

well that was certainly a loaded question. how does one just answer with a yes or no? there was far more than went in to his duty than just a fear of everything going wrong the moment he leaves. conditioning, mostly, loyalty too. and a distant desire to not make anyone else do what he does. he wants to travel, sure, see more of the universe now that he has the option to. but he also doesn't want anyone to suffer in his absence...being selfish and taking vacation wasn't something gepard really knew how to do.

still, he weighs the question a moment. does he want to leave? yes. will he? he's not sure, "...no."

[forbelobog]

"Do you think everyone is worthy of redemption?" (ooc. For yes or no meme)

yes or no game // accepting

a hard one to answer. his gut reaction is to say yes, because everyone deserved a second chance. but...he's met some less than savory people in his life. even his own father...would he accept a sincere apology for all the man had put him through, if he were to ever give one? gepard sighs. 

"yes, i do."

[forbelobog]

favorable was a nice way to put it. gepard hadn't been exactly thrilled with the entire outcome, but it was the best they could have hoped for, considering the alternative, "yes, to spread belobog's rich history. i can take you on a tour, if you'd like," if he wasn't busy, that was. 

"yes, mr. strongarm did compete. he did rather well, and we're very proud of him. still feels a little odd, though, thinking his face is out there in the stars...hopefully it will bring more income to belobog in the long run," the mention of a galaxy ranger catches his interest, luka having shared some of his stories when he returned, "i've heard about him, but i don't know much. you'll have to ask luka how he feels on the subject, but he seemed in good spirits when he returned."

"I, ah... heard about the IPC. At least the outcome was... mostly favorable," Dan Heng replied delicately, but there was a wince in his voice. However, mention of the museum is what piqued his interest. "You have a museum now?" The boyish interest was obvious, an undertone of excitement. But-- "I'll admit, I couldn't see the Wardance. Luka Strongarm competed, didn't he? I know the Galaxy Ranger he competed against. I just hope there's no hard feelings; he's much kinder than he might appear."

[forbelobog]

The 'yes or no' game.

[forbelobog]

it feels strange to be off planet, but gepard reminds himself he's here for work. lady bronya meeting with the general was expected after their trade agreements, he came to be her escort. but he can't be with her at all times, thus leading to the captain meeting...a young lieutenant. he couldn't have been older than lynx, judging by the look of him...the luofu must have a different system of recruitment, he muses. though, gepard had been able his age when he was already practically groomed for the guards...

he puts the thought aside for now, extending a hand for yanqing to shake, "it's a pleasure to meet you, lieutenant," he nods, "i feel it would be a missed opportunity to not study other stratagems and military practices while i'm here. but only if it doesn't disrupt your training schedule. i don't want to impose."

Starter for @forbelobog

Yanqing is excited, but of course he is keeping it all under wraps. This is an official task as a Cloud Knight Lieutenant and as General Jing Yuan's Retainer. Still, he is going to meet Captain Gepard Landau, a man he has heard about and look forward to meeting.

"Captain Landau, I'm Lieutenant Yanqing and I've been appointed to assist you during your visit on the Xianzhou Loufu," the teen greets him, a soft smile on his lips as he inclines his head a little. "I heard you are interested in the Cloud Knight training?"

[forbelobog]

an odd feeling washes over him when sampo opens his eyes, turning to look at him. as if sampo were something stationary in his life, something he saw every day without really looking at it. it's only now, that he's stopped to look and sampo shows him a brief glimpse of something...genuine, does he feel he's actually seeing the man for the first time. and it makes his heart flop in his chest like a teenager discovering their very first crush.

it startles him, the little smile, one he's not seen before this moment. the tone of voice sampo uses, not for show or some teasing, but rather genuine. something so simple like i'm glad you're still alive makes his palms feel warm, his face and ears the same. sure, there were people in belobog who cared for him. but sampo seemed an unlikely source, and that makes it feel different. 

he can only hold sampp's gaze for so long, casting his own eyes down to his lap as the tips of his ears burn in a blush. spends the next few moments trying to remind himself it's ridiculous to get flustered over genuine sentiment, sampo was just being kind. they weren't even friends, they just...had a mutual understanding of one another. that's all. of course. 

"yes, well," he has nothing to say, just feels the need to fill the silence to not come off as flustered as he is, "it's takes more than some rocks and snow to kill me. and if...wanting to uphold honor, and righteousness makes me childish, then so be it. without morality, i would be no different than the monsters i fight."

With the apple taken away, Sampo is able to move a bit. He crosses his leg over, and props his head on his arm. With his wrist as a headrest, Sampo closes his eyes. Laughing a bit as well. “I don't think I know my own motivations.” Then he opens his eyes once more. Staring away somewhat in a pensive way.

There was a job he had to do here. Get the most elation out of this doomed planet, get out before the stelleron explodes and move on to the next place. And yet… Jarilo-VI’s icy grip bound the thief. Familiar yet unfamiliar territory. People that were warm as the snow was cold. Overworlders as cold as the tundras outside the last beacon of humanity.

Why did he stay? Why did he put this much effort to a planet that hated him and wanted to see him dead?

His gaze returns to Gepard. The answer was always there. Right in front of him. The kindness that people gave made him want to believe in it. That it wasn't just a ploy or an act. It was sincere. Just as the Captain who was sitting on the medical cot.

“Apology accepted. And you're very welcome.” His eyes close again. Though this time there's a peaceful smile on his face. It remains on his features even as he speaks. A true smile, one that was reserved for close friends.

“I am glad you're still alive, Gepard. Even if you are a childish man.”

[forbelobog]

"some changes, yes, that seems to put it lightly," he laughs a little, "a visit from the ipc, we have this new museum," he references around them, having met the trail blazer on one of his few shifts in the place, "and recently one of our own competed in a championship on the luofu. i believe you're familiar with it, yes?"

@forbelobog -- ;

"Ah, it's been a while, hasn't it? I've heard there have been some changes around here."

[forbelobog]

trying to tell my baby sister to not be anxious while I am anxious 🙃

[forbelobog]

not me checking on builds and fucking

sige being higher than wrio is just too good.

[forbelobog]

the thing with gepard is, it's not like he's unloved or anything - he's kind of a figure-head in belobog and he's well-known all things considered. people care about him, sure, but not to an extent beyond like...is the shield of belobog still kicking or no.

it reminds me of the hunger games (ignore i've been on a hg re-read kick lately) where the capital "loved" their tributes and victors but it was completely parasocial. it's not to that same extent, but gepard puts his work first almost always, it's hard to say he has a lot of people super, super close to him. it was (literally) beaten in to him since his teens that he was to put belobog first, the supreme guardian, the protection of his home, so when someone outside of his sisters genuinely asks "hey are you ok? you should take a break, be kinder to yourself" gepard just

??????????

it's hard to describe because on the one hand, the captain is loved, sure, but is gepard? hard to say. he struggles with self worth outside of the shield and i just think abt that a lot.

[forbelobog]

maybe he'd misunderstood. sampo implies someone and gepard can only assume who the man means. it wasn't like captain had specifically gone out of his way to make serval change her mind about the other, she even warned gepard about not trusting sampo too much, but...well. he sits and ponders it a moment. there was a lot about sampo that gepard just didn't know, if the events out in the plains was anything to go by. just as sampo didn't know eerything about gepard. only before, captain never considered getting to know them. now...perhaps he does. 

"i...don't think that of you," he offers, though his voice is smaller than usual. maybe he did, somewhere back in the past. he doesn't now, though, "perhaps i don't understand your motives, and you give me quite the headache from time to time. but you've never intentionally hurt anyone, even evading arrest. i don't think you are cruel." 

he takes the apple offered to him, turning the little carved fruit over in his fingers to get the full view. a little rudimentary, but he'd done it within a few seconds - sampo was obviously skilled with a knife. he hears sampo say they aren't enemies, and he can't help a little huff of amusement out of him, shaking his head, "apologies if that got miscommunicated when you put me on my back and called me a child," it's not said with ill-will, gepard understands the situation they had been in. just an observation - they were both learning about the others true nature, it would seem. 

he takes a bit of the apple, though only one of the ears. it was almost too cute to eat entirely, "well i'm...sorry to have worried you," if feels odd saying, he's not used to people outside of his sisters genuinely putting his well-being first, "and thank you. for visiting."

The knife is held up with his finger. A knowing smug is on the Fool's face. If Gepard thinks he trapped him, he had a other thing coming to him. Sampo tsks at him, wagging both the weapon and finger at him.

“No. Someone ruined my relationship to her.” That someone being Gepard. Not that he would hold it against him. Though he would be lying if he said he didn't miss the other Landau. She was, for a very long time, one of the few friends he had in Belobog.

Their relationship was one of the few things Sampo regretted in life. 

The knife comes back down at the fruit, though this time Sampo goes a bit extra. Cutting it into a design. And as he did so, he spoke, very calmly. “I told you, I heard a few things. And while you might think of me as some cold-hearted criminal, I'm here to tell you I'm not.”

This time the apple slice is cut into the shape of a rabbit. Sampo holds it out for him to grab at it. There is a gentle look on his face as he stared at the Captain. “We're not enemies. I never thought of you as such.” If anything, he thought of Gepard as a rival of sorts. After all, every story needed a hero and a villain. Sampo simply fit into that role.

“So yes, I was worried. Sue me. But I promise you, you won't get anything worth of value. Just the clothes off my back.”

[forbelobog]

immediately gepard would smack a hand over his mouth to muffle the sound - he couldn't think of anything more insulting than laughing during a toast to the dead. as he glances over at sampo, however, it doesn't appear to be too surprising to the man. as if he were expecting something like that. he goes on to talk about the boy again, this drink like a welcome for new family members...

was that was he was? a new member? it probably didn't work like that, but to share it with him at all...

instead of asking just what family it was the little boy had joined, what this implied, gepard doesn't get words out just yet. instead, he giggles again, the sound hard to completely drown out even behind the glove of his hand. his ears go red, he feels awfully silly not being able to control it. but the feeling of joy the beverage gives him is hard to match. 

not to say gepard was never happy just...never this kind. it's light, but warm. as if suddenly content with everything around him. despite the circumstances of their recent understanding of one another, he's even happy he's here with sampo. learning more about the elusive thief from the stars. he doesn't feel guilt for this happiness, either. a rare occurrence for the captain.

eventually, he manages to clear his throat, glancing down at his feet and handing the bottle back over, trying to avoid the other's gaze. he feels sily, making such noises, but tries not to be insulting, "does this...mean i'm...an honorary member?" he asks between soft laughs. head cants down, blond bangs shifting in front of his face, "what a peculiar drink..."

He'll have to thank the Captain for being so socially aware. Ironically not one of the Captain's high points given he always seemed to butt into Sampo's business. It seemed at least he knew that this wasn't one of those things Sampo wanted to get into. Not at this point at least. Right now, they just needed to send off these four souls back into the snow.

Back into the cold ground to melt and become nature again. This time, or perhaps in a different lifetime, they could have a better life.

That was Sampo's sincerest wish. 

Those gentle thoughts are cast aside when he hears an unfamiliar giggle. Following where it came from, Sampo sees it's from Gepard. It makes the thief smile in return. “Sorry was it a bit strong?”

He rubs the back of his head, almost bashfully. “We're… skipping a bit in the story. But where the boy is from, it's a drink people have when they bring in new family members. Honestly we should be thankful, the stuff they drank was concentrated and heavily potent. This is much lighter.”

A pause.

“If I knew I'd be sharing it… I would've gone with the weakest blend instead.”

[forbelobog]

ppl i think gep should meet/talk to/maybekiss

jy - he wants to pick the general's brain so bad he would fanboy probably

aven - goody-two-shoes gep meeting the gambler writes itself lbh

dh - idc i'm biased but they should have more SCREENTIME TOGETHER

[forbelobog]

he opens his mouth to refute her, a bit of that landau sass their elder sister got the most of, but she cuts him to it first, admitting to sneaking off more often than she should (which is never.) he tuts, a hand on his hip in return. he can do it too, you know, "you shouldn't be sneaking off, period, but if you insist on doing it anyway, your size could help you remain hidden and safer from potential dangers," because that was always his main goal, at the end of the day. her safety. he doesn't add on that she can't take care of herself, became he knows she can. just making her aware that he is aware she'll do what she wants at the end of the day, no matter how much he might disagree. just that she should be prepared for it. 

"well, if you find clothing that difficult to come by, why not...look in to sewing your own? you're a landau, we're resourceful. mother used to sew holes in our clothes when we were younger, maybe..." a pause, considering what he says at he says it. their mother had become...rather unavailable as lynx got older, now barely one to speak to anyone outside what is necessary. he can't necessarily blame her, but still. perhaps she wasn't the best person to ask about crafting garments. he veers off the subject entirely, hoping it goes unnoticed, "i know of a woman in the underworld, she's a skilled healer and quite kind. she's rather good with crafts like that. if you ever expressed an interest, i'm sure you two could exchange information. perhaps she could teach you some medicinal tips, too."

he expects her rebuttal, hoping she would at least let him pay a share, which she does. he figures she wouldn't let him pay outright, but rather than letting her pay for it all on her own, a compromise of her own making would go over best. he sighs, as if thinking about the option a moment, before shrugging his shoulders, "fine. we can say it is from both of us, and split it," he shakes her hand, "but i'll buy a card."

she's relieved to hear him speak so freely of their shared interest like this. part of lynx always feels as though they both have a certain image to uphold in the public eye, even around each other, and it's a great joy to see such an assumption was incorrect. his knowledge of floral arrangements and growth tendencies actually rivals her own in its complexity and depth, and to say she's impressed whenever it gets to blossom like this would be an understatement. the smile on her face is genuine, and she doesn't even have any words to convey the happiness in her chest. it's just... nice.

his reassurance about her height being advantageous in combat is amusing, and immediately strikes her as a very on-brand thing for gepard to do. even if she's worried about his work mentality permeating his everyday existence even further, she can't deny there's a certain layer of charm to it. " where, exactly, would i need to sneak around ? " a playful hand rests on her hip, and she raises an eyebrow at the advice he offers. " unless, of course, this is your way of saying i don't have to sneak out to the snow plains anymore ? " lynx jokes, a soft giggle underlaying her words as she speaks. " clothes my size are almost always kid-sized ! or they're embarrassingly childish ! they don't make adult-looking clothes in my size unless i look really hard and then shrink them in the dryer. " she protests the point about clothing, shaking her head in denial of such a thing being easier.

lynx holds onto him as a brace as instructed, but she can't restrain the startled yelp that comes out of her when he actually hoists her off her feet. no matter how often it happens between them, she fears she'll never be used to the sensation of her feet not touching the ground. once back on the floor, she sighs with relief. " okay, i'll get to looking for some that serval would like. " she pauses and pouts at his insistence on paying for them, though. " what the— hey, this was my idea ! at least let me pay for half of it ! " she urges, not wanting it to feel like she only brought him along to buy the flowers she thought about buying for their sister in the first place. " she's my sister, too— it'll be a gift from both of us either way. deal ? " she reaches up... an embarrassingly high distance, to seal the agreement with a handshake, gloved fingers splayed in the open gesture.

[forbelobog]

S T A R S E C H O E S ;; ( for now, we are young, let us play in the sun and count every beautiful thing we can see. ) A PRIVATE / DASH - ONLY / ICONLESS multi-muse blog by ayla. featuring muse: JIAOQIU from honkai: star rail. also contains muses from genshin impact, naruto, rw.by, and more. rules | muses | promo

[forbelobog]

sampo doesn't seem to react much, either for gepard's sake or for something else, but for now the captain will take what he can get. he's still not sure why such a stupid phrase struck him so quickly, but it did. it was just silly. sampo was teasing him, and he should be more agitated than...than flustered. for now though, he's too tired to do much of anything about it. that's what he'll blame it on, though. his fatigue, it just caught him off guard. that's all. 

he rolls his eyes, not thrilled but not new to the nickname. serval uses it enough as it is. he waits until sampo returns, and slices him an apple. a quiet thank you is given, taking the cut up piece to chew on. it's fresh, tart but still sweet enough to cut the bite. he's always liked the red ones best, serval must have known. 

a pause, gepard chews and swallows before he eyes sampo sitting beside his cot, "i thought you said serval sent you," he muses, as if catching sampo being honest was some sort of thrill, "you came to check on me," not sure why this realization is so surprising, and yet it is. brows furrow, before he looks as if he discovered something for the first time. he did. blue eyes fall directly to sampo's gaze, alight with amusement.

"don't tell me belobog's most wanted was worried about me?"

It was a bit troubling hearing him say that. It was only a day earlier he heard about the expedition not going well for the Silvermane Guards. Somehow Sampo was under the impression it had only a day for the dear Captain. It seemed like it was a lot longer than that. Any pressing questions however are put on hold for now.

For one, the Captain did need food. That much was apparent, if his stomach's protest was anything to go by. But something else far more interesting caught his attention.

Gepard's reaction.

For now he feigns ignorance. After all, if he does anything, it'll simply agitate the man. Which would make nurses come in and ruin their alone time. With his body pulling back from the Captain's, Sampo merely smiled at him. “Sharing is caring, Geppie. Hasn't Serval taught you that?” Turning on his heel, Sampo makes his way over to the small furniture that held the fruit basket.

An apple is plucked from it. It's shiny and red under the room's light. And fairly large for an apple from Jarilo-VI. Has Lynx gotten an apple from beyond the skies? No matter, it should serve as some substance while the nurses realize he's awake and alert.

“You really should be nicer.” With the apple in hand, the thief came over. A small pocket knife is pulled out. “I made room out of my day just to see if you were alive! Instead you're throwing me to the wolves!” And as he spoke, his hands quickly got to work. The knife's blade bites into the fruit fairly easily. It goes deep into it as he cuts a section out for the other to eat.

“And after all we've been through too!” He added with a soft sniffle. But the smile on his face proved that the thief was being playful.

[forbelobog]

no deaths. it's what he focuses on the most. as much as he would have liked his entire company to make it out without so much as a bruise, he knows from his years in the field that just injury was a luxury. he'll have to convene with lady bronya later, if anything just for a full-fledged report of the incident, but for now, sampo's word satiates him enough. 

funny. he'd never have considered sampo's word be something reliable before. why he does now, he's not entirely sure. but he does. 

"don't laugh at me," he huffs, not unlike a feline, "it's...been some time. i'm not even sure how much time has passed," which is true. he could have been here hours, or days. sampo hasn't really said much on the matter, but then again, he just got up. he bristles even further because why on jarilo did he have to use those words? while looking directly at him? with those...frustratingly green eyes?

good boy. 

his face erupts in a red flush, and he clutches the sheets over his lap as if he were sudden;y indecent. exposed, "that's-!" his tone says frustration, his gaze dropping to his hands, "don't say ridiculous things like that, koski. if you want me to stay put, just say that...i can't exactly leave with you guarding the door anyway. and she brought them for me, i should write you up for stealing anyway."

Sampo shook his head. “Qlipoth above, you're stubborn!” But he knows that stubbornness came out of care for others. And sometimes that stubbornness was needed. It was what let him and his squadron survive, after all. Once he was laying back down in the bed, the thief gave a half hand wave.

“Most got the same treatment as you. Broken ribs and bones. But no deaths from what I saw. They're all just as stubborn as you and wanting to get out too. The poor nurses have to keep your men or else—”

Ah.

The Captain was hungry.

The thief looks away, trying his best not to snicker when his stomach makes itself. It was just too funny! Like a comedy!

“J-Just something your sister left.” He said, trying to keep his laughter in. While the piece he munched on was nearly gone, there still seemed to be more in the fruit basket she left in the room.

Sampo stared right back this time. “Are you going to be a good boy and stay put while I go grab it? If you start moving about I will steal it from you.”