#❧ ��� how can ( queue ) say there is no story here ? ❞

[strywoven]

cont'd. // @hazubekimono

PERFECTION ⸺ An irony ( a blasphemous notion ) to speak such a thing in the face of a curse with the moniker of THE IMMACULATE LIGHT .  But then , isn’t that why they got along to begin with ?  They complemented each other , they made w h o l e one another’s unspoken faults and missing parts left unfilled.  So forgive them , they cannot help but roll their eyes in return for his remark , for how – despite the distance and time which had separated them – it is as if NOTHING CHANGED .  The ache within the great entity is , at once , a b s o l v e d by his presence , by the too-familiar mannerlessness and malicious energy which permeates his every act and tone ( yes , how terrible thus , they truly missed every part of him �� not that they may confide it ) .

Kaen sighs , accepting his touch ( even that , they cannot rightly deny ; where it might stir nothing for him , it does for them , rousing their immortal spirit ) .  If only for a moment , before they snap their head out of his hold and bare their still-sharp teeth at him.  ❝ You jus’ want the pleasure of hearin’ me stroke your ego like always , ❞ They retort.  However , there’s no bite in the words , only a lingering , playful a f f e c t i o n .  ❝ I’m not gonna do that for you.  But I do think we should make up for lost time. ❞  Even though it was their fault it was there at all ( what might’ve happened had they stayed with him ? what would’ve changed ? ) .

[strywoven]

His perception on the subject of fear is one spoken as if not the teenager as he is , but rather as one who assuredly must know FAR MORE than his short-lived years doth endorse.  This , such a thing that the Immaculate is not entirely unfamiliar with.  After all , life – thus , e x p e r i e n c e – makes for a cruel , merciless teacher , one whom does not discriminate and takes little pity on its students despite their innocence.  He seems , now especially , just such a product ; merely a child with experiences that have left unmended tarnish to his perspective of the world.  But his point , candid reply is no less a p p r e c i a t e d in an era where people refrain from saying too much , repress themselves if only to conceal their own truths.

For this , Kaëltyr feels its maw pulling again into a smile , cervid features furrowed thoughtfully.  ❝ I think you’re right.  And I always found that o d d for humans t’be doin’.  Fear is , in many ways , instinctive.  A foundational thing for many creatures , cursed and non.  Ah , oh — ❞ Tongue clicks , cinder-smoke huffing from nose as the beast realizes it was merely a few sentences shy of launching into a diatribe , into a l e c t u r e this boy likely was not looking for ( nor one he needed at all ).  It looks as if e m b a r r a s s e d .  ❝ — Well , that t’say , what would I know ? ❞  Yes , what would an ANCIENT CURSE know of fear , of primal emotions , of the lasting strain between instinct and inhibition ?

It listens intently to Megumi’s explanation of the Shikigami , glinting eyes wide and curious , ears perked and alert as it follows the trail of the beast – Kuro , as it is so named – as it comes to take station on the opposite side of the teen.  Kaëltyr blinks , ears flicking as it glances between the canid and Megumi.  ❝ Connected … ❞  The Immaculate echoes , fascinated by the prospect.  It extends itself forward slightly , head leaning across Megumi’s lap to s n i f f tentatively at Kuro just as any animal might to register whether a creature is a threat or not.  It chuffs softly , withdrawing away and glancing at the teen once more.  ❝ D’you make pacts with them , then ?  That’s how I connect with humans ! ❞  Such to say , that is how most curses barter with humans ( pacts , bonds , contracts , whatever we may call it — all fates sealed by word & blood in rite perpetual ) .  It seems to g l e a m , furred features alighting as innate quizzicality topples out of itself before it might think better of it , palpably radiating from it in warmth and warble amid the air , ❝ And if you are part of each other , does that also mean they are an extension of you ?  So , Kuro , then , would’ve been a part of your spirit given shape or somethin’ like that ? ❞  if nothing else the great entity seems to have a natural vested interest to LEARN , a sincere desire to UNDERSTAND .

Happiness was contagious. Merriment was unexpected. Fushiguro Megumi smiled. Without judgement, without holding back, he smiled in a way only his shikigami, animals, and his sister, Tsumiki, had the pleasure of witnessing. It may have been cruel as the smiles he shared around his sister's presence became increasingly rare as the children age to the point it was exterior stimuli, like finding a stray animal, which caused the boy to smile around his sister. There was no doubting his love towards his older sister who were more closely bonded than even those who shared blood, but Megumi truly felt free to smile and relax around animals and animal-like creatures. Bumpy beginnings were completely eradicated from memory as joy filled the air around them all.

Green eyes were sparkling but not nearly as bright as the creature's mane and antlers. Megumi considered each and every one of his Shikigami as beautiful and unique; they had found home in his heart and soul many years ago. The deer-like creature @strywoven was what he imagined other people found beautiful in imagery of mythological creatures. He, too, may have attempted to draw a thing such as it and failed miserably, of course. Even more rare than a smile was a laugh. Short and modest but brimming with radiance. The touch of the creature brought it out with ease when moist nose nudged against his cheek. How did Megumi have the luck to come across such an animal?

Has acquiring Shikigami not been a very particular practice, the way they connected would have nearly fooled him that they were meant to be. Smiles and laughter became muted when the subject of fear was brought forth. Humans found the oddest of things scary. There were those who were afraid of dogs and frogs; he couldn't make sense of it. Megumi's perspective was warped. He fought real monstrosities on a regular basis, but more than that — he was a creature of the darkness. While other children made friends with cartoon plushies, Megumi had sat in the darkness until the shadows transformed into the shape of two dogs. People screamed at the sight of cockroaches, and Megumi regularly snuggled up to the a Shikigami with the appearance of a massive boa. They were not the same, and Megumi did not know the kind of fear others experienced.

── ❛ You're as scary as a leaf. People like being scared, I think. They let their fears get the best of them at the slightest whim. ❜

The boy spoke out loud while raising a hand to pet the deer-like creature between fuzzy ears. A way to calm it if such a thing was necessary, and a way to let his Shikigami, Kuro, that everything was alright. Of course Kuro knew. At least, it knew what its master felt. Megumi felt relaxed and happy, and after the canid-appearing Shikigami examined the creature with a steely gaze, it approached with an immensely fluffy and wagging tail. Constantly feeling what Megumi felt and thought, it sat down, still with a wagging tail, on the other side of Megumi; it waited for the creature to initiate first.

── ❛ Yes, this is Kuro. ❜

The farthest from a unique name, but he had been just a child when his Divine Dogs had first come to him. Megumi dropped his hand and instead began petting Kuro's very furry mane.

── ❛ You could say it is my partner. I have several, and they part of me, and I am part of them. We're connected through life and death; my closets companions whom I love. ❜

[strywoven]

closed. // @limitlessscion

❝ … I think , ❞ Which is to say , they have b e e n thinking ( thousands of years , several lifetimes , alone with themself & their thoughts but nowhere to put them — until now , vested within a man perched upon a pedestal looming in parallel to their own ) , ❝ It’ll never be the same. ❞  Spoken wistfully , smile tugging their lips as if , strangely , it a m u s e s them to offer such a confession.  And lo’ how TRAGICALLY IRONIC , in truth , to be holding such a discussion with a sorcerer of all people— Kaen had thought it might be harder to say such things at all , but like everything else with Satoru : it comes naturally.

And this , like much of their time spent with him , seems to underlie with something IMPORTANT & MEANINGFUL ( beyond them both ; greater , grander , a tangle-thread of fate steadily-surely weaving them together ) .

Head tips tossing him a glance , eyes lidded with a tired sort of air ( exhausted merely to exist ) , ❝ I’ll never be like you , no matter what face I wear and no matter the good I do. ❞  A pause , sapphire hues flickering eerily , ❝ All those thousands o’years tryin’ so feckin’ desperately t’be more human , ❞ Hand lifts , palm empty of the answers they need , scarred fingers curling towards palm into a f i s t , head shaking as they scoff , huffing smoke out of their nose , ❝ All fer nothin’ !  ‘Cause all it did , really , was make me lonelier , make me … W o r s e .  And now ?  Well … ❞  Kaen chuckles , a dry and mirthless sound , head turning back into place , sending gaze upwards again , looking at nothing in particular , ❝ … Nothin’ like bein’ a miserable , lonely god.  Kinda’ pathetic , honestly , wouldn’t y’say ? ❞

[strywoven]

@hoshizorax has requested a story : “It’s always been you.” (kaen)

𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒅.

ALWAYS ⸺ the sentiment comes , lingering between them ( though it is the single word which prompts such a moment of tenderness at all : always , goes the refrain in immortal heart , always , always , always ! ) .  Kaen continues on down the path , steppings striking up small flumes of flame in their wake before , but a few paces ahead , the god-curse pauses and gives grace to his thought.  With back to him , they speak , voice softly carrying upon the breeze , tone lilted by a gentle giddiness that b l o o m s vividly through their resonate presence , setting alight their very spirit , ❝ I’m startin’ to think you’re gettin’ soft these days , ❞ A tease , their head cocking over their shoulder to regard him with so f o n d a look , the gleam in ever-burning hues unmistakable for the way they gaze upon the other with a love undeterred , unfettered ( one most absolute , one most ardent it may well be its own palpable thing there amongst them ) .

❝ You’re soundin’ a little TOO MUCH like me , Ryomen , ❞ They face forward again , continuing along their nightly wandering with the expectation that h e shall follow their lead for a change , ❝ Not that that’s a bad thing.  Truthfully , I’ve been waitin’ a LONG TIME t’hear y’say that kinda’ thing.  And I guess , I woulda’ waited to the end’a time , too.  But I’m glad you’re bein’ oh so b r a v e and admittin’ it out loud. ❞  A glance is given , their smile broadening into a grin , ❝ How long did it take for you to realize that , though ? ❞  Genuinely curious , ❝ That it was ‘ always ’ me ? ❞

[strywoven]

surprise , idiot , get starter'd ( closed for @shishitoren-vc )

Why not join the Shishitoren ?  A novel proposition , to be sure.

Such an offer , though , renders Kaen m u t e , daunted before the SIGNIFICANCE .  And here they stand , in front of the tall mirror in their bedroom , looking at themself with his jacket draped over their shoulders , the g a u d y orange contrasting sharply with their fiery mess of hair and fair-freckled pallor making them - rather impossibly - look even m o r e wild and doeishly uncanny.  Kaen frowns at their reflection , their gaze trailing between themself to Togame looking at them over their shoulder.  This is not something he’s saying purely to say it , they know , and yet the DOUBT is the first thing which comes to spoil his words ; the self-endowed hate and own-given contempt which twists this up and mangles it into something w o r s e than it is ( after all , who wants a disowned bastard ? one left behind for dishonor & disgrace against a family name ? ) .

But how long has it been since they had anyone ; a clan , a pack … A FAMILY ?  Kaen’s expression contorts , conflicted as they lift their hands and pull the fabric of his jacket closer around their smaller , stockier body , head lowering into the collar to hide their face.  ❝ Y’know Ah … Ah dunno if orange ‘s e’en m’color … ❞  What a funny way of evading the point.

[strywoven]

Privy to most and many things in the world as it is – the turning of seasons , the most minute shift in the way of Man to name some few – Kaëltyr is very much a w a r e that the boy has been stricken by an ILL HUMOR , though the great beast does not much understand the r e a s o n ( could it have been own demand for demonstration ? own curiosity of his ability ? such the case , it was not as if it meant it at all in offense — not that it much mattered now ) .  And it is the negativity which f e e d s , which f e s t e r s a curse ( an entity of legend ) far beyond the limits of any being in this lifetime ; a taste , a sense , as if drawn blood from the flesh of an unwitting morsel which so opens as a WOUND between them freshly rife with malignance and contempt ( flesh of a child , yes , but all the hostility of a grown beast — perfect ) .

It does not think to interrupt the display , nor does it react.  The Wisps , startled as most rudimentary spirits might be from the aggression , whirl and vanish in a churn of flickering light , effectively – and perhaps rightly – chased off ( not that they , either , meant any ill intent ) .  Kaëltyr raises a hand , grazing long claws against fine curve of soft cheek ; no real cut , but the stinging simmer of remnant e n e r g y is present , a flesh-prickling r e s i d u e left behind where striking blood thought it wise to just barely graze beyond its visage in what could only have been a DEFENSIVE MEASURE .  Or , to a God … A try for insolence , an act of HERESY against the body of a blessed beast.  Techniques , when used , are concentrated and often bolstered by WILL & INTENTION .  His was clear : to make a point , to demonstrate his distrust.  ❝ Hm … ❞  Contemplating , considering , ignoring the small , indolent creature wriggling in its lap for the time being as it weighs what it now knows.

This child – no , NOT A CHILD , a MADE-MONGREL ( a forgery , a counterfeit , a defilement of an already-being ) – is doomed to an accursed existence ; there is nothing to be done for it.

❝ … Aye , well done , well done , ❞ Praise given , though muddled by the way it grasps the boy by the scruff of his collar , hoisting him up and depositing him ( disposing him , rather ) back into the rain an arms-length away , letting him p l o p downwards a foot or two from its hold , ❝ Y’might wanna find shelter.  I can smell it in the air , the storm’s likely t’get worse overnight.  It won’t be favorable t’a wee thing like you. ❞  The great beast waits for no answer and instead rises , changes , bones and body TWISTING & TRANSFIGURING as it assumes a stag-like shape to travel.  Antlered head turns over its withers to look at him in the mud and loam , ear flicking.  It doesn’t ask , necessarily , but the offer is plainly there : I can take you , I can help you.  Free will , however , is altogether Man’s own ; it is Choso’s choice to make and not one Kaëltyr shall decide for him ( even if it should like to ) .

It he a creation did not know what to expect when he revealed his blood manipulation ability. A family trait unique to the Kamos. Although the abomination knew he was not normal, he knew not of the unique and hereditary nature of his abilities, nor how keenly he would capture the creature's attention. He, a newborn creature, escaped because the laboratory which was his home and place of creation held oppression and a malicious man that cared too greatly on potential. Chōsō did not appreciate when anything . . anyone placed too much attention on what he could do over who he was. The mind of the child he dominated without choice was alive and currently warned him that monsters should be feared for a reason.

The incessant buzzing of the creatures in the air around them which had already been odd quickly became an annoyance. Dark eyes of the hybrid narrowed to near slits and though fire was not within the realm of his abilities, there was in fact a fire being stoked in his gaze. He is silent. A ball of raised quills. He would appear adorable had it not been for the curling smoke of scarlet cursed energy. After prolonged time with no movement and no speech, where rich crimson spilled down his pale digit, the little Chōsō jerked his hand away — at least an attempt was made. Blood defied the pull of gravity with the use of Slicing Exorcism.

The child half-curse gathered his blood and his cursed energy to shoot blood in various directions. There were other extension techniques with more speed and strength, yet to the untrained eye, it moved faster than any living non-sorcerer creature in nature. It appeared sporadic and random, but Chōsō aimed true. A shot of blood just barely avoided the large creature's cheek, stirring hairs and causing the wind to whirl, before ultimately striking the tree behind. Ten other streaks of blood shot forth left, right, above, and behind him, aiming for the noisy Wisps with no intention of striking them.

Missing their target by less than a centimeter. As quickly as the air exploded with blood, it was over, and the creature felt weakened by his first real feat of power. Fatigue dominated his appearance, and his darkened eyelids blinked in a cute and sleepy way. He remained awake and used another influx of cursed energy to absorb what he had expended. Nothing was said. He did not trust the creature, but it was difficult keeping his eyes open. He suddenly squirmed in the hold, using his body language to indicate he wished to be put down on the ground. Immediately.

[strywoven]

@zinbu / @stanislawkowalski ♡’d for a starter ( ft. sloan + nastka )

BORN AND BRED for the industry ( quite actually , a dog instilled with the instinct & purpose to serve , to hunt , to kill ) .  Sloan never mistook its place in the hierarchy for anything more than being on a l e a s h to those who had the tolerance to keep it tethered and tame.  But most masters , it found , were simply flesh and blood ; they broke all too easily , and Sloan was often regarded with a wary apprehension whenever its contract changed hands.

Its current handler , however , seemed more than adequate enough ( that is to say , he seemed a man who wouldn’t put up with its shit , who wouldn’t spare it the rod should it be necessary ) .  And in these last few weeks acclimating to Natska’s control and demand , Sloan found itself falling in line as if SECOND-NATURE , as if INSTINCTIVE , obliging him like any well-trained mongrel might.  So it goes , it appears to him upon summons , head lowered out of deference , the air around it simmering with its usual aura of abnormal p o w e r , ❝ Boss , good evening.  What can I do for you ? ❞

[strywoven]

♡’d for a starter ( ft. hyeon + verona ) . // @goddessrisen

❝ Humor me , ❞ Fellow empyrean says , telepathic voice lilted with both curiosity and characteristic good-humor.  Verona takes roost in the seat opposite Hyeon , chin settling ‘pon the backs of furled-together claws ; like a beast taking rest atop a precarious s t e e p l e .  Sanguine lips preen , splitting at the seams to show off serrated ivory tiers.  ❝ You and I are so much alike , ❞ Is that supposed to be A COMPLIMENT ⸺ ?  ❝ I feel as if I have a l w a y s known you , but yet … ❞  Crowned head shakes , a momentary look of displeasure crossing her gleaming countenance , ❝ There is still so much I know so little of. ❞  Verona tips forward in her seat , silvery hues ALIGHTING , fixing onto the other with such earnest fascination and ardor , ❝ Please , won’t you let me know more of you ?  O h , just a bit ? ❞  How cute of her to pretend to b e g for such information , f l i r t i n g for knowledge , like a mongrel looking for scraps of the most coveted meal she could possibly think to seek.

[strywoven]

♡’d for a starter ( ft. hyeon + lhore ) // @goddessrisen

Hyeon’s presence ?  In a word : a comfort.  If not a very peculiar one , a sometimes uninvited one.  The celestial had , very certainly , made herself at home in the qilin’s company.  And though Lhore might have been averse to her in the beginning , even s h e , uninclined to many , could admit … SHE WAS CHARMING ( in her own frustratingly delightful sort of way ) .  ❝ If I confess I like having you around , ❞ Lhore says suddenly , interrupting their silence , attempting to prevent a s m i l e from crossing her features , ❝ Will you f i n a l l y grant me some peace and quiet ? ❞

[strywoven]

closed. // @zinbu ( ft. sukuna & kaëltyr )

An old myth presides : a monster made of burning-glory gave unto man the GIFT OF FIRE so he shall never again fear the dark ⸺ Merely a story , of course , unless we are to believe the whispers still uttered as if keeping a most venerable s e c r e t .  For whom else may teach the technique , if not the keeper of the power itself ?

Rare and rarer still , in these last several lifetimes , that Kaëltyr has taken on a d i s c i p l e , an a p p r e n t i c e of any kind.  Long ago , it had ventured to isolation , forsaken itself and the company of the creatures it was ordained to guide and protect.  Humanity , after all , was not born with the tolerance to withstand the presence of cursed divinity ( try as it likes despite the fact , no soul alive has ever survived its companionship & courtship ) .  Yet there were , admittedly , a privileged few which managed to thwart the Design.  This man - Ryomen Sukuna - is one of them , brazenly DEMANDING that the Immaculate impart its wisdom unto him ( if only for a price ; all things in consequence ) .

It watches on , now , ever the stalwart tutor , as he struggles and fails to conjure a proper flame.  Fauny features twist , sharpening at the seams in d i s p l e a s u r e as maw splits and spits in smoke-cinder , ❝ Ock !  Ye feckin’ useless man-t’ing !  ‘Ave ye learned not’in’ thus far ?!  Ain’t ye been lissenin’ ta’ a t’ing Ah said ?! ❞  Lash-plume tail whips forward , sparing no force as it w h a p s him along the backside , correcting his posture to attention from a lax stance.  It sneers down at him in disdain , furred ears pinned to a bristling mane of colorful fire rippling in ire around their effeminately bestial features.  Then , a thought dawns : perhaps , it needs to approach this from a more … HUMAN level , a much more BASIC one.

❝ Fine , we’ll try somet’in’ else. ❞  It rumbles , stepping forward , the air h e a v i n g on its presence as it moves with an uncanny grace.  One hand reaches out , large palm pressing atop his chest , over his heart.  ❝ ‘S a feelin’ , ye understand ?  Fire’s a force , an intention , like any other technique.  FEEL IT , EMBRACE IT . ❞  To help , or perhaps to spite , its own power seeps into him from their hand , spreading outwards and racing through his veins , tangling deep into his marrow and spirit ; a rush of heat , a surge of ferocity and otherworldly strength burning through every essence of his being , hopefully setting him to k i n d l e properly.  

[strywoven]

cont'd. // @stubborngods

If he is the EAST , then verily Apollo is the SUN ⸺ Or something exceptionally corny like that.  Memories , now more than a l i f e t i m e ago , flood through him , putting him back on that stranded beach , half-alive / half-dead , with no solace but the grace of a god who caused his fall to begin with ( the savior & the butcher , both ) .  But it was n e v e r fear nor resentment which had colored Icarus’ gaze and rather instead a BEFUDDLED AWE ( as any mortal , confronted by a god so directly , he was struck & numb & entirely enchanted ) .

That was t h e n , though.  And this is n o w .  Apollo doesn’t exactly resemble the same figure he remembers , but it is the soul of him that burdens the recognition , that told him to stop and speak out at all.  To watch them RECOIL & REJECT the interaction is like another lash against his wounded merit ( how can they be this way ? ) .  Icarus is nothing if not b r a z e n , and he does not intend to allow opportunity slip by , not when Apollo is so c l o s e after so long apart.  But his feet won’t move , and his mind won’t offer him anything intelligent to say other than to quip , ❝ Is- Is that how you greet an OLD FRIEND ? ❞  The levity is simpering and weak , but he t r i e s , for both their sakes.

[strywoven]

cont'd. / @infog

What a FAMILIAR LOOK he bears , Kaen thinks , he says t h e y haven’t changed and yet ⸻ ❝ You’re one to talk , Adachi , ❞ A lighthearted prod ( just like old times , huh ? as if , maybe , nothing’s quite so different between them after all ) , a laugh huffed out through their nose , ❝ But I guess I jus’ can’t help it.  Y’know what they say ‘bout old habits and shit , right ? ❞  THEY DIE HARD ; though they each had to kill parts of themselves to get to this point , didn’t they ?  Sacrifices , to both , not altogether unfamiliar.

Body swings , doing its usual sway back-and-forth on idle soles.  ❝ I thought you l i k e d stubborn chicks ?  Or did I make that up from when we were still t’gether ? ❞  Nothing mocking about the words , merely teasing , merely curious.  Hand lifts , waving off their own remark before – hesitantly , tentatively – extending outwards to Adachi in offering , their look i n v i t i n g ( if not imploring ) .  Kaen tips their head towards the street , ❝ Nevermind.  C’mon , detective , name the place and we’ll make a night of it. ❞  Well , FOR BETTER OR WORSE ( & this certainly may be worse ) Kaen is here now , beside him again.

[strywoven]

@quietlyblooms has requested a story : " i can't believe you'd be so cruel! " chiyo cries dramatically, hanging onto kaen's arm... are those tears in her eyes?? yeah, but don't worry -- they're just crocodile tears. " y'can't leave after a scary movie like that! 'm spooked! "

𝑼𝒏𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒅.

Such a display is not unfamiliar , is in fact reminiscent of own need for theatrics ( all life be a stage , all people the players & audience cast in an eternal play ) .  Thus , Kaen is not one so easily deceived by false tears and tantrums.  They allow her time to perform , to cling upon their arm and appeal them for their comfort in a way which is both disingenuous as it is oddly charming.  But the godling extends to Chiyo little more than a downcast look ; attentive yet impassive , eyes blinking slow and unenthused at her act ( one rather worthy of a curtain ) .  They remain altogether – outwardly – u n m o v e d , yet their heart is a weak-willed sort , bidden to the whims of those in their life far more than they ought be.

Reaching out , Kaen tenderly swipes scarred fingers against her cheeks , brushing away those fake tears before shifting to grip her chin in the hold of clawed grasp , lifting her head and holding it steady.  ❝ Ah’m not cruel , ❞ Kaen says softly , though pointedly , ears lowering atop their head , ❝ But Ah’m not th’ nicest person , either. ❞  Even if they may try to be.  Their features soften some , their touch withdrawing.  ❝ Y’know , if you’re gonna act like this after watchin’ a scary movie , why’d ye e’en agree to watch it wit’ me at all ? ❞  Merely curious , own lips twitching into a hapless smile on her behalf , bemused.  ❝ Like , Ah know not e’ryone’s a WHORE FER HORROR like Ah am , but c’mon , this’s real bad ! ❞  Joking , teasing , means nothing by it.

A brief moment follows where Kaen considers their options ; true , Chiyo is just making a show of her being scared from the film , but at the same time … Who are they to let her feel that way at all ?  Inevitably , the faun heaves a sigh , a dramatic flair of their own as smoke huffs in cinder-touched flume from their lips and they shake their head at her , feigning e x a s p e r a t i o n .  ❝ If y're r e a l l y that scared , Ah'll stay.  Ah'll stick ‘round an’ be yer BIG STRONG BUCK th’ whole night if tha’s wha’ ye wan’. ❞

[strywoven]

@hoshizorax has requested a story : ❝ i love you. ❞ for kaen

𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒅.

I LOVE YOU ⸺ Words fall between , spilling out as easily , as simply as if the confession had been so very o b v i o u s since the beginning.  Verily , it might have been , yet it makes the sentiment no less difficult to conceive of , to process.  Poor doe is altogether s t r u c k and d u m b , their chore of organizing the bookshelf quite actually falling from their hands as palms press to their mouth to quiet the little g a s p of surprise that leaves them.  Ears perked upright fall sideways , furry extensions FLUFFED & FRAZZLED from hearing such a thing.  Own heart all but STOPS , ceases in course , to make room for the sudden flush of w a r m t h seeping , taking root throughout their body , putting a gentle shimmer to their complexion , cinders crackling within wild mane and clawed fingers tip-tapping together where they’re tucked against their breast as eyes dart away in nervous habit.  They can hardly b r e a t h e , let alone t h i n k or make s e n s e of what’s just been told to them.  So , all Kaen can muster the strength for is to stupidly ask , ❝ … Wh- wha’ did ye say ?  Jus’ now ? ❞  Not whether she m e a n s it , just to be sure they heard it AT ALL .

And sure enough , Lily is gracious enough to repeat it , those THREE SIMPLE WORDS that send the godling’s world off on a new axis , spinning wildly and wonderfully off-kilter.  The second pause is briefer , broken at last when Kaen’s features break into a toothy grin , all agleam and aglow , radiating such tangible JOY that Lily could very well reach out and f e e l it , take hold of it.  Kaen hiccups once , then the tears brim over , little crystals tilling down their cheeks and p l i n k i n g down against the floor in glittering gems.  ❝ F- fuck — !  Ah’m … Ah’m sorreh , Ah jus’ … ❞  Kaen swipes at their face , caught between a half-sob / half-laugh , sniffling and blubbering on , ❝ … Gods alive , Lily , ye- ye cannae jus’ drop tha’ on someone !  Ah- Ah dunno ‘ow ta’ react ! ❞  It’s a half-hearted reprimand , ❝ B- but Ah … Ah LOVE YE , TOO .  S- so much.  More’n anyt’in’.  Y’re m’ole werld , m’other ‘alf , an’- an’ Ah dunno wha’ Ah’d do wi’out ye. ❞

Gathering themself together , Kaen takes a breath and nods at her. ❝ We should celebrate , ❞ They propose , sapphire hues sparkling , ❝ Like , go somewhere 'r ... Ah dunno ... Make a big dinner ! Y'know , somet'in' special. If - um - If ye wanna. ❞

[strywoven]

@quietlyblooms has requested a story : ❝ Just trust me. ❞ for kaen!

a prompt i lost.

Not usually the sort to look so NERVOUS , normally unflappable demeanor gone to the wayside as they fidget anxiously in the passenger seat next to their friend.  Kaen t r i e s - in their defense - to keep still , to keep calm , but forgive them , this car ( a near-pristine 70s el camino with few faults to be found ) is the effort of painstaking upkeep and care ; how could they n o t be the least bit unsettled to hand the keys over to someone else ?  This is their BABY !  Oh , GODS ALIVE , it just dawns on them that a broad is actually about to drive their car — Holy shit , get a grip you idiot , but holy shit !

Kaen lets out a weak few notes of a laugh , voice carrying a t r e m o r , ❝ Ha … Ha-ha … Yeah.  Well , ‘s not tha’ Ah dun’ trus’ ye , Ah definitely DO , ‘s um- uh- y’know , Ah’m not used ta’ lettin’ other people drive th’ car. ❞  Ever.  At all.  Under any circumstances.  How did Chiyoko manage to convince them again — ?  Could not possibly have been her earnest promises to be ‘ extra careful ’ or the way she smiled and her face lit up at the prospect ; no , no , absolutely not !  Kaen grimaces slightly , shifting once again against the worn upholstery to t r y and settle down , to t r y and get comfortable ( though all in vain , they can tell ) .  She’s hardly even turned the key in the ignition , just barely started the car , and already Kaen is biting back the instinct to COACH HER on how to handle the vehicle , wanting terrible to show her how to PLACE HER HANDS , how to TOGGLE THE PEDDLE & CLUTCH ⸺ Okay , BREATHE . Let her handle it , she's got this ! ❝ Once we get goin’ Ah’ll relax , ❞ Probably ( no guarantees for such , unfortunately ) , ❝ Jus’- jus’ promise ta’ be gentle wit’ ‘er , okey ?  Ah’ll ‘elp ye learn ta’ drive ‘er along th’ way. ❞

[strywoven]

HOW DID WE COME TO THIS ? ⸺ Such a question remains a reminder of the ever-widening d i s t a n c e between them now , the nigh palpable d e t a c h m e n t which lingers even in these moments of stolen conference and comfort of two entangled souls.  Kaen allows the moment for the question to steep , setting the mood as something solemn , the tone presiding most funereal ( quite unlike those times now so far bygone & out of reach , wherein laughter & lovering whispers often made for the backdrop to their scenes of forbidden affection ) .  They wish , for all their power , that they could give him the answer he beseeches them desperately for.  Yet in truth , there isn’t one they can give ; there is no SIMPLE REASON as to how or why the Fates have ordained their courses to be as they are now in the present.

No matter their separation , Kaen is still ever-privy to Geto’s soul , to the energy which wafts from his spirit ( a presence which has always lived alongside their own , no matter the era ) ; so rife with negativity , so burdened and harrowed.  It is this sort that Kaen f e e d s upon , but it wounds them no less to know that he – their confidant , their closest companion , their consort – has fallen so far from the brilliance they once found within him.  Their eyes close , simply breathing him in ; scent and spirit , both , their strong arms tangling all the tighter around him in a grasp almost c h o k i n g , belying their instinctive need to ABSOLVE him , to PURIFY him , to again RETURN THINGS TO HOW THEY ONCE WERE ( when they were both together ; as one ) .

❝ You’re so stupid , ❞ Kaen says simply , their words buried against his hair , voice emotional and strained , eyes pressed shut , ❝ In every lifetime , in every era , I’ll b e l i e v e in you … I’LL BELIEVE IN US .  It doesn’t matter t’me that your path has changed from my virtues , it doesn’t matter that your morals have fallen.  Geto , your own belief in me will keep me with you , in your heart and soul ; ALWAYS .  And I’ll continue t’heed that call so long as it’s t’come from you. ❞  Sharp claws c l i n g , cutting into shoulders as they grip at him , refusing to let him loose , ❝ Y’were everythin’ t’me in the old days , so- so I’ll be everythin’ t’you n o w !  It’s the least I can do for all y’did for me before.  So don’t y’even start thinkin’ that jus’ ‘cause you’re supposedly evil or some shit that that means I’m leavin’ , ‘cause I’m STAYIN’ .  There’s nothin’ alive that’s gonna get me away from you , understand ? ❞  It is a threat as much as a promise.

In the quiet expanse of his thoughts, Geto pondered the intricate muse of their shared existence, covered with loyalty and betrayal, with adoration and strife. Each word from the other cut deeper than any blade, unraveling the layers of their once-unshakable bond, revealing the stark reality of their divergent paths.

"How did we come to this?" Geto's voice, a whisper in the winds of memory, carried the weight of countless nights spent searching for answers amidst the shadows of their past. He remembered the days when they were inseparable, forging destinies side by side against the tumult of fate. Together, they had dared to challenge the heavens, their spirits intertwined in an eternal dance.

But time, relentless in its passage, had carved rifts between them. Their shared dreams had splintered like fragile glass, scattered by the winds of change. Geto traced the lines of their separation with a heavy heart, mourning the loss of what once bound them together. ;; The echoes of their shared laughter lingered, haunting him with the sweetness of days long gone. The promises whispered in moments of quiet camaraderie echoed through his mind, a testament to the depth of their connection. And yet, through the ache of their estrangement, a question lingered in the silence that stretched between them. "Did you ever believe, as I did?" Geto's voice trembled with a fragile hope, a flicker of longing in the depths of his gaze. It was a murmur, more to himself than to the world around him. "I believed in you." His voice cracked with emotion, betraying the turmoil within. "But the path I was forced to take… it led me here, to this moment of fractured trust." As he sat in the aftermath of his Deity's whispered vow, Geto's heart weighed heavy with the burden of a devotedness lost to the passage of time and the inexorable march of destiny. The silence between them spoke volumes, filled with unspoken regrets and the ache of what could have been.

"And yet," Geto's voice steadied, infused with a solemn determination, "even if my body is torn apart, my mind lost, my eyes gouged out, and my legs cut off... I will always find the way back to you." His words carried the weight of an unbreakable oath, a pledge forged in the fires of their shared history. "Even if the end is bitter, I will seek you out. For where you are, my duckling, there is a part of me that will always belong... do you believe me?"