#* ´ 💉ˑ ic.

[intcritus]

🍻 + “ what scares you more than anything ?” //for Gioia

❝ ━ not being enough. ❞ the answer comes immediately to loosened tongue, leg bouncing as she pushes away her shot glass. to some, it seems silly considering the nature of her family and what she'd already gone through. but gioia likes to discard certain things. atleast , for her chance to live normally. ❝ ━ sometimes i'm a little too busy, a little too distracted or maybe i'm just not what someone wants. but i guess being discarded by someone i care for terrifies me. because if they didn't want me, who else would ? ❞

send me a 🍻+ the question you want to ask my muse for a tipsy, drunken ( honest ) answer. / @nezumivc103221

[dcwnrisen-aa]

to the bunny siblings: what do you think about harlow?

❝ ━ she tends t' bring out all my protective instincts. she's sweet, and sometimes cries too easily, but she's like a precious lil' sister to me and i'd do anything for her. ❞

❝ ━ i've only heard about her in passin', because sabria gushes about her all th' time, but she's jus' as welcome t' dinner as th' rest of my family is. i think sabria purchased two of her pieces, they're hangin' in my home now. ❞

❝ ━ when i say i adore her, i mean tha' in every sense of th' word. she's so comfortable t' be around and she doesn' mind when i game all night. of course, she always has my undivided attention and i'd pick up a gun if it meant she'd never have to cry over some idiot tryin' t' knock her down.❞

❝ ━ she looks fun. th' way sabria describes her, i know she'd be good company. and probably would love marathonin' bad movies.❞

❝ ━ i'd kill someone for her. she's very important t' all of us and it's gonna stay tha' way. she's family and whatever she needs, we'd provide without a second thought. she's more precious than she realizes.❞

[kindnurse]

* ´      💉ˑ      𝑢𝑠𝑓𝑤   𝑡𝑎𝑔𝑠      ﹕      part   one.

[intcritus]

you're making "the face" again. //for Gioia

it wasn't like she meant to ! nezumi said things that were concerning as though they were casual topics, and it always made her face scrunch up. huffing, she pointed her chopsticks at him with a faint pout, ❝ ━ i'm not making a face. and even if i was, it's called concern. ❞ no matter how much time they spent together, a part of the nurse would always feel a bit of concern ( read: a lot ) for someone who thought he was, in his own words un-care-able. ❝ ━ like it or not, i care about you. and if tha' means i have th' face when ya say somethin' silly, then you'll see it. ❞

despite this, gioia grin as she picks up broccli with her chopstick, munching on it happily. with her busy schedule picking up, she doesn't get much time as she wants with nezumi, so it's pleasant to have this easy banter with him. she misses it. ❝ ━ anyway, before you go pout at my faces, tell me what's been going on with you. you look good, been working out ? ❞ a smirk curls up the corners of her mouth, ❝ ━ been fighting lions and bears ? ❞ gently teasing, mostly because she just wanted to see him crack a smile.

[intcritus]

❝ could you just…talk to me? it doesn’t have to be anything important. i just like listening to your voice. it calms me. ❞ nikko to gioia !

❝ ━ someone came into th' emergency room with a yellow boa constrictor around their neck a few nights ago. guess th' thing was hungry enough to attack it's owner. although, i firmly believe that snakes should be left in th' wild, domesticatin' them just seems cruel, y'know?❞

taking his hand in her own, the nurse traced absent shapes into his palm as she speaks softly, the sounds of her voice the only thing between the two of the them, the world a distant memory at frayed edges. she didn't mind talking if it meant she was helping nikko, when she needed him, he was always there. ❝ ━ my papa called last night and we spoke and had a good cry. sometimes i miss him so much and i know he's busy, but i just want him close. same with my mama, they're both worlds away and i just miss home sometimes, but i have a life here now and i don' wanna leave. heh, i know th' both of them would come here in a heartbeat, but it's complicated. it makes me feel lucky that i don' have t' worry about th' problems my eldest brothers have in their futures. ❞

bringing his hand to her mouth, she presses a tender kiss to each fingerpad, a hum on her tongue. ❝ ━ sometimes i think about gettin' a backpiece down, something symbolic, or just maybe give artistic freedom. probably bring sabria with me since she's been aching for another tattoo or a piercing me. though, the last time she encouraged it, i'm the one who ended up getting a chsristina piercing, pfft. that brat is a bad influence for sure, who knows what she'll suggest next? ❞

she laughs softly, walking her fingers up his arms, amber eyes tracing over his tattoos, letting her fingers follow with an appreciative hum, ❝ ━ i really want t' go somewhere quiet one of these days. jus' relax with no other person in sight, th' sounds of nature all around me, maybe walk along a riverbank…just something peaceful…❞ there's something wistful in her tone, glossed lips curling at the corners, but noonetheless amused before she looks at him, hands gently cupping his face,❝ ━ i've been ramblin' a little, huh ? want me t' keep going' ? ❞ / @avaere

[intcritus]

❝  did you come by for a reason or did you just want some company?  ❞ //for Gioia

oho, someone's feeling snappy. ❝ ━ maybe i jus' wanted t' see ya.❞ nevertheless, she's smiles, brows rising at him as she clasps her hands behind her back. ❝ ━if you're in a bad mood, i'll let ya vent, nezumi. as long as ya don' bite me, can' promise not t' bite ya back. ❞ is she teasing to lighten his mood ? possibly, but she's serious. he's always there for her and he never gives her the chance to return the favor. he's her friend ! friends are there for one another. gnawing on her lip, gaze averts and she tries not to pout, ❝ ━ come take a walk with me, let off that steam. maybe we can go break some stuff. i heard somethin' warm and comfortin' helps too.❞

[intcritus]

❝  with a smile like that,  i can’t help but want to know your secret.  what’s got you so cheery today?  ❞ //for Gioia

honestly, putting in the days for a short vacation was the highlight of gioia's entire month. she was beginning to feel burnt out, and needed a break where she could lounge around in pretty lingerie and sip some ristretto and just enjoy the day honestly. and if she was a little tipsy, well, who could blame her for finishing off a half-bottle of some aged cabernet sauvignon, well nothing could wipe the smile from off her face. leaning against nezumi, she rests her cheek against his bicep, grinning up at him, amber eyes sparkling, ❝ ━ vacation and half a bottle of wine. ❞ giggling, she squeezes his arm, rocking back and forth on her heels, ❝ ━ it's been th' start of a good week. i wanted t' share my mood with ya.❞ / @nezumivc103221

[intcritus]

❛   in case you ever foolishly forget: i am never not thinking of you.  ❜   sumayl @ gioia

stretching her arms over her head, the woman stretches out her limbs with a small, relieved groan as joints crack and pop. sumayl's words make her grin, warmth spreading through her chest, and she looks over at him, shooting him a wink. ❝ ━ you tend t' wear your heart on your sleeve when it comes to me, ❞she teases, one hand pointing to her eyes, ❝ ━ th' windows t' th' soul, and you're soft for me, aren' ya ? ❞ doesn't make her love him less, infact, it merely makes her love for him that much fuller because he cares for her so deeply. besides, if he wasn't defending her honor half the time, how could she hide the heart eyes she always shot his way. it was only right.

[dcwnrisen-aa]

"You could get some flowers here... some thin lines here... and there..." playing around with his marker, Nicolai shifted Gioia's hand in his loose grip, gladly navigating her through the ideas and "what ifs" of tattoos. Was he building his clientele? Maybe, but he always enjoyed spending time with Gioia, even more now that he got to play around with her hands.

Hunched over slightly, he raises as eyebrow, gently lifting her hand up to his lips; "or if you're feeling bold..." a kiss left on top of her hand, then the side of it, with a final on her wrist.

"You could get some lip marks tattooed."

Her and Sabria were just talking about getting more tattoos and even though the nurse didn't have quite a vast variety like her little sister, it was certainly appealing. Made even more so when she watched Nkko guide her through ideas. ❝ ━ I'd let you free hand on me if ya want. ❞ She was only half paying attention to what he was doing but also she loved staring at him. Sometimes he still made her breathless just by existing in her space.

A thrill shoots through her, amber eyes glimmering with warmth and surprise at the feeling of such fleeting kisses on her flesh. For a moment, she says nothing before shifting, allowing her hand to capture his jaw, thumb brushing tenderly over his bottom lip as she meets his gaze, biting her bottom lip before grinning slyly, ❝ ━ Feelin' bold enough to leave your mark on me, Nikko ? ❞ Soft, tinkling laughter leaves her and she leans in, brushing her mouth over his, ❝ ━ As long as its done by your hands ? I'll let ya do whatever ya like, tesoro.❞

[dcwnrisen-aa]

‘  you’re  allowed  to  be  angry .  you’re  allowed  to  feel  whatever  it  is  that  you  feel .  ’ for Gioia

❝ ━ Anger exhausts me. And any negative emotion is…difficult for me to express without feelin' like I'm on th' verge of tears. ❞ Gioia admits, arms tight around her knees as she tracks the rain drops that cascade down the windowglass. A thunderstorm was probably her favorite type of weather, even when it was warm.

She forgets just how much it soothes her, the sky's rumbling just before the lightning streaked cross it. ❝ ━ I feel it so wholly, tha' sometimes I need to scream into a pillow or cry when I shower so I feel better. ❞ Screaming into her pillow then throwing all her decorative pillows everywhere until she feels better. It's not the destruction her brothers are known for, but it's enough for her. The nurse likes that Nezumi came over when she called, it must've been hell driving with how hard it was raining.

❝ ━ What about you, Nezumi ? Do you allow yourself t' feel ? Or do you bottle it until it explodes ? Your eyes are expressive when you're irritated but everythin' else seems so….subdued. If I'm allowed t' feel, so are you. ❞ Humming softly, she turns her gaze back to the window, rocking back and forth. Emotions were hard. But they still needed to be felt. She just wished they were something with an off bottom. ❝ ━ Will you stay over ? I really don' want t' be alone. ❞ I feel safer when I know you're near.

[dcwnrisen-aa]

❛ here, let me help you. ❜ //for Gioia

On the weeks that she did doubles, Gioia was understably exhausted. So doing simple things like opening jars, or lifting boxes of books, or supplies that she would send back home ? Well, she truly didn't have the strength. And Giovanni had plans so he couldn't make it like he was supposed to. So calling Nezumi seemed like the best option, and she had missed him immensely this week ! Gosh, who knew she'd lament her work when she couldn't see or talk to her friend ?

There's a subtle pout on her lips as he hefts the heavy box and places it in the trunk of her car. He does so with the next two before she finally closes the trunk. ❝ ━ You have t' give me your workout routine. My arms feel like jello when I was carryin' tha'. ❞ She chuckles, leaning against his side as they leaned against her car's trunk. Letting out a sigh through her nostrils, amber eyes settle on the darkening sky, aware of the hunter at her side, ❝ ━ Don' know if ya have a few hours t' spare, can I treat ya t' a late dinner ? My treat, it feels like forever since I saw ya last. ❞ She doesn't have to worry too much about the hypervigilance that had it's claws in her for the last month, no she actually felt safe enough to go out and just have a bit of normalcy. ❝ ━ You can say no, you're a busy guy, and I wouldn' want to take up all your time, ❞ Gioia teases. / @nezumivc103221

[dcwnrisen-aa]

“  you deserve better.  ” //for Gioia

the nurse forces her shoulders to relax, trying her best not to tense at the statement. deserve. sometimes she disliked that word. she deserved great books, thunderstorms, and cool blankets she can burrow beneath on her days off. gioia was fairly certain that everything she deserved was within her grasp. what about the fear ? did she deserve that? the uncertainty, or the doubt. did she deserve those ? staring out the window, fingers gently tap against the glass, tracing through fog that her breath created. ❝ ━ do i deserve to be wanted ? to be safe ? are those things i deserve, nezumi ? ❞

ah, maybe she's simply too emotional in this moment. nezumi didn't need her dumping her emotions on him. ❝ ━ i want to sleep, just for a little while. i have to go back to work soon, so i suppose i'm just sleep deprived. ❞ it's easier to have someone here while she does so, but even if gioia's up, she'd rather just sit up with a book, listening to nezumi's voice and not worry about any awful memories creeping through. a tentative smile curls her lips and she turns to look at him, shoulders shrugging, ❝ ━ can you read to me ? your voice makes the stories more magical.❞ / @nezumivc103221

[dcwnrisen-aa]

i hope this isn't a bad time. //for Gioia

giovanni glanced at her phone with a raised eyebrow, bringing the mug of espresso to his mouth, but gioia merely rolled her eyes and shooed his nosiness away. keeping the phone between her shoulder and ear, she found herself smiling at nezumi's voice,

❝ ━ not in th' slightest, i was havin' breakfast with one of my brothers. ❞ her brother was being a tad overprotective but it bought a security that even she could deny. but sometimes even an unknown familiarity like nezumi still made her chest warm. she liked having a sense of normalcy, it bought her back to simpler times. ❝ ━ ah, but did you need somethin' ? should i meet ya somewhere? 'm truly not tha' busy. ❞ ignoring giovanni's indignant squawk, she smirks, fingers reaching out to snag his cannoli and biting into it. seeing his pout made her remember when they used to do this as children, it was humorous and some things never changed.

giggling to herself, she shakes her head, nibbling at the confection before turning her attention but to her phone, ❝ ━ if you're jus' callin' t' check on me, 'm fine, promise. besides, i'm a big girl, i appreciate the call, but i don' wanna take up your time if your busy. we talk often enough where things won' change too drastically between now and tonight, silly. ❞

[dcwnrisen-aa]

ღ for Gioia

❝ ━ he's a very attractive guy, there's no denyin' tha', i'd be a fool not t' look twice. but instead of pursuin' anything romantic, i'm quite content in having a reading partner and a friend. even if i'm conflicted on our beginnings after his confession. ❞

Romantic attraction: none | very low | low | medium | high | very high | extreme Sexual attraction: none | very low | low | medium | high | very high | extreme Aesthetic attraction: none | very low | low | medium | high | very high | extreme Sensual attraction: none | very low | low | medium | high | very high | extreme

[dcwnrisen-aa]

for Gioia: ❛  go back to sleep. i promise i’ll be there when you wake up.  ❜

subconsciously, she had reached out, fingers clasped in the fabric of his shirt, unwilling to let go. even half-asleep, she merely looks up at him through lowered lids. moonlight had filtered into the room, casting nezumi in such an ethereal glow. like he was an avenging angel. the thought made her want to smile. he was there with her, the smell of him around her reminding her where they were.

her body told her it was barely after eleven, which meant she fell asleep earlier and had actually stayed asleep for a few hours. blinking slowly, her fingers didn't leave his shirt immediately but she relaxed, fighting the urge to fall back to sleep. her panicked heart slows once more and her bleary gaze meets his once more before she nods, letting lids fall close. a shuddering exhale leaves her before her breathing evens out once more. he looked so pretty in the moonlight…

[dcwnrisen-aa]

falan's arm comfortably rested along the shorter female's shoulder, pulling her close whilst they sat on the couch & enjoyed their quality time together. " oh, wait..." the hellhound leans in, licking along the corner of gioia's lips before planting a rather sweet but teasing kiss on the same spot. " you had some icing there. it's gone now."

there are times when falan's actions happened to make her heart want to jump out of her chest. like now, when his tongue drags across the corner of her mouth, and the teasing but sweet kiss that follows only has her cheeks flushing. what was it about this hellhound that flusters her so easily ? with an aborted gasp, she covers her face , screaming silently as she tries to calm herself. ❝ ━ y-you could've just said i had icin' there, y'know ? ❞ because honestly, now she's thinking about that tongue somewhere else, and it's just rude.

🥀 -- @suender