#Airius clothing

[aealzx]

wooo, a bunch of doodles from last year for this particular story world X’D Descriptions are in captions, ‘cause there’s too many. |D

[carpe-noctemseries]

Carpe Noctem preview:

Knock, knock, knock!

By the headache pounding in time with the door, Xinghua knew that it was far too damn early to have someone at her door. She smacked the pair of socks from on top of her alarm clock to check the time, groaning at the mocking digital blue seven flashing up at her. 

Knock, Knock, Knock!

Xinghua’s thin, exhausted body slumped out from under her covers like a zombie clawing its way out of its own grave, spilling herself out across the laundry laden floor. The room was spinning and her head felt like someone had poured a dick load of iron ball bearings into it, and then gifted it to a monkey as a drum set.

KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.

Screw whoever the hell cop knocked at seven am.

She scooped a shirt up from beside her head without bothering to feel out whether or not it was inside out and threw it on. She didn’t bother with pants, anyone willing to knock someone’s door down at seven on a Saturday didn’t deserve the courtesy.

Quiet, though heartfelt, Cantonese swears fell from her lips as she dizzily stumbled her way across the apartment to the door. Her head seemed to throb in time with every step. 

“What?” She hissed as she threw open her door. 

To her surprise, it wasn’t a pair of unlucky missionaries or a gaggle of bewildered boy scouts at her door, but the actual cops. Several of them.

The one in front, a plain clothes detective judging by the rumpled white button down and cheap black tie, began addressing her without even looking up from the pile of papers he was holding. 

“My name’s Detective Richard Ransom,” He said in a voice that rumbled with grit, like a stone tumbler, “We have a warrant to search the premises.”

Xinghua squinted down at the apparent warrant he was fiddling with, then blinked up at him as the words settled in.

“On what grounds?” 

“We have reason to believe that Thomas Airius is involved with an ongoing series of murders.” 

The tension in Xinghua’s shoulders bled out as she released a breezy sigh. Here she’d been worried Mrs. Chen from down the hall had finally followed through on reporting her about the stench of weed coming from under her door.

“Well, can’t really fight a search warrant. Just don’t fucking break anything, yah?”

The detective looked up at her for the first time and seemed to freeze, his indifferent expression rupturing into wide-eyed surprise. He looked like he’d just been bitch slapped by a ghost, his dark complexion paling as the blood drained from his face.

“You okay mister?” She cocked a brow at him.

He mouthed something that might have been a word then cleared his throat, a sharp frown slicing down his otherwise mystified face. He shifted his weight from foot to foot as he worked on schooling his expression into something more professional. 

“I’m fine. Do you live here?”

“I’m not a fuckin’ hooker if that’s what you’re asking.”

“No, no,” He winced, “I’m sorry, do you… do you know anything about the Snow White murders?”

She snorted, “This an ‘on the books’ question, detective?”

He somehow frowned even deeper, the worry lines on his forehead forming canyons.

“No, it isn’t. It’s just a little alarming that you’d be at the home of our top suspect. You fit the victimology of this killer nearly to a tee.” 

His head ticked sharply to the side as he visibly regretted his word choice, “Sorry that was out of line.”

“Probably,” She shrugged, “But then I did answer the door in my underwear, so who am I really to bitch about being out of line?”

Two of the officers at the back gave her a once over, and the rest of them looked like they were fighting not to follow suit. She could hardly blame them, she was aware of what she looked like, which was part of why she did things like this. They got a nice little treat and she got to watch them squirm. It was a win-win really.

 The detective cleared his throat again and Xinghua struggled not to crack a smile as his ears flushed red at the tips.

“May we come in?”

She stepped aside, making a sweeping gesture to the inside of the apartment, “Mi casa es su casa.”

The group filed in quickly, breaking into smaller teams to sweep through the area as quickly and thoroughly as possible. It wasn’t an enormous apartment, but it certainly wasn’t the downtown New York average. She thought it was comfortable, though Tom almost constantly bitched about the ‘lack of leg room’. Trust a man who’d lived most of his life in a mansion in the woods to think 1400 square feet was too small for two people.

“Sooooo,” She glanced up at the Detective as he walked up beside her, “The girls from this case? Do I look like them or do I act like them?”

Ooh, that struck a nerve. She watched his hands clench and unclench, his breathing pick up then manually slow back down, the veins in his neck stood out as he tried to reign himself back in. 

“So far they’ve all been young women of east Asian descent, with short black hair and very pale skin.” The detective answered ruefully, eyeing her from his peripheral, “Each was wearing white color contacts when they were found.”

She perched herself up on the back of the couch, balancing like a cat on the side of one leg, careful not to flash anyone. She rested her chin on the heel of her hand, contemplating.

While Tom killing was nothing new, this was the first time she’d heard about him having a type, let alone one that specific. She’d assumed it was arbitrary, whoever caught his eye at the time. Although, given how meticulous and borderline obsessive Tom could get, she supposed it wasn’t really that weird for him. She did wonder how he managed to get them into contacts though. 

“Well detective,” She focused her attention back on him, “There’s one little difference between those girls and me. My eyes, like my tits, are real.”

He breathed out a little puff of air through his nose that could have been amusement or annoyance, but otherwise didn’t respond, seemingly lost in his thoughts.

Now that she was actually looking at him, rather than just irritated that there was someone at the door, she noticed he was sort of handsome for an older guy. He was tall, his muscled cop physique just barely starting to transition into dad-bod. His salt-and-pepper hair was left a little long, wavy and coming to rest just barely touching his broad shoulders. He couldn’t have been much over forty by the crows feet that looked to have just started by the sides of his eyes, but the bags beneath them told the story of a troubled man.

Xinghua looked away just as he glanced over at her.

“You seem awfully calm for someone who woke up to the cops.”

“Not my first rodeo.” She said idly, swinging her leg, “Grew up in the shitty part of Chinatown. Cops were in and out of there so often Granny started giving them the family discount. Not half as often as they got called but still, ya get used to it.”

Detective Ransom nodded, “I grew up in East Harlem. Big part of why I became a cop.”

“Let me guess,” She drawled, grabbing a hold of her leg and leaning precariously backward, “You wanted to make sure justice reached even the poorest places, yah?”

“Mmm, that and I thought I’d look good in the uniform.” 

A surprised laugh barked out from below her diaphragm. 

“Oh yeah? And did you?”

“Definitely, right up until I lost my girlish figure.”

That had her snorting so hard she lost her balance on the couch, tumbling right off the back.

“Detective!” One of the uni’s called out, “I got something!”

Xinghua poked her head up from behind the sofa.

The officer was holding up a small pair of blue leggings with a distinctive brownish-red patch right on the ass of them. Xinghua nearly broke into another fit of laughter.

“Those are mine.” Xinghua chimed in, resting her chin on the back of the couch, “But I don’t think that’s the kind of blood you’re after.”

The officer made a face as he reluctantly put the leggings in an evidence bag. 

Xinghua resituated herself on the couch with a bag of chips she’d tossed next to it last night, resigning herself to watching them make a mess of her already messy house. It might have looked like a disaster had torn through, but it was a carefully orchestrated disaster. She knew where everything was, no matter how many times Trish insisted that she couldn’t possibly. 

She decided to at least distract herself by playing with the surprisingly personable Detective Ransom. For a cop he was pretty chill, which meant she’d need to make sure she didn’t relax too much. Shouldn’t be too hard. 

“Want a chip?” She smirked a little, glancing down at the bag sitting between her legs.

He raised a brow at her, “No, thank you.”

“Your loss.” She shrugged, loudly crunching one between her teeth.

Half an hour later their search turned up next to nothing. 

Not that she’d actually expected them to find anything, Tom had rules. It wasn’t like he’d killed them here after all. That was rule number one; Don’t piss where you sleep.

“We’ve got nothing.” A uni whispered to Detective Ransom, “‘Cept that pair of leggings, but that could just be the girlfriend’s.” 

Rule number two: Don’t take trophies.

“Thanks Cruz.” Ransom nodded the officer away, “Alright boys, looks like we’re done here. Pack it up.”

“Aw, already?” Xinghua whined, pouting, “I was just starting to warm up to you.”

Ransom’s cheek twitched up a little like he was trying to remember how to smile. Before he could figure it out, the door clicked open.

“Xi-xi~ my little spider lily~ I have wonderful new-”

The crowd of officers turned to the mouth of the hallway where Tom now stood, his expression waxing from confused to amused.

“Xinghua, forgive my forgetfulness, but what occasion do we have for this many strippers?”

This time the force of her laughter had her hurling herself sideways off the couch.

“Thomas Airius, I presume? I’m Detective Richard Ransom. Mind if I ask you a few questions?” Ransom’s tone was clipped but professional, like it had been when she’d answered the door.

Tom’s lips curled up into the perfect imitation of a polite smile.

“Certainly Detective! I apologize for my assumption. Xinghua has a certain proclivity for surprising me with the most offbeat things.”

“That can’t be the first time he’s been mistaken for a stripper. Not with those thighs.” Xinghua whispered under her breath. 

Tom’s smile widened by a molar.

“Where were you on the night of November 17th?” Ransom deadpanned.

“That was last Friday, yes? Hmm, I was at the office late that day. Until around midnight. I believe I went out for a drink with my assistant, Seriah Nix after that. Didn’t make it home until one-thirty.”

“And would you be willing to give us this assistant’s number to confirm with?”

“Of course!” Tom beamed, “Though he did just take his annual leave, so I can’t speak for how quickly he’ll get back to you.”

Ransom’s eyes narrowed and a flat, humorless smile spanned his face.

“Thanks.”

“Of course~ May I ask what it is that brings you gentlemen here? Or is that classified?”

“We’re investigating the Snow White Murders.” 

“Oh dear! I remember reading about that in the papers recently. Those poor girls.” Tom shook his head, his brows sweeping low into anguished sincerity, “Always such a tragedy when young lives are cut short like that. I do hope you find whoever is responsible. Of course Xinghua and I will cooperate with you in the fullest.” 

Tom crossed the room and sat himself down next to Xinghua, his arm wrapping around her shoulders. He kept eye contact with the detective as he pulled her closer, pecking a gentle kiss to her forehead. 

Xinghua watched as the hair on Ransom’s arms rose right along with his blood pressure. He exhaled a thin hiss of a breath, though it did absolutely nothing to calm him from what she could hear of his heartbeat. 

“Thank you, but hopefully that won’t be necessary.” He said politely, though his neck was straining, “Boys, let’s go.”

The officers filed out of the apartment, leaving just Ransom. He and Tom looked to be locked in a staring contest that Ransom broke only to turn to Xinghua. There was a little black card held between his thick, calloused fingers that he extended to her.

“If you need anything, do not hesitate to call me.” He said with gravity.

Xinghua took the offered card with plans to throw it out the moment the detective left.

“Thanks.” She replied, flipping the thing over between her fingers.

Ransom nodded. With one last withering look at Tom, he also took his leave, slamming the door behind himself.

“He knows.” Xinghua said after a beat had passed.

“Of definitely. He seems like a very astute young man.” Tom slipped his lab coat off of his shoulders and stood to go hang it up.

“‘Very astute young man’, you sound like such a grandpa.” Xinghua snorted, relaxing into her chair.

“I’m older than most people’s grandfathers.”

“Doesn’t mean you’ve gotta talk like it.”

Tom sat down and fixed her with his vividly purple eyes. Ever since she was little his eyes had transfixed her. She’d never seen another set of eyes anywhere near the same hue, a violent shade of violet that, had she not had her own peculiar eye color, she might not believe were real. Accompanied by a halo of dark, thick lashes that seemed to deepen their color, it was no wonder she occasionally got lost in them. 

“Xing?”

Like that.

“Sorry, what?”

He chuckled, rolling the very eyes that had just distracted her.

“I said I had a major breakthrough at work.”

“You did?” She sat up eagerly, turning her whole body to face him, “Aah~! Was it the big project that you won’t tell me about because you’re a big, big meanie head?”

“That’d be the one.”

She bounced, excitement bursting from her in the form of a hug. He let her go on for a couple seconds before gently pushing her away.

“I’m so proud of you! I knew you could do it!” She cheered.

He winced along with her pitch, causing her to do the same. She knew better, he’d told her a million times not to be so loud, but she just sometimes forgot when she got excited. 

“Sorry.”

“It’s alright Xing, I know this is exciting.”

“Well, it’s been like twelve years!” She attempted to reign in her enthusiasm with mixed results, “Now I finally get to know what’s been taking up so much of your damn time.”

“Not just yet.” He tsked, index finger gently tapping the tip of her nose, “I made a big leap, but there’s still a little bit more paperwork and red tape I’ve got to get through before I can show you.”

She groaned, falling backward onto the couch, throwing her arms up over her head like a child.

“It’s very, very close Xi. A couple more weeks, max.”

“I’m holding you to that.” She threw herself back up into a sitting position, “But, like, we still get to go to Wreck, right?”

“Where else would we celebrate?”

Xinghua whooped quietly, pumping her fist in the air.

[askaealsbabes]

How does the Airius royal family feels now that they actually own their own clothes (or at least the ones given/made by the alien side of their family)?

Mathias: In daily life the only difference between them owning clothes, and everyone else, is that we use a different possessive than the others and they have a sort of detachment from material items. Of course they still appreciate everything they own since it was given to them, but they put a lot more value in spending time with people. It’s actually quite liberating in a way. It feels like everything we have is shared, and somehow it also makes us feel closer to others than if we were all worried about what belongs to who.

And actually, the idea of owning something like other people do, having so much possession over it, honestly scares them a little and they’d rather not think about it. So generally they’ll try to avoid the subject if it’s brought up.

They still don’t like handling actual money either, which is actually pretty funny to watch them with it. Or well, Trance is more okay with it than the other tree, but after living with us for so long he’s started to get nervous with it too. It’s really cute.

[askaealsbabes]

How do the fish people learn to shift into the fishy forms?

Mun: It’s something they more or less learn on their own, almost by accident. No one really knows how to explain how to do it, it’s like learning to move an arm, though it takes a bit longer. X’D The youngest who are able to do it are around a year old, and they could be much older than that before they figure it out. Learning how to convert clothing is completely different though, so those who are still learning will often accidentally rip their clothing. |D It’s one of the reasons everyone in Airius wears long shirts.

Trance learned to do it fairly easily, and early enough that he could do it at will by the time he ended up getting separated from his parents. He knew not to shift forms while away from home, so it was one of the reasons no one figured out who he was. They all thought he was a different race at the manor. X’D

[askaealsbabes]

Ourin, do you like Haetis' clothes?

Mun: He likes the flowy sleeves and long robe and stuff, but the fitted waist in an immediate turn off X’D As it would be for any clothing styles. I mentioned to Awa a long time ago that I referenced off of hanfu for a lot of design attributes, and she kept showing me ones that her characters would be willing to wear, but ended up taking it back when I said that none of them would have fitted waists when translated into Airius’ native clothing X’D Airiusian clothing is designed to conceal their figures for the most part X’D so none of their clothing is closely fitted, especially around the waist.

Id you’re curious about more clothing custom stuff for Airius, there’s a doodle post over here.