#a clumsy and earnest magician; aster

[ofglories]

"This time of year is dangerous. I've had to hide in Silas' cathedral more than once because His Highness the prince loves to run around the city once the leaves begin to turn."

And it would be a terrible move if the magician were to be recognized.

[ofglories]

❛  in you i see someone special.  ❜ [ romeo oc to aster! ]

|| Coldplay sentence starters ; accepting!

"O-Oh? You do?"

Slowly, hesitantly, Aster's ears perked up and his tail began to wag. Even with all of his clumsiness, with all of his struggles to even properly put on a show that Romeo could see... To know the bookbinder thought that about him?

It made his heart race.

A smile spread across the magician's face as he leapt from where he'd been sulking on the ground over his latest incident of tripping over his own feet. The way he wanted to sing, to dance, to make the wind pick up and scatter flower petals all over the shop that surrounded the two men! Ah, but he had to hold himself back. It wouldn't do to damage any of the delicate books nor the carefully arranged papers and such that went into Romeo's work. No, no. Aster would never even dream of so much as even accidentally disrupting the carefully controlled atmosphere of the shop.

Still he smiled ever brighter, eyes practically sparkling as he pressed his hands to the one empty space on the worktable so to lean in close.

"It's a good kind of special, right?" The Vol'wyn's voice was bubbly, tail wagging faster near the floor. "Because, Romeo, I have to say I've seen someone special in the good way with you for ages. So if it's the good way, then that means...! Well, you know what it means!" Aster laughed, leaning back with a quick breath to try to calm down. "Being seen as special by you... I can't tell you how happy it makes me. Really. Because I mean it, you know? You're someone special no matter what you have to say about it."

[ofglories]

"Hmm... It'll soon be time for that festival, huh? What sort of outfit and show should I prepare?"

The Vol'wyn magician taps his fingers against his notebook, staring intently at the paper as if it would magically answer him. Ordinarily he wouldn't linger in a public part of Laghi Estivi but this park is rarely visited by even the most adventurous of nobles so it's safe. Plus, with the Festival of Falling Snow soon approaching, he needed as much inspiration as possible.

Though...

"Should I even try to perform that week? The crowds are usually larger and include even the nobility for that time..."

A risky choice. It makes Aster's ears twitch, tail thumping the bench in agitation. The same dilemma every year, but an important one to consider. Especially since he wanted to spend the festival with a certain bookbinder but bringing trouble to his door was the last thing Aster wanted.

"Perhaps I should just ask Romeo what he thinks."

[ofglories]

Aster has three older brothers, each in a different profession. The oldest is studying under his father to take over as duke once he retires. As for the other two, the twins... One is a merchant's apprentice, about to start his own company. And the other is a knight in the royal guard.

None of them are aware that their baby brother is living right under their noses in the royal capital, working as a street magician. In fact, they're all still convinced he was kidnapped and stolen to another nation and they've been working to find him as best as they can. But as they say, the one place you'd never look is there you'll find what you lost. So naturally Aster chose to hide from them all in plain sight. And if it allows him to visit a certain book binder's workshop relatively often? Even better.

[ofglories]

for aster, 7. for bors ff, 15. for marrok, 19. for naoise!

|| Weirdly specific muse questions ; accepting!

|| 1. What's the lie your character says most often?

For Aster it's usually... "I'm fine". Any time he says that he's lying, and it can be about anything. He was the youngest out of his siblings and developed the habit to keep from having any kind of harsh criticism aimed his way. And now as a street performer... Well, he tends to get hurt a lot practicing new stunts. Or when someone objects to being made a part of his shows for whatever reason. Best to not let anyone worry too much about him, though!

|| 7. What would you (mun) yell in the middle of a crowd to find them? What would their best friend and/or romantic partner yell?

Me personally? I'd yell that I need a doctor. Bors (FF) may be an utter bastard with the face of an angel but he still cares about people enough to come running if someone is hurt. Such is the way of being a healer. As for what Gwalchmei would have to yell... Honestly if he yelled at all Bors would rush to his side regardless of the crowd.

|| 15. What’s the most obvious difference between their behavior at home, at work, at school, with friends, and when they’re alone?

When he's around his fellow KotR and any version of King Arthur? Marrok is the perfect knight (or dog depending on his form at the moment). Well-behaved, polite, honest... All the things he isn't when he gets to be on his own or around people that aren't his KotR. That's when he shows that he may be fae royalty... But he's royalty of fae beasts.

|| 19. What would they do if stuck in a room with the person they’ve been avoiding?

Depends on which of the people he's been avoiding but inevitably it'd be a fight. A nasty fight. Naoise has specifically only been avoiding other Heroic Spirits from Ulster because the Madness Enhancement that comes with being an Avenger makes him hate all of Ulster.

[ofglories]

“you’re sopping wet.” [ romeo oc to aster! ]

|| Rainy Day starters ; accepting!

"So it seems that I am!"

Despite the cheerful tone, Aster was blatantly sulking as he wrung water from both his tail and his coat as best as he could. How very typical that the day he decided to wear a new outfit for his performance, and even painted his face to go with it, would be the day it would decide to drop a downpour. Not any of the previous days this week with their dreary, overcast skies and steadily creeping humidity. It had to be today!

Sometimes the magician wondered if there was some deity with a vendetta against him that was behind his surprisingly poor luck at times.

With a heavy sigh Aster gave up on his coat and pulled a handkerchief from his sleeve, wiping at the melting makeup and paint. Best to not stain the fabric when it was already going to be a pain to get the silk he had spent months working towards back to the quality it was before the rain. Perhaps he should ask a tailor to enchant it with a water repelling charm next time? Ah, but some of those charms worked oddly with his magic... It would require thought.

"Ahhh, my show was completely ruined! It's not faiiir, Romeo," Aster whined, flopping over against his crush with his ears pressed flat. "I worked for months to prepare the perfect outfit and routine and the weather wasn't meant to rain until tonight!"

Childish?

Maybe.

But he liked having Romeo's attention and what better way than to turn the saddest eyes he could on the bookbinder? Of course, he was beyond grateful that Romeo had let him inside the shop. So Aster had taken extreme care to get the worst of the water dealt with as best as he could in the doorway. It was only now, with damp hair, clothes, and fur, that he was willing to come close enough to even flop against the man. For as willful as Aster could be, he never would do anything to harm Romeo's livelihood, so the books and papers were safe from any stray drips.

[ofglories]

❝ i love your voice, it's soothing. ❞ [ romeo oc to aster! — @toadmiretoweepover ]

|| Fluff prompts ; accepting!

"Y-You do?!"

Aster winced, ears pressing flat as a hot flush worked its way up his cheeks at the way his voiced squeaked. He couldn't help it when it came to Romeo, though heavens knew he wished it were possible. Any compliment from the bookbinder had him blushing and wagging his tail like he was still a teenager rather than a grown man.

Ah, but could anyone blame him?

To receive a compliment or a smile from someone as wonderful and handsome as Romeo... Well, he was weak. And he could admit it.

"I-I mean..." Clearing his throat, Aster smiled shyly, tugging at the fur on his tail to make his hands busy. "I'm glad! I can talk more, if you like! Or anything else. Like, ah, I maybe could try singing a bit?"

Even if it had been, admittedly, a decade since Aster's family had tried to make him take lessons in song. Lessons he had skipped entirely after the first few due to boredom.

[ofglories]

"just let me look at you for a little bit." romeo oc to aster!

|| All About Yearning prompts ; accepting!

"Romeo?"

His breath caught, cheeks growing warmer the longer Romeo's eyes stayed fixed on his face. Aster's ears twitched as he fought with the sudden, silly urge to put on the mask he wore to his shows and hide behind it. There was no need for that! The bookbinder wasn't some stranger he needed to hide away from.

But, oh, how his heart was racing from the other man looking at him like that.

"Is my face that nice to look at?" A joke, though not his best by a long shot if the way his voice shook ever so slightly was something to go on. "Should I do the same? Sit and look at your handsome self in silence?"

[ofglories]

"you're certainly amazing, aster," romeo would start, holding out a hand for the other man to take after he had met the floor, tone definitely teasing as he holds his chuckles back, "you may be the only man i know that manages to trip while he stands in place."

"O-Oh, well, you know me! Always...aiming to impress."

Aster coughed lightly, inwardly cursing the way his cheeks burned and ears drooped despite his attempt at a lighthearted joke. With a forced smile he took Romeo's offered hand, ignoring how just that made his smile ease into something more natural. Now that he was back on his feet, the magician laughed, holding up the small bunch of flowers he had miraculously not crushed.

"My talents are so numerous I can defeat even known laws of physics! A-Anyway, here. To brighten up that book binding shop of yours with some nice scents and colors. And don't worry!" A bright smile, tail swishing happily. "I made sure they won't lose their petals or colors once they dry."

[ofglories]

Queueing up asks I've answered and letting y'all know I've added an OC from an original setting. Like all the other muses here he'll be available for interactions regardless of fandom so yeah. As for the setting itself it's still a work in progress so @toadmiretoweepover and I don't quite have names for everything. Once we settle on that I'll be adding the name of the city and kingdom Aster is from to his bio.