#dessa sweep i think

[mizzyislost]

a quick redraw i did of my old art for a friend,,

[the-goya-jerker]

you reblogged the post about rothko so i must ask your thoughts on the song Rothko by Dessa!

I'll preface this with an admission that I haven't heard much of Dessa's work. I do really like Poor Atlas and have for awhile now, but that's about the extent of my knowledge.

On first listen what really jumped out to me was the instrumentation for the first part of the song. There's these sustained notes in the background that take on an almost droning quality, though definitely much lighter. Overlaid is a percussive rhythm. It gives a feeling to the song that reminds me of a few older goth songs I've had the delight of dancing to. There's one section of the instrumentation that invites the body to sway and another that invites sharper and smaller movements. It's a song that feels designed for a body to move to, and there's definitely a sensuality to that.

Her voice is lovely and pretty unique, which is fun. She switches between more staccato words that match the percussive portion and more legato sections that match that droning well. Her switching between words in those latter sections reminds me of when one droning note dies and and another has to start.

The song also focuses on a doomed relationship. The two are terrible for each other, together they're horrible, but they keep falling back together over and over. Speaking fictionally, that can be kind of hot. I'm sure some people love it in real life too. (Bless you and your mess). But, from a purely conceptual level, a couple that together are so horrible they are "cadmium red" (a pigment that is super toxic) is very sexy.

There are plenty of general art references in this song. Given that it references a chapel in Houston and is called Rothko though, I assume it's also a reference to the Rothko Chapel in Houston, Texas.

The Chapel is non-denominational, but it's also a gallery of sorts. It holds a number of Rothko paintings, and has Broken Obelisk by Barnett Newman displayed there as well. Dessa is hardly the first musician to take inspiration from or reference this chapel, but I think hers is very fun.

Overall the song is energetic but sweeping. It is a song with plenty of movement that invites you to move with it. There's a sensuality to it, particularly when paired with the toxicity of the relationship described.

8/10

[thebrightsidc]

"They're always... there." It was an interesting question; it had never occurred to Dessa that some of the fairies, those not from Pixie Hollow, may go about things differently. Until coming to Evermore, though, it had never really occurred to her that there could be fairies outside of Pixie Hollow. "But they're not always visible. It's sort of like summoning them, I guess? But I just think of them, and they're there."

She hesitated for a moment, toying with her hair. "But I can't..." Dessa looked around them, nervous, a quick sweep of Bloom's room as if someone was hiding in the corner somehow, listening in on them. It was such a silly thought, but she always felt strange, here, talking about what she was. It was something she felt like she had to hide, because humans... well, who knew what humans would do. She didn't particularly want to end up in a museum. "We can't fly without pixie dust. So there hasn't been much reason to summon them lately."

closed starter: @thebrightsidc !!

" soooooo, " bloom trailed, thumbing through the hangers in her closet, inspecting each of her outfits to decide what she was going to wear tonight. it wasn't often bloom really went out anymore, given as her friends from home were still missing but . . . dessa always had a way of coaxing her into getting out of the house. besides, the fae did love an excuse to dress up.

"so like, your wings — can you like . . . do you have them all the time ?? " plucking a dress of the rack, bloom held it up, running manicured nails along the baby blue fabric. ( what ?? can't a girl have a signature color ?? ) "ooorrrr is it like a — like a ' i summon you , wings !! ' kind of thing . . . ?? "

[ghirahimbo]

Fictober 2022 Day 4: "How would that even work?"

Fair warning, this is very OC-heavy with some revalink sprinkled in at the very end ;) Not what I usually write, but it was fun to shake things up!

Pairing: Link/Revali (it's there at the end, I swear 🤣)

Characters: Original Characters, Link, Revali

Rating: probably G?

Warning: just some heavy kissing, really ;)

Brief synopsis: the maids at the castle see everything

--

It was a beautiful late afternoon, with crisp, white clouds cast like clean linen across an ocean blue sky. Pennants strung out from the tips of the towers of Hyrule Castle, fluttering in a warm breeze that invited only the most leisurely thoughts.

Throwing the windows open, Dessa surveyed the scene with a dismal sigh.

"We should have been done here ages ago," she muttered to herself. Glancing back at where her younger sister, Myriel, stood gawking in the doorway, she raised her voice. "These are the Hylian Champion's quarters, and he might be back any time now, so we're going to have to hurry. Save your sightseeing for another day."

"But if we take long enough, we might get to meet him!" Myriel said, eyes shining. Dessa supposed she couldn't blame her sister too much for being starstruck. She'd been the same her first few weeks working in the castle, after all… but Myriel would get over it soon enough, and this wasn't the time.

"You'd better hope we don't," Dessa warned, surveying the room with a critical eye. "We're meant to stay out from underfoot. That's marks against us both if we do."

Luckily, it didn't seem like too large a job. The Champion was a neat man in general, she'd found, and didn't own much aside from what the castle kept on display. The rug should be beaten out, though, and the room swept up. The linens needed changing, of course, with maybe some dusting done along the surfaces, but other than that—

"I don't think the Champion would get us in trouble," Myriel protested.

"It's not him you need to worry about," Dessa said dryly. If maids had a reputation for knowing everything that went on in a castle, then the housemistress in charge of the maids managed to contain the knowledge of every maid combined. She'd find out one way or another. "Let's get to work—and don't leave me to do the whole job this time," she added, shaking a warning finger.

"I'm holding the broom, aren't I?" Myriel lifted it up as if to demonstrate, rolling her eyes. "You always exaggerate these things."

Not for the first time that day, Dessa wished that her sister had been assigned to shadow someone else. No doubt the housemistress had assumed that Myriel, finally of an age to work in the castle, would do best with her older sister to show her the ropes. Instead, they'd fallen into the same pattern they'd always had back home, with Dessa doing the bulk of the work while Myriel prattled her ear off.

Sure enough, Myriel had only been sweeping for maybe a minute before she stopped, leaning up against the broom handle.

"I think the princess is going to marry the Champion."

"Can't hear you," Dessa grunted, hoping to dissuade her—though really, it was hard to listen while beating the woven Gerudo rug out the window. With each thud of the carpet beater, she watched a cloud of dust disperse into the air. 

To her horror, Myriel raised her voice.

"I said, I think the princess is going to marry—"

"Don't shout something like that!" Dessa yelped over her shoulder. Most castle maids might have gossiped like it was their job, but they knew well enough to keep their voices down when they did it. "Anyway, you're out of your mind. The princess doesn't even like him."

"She does!" Myriel said. "I saw the two of them together the other day. He didn't see her looking, but she was watching him, and— and blushing."

Myriel blushed a bit herself, understandably in Dessa's opinion. The Hylian Champion was more than just easy on the eyes. Still… 

"You're going to get in trouble peeking around corners like that," Dessa admonished, giving the rug a final shake before pulling it inside. Not her best work, but it would have to do for now. "Come sweep over here, would you? This is ready to be rolled out."

"I wasn’t peeking around–"

"Anyway, that's silly. Even if the princess did like him, he's not a lord." Setting the rug beater aside for the duster, she gave her sister a pointed look, tossing her braid over her shoulder. "You going to help or what?"

"He is a Champion, though," Myriel said, wandering half-heartedly over to slowly build up a new pile of dust. "That has to count for something."

…Dessa couldn't help herself. She lowered her voice.

"Can you keep a secret?" she asked, knowing full well that Myriel couldn't. "You have the right idea, but the wrong princess. The Champion is going to marry Mipha."

She gave her little sister a superior look spoiled only slightly by the feathered duster in her hand.

"The Zora princess?" Myriel wrinkled her nose insultingly, unconvinced. "What makes you say that?"

"I have it from a fishmonger out of Lanayru!" Dessa insisted. It was a good source, one she was especially proud of. She'd heard wilder rumors go around the castle than that with far less to go off of. "It's the talk of Zora's Domain right now, apparently. The princess there has been making him an engagement gift."

"What kind of gift?" Myriel asked, eyes glittering speculatively, and Dessa shrugged. So maybe she hadn't scraped the man down for every detail.

"Does it matter? She likes him, and he must like her well enough if she thinks he'd accept a proposal."

With most of the furniture dusted, Dessa turned her attention to the fireplace. Unused in the heat of summer, the impressive display of pottery across the mantel still required her attention.

"How would that even work?" Myriel asked suddenly, and Dessa spared her half a glance.

"What?"

"Well, she's a fish, isn't she?"

"A Zora," Dessa corrected her absently, lifting each finely worked piece carefully to run the feathered duster underneath. Myriel waved the correction away.

"Yeah, yeah. But they're basically fish, right? It'd be like kissing a fish." She stuck out her tongue. "Cold, fishy lips."

"Myriel!" Dessa said reproachfully, throwing up her hands in exasperation, and Myriel's own hands raised quickly in a placating gesture.

"I'm just saying!"

"Well, say less and sweep more," Dessa grumbled, glaring at her sister until she reluctantly took up her broom, turning half-heartedly back to her sweeping. Oh, she would definitely be speaking with the housemistress, and soon... though she'd have to word things carefully. She didn't want Myriel kicked out of the castle completely, after all—just paired with someone else.

"...Don't Zora lay eggs?"

Dessa sighed in exasperation, though a glance at her sister showed that, for once, Myriel hadn't paused in her work. She supposed that a bit of chatter was fine as long as they kept up the pace.

"I don't think dating a Zora would be so bad," she admitted primly. "They're... well... tall." Giant, some of them. Her ears went red at the thought. "You don't know for sure that their lips are cold."

“Kissy kissy!” Myriel puckered her lips in a fish-like expression, and Dessa groaned, almost forgetting herself enough to throw the duster at her.

"You're impossible! Are you done with the sweeping yet? We still have to switch out the linens."

Myriel was not, and so Dessa was left to make the bed herself. Hurriedly bunching up the used sheets, she resolved to make Myriel wash each piece of laundry they'd collected that day. Forget going to the housemistress–Dessa was going straight to their mother after this.

"Done!" Myriel announced just as Dessa finished pulling the quilted cover straight.

"Of course you are." Rolling her eyes, Dessa gave the room a quick glance over, fixing a turned-up corner on the rug and latching the window shut. The room had aired out for as long as they could afford to let it. "Now let's get out of here."

As it turned out, they'd finished just in time. Dessa had just pulled the door closed behind her when she heard the sound of footsteps echoing up the stairway towards them. Exchanging a startled look with Myriel, she gathered up their supplies, jerking her head in the other direction. 

"This way! Quickly!"

Slipping around the corner, Dessa had made it halfway down the corridor before she realized that she was walking alone. Looking back, she found Myriel still behind her, peeking carefully back around the corner.

"Myriel!" Dessa whispered despairingly. "What did I tell you about—?"

Holding a finger to her lips, Myriel gestured frantically for her to come, eyes wide. Reluctantly, Dessa set her bundle against the wall, sneaking back down the hallway as quietly as she could. This was going to get them both in trouble.

Following her sister's insistent gesture to look, Dessa peeked around the corner—and her own eyes widened.

The Hylian Champion had not returned alone.

"You're not even going to wait until we're through the door?" That had to be the Rito Champion—Revali, she thought. Even if she hadn't recognized him from the few times she'd seen him around the castle, Dessa would have known him from his royal blue scarf—a scarf currently tangled in the Hylian Champion's hand, pulled down hard to give his lips better access to Revali's neck. Voice strained, Revali's beak craned upward with what looked like a similar goal. "You've grown bold in my absence, haven't you?"

Pulling back, the Champion gave Revali a look. Even at a distance and in profile, Dessa could feel the heat coming off that gaze.

"Wellll…" Revali warbled in a voice that was probably meant to sound considering, though he was too affected by their previous activities for it to hit its mark. "I suppose you didn't forget everything I taught you with a bow while I was gone. That deserves some reward, don't you think?"

The Champion's heated look turned flat. Without looking, he reached back with his only free hand, opening the door to his room in one smooth motion. Pushing back through it, Dessa could have sworn she saw him smirk, pulling Revali along after him.

"Not the scarf, not the scarf!" Revali hissed—and then they were gone. The door slammed shut behind them.

Slowly, Dessa stepped away from the corner, feeling somehow mournful. The fishmonger had been so sure.

"Are you kidding me?" Myriel hissed, pulling back beside her, and Dessa blinked. 

"What?"

"With the beak, and the wings, and—" At a loss for words, she threw up her hands. "Now how is that going to work?!"

[staggeringsmite]

playlist: dia

listen // kalashtar trickster cleric & divination wizard

review by my dm @aydascomprehendsubtext “yeah there were some song’s on here where i was like ‘this is a bit much. this is a lot for me’.”

1. ancient dreams in a modern land by marina

i am here to take a look inside myself, recognize that i could be the eye, the eye of the storm.

2. demons by hayley kiyoko 

you can't go and pray this type of pain away.

3. bored by tessa violet

it's 4 a.m. again. you think that i could sense a trend.

4. fresh laundry by allie x

but what if my side has changed too much? then tell me, who am I?

5. i cannot sleep at night by k.i.d.

oh, i, put my head down but i never rest and my mind is a mess.

6. change by montaige

i like touching my own mind with my fingers in my mouth. i like teething with romance, all these things they help me out.

7. bulletproof by la roux

been there, done that, messed around. i'm having fun, don't put me down. i'll never let you sweep me off my feet.

8. xs by rina sawayama

hey, i want it all, don't have to choose and when the heart wants what it wants, what can i do?

9. the boys are too refined by the hush sound

and if the timing is right, to sneak off into the night

10. boo! bitch! by kim petras

[instrumental]

11. over yet by hayley williams

if there's resistance, if there's resistance, it makes you stronger, it's not the end

12. are you satisfied? by marina

are you satisfied with an average life? do i need to lie to make my way in life? are you satisfied with an easy ride? once you cross the line, will you be satisfied?

13. control by verite

though i like the idea of providence, i know i can't see straight with my head through the table / i’m in love with control

14. the garden by the crane wives

tell the crows they can have their pound of flesh

15. the cult of dionysus by the orion experience

i'm feeling devious. you're looking glamorous.

16. joan of arc on the dance floor by aly & aj

we don't stop! until mascara's on the dance floor. we say, "no!" joan of arc is on the dance floor

17. the devil you know by i fight dragons

drop into the flow, let your body go. dance with the devil you know or go home.

18. taxi by nova twins

i'm gonna take your crown. i'm gonna, i'm gonna bleed you out.

19. i already like you by dessa

don’t be shy! i already like you / sealed with a kiss, signed with an epi-pen

[wordofrecall]

character playlists: ori

so. let’s do this. my playlists are long and scattered, but they make me happy, so i might as well share them and the thoughts behind song choices. so. here’s some songs for runaway knights & wannabe witches, and what have you.

something holy - childhood & riches & wonders

pearl diver - mitski - oh hunter, if you didn’t want the beautiful so badly, perhaps you would’ve found it in your spirit singing softly - look. it's on the nose, considering that her title is "the pearl hunter," but also, like, that rules. this is a song for wren, i think; ori in the present reflecting on her mother and the similarities between them.

icicles - the scary jokes - i can only be forgiven if i’m giving myself up to you on a silver serving tray / must i bare myself to the stabbing of your knife & gnashing teeth while our lovely company appears so entertained? - aaand a song for childhood. 99% of ori's socialization came from her parents having important guests over, so. uh. yeah. show off your reclusive child prodigy like a pageant whenever you have the opportunity. she probably won't grow to loathe you.

life: the cruel interlude (on god) - kilo kish - why do i dare believe in me when i bleed? - questioning was. always a big thing for ori. i don't think she ever believed that the mirzha was god, and i known that she never truster her father's patron, but. in her studies, in her passions, there's always this tiny sense of desperation for something to have faith in something. not herself.

bluejays & cardinals - the mountain goats - the stars come out of hiding for you, & i would too - there is. a lot, in ori's relationship with her brother. she was the favorite child, yeah, the one destined for great things in spite of her... troubles. but he never had those troubles! she didn't, doesn't understand how he went through life so unafraid. there's envy there. i also think that the line i quoted is terribly true, like, canonically. because. she sure did do that stupid shit.

be calm - fun. - take it from me, i’ve been there a thousand times--you hate your pulse because it thinks you’re still alive! - sometimes you have intense social phobia. and that's okay!

country death song - violent femmes - kiss your mother goodnight & remember that God saves, kiss your mother goodnight & remember that God saves - i think andrei is a much less pitiable or even sympathetic man than the narrator of this song, but. like. it's a country song about a father killing his daughter while preaching godliness. i had to.

i’m all bloody inside - liam lynch - inside me, well, it’s dark & gross as hell, i’m not a pretty sight - the family business!

the hazards of love 3 (revenge!) - the decemberists - but father, don’t you fear, your children are all here - fantasies. part of the fantasy is imagining a world where she doesn't feel terrible about the thought.

shankill butchers - sarah jarosz - they used to be just like me & you, they used to be sweet little boys - "blood hunters are ghost stories." "and also, they're fucking terrible. violent, cruel, zealous. the worst."

sparrow - st. vincent - & no eyes are on the sparrow, eyes are on the sparrow, how could that be the case? the lark keeps whistling his number, silly little number, as if he isn't prey - pity for the boy. sort of retrospective, but it's a thought that's been there since she was a child.

something burning - rituals & fire & running

starchild - ghost quartet - but i will transcend & vomit this loser out of me; i will become the next big thing, i will light myself on fire - maybe she is some kind of angel? bursting with radiance and terrifying to look upon.

arsonist’s lullabye - hozier - don’t you ever tame your demons, always keep them on a leash / when i was sixteen, my senses fooled me - oooor maybe she is a sixteen year-old who is having a panic attack and setting everything in sight on fire by accident.

blood - my chemical romance - i’m the kind of human wreckage that you love! - so she's broken.

girl anachronism - the dresden dolls - it’s not the way i’m meant to be, it’s just the way the operation made me - so she's failed and she's broken and she's sick, and there's no time to fucking think.

when the chips are down - anais mitchell - cast your eyes to heaven, you’ll get a knife in the back. - so she does what her mother did before her, and she runs from that which she has always known.

body terror song - ajj - i’m so sorry that you have to have a body / one that will hurt you, & be the subject of so much of your fear - feelings on being built Wrong; feelings on your mind's undue control upon your body.

in corolla - the mountain goats - & no one was gonna come & get me, there wasn't anybody gonna know, even though i leave a trail of burnt things in my wake every single place i go - very good as an ori song in general but this is her justification to herself in the water. under the docks, she says this to herself.

the harrowed & the haunted - the decemberists - will i be so brave? - just to get that oceanic vibe up.

luna - the mountain goats - rise through the flames & end again in flames at last - an inexplicable feeling.

unwhere - reeder - a song for leaving what you've always known.

something lonely - years & woods & dreaming

runs in the family - amanda palmer - run from their pity, from responsibility, run from the country & run from the city, i can run from the law, i can run from myself, i can run for my life, i can run into debt, i can run from it all, i can run 'till I'm gone - she is broken and all she can think to do is get as far away as possible

panic attack - liza anne - i hate that i can be seen like this

black eyes - david wirsig - my hammering heart hears the voices of spirits that tempt us, the scorn that they’ve spoken

for the departed - shayfer james - they will bury me alive, but i’m not inclined to care; i am too far gone now

hurt - johnny cash - everyone i know goes away in the end; you can have it all, my empire of dirt

my body’s made of crushed little stars - mitski - i work better under a deadline! i work better under a deadline!

blood in the cut - k. flay - guess i’m contagious; it’d be safest if you ran--fuck, that’s what they all just end up doing in the end

little pistol - mother mother - i think i might be scared of the world & the way it makes you feel afraid & how it gets in the way

villains pt. 1 - emma blackery - built to create, designed to destroy

the beer - kimya dawson - & the christians gave me comic books as if i would be scared of burning in hell while i was already there [...] i tried to scream fuck you but blood was pouring out my mouth

something safe - family & finding it & fighting together

haunted house - sir babygirl - i’m running just to hide & i’m hiding just to breathe & around every corner is the same night on repeat

your heart is a muscle the size of your fist - ramshackle glory - i love you & you make me glad to be alive; i promise that i’m gonna pay you back / you always know how funny everything is, even when i’m so serious that it’s gonna be the death of me

medicines - the taxpayers - o, but our rotting corpses lying there soon began to leak & grow these lesions that all smelled just like a rose / & all the blood & guts inside us germinated into timeless pages stained with lines of lovely prose

autoclave - the mountain goats - i am this great unstable mass of blood & foam

alligator skin boots - mccafferty - i’m cool to the touch, leap to my death, i’ll die for you all, i’ll die for my friends, it goes like this

100 years - florence + the machine - lord, don’t let me break this, let me hold it lightly, give me arms to pray with instead of ones that hold too tightly

tomorrow will be kinder - the secret sisters - but i feel warmth on my skin, the stars have all aligned

armour - rae spoon - you know i placed was to build a life for you

amy aka spent gladiator 1 - the mountain goats - play with matches if you think you need to play with matches; seek out the hidden places where the fire burns hot & bright / find where the heat’s unbearable & stay there if you have to--don’t hurt anybody on your way up to the light, and stay alive

curses - the crane wives - won’t you stay with me, my darling, when my walls start burning down?

something daring - islands & visions & loss

jane’s dream - janelle monáe

beekeeper - keaton henson - hear me, o woman that has gone astray, gone astray

fire - kimya dawson - i’m reading books about how they’re corrupt [...] as long as i’m burning, i’ll keep on yearning to save the world, not sure how, but i’m learning

cosmic hero - car seat headrest - i love you, but i can’t stand the touch, & of course i’m alright with death

turn the lights off - tally hall - everbody likes to get taken for turns to see how bright the fire inside of us burns [...] should be stronger, books abandoned

eat you alive - the oh hellos - child, i’m afraid for your soul; these things that you’re after, they can’t be controlled

cry for judas - the mountain goats - hallucinate a shady grove where judas went to die

o death - monica martin - no wealth, no land, no silver, no gold, nothing satisfies me but your soul

blood of angels - brown bird - and i would wage my soul to bet that there ain’t no one throwing lightning anyhow

the universe is going to catch you - the antlers - the arms of the universe kept you from falling [...] those arms did not come back

a burning hill - mitski - i am the fire & i am the forest & i am the witness watching it / i stand in the valley watching it

something terrifying - conversations & selfhood & divination

the lamb - dessa - but blood is blood, & what’s done is done; blood is blood, & its burden is a beast

going invisible 2 - the mountain goats - i’m gonna burn it all down today & sweep all the ashes away

the lion’s roar - first aid kit - she plays a tune for those who wish to overlook the fact that they’ve been blindly deceived by those who preach & pray & teach, but she falls short & the night explodes in laughter

the villain i appear to be - connor spiotto - even if you can’t see the good inside me, i don’t have the time to tell you why i do the things that i do, just please hold on & soon you’ll seem

up the wolves - the mountain goats - there’s bound to be a ghost at the back of closet, no matter where you live; there’ll be a few things, maybe several things that you’re gonna find really difficult to forgive

thursday girl - mitski - glory, glory, glory to the night that shows me what i am

at the bottom of everything - bright eyes - we must take all of the medicines to expensive now to sel; set fire to the preacher who is promising us hell

everybody does - julien baker - i know i’m a pile of filthy wreckage you will wish you’d never touched, but you’re gonna run when you find out who i am

tongues & teeth - the crane wives - i know that you mean so well, but i am not a vessel for your good intent 

a pearl - mitski - you’re growing tired of me and all the things i don’t talk about / sorry, i don’t want your touch--it’s not that i don’t want you

[halles-comet]

🎸

The Devil Went Down to Georgia – Charlie Daniels

The Devil bowed his head because he knew that he'd been beat. And he laid that golden fiddle on the ground at Johnny's feet. Johnny said, "Devil, just come on back if you ever wanna try again, 'Cause I've told you once--you son of a bitch--I'm the best there's ever been."

San Francisco – The Mowgli’s 

I lost my head in San Francisco Waiting for the fog to roll out But I found it in a rain cloud It was smiling down

Bad Ones – Teagan & Sara

If I was one of the good ones I don't think you'd like me I'm one of the bad ones And that's why you feel lucky

Sweep the Leg – No More Kings

It wasn't for the money, And it wasn't just for fun I wanted to make a mark I just wanted to be someone

Call Off Your Ghost – Dessa (live with the Minnesota Orchestra)

Look at us, all grown up Collared shirts and high heel shoes You crossed the room, just the decent thing to do Make sure we've all been introduced

[cousinslavellan-archive]

I’m going to give you a hard one because we haven’t actually talked much about them but - kiss #27 for Cat and Ryrra in the coffee shop au!

Appropriately titled, “It’s a Date?!?” In which Cat is clueless and clicks in a little late. 

My entry for @tyrias-librarys first Valentine’s day Prompt, Confessions! I figure it works! ;D A day early, but whatever, have some fluffy asura soon-to-be-girlfriends ♥ Ryrra belongs to @resonatingfern ! Choya Cafe AU ♥

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Does this look ok? I hope so. Alchemy, this is ridiculous! Snap out ofit!

Cat scowls and dismisses her clone, shooing the spectral butterfliesaway in annoyance. She spots a couple staring at her and summons a second one rightbetween them instead, sending them racing off with noises of alarm.

Even the prank doesn’t lift her mood, though. She’s ruffled, and she hatesbeing ruffled.

I’m the ruffler! Ruffling other people is my job, dangit! Ugh,why did Odessa have to be so observant?!

Her cell going off makes her jump, attention so focused on scrambling toget the thing out she doesn’t even bother sending an illusion after whoever’slaughing at her.

On my way - be there in five!

See you soon! She fires back, pretending she’s not shaking, pretending that everythingis fine, everything is normal, you’re totally just going for a stroll, it’s nota date, she’s not into you like that, it’s not a date-

“It’s definitely a date, Catarina.” Odessa had informed her as she wasleaving the library, the human crossing her arms and smiling, for once, “Andwhy wouldn’t she like you? You’re a damn genius, you’re cute - for an Asura -and you’re fun. Ryrra likes you.”

“We’re just going for a walk, ‘Dessa, Sparks. And to maybe get coffee.”

“Yeah… it’s a date. It’s Valentines Day, you goof. Think about itfor a minute, will you? I swear, for being so smart, you’re so densesometimes.”

Cat had made an excuse and fled after that, not up to debating thingswith the blonde any longer. Odessa’s a damn good Councillor, she’d find a wayto dig into every single itty bitty little tucked away secret Cat held and makeher face them all - even worse, she’d do it without a single trick.

It’s not a date. Cat repeats to herself again - even as she fixesher headband, straightens out the nice shirt she’d worn, questions the skirtand boots for the millionth time - sweeping her gaze hopefully over the crowd, Ryrradoesn’t like me like that. She’s too cool. It’s not a-

Amber eyes lock onto red and she freezes, startled. The pink hairedAsura spots her at the same time and gives a wide grin, waving as she headsover - likewise dressed up and looking happy, excited, even, as shemakes her way through the crowd.

-date?

“Hey, Cat! Sorry I’m late - had to see a couple of goofs offfirst.” Ryrra apologizes, giving her a once over and grinning, “You look cute!Ready to go?”

“Yeah! Yeah, I’m good. Y-you look really cute, too!”

Ryrra grins wider at the compliment, and Cat’s sure she’s red as agolem’s gems.

“It’s nice out tonight, but it is supposed to snow later.” thepink haired Asura motions her onwards, and Cat falls easily into step besideher, “I figured we could wander a bit, check out some shops, then grab coffeeat Charrbucks?”

“Sounds like a plan - Choya’s closed tonight, right?”

“Yup! Elina gives a shit about her employees, so it makes sense!” Ryrraturns bright eyes on her then, grin a tad mischievous, “So I gotta know -what’d that student do to deserve an army of clones, Cat?”

Cat turns pink, blinking rapidly. “You heard about that?”

“Are you kidding? Sparks, everyone heard about that! MostMesmer’s can only conjure what, three clones?? You conjured like twenty!”

“Ten.” she corrects, still blushing and trying to walk forwards withouttripping over something.

“Still!” Ryrra shuffles closer, linking their arms and nudging her,“C’mon, spill it! What’d he do?!”

So close too close woah.

Cat can only blink back for a second, startled by how closeRyrra’s face is suddenly, red eyes wide and exuberant, before the other’senergy becomes infectious, and she manages to smirk back.

“He was messing with my systems.” she says, sticking hernose in the air with an annoyed little huff, “Little bookah was just askingfor it.”

“Fucking Alchemy, gimme the details, now!”

“Okay, so I noticed someone was fucking around in the internaldatabases-”

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

By the time they’re done wandering and have taken over the back cornerof Charrbucks, they’re both laughing away and talking about everything,whatever happens to cross their minds.

It’s dark outside, and snowing, but Cat has absolutely zero desire to goback to her rooms.

Ryrra has seen and done so much, in the time she’s beentravelling as a field agent - her scuffles with the Risen are especiallyinteresting, as well as her encounters with the Inquest.

Cat had thought she would seem boring, in comparison - and yet the otherAsura seems positively delighted by every prank and punishment she’sdished out on unruly students in the Library, especially the Bookahshe’d sent a small army of clones after.

They’re sharing an armchair, since it’s definitely meant for aCharr and has more than enough room for two small Asura - each maybe halfwaythrough their respective drinks, given how often they have to stop to laugh,talking each other’s ears off.

Cat’s still chuckling over a joke when she feels Ryrra shift slightly closer,turning her head to see what’s up - and going still when the other leans in,kissing her gently.

Her brain takes a second to catch up - going from huh?, to ohhh,to damn I owe Odessa tea - before the giggles take over, spilling outbefore she can help herself.

“Sorry, sorry!” she gasps, still giggling as the other woman pulls away,“I just - oh, Alchemy, I am an idiot.”

“You gonna explain that…?” Ryrra still looks confused, but her lips aretweaked, eyes bright.

“Okay, so, I’ve been in denial this whole time, cause I always thoughtyou were too cool to be into someone like me.” Cat’s calming down,though the laughter is still there, “And Odessa was arguing with me thismorning, and apparently she was right! Unless I’m still an idiot andmisreading things here?”

“I don’t tend to kiss people I don’t like, Cat.” Ryrra rolls hereyes, “And you’re adorable, and damn cool - honestly, you’ve made beingstuck back at the Academy fun. I like you a lot.”

“I really, really like you, too.” Cat grins widely, fighting tokeep back the giggles that are rising up again, “So then - I guess this is, infact, a date?”

“Oh my fucking Alchemy Catarina-”

Cat just bursts out in giggles again, and Ryrra rolls her eyes andkisses her.

[diogoreisbjj]

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Underhook DLR - Waiter Sweep - Over Under Pass 😤😤😤 O que vc achou dessa posição? 🤔 Detalhe: “eu fiz ela na minha última competição.” What do you think? 🤔 Details: “i did this position in my last competition.” @kingzkimonos @uaejjf @vzayedv https://www.instagram.com/p/CS4zM8-hTvH/?utm_medium=tumblr