#h&h:mina

[lapinlunaire-games]

with all the gonchaov stuff out, i think we need to know. idk if the H&H has movies But: who is each ROs fav character from goncharov and why?

OOOH this is a really fun one, thank you!

A - Honestly, probably a tossup between Katya and Sofia. Deep down, A loves to see a girlboss. Even if the ending of the story is pretty ambiguous, A likes to imagine what might happen afterwards.

Ailbhe - They'll never admit it, but they really like Icepick Joe. He's just there doin' his icepicking, and it's one of the only fictional deaths they've cried over.

Catherine - Very very close toss-up between Katya and Sofia, and it honestly depends on which version of the film: the extended directors' cut where there's a longer version of the boat scene, with Katya staring into the water and the RED, then Cathy's fave is definitely Katya and her girlboss moment. But the theatrical release where Sofia does that little dance on the cobblestones right outside the house, that's Catherine's fave Sofia moment. Basically, they love a good long-focus shot of a woman covered in blood, being cinematic.

Imric - Andrei! The suaveness, the cool dialogue and tingly-tension between him and Goncharov? Perfect. Modern!Imric would definitely get cosplay sunglasses like Andrei's in the undercover bar scene and wear them everywhere.

Mina - Lowkey a fan of Valery Mikhailov, Katya's older brother. She likes that he goes against the grain and sticks to his personal creed. Also she LOVES his piano motif lol.

Rosalind - Katya! She's got her own agenda and Rosalind is a big fan of her overall character development through the film as Katya comes into her own. Also ngl, the costuming for Katya SPEAKS to Rosalind's soul.

Sam - Goncharov! The whole attempt to define himself apart from his family's legacy while carrying it on has Sam rotating the Gonch scenes in his head for ages. He also likes that one scene where Goncharov is at the docks and kicks a loose stone into his reflection in the water, and when the ripples calm down it's revealed that Andrei was watching him the whole time. For aestheticsssss

The Silent One - Goncharov! Star of the story (if you ask them), destined to fall at the hands of a clock that never stopped ticking, fate sealed by his own machinations....right up their alley.

[lapinlunaire-games]

Halloweek Day 5: Smoke | Halloweek Prompts

Necessary pragmatism and unfortunate desperation make Mina’s voice as coaxing as honey: “We’re near St. Anne’s, there’s a nurse there who can help you. Let me walk you there, you look deathly ill, Miss Dorrit.”

The thick, acrid smell of smoke clings to Mina’s hair and clothes as she winds through the streets of Limehouse, notes in hand. It’s been days since she went to the ruins of the Harlowe warehouse fire, but like the ink stains haunting her fingertips, it seems impossible to scrub out. Someone shoulders past her and Mina’s head snaps up, one hand surreptitiously going to the small sewn-in pocket concealing her coin purse. 

A figure across the street corner catches her eye—Mina squints at the woman’s soot-stained collar for a second before frantically shuffling through her notes. She’d taken down the missing victims’ descriptions…there, on the second page! She scans her shorthand, eyes widening, and takes off running without a second thought. 

The woman—Sarah Dorrit, thirty-one years of age, worker at the factory since 1864—seems to be wearing the same clothes from the day of the fire; her sleeves and the hem of her skirt are covered in ash, the fabric tattered and eaten away as though by flame. She peers at the building beside her as though she’s never seen it before and raises a hand to the bricks—just before she makes contact, Mina narrowly dodges a hackney cab and closes the final feet of distance between them.

“Miss Dorrit!”

She turns, brows knitting in confusion; when Mina calls her name again, Sarah Dorrit’s face morphs into utter shock. “How…” she breathes, but Mina interrupts before the other signs of “reporter reluctance,” as she’s come to term it, can set in. 

“Mina Qiu, for the Daily Star,” she begins, glossing over the little white omission that she hasn’t technically gotten approval (or funding) from the editor for this pitch. The trick is to speak confidently, without a swiftness that suggests nerves, and Mina has had little else to do but master it. “Could I offer you a spot of tea? I have a few questions about the fire at the Harlowe factory.”

Sarah’s face goes pale—so pale, Mina notes, that for an instant she seems transparent—and she says quickly, “I’m afraid that isn’t possible, Miss.”

Undeterred, Mina puts on a practised smile and lowers her voice, stepping to the side so she can speak to Sarah in relative privacy. “I assure you, I write discreetly. If it’s giving your name that worries you, anonymity can be arranged. You will be in no danger from speaking to me.”

A wry look breaks over Sarah’s features. “I fear no mortal danger.”

Mina pauses, pen in hand. “I…find that commendable. What wa—” She breaks off as Sarah’s gaze drifts over the buildings, bewilderment glazing the woman’s face. 

“Do you know where you are, Miss Dorrit?” asks Mina slowly, nudging the distracted woman into a quieter corner along the boarding house overlooking the street. “We’re in Limehouse, near the Dock.”

Sarah’s eyes meander back to Mina, her brow furrowing as she processes the words. “The Regent’s Canal Dock?” At Mina’s nod, Sarah purses her lips and looks down at her hands, seemingly stymied by a persistent smear of ash stretching along the knuckles of her right hand.

“Do you remember how you got here, or why?” Mina attempts. “The factory is quite a ways away. You’ve been registered as missing for nearly four days.”

Sarah narrows her eyes at her trembling hands. “I…I don’t know. Why am I here?”

Mina’s careful smile falters. Sarah’s voice careens upwards in distress, eyes widening as she yanks frantically at her clothing.

Questions forgotten, Mina reaches out a steadying hand—only to pull back as if shocked. The air around Sarah’s body is bitterly cold, as though her flesh is made of ice. The grey circles under Sarah’s eyes turn into gaunt lines and that translucent paleness returns; Mina blinks rapidly, clenching the nails of one hand into her palm to dispel the something that must be fogging her vision—fatigue? Fatigue it must be, rent is due at the week’s end and the shillings in her purse jangle lonelier each day—and makes her decision. 

Necessary pragmatism and unfortunate desperation make Mina’s voice as coaxing as honey: “We’re near St. Anne’s, there’s a nurse there who can help you. Let me walk you there, you look deathly ill, Miss Dorrit.”

Sarah laughs roughly, her face flickering back to full flesh for a dizzying moment. “That’s clever, very clever.” She sways slightly, though her weight topples as though her body has forgotten how its joints work.

Mina’s face pinches into the best approximation of comfort she can assemble as she reaches for Sarah’s hand, but the freezing sensation proves too much for her, and she turns away to steel herself under the guise of checking for a clear path across the street.

Jaw set valiantly and courage mustered, Mina turns and thrusts her hand forward for the icy, trembling one of her mark. 

Her fingers close on empty, sullen air. Sarah Dorrit is gone.

[lapinlunaire-games]

Happy lunar new year!

To everyone who celebrated, I hope you had a wonderful and unbelievably auspicious time. 🎇🎆🎇

If you're wondering why the image says "Chinese New Year," it's because I have a festive little Mina drabble to share below the cut!

“Keep your eyes shut!”

Mina rolls her eyes without opening them, exaggerating the motion with a flick of her head so you can reallyfeel the exasperation in her response. “You do realise that every time you say that, I think about opening my eyes, don't you?”

You only stifle a laugh and keep leading Mina forward. Although the signature sharpness of her voice delivers every word with a punch, you aren't worried that she's genuinely out of patience; the faint smile floating on her lips despite her best efforts to look annoyed is sign enough that Mina's enjoying herself. You bite back a wide grin of your own; it'd been so difficult to persuade her to come with you "for a lead on a case" that had to be kept top-secret, but if this all worked out as you hoped, it'd be well worth the struggle.

“Almost there,” you tell her as you push open the door to your flat and guide Mina in.

“Where are we, anyways?” Mina asks, stretching her hands out in front of her with nary a wobble as she follows you through the door.

“A little south of Hyde Park,” you answer. It's technically the truth. She doesn't need to know that you'd cleared out a room at home for this—and Mina definitely doesn't need to know how exactly you'd managed to pull off decorating it either.

You finger the empty memory vial in your pocket nervously. Flora had pointed you to a witch she'd said was "the best of the best". Xe had certainly seemed the part: flowing robes and dark, inquisitive eyes shielded behind large round glasses and an unshakeable aura of mildly amused self-assurance.

Pouring the memory into the vial had been a painless process and you'd watched the witch stir in xer magic as you paid with a story, but you couldn't completely silence the buzz of worry that when Mina opened her eyes, they would reflect disappointment rather than joy. After all, it was quite a different thing to transform a room into a memory of someone’s story than to transform it into a memory of your own.

Mina's voice breaks you out of your concern: “We've stopped. Are we waiting for something?”

“No,” you answer, a little too quickly. Mina tips her head at you, one eyebrow lifting. Her eyelids flutter dangerously close to open, spurring you into motion. “Just through here!”

You push the door open and carefully guide Mina in, scanning the inside of the room to make sure everything is still in place. Satisfied with your survey, you push the door shut behind Mina and return to standing beside her. The Veil tugs at the base of your tongue before you lean as heavily as you can into the empty rush beneath your skin; everything in the room shimmers silver to your eyes, flickering in and out of existence before solidifying again.

“Open your eyes,” you say carefully, watching Mina's face.

Her eyes open, blinking quickly as they adjust to the light, and you watch surprise flit over her face, quickly followed by disbelief, then astonished joy. She turns slowly, eyes widening at the red paper lanterns and their gold tassels, the strings of neatly arranged firecracker cylinders dangling between them, and the intricate paper cuttings pasted to the windows.

“How did you—!” Mina breaks off mid-sentence to rush to the tables of food in the centre of the room; you tense for a moment, worried that your Hushing might have diluted the witch's magic, but Mina's fingers close firmly around a mandarin still glistening with dew, and you release a soft sigh of relief. Fresh citrus bursts into the air as she pierces the skin of the mandarin with a fingernail and pops a section into her mouth.

Her eyes are pure elation as she looks gleefully over the spread. You follow her delight as she darts from the platter of crisp, white-fleshed pears as big as your two fists put together and wafts up the fragrant steam rising from a silvery fish steamed buttery soft and garnished with slices of ginger, sugar-crusted black beans, and curling shreds of green onion.

Mina's smile only grows as she flits around the table, pausing at each dish: the bowl of rich, clear broth and the translucent-skinned wontons floating within, the whole steamed chicken gleaming with sesame seed oil and a finely minced, gold-green mixture of scallion, ginger, and garlic, the stoneware bowl of sticky rice layered with sweet red bean paste, dates, and chopped candied kumquats, topped with whole walnuts. Mina breaks off a piece from the tail of a flat fish fried crispy gold and bites down with the hasty excitement of a child; the crunch of it resounds through the room like a firecracker.

She turns to you, and you're struck by the brilliance of her joy, all flashing eyes and uncontrollable grin as she gestures to the brightly decorated room.

“This is...where did you find all of this? It's exactly like...it's just how I remember,” she trails off for a moment, then laughs. Sadness lines the sound, but a soft smile washes it away as Mina runs her thumb over the warm edge of a plate piled high with sliced rice cakes and shredded meat. She plucks up a piece of pickled mustard green from the glossy sauce and sucks it into her mouth with one bite, eyes closing briefly at the sourness.

They snap wide open a second later, locking onto your face with startling intensity. “Did you cook this yourself?” Mina asks incredulously.

“I, uh...” You fumble for an answer—you can't exactly tell her that you condensed your memory of her telling you about everything her family in China did to celebrate the lunar new year into a bottle, sold it to a witch, and used it to transmute everything in the room. “...Yes?” you offer hesitantly.

She shakes her head. “It tastes just like it did the first time I made it more on my own than helping. I poured too much wine into the pot—I mentioned it the other day, I think—”

Mina breaks off and stares at you, her hand dropping to her side. Just as your nerves begin to trickle cold sweat down the back of your neck, she whispers, “Thank you.”

She turns and looks at the table again, then at the red swathes of decorations along the walls. It's a few short steps from the table to the nearest window, and you politely pretend not to notice the liquid sheen to Mina's eyes as she raises a hand to trace over the outline of the upside-down character in the centre of the paper cutting. The edge of it shivers silver and nebulous in your vision before you grit your teeth and plunge yourself into the Hushed roar growing louder and grainer in your veins; the Veil pushes against you before settling like lace over the room again, and the tension gripping your stomach relaxes.

“Happy New Year, detective.”

Mina's voice is quiet but just as sharp and glassy as ever. She turns back from the window and takes a seat at the centre table, a smile diffusing over her features like the fragrant steam rising from the table. Her dark, glinting eyes meet yours and she motions for you to join her.

“Well, I hope you weren't expecting to stand there and watch me eat. New Year's meals are meant to be shared with loved ones, after all.”

Now it’s your turn to grin uncontrollably as you join Mina at the table, the Hushed Veil rolling quietly under your skin while she points to each dish and tells you its name. Every syllable rolls off her tongue so tenderly that when she says your name, shaping it with the same delicate, familiar care, you look automatically to the table, almost expecting to see your own face staring back from a plate.

You’ve never heard Mina laugh before, but the sound—like a cascade of silver needles and fir on crystal—rings through your head and settles somewhere in the vicinity of your heart, curling up with your pulse like the most precious of secrets.

[lapinlunaire-games]

Ok, ahem, stoic!very smoldery eyes!mc approaches the ros, ok? Get nice up and close... this is light crushing to deep crushing.... only to grab something from behind the ros and walk away (damn)

oh let's gooooooo

this got a lil bit long as always (also sorry for the delay in answering this 😅), so check under the cut for everyone!

A: will be a flustered mess for at least the next twenty minutes, if not the rest of the day. If questioned, they'll eke out something along the lines of "stomach bug, I must have forgotten to boil the water long enough" and be too embarrassed to admit anything close to the truth if you (understandably) insist that they seek medical attention. Will write about the Incident (and yes, they will refer to it as an Incident) in their diary. When you’re not looking (or at least when they think you aren’t looking), A will have the most lovesick puppy-dog eyes ever (Rosalind thinks it’s cute, but if she lets out so much as a knowing grin, A will be mortified and snap into Extreme Business Mode).

Ailbhe: won't react, maybe raise an eyebrow if you're smirking over your shoulder. But they find themselves unable to move away immediately afterwards, caught in the memory of your closeness and the press of your clothes against theirs, the brush of your arm against theirs. Will probably try to distance themselves from you in order to maintain a Professional facade and figure out these horrible, complicated emotions you're making them feel.

Catherine: oh two can play at that game. You've picked a formidable opponent for this one; Catherine will go a long way to return your, ah, favor. Expect to have a load of similar situations crop up so Catherine has the perfect opportunity to reach behind themself and "accidentally" knock over whatever you were reaching for, then "accidentally" grab your wrist so you can't pull a sly escape. What Catherine wants, Catherine gets, and you've just made yourself her number one target.

Imric: Very similar to Catherine in that Imric is Ready to act on these signals! He'll likely be more direct about it though, and snag you as you're walking away. If luck is in his favor, Imric will spin you back and smoothly take whatever you grabbed out of your hands, getting a bit closer than strictly necessary to do so. "Sorry, I just remembered I need this for something real quick. Catch me in a bit for a return?" If he doesn't wink at you and then immediately vanish, he's probably ill.

Mina: Will honestly be kind of mad that she didn't do it to you first. XD After she gets over that and her shock, she'll be plotting (with multiple contingency plans) how to not only get you back, but maneuver you into a near-identical situation so she can be smooth right back and (hopefully) get to see how adorable you look with a taste of your own medicine.

Rosalind: Will be very giggly and pop up out of nowhere to surprise you for the next few days. She's always a very touchy person, and after you give her this kind of signal, she'll find any excuse to be around you and have those little moments of brushing against you (within reason, and only as long as you're clearly not bothered by it).

Sam: Most likely to blurt out something like “hi.” when you’re up close and personal. Lowkey will try to do ~ impressive ~ things around you after this, like holding doors open for you (he may or may not accidentally rip one or two off the hinges) or giving you his jacket (a poorly planned move on his part, because now he has to deal with seeing you wearing! his! clothes!).

[lapinlunaire-games]

🤡 and 🍳 from the ask list! Thank you, hope you’re having a relaxing day

Thank you! Hope you're having a relaxing day too, happy weekend vibes ^u^

🤡 - What’s something dumb they’re embarrassed about?

A - has walked into a wall/door and apologized to it. Multiple times.

Ailbhe - had a meeting with a Council member and arrived early. The door was open, so they walked in and saw a cat sitting on the desk -> assumed the cat was said Councilor and was in the middle of a very serious report when the actual Councilor walked in and found them talking to a stray cat.

Catherine - got a little too excited telling a story and accidentally splashed half a bottle of cherry cordial all over themself....and the people sitting on either side of her too.

Imric - went an entire day with his buttons misaligned by one, then tried to duck into a corner to fix it and accidentally made extended eye contact with his patrol partner.

Mina - once accidentally dipped her pen in her tea and almost drank out of her ink bottle.

Rosalind - forgot that she could go through walls/floors and went down three flights of stairs instead, and back up them again.

Sam - tried to say "beg your pardon" and "remind me when" at the same time, ended up saying "beg me when"

The Silent One - went through a phase where they growled/hissed at people in public.

🍳 - How well can they cook?

A - decently enough to feed themselves, but will stick to two (2) dishes forever

Ailbhe - don't let them in the kitchen. ever.

Catherine - can cook perfectly in theory, in practice gets Very Experimental and produces cursed flavor combos

Imric - pretty well! nothing fancy, but always a good meal with Imric

Mina - Chef Mina 👌

Rosalind - can cook well, but doesn't need to eat and therefore will create monstrosities in the kitchen. right next to Ailbhe on the blacklist.

Sam - tries so so hard and can make good simple dishes, but needs more practice

The Silent One - will put food dye in everything. makes anime eating sounds.

[lapinlunaire-games]

🌿🍃 anon! i loved your answers (i feel the same about the smell of rice but with basmati rice) could i also get the answers for the H&H ROs?

haha absolutely! 💚

🍃 Leaf: What is a plant you find beautiful?

A: Daffodils. They're like stars against the dark ivy that clothed many of the Gordon residences. A loves the way they stand out like smiles.

Ailbhe: a big plant lover in general, especially lotuses. the way they grow so serenely yet start buried in deep mud is...not inspiring to Ailbhe, exactly, but sentimental.

Catherine: Bougainvillea, especially when the vines climb up old stone walls. She loves the how bright the flowers are and how unforgiving their thorns are to reckless passerby. It's a kind of beauty you have to be prepared for.

Imric: Honeysuckle. They're a sweet small thing in the grey rush of London, and he doesn't often find them far enough from the smog of the city where he feels comfortable sipping the nectar, but when he does, it's enough to make his day.

Mina: Likes weeping willows; the soft strands of leaves themselves are beautiful, and she loves the way they provide a sanctuary in their own sorrow.

Rosalind: loves tea roses of every color. She especially loves the way they look when they're past the peak of bloom, with the petals all fluffed out and flared, but it's a bittersweet beauty since she knows that means they'll wither soon.

Sam: Snowdon lilies. They're a small wildflower with white petals and butter yellow centres, and they always make him think of home and days spent in the sun with his loved ones.

🌿 Herb: What is a scent you find relaxing?

A: The raw, crisp smell of a big, open grassy space very very early in the morning. 

Ailbhe: A blend of flowers and herbs that they sprinkle over their pillow at night, namely bergamot sage, moonflower, and a dash of clove oil.

Catherine: Dewy gardenia. It’s one of her fave scents in general, and their favoured perfume features it along with notes of incense, tuberose, and vetiver.

Imric: Baked goods in-progress. Not just the warm, buttery smell of things baking, but the sweet-sour tang of fruit jams being cooked down and the sticky richness of caramels coming together.

Mina: Night-blooming jasmine, particularly against the sharp, icy smell of snow.

Rosalind: Woodsmoke and the smell of spring -- not quite blooming flowers, not quite grassy, something all in between.

Sam: Rain-soaked moss and pine needles.

[lapinlunaire-games]

these asks are all so wholesome im aksjdjs

could you do 🍯 Honey: What is one thing you like about yourself? For the cast (and also yourself, if you like 🙂)

aaa aren't they?? all these have such cozy vibes ehehe. and thank you!!

🍯 Honey: What is one thing you like about yourself? from this ask prompt

A: *Katara voice* I will never, ever turn my back on people who need me.

Ailbhe: I will stand by what I know is right. My conviction, I suppose, is what I value most about myself.

Catherine: What's not to like? Self-love is very important, you know. If I had to pick just one thing...I am very good at keeping an audience entertained. Never a dull time with me around.

Imric: I've always got something for everyone -- a joke, a sweet, a string to pull. It costs more to be kind, and I'm happy to pay the price.

Mina: It's hard to stay human in my line of work, but I've managed it. That's something I'm proud of.

Rosalind: I like my smile! Ghosts are very cold, but people have told me they feel warm after seeing me smile.

Sam: My sense of loyalty might get me into trouble at times, but it's very important to me.

Jinx (that's me!) I like that I'm trying to be kinder to myself these days. It's hard but it's a really good feeling to think that I wouldn't scare my child self lol.

[lapinlunaire-games]

Oh! 🕯️ for the cast, if you please?

of course!! thank you for the ask 😊 (may I call you Peaches?)

🕯️ Candle: What is something you can’t go to bed without?

A: writing in their journal. it doesn't have to be a long entry or particularly profound, but it's been a part of their routine for so long that they can't do without it. and a certain ring....

Ailbhe: Ailbhe always puts fresh flowers or herbs on their pillowcase to sleep. the scent helps them clear their head and feel like "okay, it's really over. i can let go now."

Catherine: someone to share the bed with Catherine dislikes sleeping in total darkness, so she makes sure there's always a candle burning (somewhat safely) or moonlight in the room before she can sleep.

Imric: an unseasonably thick blanket. he runs warm, but likes the feeling of a thicker blanket anyways.

Mina: has to wash her feet (and usually run a wet cloth over her entire body, unless she's in a pinch) in order to sleep well. it's partially a mental thing about washing away the grime of the day and partially bc her feet are usually super battered.

Rosalind: hums herself to sleep. She can do it in her head if someone's around who is bothered by it, but she always sleeps the best if she lullabyes herself to dreamland.

Sam: honestly could sleep in the middle of a storm. but when he can't sleep (which also happens quite frequently, as of late), he likes to whittle or close his eyes and examine one of the first figures he made with his eyes closed. it's a calming process for him, identifying each feature and nick in the wood by touch and remembering where he was at the time, how he was feeling, what he was thinking.

[lapinlunaire-games]

❝ hey, let me in. i’m outside with your favorite pizza. ❞ with Mina but instead of pizza it’s her fav food?

Adorable adorable, thank you for this one anon! I feel like I project my own food-culture-love-language onto Mina a lot lololol

You can hear the frantic scribbling of Mina’s pen through the thin plank door of her flat—she builds words in a rhythm, steady shuffling of nib over paper broken by sudden bursts of frenzied writing, then a hairsbreadth pause before the cycle begins anew.

It’s a tricky feat to time your knocks to the split second of silence, but you manage it—the pause stretches for a breath before Mina’s voice comes, muffled, through the door:

“I gave the rent to Mr. Clacklin this morning!”

Before the pen-engine can rev up for another paragraph, you call through the keyhole, “It’s me, Mina! Let me in, I’ve got your favourite meal.”

There’s a suspiciously long stretch of silence before the scrape of a chair across wood flooring. The door cracks open just wide enough to reveal a very sceptical Mina.

“You’re very sweet, but I don’t think—”

She stops short at the sight of the bundle in your hand. It’s still hot, steam dampening the cloth wrapped taut around the short metal container and its precious cargo. Mina’s eyes flick back to you as you lift the food with a grin.

“Braised gluten with mushrooms and glass-candied hawthorn for dessert.” You raise an eyebrow at her open-mouthed disbelief. “Well, let me in before it gets cold!”

Mina doesn’t bother trying to scrub away the ink stains on her hands before eagerly clearing off a space for the food. Her words come as fast as her hands move, striking the air like peals from some hammered dulcimer.

“Where did you even find any of this? Hawthorn isn’t even in season—oh, this is delicious!”

Of course it is—it’s magic, but you can’t exactly tell her that, so instead you smile and push the dish towards her, noting the slightly sleep-deprived tremble in her hands, the light sway in her motions, and the smell of burnt wax permeating the place.

You open your mouth to offer a gentle reminder about the importance of breaks, but the delight in Mina’s expression as she digs in is too sweet to disturb.

“Here, try some,” she offers, noticing your glance. And before you can protest, Mina is holding her bowl up and extending a bite on her fork; you open your mouth and let her slip it past your lips.

It doesn’t taste like anything Mina would recognize—what you’d carefully spooned into the tin is bespelled to taste like the consumer’s favourite, after all—but the excitement dancing over Mina’s face is too sweet to do anything but swallow.

The animated light on Mina’s features glows brighter as the two of you finish up the dish, leaving only streaks of savoury-sweet gravy behind, and move onto the sticks of shiny red fruit with their hard sugar coats. It crunches under Mina’s teeth, shattering into joy with every bite, and you resolve to remember the way she glows in happiness.

Perhaps, you think to yourself, it is not so cruel a lie, to stave off Mina’s sleepless nights and silent sorrows like this. Your kindness can wear a mask of deceit, as long as Mina glows to guide your hand.

[lapinlunaire-games]

Jinx, mon trésor, I hope you're having a lovely evening! ❤️

Would you be so kind as to do ❝ any time without you is far too long. ❞ for either Mina or Sam? (*cue puppy-dog eyes*)

Ti voglio bene 🥰

Albie, mon choux!! Thank you very much for this lovely set of prompts, I had so much fun writing them. ti voglio bene anche, my dearest axe-throwing warrior 🥰

Mina is under the cut of this post, and Sam's is here! Mwah~

“How was your trip?”

Mina smiles tightly and hefts her trunk off the hansom cab. “I forgot how much London stinks,” she tells you with a dry grin. “But if the homecoming is the worst of it, I’d say my trip was a successful one.”

You gasp in mock indignation. “And here I thought my coming to meet you off the ship would be a warm welcome!”

Your shared laughter is cut short by a grunt as you and Mina heave her luggage up the stairs and into her tiny flat. By the time you set it down in the corner, Mina is slightly out of breath and you’re wheezing.

“Sacred Ve—stones, what’s in there?!”

“Heh.” Mina pushes her hair out of her face and clicks open the buckles holding the trunk shut. She tosses aside a handful of clothes and digs through string-bound stacks of paper until she unearths a long-necked bottle wrapped in a thick scarf. She hands it to you with instructions to unwrap it, and tips the trunk shut again.

Mina raps on the hard surface of the trunk, shrugs, and grins at you. “Flat enough. Table for two?” She produces a hatbox and sets it down carefully on the makeshift table, her grin growing by the second.

Your hands slow on the bottle as you watch Mina open the hatbox and lay out a spread of metal tins, moving quickly and neatly—she glances up and catches you watching, and gestures to her handiwork with a flourish.

“Our menu du jour,” she announces. And just as quickly as she procured them, Mina unveils each dish, naming them in her native tongue like birdsong before giving you a lightning-fast translation that’s just as tantalizing.

Drunken river fish, aromatic slivers of beef, liquorice candied plums, sticky rice cake with sweet osmanthus—each dish is more enticing than the last, glistening and wafting a blend of scents that has your mouth watering. The spread glimmers in front of you like a fae feast, Mina’s smile hanging above like a crescent moon.

She gestures encouragingly to the bottle in your hands, still with one last coat of crumpled brown paper on. It falls away in a neat shell, revealing dark brown glass with a green paper label affixed to it.

Mina motions for you to pass it to her; as you do, she runs a finger along the three Chinese characters printed boldly on the face of the label and reads them for you, as fluid as a carp bending around river rock.

“Suānméitāng. Sour plum juice.” Mina throws her head back and laughs at the look on your face, relish lighting up her travel-weary features.

“It’s not made of plums gone off,” she explains. “They’re dried and smoked, then boiled with rock sugar and some other things to get this.”

The liquid she pours out into two glasses is smoky, brilliant red-brown, like geraniums in spring and sun-roasted berries. Its aroma prickles at your nose, tangy and sugary all at once, and reminds you of jumping rope in a sunny courtyard you’ve never been to.

She lifts her glass to toast and you mirror her, pausing a moment to admire how it catches the light like a jewel. A similar expression curves over Mina’s face, and you think to yourself how lovely it looks on her—until you realise that her eyes are fixed not on the glasses but on you. Heat creeps up your cheeks in a delicious flush.

Her smile curls into a smirk and Mina clinks her glass against yours. “Tastes better iced,” she tells you. “But we’ll just have to make do. To a very lovely homecoming.”

“To the end of heartache,” you counter with a grin.

Mina’s throat bobs as she downs the glass’s contents; when she meets your gaze again, her eyes are bright and sparkling.

“I missed you.” Your voice comes out soft, half-teasing but not quite—the sparkle in Mina’s eyes turns to a sizzle at the unguarded hope in your voice. “I know it was only a—”

“Any time without you is far too long,” Mina interrupts you, leaning over the makeshift table to clasp your hand in hers. The intensity of her dark gaze would be frightening if it were not so tender.

Without taking her eyes off yours, Mina brings your intertwined hands to her lips and presses a line of kisses over your knuckles—not soft brushes, but hard, forceful kisses that land like the toll of worship bells.

“Any time,” she repeats, her voice harsh in the way of a wind that knows no way to love but howling. When she tugs your hand to bring you to her across the trunk, her lips on yours are no less commanding, and her love spills into you like a tart berry bursting between your teeth.

[lapinlunaire-games]

🥞 and🐝 for the H&H ROs? Thank you!

Thanks anon!

🥞 Pancake: What is your favorite breakfast food?

A: loves sweets in the morning, and preferably hot. If you manage to get it out of them or their childhood nanny, God bless her soul, there's a very cute story about how a six-year-old A scarfed down half a dozen hot cross buns one fine spring morning and proceeded to wreak sugar-high havoc the whole day.

Ailbhe: snacks throughout the day, so they aren't a big breakfast person. Still, they like starting off with dried apricots, with roasted oats and a spot of honey if they're feeling particularly luxurious that day.

Catherine: Catherine's ideal world features coffee and berry parfait every morning, with goat cheese quiche or crumpets to be eaten afterwards.

Imric: is used to eating on the go/in a hurry, so he has a cherished routine of toast at home and then grabbing a packet of freshly roasted chestnuts from a street vendor on his way to the Yard. If he's running late, he'll buy an extra packet as a peace offering to his supervisor.

Mina: steamed buns, fluffy and filled with a peppery mixture of scrambled egg and leek/chives. Those are hard to come by in England, so she makes do with toast and marmalade.

Rosalind: in modern times, she would DEVOUR breakfast sandwiches, the diner kind that leave your hands slightly greasy and smelling like home fries for the rest of the day. Croissant, biscuit, whatever -- she loves them all. And yknow what, H&H London has those in canon now, because I said so. :P

Sam: loves a good creamy oat porridge, with sugar sprinkled on top and left to cool just enough to make a little crust. When he was little, his mom would use a spoon to make little happy faces in each bowl for him and his siblings in the morning, and it's still something he does when he's sick/caring for someone else.

🐝 Bee: What is a video game that you find comforting?

A: would really enjoy the Assassin's Creed games. Being able to explore, plus all the political subterfuge just...not having consequences on their real life? Being able to be brash and ridiculous and jump off ledges for the heck of it? Perfect.

Ailbhe: would be really into puzzle games, especially ones that use spatial visualization mechanics. Somehow I also get the feeling that they'd be Extremely into Beat Saber....

Catherine: loves multiplayer games with battle royale dynamics, like Mario Party or Mario Kart. She's in it to win it, even it that means teaming up with a rival or two.

Imric: also very into Mario Kart, but because he likes to play bumper cars while racing. Would take Rainbow Road as a personal offense (and challenge).

Mina: soundtrack-heavy games like Flower or Sable. She likes the open-world exploration aspects and being able to immerse herself.

Rosalind: Sims! She'd go all out theming and maybe get into modding herself.

Sam: Animal Crossing, but he plays it like a mom who's taking care of her children's tamagotchis. You'll look over and he'll be hunched over looking Stressed, but if you try to get him to take a break he'll wave you away all "nOOO, I need to make it perfect so Dobie will move in!"

[lapinlunaire-games]

Oooh! I had a question if you didn't mind!

What's the best way to make the ro’s flustered? How easy, on a scale of ten, is it easier to fluster them?

Ooooh good question!

From easiest to fluster to most difficult, it goes:

A > Sam > Rosalind > Mina/Imric > Catherine > Ailbhe > The Silent One

A grew up very sheltered and even though their father was, uh, indiscreet in his affections, they fluster very easily with forward words or touch.

Flirty words get Sam and Rosalind blushy - Sam also flusters easily with flirty touches/eye contact, but is more likely to brush you off that way.

Mina and Imric are more immune and require a combo to get them flustered, and you'd better bring your A game! Turning their own moves against them is your best bet.

Similarly, it will take some seriously smooth moves to get Catherine flustered - you'll need to beat her at their own game for that.

Ailbhe is incredibly difficult to fluster since they're used to dealing with all the outrageous goings-on of the Council. Physical proximity is the best way to get a blush on their cheeks, and if you get them to verbally mess something up/stammer - you're one step away from breaking them entirely. Tread carefully!

The Silent One is difficult to get any kind of reaction out of. They like toying with the object of their affections, and will try to figure out what makes you tick, so you're playing a game against them and the clock. That being said, matching their intensity is a move few think to try....

[lapinlunaire-games]

Oh also ❝ i’m only doing it because you’re cute. ❞ for mina (if you like) ✨

FLUFF FLUFF FLUFF

Neither of you are speaking, but Mina’s tiny flat is filled with sound: the rushing babble of the street hasn’t quite died down into late evening, so it weaves in with the gurgle of water through the pipes, barely muffled by the thin walls, and Mina’s pen scratches over paper with the ferocity of a steam engine.

She writes, pausing only to rewet her nib or ponder the page for a few brilliant seconds before her pen launches across the page once more, spurred on by the invisible whip cracking behind her eyes. Mina writes, and you watch, and London chugs along outside the open window.

And so the silence of your companionship is deafening.

You rest your chin on one hand and study Mina as she scans her notes. The dark gaze that darts between pages is cupped by puffy, purple skin that looks thin as paper, and there’s a jerky fatigue to her quick motions. She’s hiding it well, but there’s only so much Mina can do to disguise the exhaustion wearing her frame.

She stifles a yawn and that decides the matter for you.

“Mina,” you start as you walk casually to her desk and make your presence just enough of a bother to make her stop writing. “I need your help with something.”

She eyes you quizzically, clearly debating how rude it would be to refuse indulging you. You smile broadly and wait—it’s well-rewarded with the click of her pen meeting the desk and the rustle of papers shifting into a stack.

“And this is something you couldn’t have done while you sat and watched me finish this report?”

She’s (mostly) joking—you can tell—but there’s a hesitant undercurrent of frustration to her voice. It occurs to you that it’s nearly the end of the week, and a new month coming up besides. Rent will be due soon—suddenly, the sheer amount of work Mina has been taking on makes much more sense to you.

A tremor of guilt ripples through you, but the slight sway in Mina’s motion as she looks up at you quashes it; she’s hairs away from fraying out completely, and by the Veil, you won’t let that happen.

“I need you to repeat some things for me,” you say earnestly.

Mina lifts an eyebrow, but nods. Your grin widens.

“I am loved. I am brilliant. My worth is not dependent on either.”

She sighs and fixes you with a tired stare. “I am loved. I am brilliant. My worth is not dependent on either,” she repeats flatly.

You huff and grab the pen before she can reach it. Mina scowls, but makes only a halfhearted attempt to swipe it back.

“No! You’ve been sitting here all day—if I hadn’t swung by this afternoon, you wouldn’t have eaten anything at all! You can’t do this, Mina, or you’re going to burn yourself to ashes.” You stare at her to make your point sink in, careful to really make it a stare and not a glare. “Now repeat after me, with feeling. I am loved. I am brilliant. My worth is not dependent on either.”

Mina’s scowl slowly dissolves, leaving her looking more exhausted than ever. “…fine.” Her eyes cut to you, shining razor sharp and vibrant for one beautiful instant. “I’m only doing it because you’re cute, you know.”

You don’t say anything, just poke her shoulder with a slanted grin. Mina's awfully good at reading between the lines of your reactions. She sighs, but some of the tension has lifted from her shoulders.

“I am loved. I am brilliant and tired. My worth is not dependent on either.”

She laughs when you throw yourself onto her in a hug, and the sound settles in your heart like warm summer sun. “Stop it, you’ll get ink all over yourself!”

“I don’t care,” you announce, and something inside you sings at the sound of more laughter rolling from Mina’s lips.

She rests her forehead in the crook of your neck for a few precious seconds, during which the entire world is composed of the smooth, inky black chignon at the nape of her neck and the sliver of skin peeking out between it and her collar. Faintly heady perfume clings to her, something rich and floral but faded, the memory of a scent more than anything.

“You’re adorable. Now let me get back to work—unless you want to go through my notes.” She waves the notepad with a dry smirk, pages nearly black with tiny lines of shorthand.

“Wait,” you protest, grabbing onto her partly out of persistence and partly out of sheer panic. “There’s more!”

You choose to ignore the warning in the way she says your name—no use swerving when you’re already knee-deep.

You cup her face in your hands and hold her gaze with the solemnity of an oath. Reluctantly, she nods again.

“I am not alone,” you murmur. Mina’s cheeks are very warm in your palms.

She hesitates. Without missing a beat, you bat your eyelashes and pucker your lips out so far it hurts.

“Come on,” you wheedle, “do it for my cutesy wootsy sweet little face?”

“Ugh. Only if you promise never to do that again.” Mina shudders, but there’s amusement hidden beneath the disgust. Her voice drops whisper soft—still steady, but so quiet you have to strain to hear her.

“I am not alone.” Her dark eyes hold yours steady, afraid but forging on anyways.

“I can ask for help,” you prompt her gently.

“I…I can ask for help.”

You beam at her. Words come to your tongue, but none taste just right for the moment. Instead, you lean forward and hug Mina again, pressing everything you can’t say into her body as you breathe in the faded fragrance that clings to her like a ghost.

If her laughter was sunshine, the feeling of her hugging you back is a gentle breeze. Delight suffuses through you as Mina sighs again, this time in contentment.

“Thank you,” she murmurs, and in two words she says a thousand. You squeeze her tighter and press three into her skin with a brush of your lips.

[lapinlunaire-games]

if you’re still taking these, 🐾 and 🥰 please! if not no worries!

of course! hehehe

🐾 - Do they have any pets?

A - Not exactly their pet since they left Tamarisk (the Gordon family manor), but they're very fond of Cressida, their mare, and sorely miss taking her out riding.

Ailbhe - Ailbhe is a Plant Parent™ and keeps several carefully minded flowers and vines at home. The one they've had the longest is a jade plant named Romulus, which lives right next to a literal wall of hollyhock (Oran).

Catherine - they aren't technically her pets, but Catherine's brother keeps a pair of Italian greyhounds at his estate and Catherine adores them. They may or may not have bought silk scarves for the dogs and insisted on having a portrait painted with them. ;)

Imric - not technically, but Imric is known to take care of his landlord's cat when it inevitably wanders into his room.

Mina - no pets in England for Mina, but when she was little, there was a little brown dog that lived down the street from her home, and she'd always leave a bit of food out for it, and sometimes get a few pets in for her trouble.

Rosalind - you Rosalind is a cat person. Do with this information what you will!

Sam - Thinks of the sheepdogs at home as working dogs, but spoils them like beloved pets.

The Silent One - no pets, but really wants one (or more) deep down, someday.

🥰 - What pet names do their partner(s) use for them/do they use? How flustered do they get by them? I love this question, pet names are so fun

A - “Sweetheart”, “my poet”, “goldheart” are 100% guaranteed to have A smiling dorkily at you, completely lovestruck. Using “my partner in crime” would get you an eyeroll, but it’d stick and they’d use it for you too. They call their partner “sweetheart” too, as well as “my muse”.

Ailbhe - "my love" or “my heart” are good options, but Ailbhe loves hearing their partner call them by their name. Names hold power for the fae, and hearing themselves named with such love makes Ailbhe melt. They call their partner their sacred deer, because that love makes them feel divine and because if something were to happen to that love, Ailbhe would take down everything and everyone responsible in cold, methodical wrath.

Catherine - If Catherine lets you get away with "Cat" or "Cathy", you're very dear to them. Also loves hearing you use (or attempt to use) Italian pet names, and will use "tesoro" (treasure), "vita mia" (my life), and lowkey whatever makes you blush the most. A good old-fashioned "darling" never goes wrong, either (but if they sound sarcastic while calling you this.....broski ya did something wrong). Doesn’t get very flustered by pet names, but if you stop using them, Catherine will get increasingly worried that you’re upset and will go to extreme lengths to “make it up” to you.

Imric - If you teasingly call Imric "dear nemesis" or "my beloved rival", you will awaken something in him lmao. He likes using “✨Detective✨", your name but in a tone that makes it sound like 😏 is written right after, and "beloved". Imric’s always flirty, but using pet names is a whole new level; if you’re bold and shoot right back with a saucy smile of your own, you’ll get to see him blushy and bright-eyed, which is a rare(r) occurrence.

Mina - "sweetheart" and "honey" are fine with her (she isn't a huge pet name person), but if you try to use 爱人/Ài rén (lover) on her, be prepared for a cringe or laughter. She thinks it's super super cheesy, but if you like calling her that, Mina will grudgingly admit it's kinda cute coming from you. If you realllly want to be romantic, do your research and call her 小明 (xiao ming), which is a nickname twist of her full Chinese name. (It’s not particularly romantic, but it makes her feel Seen)

Rosalind - Call Rosalind “dove”, “ducky”, or “princess” (sparingly on this last one unless you're okay with Super Giggly Blushy Rosalind all the time), and she’ll reciprocate with so many cutesy pet names/variations on your actual name, or nicknames based on your likes/cute things you do.

Sam - Being called “baby” or “dear” will have Sam a shy, pleased mess. He’ll do his best to remain stoic in public, but you’ll be able to catch a glimpse of a grin and maybe a quiet “heh”. He uses “cariad” most often for his partner, which is Welsh for darling.

The Silent One - “babygirl” would get Real Dramatic if their partner called them “my _____” or “my love”. It’s the possessive that really gets to them. I’m talking they’re on their knees, vowing to give their partner the sun, moon, and stars, walk to the ends of the earth and time for them. They like to use “(my) sweet (thing)” and “beloved”.

[lapinlunaire-games]

💝 please!

💝 - What gestures do they really appreciate? How do you get on their good side?

A - Being there for them, backing them up in sticky situations -- affirmations are a surefire way to get on A's good side. Conversely, being frank with them and helping them get grounded if they're being a little too bullheaded is also A+.

Ailbhe - Oof this is hard, Ailbhe is so suspicious of anyone going out of their way to be nice to them, so you'll have to be careful not to seem like you're trying to bribe them. Small favors like remembering things they say/like will go a long way. Get on their good side by reserving judgement and being honest about your reasons for disagreeing if you have any - just be ready to table the discussion if Ailbhe feels things are getting too agitated.

Catherine - Public displays of affection, being made to feel like you're proud of this relationship and of them. Well thought-out compliments are also a plus (less about her appearance, more about the efforts made, the taste behind it, etc)

Imric - Check-ins on him, even if he doesn't feel like he needs it. Things like taking an extra moment to wait for him to get his coat on or slowing to match paces. Bantering with him will never go wrong, nor will offering to teach him something new or let him watch you do something you care about.

Mina - Offer her space when she needs it. She doesn't expect you to read her mind, but learning Mina's unspoken/unconscious signals are a great way to show that you understand and support her. A good way to get in her good graces is noting + respecting her cultural norms coughcough if she visits you offer her fruit. Asking her sincerely to explain their significance/history to you is also a good move!

Rosalind - Honestly, sitting down to tell her about your day and describing all the sensations that she can't really feel but remembers. It's pretty difficult not to be on Rosalind's good side, but some things that earn brownie points are setting up some decor in your shared living spaces that are more Rosalind's taste than yours - she knows she doesn't pay rent, exactly, and feeling like you welcome rather than resent her being there is nice.

Sam - Sam is a bigggg physical touch person, and he's also very very touch-starved, so small things like pats or hand brushes mean a lot to him. Just don't make him feel like you're doing it for the novelty of being touchy-touchy with a werewolf. Getting along/entertaining with his siblings, particularly his youngest sister, will land you firmly on his good side.

The Silent One - Things that make them feel seen rather than merely desired - getting on their good side is a careful art of balancing and learning their moods.

[lapinlunaire-games]

hi! i’m not sure if this has been asked, but what are the ROs preferred love languages, both giving and receiving?

hi anon! sure thing! Giving | Receiving

A - acts of service | quality time

Ailbhe - words of affirmation | words of affirmation

Catherine - physical touch | receiving gifts/physical touch

Imric - words of affirmation/gift giving | words of affirmation/quality time

Mina - acts of service | acts of service/words of affirmation

Rosalind - physical touch BUT she knows it can be unpleasant for living beings to touch ghosts, so she really makes an effort to do acts of service (which she also naturally expresses affection with) too | physical touch/quality time

Sam - gift giving | receiving gifts/physical touch