#he's not letting XL anywhere near the kitchen

[holy--milk]

Xie Lian/Any MDZS or SVSSS character for 5 sentence fic 🫣

Luo Binghe could almost believe that the kind stranger who'd fished him out of the icy Luo river, drifting lifelessly down the stream as he passed out from exhaustion after finally clawing his way out of the Endless Abyss, was some sort of divine being.

He had the most beautiful face Luo Binghe had ever seen on anyone in this life, his voice soothing and calming like a balm, and his hands were so soft and gentle as they dressed his wounds that Luo Binghe couldn't help squeezing his eyes shut and getting lost in the fantasy of resting in his mother's safe and loving embrace, back before everything went wrong.

The illusion shattered the moment the man brought a foul-smelling bowl of soup to his lips, gently coaxing him to eat and replenish his strength.

... When Luo Binghe regained his senses two hours later, his body still shaking uncontrollably with the effects of the bizarre concoction that made even his heavenly demon blood freeze and boil in his veins, he turned to gaze at the man and found him spluttering apologies with a mix of shame, embarrassment and anxiety clearly written on his handsome features.

"It's fine, daozhang-gege," Luo Binghe mustered a smile despite his bafflement. "I'll be doing the cooking for the both of us from now on."

[tinycoffeeroom]

saying something stupid like i love you | george clarke

face claim: none ♡

request: here !

requested: how about the first time george clarke tells y/n he loves her?? love your fics btw babes

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You’d sent George off this morning for a Platform Roulette recording bright eyed and bushy tailed. Based on how they normally ended, you knew he would return completely different. 

He texted you throughout the day, slowly being filled more and more with typos and the drunken ramblings you were used to from your boyfriend. Arthur Hill had the decency to send you a long winded voice note, background noise loud enough to nearly drown out his words as he lets you know when they’ll be back as, despite being the heavyweight out of the three in drinking, George was currently near blackout drunk. 

You dread to think of how he ended up that way, but at 11 in the evening, you find yourself grabbing your phone, keys and overnight bag, heading off to the tube station to go to Kings Cross and grab your heavily inebriated boyfriend. 

Passing the time on the tube, you plug your headphones in, blasting the newest Billie Eilish album. Birds of a Feather starts up and you find yourself grinning in your seat, remembering how George had heard you playing it one day and twirled you around your flat, one hand resting on your back as you slow danced through your kitchen. 

Bopping your head along to the song, you pick up on the lyrics. “I’ll love you ‘til the day I die.” Despite the fact you and George had never said those three words to each other, you knew it was true. 9 months into the relationship, and you knew you were in love with George, and that he was in love with you. 

The first time he had heard the song, mid kitchen dancing, the lyric played out through your speaker and George had looked down at you, eyes warm and happy as he leant down to kiss you on the last word. A non verbal admission to something you both knew. 

Getting off at Kings Cross, you make your way up the escalator to the centre hall of the train station. Glancing across, you make out three slumped bodies on one of the benches. Huffing amusedly, you walk slowly across to the men, phone out and videoing the way one of the Arthurs was puckering up to a half awake George who barely had the motor skills to push him away jokingly. 

Uploading the video to your story, you reach the three of them who drag themselves from their huddle on the bench. Both Arthur’s fling themselves towards you, one of them patting your head drunkenly, the same way a child would roughly pet a cat. Wincing as their fingers tangle in your hair, you gently settle them back onto the bench. Your eyes catch George’s half lidded ones, matching smiles spread on your faces. 

Pulling himself up from the bench, he stumbles over to you, arms spread wide to circle around you. You welcome him in, scrunching your nose as the scent of beer, sweat and something distinctly George wafts through the air. “Hi, babe.”

Grumbling under the weight of a drunken George, you wave a hand to the two Arthurs, signalling them to come follow you. The pair trail behind you two, giggling behind their hands and making kissing noises as George presses sloppy kisses to your temple, cheek and anywhere he can reach. 

Giggling at the way his beard tickles your skin, you pull out your phone to order an Uber. George grumbles under his breath about how he’ll pay you back, wincing as you spend nearly 30 pounds on an Uber XL, the only car available at this time of night on a Saturday. 

Standing outside, you run your hand up and down George’s back as he leans against you, mumbling against the skin of your neck. You don’t pay much attention to his ramblings at first, too busy trying to keep an eye on the two Arthur’s chasing each other outside of Kings Cross station. 

It’s only when you hear a soft “I love you so much” muffled against your neck that you focus back on George. You can tell he’s barely conscious, the words almost stumbling from his lips. 

Flushing under the admission, you press a kiss to the top of his head. “I love you too.” 

He grins up at you, reaching up to press a kiss to the corner of your lips. Wrinkling your nose at the taste of beer, you tuck his head back under your chin. He goes willingly, nuzzling into the space there and commencing his drunken mumbling. 

Your phone buzzes to let you know the Uber is pulling up and you call out to the two Arthurs, dropping a half asleep George into one of the seats before wrangling the Arthur’s into theirs. Sparing the driver the pain of a 30 minute Arthur squared show, you sit up front, making small conversation with the older man as he sets off for the boys’ flat. 

He correctly identifies George as your boyfriend, eyeing the sleeping man in the back. You hum in response, eyes flitting over the passing scenery as the car speeds through the London streets. 

By the time you reach the flat, all three boys in the back are fast asleep. Sparing them a glance through the rear view mirror, you huff as you work out the best plan of action to get the three of them into the flat. 

The driver must sense your apprehension, offering to help you out. You smile at him thankfully, offering to take George and Arthur Hill if he helps the other Arthur out. Sending a quick text to Chris in hopes he’s still awake to help once you enter the building, you step out of the car, moving round to open George’s door. 

Shaking him softly, you manage to rouse him pretty easily, helping him out and slinging one of his arms over your shoulder. Arthur, on the other hand, is a lot harder to wake up. You’re about 2 seconds away from slapping him gently on the cheek, but George beats you to it. Unfortunately, his drunken state means the hit lands a lot harder than he intended and Arthur jolts awake, whining as he holds his cheek. 

Rolling your eyes at your giggling boyfriend, you offer a hand out to Arthur, who takes it and steps out of the car ungracefully. Your phone buzzes in your pocket, hoping it was Chris saying he was on his way down. 

Throwing Arthur’s arm over your other shoulder, you round the back of the car, watching as the other Arthur is currently deep in explaining the fact that a fish is in fact not a real thing to a rather perplexed looking Uber driver. The two of you share a glance before laughing softly at the drunken trio. 

The Uber driver walks Arthur slowly over to the entrance whilst you stumble behind slowly, the combined weight of the drunk boys on your shoulders weighing you down. You catch Chris briskly walking through the lobby, dressed in shorts and an oversized t-shirt. He takes one look at the situation in front of him and you see his shoulders rise and fall in a huff as he wrestles Arthur from the driver. 

The driver passes you, throwing a small smile your way. You mimic his expression. “I’ll be leaving a big tip, don’t worry! Thanks for this.”

He laughs at your exasperated tone, leaving in his car with a wave. 

Chris grabs the other Arthur from your shoulder and you groan in appreciation as you straighten your back a little. The two of you guide the trio through the lobby and into the elevator, George now snoring softly against your shoulder. 

By the time you get into the flat, Chris is about two seconds away from knocking the two Arthur’s heads together, instead bidding you goodbye as he walks into Arthur Hill’s room. With a hand on his back, you lead George to his bedroom, dropping him down onto the bed. He stretches out, limbs sprawling across the entire width of the bed. 

You watch him for a moment, a small smile on your face before quietly walking out of the room. You meet Chris again in the kitchen, three mixing bowls in hand. He hands you one and you whisper your thanks before he disappears back into Arthur’s room. From the glimpse you managed to catch, the two Arthur’s are currently spooning in his bed and you pray Chris has taken blackmail photos of the two men. 

Grabbing a water bottle from the fridge, you step back into George’s room. Setting the bowl down next to his side of the bed, you place the bottle on his nightstand, pulling out some painkillers from your bag and dropping them next to the water bottle. Quickly changing out of your clothes, you grab a t-shirt of George’s, pulling it over your head. 

Pushing George onto his side of the bed, you slink in next to him, settling down for the night. Just as your eyes close, a heavy arm slumps over your waist, George’s face settling down into the crook of your neck. 

Another mumbled “I love you” drops from his lips, the syllables sleep soaked around the edges. Grinning, you press a final kiss to the top of his head and close your eyes. 

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You awake to a groaning George, the scratch of his stubble bristling against your neck as he burrows deeper, trying to hide from the light streaming through the gap in his curtains. 

“Morning sunshine.” 

He grumbles in response, the arm around your waist tightening. “I feel like shit.”

“Hmm, I wonder why that is.” Laughing at his responding stink eye, you slip from his grasp. He rolls onto his back, eyes tracking your movements. 

Grabbing two towels from his wardrobe, you look back at him, one eyebrow raised. “Yes, George?”

He stays silent for a moment, dragging himself up into a sitting position. “I told you I loved you last night.”

You smile shyly, surprised he remembered last night. “You did. Twice.” 

“And you said it back.” He smiles softly, eyes flitting over your face. 

Nodding in response, you lean over the bed, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. “I did.”

“That isn’t how I wanted our first I love you’s to be.” He whines, one hand pulling you back in for another kiss. 

Scrunching your nose at his morning breath, you press a final kiss to his cheek before pulling back. “I thought it was cute. Drunk words are sober thoughts and all that.” You giggle as he flops back onto the bed, one hand running over his face. 

Moving towards the door, you stop in the threshold, leaning against it. “So, you gonna join me in the shower before the other boys wake up?”

Chuckling at the speed of which George shot out of bed, one hand clutching his head at the rapid movement. “If I ever turn down that offer, I want you to shoot me.”

You throw the other towel at him, grinning as it hits him square in the face. “I love you too.”

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a/n: mr clarkey has made it onto tinycoffeeroom finally! thank you for requesting anon <3

taglist: @golden-hoax

[rpchive]

120th Encounter-- The Starlit Song

An hour or so after returning to the IT, Collin steps into the console room to see if the others returned with the freed shadows from earlier. Maya is seated in the console room with the three former shadows and Azreldeh. Collin: I thought I'd find you guys here. So what's the story? Azreldeh: Well, with the mirror dimension gone, any curses tied to it were lifted, but also everything in that dimension had to go somewhere...

Maya: Seems like the population of this dimension doubled in an instant, but none of the reflections appeared anywhere near their counterparts. Since yours were already here, though, they weren't sent anywhere else... Collin: Well that's... awkward. So what do you guys think? You're gonna have to excuse me if I'm being kind of blunt, but I'm not exactly comfortable with just... letting them all move in. Maya: I mean, they're...right here. I guess they can decide to live wherever they want? We can take 'em where they wanna go, and from there it's not our problem anymore. Collin: That works for me if it works for you three.

SCollin: Your hospitality is first-rate, truly.

Collin: Look, I've got a lot on my mind right now. I'm just trying to get y'all somewhere nice where no one is going to mistake us for you three. SJay: ...It's fine. We shouldn't be here anyway. I don't care where you take us, just...anywhere is fine. Collin: I mean, give us some idea. The IT's got a lot of possibilities. Hot, cold, crowded, quiet?

SDaedalus: Somewhere that isn't so depressing and bleak would be a nice change of pace, so that should be a pretty easy requirement to meet.

Collin: ... Alright, I guess just touch down somewhere where there's a decent town or something? Maybe they'll help take them in or at least get them started.

He stops to think for a second before continuing. "Should we... give them some way to get a hold of us in case there's an emergency? I'd feel bad if we put them somewhere where they just wound up in danger again."

Maya: ...I don't know if the finished communicators we have work at a frequency that can cross time; space; and dimensions...

Azreldeh: Well, bring me one and I'll make it work out. We'll just need one to replace it with, but I'm sure XL and Rio are done by now... Collin: I left mine back in my room. Let me just... go get it real quick.

He hesitates partway through his words as he realizes what that means, but continues on. Without waiting for a response, he turns and heads back down the hall for his room.

He pushes open the door and steps inside, meeting Jay's stare as he turns to see who's coming inside. Collin briefly considers trying to say something to him but fails to come up with any words, instead breaking eye contact to turn toward his desk. He steps over and quickly picks up his communicator, then turns and heads back out of the room, quietly closing the door behind him. He takes a deep breath during his walk back to the console room, then gently tosses the device in Azreldeh's direction as he returns. "Heads up." Azreldeh catches the communicator, which crackles in her grip briefly as it glows a faint red for a second before she hands it off to Collin's reflection. "That should do it. Wherever you wind up, if you need us, we'll hear it. ...Assuming you call." SCollin: We'll... try to keep to ourselves for now. If we wind up getting stranded in a cave or some shit, you might wind up hearing from us soon. 'Course you could just ignore it...

SDaedalus: I don't think they would've bothered giving us something if that was their plan. Maya: I'll get this thing moving somewhere, then. In the meantime, I guess you can do what you want...just don't get into trouble, of course. SCollin: I'll try my best. Is that a kitchen over there? Maya: Yep. With any food you can think of; and plenty more you can't. SCollin: Oh thank fuck, some actual decent food. FaWKES didn't exactly have the most varied palette. If you'll excuse me...

SCollin casually hops up and heads inside the kitchen. A while later, Maya successfully lands the IT at an unfamiliar destination. Once the group determines their surroundings are safe, they part ways with the shadow counterparts, leaving the normal crew to their current devices. Collin: ... I do hope they'll be alright. It's gotta be hard after suddenly getting cut loose like that. Maya: ...I doubt they have much experience with nature or people. Any environment would be hard to adapt to. Still, without the overbearing sense of wickedness and without anyone forcing them to do things, I figure they're resourceful enough to figure things out on their own... Collin: And if things get too dicey, they could always just call us to bail them out of whatever trouble they've gotten into. I didn't want to leave them entirely stranded; I just... can't really focus on a lot right now. Azreldeh: No, I understand. I'm sure they would too...at least, to some degree. What're you gonna do...? You can't just avoid your room forever... Collin: I... don't know. I'll be honest, the way Jay is right now, he... scares me a little. It's like he's not even the same person, just some stranger saying he's my boyfriend. I don't know what to expect from him now. Maya: ...I don't think that's the case. I've seen cases like that before; abnormalities that replaced employees and walked around in their skin, or remotely controlled them like playthings, but this seems...different. The coldness in his voice; it doesn't sound like he's a different person, it sounds like he's distancing himself; but...it's not exclusively that...that's undoubtedly Jay himself, but it also feels unfamiliar, yet not caused by an outside force...I think something's changing...something's definitely wrong, we just don't know specifically what that could be... Collin: I'm not really sure if that's better or worse... Maya: What I'm trying to say is that he needs help. He might not be scared at all, but something terrible is happening to him, and all we've done is...get angry, or hide...somebody has to do something...whatever's happening is clearly something big. If we can't fix it, I don't know what will happen...nobody even bothered trying to get through to him when he started acting weird...did...did you leave him alone? Collin: I mean, he was in our room a bit ago when I went to get that communicator? Maya: But he was alone, wasn't he? Collin: Y-Yeah... I should probably go back, shouldn't I? Maya gets out of her chair and immediately starts going down the hallway. "...Why is nobody else-?!" Collin immediately hurries after her. "Well Demo is probably still out of it and Daedalus is... y'know..." Maya: That's his problem!! Jay is your saa! Jay is your saa!! He's your boyfriend; something is happening to him, and you just...!! You don't even understand what losing somebody feels like, do you?!

Barreling forward, Maya practically breaks the door down as she rams her weight into it on her way into the room.

"...JAY!!"

At the back of the room, Jay stands alone, a gate open to a vaguely familiar location behind him; a place looking similar to the cobalt dimension. As he turns to face the group, two things become apparent: the shell around his injured arm has cracked away completely, now revealing his magic, an electric shade of blue that shifts closer to teal on occasion; and that red markings have slowly begun to snake up the sides of his face, curvy things vaguely shaped like clouds. His eyes, more of a cloudy blue than the vibrant color they had been before, rest on no one in particular, as if him turning his attention to the noise was simply a formality.

"...Don't bother worrying now. Changing things after they matter doesn't change anything at all."

Leaving nobody time to respond, he steps through the gate, which closes behind him like water going down a drain, leaving the room in darkness. Collin looks as though he's about to be sick, stepping close enough to his desk to lean against it as he continues to stare at where his gate was. A few seconds later he finally manages to choke out a few shaky words. "Oh God... What's happening to him?" Maya stands in the doorway, her breathing heavy and ragged as a multitude of reactions race through her mind, each bubbling up like a volcano's reaction desperately attempting to win the race to the surface. Collapsing her weight against it, she begins to shake as she forces some form of response out. Her words carry an incredible amount of weight as she audibly chokes back either tears or anger. "...If we can't make somebody tell us what's happening, we're going to tear through their entire library if it means finding out ourselves. We can't let him go like this. We have to stop this now..." Collin: I... I don't... K-Karumet... We need to get Karumet back. Maybe she'll know what's happening to... Maya: ...I'll get us back to her. You just...do what you have to.

Shoving herself off the door facing, Maya leaves for the console room, leaving Collin alone. Collin shifts slightly and sits down on his desk, staring a hole into the floor in front of him. Tears well up in his eyes, although he fights them off for several minutes. Finally, just as he's about to reach his limit, he swears loudly and scatters everything on his desk to the floor. Spinning around, he charges out of the door and storms down the hall toward the pantheon's room. He throws their door open without hesitation, glaring at a very surprised Ezorius as he breathes out one demand through gritted teeth and burning eyes.

Collin: I need my magic back. Now. Some time later, the IT lands back in the place Lobotomy had once stood. Surprised, but not stunned, Karumet greets whoever comes to the door. Collin stands on the other side, more composed but strikingly more serious in his expression than normal. "We need your help. Jay's... changed. His magic color changed, he has strange red lines forming on his face, and his personality is... completely different. He abandoned us not too long ago and we have no idea what's going on. Can you help us?" Karumet's expression sours as she frowns for a moment in confusion.

"...His magic and personality changed...? Was he exhaling any?" Collin: Yeah, it was yellow at the time, but when he left his arm was blue. Do you know something, then? Karumet: ...His injured arm, the shell on it broke, didn't it? And it was blue, despite his own magic being yellow? And now all of his magic is blue...I haven't seen this since the war, I--...

Maya: Please, I really don't care about exposition, what the hell is wrong with him?! Just come out with it!!

Karumet: ...He's becoming shalvenn.

Collin: ... Fuck, fuck, fuck! Part of me kept thinking that was what was happening, but-... Nevermind. What do we do? Karumet: From what you've told me, it's unclear if he's sacrificing his mind or his body, but either way, it sounds like something's deteriorating...I don't think he'll wind up like Avarice, but...this is still in its early stages; despite how it looks, we can still turn this around. I'd compare his current state to being...lost in a fog, or something. It's hard to get out, but if you know what to do...

She seems to remember the original question at about this time.

"...The starlit song. It's the only thing any kleivenn's been able to do that saved a shalvenn. But it's been so long since the war, and I personally haven't heard it...but Nine might know..." Collin: Alright... Then we need to get to Kujaar. But even with the song, how're we going to find him? The place his gate was leading to, it looked the same as how it does inside his mind. But that's... not possible, right? Azreldeh: Weeeeellll...

Wringing her tail nervously, Azreldeh glances around as she starts to babble.

"With the mirror dimension gone, the demons inhabiting it needed to be relocated; but hell's a place reserved for devils; souls; familiars and the like; and the in between only has chaos agents; and well, we can't go to heaven, so...well, since we couldn't go topside, we needed somewhere else to go, and since Jay was trying to create a new dimension, and he technically had the structure for one, the agents of the in between must've...made...it...real?" Collin stares blankly for a second, then covers his face with his hands as he exhales slowly. "This is, unquestionably, a complete disaster. Do I even want to know how you know that?" Azreldeh: W-well, it's happened before is all...! But I wasn't around for that... Collin: That's a little crazy to think about. Anyway... Can you come back with us, Karumet? Or is there still stuff you need to take care of here? Karumet: I can come back. It seems like the people here are adjusting well enough, and nothing escaped Lobotomy, so I think things will be alright... Collin: We can always come back to check on things, or maybe the IT will just drag us back if something goes sideways. Regardless, it'll be good to have you back. I'm... sorry things aren't more like they usually are when we came back to get you, though. Karumet: Seriously? You're worried about how I feel? ...We need to figure out that song... Collin: Right. Let's get moving to Kujaar then. Hopefully Nine really does know about that song...

Returning to the IT, the group heads for Kujaar, where they find Nine in their usual location.

Nine: Nice t' see ya ag'n! Though, if yer here, I doubt it's fer a good reason; y'all never jus' visit... Collin: Sorry, it's just... always hectic. But you're right, it's not good news. Jay is turning shalvenn, and apparently the starlit song is the only thing that can help him now. Do you know it? Nine: ...Never a dull momen', 'uh...? I's been a while since I've seen a kleivenn that wasn' damaged b'yond help, so I migh' not remember it all...lessee...

Though the sun may rise, And the moon may fall; We're carrying on With our starlit song...

Through hardships, And friendships, We've gone through it all;

Ehh...somethin'....sentimental? What goes here...

Though the moon may rise, And the sun may fall; We'll keep carrying on With our starlit song... Collin: I don't mean to pressure you, but... you do remember it, right? Nine: Ehhhh, it was...what was it...?

Somethin', somethin'; The rise and the fall... Collin: Nine, you're killing me here. Nine: Hey, you remember somethin' after several thousands of years without needin' to!! Collin: I'm not even-!

He stops himself and closes his eyes for a second, forcing himself to try and slow down. "... Okay, I'm sorry. But if you don't know the song, then who does?" Nine: I's jus' the one line. I bet Holly'd know; she writes everythin' down. Collin: Speaking of that, I'm probably gonna need a copy of it too... So I just need to read it to him and he'll go back to normal? Nine: It ain't that easy. If a kleivenn's gone shalvenn, i's 'cause somethin' made 'em go against their drivin' wish real hard. Tha's what breaks 'em so badly; they see the thing they're made for as inherently wrong, an' if they don't wanna live for wha' they're made t' live for, then they ain't gonna live for it, no matter what that means for 'em. If you want him back, you gotta find out wha's wrong. The starlit song, it offers clarity; it cuts through wha's wrong and brings 'em back t' their senses, but in the end, yer th' only thing standin' between yer saa 'n whatever happens next.

as intense as this arc is I really do like just having this lore out here

Collin: But Jay's wish is... Oh God, what did I do...? Nine: Tha's jus' somethin' y' gotta ask 'im. Hurry t' Holly; I know you can reach out ta him. Collin: ... Okay. Thanks for your help, and... sorry for always being a downer.

He goes ahead and leaves Nine's room and heads for Holly's library. Holly is up at the receptionist desk, waiting for Iris to finish loading a cart full of books that need to be relocated. Blinking against the sunlight that filters in as Collin enters the library, Holly squints in his direction.

"...The human boy; Collin, wasn't it? You're back again...I take it there's another incident on your hands. You children are far too young to be shouldering so many burdens..." Collin: I'm starting to think you might be right. I... need the starlit song. Nine can't remember the whole thing, but they said you'd probably have it written down or something. Holly flashes a grim expression before climbing down from Iris' shoulder, Iris giving Collin a sympathetic look before shifting her attention to Holly, who is opening a cabinet behind the front desk. Pulling out a dusty scroll, she unfurls it atop the desk, revealing the aged Chariot upon it.

"Though the sun may rise, And the moon may fall; We're carrying on With our starlit song

Through hardships, And friendships, We've gone through it all;

The taken, The given, The rise and the fall;

Though the moon may rise, And the sun may fall; We'll keep carrying on With our starlit song.

I remember the lullaby all too well; a song passed down through generations to every scribe, sung throughout centuries to make its way to the unfortunate, lost souls that need it most. I pray you can make use of it well..."

this is just one of those random things I’ve sang in the shower a handful of times out of nowhere; but this one always came back with the same words for me

I’d sing it but I don’t think anyone’d want to hear it after knowing what it’s needed for

but first and foremost; it’s a kleivenn lullaby. it’s something everyone’s heard their entire lives, something sang for comfort, passed down throughout generations, and that’s what makes it so impactful

Collin: I really hope so. Would you mind copying that down on something I can take with me? And uh... that I can read? Iris: Oh, leave it to me! I'll have it written up in a minute! You just worry about finding out what to do next, okay? I'll bring it to your ship when I'm done. Seeing you off is the least I can do. Collin: Alright. Thanks for everything, you two. Holly: Anything we can do to help, we will. You just worry about yourselves, alright? Collin: It's hard to even think about anything else right now, honestly. Anyway, I'll be back at the IT.

He gives them a small wave and heads back for the others at the IT.

Iris reaches the IT with the starlit song's translation transcribed upon her paper of choosing. Seated coiled up at the door, she offers the note to Collin. "Be careful out there, okay? We'll all be here when you get back!"

Collin takes the copy from her and glances over it for a second. "Thanks Iris. Uh, one last thing, actually. Is this still going to work if I read it in English? If this only works in Chariot, I'm gonna need a pronunciation guide or something." Iris: As long as he can understand you, it should work. The words carry the magic of kleivenn as a whole, after all. Collin: Good to know. Hopefully things won't be so, uh, rough the next time we're here. Iris: Hopefully so! You haven't even had the chance to really explore Kujaar, after all... Collin: No kidding. Anyway, I- we don't really have time to waste. Take care, alright? Iris: You too! Collin gives a small wave and then heads back inside the IT with the others, reading the paper in his hands over and over again. Sitting at the console, Nydins turns around to face Collin. "...When do you want to try and find him?" Collin: The sooner, the better. I don't really know how long it's going to be before Jay...

His voice trails off for a second, unable to finish the thought. He quickly changes gears instead and continues. "I just need some time to try and memorize this as best as I can. I guess the real question is how long will it take to get to... whatever we wanna call that place Jay went?" Nydins: The IT can't track where he's gone; it can't recognize him in his current state; but it can track the demons from Azreldeh's district, and all of them are in the same dimension. I don't know entirely how long it'll take, but we'll probably be able to find him in the same day. Collin: It'll have to do. I'm gonna be in my room for a little bit so I can focus. Nydins: That's fine. I'll send someone to let you know when we've landed, then. Collin: Thanks. You guys know where to find me, then.

He heads down the hall for his room, occasionally glancing at the paper. [Meanwhile...] Daedalus continues pacing back and forth in his room as he has been for the past several minutes. Every so often, he pauses to fiddle with a tool or piece of material, but his fuming attitude prevents him from focusing on any specific thing for very long. Demo: ...Are you seriously that upset still? He only threw me... Daedalus: That's not the only thing he did...

he borrowed Demo’s powers! it’s something Jay’s never done before, but he’s always capable of. he just didn’t know he could do it. he could probably do that to anyone with magic tbh

but none of that really hurt her or anything, so idk why he’s so upset

Demo: ...I know, but...something's definitely wrong with him right now. I'm not sure what, but I can't hold it against him knowing something's happening... Daedalus: I know something's wrong with him, but...

He trails off for a second before finally letting out a frustrated growl and presses the heel of his palm in between his eyes.

"The fact that I can't even be mad at him for the shit he said back there just makes me even more mad." Demo: ...I know. You have every right to be. Regardless, he'll be sorry for everything he's doing now, like he always is...so don't stay too mad... Daedalus lets out a deep breath as he puts both hands down on a workbench and leans against it. "I'll... try my best. I make no promises if he keeps running his mouth the next time we see him, though." Demo: ...You're free to fight him, but if we have to...

Her voice trails off for a second.

"...If it really comes down to it...I'll be the one to...handle him..." Daedalus looks back over at Demo, raising an eyebrow in concern as he stands back upright. "Geez, I know he's kinda gone nutty but it can't be that bad, right?"

it isn’t a rapid process; Avarice was proof of that. she started the human-kleivenn war and she was still alive, just horrendously decayed; so realistically, no matter how far gone he was, Jay would still be himself to some degree for several decades

Demo: ...I don't know what's wrong, but...I really can't shake this feeling...he's definitely getting worse wherever he is... Daedalus walks over toward Demo, carefully putting one hand on her shoulder. "Look... We'll find him, knock some sense back into him, and get him back here safe and sound, alright? You guys have done it before, we can do it again." Demo: ...Right. We should probably get back out there, huh...? Daedalus: Probably, yeah. Maybe someone knows what's going on now. Seems like we're moving again, at the very least. The group readying to confront Jay slowly gathers in the console room. Rio and Paprika remain to keep Nydins company, while Maya; Karumet; Echo and Demo wait for Daedalus and Collin to be ready Soon enough, Daedalus steps into the console room to meet the others, followed shortly by Collin and Fawkes.

Fawkes: I hope you don't mind me tagging along. Collin told me what was happening when I ran into him earlier. Rio: The more the merrier, right? Though this...probably won't be very fun.

Paprika: Well, we'll just have to make it better when you bring Jay home, of course! Collin: That... sounds like a plan to me.

His attempt at trying to reciprocate their optimism falls somewhat flat due to the concern that he can't keep out of his expression. He fidgets with the collar of his robe as he waits for the IT to finally land. As the IT touches down, Demo is apprehensively the first to exit. The cobalt dimension remains in a similar state to before, however none of the cobalts themselves seem to be anywhere around the IT, which has landed halfway up the tower. Out the window, Demo notes that Jay's oracle is nowhere to be seen against the dark sky. As the others follow her out, Collin glances around nervously. "I thought being here the first time was bad enough, but somehow this place feels even stranger now." Demo: ...I don't even wanna ask your girlfriend if her "buddies" got here first. The state Jay was in, I wouldn't take him off the table either...

Echo: Seriously? Jay? I know he's acting weird, but do you think he'd just...kill people over it?

Karumet: You're vastly underestimating the situation. There's no telling how far this has advanced; and it's clear that whatever state he's in is volatile...what he wants at this point wouldn't change the cobalts. They exist for Jay's magic, for his proper cognition...as he is, they're helpless punching bags... Collin: Let's not think too hard about that yet, okay? He was at the top of this thing last time, so that's probably where he'll be again, right? Demo: ...Hopefully. I don't really wanna wander around out here... Collin: Sounds like we're on the same page then. C'mon, we don't have any time to waste.

He turns and hurries up the stairs to the next level. For several floors, there is nothing else in the cobalt complex. Near the higher floors, however, there are blatant signs of a struggle, ultimately leading to several of the cobalts having been killed, many of them having their throats cut. Maya's cobalt seems to be the only one who is even remotely left alive, severely injured, but not mortally so. Propped up against the wall, she breathes slowly and heavily, glaring at the group as they climb the stairs.

"...You're a little late, superman...there's barely anyone left to save...Demo chased him...to the roof...Collin and Tori are up there too, but...if we're any indication, then...they won't be much better off..."

She hunches over, coughing up blood before leaning back up against the wall.

"...I don't know what you're pulling out your ass...but you better make it count..."

Jay silenced all the cobalts because their counterparts never said anything to try and help him

Maya was the only one who did, so hers just got beaten within an inch of her life because she tried to stop him

Collin's breathing falters as he takes in the scene in front of him. Putting up one hand to his throat, he takes several seconds to calm down enough to respond.   "I... I will. I promise." CMaya: ...Don't let him get you too. I don't know what he's thinking, but...it's not right... Collin: ... I know. I'll make this right, just... please, hang on.

He hurries onward, Fawkes following closely behind him. The group reaches the roof of the building, where Jay stands over cobalt Collin, who he has pinned to the roof like an insect with several of his spears.

Across the rooftop is Cobalt Demo, who is kneeling beside Tori. Bound with chains and gagged with what appears to be a torn, red bandanna, Tori nervously looks at the group and struggles to say something that she cannot convey around the fabric.

Jay's outfit has changed significantly since the last time he was seen; taking on a more formal appearance with a cloak, boots, and slacks, all the blue of his dimension. His dulled, icy stare levels with Collin's as he comes into view.

"...You kept me waiting...again."

something like this

He shifts his gaze to Fawkes. "Come to let me down one last time, I see." Collin: No, Jay. We're here to help you. We're your friends, remember? alienrabitt: My friends? My friends wouldn't have done this to me! My friends wouldn't have let this happen!! Collin: That's why we're here, Jay. It's going to be okay.

He takes a deep breath and then begins the first part of his song, forcing himself to meet Jay's cold stare.

"Though the sun may rise, And the moon may fall; We're carrying on With our starlit song..." Summoning forth a wall of spears, Jay flinches as Collin begins to sing.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?! That...that won't stop me!"

He unleashes his spears upon the group. Fawkes lunges forward in front of the others as his arm transforms into its shield configuration. However, his shield is now a bright yellow, and crackles like an electric lantern. Jay's spears crash against it, one after the other, but none manage to break through his defense.

Fawkes: I won't fail you again, Jay! Even if it means stopping you right now!

Collin's song continues, now louder to be heard over Fawkes and his shield.

"Through hardships, And friendships, We've gone through it all;

The taken, The given, The rise and the fall..." Gritting his teeth, Jay summons even more spears, many of which he seems to intentionally overshoot beyond the shield. One by one, the spears stuck in the ground create lines of magical currents, slowly branching out to connect to each other, slowly closing in on the group. Daedalus: Oh no you don't!

A flaming sword clangs into form in his hands,which he drives straight into the ground. Searing lines of flame shoot outward in several directions, weaving in between spears that have not yet connected and piercing through some connections that already exist. "No more spear shit, you're in timeout now!"

Collin reaches the last verse, tears starting to brim in his eyes and squeeze his voice. Balling his hands into white-knuckled fists, he powers through his words anyway, desperate to reach out to Jay.

"Though the moon may rise, And the sun may fall; We'll keep carrying on With our starlit song!" Jay's spears abruptly vanish as he falls to his knees, breathing heavily. Shakily, he speaks.

"...Why did you...why did you come here?" Having finally finished the song, Collin untenses ever so slightly as he takes a few small steps towards Jay. Fawkes deactivates his barrier as the weapons disappear, although he stands ready to act if Jay makes any sudden moves. Collin swallows once, then takes a deep breath before finally speaking.

Collin: Jay, do you not... You're becoming shalvenn! If I don't do something to help you, I'll... I'll lose you forever! We're here because we want to help you! I don't care what it takes, I'll do anything if it means you'll come back to us! alienrabitt: ...I...I did this to myself. I deserve it, after everything that's happened, after everything I messed up...! I can't just keep going on like I haven't done anything...! Collin: Everyone makes mistakes, Jay! You don't deserve any of this! Half the problems we've had recently were because of bad decisions that I made, but... that's not worthy of a death sentence, right? Why would it be any different for you? alienrabitt: It wasn't just recently, it was a lot of things over time...so many incidents...so many people got hurt...and when I became a hermes...I...I was so selfish. I could've done anything. I could've saved the humans that took me in; I could've spared Gossip from being tortured by that horrible city; hell, I could've made everything there better so that nobody had to be hurt or killed, but all I could think about was...

He pauses for a minute, glaring at the ground. Taking in slow, deep breaths, he hisses out "...But the only thing I've ever been able to think about was you. All I've ever done has been for you. You said you wanted to make me happy; we've been fighting for everyone's freedom; so then why...?

“You severed yourself from the pantheon so that I would be comfortable with you, but the problem wasn't them...why? Why? All you needed to do was tell me that you didn't need me anymore; why don't you understand?! Even when I can't fight for you, I've only ever been your sword, your tool! You have never seen me as a person!

“I deserve this! I deserve this wicked deterioration; I deserve this slow, painful, merciless death! Anything I could do to myself is better than spending another waking moment knowing that, even though I have sacrificed everything I'd ever had, it still wasn't enough to make you let me go...if you didn't come here to kill me, just leave me behind; I'll do this just like I've done everything else, by myself..." Collin: J-Jay... What're you talking about? I've never seen you as anything less than a person! I tried everything I could to prove that I cared about you! I would move mountains if I had to for you! You saved my life, why would I ever not want you to be a part of my life? When... When have I ever seen you as just something for me to use?! Tell me so I'll never make you feel that way again! alienrabitt: You didn't let me go!! You saw me doing everything I could for you, knowing I was literally born to do it, and you never once asked if I could do anything else! I don't even know if how I feel about you is how I feel!

Just...just because you don't have anything else doesn't mean you had to take everything I had...! I had a family...I wasn't even human; by all accounts, I would've never been able to experience that. Hundreds upon thousands of years, I saw countless families, but I never understood, and once, just once, I could. I had something precious to me; something truly irreplaceable, and it...it was taken from me right in front of me, I was left helpless as innocent people were murdered in cold blood all because I was reborn for you; all because I had to wait for you!

And then I died, and I had it, I had the chance to bring them back, and you...! You...!! You ruined everything for me! How can you stand here, and look at me, and in front of everyone we know, say so honestly that you cared, that you'd do anything for me? You don't even ask me if I'm doing what I want to do; you just let me act without thinking, and it's cost me everything...! And it's cost you everything...! How could you...?! How could you?!

I feel so cold reading this

Collin: I.... I.....

He breaks down into tears, dropping to his knees. "I... I didn't know! I never wanted you to suffer! I didn't even know I was wishing you into existence! When you made your wish to be tied to me, I just... I thought this was what you wanted! How was I supposed to know that you were suffering all this time?" alienrabitt: I didn't know...what was wrong...or even what to say. By the time I realized it, everything was already...my arm was...there wasn't anything I could do...I'm so sorry... Collin: ... What can we do now? It's not too late to pull this back. We can still save you, start from the beginning... You don't have to be tied to me anymore. I... honestly never wanted you to be. I've only ever wanted you to be free... alienrabitt: I don't know...this isn't like changing my driving wish, this is something...bigger...I don't know if we can fix it... Collin: Then what can? All I want is for you to be able to live and be happy. You don't deserve this... Karumet: Phoenix; Mother of the Saas. Undoubtedly, after stopping Xentrilis, she and Nine still owe us something...it's the only way to do this without losing him. Collin: ... Jay, please. Come back with us so we can help you... alienrabitt: I...I don't know how long I'll stay how I am...the song you sang can't last forever...

Karumet: If it lasts to Kujaar, it'll be all we need. Collin: We just have to hurry. Please, Jay... Jay wordlessly dispels his remaining spears and releases Tori from her restraints. Yanking the bandanna out of her mouth, Tori shoves herself upright. "...He'll go." Taking that as an invitation, Collin slams his hands together with a deafening clap, and in an instant everyone who isn't a cobalt finds themselves back inside the console room of the IT. Shoving himself up to his feet, he spins to face Nydins and speaks with an unrecognizable tone. "Nydins, get us to Kujaar and Phoenix. Now." Nervously spinning in her chair, Nydins immediately sends off the IT. "O-okay...!!" Collin: This isn't fast enough!

He steps over to the console, tears still running down his face, and slaps one hand on its side. The IT's engine changes pitch dramatically as the ship's speed rapidly begins to increase. The IT rumbles to a halt as it collides with its destination, the door swinging open on impact. Collin staggers slightly as he lets go of the console, quickly catching himself as he stands back upright. Through slow, shuddering breaths, Collin looks back to Jay to speak. "C'mon... We're almost there..." The pair enters Kujaar, where Nine is already waiting, curious about their landing.

"Never seen you guys rush like that--...Jay..."

They get a bit closer, but still stay at a distrusting distance.

"Your...everythin' is...how're you...? ...We...we have to help...Phoenix 's still where I left 'er..." Collin: Please, you have to get us to her! She's the only one that can help him! With a grim nod, Nine heads back towards Phoenix's location. Deep beneath Kujaar, Phoenix remains, patient as ever. As Jay enters her chamber, Phoenix immediately lowers to turn her attention to him.

"A shalvenn...no, not quite yet...I never thought we'd get the chance...we can still save him...what do you need?" Collin: I... I'm not even sure anymore. I think it's... It's our connection with each other. It's constantly putting pressure on him and... He doesn't need to be tied to me like this. With a soft nod, Phoenix removes Jay's oracle, taking it into their claws and flooring him instantly. As the oracle is surrounded in an opalescent light, Phoenix addresses Jay personally.

"...With your soul unclouded, speak your honest desire, and fulfill the destiny you've chosen..."

alienrabitt: ...The only thing...the /only/ thing I've wanted is to make it all right...I want somewhere safe to come back to, no matter what...but I need the power to protect it...no matter what...I don't want to exist for anyone or anything but myself...I just need whatever it takes...to stand up for the things I want to protect...

Phoenix: Then your wish; ultimately; will be granted throughout.

There is a sound like glass breaking as Phoenix's light fills the room, spreading out further, and even beyond the horizon. When the light fades away, Jay's oracle is more of a mint color, accented by darker shades of blue. Just as carefully as she had removed it, Phoenix returns Jay's oracle, and he returns to his natural state and appearance within the instant.

despite everything Collin still has influence over him, but it’s only partial. that mint color means Jay’s his own kleivenn; Collin’s accents are a healthy amount

and I mean yeah, this could’ve been done ages ago, and this log hurts like a bitch, but it needed to happen. having all this on the table was important

Collin looks at Jay with a mixture of disbelief and uncertainty. "Is... Is it done? Is he going to be okay?"

Phoenix: ...It seems like the corruption's subsided. His arm hasn't shelled back over...it's staying yellow. Collin: I... I can't ever repay you enough for this... Phoenix: You brought me back from the dead, and you saved our city, along with countless other kleivenn. Rescuing your saa from the brink of self destruction is the least I can do for the sake of our champions. Collin: ... I don't really feel much like a champion. Nine: Maybe you've spent too much time fightin' and not enough time bein' rewarded fer fightin' stuff! I think you need a break. Collin: I... Nevermind. I should... take him back to the IT. He's going to need a lot of rest after all of this. Phoenix: Take care! We'll always be here when you need us. Carefully picking Jay up, he looks back at the pair for a moment and quietly says, "Thank you," before stepping back inside the IT.

y’all need a break

[ecotone99]

[HM] Sunny Day

Kaitlyn stared at the coffee maker as it crackled faintly, filling the glass pot with the sweet life giving brew at an excruciating slow pace. She looked down at her phone to scroll through Instagram to distract her from the seemingly glacial progress but not even cat pictures or sunrises from some far away beach could keep her from glancing at the pot every three seconds. And speaking of cats she could hear her kitty yowling and scratching at the backdoor, ready to come in from a night on the prowl.

“Oh my gosh Sunny stop, I’m coming,” Kaitlyn yelled as she shuffled through the living room to let in the howling ball of impatient fluff.

No sooner had the door cracked opened a streak of yellow and orange lightening ran through the living room. Groaning, she followed the cat back towards her bedroom knowing there was only one reason he would run to her room instead of the kitchen for breakfast, he had brought something in. Kaitlyn stopped into the bathroom to grab a plastic bag out from underneath the sink, avoiding the mirror as she went. She was still in the clothes she had slept in, an XL shirt she was given at the gym she attended once and a pair of cotton shorts with a hole in the pocket, and hadn’t even thought about brushing her hair or teeth yet. Just as she had suspected, Sunny was hunched over something giving it a sniff when she had walked into the bedroom armed with her cleaning spray and baggy.

“Ok mighty hunter, let’s see what you drug in this time,” she said sticking one foot under the cat’s stomach and moving him away from his catch to get a look. In the three years that she had owned him, he had brought home everything from paper sacks to mysteriously stolen socks to dead lizards, but he always laid them down on the rug right in front of her bed. Today was a completely new catch however, a bat. Kaitlyn squatted down with the bag over her entire hand, looking away with her eyes sealed shut as she attempted to scoop up little body. Her fingers closed around the fuzzy body and a little squeal escaped her lips that echoed out around the room. No, not an echo she realized as she felt movement beneath her fingers. Oh shit, it’s alive, she realized in a panic.

Kaitlyn pulled the baggie away from the squeaking bat and Sunny rushed back in to investigate. She pulled the cat away from the animal, moving quickly out of the room and slamming the door shut behind her. Dropping the cat down in the kitchen to dig through the cabinets and pantry for something to put the bat in while she figured out where to take him. Giving into the realization that there weren’t any shoe boxes anywhere in the house, because really who keeps those things, she plunged a knife down through a Tupperware lid to make air holes for a transport box. After grabbing her least favorite kitchen towel from the drawer and distracting the cat with a scoop of food, she snuck back down the hallway. The high pitched squeaking had stopped from behind the door. Kaitlyn grimaced as she pulled the door open, afraid she was about to have to act as a coroner instead of a paramedic after all. But it turns out the bat wasn’t dead all, in fact it wasn’t a bat all at anymore. A man was now kneeling on her area rug groaning battered, his hair matted with sweat and his hands covered in lacerations.

Her fingers started to turn white around the Tupperware container still clutched in her hand. Kaitlyn let out the breath she was holding as she fought the urge to throw the ruined plastic at him and run out the door behind her as the realization that the strange guy on her floor was seriously hurting.

“Are you ok?” she finally managed, accidentally shouting at the poor man to try and drown out the sound of her own heart hammering in her ears. Well man wasn’t exactly accurate. Vampires had been out in the public eye for about five years but they still weren’t common to come across. They didn’t hang out in the Dollar General or anything. Kaitlyn took a steadying breath

“I heal quickly,” the man assured me as he rose to his knees, his dark hair still hanging down into his pale face.

“Should I call someone or can I give you a ride somewhere I guess?” She asked looking down at herself in her bare feet and oversized shirt. “You’ll just need to let me change….Or probably a cab would be best?”

“The sun is already up and I’m not going to fit into that any longer,” the vampire said pointing at the makeshift transport in her hands. Kaitlyn looked down at the forgotten container with a blush and tossed it into a chair on top of the not-quite-dirty clothes pile.

“So what I’m just supposed to let you hang out until sundown?” Kaitlyn asked as she followed him down the hallway and towards the living room. He poked his head around the corner cautiously before easing into the room silently to pull the curtains tight across the window. Even in the low light Kaitlyn could see he was already free of most of his injuries as he moved around the room.

“It would be appreciated,” he said as he sat down on the couch, his movements as graceful as a falling feather. “Besides it seems like the least you could offer since if it wasn’t for your feline friend I wouldn’t be in your house at all.”

“Yeah, true… That leads into my next question. How are you in my house? Don’t vampires have to be invited in?” She said sitting down in the armchair across the room, folding her legs underneath her feeling like a newborn giraffe in her movements now compared to his unnerving elegance.

“Oh your cat-“he started to explain.

“Sunny.”

“Right, Sunny here is considered a resident of this dwelling and therefore has the authority to grant me entrance.”

“That seems like a hell of a loophole…Kaitlyn said reaching behind her to pull a blanket off the back of the decorative armchair to cover up with, pulling the fabric all the way up to her neck.

“You don’t have to worry, I am not going to harm you,” the vampire assured her from across the darkened room.

“What? Oh no I wasn’t worried about that,” she said, heat flooding her cheeks as she realized what her pulling the blanket up so far much have looked like. “I wasn’t pulling it up over my neck because I thought you were going to attack me or anything! I watched all of the vampire coverage on the news and know you guys don’t really even drink that much blood. I’m just still in my pjs and felt a little self-conscious is all.”

“So you didn’t think I was going attack you, you just thought I might be a pervert?” he clarified, raising an inquisitive eyebrow.

“Yes…Wait, no! I mean….”Kaitlyn bit down on her lip to try to get herself to stop talking. “Are you sure you can’t head out sooner?”

“I don’t exactly have my car even if the sun wasn’t already up,” he said with a shrug.

“Right,” Kaitlyn agree quietly as she pulled out her phone to check what time the sun would be setting on her weather app, hoping the forecast would suddenly call for rain. With a high of 89 and not a cloud in sight her hopes of getting rid of her guest early were officially dashed, it was going to be a sunny day.

“I’m Nathaniel,” the vampire offered apologetically from across the room. Even though he had been literally drug into the house against his will, Kaitlyn could feel that he knew he was inconveniencing her.

“I’m Kaitlyn,” she returned sliding her phone back into her pocket. “I’m going to get changed real fast but feel free to look through the movies or I think I have some board games if you are interested.”

“Thank you very much. Do you mind if I get something to drink from the kitchen?” He asked, standing so swiftly he had actually done it between her blinking.

“Sure, as long as it’s not my cat,” she said back, watching him wide eyed as she rose from her seat too and backed up down the hallway.

The locked clicked in place behind her as she leaned against the door and hoped that Nathaniel’s hearing wasn’t good enough to pick it up. She felt obligated to be a good hostess since she felt so guilty that her cat had hurt him but she wasn’t willing to put her comfort completely aside to do so. Especially since she was already giving up a whole day off of pretending she was going to get up and clean to entertain him. When we reemerged from her room, hair tamed, jeans on, and teeth brushed she found Nathaniel still standing in the kitchen with two cups of coffee already poured. A familiar comfort flooded her body at the sight of the steaming mugs, starting her coffee maker seemed like something she had done yesterday rather than an hour ago. She collected her cup and came to stand over near where he was hanging out looking down at the puzzle on her dining room table, sensing that was what he was most interested in doing. Well, there are worse ways to spend a day I suppose.

*From the prompt of a cat bringing a vampire bat into the house*

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