#no worries about matching length!

[iobartach]

@thriaed asked; ❝ technology advances. but humans don’t, ❞ said the 334-year-old witch

altered carbon prompts

A lot had to be said for the passage of time, how it leaves an indelible mark on the cradle of humanity. Plenty of species had roamed this rock in one era or another, leaving behind traces, but none had been as instrumental in its reshaping as humans themselves; a force that could rival the natural whims of the elements when it came time to remodelling the landscape beneath.

Part of such work had manifested as Nueva York, a megacity that arose from the rot and ruin of yesteryear to regain some semblance of its former, forgotten glory. More people than ever before took refuge within its dizzyingly tall structures, with hovercars, drones and other advancements in automation forming the connections required to navigate its sprawling streets and multiple levels.

And it was here, upon a particular promenade suspended hundreds of feet in the air, that both Spider and reality-displaced Umbra witch could be found. Observing the world as it went through its daily routine, ignoring their presence -- as well as the dangers that lurked unseen.

"That's certainly one way of putting it." Chiming in, his words come at her from behind, talons, planted like anchors, keeping him suspended in place before deciding to drop onto his feet, a transition that almost felt eerie, had Miguel's tone strayed from its calm and even level. "It's... how it's always been around here." Uttered with a heavy heart, he spoke from a place of experience, had tried to instigate change, balance the irrevocably skewed equation that is society.

Only to find that it was little more than a Sisyphean task, a waste of stamina that saw each attempt at reform met with resistance. There was only so much that the Spider-Man of this dismal future could do before he had extinguished every idea, outmatched by the entrenched forces of corruption and apathy that spread throughout every section of Nueva York.

"So how about we get back to work. Address what we can control and influence." Whilst there was still time left to act.

[pushspacetocontinue]

Eclipse - Villain Verse thread for icangiveyouanything

@icangiveyouanything

The interviews had been a perfect start to getting his messages across to the world. People liked him, as much as it felt strange to admit to himself. Audiences were receptive to what he had to say as he answered questions. Of course, he had to pretend he was just as confused as everyone else when it came to his miraculous recovery from the long coma. Not everyone could know the truth about how he was given this second chance to save them all from themselves.

Not yet anyway.

It was a quiet day for the time being. He sat on his balcony, a small smile on his face as he watched the sunset with a cup of hot chocolate in his hands. But then he felt a familiar presence in the air, and the smile grew just a bit wider.

"I think we have an old friend visiting, Misty."

"Meee..."

[phantomyre]

@aonemanarmy

It had been several days since Sephiroth had locked himself within the basement of the Mansion. Time no longer seemed to have any meaning to him. But neither did the lives of those who anxiously awaited his return. There was a different air about him, now. Darkness had slowly crept into his heart-- a corruption that even caused the candles to tremble as he paced the room, alone with his thoughts. And yet he wasn't completely alone. Further down the small cloister and tucked in a cold chamber, another man was battling his own darkness-- a pandemonium of his demons, clamoring for control over their host. Two men within close proximity of each other, facing a corrupt entity who wanted ownership of their minds. Only one had chosen to unite himself with this powerful darkness and claim it as his own. Feeling the disturbance in the atmosphere, Vincent quickly sat up from his coffin. Something was not right. He was accustomed to the various monsters wandering the mansion. But this aura wasn't coming from an ordinary monster. A looming sense of devastation tugged at his chest, calling him to investigate. Though not quite understanding this feeling, Vincent arose from his coffin and made his way towards the library. The air seemed to get thicker the closer he moved towards his destination. There at the center of the library, a tall man with long silver locks was hunched over a book, several more scattered throughout the room. That hair... it couldn't be him.

There was only one person he had seen with hair that color. And though it was brief, he wouldn't forget the son of that beloved woman. Keeping to the shadows, Vincent pressed his back against the wall around the corner, remaining out of sight should the man venture out. Questions ran through Vincent's mind. What if it was Sephiroth? Why was he here, and what was this eerie aura about him? He could hear the man let out a depraved chuckle. As quiet as it was, it sent a faint chill down Vincent's spine. If this was indeed Sephiroth... The gun strapped to his thigh suddenly felt burdensome.

[charliexclayton]

who: c + ? OPEN STARTER (no limits) where: the bar

10am. What was there to do in Arcadia at 10 in the morning, if one didn’t go out hunting like they usually did? That had been a dilemma for Charlie for all of five minutes because the answer was abundantly clear the minute she set eyes on the bar she had become a patron of the last couple of weeks. She had never been a big drinker before Arcadia, even when she had been in college. That wasn’t necessarily a weird thing, lots of people didn’t drink and maybe Charlie wouldn’t be a big drinker now if things were different. Or maybe this was how it was always meant to be. Maybe this had always been in the cards for her, stuck in a town, stuck in her head, stuck stuck stuck. Alcohol, to its merit, did a lot to make you feel unstuck. Feelings felt small and big at the same time when Charlie was drinking. Things sucked and they also didn’t suck. Time passed and also froze

It’s actually kind of insane how much alcohol could put Charlie in an in between space she didn’t really want to leave.

One of the benefits of a town that never had visits from the gaming and liquor commission was that the bar was open, like all the time. Who needs a liquor license when, as far as Charlie knew, this town didn’t even exist on a map? Who is going to enforce liquor laws when you could die at any fucking moment? Might as well go out having a bit of liquid luck in your bloodstream. So here she is, sitting on a bar stool and yapping about evolution (as one does under the influence of copious liquor). She is well aware she’s been shirking her hunting duties, but there are more than enough capable hunter in Arcadia to pick up her slack (As Paz would so bluntly remind her— what a cunt).

“…And then you know they had to come up with that shit like from nothing, whereas we already have the knowledge, the foressssight of this technology existing so realistically right, it shouldn’t take us that long to like invent things like planes or working cellphones or radios if we all like worked together or whateveeerrr. So maybe it is a resource issue but also maybe those fucking little witchesss in the settlement are right about one thing, maybe… just maybe right, hear me out, maybe maybe maybe there is no escape and we should just…” She hiccups, gesturing with a half empty drink in her hand.  “…Maybe we just need to accept that and start building our society. Obviously unlike the Aztecs maybe we can already skip the sacrifices and— and false god worships —the settlement can do that, you know if they want to, there’s nothing wrong with a little sacrifice, that’s I’m sure what Conor would say if— hmm.”

Charlie slams her drink down on the bar top, pivots and leans her head on the shoulder of the person next to her. They are a blur in her vision, but honestly, she couldn’t care less if it means she’s not alone. “I like your warmth,” she whispers sadly up at them. Her eyes start to droop and the hand that was around her drink moves to trace the rim of her glass. “Do you think the world will be this cold forever?”

[conorxsurvives]

Closed starter: @zoaoliveira (Starting) Location: The Settlement

Even though Conor had been in Arcadia for a year now, and even though he was a guard and had been on the settlement many times before, there was still a lot he didn't know about it. Maybe if he talked to people more or asked more questions, he might have a better idea of things, but he kept to himself a lot. That had been true even before Garrett had died, but his reclusiveness had increased dramatically since his husband's death. And since coming to Arcadia, well...there were many day stretches where he barely spoke at all. It was a lonely existence, but it after so long living in such an isolated way, sometimes Conor felt like he had forgotten how to interact with people in a normal way. So he saved his words for when they counted, and he tried to keep to himself as much as he could without coming across as rude (he'd been raised to be polite, and it was ingrained in him now). But lately Conor had begun feeling more like he was part of the community, which was actually something new for him; before Arcadia, he'd lived alone in the forest, but now he lived in what could only be described as a town, albeit a twisted, shadowed version of one. So he found himself feeling just a little more comfortable around the residents of Arcadia. But while the Settlement still felt very mysterious to him, Conor still headed in that direction. He had a job to do today.

As a guard, Conor was given certain responsibilities, and after doing this for a year, he was beginning to be trusted with more important jobs. Today was one such day. As he reached the Settlement, Conor thought about Zoa, whom he would be accompanying today. Like most of the residents of Arcadia, Conor didn't know much about her. They were in town meetings together, and Conor's impression of her was that she was very passionate about her role as a scout. Zoa always seemed to have quite a lot to say; Conor thought she had probably spoken more in a single meeting than he had in every meeting combined. But he still respected her point of view - Zoa had been here a lot longer than him, after all. And Conor respected her bravery, knowing that a scout was a dangerous job.

People around the settlement knew who Conor was by this point, if not by name then by face at least, so no one questioned why he was there. He found the place he was meant to meet Zoa, waiting for her to join him, and as he did so, Conor adjusted the hatchet strapped to his thigh (he'd fashioned a sort of holster out of re-purposed strips of leather), making sure it was easy accessible. Similarly, Conor had his axe strapped to his bag. The job they were doing wasn't the most dangerous he'd experienced in Arcadia, but he'd learned to always be prepared in this town.

[ssnowbunnii]

Closed starter for @townofcadence

Christmas eve had always been their day to celebrate. Every year, without fail, they would get together and just... do something. It had never mattered what. Bunni had always been happy to just be together for a day no matter what. At least, that's what she thought, until Christmas eve became a day of sitting in a silent hospital room next to her dear friend who might never wake up again. And it was all her fault.

This new place, this new world, was very similar to her own in so many ways, but was so different, too. It was exciting, she enjoyed it, but now it was Christmas eve and she couldn't even spend it in the same room they were in. So she did the next best thing. Out in the woods like this, you would never know you were anywhere else. It was exactly the same, all the way up to the cliffside and the steep drop below. She'd been here for awhile now, all day in fact. Sitting with her legs dangling off the edge, mostly. But as it got darker, and darker, and colder... she stood. To stare down the cliff and into the rocks below. It really was a miracle that Amelie hadn't been impaled when they... fell. When they jumped. But not of their own accord! When they were forced to. Which wouldn't have happened if... if she hadn't brought them here.

Oh, god.

The entire area had dropped its temperature dramatically since she'd come out here, the entire forest felt like it was going to freeze over. But she couldn't stop imagining it. The sound they had made when they fell, the sound of the... of the crunch. Frost was spreading over the dirt and grass all around her, out from her feet. What had it felt like..? Were they scared? Were they there at all? The sight of them crumpled on the rocks below... it haunts her still, like she can see them perfectly. She releases a quivering breath, and it fogs the air.

[lumiroleplays]

for @inkdreamt

Being a mother is a funny thing. Your child is never truly only the age that they are now. Wednesday may be 15, but for Morticia, she is also every other age she has ever been ever since she was born. Staring at her means seeing not only the fierce teenage girl she is so proud of in front of her, but also the little child that used to cut off her doll's heads. Just like Morticia herself as a young girl. Though she tries to keep herself from comparing Wednesday to who she used to be as much as she can. But sometimes it's hard. Mostly because she carries so much love for her girl it feels good to see a little bit of herself in her. Either way, most of those feelings do not show up on her face. Or at least, not anywhere else but in her eyes as she steps out of the car and gets inside the school for one of the scheduled visits. Morticia wouldn't often go alone and her heart already aches with how much she misses her husband; she also knows Pugsley wanted to see his sister, but she and Gomez had agreed it would be a good thing for her to spend some time alone with Wednesday, and their daughter is aware of it. Morticia isn't sure about how she feels with that, but it will not be a surprise for her. As she enters the school grounds, her eyes almost immediately catch sight of her little raincloud. She would find her anywhere, in any crowd. Her smile is subtle as she approaches her daughter, hands creeping around her shoulders and her face, as close as she could get to touching her, but without actually doing it. "Hello, my darling."

[burningfeathersx]

@aberrational || liked for a short random starter

"You know, I feel like I'm getting surrounded and overrun with neko furries lately..." He was not the most pleasant introduction to most. Rarely came out with a 'good day, how do you do' at first meet.

[dragon-clan-and-company]

Puella Veris et vir Siderum

(Closed RP with @wxvebreaker)

The skies of the Astral Sea were as beautiful and dreamlike as they were dangerous... The silvery and purple haze that hung about the stars hid countless secrets from times immemorial, and the ship that floated in the ether wasn't even akin to a grain of sand on the shores of a beach, but something smaller yet still... Aboard the ship was a man, of late twenties, in a suit of ornate bronze armor with occasional patina-green accents, at his side, a shield of gleaming platinum, depicting the profile of a noble Dragon, and on his back a cape of chainmail, made of a similar bronze on the outside, with platinum on the inside, as though to complete the ensemble of his mixed-metal menagerie of protectors... His face was fairly handsome, but with a few particularly striking features- A large scar on his left cheek, telling of a life met with its' share of strife, and a pair of crimson eyes with a lively spark of passion behind them. His hair was a somewhat longer mess of brunette hair, kept in check by a black bandanna tied back atop his head.

"Wait, is that...?" His crimson eyes widened as he saw clouds black as the void of space beginning to approach. He held his right hand out, calling to it a blood-red spear of immaculately ornate design. He looked to his crew- all magical copies of himself, disguised as other people as a contingency, save for a hulking golem made of some assortment of uniform metals. "Reginald, plan delta, scenario 65... I'll see if I can't try to impact that psychic storm, and keep the ship intact..." Golden lightning suddenly crackled around him, forming a almost spectral visage of crackling Dragon-like armor over his normal armor. He flew forward with intense speed, charging straight for the storm ahead... After an impressive surge of willpower-made-manifest, something of a specialty of the Astral Sea, he managed to calm the storm a bit, just enough to let his guard down as a final surge blasted him off to starboard by the perspective of the sky ship behind him... He went careening straight into one of the occasional portals dotting the Astral, this one a rainbow swirl of colors. After falling through, he was suddenly in the night sky of an alien, breathtaking land... He was so taken aback, that he didn't pay attention to the fact he was still falling, streaking through the sky like a golden shooting star, heading near what seemed to be a decent-sized fishing village of some sort... Though there wasn't much time to deliberate or form a plan as he went falling to an outlying area by the shore... He was able to spot a figure for a brief moment as he tried to adjust himself so he didn't crash right into her!

"WHY DOES THIS ALWAYS HAPPEEEEEN?!" He cried out, tracing a protective sigil over himself, as he fell face-first about a dozen feet from the figure in question... All things considered when the rest of his body flopped unceremoniously into the sandy soil, he wasn't very much harmed... The lightning crackling around him quickly dissipated as his eyes remained snapped shut, a bit of a wince as the impact did seem to affect him to some degree.

[fullmxtal-elrich]

@flamesignite Found Ed in Domino~!

Ed had been living with Roy for about a week now, however without a job he had grown restless and as a result, decided that while Roy was off on his military duties for the day, he would get some work done of a different kind.

By the time Roy arrived home for the day, the house had been deep cleaned in every corner and the scent of food was drifting through the hallway, with a very proud Edward finishing checking on a few things. Turning to greet his adopted father with a smile, he happily set a plate of baby-back ribs glazed with honey barbeque sauce (a recipe he'd learned from his mother years ago before she'd passed), along with coleslaw and some sauce on the side upon the table.

"Hey, dad! Welcome back. I figured you might be hungry so I thought it might be fun to have some dinner ready for you when you got back. There's some cornbread in the oven still, and I'm almost done with the Biscuits and Gravy, oh and there's sweet corn on the cob in the pot, if you end up wanting sone of that too."

He spoke as though it was the most normal thing in the world, though he sort of forgot that the only one who really knew he could cook like this was Al. He'd never shown these skills off to anyone else before, except maybe the Rockbells when he was learning some recipes from them.

"How was work by the way? Feel free to sit down and dig in, I still have to finish these last two things before I can join ya."

[estfenrirswood]

location: thistle & sage | open to all!

The morning sun cast a golden hue over the quiet streets as Aiysha unlocked the heavy wooden door of Thistle & Sage, her heart swelling with anticipation as her lavender matcha latte chilled her hand. Today was no ordinary day—it was the eve of a full moon, a time when magic hummed with a potent energy that resonated through every corner of her shop. Thistle & Sage exuded an inviting aura of mystique. Aiysha had spent weeks preparing for this moment, carefully arranging shelves adorned with shimmering crystals, jars of dried herbs, and intricately carved wooden wands. The scent of lavender and sage mingled in the air, soothing and invigorating at once.

As she lit the last of the incense sticks, their fragrant smoke curling upwards like tendrils of possibility, Aiysha felt a subtle shift in the atmosphere. The town seemed to hold its breath in anticipation of the mystical night to come. Werewolves, with their heightened senses, would soon roam under the moon's watchful gaze, and fellow witches would converge to harness the lunar energies.

Outside, a few early risers paused to peer through the shop's windows, curious about the new additions to the shop. Aiysha knew that some would be drawn by curiosity, others by an inexplicable pull towards the mystical energies that emanated from within. She welcomed them all, knowing that each visitor brought with them a unique story and a quest for understanding.

With a final adjustment to a display of moonstone amulets, Aiysha stood back and surveyed her domain with a sense of pride and reverence. The morning sunlight filtered through the shop's windows, casting soft patterns of light and shadow over ancient texts and shimmering crystals. Everything was in place, poised for the magic that would unfold with the rising of the full moon.

Aiysha flips the "Closed" sign to "Open" with a satisfying click, then pulls back the curtains beside the door, inviting more morning sunlight to spill into the shop. With a contented sip of her latte, she sets the cup down and flips a switch on a Bluetooth radio, seamlessly connecting her phone. Jhene Aiko's voice fills the air, gently chasing away the lingering quiet with a soothing melody.

[pyramultimuse]

closed starter for @autistic-cowboy

Cupid!Hanzo & Demon!Cole

As a demon Cole was meant to be out spreading sin, using his powers to influence the humans so that their souls would end up in hell. His attention was drawn to something far more interesting, he found himself an angel. That what he thought until he got closer this angel was actually none other than Cupid, the god of love and desire. Out and about with his legendary bow and arrow, making the humans fall in love. The mischievous demon just had to mess with this handsome deity.

"My, my, my, what do we have here?" Cole asked as he flew over to the fluttering cupid. "A damn fine hunk if I do say so myself. Though I'd expect nothing less than perfection being the son of the goddess of beauty Venus herself." The demon said licking his lips as his eyes took in the other's appearance. "A rather lustful looking outfit you got on there, Cupid." He purred in his deep robust accent as he reached out with clawed hand to casually flip up the other's toga skirt.

Cole himself wore a very revealing outfit himself that was mostly black leather. Riding chaps with a thong that left nothing to the imagination. Over his muscular chest were straps and belts in an X pattern. No shoes as he had cloven hooves for feet. Horns on the sides of his head like bull horns, with a long tail ending in a spade tip as well as medium sized draconic looking wings. His skin was tan with a reddish tint with dark brown hair over his chest and arms. This demon was definitely an Incubus variant.

[little-earthquakes-rp]

@adsagsona Carefully plucked from here:

Restless Sasha sat up and stared out the window into the dark of the night. Concluding she'd not likely fall back to sleep she made her way through the dark slowly and readied to head into the cafe early. Something had awoken her, a heaviness had hung in the air upon waking but was slowly dissipating.

Given the early morning hour, she left Bran a note and headed out. It was cool but the sun threatened on the pink horizon to bring some warmth to the day. There was a path through the woods that she'd taken so much the overgrowth was patted down. Finding herself behind Jared's club she'd only needed to cross the side and the street to get to the cafe.

Suddenly the sound of something coming from above caused her to stop in her tracks. Focusing she heard the sound of something. No not something–someone. The scent of blood rushed her all at once causing her to choke and cough. Someone was wounded up there and a hoarse moan almost seemed to confirm the thought. Quickly moving to the side of the building she spotted someone lying on the balcony.

Shit

Undoubtedly a victim of Jared's that he carelessly bled and discarded. Not a bone in her body would let her just walk away so she looked around for cameras or witnesses before levitating up the three-story building. Before her feet even landed on the balcony she realized her mistake. It was actually Jared.

"Shit. Shit. Shit," she quickly spat out before bending down. There were more wounds to count and so much blood. He'd been viciously attacked and left for dead–no he'd been left for the sun to finish. The balcony sat on the east side so Sasha knew that in a minute or two the sun would rise upon them and Jared–her enemy would burn into ash before her eyes.

She should just leave, right? After all, he'd taken from her she should let nature take its course.

Tears filled her eyes and streamed down her cheeks at the thought of the suffering he'd already endured, and at perishing in such a horrific manner. The agony he was in was unbearable to witness.

Reluctantly she stood up and sent a burst of air to open the doors before leaning down and grabbing the large man underneath his arms guiding as she lifted him with air. Teeth gritted tight she whispered more upset with herself than him, "Fuck you, Jared."

Once inside she slammed the doors to keep out the sun using her magic openly. She levitated him and laid him to rest on the couch before kneeling down beside him. Quietly she watched for signs of improvement but didn't find any, and it was in those quiet minutes she remembered blood would likely do the trick.

Sitting back on the balls of her feet she let her glamour slip away. Pointed ears poked through her flaxen hair and small fangs pushed down from her jaw readying to bite at her wrist when she remembered fairy blood wasn't ideal. Grabbing him by the arms she tried to shake him awake. "Where's your blood? Don't be an asshole and die on me after I struggled to get you in the damn door."

[b3ast0fburd3n]

@thxwxlf liked for a starter!

Eden and Hayes trot through Vaas' camp, one on her day off while the other is simply slacking. The latter touches everything they walk by, getting angry looks from the owners of what he grabs and moves.

"What'cha wanna do today?" Hayes leans closer to his shorter friend, throwing his arm over her shoulder to walk closer together. Eden shoves his hand away and shrugs.

"Wanted to clean the cabin. You said you wanted to go out." Hayes' jaw cracks open with a hearty laugh at his roommates statement of fact. She simply shakes her head, while he replaces his arm on her shoulder.

Their walk leads them to the cages, where each one holds its own small group of captives tied to the bamboo bars. Eden watches them cry with her usual blank expression, until her gaze lands on one woman crouched in her own cage. The corners had clearly been reinforced, the walls with an extra layer between her and the rest of the island.

"Think I'm in the mood for somethin' strange and unusual, you know?" Hayes presses his cheek to the top of her head, earning him a harsh elbow to the gut. He doubles over, what's left of his hands gripping his bruised stomach as he groans.

"No. I don't know." Eden tosses the response over her shoulder before walking up to the cage. She kneels, head tilting to the side at the sight. All of this, just for one woman? "You're strange and unusual..."

Hayes recovers from his earlier pain, keeping one hand on the forming bruise as he continues towards Eden.

"What's this?" He asks, hands landing on his hips as he bends in half to get a closer look. "Why's it all built up? Just a chick in there." Eden rolls her eyes at his statement of the obvious.

[hearkenedsouls]

@honorhearted gets a Musketeer AU starter from Anne of Austria <3

It had been over a year since Anne's marriage to King Louis of France, and yet they still had not been blessed with an heir. Naturally, it was assumed that their difficulties conceiving were due to the Queen, and so she had been encouraged to take the journey to the Pools of Fertility.

Several days journey from the palace, deep in the forest, consisted a natural pool which - the rumours said - if bathed in would enable any woman of childbearing age to carry a child to term.

Anne had selected just two companions for such a personal journey: the Musketeer Benjamin, who she had grown rather fond of over the past year, and her most trusted maidservant Constance. It was wise for the stability of the country if few knew about the purpose of her journey, and these two companions were the closest things to friends that Anne had acquired since her arrival in France last year.

Much of the journey was known to be a popular haunt for thieves, so Anne had opted to travel on horseback rather than by carriage in an attempt to remain rather more inconspicuous. Unfortunately, Anne's caution had not been enough and, as they took a break by the side of the road, a figure had emerged from the forest unnoticed.

Arms grabbed at her waist and she felt cold metal - a gun? a dagger? - pressing to her throat as she was roughly pulled away from the horses.

"Benjamin!" she screamed, before a gloved hand was pressed firmly against her mouth and nose, near smothering her. Help me!

[avastyetwats]

Plotted starter for @izzyeffinhands

It wasn't the first time Stede has given Israel a backrub. It was something Stede really enjoyed doing because of how much much it relaxed his lover, how much it calmed him, and how he could help the tension from the day melt away. Anything Stede could do to help Israel relax and to make him feel good, he would do. He loved doing so. Besides, it allowed Stede to just... touch him, to feel him, to love on him, to adore him. To worship him, even, which didn't have to be done in just a sexual manner. And it wasn't. Not for them. They had their different ways of worshipping one another, and this was one of them.

And every time Stede would touch Izzy like this, he'd often trace his scars with the tips of his fingers as though trying to help heal them more. It was also Stede's way of reminding Israel of all that he's overcome, of how strong he is, while reassuring him that he was safe, that he'd make sure no harm ever came to him again if he could help it. Not only would he use his fingers, but his lips, as well. He'd often pepper his skin with featherlight kisses, all along his scars and between them, moving up to the back of his neck while his fingers danced up his sides just as he was doing now. Touching, and kissing, him with such gentleness and care as Stede always did.

He pulls his head back, then, and slides his hands to the middle of his lower back and starts their journey back up. His thumbs pressing against his spine and rubbing in circles while his other four fingers are stretched and spread apart, applying equal pleasure as he moves up his back, feeling all of the built up tension within him dissipate. When he reaches his shoulders, he doesn't move back down. Instead, he pushes both hands up the back of his neck and into his hair, now caressing his scalp with the tips of his fingers and then his nails as he moves them back down to his shoulders. Gods, his hair is so beautiful, Stede thinks to himself with a smile.

He becomes distracted with it, his focus now shifting from his back and to his hair, which he's certain Israel won't mind. He combs his fingers through smooth, dark locks lined with gray that Stede very much loves. It's attractive, really. Sexy. And it matches wonderfully with his neatly trimmed, salt and peppered beard. Everything about his man oozes sex and charm, he radiates beauty and allure. All which Stede has complimented out loud before, including in this moment as he runs his fingers back up through his hair, loving how it's grown in length. It's perfect for simple styling, something Wee John made evident the night of Calypso's birthday, and sitting here now, Stede can't help but want to do a little something. Something he wonders if Izzy has ever had done to his hair. He knows how much he enjoys having it played with, something he and Stede have in common, but Stede can't help but wonder what all he's had done to it. If anything.

His fingers resurface just above his ears and he uses his nails to gather what hair he can before bringing them together, meeting in the middle of his scalp, testing the length. He really has grown it out more since they've met, even more so with the help of Stede's own products, and oh, how the ideas are flowing now. "Israel," he breaks the silence finally, hands letting go of the hair he had gathered and now just brushing them through again. "have you ever had your hair braided?" He questions, the reason for his asking probably obvious. It's been a while since Stede has braided anyone's hair. Since, well, his daughter. Where he actually learned to braid and do other simple styles. He smiles at the memory of his daughter sat in front of him, or even in his lap, while he brushed and braided her hair. Bonding moments with his daughter... moments of actually being a father.

"May I?" He asks after some seconds of silence, his fingers not having stopped playing with his lover's hair, not even for a second.