Qismet - Tumblr Posts

❛ did i say you could come ? ❜ \ getō for gojō .

thin sheen of sweat at his hairline, calloused digits digging into cotton sheets — he's certain the fabric has been ripped by now, the headboard pounding against thin walls doing no better at hiding their activities than the buried groans lodged in his throat. half - lidded and hazy as ocean discs land on obsidian tresses cascading over rippling shoulders, attention greedy as he drinks in the sight of creviced muscles, down to where that knot formed his core has been tightening and tightening with every cruel, drawn - out thrust.

❙⠀ ⠀ 𝒊.⠀ INUMAKI NO, SUKEYASU.⠀⠀⠀.𖥔 ݁ ˖⠀⠀“⠀⠀i will cherish these few specks of time.⠀⠀” ⠀⠀[⠀. . .⠀]⠀⠀@qismet .

stars littered the gradience, deep blues fading into a bleeding orange, the sun's rays peeking over the horizon. the garden was quiet, save for the rustling of leaves, stones clinking from the brief wind, wooden doors creaking. tsuta hardly appreciated silence in its solitude, finding an eeriness to its presence, a hand that snaked around the cup of her throat, shadow of a weight pressing, and yet she could do nothing but endure it. but with them, in the warmth of their gaze, however quiet their presentation, it eased her. heterochromatics, splits of aegean and lilacs watching the the words traced over the garden, thin gravel parting in force from the small, snapped stem of budding floweret. “ why do you speak as if we meet an impending doom ? ” hint of judgement in her tone, she reached out to take the stem and draw her own art, poorly, something akin to the clouds above them, exaggerated shapes and swirls. not quite denial, but something riled from stubbornness. “ we have not done enough to warrant so - called cherishing. ” ivories grazing plush petals, slight wrinkled between brows as thoughts spiraled into an uncontrollable whirlwind. steady hand reached out to shove at their side, with as little strength and effort, having not intention of throwing them across the garden. “ i do not wish to return home. go, if you must. ”

❙⠀ ⠀ 𝒊.⠀ AKUTAGAWA, RYŪNOSUKE.⠀⠀⠀.𖥔 ݁ ˖⠀⠀“⠀⠀oh, get your head out of the clouds!⠀⠀” ⠀⠀[⠀. . .⠀]⠀⠀@qismet .

half - man, half - beast — sharpened unguis digging into the metallic sheen of the somewhat vintage build of the shaft, a shaky and unstable thing with just a few creaks of chains and ropes remaining intact. free hand, untransformed, scratching at the side of his temple as he scooted into the further corner of the ever - shrinking vicinity, opaque reflections forcing them to acknowledge the other's presence. he would fare better had he been alone, and he was truly brewing a distaste for elevators, specifically considering it continued to house a trap for two formidable entities. loud buzzing shriek of the numbers counting up interrupted his train of thoughts, causing his words to stumble out messily as opposed to the practiced string of consciousness, “ i would like to be in the clouds ! but i'm not ! g - get yourself in the - ” tongue twisted, the tiger clung onto the railing as if it meant to hide himself from the sheer clownery of his execution, small crevices left behind in the shape of a large paw. “ i'm just saying, you didn't have to do what you did. it was ... nice. ” iridescents flickered towards the dragon, shrouded in shadows, meeting the back of his head through the faulty mirror.

gratitude lingered on the tip of his tongue, yet he couldn't formulate the proper words. it wasn't so much as gratitude but more so surprise, surprise that akutagawa had opted to only let him lose an arm instead of his whole head. unintentional, he said, but atsushi saw the targeted ability user's moves through the flash : the port mafia's hellhound had shielded him from certain death. “ thanks ? ” a pause. “ thank ... you .. ? ” he could expect retaliation at this point. and he did not fear it, finding the violence more akin to the stories he'd grown up hearing about, of a mutual understanding and bond transcending formalities. you do not have a brother, you have never experienced anything this ferocious or intentional with another person — and now, he felt he could understand. was this what it meant to have a brother ? “ i think — i think the guy will be on the roof. he has nowhere else to go. ”

❙⠀ ⠀ 𝒊.⠀ VANITAS.⠀⠀⠀.𖥔 ݁ ˖⠀⠀“⠀⠀you don’t have to be gentle. i won’t break.⠀⠀” ⠀⠀[⠀. . .⠀]⠀⠀@qismet .

she hated how he could read her, from the lilts in her words when she told a lie to the slight trembles of her body as she remained adamant in her stubborn decision to refrain from him, and yet — her tongue was dancing along the line of his pulse, pointed canines grazing over and she could practically taste the sweet indulgence. his touch burned the surface of her skin, fingertips pressing into soft flesh, skillful muscles guiding the dance of her hips, flushed against him. “ don't say that — ” words, barely strung together, muffled and fused between coaxed - out hums as he moved against her in tandem, as he threatened to unravel her to the marrow. she meant to say more, remind him of the promise he'd made to her : kill her should she no longer find herself capable of maintaining her control, but instead she sunk her teeth into him, warm crimson instantly spilling into her mouth. slender digits curled, buried in tufts as she pulled him closer. it was overwhelming, the way he tasted, the taunting roll of his ministrations within, the blood rushing in her ears to the beat of a drum.

Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, Jewish Literacy // “the hairpin turn” @quynhorlose // “The Elektra Complex” @filmnoirsbian // Beth Cavener // “Best Friend’s Brother” @mayzarbewithyou // Cain and Abel, Keith Vaughan + Andrew Kozma “Song of the Insensible” @brotherism // @mayzarbewithyou // “My Name Is Memory” Ann Brashares // “Cain and Abel” Adolf von Hildebrand // @mayzarbewithyou

there was nothing that ruined nobara's mood quite like having to look ugly ass curses in the face, while having to worry about her own appearance. any other day, any other time where she was only clad in the tech's uniform, she would've been ecstatic, eager, even. eager to prove herself and show her skills, especially with the improvements she'd made after training further with gojo and the upperclassmen. she could see it in the way her techniques required less effort and her muscle memory aided her without resorting to brief panic. she was careful when dodging the curse, watching as its endless slime dripped to the ground like a baseless fountain, and the stench — the stench was tenfold, violating to the senses. at the very least, she was trying to wear it out, figuring out the best way to deal with it. “ it is that bad, itadori ! ” it really wasn't, but given the circumstances — she'd rather be anywhere else. she side - eyed him at his proposition, the default mechanism in her aimed to reject it just to demonstrate her annoyance a step further, but instead she bit down on her tongue and checked the curse on his side, its appearance far more grotesque, sans bodily secretions. “ okay, yeah. no take - backs ! ” so she maneuvered skillfully so that she was instead in front of the other curse, utilizing her momentum to kick at it with enough force that it hit the wall behind. “ careful with the drip, we don't know if it'll just feel disgusting or if it can do more. ”

though yuuji's grip on her slipped and the distance between them grew, he whipped around to stare at her as though trying to seem bored with the constant state of danger she seemed prone to gifting him, tone raised in an attempt at arguing. “ i'm always bait, maybe it's your turn ... ” at the same time nobara sprung away from her exposed position, yuuji let go of a yelp as he had to quickly side - step out of the attack range of the curse that had seemed to take the most interest in him, ending up with his back pressed to the wall of the alleyway. it seemed they were sharing. over the curse's mass, he searched to make eye contact with her. “ see, look! we've gone dutch. ” whilst horrifyingly ugly, their grade level seemed low and intelligence even lower, in an effort to lock in yuuji rolled his sleeves and went for a swift punch right to the ... gut? if it even had one, the inward thought put a crease in his brow as the hit sent the curse backwards. with the time it granted he stepped back into the middle of the alley, his back briefly touching nobara's and he threw a look to her over his shoulder, grinning from ear to ear. “ not so bad, right kugisaki? we'll make it. ” one of the curses shrieked, and for the first time he got a good look at the one that had first aimed for her. sheesh. he thought about her outfit, the time she'd spent getting ready in the dorms and the pile of clothes she'd made him fold as he waited for her to finish. “ man, yours is looking a little sludgy. wanna swap? ” a look to the hand that had made contact with his own curse, clean. “ i think mine's dry. ”

fumi had to have been a masochist at this point. whether it was painful obliviousness or humiliating delusion, he was overcompensating. and overcompensating by trying to keep his distance by getting too involved — a contradictory tactic, to which he didn't even understand and did not seek to unpack that. whatever it was that riled up within him, continued to have him sit through another blind date he'd set up for his roommate. for what reason, he wasn't sure. couldn't help it, though he was never asked, though seiko never expressed an interest in even going on these dates. not that they ever rejected it, so fumi only assumed it was appropriate. the more seiko went on and came out of it stopping at just the first, the more determined fumi became. and it was slowly eating at him, picking apart whatever sanity that already barely existed. it was worse when he had to sit through the first part of such encounters, trying to sneak away without being noticed. and it was even worse when he couldn't tell how late they would be out, sitting on the shared couch twiddling his thumbs like a fool, just to inevitably force himself asleep.

so when he was stirred awake, still hazed in slumber, tired gaze meeting familiar locks of hair, he was moving without thinking. he wasn't sure if he wanted to ask them how it went, but they'd already given the gist. not sure what it was that had him feeling relief. enough to mask the slight jealousy that'd been brewing overnight. confusion tainted his features as he released a hum, one eye opening wider just to focus on them, muscles freezing momentarily in his pursuit for the pillow. “ ah. ” of course, silly him. but those outside clothes of theirs ... “ okay, but i just washed the sheets and you have grimy, public cooties on your clothes. fix that, and you're welcome to join my humble abode. ” his words were paired with the dramatic flip of his comforter, warmth radiating from within. no mind that he was only clad in those dinosaur chicken nugget pajama bottoms they'd gotten him as a joke. “ offer expires the second i get cold. ”

you got it , i'll get you a pillow . [fumi and seiko]

entering the apartment, seiko spent several minutes staring at the clock in the hall trying to decipher the time, head tilted and body swaying gently with drunken imbalance. the sun was rising, peeking through the other superstructures beyond their apartment building, and the conclusion came that it was far too fucking early - or late? probably late. that fact seemed to matter little as they crept towards their roommate's door, thankful it was already ajar as it allowed for the perfect entry, too much pressure applied to the handle as they took a step inside and the door swung, propelling them inside at a speed they didn't think to expect, tripping on the rug and falling to their knees at the side of fumi's bed with a dull thud to the floor, and their head gently thwacking against the comforter. so much for trying not to wake him.

they groaned into the softness of the cover, tail end tacked with two small cries as their head lifted, to see fumi, an angel with a golden halo of rising sunlight fanning around him, staring at them groggily. “ fumiyaaaa . . . ” words spoken on a forming grin, woozy sigh following. “ hi. ” lips pursed and eyes shifted, as though inwardly searching for the words amongst paragraphs of gibberish currently supplied by the sheer amount of alcohol consumed. they laughed, before untucking their legs from beneath them to sit on the floor, one arm still hanging on to the comforter. the next set of sentences a hazy slur. “ mm, where'd you go? your friend drank me under the fuckin' table fumiya, i didn't like her, she was scary. i didn't even . . . ” a pout formed, eyes somewhat glassy suddenly at the memory. “ didn't know you left, missed you. ” whatever balance they had slipped, seiko tipped sideways onto the floor with another dull thud and a quietly whined owwww. they made no effort to move. “ mmm . . . can i stay here? ” then came fumiya's voice, a heavenly comfort. you got it, i'll get you a pillow. seiko took the statement to mean they would have to stay tipped onto the rug, releasing another whine at the thought, displeased and cracking an eye open to make contact with fumi. “ nooouhhhh, mm. no, up there. up with you? ”

❙⠀ ⠀ 𝒊.⠀ GETŌ, SUGURU.⠀⠀⠀.𖥔 ݁ ˖⠀⠀“⠀⠀aren't we in a good mood today ?⠀⠀” ⠀⠀[⠀. . .⠀]⠀⠀@qismet .

manila folder in hand, contents already broadly memorized with the important details highlighted in bright yellow — accounting was boring, the act of it tedious and redundant but manami was better than anyone else with the numbers, and she'd long developed her own system by then. heels echoed with every step, just a pep in it, form - fitting mauve dress tracing her silhouette over the dim - lighting of their shared lounge. she'd only slid the door open with more panache than usual, a silent call for attention as she closed the distance between them, making a choice to sit over the arm of the chair he sat in. “ you could say that. ” vermillions twitched, curving upwards a she dropped the folder over his lap. manami was hardly the type to beat around the bush, opting for the straightforwardness in her general approach, especially after piecing together the enigma that was getō suguru, and still finding her way around the labyrinth he'd cultivated over the years. “ that one guy, with the family of rare dog breeds that he refers to as his own children — we'd been trying to appeal to him for the better part of the year. ” nose wrinkled as she pulled out her phone, checking through her emails of the night, expecting an incoming confirmation of the completed transfer. “ though, it was pretty obvious he'd only been stringing us along to gain a pretty title just to feel special. ” a scoff emitted, roscato tresses shifting as she leaned to the side, purposely nudging against his shoulder, octaves lowered, “ finally got him to join your cause. ” she waited a beat before adding, painted index tapping at the file. “ check the donation. ”

there was hate in the form of love, he'd learned. never knew what it meant, but akutagawa's hatred for him rivaled the love he tried to maintain. and for him, perhaps, what he felt — came as close to that burning feeling of red as he could ever allow himself. it threatened to creep into his being like a rot, flowering from the inside - out with its thorns, it pricked at him so much so that he wondered how akutagawa had survived off of it, had nurtured it and called it home. atsushi wondered if he would have been the same if presented with the same life, if knowing nothing but death and blood, solutions found in violence. not much different than what he did now. it wracked his mind, sometimes. what excused the violence perpetuated from the wreckage of his beast, what differentiated him from the lethal bite of the hellhound ? their carnage looked the same in the end. and perhaps that was why, after it all, in a cruel sense of irony, he felt seen by akutagawa.

his glare had lost its power by now, but atsushi still felt the grip of its threat, encircled around his throat, graced with the sharp edge of a blade. but he did not look away at first, meant to stand his ground despite the suffocation that rose. “ you did it, anyways. ” octaves lower, quieter. as if he did not want to be heard in his argument, in his refute. and then a little louder, “ the result is the same. ” still had room for pettiness, he grimaced at the promise of a threat. he did not forget about it, had it tucked away in the corner of his mind, a lurking specter, a shadow following his every move. it was tattooed, marked into him — as if a contract signed at the dotted lines, as if he'd somehow given permission to be taken.

his handle over the railings tightened as the death trap shook, sigh of relief leaving him once the doors opened — he fought the urge to dart out, just to increase the distance between the two of them. however childish it may have been, he scoffed, the sound ringing through the brief silence of the ride. an outright, quiet mockery of his nemesis ( ? ) and his goals. “ i'll just ... not get put in a grave, then. easy. ” he'd been told he should feel flattered that someone as highly esteemed as the port mafia's hound would decide to hunt him, but he'd wanted anything other than to be hunted, still trying to wrap his head around the changes his newfound life wrought him. cautious footsteps brought him further out to the rooftop, iridescents scanning. too quiet, and yet sickeningly thick with an off - feeling that sent chills down his spine.

“ what if he just left ? could he have ju — ” and out from the left field, the very person in question lunged at him, tackling him to the ground.

half a life for another, akutagawa reconciled with himself in the earlier years that he would one day meet his premature end, a consequence of weakness bestowed onto him from a life he'd long since left behind. fear thrown to the wind in that regard, an even peace made with death, a contract ⸺ that was why rashōmon had acted in the weretiger's defence, he told himself, meeting his own reflection in the mirrored walls of the elevator with a frown pinching at the corners of his mouth. power swimming beneath his skin like a beast rattling its confines, straining against barriers that needed to be opened, in tight space made his presence larger than the time left upon his measure.

a glance spared to weaker company in the mirror, watching him fumble his words of thanks against the creaking of the shafts and finding his voice like nails on chalkboard. a stifled scoff, pursing his lips and releasing the tension with their tight smack, a sharp intake of breath that sounded scolding. being forced into proximity with him all too reminiscent of the faces of the children within the slums, a catalyst to the memory of all akutagawa would have done to keep them from harm, arming himself as a weapon, stealing and fighting to keep them alive. the past not so distant, in his new life he had nor the patience, the will to be subjected to that feeling of helplessness again. “ i didn't do it for you. ” rattling lungs and a pause between words to take a steadying breath, glad his back was turned to avoid the noticeable pinch of his brows before the lesson continued.

“ i told you ... i'll be the one to wipe your miserable existence from this world, i won't let someone else take the credit. ” cadence akin to the bickering of the children in the alleyways, the way they would pull at each other until they were tumbling into puddles and making each other bleed. it made akutagawa sour, put him on edge and dragged him back to a time he had no self control, no will to live beyond making sure his family, his sister, saw another day. somewhere in his blood he could feel it, that same pull, that same extended hand for nakajima atsushi. maybe they were cut from the same cloth, maybe they came from the same family, invisible and unheard of, orphans with no ties but those forged to each other. the elevator halted, in its age the jolt sending him stumbling just slightly as the doors peeled themselves open with a sickening screech, clearing his mind for a fraction of a second. a look cast over his shoulder, pocketed hands becoming fists within his coat as he took the first step out, eyes then cast to the ceiling in lieu of a response to his suggestion. “ wipe that stupid look off your face and don't let it happen again. to you, a grave is a grave no matter who puts you in it. ”

the ramblings of a feral cat was precisely what noé would have likened vanitas to, along with the hissings and clawing and yowling. anywhere else it would have served him just fine to play an absolute menace, but the over - cautious and protective nature of his being sept into his duties of a companion — he could not be a companion if his companion was ... dead. and sucked dry. the impact of his own means to save themselves from unwanted attention was numbing enough, hand brushing over his elbow to remove the bits of dust over white fabric. really, a questionable choice in fashion at such a state. in the other, muscles were rigid and tight as he kept the human close to his frame, unrelenting by habit and by default even as he had resorted to throwing a tantrum. “ will you quiet down ! ” less of a request and more of a demand, panic and haste bubbling, eyes widening as he brought them further into the shadows of the alleyway and away from skillful ears. it was pettiness as he finally released him, allowing him to hit the ground from the small distance. “ you can wake the city and it is your life on the line. and then you won't get anything done, and then i'm stuck answering for you. must i mention again that you are not allowed to be here ? ” words were strung out in a hushed tone, chastisement heavily laced. he dug into his pockets for a napkin he'd swiped earlier just to crumple it up and throw it in his direction for no reason other than that he really wanted to hit him. “ calm yourself ! or i'm throwing you in a bag and taking you out of here. ”

unimpressed, vanitas had made it a point to glower at his impudent companion for the duration of their journey from the bakery, to the streets of altus. together they had batted the blame backwards and forth again, though he was determined not to lose. “ betrayal! ” tone raised to an obscene level, optics burning hopeful holes into his face with each passing second. “ you did it on purpose! ” that he could not be sure of, but it was perhaps better than having the growling of his stomach go wholly ignored by a simple accident. “ i was looking right at it! ” a point that most definitely rang true, vanitas' face had all but been pressed against the glass, pupils blown at the sight of the delicious tarte just out of his reach, and in his irritation at the memory vanitas raised a hand to swat at noe's chest. “ you're trying to starve me. ” the accusation slipped from his tongue with ease, suddenly his tone at a normal octave though passive, smug. oblivious to whatever sounds noe might have heard, he strode ahead only a slight few steps. “ likely so that you can attempt take the book from me, i thought you tossed that idea weeks ago, but hear me now when i say you will be prying it from my cold, dea— OUWAH!? ” suddenly his feet were no longer on the floor, body held above the ground in noe's grip, and within the seconds it took for him to reconcile with this fact, he wailed. “ PUT ME ... — DOWN! ” the air punched out of his lungs momentarily he fought to catch it, eyes adjusting to the lack of light, kicking his feet and flailing his arms. “ UNHAND ME, FIEND! I'LL WAKE THE ENTIRE CITY, I'LL DO IT! ”

— [ we were not getting anything done and you know it. ] — the beaurcracy and its red tape, its bullshit rules procedures, there was a reason why the unbinding, rebellious citizens of law thrived in the state of calamity, while the white cloaks scattered like mice. she could now see both sides, and she had no patience for the chase. not when the answer could be so easily retained had she been given the chance to do so. — [ you overreacted. if you had just even a sliver of belief that i'm not going to run off, we'd be fine. ] — the consultant was just picking a fight at this point, nit - picking at his claims, taking them down in any means to absolve herself of her own impulsivities. in her back pocket, was information she'd written down after snooping over the servers and checking the unique codes. they meant nothing to her then, but she'd find someone who'd decipher it. and then decide if it was worth bringing to her supervisor. but she wouldn't tell him at all, intent on keeping the distance as much as possible. stepping past him, she looked around the room once more as if it would conjure another exit to appear, to naught. and so she looked at him once more. she knew he didn't trust her, and it was going to be an absolute pain until she could manage it. she didn't trust him, and they were the same for that. — [ you know, but getting me up there, i could leave you. i could just escape and get away far enough until people realize you're still in here. it seems you're always stuck in the same predicament, regardless. ] — head tilted to the side as she huffed out a breath, brow raising. his hair had become disheveled, yet still so suitable for such ... genuine features. the shadows of the lights did wonders in making an art piece out of him. — [ lift me up, boss. this'll be fun. ] — cheeky grin stretched over her lips. — [ don't get handsy. ] —

following tommy into this madness had proven to be his worst idea of the entire evening, at first only done to stop her from causing chaos, wreaking havoc on the carefully detailed plan he had first created in which to get them in and out with as much secrecy as possible. but no, as expected of her by almost everyone but him in this instance, her wandering nature had landed them stuck with no discernible way out. the ceiling vent had been his last ditch attempt, a way to secure their safe exit but with no real knowledge if it would be at all fruitful. expression deadpan in the face of her irritation towards him, jay had no issue in firing back at her, expression incredulous and searching. — [ me? i told you to stay by my side, this is not that. ] — a gesture to the room in the flickering darkness, blue and red tones dancing across their skin, point punctuated by the souring of his expression, lips still moving in line with some of his words out of habit. — [ this is on you. ] — a pinch to the bridge of his nose, though his gaze never left her, studying her words in attempt to keep up, tripping only momentarily with the narrowing of his eyes in thought. slightly hurt in the face of his mistrust being so openly aired, though it was no secret, jay had made it a point to try and treat her no differently than he would his other associates, and clearly he had failed, whether there was any inward intention to do so he would have to wonder when their lives weren't hanging in the balance. — [ i don't trust you. ] — a slow admission, a heaved sigh and the pressing of his lips together, fingers flexing in the remembrance of how to formulate what he needed her to know. — [ you haven't given me one good reason to. are you going to get up there or not? ] — followed by an exasperated point to the ceiling vent once again, brow arched.

“ you — you what ? ” he needed her ? the words continued to echo in her mind long after they'd been uttered, a broken metronome that taunted her and she found herself short - circuiting. a simple a statement, and yet enough to have her unraveling from the mind, as if she were to be sick with love, absolutely and godforsakeningly smitten. “ vanitas ! ” his name, used to scold him, as if he'd been playing around with something far too dangerous, more dangerous than the both of them could handle at a time. he continued to render her starstruck and speechless, tongue tripping over her own words as she felt the weight of his hands over her shoulders, guiding her through the crowd. there was a comfort that rose from the action itself, something in its simple domesticity that had her reeling, feeling as though she was deserving of such a thing. and when he moved to her side, feeling the heat of their, now, intertwined fingers, she couldn't stop the pace in which that stubborn organ of hers beat against cages. “ why wouldn't i be worried about you ? ” she finally stated with an edge of chastisement, as if it were peculiar of her to feel concern. “ knowing you, you would keep quiet until the pain was unbearable and then cry about it while there are no doctors to aid you. ” she lifted her chin with a soft hmph ! but relented, nonetheless, ends of brims twitching into a ghost of a smile.

she knew not why she continued to banter with him, to refute nearly every single word that came out of his mouth. the acknowledgment of her feelings had her overtly defensive, more so than usual, especially given that she'd nearly lost him. it was a similar type of guilt that tainted her. but just as easily as he rose concern out of her, he had her flustered again, feeling as though she was a young woman grappled with only the most mundane of life, to faun over being courted. was he courting her ? “ no, it's mine. ” vocals softer than usual, gaze shifting to look at her dress once more and then back at him. “ thank you. ” there was unease in her stomach, a fluttering of sorts. ivories gnawed on the inside of her cheek as her fingers twitched against his, squeezing gently by reflex. the blurred presence of the passing crowd was enough cushion in the gaps of their words, as a form of grounded support in the physical realm. “ you look better. you look good. ” and in similar fashion, the returned compliment fell in line with awkward landing, but it was sincere as she tugged him closer to her side. iridescents fixated on the sight of the ferris wheel, live music reaching her ears, and her head turned to face him, placing the gentlest of kisses to his cheek. “ i'm glad you're okay. now, is this all you wanted me for ? just for this ? no secret target we're after ? ”

in her presence, vanitas was once again reminded why the very thought of jeanne drove him to near insanity, the delicate flush that settled over her cheeks, the glittering gleam held in her gaze, all for him - but why? he still hadn't reconciled it within himself that she might love him, still with all of his intellect and understanding could he not commit the ideal into their fragile reality. especially after all she had witnessed of his descent into instability, however brief. for a moment he simply walked behind her, gentle hands guiding her at the touch to her shoulder through the stream of bodies, uncaring for their opinions or cast glances. “ i don't need them, jeanne. i need you. ” words again spoken only for her, tone dripping an amused sincerity into the next question. “ are you really so worried? if the pain resurfaces, i will tell you. you can kiss me well again! ” a gentler laugh, and only when the crowd thinned did he step to match his stride alongside her, hand instead taking her own, a vivid memory to their first outing with one another, fingers interlaced. though he attempted to stare ahead into the streets as though to act as no more than a guide, he cast a glance to her glimmering form, the sight of her in colours that suited her nature bringing forth a twitch of his lips, a second wave of heat to his face. much was left unseen under the delicacy of her cloak, but he could imagine the ministry of ribbons and knots at her back, the way they would pull at the already perfect contours of her body and commit her shape to a dreamt memory.

his lips pressed together in the urge to stop himself from incriminating himself further, though in the end adoration declared its victory, the need to see her smile once more biting through any embarrassment. “ your dress. it isn't another you borrowed, is it? ” it would be disappointing to know that it had once adorned dominique de sade's form. “ it's ... you look ... it suits you. ” blinking in the absence of coherent thought for a compliment, vanitas cleared his throat and pushed further forward, kicking himself for his lack of graces. in the weeks without her he had committed his confession to memory, though it served now as no more than a weak basis to fluster him. he wouldn't yet announce their destination, walking calmy ahead though his entire body was seared at the touch of their entangled fingers, the chain to the book of vanitas clinking quietly with each step. he had questions burning holes in his throat, those that would simply not leave him, why did you not come to see me? what need is there for distance between us? ahead, he could see the silhouette of the small ferris wheel, the smoke rising from the various stands situated within the public garden, and let the questions simmer their flame once more.

the corporalki was swearing under her breath, the whispered words quiet and heading towards a crescendo, matching the quickened pace she'd taken to escape the guards that were catching onto what had happened. they'd planned to the near detail, a given for any of brekker's plans, but it could not always account for human error, or in this case, the unpredictability of the world as it was. a terrible domino effect that had the group splitting up, beads of sweat forming at her hairline and she was certain the lower end of her skirt had been torn off from the corner she'd turned. all the rest was a blur that resulted in her catching a marvelous sight — she was certain she'd need to give that beast a kiss on the head.

the grin was not to be missed, curls sticking to the edge of her face, mischievousness heavily stained in her features. “ i'm extremely funny, i'll have you know. admit it, you want to laugh. ” tongue clicked over the roof of her mouth as if she meant to chastise him, small steps following behind as they moved out of plain sight, and especially distanced from the horse that clearly had it out for him. “ it was as quiet as it could've been. don't look at me like that. ” gaze narrowed as she straightened out the wrinkles in her dress, digging into her pocket for a folded - up pastry she'd brought along. “ something - something about a lover's quarrel. who are we to get in the way of such scandal ? ”

can you see how many fingers i’m holding up ? [ nina for kaz ]

bad enough that the job had gone awry, worse still that kaz had caught the back end of a nasty kick from their trusty, startled getaway, the horse and carriage positioned directly outside. he'd stayed in the mud for perhaps too long, considering his choices that had led to this moment and re - evaluating if he perhaps even had the will to get back up. when nina had stumbled across him, the sky happened to be split in two, and two versions of her stood above him. he'd pulled a face of clear disgust and pushed himself up and out of the dirt, slick from the rainfall the previous day, using his cane as decent enough leverage to keep himself upright as he hobbled to the stairs.

her question forced his already blank expression to darken, kaz blinked at her as though to say, really? “ unfortunately i'm not blind. one of you is bad enough, i don't have the energy to deal with two. ” three, if he counted the ghost of another in his peripheral. and to supply her with an honest answer, he held up his hand, middle finger on display in a perfect mirror of her own position. “ ha - ha. i'm glad you think you're funny. what happened to keeping everything fucking quiet? ”

“ well, now i don't want to say it. ” nose wrinkled in faux disgust, as if he hadn't seen it coming from a mile away precisely how they'd reply, how they'd latch onto his specifically, meticulously placed words. “ you've a knack for ruining it. ” many centuries of trying to decipher the enigma that was altair did not leave him without some form of expertise, whether she would acknowledge it or not. whether he, himself, would see it as such. vega hardly misspoke, and it pleased him greatly to watch the fruits of his labor. she would laugh and he would want to elicit more of it, render himself a joker just for the sake of it. he was near enough to it, anyways. optics, filled to the brim with intrigue, subtly followed her movements, dancing over the silhouette of her curves, of the figure he'd been mapping to memory. “ does it not tire you ? being so childish ? pretending that you despise me ? ” his inquiries lacked the genuine curiosity, already knowing the answers they would throw out.

he turned away from the art display fully, slow movements bringing him closer to the seat before them, hovering, lingering, as if he debated whether he wanted to situate himself further into her space. there was a seriousness to the sanctuaries their kind created, and he had no intentions of desecrating. however trivial it would be another century down the line. “ i'm not asking you for a favor. i'm approaching you in a way that i feel would preserve some form of dignity for you, but if you want me to call it what it is — a direct order, i can do that. would you remain petulant, then ? ” he leaned the side of his hip into the arm of the sofa, arms folded over his chest as darkened gaze narrowed at them. “ you can warn me, they just don't do anything. ” it was pettiness when he added that last bit, a hint to their standing in the council, a reminder of their reality. he would never willingly and formally uphold his status, his title, in the name of forcing her hand but — official matters were official matters. a hand outstretched, old habits of olden days, “ the driver's waiting. will you accompany me ? ”

the utterance of his name always left her wanting, studying his form for any sort of a reaction that might breach their fickle satisfaction and blossom into something far more menacing, something she could then use as an excuse to an escalation of brutality between them. it seemed he'd clawed back the edges of the parts of him she often tried to rip open, no such display of something they could work with at all. watching him move around the sanctity of her home, their frown threatened to deepen if not for his words, at which a giddy laugh left her, pitched and dangerous. if his very presence didn't indeed set to ruin an entire century for her, really it could be truly hilarious. ignoring his jest in favour of their own. “ say need again, ” words almost a purr, an exaggerated and performative shiver shaking their spine as she moved to drop back into the loveseat carelessly, leaning their form against its arm with her chin hooked over her forearm.

verdant optics flickered to the left in a performance of thought, tongue clicking against the roof of their mouth. “ so . . . helping you, ” gaze flickering to the right, head tipping alongside the next spoken words. “ or throwing myself violently out of my own window . . . mm. i think i know which one i'd rather. ” though it wasn't as though she could easily refuse, bound by the galaxy existing between them to eventually to submit to any request he chose to lay bare in front of them. and of course word had swept these dimly lit halls, it truly was only a matter of time before they were called upon, however unfortunate the choice of beholder to the voice was. a sigh, long and drawn out, before the part she played fell to the curtain and instead, they fixed him with a glare, knowingly fated to yield. “ i thought i warned you to stop asking me for favours. ”

there was a hint of mischievousness dancing in the glint of her eyes, neatly and meticulously hidden just beneath the shadows of viridescents, contradictory to the concern laced in her tone. the rules, deeply embedded in her, controlled her movements with a finesse she'd tailored, and still she moved easily with him, allowing the small bits of her curiosity to be satiated. the hesitation, less about her but more about him, about them, and he always had a way with his words — and the way his touch snuck past the layers of her walls, her illusion of an armor. “ you are but ... ” there was nothing she could say otherwise, nothing really she'd like to say. it was a subtle and graceful surrender, as her attention drifted from the elegance of the design, of the amount of history the room held. he wanted her there and yet she still felt out of place, she did not belong there. not really. not yet ?

the faint sound of water rushing from the fountain was enough to keep her thoughts at bay, curve of her lips twitching as their fingers remained interlaced, slowly shifting and tracing and caressing with absentmindedness. “ just think it'd be wise to hold caution. never too careful ? ” pearls bit down over plush petals, lashes shadowing before she met his gaze, though not before noticing the flushed state of his cheeks. free hand reached up to gently brush fingertips over his cheek, nearing across the bridge of his nose with a feather's weight. “ i'd also like that. ” a brief pause, and then she added, brow raised. “ any particular reason why we're here today of all days ? ”

we aren’t supposed to be in here . [ liliana for alder ]

the sun shone through the windowed ceiling almost as though to bless them, casting a glow over her form that captivated him, liliana's fingers held within his own with a delicacy owed only to her. the statement rang true, where he had decided to take her was by all accounts off - limits to outsiders, but alder considered the blessing of the sun the rightful notion of his parent's favour to his extending of the invitation to allow her inside, the first soul in hundreds of years not related by blood, but something forged deeper, unexplainable gravitational pull.

alder laughed, gently pulling her further inside. across the expanse of the room the shelves lay covered in books with texts of his lineage, in the centre of the room a small fountain, the water's surface reflecting the light from above and casting playfully dancing lights across the walls. this room had been used by his predecessor one and twenty years ago, when the last havenstern had become the offered, a study of sorts, a sanctuary. in the months before the rite, alder had locked himself within the walls to strengthen his mind with the knowledge of those that came before him. in the end, he hadn't needed to. “ i'm the keeper of the gateway, aren't i? we can go where i like, there isn't a word someone could speak against it. ” his head cocked to the side, easily offered smile resting on his lips as he stopped their journey at the fountain. “ besides, depending on the outcome of negotiations, one day you might share that with me. ” the admittance turned his cheeks an almost unnoticeable shade of pink. “ i'd like it if you did. ”