GILDED  MASKS  and  a  soft  hum  of  magic  filled  the  ballroom.  a  full  orchestra  commanded  the  dancers  across  the  floor  in  a  graceful  waltz.  the  grand  hall  appeared  endless  in  the  sea  of  movement  and  sounds  of  jovial  celebration.  the  occasion  wasn't  particularly  special,  but  when  the  realm  chose  to  host  a  soiree,  there  were  no  limits  to  the  night's  extravagance.  identity  familiarly  hidden  behind  a  troll's  visage,  the  fae  prince  steffen  stood  near  the  balcony  double  doors.  the  crisp  midnight  air  carried  itself  into  the  warm  space  on  a  gentle  breeze.  his  highness  took  advantage  of  its  kiss  in  between  excusing  himself  from  eager  dance  partners.  a  slip  of  a  neighbor's  mask  caught  his  attention  and  from  behind  his  own  costume,  he  allowed  himself  to  observe  the  guest  openly.  there  was  something…  strange  about  their  stance.  almost  as  though,  they  didn't  quite  belong  among  the  company. 

❝  how  did  you  get  in  here?  ❞  he  voiced.  SOFT curious  and  beneath  his  breath.  the  prince  did  a  half  spin  to  lower  his  mouth  next  to  the  other's  ear  so  that  no  one  around  might  raise  SUSPICION. 

It’s… truly breathtaking. The air buzzing, electrified by a strange feeling she can’t describe. Galinda glides into the ballroom, eyes taking in everything she can all at once, completely mesmerized by how it all seems to sparkle — even the air! — a glow in her chest radiant through her smile and music the perfect score. She feels like she floating, and perhaps she is the way she flits around the room, mingling, her commentary and compliments met with delighted laughter ringing through the room like fairy dust.

She doesn’t dance — not yet, searching with purpose for the right candidate, one of status high enough to match the Upland name, her parents tossing her a few possibilities in attendance here and there before her arrival, to which she paid no mind — none had sounded interesting. If she’s to keep up the illusion she too is born of magic, limited contact or the grandiest of it might protect her. Banking on her charm and ability to adapt to any given situation.

In casting her gaze upward to take in the lights twinkling like stars, Galinda feels the silk ribbon of her mask loosen, swift to catch it in a gloved hand, sensing she’s possibly captured the attention of someone. Distraction and focus make sure her mask is replaced perfectly on her features, and there’s a slight shiver that runs down her spine when asked how she got in here.

Is her secret exposed? Is she truly so blatantly magic-less?

No matter. She can spin her web of lies. After all… Magic is simply about belief. And believe she does. A toss of blonde curls over shoulder is paired with a serene, dazzling smile flashed his way, coyness curled into dimples. “ It’s simple, really. ” She breathes teasingly, angling her chin just so pretty Earth hues can gaze up at him. “ I walked in. ”

brows  furrow  further  at  her  words,  not  quite  sure  how  to  respond.  he  didn't  think  he  was  stepping  into  her  business  — he  was  simply  doing  his  job.  glancing  over  at  where  the  demon  had  been  a  moment  ago  before  disintegrating,  tongue  clicks  against  the  roof  of  his  mouth.  even  if  her  poison  had  been  working,  she'd  been  directly  in  the  line  of  its  attack.  "you  would  have  been  hurt."

as  if  it  were  so  simple  as  to  why  he  would  step  in.  how  could  he  stand  by  when  there  was  something  he  could  have  done?  he  stands  there,  about  to  shift  his  weight  from  one  foot  to  the  other  when  she  speaks  up  again  and  he  freezes,  corner  of  his  mouth  twitching.  "  .  .  .  that's  not  true."  no  one  had  said  anything  to  him,  so  it  couldn't  be  true.  he  pushes  his  breath  out  through  his  nose.  "you  don't  have  to  be  mean  just  because  you  don't  want  to  thank  me  for  helping  you."

‘ You would have been hurt. ’ The placed smile on her lips widens slightly. “ Oh my! Can you predict the future, Tomioka-san? What a secret to keep! ” With a lavish display, Shinobu sheathes her sword, fluttering out the long sleeves, its butterfly wing patterns shimmering in the moonlight.

It isn’t him she’s mad at… but unfortunately, being in present company, it’s misdirected. Embarrassment and shame still rest heavy in her chest and on the apples of her cheeks. “ These battles are simply trial and error. Besides, I am confident in my ability to heal my injuries, should I have been hurt. ” The scent of blood isn’t terribly strong in this forest, surely Tomioka could handle it if she’d been injured.

Perhaps that’s just how much she does trust him with her life after all.

The realization makes her heart pound, and guilt sinking with it. A flash of her older sister standing behind him. He even… quotes her. ‘ You don’t have to be mean… ’ and Shinobu wonders if Kanae’s speaking through the Water Hashira, a flicker of vulnerability in Shinobu’s indigo hues, swift to remove it. “ Ah~ if it’s gratitude you’re seeking for saving my life, how selfish of you in doing so. I might’ve been better off dying after all~” Shinobu starts walking in the general direction the demon came flying at her. “ I’ll be sure to return the favor out of the kindness of my heart~ ”

Day 78 cleansing the #caitvi tl

Cait.exe has stopped working

Kofi

@stringswoven

@stringswoven sent: Will you leave it to me? I’ve got a whole plan worked out. (Lucy for the Ghoul/Coop)

The ghoul is instantely skeptical when he hears her words, as if she hadn't gotten the both of them into wildly sticky situations as it were. Head tilts and then nods with lips folding in on themselves. "Oh yeah? Is this one like any of your previous plans?"

He steps towards an empty table, bending over to pick up a chair that had fallen on it's side and props it up so he could take a seat. "Let me just pull up a chair so I can nap comfortably while you tell me all about your wonderful plan."

He doesn’t believe her. She can hear it in the tone of his voice. “ I’ve had plenty of good plans. There have just been some… hiccups that have happened along the way... ” Avoiding his gaze pointedly not wanting to admit he’s right, there’s the tiniest ray of optimism that shines in her chest — the one that stubbornly refuses to be dimmed when he pulls up a chair.

But Lucy’s excited smile falls, pursing into disappointment hearing he's claiming to take a nap instead of actually listening to her. “ Ha ha… very funny. Maybe if we come across an Open Mic night in Las Vegas you can use that! ” His sarcasm and dry humor do seem like they would be a hit on the surface.

She paces, anticipating that her movement will encourage attention, just like with her students. “ I think... there's a peaceful way to obtain the supplies we need. We knock on their door, explain our situation, let them know we only need a few things and that we'll be on our way. ... we might need to say ' please ', however... ” Which does not exist in his vocabulary.

@stringswoven played: “You’re cold as ice— how long have you been out here?” (Kuina for Chishiya)

And her touch feels like it is burning where her hand grabs his, and the fingertips that press to his forehead and cheeks in rapid manner as if to assure herself it isn't just one spot that is cold. Cold hands and feet were relatively common phenomena. Had it been anyone else, they would have had a taser in their abdomen by now. Or potentially worse. He does neither. All he does is glare like a smothered cat and lean away from the worried touches. HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THIS.

" It's cold outside with wind chill. The human body isn't built well for retaining heat. " Chishiya replies casually like he isn't made of ice. Like his skin isn't as cold as the space in his chest. DEFLECTIVE, AVOIDANT.

It isn't that he expects Kuina to forget, but he is betting on her becoming distracted or FOCUSED ON SOMETHING ELSE. Even if it is just chiding him for his late night wanderings - a new habit. Well, new as in since the Borderlands.

" What time is it? I didn't bring my phone. " Chishiya tilts his head to the side as he glances at her and then turns his head away, hood shielding him from another burst of wind. IT WASN'T ON ACCIDENT. " Probably around an hour? "

Chishiya seems to adapt back easily, but the truth is he's anything BUT. Even his admission just now holds shards of that truth - late night wanderings, leaving his phone behind. It's only now that he considers KUINA MIGHT CATCH ON. He doesn't have a plan for that if she does, or if she asks what the point of his late-night wanderings are because even he isn't sure. He drifts, hoping for . . . something. A shot of adrenaline, a ghost crawling out of hell, just SOMETHING but there's usually nothing.

" I don't feel cold. " Not a trustworthy statement when he took two bullets without complaint but he's not pointing that out. " Besides. You're out here too. " Chishiya shifts, pulls the strings to turn the questions around and way from him. " What about you? How long have you been out here? Or do you have your own adventure tonight? " Hers, however, is likely to be far more warm and pleasant than his.

He's trying to resist her touch, rejecting her concern, but Kuina remains persistent, becoming more annoying the more he tries to evade. " Stay still! And if you know it's cold outside with a wind chill, why bother going out!? You'll catch a cold! " Her worries will go ignored, Chishiya knowing exactly how to prevent a cold or quick steps to cure one should he catch it.

Instead he's asking what time it is, his phone left back at home, and Kuina's about to answer when a gust makes her flinch, teeth violently chattering around a frustrated groan expelled like that'll help stop the biting wind from blowing. " It's way past midnight. But my phone died a few minutes ago so I don't have the exact time. " Her habit of never having her phone fully charged one she hadn't been left back in Borderland.

And there's no cause for alarm - Chishiya's not glued to his phone like most. Kuina used to be until the games used them in Borderland. And his wandering isn't strange either... but Kuina wishes " If you'd told me you were going for a walk, I would've met you. " A lot sooner. Nothing to do about it now, no point of expressing it either. They're here, paths just so happening to cross.

Like they'd been meant to.

Kuina shivers, wishing she didn't feel cold, and she doesn't get defensive when Chishiya points out the obvious - her being out in the frigid temperatures too. " The last twenty... thirty minutes? Maybe forty-five. I just left the support group get together - you were missed, by the way! - and I didn't feel like going home yet. " To her empty apartment. At least the Beach it always felt like homecoming returning from a game, loneliness finding her again after she'd parted ways with Chishiya, then Arisu and Usagi... until she'd found Ann again. " You wanna come over? Get warmed up? Unless you wanna keep wandering around like a lost cat. I'm joining you though. "

i loved you so much and i couldn’t save you. do you know what that’s like, when your hands aren’t stable enough to hold something so important. to watch your own reflection drop everything precious in this world into the fire. do you know what it’s like to burn alongside, whispering, please, i tried, i swear to god that i tried

He peeks from behind the leaves, almost as though he was hoping expecting her to stay and try harder. When she stomps off, he lays back against the branch with folded arms and a huff.

Yeah, yeah, whatever... crisis averted! As far as he was concerned...! And he liked to think he wasn't, at all. Up until his ear twitched something fierce at her finishing comment. ❝ ...What was that? ❞

That arrow of hers hit its mark -- HIS EGO.

The jealous hanyou springs from the branches and lands in front of Kagome, leaves in hair and all, to halt her exit and get in her face.

❝ First of all-- The fact he needed it at all in the first place means he's a weakling! What's he ever even do? Scrape his scrawny little wolf legs? Bah! ❞

' What was that? ' The sound is music to Kagome's ears, nose in the air and continuing on her way like she hadn't heard him, only to stop when forced by Inuyasha blocking her path. “ Outta my way! ” overlaps his tangent, arms folding over her chest as a glare hardens mahogany orbs.

“ He’s not a weakling — and he just so happened to scrape his legs because he was protecting me! Unlike you… always charging head first into battle without a second glance — he made sure I was looked after and fought! ”

Couldn’t Inuyasha care the same way!? Sure she trusts him with her life his strength and that he does care about her to some degree… but a little bit more wouldn’t be asking too much — right?! “ And you know what he said after I treated him? Thank you, Kagome. I’ve never heard that come outta you. Ever. Always whining! ” Okay maybe she was being a bit dramatic — but so was he!