[ Even without his mask on, there will be a voice that comes through not long after Nicola talks to Aventurine through the Murmur at Megumi's information share. It's different from the Murmur, even moreso since there's no interference from others that can be had here. While there was nothing from Aventurine's end before when they spoke on the Murmur, it's clear there is something looming from his end that is unknown. The only thing that can be understood is it's creating a sense of caution that isn't betrayed in Aventurine's 'tone' as it comes off being cool and collected. ]
Mister... [ —he has to think very hard to NOT think about Nicola's words about how he said his name in the dream here— haha, wow this is already trouble— ] Nicola, is it?
[The sudden intrusion of Aventurine's consciousness into Nicola's mind even after taking his mask off noticeably startles him for a moment. He'd been keeping this mysterious "connection" he's felt to the other man since the dream in the back of his mind, but now it's being brought to his attention. So this is one of its features, is it? He's not sure he likes it, but best not to let it get to him while Aventurine's intentions are still unknown.
There's a ripple in that sense of surprise when his name is spoken, but it's not clear which emotion is causing it. It fades in the blink of an eye, and Nicola matches his energy with ease.]
That's me. Just "Nicola" is fine. How can I help you, Aventurine?
Now that you've had a chance to get some information with Megumi sharing what we more or less know, I'm here to say that even though you don't yet know how to sever a tether, I do.
Unfortunately the process can be a little ... discomforting because of how intense these types initially form. There's many ways to form tethers, and they can start as a mere single thread and build over time. A tether forged the way ours did, though... well, you could consider it at the very least already half of a finished rope in strength in an instant.
...Still, I'm willing to do it as an apology and as a thank you, should it make you more comfortable.
...You don't have anything to apologize for. It's not your fault that this happened. Technically, the fault lies with me.
[He is the one that approached Aventurine in the basement, after all, though he certainly wouldn't have done so in that manner if he wasn't under Sleep's influence. He assumes that Aventurine wouldn't have entertained it so enthusiastically either if he had been in his right mind. Still, hearing him speak of severing their tether stirs a curious unease that he's barely able to conceal from the other. He doesn't like the idea of being bound without his consent, but the thought of cutting it away feels strangely heavier than it should.]
Discomfort doesn't scare me, but I'd like to understand first. What exactly happens when a tether like ours is severed?
... Neither do you, then. If it hadn't been you, it'd have been someone else. Although I'm sure you could have found a similar partner, I'd say the odds were quite low that another alpha would have been as respectful or attentive in my case. You're very much a casanova to the point I've only ever seen your type in film. Quite fascinating to see in action.
[ it could be something said in a condescending way, but the connection between them seems to only tell Nicola that Aventurine seems to very much find the ladies' man uniquely charming. A little bit like a very suave celebrity.
(that's really besides the point, but it's easier to admit it than to risk letting something more damning and vague slip through by trying to control too much. Aventurine isn't going to pretend otherwise, anyway: it was a very nice time. a complete lie, a dream of dreams, and circumstances were dubious but very nice to experience such a once in a lifetime opportunity overall.)
although Nicola is alone, it's as if Aventurine is by his side, an unseen ghost simply interacting with him and things around him without him being able to see any of these actions. he can sometimes feel them in his proximity, though (like someone passing by him, a inconsequential brush to his sleeve, maybe even the sensations of things that have nothing to do with his own expense but are from Aventurine's end: what he feels as he touches a towel or maybe splashes some water that hits his face.)
The biggest difference might be that while the Murmur discussion was an invasion, the Tether is more intimately invasive: like someone is present just over your shoulder, and you're the only two in existence.
Nevertheless, Aventurine is careful, his presence seeming to weave as if standing still would be the same as acknowledging they're both now unwilling intruders into each other's privacy. ]
Although I've never intentionally broken a tether of this type, I happened to lose one that was more intense than ours in a very violent way in that dream. Meaning I at least have some idea what it'll be no worse than.
It may feel like a physical loss, as if something was taken from you— something inside of you is missing, and you may still experience phantom sensations of our tether for a bit, although it will only be echos of that.
I might describe it as... a moderately emotional falling out of two people that actually give a damn about one another, even though we're strangers, I suppose?
[ ( I think you've been through much worse. ) ]
I'd expect you be over it in a day or two, however, even if a little out of sorts from the strangeness of it.
[ there's a pause now, like he's letting that sink in first in case Nicola has anything to say on it. Aventurine clearly has more to say about it, though. ]
Edited (typos ... and more typos!!) 2025-10-04 07:23 (UTC)
[ Nicola will wake after the first night wherever he ended up sleeping in the hotel and find that on his backpack is his handkerchief clean, dry, and carefully folded.
thank you for letting him use it, he's returning it nice and clean as promised.
if he's up before sunrise he could possibly catch Aventurine setting it down there, but he's very quick and quiet doing so in order to let Nicola (and Caelus if Caelus is there) sleep while he (they) can.
[ Ironeye stowed his dagger. The man seemed to have an endless supply of weapons spirited away somewhere on his person -- at least one blade strapped to his boot, a small fan of throwing knives at his hip, who knew how many concealed under his cloak or strapped to his armor.
Proof positive that it was hard to break old habits. ]
A good session, I think.
[ If there was any doubt about it, a few bouts would have confirmed the truth: Ironeye was not an exhibition fighter, accustomed to pulling his punches for the recording of some referee's points. He was efficient and swift in movement, but patient in temperament, adapted for long forays into hostile surroundings. He conserved his endurance.
Truthfully, this part was more satisfying to him than learning letters. ]
I hope you feel well-compensated for your efforts. It is a pleasure to fight you.
[Nicola adjusts his cuffs as he exhales, a faint smile curving his lips. Though there's a light sheen of sweat on his skin, his breathing stays even. His body remembers this rhythm well. It's been a long time since he's had a sparring partner who could match his pace without turning it into a contest of brute strength. The clash of blades left his pulse steady but alive, the kind of satisfaction that comes from an even fight rather than a victory.
Ironeye's movements were sharp and deliberate, the kind born from long campaigns and quiet kills. Nicola recognized the rhythm instantly. His own style carried the weight of the battlefield and the streets both: steady, strategic, stripped of flourish. He fought with a soldier's patience and a survivor's instinct, closing distance when it counted and conserving his strength for when it mattered.
Different worlds, different wars, but the same understanding of how to stay alive. Neither gained the advantage for long before the balance shifted again, until both were forced to pause, breathing in sync.]
A good session indeed. You're every bit as disciplined as I expected. Efficient, precise, and entirely focused.
[Honestly, he similarly enjoyed this far more than playing the role of an English tutor. He inclines his head in acknowledgment, tone laced with genuine respect.]
If that was your way of showing gratitude for the lesson, consider it more than sufficient compensation. It's been a while since I've had a partner worth matching pace with.
[ Despite the closeness of their quarters and the conversation they'd shared, one part of Ironeye remained a mystery: never did he seem to shed his scaled armor, nor show his face behind what his mask left visible. The only thing that could be said about his true appearance was that his eyes were a blue so vivid they seemed unnatural in a human being.
Yet one could hear a note of warmth in his voice now. He was surely smiling.
A teasing rejoinder: ]
Such praise. Are all your countrymen so possessed of honeyed tongue?
[ The assassin was accustomed to demonstrating his own appreciation through action, and so had he applied himself in the deft way he'd tested Nicola's defenses. It had been more than professional courtesy; Ironeye enjoyed a challenging bout. There was an intimacy in learning an opponent's tendencies that one could find nowhere else. To recognize the sharp intake of breath, the tensing of the shoulders, a hundred other tells that revealed a man's true intentions... all in service of better refining the truest dance.
To duel an apt partner was more thrilling than any staid waltz. Then, more seriously: ]
I'm glad to hear it. I was starting to worry my blade would dull here. It's not much like Limveld.
[Nicola's faint laugh carries a quiet ease, the kind that doesn't undercut sincerity. He straightens to his full height, shoulders loosening as though finally letting the tension of the spar slip from his frame. The breeze moving through the greenery field they'd chosen for their match—Sara D. Roosevelt Park, selected for its proximity to the Crosby Street Hotel, where their English tutoring session took place—stirs his hair.]
I can't speak for my countrymen, but I've been told my words have a way of walking the line between flattery and honesty, depending on who's listening.
[He says it with an easy, measured humor that isn't boastful but perfectly aware of the effect his words can have. For all his composure, there's warmth beneath the polish; a quiet respect that needs no ornament.]
I know what you mean. Let's be sure to keep each other sharp. Speaking of which...
[He turns toward the sports fence enclosing them in this field, where his backpack rests against the metal mesh near the entrance. Kneeling briefly, he unzips it and retrieves a protein bar and a bottle of water, offering one of each to Ironeye. It's a simple gesture, but a deliberate one. He'd packed them with this moment in mind. He also brought enough for himself, of course. When he speaks again, his tone is casual, edged with wry humor.]
You'll need your strength if you plan to keep up with me next time.
[There's no shortage of benches outside the fence for them to sit and enjoy their post-workout snack, either.]
[ He sounded amused as his breath resumed its normal cadence.. ]
Is that so? Planning to have some new tricks up your sleeve for next time?
[ Ironeye paused before accepting Nicola's offering. The plastic crinkled strangely against the worn leather of his gauntlet; it was a new sensation he'd not quite yet become accustomed to. He'd readily move to one of the benches, but.... there was perhaps one small wrinkle. He hadn't actually shown his face to anyone since arriving here. ]
What country do you hail from? Not this one, I assume.
[ It wasn't that he had to hide it out of necessity, at least not now. Only... old habits died hard. A mental image, lingering a little. A knight in winged helm. Another, in red-gold. They, too, had preferred the concealment of their armor, though he'd at least an idea of what the Wylder looked like. ]
[ This is a sticky note with this appearance left at Nicola's room door. It's been placed right on the middle of the door, where it's impossible to miss! It's handwritten in super clumsy English. He's doing his best. ]
NEKORA, DOING BEST WRITE ENLISH THIS FIRM? HARD? WHATEVER SOON SUPER MASTAR. … MUSTARD? DONUT FORGET TO SMILE!
[Hello??? This is the cutest piece of paper he's ever seen??? Nicola is already smiling brightly before he even gets close enough to read the message; it's obvious by the design who put it there.
He takes it inside with him, shutting the door behind him as he reads what's written on the adorable raccoon sticky note. The hilariously endearing message causes him to break out in a fit of laughter. Nicola can't remember the last time he's laughed like this; it's the kind of laughter that he'll never reveal to anyone. Caelus really is something special.
Eventually, after he's calmed down and wiped the tears away, he tucks the note away inside the cover of a fancy notebook.]
[ The door to the suite quietly pushes open and Aventurine will slip into Nicola's room, closing it quietly and making his way over to the bed in silence. He assumes Nicola is asleep and doesn't want to disturb him, so instead he just climbs into the bed and curls up against the other man's back as soon as he figures out where he is in the dark. ]
[Nicola is in that stage where he's technically awake, but not awake enough to muster the energy to get out of bed, so he's still laying with his eyes closed. He doesn't even move when Aventurine comes in and settles against his back. It only becomes apparent that he's awake when he speaks in a soft tone, loud enough to be heard but quiet enough to not startle.]
[ he's pressed his cheek and ear against Nicola's back. listening to the gentle reverberations from the rumble of the other's voice as he speaks for some reason calms him a bit.
maybe it's just a little grounding when they all agree having psychic conversations in their minds long distance to feel the physical presence of a voice as much as hear it. maybe it's something else. maybe it's nothing at all. regardless, it's very appreciated right now. ]
[ As Caelus is preparing his own dinner in the kitchen, he's spacing out between his tasks. Sometimes, he entirely pauses as he's cutting pieces of Host meat. He often stares out the window, watching the sunset quietly. Because of his current state, he doesn't notice Nicola come into the kitchen and remains dazed. ]
[Caelus spacing out is never a good sign. Before he knows it, Nicola is standing right beside him, sliding a gentle hand onto his shoulder as he leans in with a concerned smile.]
[ The sudden hand, however gentle, still startles Caelus. He jumps a little in place, then turns around to face the older Italian. He sees that soothing smile and tries to return it, but his own ends up slightly strained. ]
Ah, Nicola…
[ He shakes his head shortly, almost desperate. If he sits down and does nothing, he'll feel his emotions more strongly. He doesn't want that. He's already worried people enough lately. ]
[The startle earns him an immediate softening, Nicola's hand lifting at once, palm up in a wordless apology. The concern doesn't leave his eyes, but he eases back just enough to give Caelus space.]
Good evening. No need to apologize.
[His voice is calm, low, grounding.]
I know. Thinking has a way of sneaking up on you lately.
[A pause. Then, instead of pushing him toward a chair, Nicola shifts closer to the counter, shoulder brushing Caelus's in quiet solidarity.]
You don't have to sit if you don't want to. Just... let me be here with you for a minute, alright? I'll handle the sharp things.
[ Aventurine notices someone in the sun light down the hall, melting into the shadows with such fluidity it's impossible for him to think it's anyone else. Brows furrowed, he walks directly towards the other man, calling out to him in exasperation. ]
There you are! You had Caelus especially worried sick with your absence. You've been to see him since you got back, haven't you?
[ his arms are folded across his chest expectantly... and quite impatiently, as well. He hadn't realized how agitated he was by Caelus's behavior until now with him facing who he feels is the main source of that behavior. They means he absolutely expects Nicola to calm Caelus down immediately. ]
If not, don't keep him waiting.
[ he's not sure how long Nicola has been back, but he expects that Nicola has already seen Caelus more than once his return isn't immediately recent.
Pulling at the cuff sleeves to his blouse, he'll attempt to add some words to make it sound less like he's demanding that Nicola drop everything and go fix an issue (even if... that's exactly what he's doing.) ]
... And, are you all right? You really need to stop disappearing during times like this.
[The shift in the light is what gives him away. Not the movement itself, but the way it seems to bend around him. Nicola slows as Aventurine's voice cuts cleanly through the corridor, the last of that fluid retreat dissolving into stillness rather than escape.
He doesn't turn immediately. A breath passes. Measured, quiet. Then he does.]
I have. I've already said my apologies to him.
[It isn't defensive or apologetic. Just a simple confirmation, delivered as he faces him fully now. His gaze flicks over Aventurine in a way that's almost clinical at first, checking, assessing, before something quieter settles beneath it. Something far less detached than he usually allows.
He doesn't look away when he's done. If anything, his attention lingers, as though the initial assessment wasn't enough to satisfy whatever quiet calculation is taking place beneath the surface.]
...I left the hotel for his safety. And yours.
[And Dante's, of course, but that's already a given. A slight pause follows. Not uncertainty. Adjustment.]
But I'm starting to think that isn't the right approach anymore.
[The admission is calm, but there's a subtle shift in it. Less concession, more conclusion. As though the decision has already been made, and he's only just choosing to say it aloud.]
We should stay together.
[He steps closer to Aventurine as he says it, the movement quiet but deliberate. Not enough to crowd, but enough that distance stops feeling neutral. Up close, the earlier composure holds, though something beneath it remains faintly unsettled. Unfulfilled.
His gaze sharpens slightly, searching Aventurine's expression with more focus than before. Not just observing now, but expecting something in return.]
You didn't just worry about me for Caelus's sake... did you?
[ Although he can't really tell with all the pain and all the noise through the tethers currently, he thinks at least (even if not right now) somewhere at someone earlier it did feel like Caelus's emotions were soothed on some level. That's good, then, considering how worked up Aventurine had gotten the Trailblazer.
Aventurine's mouth twitches a bit unimpressed at Nicola's explanation for having left. Even though that is indeed the reason exactly he himself had given Caelus, it's not exactly self-validating in any way to hear it at this point. Don't rope me into it, Caelus is agitated enough over me as is. I don't need to be part of the reason you left him. ]
Wise decision. [ is the response Nicola gets to admitting that he doesn't think the separation was as sound of a choice as he apparently did when he ran off. There's the slightest frown at being told they should stick together, though. Mostly because he wants Nicola to stay with Caelus and keep him calm and happy until whatever this all is wears off. Everything else in Aventurine's mind has become second since he set Caelus off.
Although he doesn't move when the distance between them is closed, the slightest cant of his head towards the other is a clearly silent Why? at the announcement. Lifting his chin, he seems to observe the other in turn, giving him an unreadable once over before responding: ]
I think you should stay with Caelus.
[ The gambler does tense a bit at that last question concerning his worry for Nicola himself, though.
Oh, now what's this? Interesting. Aventurine isn't going to think too hard on it, though, even seeing the expectant gaze (and it's not as if Aventurine has any idea as to what he wants.) Aventurine is agitated and restless under the surface, and he's already hyperaware of being caught in some similarly insane heart-to-heart with Nicola like he tripped into with Caelus.
(Because, honestly? He could control himself with Caelus for the most part, but that's not to say he'll be able to with Nicola.)
The small smile that appears is brief but sharp, like he's irritated to even be asked this. Maybe he's feeling a little preemptively defensive. Again, Caelus already threw a curveball at him that had to do with Nicola, so who's to say Nicola isn't going to do the same? If he's already been to see Caelus, this could be just some kind of tag-team continuation, even. ]
That depends. Is that a question or an accusation?
[For a moment, Nicola says nothing. He watches that brief, sharp smile arrive and disappear again, watches the defensiveness settle into place behind polished phrasing and practiced poise. Aventurine offers him a game instead of an answer. Under normal circumstances, Nicola might have admired it more openly.
Right now, it only leaves something taut inside him pulling tighter.]
Neither.
[The reply comes smooth and immediate. No irritation, no offense taken. If anything, his voice is gentler than before, which somehow makes it harder to dismiss.]
It's curiosity.
[His gaze drifts once, briefly, to the line of Aventurine's jaw where tension had gathered, then returns to his eyes. He is far too attentive tonight. Far too willing to notice things he would normally politely ignore.]
And concern. You seem to be even more out of sorts than Caelus was.
[There is no cruelty in the observation. No smugness. Just calm certainty, delivered with the same ease someone might comment on the weather.]
He's sleeping peacefully in my room now, so I thought I'd take the opportunity to come check on you. I left him a note in case he wakes before we return.
[We, not I. Aventurine may have noticed Nicola first, but he is indeed the person Nicola had come looking for, and he fully intends to take Aventurine back to his room once they're ready to rest themselves. Caelus would be overjoyed to wake up to both of his favorite people by his side.
Another step closes the space by inches. Aventurine had not moved when Nicola approached before, and Nicola notes that fact with a quiet satisfaction he makes no effort to hide.]
I missed you just as much as I missed Caelus, you know.
[The tether hums strangely beneath his ribs, pressure easing at the simple reality of proximity. No pain. No warning. Just the subtle reward of having what he wants kept near.]
We can go back to him later. For now, I'd like to spend some time with you while Caelus gets the rest he deserves.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kicks mind door down...
Mister... [ —he has to think very hard to NOT think about Nicola's words about how he said his name in the dream here— haha, wow this is already trouble— ] Nicola, is it?
👀
There's a ripple in that sense of surprise when his name is spoken, but it's not clear which emotion is causing it. It fades in the blink of an eye, and Nicola matches his energy with ease.]
That's me. Just "Nicola" is fine. How can I help you, Aventurine?
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Unfortunately the process can be a little ... discomforting because of how intense these types initially form. There's many ways to form tethers, and they can start as a mere single thread and build over time. A tether forged the way ours did, though... well, you could consider it at the very least already half of a finished rope in strength in an instant.
...Still, I'm willing to do it as an apology and as a thank you, should it make you more comfortable.
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[He is the one that approached Aventurine in the basement, after all, though he certainly wouldn't have done so in that manner if he wasn't under Sleep's influence. He assumes that Aventurine wouldn't have entertained it so enthusiastically either if he had been in his right mind. Still, hearing him speak of severing their tether stirs a curious unease that he's barely able to conceal from the other. He doesn't like the idea of being bound without his consent, but the thought of cutting it away feels strangely heavier than it should.]
Discomfort doesn't scare me, but I'd like to understand first. What exactly happens when a tether like ours is severed?
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[ it could be something said in a condescending way, but the connection between them seems to only tell Nicola that Aventurine seems to very much find the ladies' man uniquely charming. A little bit like a very suave celebrity.
(that's really besides the point, but it's easier to admit it than to risk letting something more damning and vague slip through by trying to control too much. Aventurine isn't going to pretend otherwise, anyway: it was a very nice time. a complete lie, a dream of dreams, and circumstances were dubious but very nice to experience such a once in a lifetime opportunity overall.)
although Nicola is alone, it's as if Aventurine is by his side, an unseen ghost simply interacting with him and things around him without him being able to see any of these actions. he can sometimes feel them in his proximity, though (like someone passing by him, a inconsequential brush to his sleeve, maybe even the sensations of things that have nothing to do with his own expense but are from Aventurine's end: what he feels as he touches a towel or maybe splashes some water that hits his face.)
The biggest difference might be that while the Murmur discussion was an invasion, the Tether is more intimately invasive: like someone is present just over your shoulder, and you're the only two in existence.
Nevertheless, Aventurine is careful, his presence seeming to weave as if standing still would be the same as acknowledging they're both now unwilling intruders into each other's privacy. ]
Although I've never intentionally broken a tether of this type, I happened to lose one that was more intense than ours in a very violent way in that dream. Meaning I at least have some idea what it'll be no worse than.
It may feel like a physical loss, as if something was taken from you— something inside of you is missing, and you may still experience phantom sensations of our tether for a bit, although it will only be echos of that.
I might describe it as... a moderately emotional falling out of two people that actually give a damn about one another, even though we're strangers, I suppose?
[ ( I think you've been through much worse. ) ]
I'd expect you be over it in a day or two, however, even if a little out of sorts from the strangeness of it.
[ there's a pause now, like he's letting that sink in first in case Nicola has anything to say on it. Aventurine clearly has more to say about it, though. ]
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(october 2nd); early morning
thank you for letting him use it, he's returning it nice and clean as promised.
if he's up before sunrise he could possibly catch Aventurine setting it down there, but he's very quick and quiet doing so in order to let Nicola (and Caelus if Caelus is there) sleep while he (they) can.
key item is officially returned! ]
Some time later...
Proof positive that it was hard to break old habits. ]
A good session, I think.
[ If there was any doubt about it, a few bouts would have confirmed the truth: Ironeye was not an exhibition fighter, accustomed to pulling his punches for the recording of some referee's points. He was efficient and swift in movement, but patient in temperament, adapted for long forays into hostile surroundings. He conserved his endurance.
Truthfully, this part was more satisfying to him than learning letters. ]
I hope you feel well-compensated for your efforts. It is a pleasure to fight you.
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Ironeye's movements were sharp and deliberate, the kind born from long campaigns and quiet kills. Nicola recognized the rhythm instantly. His own style carried the weight of the battlefield and the streets both: steady, strategic, stripped of flourish. He fought with a soldier's patience and a survivor's instinct, closing distance when it counted and conserving his strength for when it mattered.
Different worlds, different wars, but the same understanding of how to stay alive. Neither gained the advantage for long before the balance shifted again, until both were forced to pause, breathing in sync.]
A good session indeed. You're every bit as disciplined as I expected. Efficient, precise, and entirely focused.
[Honestly, he similarly enjoyed this far more than playing the role of an English tutor. He inclines his head in acknowledgment, tone laced with genuine respect.]
If that was your way of showing gratitude for the lesson, consider it more than sufficient compensation. It's been a while since I've had a partner worth matching pace with.
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Yet one could hear a note of warmth in his voice now. He was surely smiling.
A teasing rejoinder: ]
Such praise. Are all your countrymen so possessed of honeyed tongue?
[ The assassin was accustomed to demonstrating his own appreciation through action, and so had he applied himself in the deft way he'd tested Nicola's defenses. It had been more than professional courtesy; Ironeye enjoyed a challenging bout. There was an intimacy in learning an opponent's tendencies that one could find nowhere else. To recognize the sharp intake of breath, the tensing of the shoulders, a hundred other tells that revealed a man's true intentions... all in service of better refining the truest dance.
To duel an apt partner was more thrilling than any staid waltz. Then, more seriously: ]
I'm glad to hear it. I was starting to worry my blade would dull here. It's not much like Limveld.
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I can't speak for my countrymen, but I've been told my words have a way of walking the line between flattery and honesty, depending on who's listening.
[He says it with an easy, measured humor that isn't boastful but perfectly aware of the effect his words can have. For all his composure, there's warmth beneath the polish; a quiet respect that needs no ornament.]
I know what you mean. Let's be sure to keep each other sharp. Speaking of which...
[He turns toward the sports fence enclosing them in this field, where his backpack rests against the metal mesh near the entrance. Kneeling briefly, he unzips it and retrieves a protein bar and a bottle of water, offering one of each to Ironeye. It's a simple gesture, but a deliberate one. He'd packed them with this moment in mind. He also brought enough for himself, of course. When he speaks again, his tone is casual, edged with wry humor.]
You'll need your strength if you plan to keep up with me next time.
[There's no shortage of benches outside the fence for them to sit and enjoy their post-workout snack, either.]
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Is that so? Planning to have some new tricks up your sleeve for next time?
[ Ironeye paused before accepting Nicola's offering. The plastic crinkled strangely against the worn leather of his gauntlet; it was a new sensation he'd not quite yet become accustomed to. He'd readily move to one of the benches, but.... there was perhaps one small wrinkle. He hadn't actually shown his face to anyone since arriving here. ]
What country do you hail from? Not this one, I assume.
[ It wasn't that he had to hide it out of necessity, at least not now. Only... old habits died hard. A mental image, lingering a little. A knight in winged helm. Another, in red-gold. They, too, had preferred the concealment of their armor, though he'd at least an idea of what the Wylder looked like. ]
finally gets back to this!!
timeskipping to week 4 o/
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NEKORA,
DOING BEST WRITE ENLISH
THIS FIRM? HARD?
WHATEVER
SOON SUPER MASTAR. … MUSTARD?
DONUT FORGET TO SMILE!
CELUZE? CAALUS? HELP
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He takes it inside with him, shutting the door behind him as he reads what's written on the adorable raccoon sticky note. The hilariously endearing message causes him to break out in a fit of laughter. Nicola can't remember the last time he's laughed like this; it's the kind of laughter that he'll never reveal to anyone. Caelus really is something special.
Eventually, after he's calmed down and wiped the tears away, he tucks the note away inside the cover of a fancy notebook.]
february, week 4
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Hey there.
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maybe it's just a little grounding when they all agree having psychic conversations in their minds long distance to feel the physical presence of a voice as much as hear it. maybe it's something else. maybe it's nothing at all. regardless, it's very appreciated right now. ]
Hey. Did I wake you ...?
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[And now his desire to move has plummeted even further. He's quite enjoying the warmth pressed into his back.]
How has your day been so far?
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Feb, near the end of the month
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I can take care of dinner. Go sit down and relax.
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Ah, Nicola…
[ He shakes his head shortly, almost desperate. If he sits down and does nothing, he'll feel his emotions more strongly. He doesn't want that. He's already worried people enough lately. ]
I— It's okay. Sorry. I was just thinking.
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Good evening. No need to apologize.
[His voice is calm, low, grounding.]
I know. Thinking has a way of sneaking up on you lately.
[A pause. Then, instead of pushing him toward a chair, Nicola shifts closer to the counter, shoulder brushing Caelus's in quiet solidarity.]
You don't have to sit if you don't want to. Just... let me be here with you for a minute, alright? I'll handle the sharp things.
[A faint smile, warmer than teasing.]
We can take this slowly. Together.
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sometime in week 3 of April event. (cw. yandere stuff)
There you are! You had Caelus especially worried sick with your absence. You've been to see him since you got back, haven't you?
[ his arms are folded across his chest expectantly... and quite impatiently, as well. He hadn't realized how agitated he was by Caelus's behavior until now with him facing who he feels is the main source of that behavior. They means he absolutely expects Nicola to calm Caelus down immediately. ]
If not, don't keep him waiting.
[ he's not sure how long Nicola has been back, but he expects that Nicola has already seen Caelus more than once his return isn't immediately recent.
Pulling at the cuff sleeves to his blouse, he'll attempt to add some words to make it sound less like he's demanding that Nicola drop everything and go fix an issue (even if... that's exactly what he's doing.) ]
... And, are you all right? You really need to stop disappearing during times like this.
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He doesn't turn immediately. A breath passes. Measured, quiet. Then he does.]
I have. I've already said my apologies to him.
[It isn't defensive or apologetic. Just a simple confirmation, delivered as he faces him fully now. His gaze flicks over Aventurine in a way that's almost clinical at first, checking, assessing, before something quieter settles beneath it. Something far less detached than he usually allows.
He doesn't look away when he's done. If anything, his attention lingers, as though the initial assessment wasn't enough to satisfy whatever quiet calculation is taking place beneath the surface.]
...I left the hotel for his safety. And yours.
[And Dante's, of course, but that's already a given. A slight pause follows. Not uncertainty. Adjustment.]
But I'm starting to think that isn't the right approach anymore.
[The admission is calm, but there's a subtle shift in it. Less concession, more conclusion. As though the decision has already been made, and he's only just choosing to say it aloud.]
We should stay together.
[He steps closer to Aventurine as he says it, the movement quiet but deliberate. Not enough to crowd, but enough that distance stops feeling neutral. Up close, the earlier composure holds, though something beneath it remains faintly unsettled. Unfulfilled.
His gaze sharpens slightly, searching Aventurine's expression with more focus than before. Not just observing now, but expecting something in return.]
You didn't just worry about me for Caelus's sake... did you?
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Aventurine's mouth twitches a bit unimpressed at Nicola's explanation for having left. Even though that is indeed the reason exactly he himself had given Caelus, it's not exactly self-validating in any way to hear it at this point. Don't rope me into it, Caelus is agitated enough over me as is. I don't need to be part of the reason you left him. ]
Wise decision. [ is the response Nicola gets to admitting that he doesn't think the separation was as sound of a choice as he apparently did when he ran off. There's the slightest frown at being told they should stick together, though. Mostly because he wants Nicola to stay with Caelus and keep him calm and happy until whatever this all is wears off. Everything else in Aventurine's mind has become second since he set Caelus off.
Although he doesn't move when the distance between them is closed, the slightest cant of his head towards the other is a clearly silent Why? at the announcement. Lifting his chin, he seems to observe the other in turn, giving him an unreadable once over before responding: ]
I think you should stay with Caelus.
[ The gambler does tense a bit at that last question concerning his worry for Nicola himself, though.
Oh, now what's this? Interesting. Aventurine isn't going to think too hard on it, though, even seeing the expectant gaze (and it's not as if Aventurine has any idea as to what he wants.) Aventurine is agitated and restless under the surface, and he's already hyperaware of being caught in some similarly insane heart-to-heart with Nicola like he tripped into with Caelus.
(Because, honestly? He could control himself with Caelus for the most part, but that's not to say he'll be able to with Nicola.)
The small smile that appears is brief but sharp, like he's irritated to even be asked this. Maybe he's feeling a little preemptively defensive. Again, Caelus already threw a curveball at him that had to do with Nicola, so who's to say Nicola isn't going to do the same? If he's already been to see Caelus, this could be just some kind of tag-team continuation, even. ]
That depends. Is that a question or an accusation?
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Right now, it only leaves something taut inside him pulling tighter.]
Neither.
[The reply comes smooth and immediate. No irritation, no offense taken. If anything, his voice is gentler than before, which somehow makes it harder to dismiss.]
It's curiosity.
[His gaze drifts once, briefly, to the line of Aventurine's jaw where tension had gathered, then returns to his eyes. He is far too attentive tonight. Far too willing to notice things he would normally politely ignore.]
And concern. You seem to be even more out of sorts than Caelus was.
[There is no cruelty in the observation. No smugness. Just calm certainty, delivered with the same ease someone might comment on the weather.]
He's sleeping peacefully in my room now, so I thought I'd take the opportunity to come check on you. I left him a note in case he wakes before we return.
[We, not I. Aventurine may have noticed Nicola first, but he is indeed the person Nicola had come looking for, and he fully intends to take Aventurine back to his room once they're ready to rest themselves. Caelus would be overjoyed to wake up to both of his favorite people by his side.
Another step closes the space by inches. Aventurine had not moved when Nicola approached before, and Nicola notes that fact with a quiet satisfaction he makes no effort to hide.]
I missed you just as much as I missed Caelus, you know.
[The tether hums strangely beneath his ribs, pressure easing at the simple reality of proximity. No pain. No warning. Just the subtle reward of having what he wants kept near.]
We can go back to him later. For now, I'd like to spend some time with you while Caelus gets the rest he deserves.
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