that drip could turn torrential

flora

Flora’s curls are still damp, their ends clinging to the curve of her neck and leaving little salt-kissed traces down her shoulders. The torchlight throws everything in shades of molten gold and amber, catching the shimmer of droplets at her temples and the fine edge of the smile that hasn’t quite left her since the water. There’s a hum in her chest still—alcohol, laughter, adrenaline—blurring together into something that feels like joy stretched thin across her skin.

She balances the tray of drinks carefully in one hand, glass catching the light like a constellation in motion as she makes sure it’s perfectly centred. The other hand finds its way to Kai’s arm, fingers idly tracing damp circles against the warmth of his skin while her aqua eyes scan the crowd for the familiar silhouettes of the Maverick and the butcher.

"Okay," she says, tone bubbling with the kind of excitement that always precedes trouble. "You’re going to love them." Her smile widens, eyes sparkling as she looks up at him. "They're honestly two of my best friends."

The torch crackles beside them, its flame leaning toward the sea breeze, and Flora’s grin deepens as she glances toward the path leading from the party. "They did say this torch, right?" Wondering if perhaps she'd misheard and now her Ancients were standing somewhere wondering where she was.

I hope you're wetting your appetite, finding your way into someone's eyes
I hope you're dreaming in black and white, and seeing in colour

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Kaisel

Having given up on finding some of their clothes through the darkness, he'd come prepared for this exact possibility and packed extra outfits along with towels in his backpack. Luckily he did recover that, else he would have been out a lot more than his second TORCHLINE shirt, which is quickly proving to be problematic garment to hold onto. Although, the selections he packed in his backpack are questionable choices when all put together.

Clearly grabbed out of the closet in an eager haste to be out the door, he's wearing a vibrantly orange tank top with NEVER FORGET written across it in a difficult to read font comprised of rocks and rubble, an image of Stormbreak's broken tower beside it. Too warm still to need it, he's got his violet windbreaker in tow at the crook of his arm that Flora is not on. Rounding out the colorful display, his blue board shorts with darker little sharks patterning them are at least passable.

He eyes the drinks cautiously, his free hand occasionally rising if it tilts a touch too much, but she always recovers it before he has to catch anything, which likely would just be a spill by the time he got his hands on it. "How many drinks did you say you used to carry as a bartender?" he asks, not skeptical so much as, impressively worried by how she manages.

"I hope so, then we'd have enough people for game nights," he muses, an easy slant finding the corner of his mouth as the grand potential of it rises up. He supposes they could have been inviting Sohalia over and with Niki could have had enough to make crushing them all at Monopoly worth it by now. Soh has had her hands full with Stormbreak though, and Niki seems more intent on trying to turn all of Flora's books into some version of midnight Jenga that he plays with the spirits instead. "If they love you, then I love them," he assures with an oversimplification of the matter, tilting his half-dry head against hers.

He would not know which torch, since he hasn't met them yet, so he only lifts his head and offers a dubious glance over the flickering light, shrugging. "Pretty sure you're noticeable wherever you are, so I think they'll find their way here one way or another." He's certain even her invisibility ring struggles to hold back all her brilliance, so LongNight truly has nothing on her.

Wanted me to fail out of spite, I didn't
All bark but they don't bite, they timid

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

// as long as there's bread and as long as there's an appetite //

Ah, never fear Flora, they are at the correct torch. A touch behind, though, hidden well thanks to the fun little perk of the Grey Road that blends them into the shadows that are in abundance on the outskirts of the torches’ reach. It selfishly gives the butcher some time to whisper into Danta’s ear “he is smaller than I anticipated” before they have to burst the bubble. The butcher melts out of the shadows with his own personal one trailing and grinning at his heels precisely at the time Kaisel says if they love you, then I love them.

“How very charming, darling.” The butcher purrs, flashing his shark toothed grin, straightening up his posture as his tail flits against his heels in quiet anticipation. “I am Astaroth, though you may call me Asta if you prefer.” Introductions were the polite thing to do, even if his actions seemed a little less than – specifically the way he gives the accepted a full up and down look of his attire.

Looking back to Flora, the butcher’s smile twitches fonder and more playful, as if it were a silent language between them that seems to say is this how he always dresses? And all the while his attention is elsewhere, the grinning, antlered shadow continues to stare at Kaisel curiously. Leaving the floor (or sand) open for Danta to make his own greetings, he settles in for the walk back, drawing up the scarf sat loosely around his neck. He's warmer than normal, thankfully, but that's partially because of the many drinks that he'd downed during the majority of the party, still thrumming through his system and allowing him to be quite a furnace.

Astaroth

// as long as everyone you need is stepping in line, you are camouflaged //

// but i'm weak, and what's wrong with that? //

"You say that about everyone," Danta whispers back, his tone dripping with fond exasperation even as his head tilts further, as if to invite Asta's lips to continue the conversation against his throat. Alas, they have introductions to make, and it's with a soft sigh that he parts from the butcher, emerging from the velvet shadows at his heels.

While his lover gives Kaisel the sort of undressing with his eyes that might normally hint towards salacious or smouldering (but not today, or at least not yet), the Maverick trills a greeting to Flora and admires the ease with which she's carrying her tray of drinks. "Would you like us to relieve you of some of your burden?" he asks, before glancing towards Kai at last.

"Danta," he introduces himself, inclining his head to set his horns to glinting in the firelight. "You can call me Danta."

With that done, he steps back to walk with Asta, unbuttoning his own coat with the heat of the alcohol in his blood. His own shirt isn't as orange as Kai's (though it is a tank top, and it does have the word WITCH sprayed across it in neon pink), and he tugs at the collar a little while his other hand sneaks into the butcher's back pocket.

"So have you two had fun this evening?" he inquires, glancing pointedly to their damp hair, tail flicking its amusement at his heels.

Dantalion

// boy oh boy I love it when I fall for that //

flora

Flora leans happily against Kaisel, weight light and warm at his side, blissfully unaware of how many times his hand has hovered to steady the tray balanced on her fingertips. Her curls are still damp, trailing against his shoulder, and there’s a rosy gleam to her cheeks that has less to do with LongNight’s torches and more to do with laughter and saltwater. "Lots," she replies with a grin that stretches bright as a spark. "And that one’s yours—" she nods to the violet-hued glass shimmering on the tray, "—creamsicle cocktail. With poprocks." The last word comes out like a secret, followed by a soft laugh as she watches the faint crackle of sugar against the rim.

"The spirits tried to play," she adds, amusement curling through her tone, "but either they didn't understand the rules, or ghosts just aren't good at jenga."

When he leans his head against hers, she juts her chin just enough to press a quick, fond kiss to his cheek—salt and warmth and mischief in one motion—before the familiar purr of Asta’s voice has her turning. Her face lights instantly, beam wide and delighted as she takes in the butcher emerging from the shadows like some gilded secret.

She catches the flicker of his gaze and wrinkles her nose affectionately in response, all teasing fondness that speaks of too many shopping trips and shared mischief to not understand what the gesture meant. Flora beams as Danta joins them, offering the tray with a little flourish that sends the torchlight dancing over the glasses. One holds a dark cherry old fashioned—the liquid a deep crimson that gleams like garnet, the rim dusted with cane sugar and stained faintly pink from blood cherry liqueur—the other glows copper beneath the flame, a classic mule crowned with crushed ice and a curl of lime, the mint sprig trembling each time the breeze shifts.

"I’m sure you know which is which," she says with a knowing tilt of her head, the corners of her mouth curving in a smile that’s both teasing and affectionate. Her own drink—a violet gin mix that matches the streak in her smile—she plucks from the tray before flicking it like a frisbee back toward the general direction of the party, unconcerned if it lands somewhere near the sand.

Sliding an arm around Kaisel’s waist, she grins between the pair of them, tone bright and bubbling. "This is Kai!" she declares, as though the introduction itself should come with fanfare.

At Danta’s question, her teeth catch briefly on her bottom lip, and she glances up at Kaisel with eyes full of warmth and wicked affection. "I certainly thought so," she says, her voice lilting with laughter that needs no elaboration at all.

I hope you're wetting your appetite, finding your way into someone's eyes
I hope you're dreaming in black and white, and seeing in colour

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Kaisel

A bright grin stretches out at the memory of the spirits spectacularly tossing little wood blocks all around. It had not followed the game rules in the slightest, but it had been entertaining, and at the end of the day isn't that the point of game night? That and mercilessly crushing the morale of your friends into dust.

He's just claimed his meal of a drink when the shadows move in an unfamiliar fashion. A rather tall, old, and spooky man appears—it's Astaroth. Just behind him, the much better dressed Dantalion emerges. The overall scene is far less scary than the first time Kaisel met Niki, but the aura boasted by the ancients beats out the cripple's game by far.

No stranger to being appraised, Kaisel does not shrink from the shark-toothed grin and scrutiny, returning it in kind for much the same reason; Astaroth is as dapper as his father. His gaze is distractedly drawn to the flickering shadow at the man's heel for a moment, observing it with unfiltered curiosity as he tilts a sip from his drink. Unlike the rest of them, he is terribly sober, preferring that over being an inebriated pancake on the ground mid dragon-flight. Happy to make up for lost time, he fights off the miniature explosion happening in his mouth with a toothy smile as Flora announces his name like she also took a lick from his drink's rim.

"Hi!" he says brightly, a few fingers uncurling from his glass in a wave. The rest need to maintain the balance of his drink, and his other hand now hugs around Flora's side after slipping from her grip while she bartended. "That's a killer shirt you got on D-Dog," he says with a genuine grin and a nod towards Danta you can call me Danta. "Does your friend have a name?" he asks of Asta, gaze sliding back towards the smiling shadow as he takes another sip of the dreamsicle in a glass.

With a sudden curl rising along his features at the question, his fingers drum absently along her side, an unabashed laugh joining hers. "We always have fun," he says with an honesty not meant to boast. "You should jump in, the water's nice."

Wanted me to fail out of spite, I didn't
All bark but they don't bite, they timid

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

// as long as there's bread and as long as there's an appetite //

Don’t worry Danta, there will be plenty of attention returning to you shortly once he’s done with his appraisal of this rather lanky, noodle shaped man that clings to Flora’s side. Quietly grateful for the glance Flora offers back, Asta’s smile is just as wide as she offers her own quiet understanding – given how much time in shops and stores they’d spent together, the things they had designed brilliantly.

The drinks, however, take more of his attention – nodding as he gladly snags the dark cherry old fashioned with the sugary sweet ring around the edge. “Ah, Flora, you know us so well. Thank you, darling.” The warm rumble of praise and gratitude slips from his lips, taking a sip from it as his arm slips around Danta’s about the time he feels the Maverick’s hand slip into his back pocket.

The nickname D-Dog has his tail twitching and the smile freezing on his face briefly, before he shakes his head toward Kaisel, his smile sharpening. “Alas he does not.” Though it isn’t as though it bothers him. If anything, it makes him create two more at the very least to huddle around the main smiling horned shadows, as if he harbored far too many ghouls to name each and every one of them.

When it comes to jumping into the water, the butcher’s laugh is a dark warm hum, amused if not surprised at how much he didn’t seem to know about Ancients. “Mm, only if it is heated. I would much rather not become a gargoyle tonight.” His tail slips around Danta’s own in a gentle squeeze, as if asking for help explaining that fun fact, uncertain if he might speak a touch too smartly for Kaisel to keep up.

Astaroth

// as long as everyone you need is stepping in line, you are camouflaged //

// but i'm weak, and what's wrong with that? //

"You can take the bar out of the bartender," Danta purrs his agreement as he reaches to take the mule from the tray, careful not to unbalance it and send the remaining drinks tipping too far in either direction. He's sipping at the tart cocktail as Asta's arm curls around his waist, the Maverick leaning into the touch automatically and burying his hand further in his pocket, in case he considers, even briefly, stepping away.

"A pleasure," he says over the rim of his glass as they're officially introduced to the man in question, and while he's only half certain who D-Dog is, Danta's definitely been called worse in his time either way, so he takes it as breezily as he does most things. "Mm? Oh, thank you," he adds of the compliment to his shirt, before lowering his voice and adding, "I didn't kill anyone for this one, though."

Settling into the trek back to Wildering House and feeling all the more cheerful for the drink in his hand and the man at his side, his laughter echoes across the dark beach at the mere suggestion that they go for a dip in the sea at night in Deepfrost. "I very much doubt the ocean is heated, even in Torchline," he agrees, glancing sidelong at Kai. "Ancients turn to stone if we aren't hot enough," he says, grinning. "Though if you ask me, you make a handsome statue." This he directs back to Asta.

Dantalion

// boy oh boy I love it when I fall for that //

flora

Flora can't help it as she snickers into her drink at D-Dog. The grin that follows is all affection and mischief, her aqua eyes bright as she glances sidelong at Kai, eyes alight with the kind of laughter she’s trying (and failing) to smother, only for the sound to brighten again when he addresses Asta’s shadow as if it’s a person.

By the time the Ancients take their drinks, her smile is endlessly pleased and smug. Her nose crinkles in fond mischief, the look tossed between them quick and sparkling before her attention finds its way back to Kai; inevitably, easily.

As they begin their slow stroll toward Wildering House, Flora's hand slips easily beneath the edge of Kai's shirt, fingers resting against the warm skin of his hip. Her damp curls cling to her temple, catching faint sparks of torchlight each time she leans close enough that her laughter brushes against his shoulder. "Maybe for one of our regional quests," she says, voice low and playful, "I'll make the water warm enough for you to swim in during any season."

Her smile curves wider, teasing as she glances to Asta and Danta. "Although with how hot you two run, I’m not convinced you couldn't go in now and be just fine."

I hope you're wetting your appetite, finding your way into someone's eyes
I hope you're dreaming in black and white, and seeing in colour

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Kaisel

The vocabulary misunderstanding flies straight over his head, the addition of this one implying that Danta has killed for a shirt before, a different one. A nice reminder that regardless of appearances, Asta is not the only spooky man here. While one might be a butcher, the other evidently slays with his wardrobe, literally it'd seem.

Happy to hide this fresh realization behind the rim of his glass, he has to fight back a choke (the pop rocks are no help) as he inhales suddenly at the sight of additional shadow demons fanning out near Asta's original. Creepy, definitely, but it's excitement more than anything that's trying to gag him right now. "Cool! I bet you put on the best shadow puppet performances." And in demonstration, Kaisel regrettably releases Flora's hip for a moment to mold his fingers into a dog, the happy shadow rising up behind the torchlight to 'bark' at Asta's collection.

Dismantling the dark hound as they begin to walk, he slides his hand behind him, along Flora's arm. An easy motion to reclaim her grip from his side, fingers linking with hers instead. He delivers a brief, candy-coated kiss to the back of her hand before letting it drop and swing between them with their strides. His attention skips between each of the ancients, surprised he'd said anything remotely funny enough to earn such strong laughs, until they explain further. Admittedly, he has not known many ancients, and his understanding is mostly limited to stories. "Oh, compared to Stormbreak's pools Torchline's sea does feel heated, but maybe that had more to do with you." He tilts an unapologetically smug glance and grin towards Flora, fingers squeezing tighter against hers for a beat.

"So, strictly hot tubs for the two of you," he corrects, even if the idea of turning into a statue is entirely up his alley. He supposes having a statue made of yourself is entirely different from being encased as one though, and agrees that part sounds awful. "Or a trip to Apopo!"

Wanted me to fail out of spite, I didn't
All bark but they don't bite, they timid

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

// as long as there's bread and as long as there's an appetite //

His fingers curl at Danta’s hip, scrunching up the hem of said shirt as they walk and he takes a much-relieved sip of the dark and sweet drink in his hand. It helps to hide the way he blinks a little confused at the mention of shadow puppet performances, sparking a low and warm chuckle when he responds to that statement. “I can assure you that I do put on quite lovely performances.” Not only just with his shadows, at least.

He’s happy to let Danta explain the situation in regard to the Ancients and open bodies of water during Deepfrost, with an amused smirk blooming on the corners of his lips as he rests his gaze over at Flora to hear her suggestion. Warmth pools in his gut thanks to the cocktail as he listens to Kaisel’s addition, snorting softly and shaking his horned head. “How very thoughtful of you, darling.” He says to Flora first, before looking back at Kaisel with a raise of his brow and that same sharp smile. “A lava bath does sound lovely about this time of year.” And no, Kaisel, he isn’t kidding.

Then, because he is slightly drunk and still trying to catch up on the conversations at hand, he pulls his gaze away from the affectionate display between Flora and Kaisel – happy that she’s found someone that can provide her with it – to look back at his lover. “I know you will use me as a coat rack.” He drawls affectionately, a small breathy laugh leaving him. “It is practically built in, after all, so how could I ever blame you?” Gesturing with the hand that holds his drink to the antlers extending from his head, the butcher then noses in to press an easy kiss to the Maverick’s temple.

Astaroth

// as long as everyone you need is stepping in line, you are camouflaged //

// but i'm weak, and what's wrong with that? //

"Very thoughtful," Danta echoes, "and I selfishly love the idea of you petitioning the gods on the behalf of two Ancients - though I'm sure everyone else will enjoy it as well." But mostly it's for their benefit, and the Maverick's ego enjoys that quite a bit. As for how hot the two of them run, he can only bounce his eyebrows suggestively towards Flora at that, purring a quiet, "You would know, wouldn't you?" before his attention flits elsewhere.

Mainly towards Kai's shadow-puppet-dog, honestly, Danta's grin wide and fanged as he watches it bark silently at Asta's ominous little entourage. "I'm surprised you didn't have them bark back," he quips to the butcher; Asta having a plethora of shadow-hounds loping in his wake does seem very him, honestly.

Ah, but then Kai plants the hot tub seed in his mind, the Maverick groaning and leaning further against the man at his side. "Didn't you add a hot tub to your pool deck at the house?" he asks Flora. "And if you didn't, can I make myself one? Everyone's invited, obviously."

Not even Asta's kiss is enough to dissuade him, though he does smirk up at the obsidian tines that crown his head. "You can be the towel rack if you keep this up."

Dantalion

// boy oh boy I love it when I fall for that //

flora

Flora leans conspiratorially toward Kaisel, lowering her voice into a stage whisper that barely conceals her delight. "Oh, Asta’s haunt can be terrifying when he wants it to be," she declares with dramatic emphasis, grin flashing toward the butcher as though she’s recalling every shadow-soaked trick he’s ever pulled. The compliment hums warm through the words, teasing and fond in equal measure.

A soft, exaggerated sound escapes her when Kai slides her hand off his hip—a little grumble muffled behind the rim of her glass—but she settles quickly, fingers intertwining with his instead. Their joined hands swing easily between them, buoyant with the same brightness that’s still fizzing through her veins.

When Kai mentions the ocean’s temperature, she glances up at him through her lashes, biting her lip like she’s fighting a smile that refuses to behave. The shrug that follows is shamelessly coquettish, her curls brushing his arm as she tilts her head toward Danta. "Maybe I could even ask Dygra about it," she muses, as if summoning the ancient's goddess to adjust the sea’s thermostat is a perfectly reasonable suggestion.

At Danta’s purr, though, Flora’s laughter spills out in a quick, sparkling rush, too tipsy to bother hiding her amusement, or worry about Kai reading between the lines as a faint heat creeps up her throat. "You’re terrible," she scolds, the word softened by laughter.

"Of course there's a hottub at Wildering House. And I’m sure the spirits can scare up a few bathing suits if you’d like to take a dip." Her grin turns sly as she adds, "Or not." The ambiguity hangs there as to whether she means or not about wearing bathing suits or using the hottub at all, airy and deliberate, before she throws her head back with another laugh, curls bouncing.

Looking toward Asta, she gestures playfully with her drink. "I think your antlers would make a stunning wine glass holder if you'd rather not be used for laundry."

I hope you're wetting your appetite, finding your way into someone's eyes
I hope you're dreaming in black and white, and seeing in colour

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Kaisel

With any luck, Asta might put on a show tonight for them, regaling them with all sorts of shadow displays. He might have asked outright for it if Flora's lean towards him didn't snare his attention, 'brows rising with fresh uncertainty at the low warning (?) she offers. It's spoken with a certain warmth to it, but terrifying doesn't exactly inspire the same image of entertainment he had in mind. Not that the grinning fleet at Asta's heels had been particularly whimsical, so perhaps it was always due to be a horror instead of a dark comedy. "Just like you," he murmurs back to her, and though she's no shadows to speak of, she's haunted and terrified him plenty still. Usually with erections and domestic battles, but the point remains.

With her complaint buried in her drink, he doesn't catch the grumble Flora lets loose, else he might have picked her up in apology for the offense of holding her hand. The lava sounds rather like the setting Flora puts on the shower, so he just nods along, because of course. "Oh! I'm gonna ask Dygra for my next quest, it was Charlie's idea," he chirps at the familiar offer of the name, overall unphased by the idea of heating the entire coastline for some friends. Seems reasonable enough to him. "Maybe you could ask her then," he offers easily enough, and the four (five, with Charlie) of them could all get together again in their neck of the woods.

Blissfully unaware of the innuendos sailing back and forth like a pro badminton match, not having even the slightest inkling that Flora had connected with them in more ways than friendship, he happily sips at his drink and marches along to the house, glancing back and forth with Flora's hand swinging merrily beside him.

Wanted me to fail out of spite, I didn't
All bark but they don't bite, they timid

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!