but i’m missing home

"please stop you're scaring me" i can't help this awful energy

god damn right, you should be scared of me

Still no signs, no information, and it’s beginning to show. He’s been in Lucas’ old place while working to open the bar, having already managed to get his hands on quite a bit of alcohol that likely won’t remain by the time it's time to open. He’d hoped to share the celebration with her, hoped to place his pet name beside her own for him along the name of the place.

And now he doesn’t know, now he’s unsure of what to even do. He knows dusk has fallen from the light filtering in, and he stands, swaying on his feet slightly as he lights some of the candles in the place to lighten it up. Haai has made a nest in the corner, a place he’s sectioned off for Melita and Fangorn eventually once it’s gotten to the point of fixing it up.

He just can’t find it in him to do anything other than pour another glass and settle along one of the couches. Waiting away, wasting away.

who is in control?

SUNJATA

HOTARU

She hadn't intended to seek him out initially, content with their predilection towards bumping into each other when fate desired. He's a delightful burst of spice in the normality of her life, a twist in the road that journeys onward. Hotaru doesn't exactly pay him no mind, but he certainly is in no way the most important person in her life. And so she doesn't expect to be here, standing outside a door she has never entered, rapping her knuckles against the frame. But after learning of his name, she had gone back to the Notice Board, and had hummed curiously to herself at the posted information there - a shift of Guild power, a lost lover, things she feels she needs to speak with Sunjata about.

From the outside she can see the glow of residence within, and clutches her jacket tighter at a persistent chill that cuts through the air. Hopes he will deign to let her in, lest she freeze her tits out here waiting for him to get off his ass and answer her questions.

please do me a favor and shut up

I wear heels bigger than your d*ck

_{Table Code by Sky!}

"please stop you're scaring me" i can't help this awful energy

god damn right, you should be scared of me

He doesn’t expect to get a knock on his door this late at night. But it could be information, or it could just be some sort of sick prank — a reminder of Lusea’s illusion magic. Gritting his teeth slightly, he downs the rest of the liquid sighing against the burn in his throat, before standing and swaying once more as he heads to the door.

One arm braces against the wall, the other opens the door to see Hotaru. But there’s no quip, no rogue smile that crosses his face. Only a glance before he steps aside to let her in. “You’ll freeze.” He offers by way of greeting, deciding she can close the door behind her.

who is in control?

SUNJATA

HOTARU

The door opens in short time, and though she's prepared for any kind of reaction from the man, she internally questions the darkness on his face as he leans against the door frame. His short words force a soft hum of acknowledgement from her throat, though she doesn't deign to give him anything more at the moment. When he steps away to give her room, she steps in and closes the door in one smooth motion. Summarily makes herself at home by following him to the couch he had clearly been occupying, and places herself on the opposing piece of furniture, legs crossing and eyes alighting upon the alcohol at the very bottom of his glass.

"Have enough to share?" She has a feeling they'll need it, especially with everything she wants to speak to him about tonight, but she'd not steal it from him if he needed to use it as some sort of crutch. If he needs to drown his sorrows tonight, in a way that she understands. Were he Deimos, Rexanna, any kind of family she would have sat beside him and let him fall into her, share his burden, but instead she can only share his drink.

please do me a favor and shut up

I wear heels bigger than your d*ck

_{Table Code by Sky!}

"please stop you're scaring me" i can't help this awful energy

god damn right, you should be scared of me

A hum of acknowledgement is good enough for him, and he makes his way back in where it’s warm, a fire crackling in the fireplace and Haai’s curious eyes watching from the makeshift nest in the corner. At her comment, however, he nods to her – pausing before reaching the couch to grab yet another glass and some of the strongest stuff he’s gotten his hands onto.

Bringing them all back to the table that splits them, he leans forward to pour her glass first, then to refill his own, leaving the bottle uncorked between them. Leaning back now to let his shadowed silver gaze linger on her he tilts his head slightly, fingers tracing the rim of the glass in idle curiosity. “So what brings you by Hotaru?” A question, uncertain why she’s come unless she has information, or if she’s come to share condolences.

He doesn't get his hopes up for the first.

who is in control?

SUNJATA

HOTARU

The clinking of glass, the thud of the each vessel set against wood, the crackling of the fireplace. It's all that accompanies them in their bubble of silence for a moment, and as she leans forward to grab her glass and sip at it - unwilling to forsake her sobriety so early in the night - she gazes upon his tired face. There's a lot there to unpack, much more that she's unwilling to touch. Hotaru is not the greatest at comfort, not with adults at least. So when he asks why she's there, though her mind goes to Lusea's missing status, she doesn't bring it up. Not yet.

"I hear you're the new Guildmaster of a little group here in the Grounds." Uncrossing her legs she leans forward, glass held between slim hands as they fall between her legs. A serious set to her beautiful face. "I want in. And I wanted to talk about...arrangements." First she needs a feel for how he's running the Guild, exactly what he's wanting out of its creation, and then perhaps she will unveil some of her plots to him.

please do me a favor and shut up

I wear heels bigger than your d*ck

_{Table Code by Sky!}

"please stop you're scaring me" i can't help this awful energy

god damn right, you should be scared of me

She catches his interest when she speaks, though it’s not for the reason he had hoped. A little mention of what’s now his guild, something of which he hadn’t thought much about since Lusea’s disappearance. Still, he gives a small nod, lifting the glass to sip from it and focus on the question at hand. She has an air about her that he trusts, and their banter had been well received every time they’d talked before.

He decides to tell her.

“The Devil’s Advocates.” He rumbles in his accented voice, unbuttoning his shirt some to relieve some heat. He sets the glass back down, eyes drifting to the bracelet on his wrist before he leans forward and focuses on her once more. “What kind of arrangements?” A quiet, solemn question. He won’t tell her more unless she asks, part of keeping it a secret unless she proves her interest, what wonders she might bring to their ranks.

who is in control?

SUNJATA

HOTARU

Hotaru leans back against the couch, pleased that he has at least revealed the name to her. She can't say he has nothing to fear from her - everyone should fear her in some way. But she likes him, appreciates his...type. The fact that he is the new master of this organization only further proves that he is the type she is willing to deal her hand to. She eyes him over the rim of her glass as she raises it to take another drink, a slow slide of her gaze up and down as he unbuttons his shirt, but Hotaru does not comment for once. She doubts it would be well-received with his beloved missing. She sets her glass down, relaxes back and folds her hands in her lap.

"Deimos and I ruled our kingdom for years in our previous land. The...tension here, to say the least, is exactly my kind of familiar territory from that time. Halo is untapped, untouched potential, and your organization seems the type to keep ears to the ground and plans out of mouths." Here she raises a delicate brow, as if to invite him to tell her she's wrong. She doubts she is, but if he has any complaints he'd better speak them now. "Deimos has warned me against this Zariah character, and I do not take his word lightly. I also think it's fair to say that Halo's appearance will only further shift the power dynamics of Caido. And I am very interested in getting my fingers in that." A bit of a smirk here, though not nearly so vibrant as she could manage. She is aware of the somber feel to the room. And though she does not want a crown any longer, Hotaru knows that striking first (even unseen, unnoticed, unknown) and establishing allies can turn the tide of any war. And she senses one on the horizon.

please do me a favor and shut up

I wear heels bigger than your d*ck

_{Table Code by Sky!}

"please stop you're scaring me" i can't help this awful energy

god damn right, you should be scared of me

He notices the eyes that skate across him as he unbuttons his shirt, but the two don’t comment on it. Instead, he leans forward to focus on her as she makes her grand reveal, listening and hanging onto the words and the thought process. And when she pauses, his head tilts but offers one nod in response. Indeed, that’s what it was. And he’s heard of Halo, wonders if Lusea had been captured in some way in the frosty territory.

He knows she wouldn’t go willingly at least. It’s too fucking cold for the Korofi warmth and humidity they’re used to.

Still, he waits for her to finish her claims, imagining the burly man when they had put together the shop for the woman before him and he nods once more. “I’ve met her recently. We used to work for her in a way when she was in power.” A quiet admission, a shrug of his tattooed shoulders. “She’d turn her head the other way and we’d do whatever we wanted, essentially.” But here, he pauses, because the reasons are vast for what they could accomplish, and a light somberish smile crosses his face at the hidden meaning. “Mmm, sounds exactly like what we might be interested in.” He rumbles, lifting the glass to his lips and sipping once more before he settles it back down.

“I’ve heard there’s land with an ocean as well. Perhaps we can get involved and find more of these portals to see what the world has to offer us.” A tilt to his head. Almost as if he’s curious if it’s spying she’s interested in, and if she wants to be his ear and eyes, well, he certainly couldn’t complain with that.

who is in control?

SUNJATA

HOTARU

Hotaru raises an intrigued eyebrow at the admission that they had once worked for Zariah, even if they had undermined her authority all the while. "Double crossing and duplicity often have their benefits with women like her," she says with a huff of a laugh. Oh, Hotaru may not have met Zariah yet, but she knows her type. Was often mistaken for such a character, which the valkyrie often used to her advantage.

"Finding the portals means siding in this dispute between religions, you realize. Are you prepared for the potential backlash? I have warred with gods, and it is not a light decision to make." The anonymous message on the Notice Board, the portal activation to Halo, the tensions and anti-Ascended sentiment...they are all dangerous waters to navigate. Hotaru will not climb aboard with someone afraid of some stormy weather. "It does not compare to the potential that these other sections of the continent may hold, in my opinion." Plus she'd always support Rexanna and her family, could never hate an entire race because a God simply said so. It was far too close to Helovia for comfort.

please do me a favor and shut up

I wear heels bigger than your d*ck

_{Table Code by Sky!}

"please stop you're scaring me" i can't help this awful energy

god damn right, you should be scared of me

Maybe he’s drunk, maybe he just appreciates the company aside from the quiet griffin still watching them in the corner, but he manages a half smile at her response and a nod of understanding before tipping the glass back once more. He’s not sure what glass he’s on now, but he knows it’s a lot, and his eyes narrow on her when she begins to mention it’s choosing a side in this inevitable war.

A serious tone to his voice, accent coming through thicker with his inebriation and straight forward thoughts. No flowery words to add in, no fun teasing. Just solid truths. “Don’t particularly care much about choosing sides. Both have flaws.” A brief pause when she tells him she’s warred with them. “And I’ve kissed Safrin.” A slight cheeky grin at that before it fades and his seriousness returns.

“Let’s get one thing straight. I want to get the most out of Caido, I want to see every speck of dirt this world has to offer. Sure, they might be gods but they can’t stop all of us. Not if they want to have people left to rule over, to guide, to use.” A tilt to his head somewhat avian in nature. “There will be a storm coming and I’m certain of that. But I have been called a flood and I will find a way to cover every inch of Caido if it brings her back to me.” And he will find a way, whether it does or doesn’t bring her back.

who is in control?

SUNJATA

HOTARU

Ah, so he's in big boy mode now huh? Hotaru settles back further into the couch, and though her smirk is as devilish as the rest of her, when she responds her tone is like ice. Cold, smooth, unblemished. "All sides, all things have flaws. Which makes them easy to pry open." A silent agreement that going against the grain, against the societal chain here constructed by gods and blindly devout followers alike, will not scare her away. In fact probably entices her a little too much. Though she does tilt her head back and laugh at the admittance he gives, eyes twinkling with mirth in the firelight. "That's certainly something to put on your headstone, lover boy." Or perhaps that says more about Safrin's low standards than his impeccable game.

Her hands come to idly play with her hair as he speaks, far from intimidated by his ferocity. "Then I suppose we understand each other." She unfurls her legs in a sharp motion, leans forward and catches him in her gaze. "I can provide you with certain amounts of intel if you tell me what you need. Otherwise, our first priority is amassing a tidal wave enough to threaten not only the power of the Citadel in Halo, but the worshipers here in the Grounds. Whether we play this into sentiment for the Ascended, or merely encourage the idea of unlocking the rest of the continent, we need fresh blood." Some may fall to the axe, but as Sunjata said - the Gods couldn't stop them all. And if they tried, if they wiped them out, it would only showcase the extent of their cruelty to those who follow them blindly. "And the more eyes we have, the more who can help you search for your beloved." Her voice softens almost imperceptibly here, understanding what he must be going through, having experienced it twice herself. Perhaps his ending will be happier than hers.

please do me a favor and shut up

I wear heels bigger than your d*ck

_{Table Code by Sky!}

"please stop you're scaring me" i can't help this awful energy

god damn right, you should be scared of me

He watches her lean back against the couch, hearing the coldness of her voice and appreciating it all the same. But he doesn’t comment on it, instead he tilts the bottle to her in silent agreement, a silent cheer before he fills his glass once more. Her laugh, however, catches his gaze, sparking another small smile to cross across his face. “I’ve heard that before.” Not here, not in Caido, but far away from here.

Still, she plays the game, and she plays it incredibly well. Reminds him immensely of Lusea and it starts to hurt slightly deep within – until she catches him in that dualtoned gaze of hers, sharp and vibrant, and he watches her offer spill from full lips. A slow, bigger smile crosses his face at her offer but he doesn’t respond, instead he manages to break his gaze away, lifting his glass and standing to step around where she sits, to lean against the back of her section of the couch with the glass in hand.

His free hand reaches to brush his index finger along her cheek while his head rests along the other side of her, amusement and some surprise lingering in his tone. “Then we are agreed.” He offers, reaching forward to clink his glass against hers. “Welcome to the club, we’ll get you well acquainted.” Before stepping back and beckoning her to follow him through the back of the home, toward the entrance of the Advocates.

who is in control?

SUNJATA

HOTARU

"Then you'll have quite the list of accomplishments read out in your eulogy I'm sure," she teases, just a little, just enough to respond to that which he has already given her. Letting him guide where the tone of the conversation goes, aware that he is likely the one who needs that kind of control right now.

He breaks from her gaze, and she smiles softly, leans back into the couch and tracks his motions with her eyes. Doesn't move as he circles around behind her, lips twitching into a coy smile, aware of just where this little game is going. She leans subtly into the touch to her cheek, gazing at him from the side of her eyes as her mouth curls farther, lifting her glass to join against his in a satisfying clink of sound. And then turns - in a way that, from somebody else would seem accidental - to look at him fully, brushing her lips against the side of his hand. Smiles innocently, though her eyes gleam in the half-light.

"No fun, secret initiation?" she purrs as she stands in one graceful motion, draining the rest of her glass and setting it on the table before she follows him deeper into the house.

please do me a favor and shut up

I wear heels bigger than your d*ck

_{Table Code by Sky!}