my bones are caving in

KIADA i wish that i could say, i am a light that never goes out. The conversation… Attack on Korbin had not gone far. Had hardly made any sense, but at least she’d alleviated some of her frustrations, her anger. Her knuckles are red and bruised slightly but in the grand scheme of things, she’d had much worse. Auni walks alongside her on her heels, his eyes peeled for Chulane as are Kiada’s, slipping through the people that have formed as a get together, before she departs the small makeshift party for the space they were staying in. Mostly to wash her hands and try to alleviate some of the growing dull ache of pain within her joints. “Go get him.” She chimes to Auni, prodding the Luxere with a nod and a mental push, though Auni doesn’t need one – knowing that at the end of the line there’d be treats, and who didn’t love that? Kiada washes her hands easily, then finds her way to the bed to sit on it and run a hand through her dark hair, pulling out the braid that’d become a mess and finger combs it as she waits. but i flicker from time to time.

It's in the stars
it's been written in the scars on our hearts

After having told Kia what he needed to tell her about everything between himself and Korbin, he had then gone to Morgan. Fully prepared to hand it all back, to only ever call himself 'Chief of Agriculture for a just over a week in Halo'. To give in to Korbin, to the boy's harsh words and accusations, to be the worthless pile of shit that the boy was so clearly convinced he was.

But after his conversations, first with Kia, and then Morgan, he wandered back towards his room with a slightly less morose step - with his shoulders not so hunched, his resolve to follow through with his original plans restored. He was maybe a bit more reserved than before - fewer easy smiles jumping to his lips, his eyes not seeking contact with those he passes in the halls, his thoughts shifting between guilt and a strange sense of regret (though over which he could not define), but also something more optimistic.

He was heading 'home' to Kia, after all. He always looked forward to that.

So when he saw the softly glowing antlers of Auni in the hallway ahead, he let the smile that wanted to break out over his face indeed break out across his lips, as he squatted down to greet the luxere, hand automatically going to a pocket to fetch a treat for him. He had made a point to cook up Auni-diet-friendly treats, so that his giving them constantly wouldn't result in the little deerling from becoming overweight, or otherwise ill. Auni seemed to like them all the same, at least.

A soft bleat after the treats were consumed and Auni was leading him home - Chuy was glad to follow him.

He entered the room and immediately had his eyes looking for her, finding her upon their bed, her hands running through the dark locks that run along her back. He is a different man to the one who left earlier, his anxiety still present but far more settled, his mind refreshed, if still physically tired from general lack of sleep. "Hey," he greeted her warmly, shutting the door and moving in a few long strides across the room to her.

He sat down on the bed beside her, close, moving an arm around her waist to pull her into a one-handed embrace, pressing a kiss to her temple (or lips, if they happen to be in the way). It was a chance glance that had his gaze land on the back of her hand, spying the redness and slightly swelling there. He moved his own hand to reach for it, to gently hold it, a question behind his gaze as he lifted it to her own icy blue pools. "I feel like something more interesting happened to you since we last departed ways."

That we're not broken just bent
and we can learn to love again

CHULANE

KIADA i wish that i could say, i am a light that never goes out. The Luxere spots Chulane, not too far away from where he’d been exploring in his search. And then, as Chulane kneels before him and offers the homemade treat, Auni’s little tail begins to wag, excited and pleased to have the present at the end of the line. But of course, they’re not home yet, and so he turns on his hooves easily – trotting down the hallways alongside Chulane until their room is before they both enter and Auni moves straight for his bed to plop down onto. Kiada’s attention flickers up to Chulane, noticing the lines of worry that seem a bit more smoothed out, a soft smile crossing her face in greeting as he goes to sit beside her. And her hands drop from her braid, leaning into the touch softly, wrapping her own around him to hug him close as well, pressing her temple into the kiss gently. But then she’s settled again, his question aired, and she can’t help the way she tilts her head this way and that, as if she’s offering an ‘ehhh’ sort of response, before her gaze flickers to Chuy. “I punched Korbin a couple of times.” She says rather bluntly, shoulders rising and falling in a shrug, before her gaze drops to the swollen joints in her knuckles. but i flicker from time to time.

It's in the stars
it's been written in the scars on our hearts

"You… punched Korbin."

He repeated the words slowly, almost afraid to confirm them. His immediate response, any other time, might have been to ask her if the boy was OK, if she was OK, and then to try and explain that she should not have done that - but today, when his anxiety had been on a rollercoaster ride and he was in a hazy afterglow of coming back down from a rocky high?

He laughed.

It was an ugly sort of snort at first, as he tried to rein it in, to hold it back. But the laugh burst out through his lips anyway, because it was so ridiculous, the whole idea of it, of everything that had happened today. He was laughing, far more hearty than the chuckles that usually rumble through his chest, tears pressing against his shut eyelids as he just tried to make sense of it all.

He didn't know how long he laughed for, but it felt good to just let it out, to wipe the tears from his eyes and to press another kiss against her temple, giving her waist another squeeze as he calmed down again.

"I'm sorry - I probably shouldn't be laughing," he said when he caught his breath again. "But I think I'm mostly jealous about the fact that I can't hit for shit." He takes another breath, and moves to gently hold her bruised hand in his again, looking at it more closely this time.

"Are you alright? Is… you didn't hurt him too bad, right?" Because despite everything, Chuy didn't want to see the boy hurt.

That we're not broken just bent
and we can learn to love again

CHULANE

KIADA i wish that i could say, i am a light that never goes out. “I did.” She replies easily, confidently, letting her gaze flicker back up from her bruised knuckles to his face as she smiles softly when he begins to laugh. And it’s an intense laugh, one that surprises her, sure she’d probably get some sort of chiding for ‘causing trouble’ when she knew that Chulane just wanted what was best for Korbin. Kiada, on the other hand, had a bit too much of a blood lust and was quite prone to the cravings of revenge and justice – regardless of who were in the right. But that’s beside the point, she finds his laughter bold and vibrant, contagious as were most of his emotions she was around. And she can’t help but to let herself let go a bit, snickering and giggling along with him as she calms when he does. Though the smile lingers on her face as her shoulders rise and fall in a shrug at his apology. “I thought it was funny at the time.” At least when the first punch landed, all attempts to wipe the sneer from his face. “Well, your trainer absolutely thinks you need to practice a bit more.” She teases easily, flashing a wink his way before he’s inspecting her hand and she lets him take it, move it wherever he wished to get a better view. “I’m fine.” She tells him, letting her gaze scan his face. “I only punched him twice. Once to the chest and I did split his lip I think.” Her lips purse slightly as she thinks on it. “He’ll be fine. Didn’t stop him from talking.” She shrugs, rolling her eyes slightly before sighing. but i flicker from time to time.

It's in the stars
it's been written in the scars on our hearts

He felt like a bit of a dickhead for laughing, but then, it was a bit of a laugh-or-else-you'll-cry time. At least his method of coping was to laugh, instead of lash out with anger or malice - they all knew how well that went.

He checks her hand closely, brows frowning and lips pursing as he carefully assessed the damage. He hoped she hadn't fractured the fourth or fifth metacarpals - such injuries were common in boxers who punched with poor technique. But then, he also had faith that the woman he loved could kick arse without injuring herself. "Let me know if a particular area hurts more than the rest," he instructed as he brought his other hand up to very gently palpate hers, to explore and poke and prod, to ensure the bones beneath the surface bruising were not damaged as well.

Satisfied that she had not sustained serious injury, he lifted her fingers to his lips for a feather-light kiss, before smiling and letting her have her hand back. She had already washed it, and while it might need icing to help with the swelling, in Halo, a cold water wash every hour or so worked almost as well. "As a member of the cabinet, I'm probably meant to disapprove of all this more. But… I don't think I can summon the effort."

He stretched his arms upwards, before falling back onto their bed, bunching up a blanket behind his head so he could view her still. Idly, because she was within his reach, he let a hand gently run along her back, across her shoulder blades.

A small frown pulled at his features again, as conversation inevitably returned to that subject. It was something he was keen to never talk about again, but he knew he'd have to. May as well get it over with. "Did he have anything new to say?" Lord knows they had heard a lot of it before, though the boy's latest narrative of all outlanders are evil and determined to bring ruin to Halo was a relative fresh spin on the otherwise repetitive woe is me talk.

That we're not broken just bent
and we can learn to love again

CHULANE

KIADA i wish that i could say, i am a light that never goes out. “I will.” She tells him easily, confirming that she absolutely would let him know. She was a fighter, but she wasn’t above admitting that something was wrong within her when it was. Helped you heal faster, helped you move on and kick ass better. So she smiles softly as he inspects, the smile faltering only slightly as he presses lightly along her knuckles. Nothing more than the typical bruising as far as she can tell – but she’s no healer, never had been. Attempted to as a child… But that only lasted about as well as everything else did. When he was satisfied, she runs her thumb along his stubbled jaw as he presses a soft kiss to her fingers, before her hand falls into her lap again and she’s shifting to better view him, pulling a leg up and tucking it up underneath her as he flops back onto the bed. “You’ve been through a lot today.” She chimes with a small laugh, not wanting anything else to be added onto it. At least, hopefully, Korbin would stay out of it just as much as they would too. And then? Then she’s leaning into the touch he gives her on her shoulders, along her spine, practically purring beneath the attention – distracted only by the words that leave Chulane’s lips. “Mmm, no. Same old same, really.” She hums, shoulders rising and falling in a shrug before she’s shifting to lay along the bed, on her stomach beside him and moving an arm to trace along his chest and ribs. “I thought the Grounds natives were bad when we started showing up more… Korbin seems worse than them. I don’t know if it’s just the fact we’re stuck here without a breath of fresh air, but… It’s exhausting.” She sighs, dropping and pressing her cheek to the blankets. but i flicker from time to time.

It's in the stars
it's been written in the scars on our hearts

He huffed a small laugh as her rung out after her comment on what a day he's had. A day that started so innocent - him just trying to find some peace in a quiet room, before giving the boy the option of lingering for a conversation - things basically devolved from there.

Chuy knew it wasn't just that. He was tired, and yet wired, at the same time. Having movement restricted to one building was hell, and everyone was bound to lash out at some point, to adversely effect those they were in such close quarters with either directly or indirectly, through actions or inaction that were intentional or not - there was no real way to come out victorious under such stressful circumstances, but he would do his best.

"I feel a bit… silly. Looking back, letting him convince me…" Letting him convince me that I am the monster he seems to want me to be, came the unspoken thoughts. He shook his head slightly. "Talking with you, and Morgan, helped. A lot. I know the farm can work, but I also know that it will take the whole region working together to get anywhere with it."

He moved himself slightly to ensure she had room to lay beside him, rolling up onto his side, kicking his shoes off - shuffling closer so that they were laying close all along their bodies. He listened, nodding in agreement, silently amused that her words aligned so closely with his thoughts on the matter. "Being cut off from the world when Deepfrost cut off the portal, and then this… I'm surprised worse hasn't happened, to be honest."

Broad shoulders lifted and fell in a shrug. "It is exhausting." He repeated, confirming her words. One of his hands was bent under his own head, as he leaned upon it, his lazy gaze just looking at her, his expression softer than it had been for some time this Longnight. The other hand rested lightly on her waist, his thumb drawing idle circles on the cloth that separated him from her. He could've said more, could've tried to keep the discussion going - but he was done with it, out of things to say on it, happy to just lay here, with her.

That we're not broken just bent
and we can learn to love again

CHULANE

KIADA i wish that i could say, i am a light that never goes out. He speaks, and she listens with everything she has – the tether to what’s happened today aside from talks and fists flying and shouting matches. It’s easy to offer him a soft smile paired with a nod, a small shrug of her shoulders as if it didn’t mean or cause her much trouble to do such a thing. It hadn’t, not really, not as she’d do anything she could to make sure that he was happy and content. That was the least she could do after his easy acceptance of her with all of her flaws and everything else. So her hand continues it’s idle roaming along his chest, her legs lifting behind her and tangling with one another as she props her head up on her other hand, her eyes softening as she flickers her attention between her hand and his face. “I know you can do it, Chuy.” She reassures him, a soft smile sent his way – refusing to think of the fact he was part of the council here now and she would have to return back home to the Grounds. That’s a topic for later, when the portals don’t ensure that they remain behind the icy walls of the Arcane Academy. “I’m surprised too.” She chimes, moving slightly before she mentions its exhausting to his easy agreement, her arm moving from propping her head to let her cheek fall to the blankets, tucking that arm underneath her with a soft sigh. “But I’m glad you’re here and fine, and that you don't have another concussion.” She murmurs, somewhat blocked by the blankets, moving her hand to poke him in the side easily. but i flicker from time to time.

It's in the stars
it's been written in the scars on our hearts

They were similar in that both of them kept procrastinating that talk. It was definitely one to happen when the portal was accessible again, but Chuy was under some (perhaps false) impression that they would maintain regular in-person contact despite living in separate regions - the portal was convenient, after all.

Besides, they had a date at Torchline planned.

"Hey," he squirmed as she poked at him, letting it summon another chuckle from his chest. Then he was responding - sleep had been a rarity for him since the sun set on the last day before Longnight, and though he was tired, he was still far too wired to let her land such blows against him unanswered. Shifting his body and gently pushing against her hip with his hand, he made to essentially roll her onto her back, with himself draped over her.

"No need to bring that one time up," he murmured softly, shifting himself up to his elbows, his hands either side of her head, fighting against the urge to fall onto her lips with a kiss, and winning out - there was something else he has thoughts of doing. Moving his legs so that they straddled her instead of crushed her, he 'hmm'ed softly.

"Wanna know just how fine I am?" He asked with an overly dramatic tilting of his brows, a playful smirk on his lips, and an extremely suggestive tone to his voice.

That we're not broken just bent
and we can learn to love again

CHULANE

KIADA i wish that i could say, i am a light that never goes out. “Hey.” He says as he squirms, and Kiada smirks against the blankets with her easily landed attack – guarding herself a small amount as she keeps her attention trained on him, her hand withdrawing from his chest and his side to tuck back under herself. But his hand is at her hip and as he begins to move, it’s easy for him to convince her to roll over onto her back, peering up into iceberg eyes that matched hers remarkably well. A dark brow raises with all the mischief she can manage, the smirk remaining on her face. “Oh, I’ll be bringing it up a lot, actually.” She comments in a matter-of-fact tone, a calculating look to her eye. Yeah, she plans on bringing it up when they begin their training again – positive that it’ll work for getting him to learn and retain some of the things she’ll teach him. But it seems like he has other plans, and her head lifts a small amount, smirk growing on her face as she shifts herself a bit easier beneath him, her arms lifting to rest one hand at his neck, the other to drag up through his dark hair. His question perks her interest, though she’s positive she knows where it’ll end. It’s still a game at this point, though, and she tilts her head a small amount as she lets her tongue drag along her lower lip, considering him. “How fine are you?” She purrs back to him easily, wiggling her hips a bit beneath him, letting her amusement drift down the attuned bond toward him. but i flicker from time to time.

It's in the stars
it's been written in the scars on our hearts

He groaned quite dramatically when she mentions that she'll bring it up frequently, but ultimately he does know it'll be so he can work to never be in that type of situation again. So he smiles and gives a playful wink to her as well, hoping to convey his understanding and appreciation for taking her training seriously. He did too - but right now, his mind was… elsewhere.

"Well," he began, unashamed at the reaction his body had when her hips moved and wiggled and inevitably pressed against him, letting his own hips rock and press low against her in return. "I'd say I'm far finer than you are currently, you see, for I do not carry an injury."

He spoke playfully, leaning into the role of overly dramatic lecturer, letting his expression transform with his words as well, hoping to summon laughter, amongst other things from her this evening. "I think you're due for a full body exam, Cupcake, to ensure I have not missed anything in my initial assessments of your injuries." he posed the suggestion with a gentle tracing of his finger along her cheek and jawline, taking his time to draw out the game as long as she would let him.

That we're not broken just bent
and we can learn to love again

CHULANE

KIADA i wish that i could say, i am a light that never goes out. Her attention is entirely focused on him, giving him everything that she can while he hovers above her, her hands tangled in his hair and along his neck – wiggling her hips beneath his. And when he begins to speak, pressing his hips against hers in a slow rock, there’s a sharp inhale of breath and a small upward tilt of her head. “I guess that’s fair.” She murmurs, snorting lightly in response. Sure, Chulane didn’t have anything physically wrong with him, not like the bruising to her knuckles. But she was overall fine, and in a very good mood all things considered. Especially as his expression shifts and changes, and she laughs lightly at the nickname, at the implications. Her hands roam through his hair until her fingers tap along the back of his head through the dark curls, tilting her head a small amount into the gentle tracing touch. “Hmm, well… I suppose if the doctor insists.” She hums with a small smirk beginning to form along her lips. A slight arch of her back has her drawing herself a bit closer toward him, holding her breath a brief second. “Where would you like to begin?” She asks, mimicking his dramatic tone, as if there’s something very much wrong that needed to be checked, brows furrowing together in feigned concern. but i flicker from time to time.

It's in the stars
it's been written in the scars on our hearts

"He does insist," soft words croon out in response to hers, as his own head tilted slightly lower, slightly closer, his expression still somewhat goofy and overly dramatic, but now softened with a knowing huskiness. When her form arches and presses against his, he almost abandons the play-act, as he leans back down against her, reciprocating the pressure (feeling it already begin to swell, to pool in that area about his loins, ready and responding to her always). But their clothing separates them still, and he finds restraint and lifts himself back up slightly as her words play back at him.

"Hmm, I seem to recall a matter of a toothache the other night - best check on that again first." His hips sink lower again, his form melding along hers as he leans in close all along her own body, before rocking his hips slightly to generate some friction between their rather intimate proximities. All the while, he was gently tracing her jawline with his thumb, his own face coming closer still - until he couldn't resist any longer, seeking out her mouth with his, to lose himself in a kiss, his hands slipping to support her behind her head, to tangle in her locks.

That we're not broken just bent
and we can learn to love again

CHULANE