This is an indie Nymeria rp blog, not affiliated with infold... just a space for fun, chaos, and the occasional emotional damage. Itâs my MC blog, so expect random jumpscares, weird posts, and maybe too much commitment to the bit. Both mun and muse are 21+, and munâs hanging out in the CET timezone. This blogâs semi-selectiveâI write when the muse bites. Open to anons, ocs, mcs, and other lads blogs. Come say hi, lurk, or drop chaos in the inbox. All good.
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May I have this dance? Ur first Ur last and forever after? My everlasting partner, as 2 stars intertwined above we will always be bound. 2day is the day Ill wish upon my star, and hope her shine as brightly as she does. I asked all the stars to double ur wishes 2day, so we can ask for all U can think of one by one.
Xavier descends a grand stairwell, grinning in anticipation when he catches her hand at the bottom and spins her up into his arms, her dress twirling around both of them. Heâd found a local henna artist a few days prior, and when she protested he continued to âaccidentallyâ send her pictures of couples henna.
[Itâs for auspicious occasions, send her this one with flowers and stars designs l8r.]
[Oh sry sent that 2 u instead of myself by accident]
[But u know which her Im referring to]
[Right?]
Now he wears it proudly, grinning and admiring it every time he gets a glimpse of his and hers, like heâd been given a piece of her to wear of his own. It peaks through his sleeves while he twirls her around the room. Although he doesnât mind if she steps on his feet, he lifts and spins with her so she has little effort to put in while a piano song heâd composed plays in the background. The music shifts into a more upbeat track where they can let loose and be whimsical, for the whole grandiose ballroom was just for them and them alone.
When they tire he bows and lifts her bridal style intending to take her up swirling staircase adorned in florals, not mentioning itâs to prevent her from tripping.
âHold on tightly.â He says, and kisses her forehead before the floor falls away while his evol swiftly takes them up to the top floor in an instant. Setting her down, he opens the rooftop floor and opens it to a cozy rooftop setup. Decorative pillows strewn about soft ornate rugs in purple hues while purple roses and sunflowers fill vases lit by lights and candlelights. A few old movies of her favorites await on standby with treats and snacks set at tray tables.
He wraps a fuzzy blanket around her shoulders then bends down to her feet and slips off her shoes to swap her shoes for slippers, lips kissing at her ankles adorned with jewels.
âAll your favorite things are here, tonight is yours alone for the taking. As for me? Yes, I already belong wholly to you and you alone. With each passing year, my love for you grows and abounds. Happy birthday, my Nymeria.â
The grand staircase draped in ivory roses and fresh greenery. The warmth of candlelight dancing across polished marble. The rooftop transformed into something straight out of an old romance film, every tiny detail carefully chosen with her in mind. The familiar scents mingled with the sweetness of fresh flowers, purple roses nestled amongst bright sunflowers, her favorite snacks already waiting, old movies queued in anticipation, soft blankets and plush cushions arranged exactly the way she liked them.
Every single detail whispered the same thing.
He had remembered. Not because she had reminded him.
Simply because... he knew her.
Her fingers instinctively tightened around his hand as her gaze wandered over the rooftop once more before settling back on him. Even after everything they had faced together, after every impossible mission and quiet morning, Xavier still somehow found new ways to leave her utterly speechless.
"...You..." she laughed softly, her voice wobbling with emotion she was trying and failing to contain. "Xavier... You're an absolute menace."
The corners of her eyes burned. She hated crying. Especially on birthdays and especially in front of him because he saw right through her act every single time. A watery laugh escaped her.
"I should've known."
Her gaze drifted downward as he knelt before her, gently slipping off her heels with the same tenderness he seemed to pour into everything he did. When his lips brushed against the jeweled chain around her ankle, she instinctively reached forward, brushing silver strands away from his forehead with a touch so gentle it almost wasn't there.
"...You know..." she murmured, "...I don't think anyone has ever made me feel this loved before."
The confession left her lips before she could stop it. Her smile faltered for only a heartbeat.
Then, without another word, she cupped his face between both hands and leaned forward until their foreheads rested together, her nose brushing his ever so lightly.
"You've always looked at the stars," she whispered. "I've always loved watching them with you." A tiny laugh escaped her.
"But somewhere along the way...my favorite one started looking back."
She stole a soft kiss from him before he could recover, smiling against his lips.
First of all, before you disappear later tonight because a certain silver-haired Hunter has undoubtedly already claimed part of your schedule, let me just say. ..
I am ridiculously grateful you were born.
I know, I know. Mushy. Gross. Don't get used to it.
This year has been brighter because of you. You've been there through the good days, the bad days, the "I need tea and emotional support immediately" days, and the days where all I wanted was to collapse on a couch and complain about life. Thank you for being my friend, for listening, for caring, and for somehow making the world feel a little softer just by existing in it.
The flowers are from Philo, by the way... Obviously. Hehe. I considered making Jeremiah personally deliver them, but I figured you've suffered enough from my florist-related nonsense and Jeremiah said he didn't want to wake the kraken by giving you flowers himself, whatever that means...
Apollo has not been forgotten either. There are cat treats included because I know who the real ruler of that apartment is.
As for the presents...
The glass-blown strawberry (made by yours truly), bunny and fox plushies, and the self-care kit are there to keep you occupied until Xavier inevitably steals you away for the evening. Think of them as Delia enrichment activities.
I am still mildly offended that you have birthday plans with your boyfriend and not me.
But... I will allow it.
Because this weekend, when Miki gets back from Skyhaven, I am officially claiming both of you for a girls' day out with the gang. We are going to spend time together, eat something unhealthy, and probably acquire things none of us need.
Thank you for being you, Daydreamer.
I love you very much, and I hope today is filled with happiness, love, laughter, and all the good things you deserve.
Now go enjoy your birthday before I show up and make it Xavier's problem.
Crimson eyes flash with amusement at her reaction. Every detail, every expression, and intonation of her voice something to capture. Treasures to hoard, to keep. To remember.
"It's a perfectly reasonable name, better than Sylus Jr." He pushes with a quirk of his lips, just because he can. Brows rising in amusement at her explanation. "I see..."
He reaches for her wrist, thumb swiping softly over the back of her hand. Once, twice.
"First, it's my height. Now it's my weird nickname agenda." Mirth rumbles with each word he whispers, as he peers into her eyes. The afternoon light dances with the gold in them, jewels just visible under the sea waves. "Sweetie, do you have a secret list of complaints you'd like to run by me?"
Nymeriaâs brows lifted slowly as she stared at him, utterly unconvinced by the innocence in his tone.
âOh, I absolutely have a list,â she replied dryly, though the corners of her lips betrayed her amusement. Her fingers curled loosely around his wrist where he held her, thumb brushing once over his knuckles in retaliation for the way heâd been tracing circles against her skin.
âLetâs seeâŠâ she mused dramatically, tilting her head as though genuinely considering it. âYouâre too tall, smug far too often, and somehow manage to make every nickname sound like a threat and flirting at the same time.â
Her gaze flicked up to meet his crimson eyes, warm despite the teasing. âAnd now,â she added softly, âyou keep looking at me like that. Which is honestly becoming a very serious problem for my ability to think properly.â
A beat passed before she leaned closer, close enough for her voice to dip. âBut if Iâm being fairâŠâ her lips curved faintly, âI think Iâm a little too fond of your weird nickname agenda to file an official complaint, Sweetie.â
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Nym leaned casually against the doorway, arms crossed and a far too-innocent smile playing on her lips as she watched Xavier go about his business.
âHey, Xavier?â she said sweetly, tilting her head. âQuick question. Totally hypothetical.â
She pushed off the wall and stepped closer, eyes glinting with mischief.
âLetâs say you have 1,000 Linkon gold. Your ex borrows 400, and I borrow 200.â She paused, just long enough to be suspicious.
âHow much would you have left?â
Her smile widened, slow, sly, and unmistakably a trap.
His eyes caught hers, first enamored by her voice, her frame, the elegance in her mere existence before revisiting what she was saying. He'd like to think he hadn't missed a word, but it was a battle to find the first few after he'd been mesmerized by her presence.
By the tone alone, he knew it was some kind of ridiculous hypothetical âagainâ that he knew brought her a whimsical amount of joy. It bought him some small amount of joy too, to watch her react as well.
One word stopped him in his tracks, and without missing a beat he replied,
"I would have 400 left to divide amongst A-V-I-E and R, which gives them about 80 each. Greedy that X. Don't worry. I'll tell him to give it all to you as punishment."
Nymeria's brain visibly tried to catch up with what heâd just doneâhow heâd twisted the question, slipped through the trap, and somehow turned it back around so smoothly it barely even felt like a dodge.
For a second, she just stared at him.
Then her eyes narrowed, a slow grin spreading across her face.
ââŠYou sneaky littleââ
A soft laugh escaped her as she stepped in, looping an arm around him and giving his side a light squeeze, shaking her head in disbelief.
âI canât believe you just did that,â she muttered, though there was clear admiration in her voice. âI set that up perfectly and you justââ she gestured vaguely, ââwalked right out of it like it was nothing.â
She tilted her head up at him, eyes glinting.
âYou passed,â she declared, tapping his chest lightly. âIn flying colors. Iâm a little proud of you. Donât let it get to your head.â
Nym hovered near the worktable, pretending to be very invested in a stray petal while Jeremiah carefully arranged the flowers, sleeves rolled up, hands steady and precise.
She waited. Counted three heartbeats.
âSo,â she said lightly, tilting her head like she was just making conversation, âhypothetical question.â
She picked up a loose stem, twirling it between her fingers as she glanced at him through her lashes.
âLetâs say you have 1,000 Linkon gold. Your ex borrows 400.â A pause. âAnd I borrow 200.â
She smiled, sweet and absolutely not innocent.
âHow much would you have left?â
"400." Jeremiah said, precisely, non-chalantly, and without thought. Any thought. Head empty except for the count he was on already. Multi-tasking and Jeremiah didn't exactly fit in the same sentence. He was a man of very many talents, and very technically precise, which had brought him success. But thinking things through? That was Xavier's job. Jeremiah had heard a math problem, not a psychological equation, and he'd answered as such.
"That does it for the roses and- Wait, why are you looking at me like that? Am I bleeding again? No? Wait, do you need gold?"
Her face went completely blank for a second as she processed the very confident, very immediate answer.
ââŠ400,â she repeated slowly, like maybe if she said it back, it would somehow fix itself.
It did not.
She felt her soul leave her body just a little. She should be a top contender in 'Play stupid games, win stupid prizes'.
Then she turned her head away with a dramatic little huff, lips pressing into a pout as she crossed her arms. âNo reason,â she said, way too quickly. âIt was just a question.â
She stared very intently at a nearby plant like it had personally wronged her. âAnd no, I donât need gold. I have my own gold. Plenty of gold. So much gold. Gold for days.â
Then, under her breathâjust loud enough for him to hear,
ââŠSo youâd give money to your ex?â
Her nose scrunched, still refusing to look at him, fully aware she had just played herself in the dumbest way possible.
The second she heard the news she was rushing through the streets towards the familiar apartment complex, whether Nym was there or not it didn't matter. The better part of an hour later and an armful of purple tulips, skin care kits, and snacks later; Delia knocks on the door twice, softly. She pulls out her phone for good measure.
-> nym (â„_â„)
-> captain jenna said your mission is over
-> are you home? if not I will leave something at the entrance for you to find later...
- @xaviersknight
nym -> delia
[Message sent 7:33 pm]
đ± You better not leave that doorstep without seeing me.
đ± Iâm home.
đ± Finally.
đ± I am so overdue for some Delia time.
A moment later, thereâs the sound of hurried footsteps from inside the apartment, and then the door swings open. Nymâs hair still damp from a quick shower, loose and half-tucked behind one ear. Sheâs wearing an oversized shirt and the softest grin that only gets wider when she sees Delia standing there, arms full of gifts.
âDeliaâŠâ she breathes out, relief and warmth mixing in her voice as she immediately pulls her into a hug before the other woman can even react. âYou have no idea how happy I am to see you right now.â
She tugs her gently inside. âNow get in here before I start crying like a loser in the hallway.â
Delia's heart squeezes at her words, and she instinctively reaches out to take her hand, mirroring the quiet, lonely smile on Nym. "Well, it was definitely too quiet without you."
She squeezes Nym's hand gently, before conceding her retreat, a more genuine smile on her face when she sees the mischief in her friend's eyes.
"Hmm... I think Star cried about two times over being bored to tears without you," She starts counting on her fingers as she rattles on. "Miki, to no one's surprise, has taken more projects and missions on her plate than she should and missed you dearly. I think... that colonel of hers might've done something right for once but she wants to tell us all at the same time? And..."
She gets up and reaches for the tulips, looking around the room before she clears her throat. "Where do you keep your vases? Let me make these pretty for you."
Nymâs fingers curled instinctively around Deliaâs, giving her hand a grateful squeeze, one that lingered longer than she meant it to. Deliaâs warmth, her voice, her presence⊠it all melted something tight in Nymâs chest she didnât even know sheâd been holding.
But then the gossip started flowing, and Nym perked up like someone had flipped a switch.
âStar cried twice? Oh my gods, dramatic queen,â Nym snorted, shaking her head fondly. âTell meâtell meâdid she finally stop being a gremlin and sheâs now dating Dr. Zayne? Or is she still doing that thing where she stares at him for twenty minutes and then denies everything like weâre the delusional ones?â
She followed Deliaâs movement toward the tulips, pushing herself off the couch with a soft grunt and padding toward the kitchen. She opened a cupboard, pulled out a glass vase with a little flourish, and held it out proudly.
âHere. My fancy vase. Donât judge, itâs the only one that survived my last cleaning spree.â
But then she backtracked to Mikiâs name.
And Caleb.
Nym froze mid-step, whipping around with the biggest grin.
âWait. WAIT.â
She leaned in close, eyes wide.
âMiki and Calebâare they a thing? Please tell me theyâre a thing.â
Then her grin turned downright feral.
âAnd PLEASE tell me you gave him the shovel talk. With details. Did you threaten him? Did you mention the associationâs cremation rate? Did youââ
She clasped her hands dramatically beneath her chin.
ââtell him that if he breaks her heart, you wonât be the only one who sets him on fire?â
She whispered, half teasing, half genuinely invested. âI need to know our girl is protected. Heâs sweet, yeah, sureâbut heâs still a colonel. With a gun. And too many muscles. And a serious case of âIâll suffer silently before I communicateâ syndrome.â
Delia watches the mischief return to Nym's eyes and a part of her breathes a sigh of relief. Chisme can be a good distraction. She giggles, amused.
"Hmm... no? For someone so straightforward Star still seems ready to eat her arm instead of admitting to anything." She takes the vase gratefully, moves to fill it with water and to place the flowers as she continues. Makes a mental note for a possible vase as a gift. "Sorry if I uh- walk around like I own the place, but a little bird once told me it was good to help with flower care when you gift them."
The questions about Caleb make her laugh, almost splashing water on herself.
"Of course I did, he probably thinks I hate him...." She pauses. If there's anything she's learned is that appearances are tricky things, and Caleb seems a little too adept at using his charm. "And yes... he ahould be aware that he's got a whole team to deal with if he ever hurts her."
She sets the vase on the counter, moving the flowers around to truly bring out the purple.
"But for better or for worse, he does seem to make Miki happy... Uh, sometimes. I think they might be a thing now? I'm not sure." She turns towards Nym then, offers her a smile. "I like seeing you with energy, but I think I know someone else who tends to bottle things up and suffer in silence before communicating so... I'll remind you I'm here too."
Nym let out a sharp laugh at that, dropping back against the counter and throwing an arm over her eyes.
âOh my god, sheâs still doing that?â she groaned. âStar, queen of confidence, slayer of wanderers, but can't be honest with her doctor about how she really feels about him.â She peeked out from under her arm, grinning. âIâm giving it two weeks before she either confesses or explodes. No in-between.â
Her gaze followed Delia as she moved around the kitchen like sheâd always belonged there, arranging the flowers with careful hands. The sight softened something in her chest
Then at the mention of Caleb, she perked up immediately, sitting up with renewed interest.
âBut also⊠yeah. If he hurts her, we jump him. I donât care if heâs a colonel. I will throw hands.â
She laughed under her breath, then quieted as Delia placed the flowers down, the purple catching the light beautifully. For a moment, Nym just⊠looked at them. At the care. At the effort.
Then Delia turned back to her.
And said that.
Nym stilled.
The humor slippedânot gone, just softenedâlike waves pulling back from the shore. She rubbed the back of her neck, gaze dropping for a second before flicking back up to meet Deliaâs.
ââŠHey,â she said, quieter now. âThatâs my thing. You donât get to call me out like that. It ruins my whole mysterious, emotionally unavailable persona.â But there was no bite to it. Just a small, crooked smile.
âI know,â she added, more honestly this time. âAnd⊠Iâm trying. I justââ she huffed softly, searching for the right words, âI donât always know how to not do that. Bottle things up, I mean.â
Her eyes flicked to the flowers again, then back to Delia.
âBut I hear you,â she said, gentler. âAnd Iâm⊠really glad youâre here.â
Then, because she couldnât help herselfâ
ââŠAlso if Caleb does mess up, you distract him and Iâll go for the knees.â
His smile deepens at the defiant lift of her chin, eyebrows raising further in amusement with each word that slips out of her mouth. She can be so witty. Sylus' fingers brush against her cheek softly, wiping away the dirt she'd smeared there, and he lingers. Knuckles tracing a gentle line down her cheek.
"Why would I need to lie about that?" He teases, words dripping with mirth and anticipation of what she might say next. "It doesn't sound like a downside and..." He runs his thumb across her jaw, slow and with intent. "You've never complained about my size before."
He kneels beside her on the mat, calmly drawing up the sleeves of his shirt.
"I'm not much for taking care of things... but I can follow your lead for Kitten Jr."
Nymâs brain very unhelpfully stalled the moment his fingers brushed her cheek.
Warm. Gentle. Lingering.
And thenâ
"Youâve never complained about my size before."
Her entire face went pink.
For a split second, her mind went somewhere it absolutely should not have, and her grip on the small trowel tightened as she stared at him like heâd just committed a crime.
She looked away sharply, dragging a hand through her hair in a poor attempt to cool her burning cheeks. âYouâre unbelievable,â she muttered, flustered embarrassment and something softer she refused to name.
And thenâ
âKitten Jr.?â
Her head snapped back toward him.
Nym immediately smacked his arm not hard, but with enough indignation to make her point. âAbsolutely not. No. Denied. Rejected. That name is banned effective immediately.â
She pointed accusingly at the plant. âThis is a respectable member of society. It deserves dignity. Honor. A name that doesnât sound like itâs part of your weird nickname agenda.â
aka 1.6k words of fluff where zayne asks miki out for the first time, ft. nymeria ashfield ( @aethercore-seeker ).
It was taking longer than usual.
Miki sat awkwardly in the hallway, back straight against the plastic chair. Toying with her hair, she would unbraid, and then rebraid, and then unbraid it again in a little cycle. In the same vein, the same nurse had been by three times now. Footsteps on the polished floor, a cart rolling by⊠She'd learned to give the nurse a tiny, sheepish smile.
And she thought, at least, the scent of hospitals was never quite overbearing to her.
But what did make her anxious was the wait.
Fifteen minutes.
She told herself she was here for Nymeria. That this was about being a good, supportive friend, about accompanying her to a check-up, about ensuring she had her own accountability partnerâŠ
But maybe Nymeria herself knew that wasn't quite the case.
Because when the door in front of her finally opened, her attention snapped up immediately.
And Zayne stepped out first.
Zayne.
He was mid-conversation, speaking in that calm, measured tone of his as Nymeria followed behind him, already tugging her jacket back on. He gestured lightly with his tablet as he finished explaining somethingânumbers, schedules, remindersâ
And then his gaze shifted.
Their eyes met.
Subtle, just the smallest pause.
But his attention anchored, like heâd found the thing heâd been unconsciously looking for, and his expression softened just a fraction.
âMiki,â he said, nodding his head in greeting.
She stood a little too quickly. âH- hiâŠ"
Nymeria beamed between them. âWell! Thank you, Dr. Zayne, and you two wait right here while I go grab some water!â She spoke like a declaration, hands on her hips, before giving Miki a little salute. "Doctorâs orders!"
Zayne nodded, âHydration is important.â
And she was already backing away.
Then the hallway fell quiet again.
A beat passed, before Miki turned towards him, fiddling with her hands behind her back.
She cleared her throat.
âUm⊠H- how did it goâŠ?"
Zayne looked up.
"Stable," he spoke matter-of-factly. "No concerning changes, in spite of the missions you two have been on as of late."
"Oh! Th- thatâs goodâŠâ
âIt is.â
He watched her for a moment, then added, âThank you⊠for waiting for her today. Did you have an appointment with Dr. Greyson as well?"
âOh, no, IâŠ! I-I had mine yesterday! I just thought I'd keep her company⊠and, umâŠ"
She shifted her weight, suddenly aware of her hands, her posture, the way sheâd been standing too straightâ
But the corner of Zayne's lips lifted up ever so slightly.
"I didn't see you drop by yesterday."
"H-huh? I, uhmâŠ"
With a slight tilt of his head, he stepped aside to offer her space to enter in, and Miki felt her heart rate pick up.
"Well, I was wondering if you'd be leaving me any notes this week like you used to."
Miki thought her ears might be deceiving her.
Still he spoke in that levelled, casual tone as he walked back to his desk, but dare she say she could find a hint of amusement in it.
"You missed last week, as well."
Her face burned.
He⊠noticed something like that�
"I-I didn't want make you uncomfortableâ"
"They did not make me uncomfortable."
She stopped.
He settled into his seat, raised his head to look at her.
"On the contrary, I quite enjoyed them," he nodded. "The last one you gave me had a drawing of Clopidogrel. I think it was quite cute."
Miki's eyes widened, and if she thought that her cheeks couldn't possibly get warmer, it seemed that she was very, very wrong.
"Um, I⊠I-I'll come back tomorrow, then! And I'll give you another note, and, um, I-I remember you saying you liked the macarons I brought last time, so I'llâŠ"
âMiki."
She swallowed thickly.
âY⊠yes?â
A silence passed. She caught the way his gaze softened, even as he moved to place his glasses back on his desk.
âI was also wondering,â he said slowly, âif you'd be free this Friday evening.â
⊠Pardon?
She stared, for a moment, before nodding. "I⊠I think soâŠ.. W-why do you ask?"
He watched her closely now.
There was something in his eyes she didn't quite recognize at first. Amusementâthere it was again. But there was also another, different kind of warmth in them. One that sheâd only ever seen when she made him laugh unexpectedly.
Miki's heart pounded in her chest. He couldn't possibly be�
âIâd like to take you out to dinner. Just the two of us.â
He spoke before she could complete the thought.
And she blinked.
Once.
Twice.
ââŠLike,â she started, then stopped. â⊠L-likeâ as, um⊠Friends?â
Zayneâs mouth twitched. Not quite a smile, but close. If she deluded herself further, she could have believed that he was laughing at her.
And yet, when he spoke again, there was less of a colder tone to his voice, and he sounded quiteâŠ
Gentle.
Sweet.
âNo,â he folded his hands on the table, âas a date.â
And the room went very, very quiet.
Once more, Mikiâs face went warm all at once, heat rushing up her neck, her ears, her cheeks. Her hands curled into her sleeves like they might anchor her to reality, like she could only believe she was dreamingâ
âAâ a date?â she repeated, uselessly.
âYes.â
Matter-of-fact. Certain.
She stared at him.
He waited.
âB-but youâ I thoughtâ I-I mean, you know that I like you, and I was okay with just being friends, really, I was, I promiseââ
âI know,â he chuckled.
Chuckled.
It almost seemed as if Zayne could no longer hide his amusement, and he shook his head, somewhat endeared.
Miki felt her brain stutter.
âI enjoy your company,â he offered, trying to reassure her. âI like talking to you. And I do, in fact, think about you, even outside of this hospital.â
A pause.
A gather of thoughts.
Miki's head seemed to swarm over with the pounding of her heart, and he addedâ
âAnd⊠Iâd like to see where this goes, if youâre willing.â
She let out a soft exhale. A breath, a swallow. A sheepish smile.
ââŠYouâre serious,â she whispers.
He nodded once. "I donât tend to joke about things I want."
And another moment passed, before she nodded.
Twice.
Thrice.
She couldn't help the giddy smile pushing at her lips, and she nodded again.
"Y-yes, IâŠ!" She clasped her hands behind her back, an attempt to restrain an overflow of joy. "I-I would really like that!"
And there it was.
There was unmistakable fondness in his eyes now; soft, contained, but undeniably there.
âGood,â he looked back down at his papers, âThen Iâll pick you up at seven. If⊠that works for you.â
She noded again.
Probably too many times.
âYes. Seven. Thatâ yes.â
He glanced up.
Smiled.
âIâll see you Friday, Miki.â
And when she left the room, Nymeria peered at her dazed expression with an eyebrow raised.
âOh my god⊠What happened to you?â
âNym, I think⊠I-I think I just got asked outâŠ"
"WHAT?"
Bonus:
Zayne arrived exactly on time.
Miki knew this because sheâd been standing by the door for the past five minutes, peeking out the window, heart fluttering like it didn't quite know what to do with itself. And yet, she heard the knock, and still jumped.
Still took in a deep, deep breath.
Still smoothed down her dress with shaking hands, and opened the doorâ
And almost forgot how to breathe.
He was really there.
Zayneâwithout the white coat, without the glasses⊠Just a dark jacket, clean lines, sleeves rolled just enough to reveal his wrists. And so⊠handsome.
She'd forgotten to breathe, yes. But, apparently, also how to speak.
âGood evening,â he nodded at her.
A pause.
ââŠH- hi,â she managed, barely louder than a breath.
And she watched as his eyes lingered on her, slow and thoughtful, as if taking her in without trying to make it too obvious. She felt painfully aware of herselfâof how her heart was racing, how she suddenly didn't know what to do with her handsâŠ
âY-youâre, um, early,â she said nervously, then winced. âI-I meanâ not early, you're on time! I⊠I am. Was. I-I was ready early. Which is sillyââ
âIt is not,â he interrupted gently.
She blinked.
âYou were prepared. And I find that very admirable.â
Though odd, that tiniest bit of reassurance seemed to settle her. Even as he offered a hand for her to take, even as he guided her down the steps of her front porch to his car.
And god, her heart was so loud.
Her cheeks were warm, and she was all the same aware of the warmth of standing so close to him.
Yet, how else could she describe it? He could make her pulse race by simply existing, but still, she felt so⊠secure, with him.
Calm, in the weirdest sense of the word.
And Zayne opened the door for her, slid in beside her. As he started the engine, there was a brief pause.
He didn't move right awayâinstead, he glanced at her.
âMiki,â he cleared his throat.
âY-yes?â
She turned.
He hesitated.
She noticed the way his fingers tightened slightly on the steering wheel before relaxing again, a motion she could attributeâin her head, if she could delude herself of this night even furtherâto the possibility that he was nervous.
âI⊠wanted to tell you something,â he started, slowly. âI was trying to find the right moment.â
Her heart skipped.
And if Zayne had been looking straight ahead, now he turnedâlooked at her, properly, eyes softer than sheâd ever seen them, with a faint, shy smile at the corner of his mouth.
âYou⊠look very beautiful tonight.â
Miki thought she might faint.
âïž; HAHA... UM... AHA...... đđđđđđđ the zayne feels are hitting hard this winter and i... đđ
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Today is a French holiday đŁïž You heard it here first, folks. It's @kaianqelic 's birthday!!!!! And why wouldn't it be a holiday when someone so gorgeous was born????
She's the only one who is crazy enough to convince me to try snails and the only one who gets to pin me down on a training mat đ„°
The second she heard the news she was rushing through the streets towards the familiar apartment complex, whether Nym was there or not it didn't matter. The better part of an hour later and an armful of purple tulips, skin care kits, and snacks later; Delia knocks on the door twice, softly. She pulls out her phone for good measure.
-> nym (â„_â„)
-> captain jenna said your mission is over
-> are you home? if not I will leave something at the entrance for you to find later...
- @xaviersknight
nym -> delia
[Message sent 7:33 pm]
đ± You better not leave that doorstep without seeing me.
đ± Iâm home.
đ± Finally.
đ± I am so overdue for some Delia time.
A moment later, thereâs the sound of hurried footsteps from inside the apartment, and then the door swings open. Nymâs hair still damp from a quick shower, loose and half-tucked behind one ear. Sheâs wearing an oversized shirt and the softest grin that only gets wider when she sees Delia standing there, arms full of gifts.
âDeliaâŠâ she breathes out, relief and warmth mixing in her voice as she immediately pulls her into a hug before the other woman can even react. âYou have no idea how happy I am to see you right now.â
She tugs her gently inside. âNow get in here before I start crying like a loser in the hallway.â
Delia's heart squeezes at her words, and she instinctively reaches out to take her hand, mirroring the quiet, lonely smile on Nym. "Well, it was definitely too quiet without you."
She squeezes Nym's hand gently, before conceding her retreat, a more genuine smile on her face when she sees the mischief in her friend's eyes.
"Hmm... I think Star cried about two times over being bored to tears without you," She starts counting on her fingers as she rattles on. "Miki, to no one's surprise, has taken more projects and missions on her plate than she should and missed you dearly. I think... that colonel of hers might've done something right for once but she wants to tell us all at the same time? And..."
She gets up and reaches for the tulips, looking around the room before she clears her throat. "Where do you keep your vases? Let me make these pretty for you."
Nymâs fingers curled instinctively around Deliaâs, giving her hand a grateful squeeze, one that lingered longer than she meant it to. Deliaâs warmth, her voice, her presence⊠it all melted something tight in Nymâs chest she didnât even know sheâd been holding.
But then the gossip started flowing, and Nym perked up like someone had flipped a switch.
âStar cried twice? Oh my gods, dramatic queen,â Nym snorted, shaking her head fondly. âTell meâtell meâdid she finally stop being a gremlin and sheâs now dating Dr. Zayne? Or is she still doing that thing where she stares at him for twenty minutes and then denies everything like weâre the delusional ones?â
She followed Deliaâs movement toward the tulips, pushing herself off the couch with a soft grunt and padding toward the kitchen. She opened a cupboard, pulled out a glass vase with a little flourish, and held it out proudly.
âHere. My fancy vase. Donât judge, itâs the only one that survived my last cleaning spree.â
But then she backtracked to Mikiâs name.
And Caleb.
Nym froze mid-step, whipping around with the biggest grin.
âWait. WAIT.â
She leaned in close, eyes wide.
âMiki and Calebâare they a thing? Please tell me theyâre a thing.â
Then her grin turned downright feral.
âAnd PLEASE tell me you gave him the shovel talk. With details. Did you threaten him? Did you mention the associationâs cremation rate? Did youââ
She clasped her hands dramatically beneath her chin.
ââtell him that if he breaks her heart, you wonât be the only one who sets him on fire?â
She whispered, half teasing, half genuinely invested. âI need to know our girl is protected. Heâs sweet, yeah, sureâbut heâs still a colonel. With a gun. And too many muscles. And a serious case of âIâll suffer silently before I communicateâ syndrome.â
Out of all the plans and countermeasures he'd thought of, he still wasn't quite prepared to be faced with the reality of Nymeria in this lifetime; with everything that remained and everything that changed. Still competitive, still with a caring heart, still on par or better than him in so many ways. Yet, in this life that seems to have allowed her softness she's developed things they'd only gotten a glimpse of before.
There's this: her, hands deep in dirt, purple hair alight under the afternoon sun like she is one of the flowers she's so carefully tending to. And there's the murmur of her voice as she keeps up a conversation with... a plant.
Sylus' lips curl in amusement and he can't resist stepping closer.
"Do the plants make for good conversation partners, sweetie?"
Nym didnât even need to look up to know Sylus was amused, she could feel it, like a warm little pressure at the back of her neck. Still, she kept gently loosening the basilâs roots, pretending she hadnât been caught midâone-sided gossip session with a plant.
âJudge all you want,â she muttered, flicking a glance up at him as she brushed her forearm across her cheekâwhich only managed to smear soil across her skin. âItâs scientifically proven that plants respond to sound waves. So yes,â she added with a stubborn lift of her chin, âtheyâre excellent conversationalists.â
When she finally looked up at him, she had to tilt her head back farther than seems reasonable⊠her eyes narrowed just slightly.
She tilted her head.
Suspicious.
âYou know,â she said, voice low and accusing, âIâm convinced you lie about your height. There is no way youâre only six-two. Youâre like⊠six-four. Minimum. Absolute tree.â
She clicked her tongue, scooting over on the little kneeling mat and patting the space beside her. âCâmon, then. If youâre here to mock me, youâre also here to help.â
Nym held up the basil plant as if presenting a baby. âI still havenât picked a name for this little guy,â she declared proudly. âSo unless you want me to call him âSylus Jr.â you better get down here and contribute.â
Rumor has it that you owe a certain purple haired hunter a donut and a drink!
"Hmmmm now is that true or did we make that one up because we wanted a donut and a drink? Doesn't matter, you're getting it anyways now! Spiked or nah?"
âTrick,â she declared confidently, hands on her hips and a playful glint in her eyes. âI know you. Youâll pull some cute little prank.... like hiding a gummy worm in my pocket or pretending you lost your keys again.â
She even closed her eyes dramatically and opened one hand, fully expecting something sweet, harmless, maybe even romantic.
And then he spoke.
Her eyes snapped open.
ââŠYou⊠what?â
For a moment she just stood there, blinking at him, expression frozen like someone had hit pause on her entire soul. Then came the slow, dawning horror. Her brows knit. Her jaw dropped. Her hand lifted as if to point at him but hovered there halfway, trembling slightly with pure disbelief.
âXavierâŠâ
Her voice cracked. Was she angry? Was she about to cry? Was she about to faint? No one could tell. Not even her.
âYou putâ you put cricketâ cricket proteinâ into our chai?â she repeated, voice wobbling through every emotion known to humankind. âI drankâ I drank TWO cupsâ I swallowed thatâ voluntarilyâ with happinessâ!â
Her face cycled like a broken mood wheel: betrayal, nausea, incredulity, quiet mourning for her tongue, and then blank shock.
She slowly lifted a hand to her own throat like she could still feel microscopic crickets doing laps inside her.
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She screamed his name. One would think that something was terribly wrong. But no, it was just a common house lizard staring at her from the wall. She would rather face a hundered wanderers over this lizard.
Xavier scrambled, nearly tripping on the carpet to get to the source of her voice. Although he had the sense that nothing could be terribly wrong, there were no metaflux fluctuations that he could sense and he knew very well she could fend off intruders just as fast as any wanderer. He knew that shriek didn't mean danger, or a clothes stain, if was pure terror, and it could only mean one thing...
"Nymeria?"
As soon as his concerned gaze finds her cowering form, he follows it to the lizard on the wall and he can't help but smirk while he shakes his head. "I thought it'd be something like this. Or a bug."
Calm and collected, he plucked it off the wall and held it gently between his palms.
"I think he wants to say hello to such a beautiful, strong, brave hunter." He held its squirming form out to wiggle in front of her, wickedly. "The question is which one of you is more nervous..."
Not intending to torture her for too long, he returned it to his palms and felt its small heartbeat and warm form. It almost seemed to calm down contentedly in his warm, safe hands.
"I'll just take him outside. I don't want Puffball to eat him."
Nymeria froze in place, still half-crouched behind the armchair like it was her last line of defense. The moment Xavier turned with that smug little smirk and held the thing out toward her, her entire soul left her body.
Her eyes went wide. Then narrow.
âXavier. Donât you dareââ
He took one step closer. She took three full steps back, hands lifted like he was pointing a loaded weapon at her.
âNope. Absolutely not. Keep thatâ that wiggling demon noodle away from me,â she hissed, glaring at him with all the fury of someone who fought Wanderers for a living but refused to negotiate with lizards.
When the squirming creature wiggled at her, she actually made a sound that could only be described as a distressed whine and backed into the wall. âWhy are you like this? I didnât do anything to deserve this.â
He finally cupped it closer to himself again, and only then did she lower her hands, still giving him a betrayed look. âAnd for the record,â she muttered, crossing her arms and inching behind the couch for extra safety, âPuffball can eat it. Puffball can have two. Heck, Puffball can eat them allllll.â
But despite her grumbling, the tension in her shoulders eased the moment he turned toward the door.
âAnd hurry,â she added, peeking over just to make sure he wasnât about to toss it at her again. âIf it disappears before you get outside, Iâm moving out.â
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SKY!!!!!!!!! I HOPE YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL TIME TODAY. đ
Without you, I probably would have embarrassed myself a thousand times more. I made you a glass blown pumpkin (I am so much better than Xavier... right??? RIGHT??) and I got you a dragon plushieeeee.
Also everyone stop and look at how gorgeous @xavissky is!!! đ„șđ„șđ„ș
"Thank you, Nym!" She giggled. "You're not even wrong. I'll have to treat you to a date soon. The pumpkin is going on my desk! And thank you for helping expand my plushie family. But more than that, I'm grateful I have friends like you."
