Lovely Roses

// FALCO WHY DO YOU NEVER WANT TO BE MY ACE IN A CM?!?!

❝ you seem pretty composed for someone carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders. ❞

❝ you seem pretty invincible for someone so self - sacrificing. ❞

❝ you seem pretty prideful for someone with so much self - loathing. ❞

❝ you seem pretty reserved for someone who longs to be understood. ❞

❝ you're pretty manipulative for someone who cares so much. ❞

❝ you seem pretty detached for someone familiar with loss. ❞

❝ you seem pretty cruel for someone who once loved someone so gently. ❞

❝ you seem pretty young for someone sticking their neck out so recklessly. ❞

❝ you seem pretty timid for someone with such ambitious dreams. ❞

❝ you seem pretty loyal for someone so untrustworthy as a friend. ❞

❝ you seem pretty self - sacrificing for someone who called it hypocritical. ❞

❝ you seem pretty trapped for someone who values freedom for others. ❞

❝ you seem pretty forgiving for someone who wants revenge. ❞

❝ you seem pretty selfish for someone so willing to do anything for anyone. ❞

❝ you seem pretty fearless for someone who's a coward. ❞

❝ you seem pretty realistic for someone living in a fantasy. ❞

❝ you seem pretty well put together for someone beyond repair. ❞

❝ you seem pretty cold for someone with such a soft heart. ❞

❝ you seem pretty calm for someone who's about to meet their demise. ❞

❝ you seem pretty human for someone who isn't. ❞

❝ you seem so insecure for someone who sees beauty in everything. ❞

❝ you seem pretty trusting for someone so scared of betrayal. ❞

❝ you seem pretty kind for someone so full of anger. ❞

❝ you seem pretty strong for someone holding back. ❞

❝ you seem pretty bright for somehow so scared to outshine others. ❞

❝ you seem pretty certain of yourself for someone that's spent years questioning their own existence. ❞

----

Timaeus had a slightly busy day at the aquarium. The third owner wouldn't be a bother again and the great white shark was now on its way back into the open ocean. It was a weight off of everybody's shoulders, especially with that owner now banned from the premises and fired. He grinned as he watched a whale that he worked close with, swim freely in the massive performance tank. Donned in his wetsuit, that clung to him like a second skin and hair pulled back into a ponytail, he nodded in satisfaction.

"Seems we're ready for tonight."

One is had been brought to his attention that sound… popular amongst the aquarium as a whole. Since the four legendary knights are talked about within the exhibit, there was talk about having perhaps actors stand in as if they were part of the exhibit itself… before “coming to life”, acting as guides and answering questions. Funnily enough… wouldn’t it just so happen that he knew of the perfect people to ask about it. If they said no, that was fine, they could scrap the idea as a whole, however… it would give the four of them an opportunity to have a hand at sharing the history as well.

The former King walks out of the area of the aquarium he was busily working away in before happening to see Timaeus. Well… it couldn’t hurt to try. Right? He brushes some of his long light blue hair out of his face before finally making his way over.

"Thank you, Dartz. I'm actually quite excited for it."

He had been slowly letting go of his hate towards the former King. All it did was make him bitter and he was tired of harboring such negative feelings. He doesn't think that he wpuld be able to forgive the man for what he's done but merely working with him and generally getting along was a step in the right direction.

“After everything else, it’s good to see you excited for it as well,” he adds in, golden eyes glimmering a moment. He then hums and adjusts the strap to the messenger bag he was wearing that held his laptop along with his other research and work papers.

“Well, the exhibit is about to open soon, as you know, and a few co-workers and researches have been… offering ideas for what to do to make it special, especially the opening weekend,” he explains before taking out his phone. He pulls up a video of a sample to be able to show Timaeus while he explains.

"Really? Let's hear it."

He was honestly excited about hearing some of the ideas. He pushes off of the railing to take a step closer to the man and look at what he's showing him. His eye brightens at the concept.

It sounded like a lot of fun! The former Knight nodded in agreement and smiled.

"That sounds like a fun idea! The exhibit would be more interactive that way for the opening weekend."

His mind immediately slammed on the metaphorical brakes when he remembered one thing. He seems to deflate a bit.

“Thank you. I obviously cannot take credit for the idea, but I’m glad you like it too,” he tells him with a chuckle as he moves to put his phone back into his pocket. He then blinks when he sees Timaeus seem to almost immediately lose that earlier energy. He frowns a bit.

"I uh...I told Critias, Hermos, Socrates, Atem and Yugi about you. Being back and all..."

He looked down as a flash of pain shone in his teal eye. Along with shame and guilt.

"I never told them. Before. With the whole thing with the third owner, I never got the chance to tell them and...it wasn't received well because I had kept your existence from them. They got upset with me."

The former Knight sighed heavily and a wave of nostalgia hit. He remembered a time when he could speak to his father or Dartz like this.

"I know...but the weight and anxiety was too much..."

He nodded, crossing his arms.

"Yeah. Everyone's all right. Critias had to come and get me to come back home. We talked it all out and everything's fine now."

He took a deep breath bwfore gathering himself and giving the former King a small smile.

“Good… honestly, have more trust and faith in them, Timaeus,” he adds in before he slowly pulls his hand off of his shoulder. Afterwards he shifted his focus back to the exhibit. Right, the real reason they were talking to begin with. A small, amused smile fills his features when the other went ahead and assumed the former king was asking him for assistance. Just like in the last… he always seemed to have a knack for preparing for what his liege would have requested before being asked.

“I didn’t even ask you yet~” he teases before giving a small bow. It… was very rare to see a noble, let alone royalty being the own to bow before their knights. Even if their circumstances had changed drastically, he knew it would likely still come as a shock to him, but he presses forward.

"Apologies...I assumed..."

He brightened in the mext minute. The idea filled him with pride. To show how Atlanteans lived back then and share some experiences, to keep Atlantis alive.

"I'd be honored."

He gave the former King a sympathetic smile and nodded.

"You have my thanks. If not however, I..." he starts on before the color happens to drain from his face. He first feels his body sway a bit, as if shifting to re-right itself on a wobbly platform before moments later, visually able to see that same shift. One of his hands quickly grabs the siderail to catch himself as he just manages to keep from falling suddenly, letting out a quick, shaky breath. A cold sweat already started across his forehead then, but after a moment he manages a soft, somehow both annoyed and amused laugh as he looks down and closes his eyes.

"Ah.... that... that hasn't happened... in a long time," he murmurs before finally lifting his head up more slowly and beginning to straighten up. Damn, for a moment, his own messenger bag felt like it weighed more than it ever had before, almost surprised he didn't fall.

"Whoa! Dartz!"

He reaches out to him, gently cupping his elbow. Even his dragon whined with concern. He remembered a time when he saw the former King like this. His eye narrows with worry.

"...here. Sit down for a while. Get your breath back."

He helps guide him to sit on the bleachers, carefully removing his messenger bag and setting it next to him.

"You know what I'm going to say. You're obviously not fine."

He bit his lip. A dark part of him was telling him to let Dartz suffer but the other part, the one that swore on oath when he became a Knight resisted.

"Haah, wouldn't that be something?" he asks at the idea of going to a doctor in this day and age. Although, there was always that chance Timaeus was right about it... After all, modern science and such has come a very long way after ten millennia.

"Well, look at you two~. How has it been having him help?" he asks curiously. At least from what he's heard so far, the two have been working well together, even if their work flows didn't technically cross besides Critias handing off the footage for Atem to edit. It also sounded like from the Egyptian's side he's been having fun with the change of pace. Though,,, it was then his soulmate's next words that really made the smaller male blink a bit. A blush spreads over his face as he smiles adoringly to him.

"I am~. Strawberries were always my favorite and I like blueberries with them too," he hums with a nod. He picks up another strawberry then, taking a bite of it and smiling at the flavor. He reaches over with his other hand to playfully boop his nose then in a silly little gesture.

The first 5 Asks to send 💋 get a kiss

Atem is now at 2/5!

Listen, there's never a time where Atem tells his Aibou 'no'. And if Yugi is going to come over asking for a kiss, that was no different~. He chuckles and gently pulls him closer.

"You're precious, you know that~?" he tells him teasingly before finally leaning in and pressing a kiss to his lips adoringly.

“Truly full of surprises, aren’t you~?” He purrs first before hearing the implication of other ones he still hadn’t seen. Just how many piercings had his partner gotten while he’d been gone? He teasingly brushes his fingertips along Yugi’s stomach then, humming.

That was the thing though, part of them going a bit slower was also to give the former spirit time to adjust to having his own body fully. It was a lot different, now returning to a regular routine of eating, sleeping, taking a shower, and what not, along with something as simple as even remembering that others could perceive him again. His body was solid, able to fully feel again. To be fair... it was also why just getting to kiss Yugi was already so thrilling. There was a point where the Egyptian never thought he'd be able to, not really...

~

The first 5 Asks to send 💋 get a kiss

Atem is now at 2/5!

Listen, there's never a time where Atem tells his Aibou 'no'. And if Yugi is going to come over asking for a kiss, that was no different~. He chuckles and gently pulls him closer.

"You're precious, you know that~?" he tells him teasingly before finally leaning in and pressing a kiss to his lips adoringly.

“Truly full of surprises, aren’t you~?” He purrs first before hearing the implication of other ones he still hadn’t seen. Just how many piercings had his partner gotten while he’d been gone? He teasingly brushes his fingertips along Yugi’s stomach then, humming.